* It's a Winter ting *

Yes, it’s rare that I say I’ve got that winter feeling as opposed to summer as most people know I crave the sun, especially during these dank, gloomy months. But they don’t have to be gloomy! All you have to do is embrace all the good things about winter. I know I say it every year, but the little exciting new beauty buys and new looks hot off the catwalk that enter our shops really drag you out of that doom and gloom. Apart from crispy sunny mornings, snow, log fires, roast dinners, too many cups of tea and all the other simple winter comforts, my saviour in this bleak weather is FASHION! Oh and reminding myself that summer is not far away, well- not that far away.

These are my winter warmers this year:-

~ Mint green dream ~

Mint green has gotta be the freshest colour out there at the moment and its gonna be BIG for spring. Pastels are fresh off the catwalk this season, along with block bold colours and this

particular shade of green is set to be swarming the

shops. Designed to bring you out of the winter blues and straight into that spring vibe, this colour will have you perked up in no time. Wear with white for a clean and sprightly day look or team with black for a sophisticated look with an edge.

~ Tiffany blue delight ~

As we know, this colour was big last year too but this season it’s gone a dash bluer and it’s still right on the money. It’s less tame than taupe but still ultra chic. Not too bright for winter but still has that subtle colour that lifts your spirits. Looks good on pale skin but amazing with a tan! (if you’re lucky enough to have a tan in winter that is!) Add that sparkling ring and you’ll be talk of the town in an instant.

~ Orchid inspiration ~

I love experimenting with colour, especially when it comes to makeup. So I had a thrill when MAC released a range of purple lipsticks onto their shelves in January. Although I was tempted by the brilliant bold shade of purple, the spotlight was suddenly stolen by a divine sheen supreme lipstick. Appropiately named “Asian flower” this beautiful orchid coloured rarity is a combination of a lipstick and a gloss. It feels great on, creates a lovely sheen and the colour is eyegasmic. Limited edition though so get it before it goes!

~ Fur waistcoat fever ~

I’ve never been a massive fan of waistcoats, but these wi

nter, wooly ones have changed my mind. They’re right on trend, really warm and don’t dominate a whole outfit, so that new top you love can be on display at the same time, not covered up by a cardy. This is normally the reason I prefer summer for fashion in general because winter means covering up a perfectly good outfit with big fat jumpers.... it’s probably a sign I should invest in a better winter wardrobe and stop buying bikinis!

~ Parka insania ~

This coat actually makes me excited about winter coz its so damn cool. Ok maybe I’m a little over excited, but it is cool, you can’t escape that. It’s casual, street and warm at the same time. It’s probably worth investing in a good one to last you a few years but you’ll be the one looking good this winter and not freezing at the same time.

~ Winter warmers ~

These little beauties come in handy with everything from driving on cold mornings (especially scraping the ice off the car!) to doing the everyday things you want to do with gloves on- but can’t. They keep your hand warm but you are free to do pretty much anything you like in them... you can even paint your nails with them on- now that’s a first!

~ Tantalizing Tribal ~

Tribal is everywhere again and fortunately- I LOVE this trend. The colour, the un usual element to the trend and the mad, crazy fun designs! It’s said that this summer’s fashion is gonna be very Rihanna inspired (works for me!), focusing on the tribal look that she worked so well in her “What’s my name” video. I think we’ll also see, consequently, an 80s spin on fashion too and most likely a combination of the two. Remind yourself of these two styles being combined and check out Rihanna’s style. Even though our summer will be dominated by this trend this year, it’s already hit the stores nationwide. Be on the lookout for rebellious prints and feather elements: Republic has already decked out their store with tribal.

~ Dolce and Gabbanna scarf mania! ~

One of my favourite designers, the fabulous Dolce and Gabbanna have created a n elaborate, out there look with scarves this season. You’ll see they are using scarves on pretty much anything they can: shoes, dresses, skirts and tops! Personally, I want a pair of these shoes, totally yum for summer.

Yes, I keep visualising all these looks in the summer, it’s automatic to me! But, the point is, these looks are here now, in the winter and they are so good they may well last till the summer. Don’t wait till summer to experiment with colour, do it now. And winter fashion doesn’t have to be ho hum, as I’ve learnt. It’s what you make of it and with these trends you will definitely be embracing the chilly season!

Happy new year fashionistas,

Miss V x