Am I too old for this?

'Is this a bit young for me?', a few years ago before nature took it's toll on my body I can remember thinking if your asking that question the answer is obvious! Five years down the line and I have realised that the lines are not as clear cut as I once thought they were.  I am very slim around a six to an eight but regardless of your size as you enter your early twenties your body does some strange things, be it cellulite, varicose vain, fat pockets, skin pigmentation, general weight gain or the skin losing elasticity, we all get it and generally not long after our 21st! What a gift!  Now because of these imperfections at my mere mid twenties I am regularly left in a changing room battling with my brain that I'm nearly a decade older than Pixie Lott and that even she can only just pull those hot pants off!...... Best pop them back then! 
With mutton aside I understand that I no longer look great in everything but I still wanna be current maybe even cutting edge.  How do you achieve fashion when the trends are so young, my advice dress the trend around your imperfections, so you have cellulite on your thighs, no doubt it makes you feel incredibly self conscious, I know the feeling, I've seen oranges with smoother skin than my upper thigh but don't be put off by something like the short trend. I've just purchased leather shorts, which conceal lots of blemishes as long as you buy big so...... stick to a looser fit to prevent the double buttock, invest in some 120 denier tights, they hide everything and are tough enough to pull you in to a great shape, still not confident? Whack on another pair of tights! 240 denier equates to looking like an 18 year old again!!! Love it!
Start to think around your shape, skinny jeans are great but a love handles worst nightmare, go for some control pants (sexy ones, yes sexy control pants available from Triumph in black and light chocolate) and invest in this seasons must a boyfriend sweater, it'll hide a multitude of sins!  Get the idea, hold it in on the inside and where its hard to hide bulk up on the outside!
The main thing to remember is not not expose the bits that make you anxious, if you wondering if your too old and your exposing those bits you are probably not too old but just this is the wrong style for you!  Almost anything can be dressed for an age, pay careful attention to length and also arm exposure, it's a sad fact but as age takes it's toll the area around the tops of our arm usually bears the brunt looking similar to a turkeys neck, a look the Saturdays are currently not sporting and thus I suggest you don't.  I'd let tights and shape underwear become your best friends and go up a size where you can in clothing, when you squeeze into anything it'll make you look older, a size bigger is not only more comfortable but will look classier.  Be careful with prints too, they have age written all over them, youngsters go cutting edge, like the current smudge trend however those of us young professionals who are homeowners tend to pick fabrics that would look good as a bedspread for our spare room or a new table cloth for the dinning room, it's our nesting tendencies but the fact is these cute fabrics will make us look less vintage and more actually born in the 60s than we would like!!
The very best advice is find a friend like me who will be brutally honest, my friends never have the chance to ask the dreaded 'am I too old for this?' question, as I'd have whipped it off them before they got the sentence out!  Brutal yes, caring, yes.......... will they thank me, course they will, Jude Laws not gonna ask for their number when they've dressed a decade too young!

Purchase of the Day!

Chain Necklace Top
Where: Topshop
Colours: Grey Only
How Much: £35

Really cool T-shirt, great for a night out.  Baggy grey marl T-shirt with a heavy embellished necklace attached.  Statement necklace are one of the key accessories for this season and this Tee makes it an easy trend to wear.  I wear mine with a black body con skirt and tights but would look equally as lovely with some black skinny jeans.  The necklace is very heavy for the top so I would reinforce with a few stitches before pulling the Gaga moves on the dance floor in it!  Great top for Xmas drinks!

A wardrobe of habit!

As my alarm goes off I drift downstairs reach for my morning glass of water and begin to devour my coco pops.  Walk to the mirror, cleanser, toner, moisturiser, make up then tidy up my hair! In zombie fashion I stumble to the car, pull into the train station, park in the same space I park in everyday, pop on my iPod, Craig David for the morning (what, he has a soothing voice).  Once on the train, sitting in the same seat as normal I give it half hour then I turn up the pace, maybe a bit of Kings of Leon, then just before I get off the train I'll bust out the Gaga in preparation for my strut into the city! But before the strut comes the morning chamomile tea, always from Costa!!
Creatures of habit, you got it...........how does this relate to my wardrobe??? Ask my collection of nude shoes........ 12 pairs, necessary, doubtful?? Or maybe one of the fifth teen pairs of hareem pants or hoards of baggy off the shoulder tees could answer!!  We all do it, safe buying, we have items that make us feel good or that we've been noticed in so we buy similar, this can make a wardrobe very samey and means we become less and less creative as we stick with the safe options.
My question is what happens if one morning I decide not to opt for Craig David but instead I tune into some Tinie Tempah, apart from feeling 100 times more cooler and current than I usually do, at best I may get a feeling of power, one because the tracks have hard beats and two because I have decided to take control and go against my normal routine, at worst the music may wake me up more quickly than Craig Davids mellow tunes putting me in a bit of an erratic mood.
Realistically though that feeling of power that I may get is surely worth the risk as during that day I am likely to strive higher to achieve, be determined to complete things and who knows it may give me the confidence I need to ask my boss that key question that's been on the tip of my tongue for the past six months.
This change of routine is powerful stuff right...... so apply that to your wardrobe does it make the same impression?  More so, you are what you wear, pop on a cute little tea dress you'll feel innocent and coy, pop on some gun pants and military boots and you'll feel strong and powerful, tall boots and tight jeans sexy and womanly - get the picture.  Ever wondered why you are feeling a bit...... blurgh?  Maybe you've got into the habit of buying................. blurgh?  You clothes are probably lovely and you may have loads of items but if they are all a bit similar you'll never really feel like you never have new items.  Try something different, so many times I hear 'thats not my style', but........ have you tried it? More importantly have you tried it recently, this is another common misconception just because something didn't suit you at 18 it doesn't mean it won't suit you at 28, be adventurous and try to buy a few different shapes or colours to what you normally wear.  You'll feel a bit unsure at first going against what you normally wear but wait till you go out in a different item and you'll get hundreds of compliments ........you look different and for that reason you'll get noticed!  This is the perfect wardrobe tipfor when you are trying to get noticed for a promotion or if you'd like a guy you've known for ages to see you in a new light, it sounds daft but a style change will really draw peoples eye, it'll have the same effect as dying your hair - pretty impressive hey!

Purchase of the Day!

Albert2 Fur Lace Up Boots
Where: Topshop
Colours: Black and Tan
How Much: £68

So for all of you who bought the Albert boot last year and have lived in it ever since, fear not they can now be replaced.  This season they have stuck to black but replaced the grey with tan, to keep them fresh and current they have added a fleece lining.  The fleece lining only comes in cream on the tan boot but is available in both black and cream on the black boots.  These are some of the comfiest boots you'll wear, the leather is so soft.  I was so happy to see them back in store however I would stick to tan as the black has a cheaper look to it, they seem to be coming up bigger than last years too so may be wise to go down a size!  Versatile too as can be worn with the fleece on show or standing tall, I think they look better with the fleece inside as there is so much of that turned down look on the high street right now, and with gorgeous leather is there any need to hide it?  Bring on the bad weather, my toes are now ready, fleece lined ready!

Nothing to wear mornings!

Don't you hate those days where nothing works!  You an have an amazing wardrobe bursting at the seems set to put your local topshop to shame but some mornings whatever you try on just doesn't work!  Even those old reliables that in the past have made you feel invincible are really doing nothing for you today.  I wish I had a miracle answer that could help to trail these days on the road to extinction however there is no simple answer! I have found people that hoard clothes tend to suffer from this more, a good wardrobe is one where all items are worn on a monthly cycle.  If you have lots of stuff you never wear it can make you confuse your style, so first tip have a clear out and be ruthless!  My next tip is to stay calm, while many people couldn't understand why one would get flustered over an outfit for those who have felt this there's nothing more stressful come Monday morning, getting in a panic will muddle you further and probably lead to a bright red body con dress heading off to the office - not a good look, although I am sure the post boy will appreciate it.  Next keep it simple, outfit struggle days tend to lead to the creation of a collage of prints, ugly Betty style, which is then followed by a day of hiding in the copier room in hope that no one will see your faux pas!  If you are struggling to dress yourself, the day should not be about prints and patterns and more importantly not about florals, stick to block colours or even better all black, we usually experience these days brought on by an initial outfit making us feel a little out of shape, black instantly slims us and an all black outfit doesn't require alot of thought, however if you go to work in a black tutu, black cropped pullover and black military boots you haven't quite found the look I was talking about, simple and good shaping lines!  The most important thing to keep in the forefront of your mind is......... Over thinking, we all do it but it leads to disaster, the more you try the worse the outfits will look or so your brain makes you think, try not to get past two outfits as this will lead to the only solution being a sick day!! Does the outfit actually look as bad as you think it does, probably not, try taking off an accessory, it's crazy how a necklace or belt can make or break your outfit!  My biggest tip, go pre-school, before bed lay our your clothes on the bed until you are happy with your outfit for the following day, only once it's perfect may you go to bed!!
Best of luck!

Purchase of the Day!

Zip Front Playsuit
Where: Urban Outfitters
Colours: Floral Print, Black, Grey and Pink
How Much: £52

Stuck for something to wear for Saturday night, look no further, playsuits are currently hot property and this style is set to make you every girl in towns envy.  I opted for the grey and I suggest you stick to the block colours, the floral is £6 more and is likely to date quickly, the block coloured suits also look more expensive.  Opt for the grey if you are blond and the pink if your brunette, the pink is so bright you'll have everyone talking about you.  Featuring a gathered waist and baggy pockets at the hip, it hides any hang ups you may have.  Team with black tights, platform boots and a baggy boyfriend blazer.

Please tell me self control comes with age!!

As a young professional I understand and yearn for a nicely decorated home, mines lovely but I'm talking 'Grand Designs' style.  I wish I ate only organic produce sealed in the most romantic packaging, I wish all my holidays could be five star in the Caribbean and don't get me started on saving for a new X5, but the truth is all these things are within my grasp but there is something holiday me back............. My need for new clothes on a daily basis.  In the past I can remember sacrificing meals for new shoes, in my late teens at the time, I as my family did put it down to a phase but almost a decade on the phase is still in full swing.  I regularly question when self control will enter my life and as soon as I think I've found it I can usually be spotted leaving Bluewater with a good eight bags of Zara and Urban Outfitters goods, it's funny how my self control always losses itself in shopping centres!!
Since getting married and buying my house I have on many occasions planned saving schemes In hope to buy a new kitchen or afford a last minute holiday, the problem is once again the saving goes well until I am left alone in a shop!
I am not embarrassed to admit that my happiest moments are usually when I am shopping, the feel of that new fabrics makes my heart go ten to the dozen and the feeling I get as I pop a new garment in my wardrobe is unlike any other feeling I have had however even as one of Britain's biggest shopaholics I can see flaws in my spending habits!  If you take an average twenty something wage of around 25k a year then you multiply it by 10 years (the time I have been wasting cash) we are looking at an income of around 250k, granted you may be on a bit more than that or a little less but the point of it is what have you got to show for if?? With most of us currently on interest only mortgages and at a push a nine grand car it really begs the question where has it all going! I love my wardrobe and I vow never to neglect it, this economy needs people like me to succeed! But...... I can see that I really only need half of what I buy, and that's still generous, how can I satisfy both needs, my habit and my responsibility's........ My plan which is by no means tried or tested is to carry on shopping in my normal places, try on as many clothes as I do now but when I reach the till the plan is to put half of the items back,". For me some of that buzz of shopping is the process this way I still feel like a celebrity on a spree but my bags go home lighter saving that dreadful plastic bag cutting in arm look (not good) and my purse goes home a little heavier! Extra tip is pop that cash you would have spent in a separate account, or give to your mum or husband where it can stay safe for your new kitchen/sofa/honeymoon/Mulberry bag - oops I meant bathroom tiles!!
Maybe a little bit of saving can be fun!! Let's reassess in a few months time!