Tips On How To Choose The Right Shift Dress For You

Many of you will have seen the picture of Sarah Jessica Parker dressed in a Giambattista Valli pale blush shift dress at a gala in Manhatten (see picture courtesy of In Style and Getty Images). I thought this was certainly a more understated look for SJP, but loved it all the same, simply because of its simplicity and style. Shift dresses are the perfect "easy" way to dress, whether it's going out to a party or simply for everyday work as they are just to simple, flattering and downright elegant when dressed up the way SJP has it going on. If you are looking for a simple, but flattering dress here are some guidelines on what to look for.

What To Look For In A Shift Dress

• As the shift dress is very simple in design, it is worth spending more on this type of garment, as any mistakes in the dressmaking will show up immediately. Good quality seams and cut are very important.
• Many shift dresses are sleeveless (think of pictures of 60s icons such as Twiggy who made the dress style famous at that time). Sleeveless styles tend to hang very well and look really stylish. A sleeveless shift dress can be worn over another top, such as a turtleneck in a contrasting colour, and teamed up with high heeled knee boots will look fantastic.
• Think of black or dark red dresses for parties, a simple shift dress with either short sleeves or sleeveless dressed up with diamante or silver jewellery will look stunning for a party. Look for versions in black with lace sleeves for the latest gothic look too.
• With footless or opaque tights and leggings you can get away with amazingly short shift dresses - and remember that wearing black tights is fantastically slimming for legs - see the article on dressing to be slim.

What are your favourite dresses of the moment - let us know if you have seen anything great as we've all got Christmas parties to look fantastic at soon!

How To Control Oiliness and Shine In Your T-Zone

No matter how carefully you might cleanse, tone and moisturise, or apply your make up and powder in the mornings it's often a disappointment that by lunchtime the dreaded facial "shine" has appeared particularly around the T-Zone area, namely the forehead, nose and chin. There are some things you can do though that can help control this phenomenon, and if it does happen, some easy ways of dealing with it.

• Drink lots of water throughout the day. Yes, I know, this seems to be the answer for all life's problems (if only!) but skin which is dehydrated will produce more oil from the sebaceous glands to compensate. Obviously, drinking water will hydrate your skin - you need to aim for six to eight glasss per day.
• Use a moisturiser specifically designed for oily skin - if your skin is already moisturised it will produce less natural oil itself.
• Use a skin primer which is applied before normal make up. The primer will act as a barrier between the skin and your make up and will absorb any oils created by the skin rather than letting them through to your make up to create shine.
• Use an oil control powder over your make up. These are available from all main brands of make up from the budget such as Collection 2000 to the premier brands.
• If the "shine" does happen to you during the day, either keep with you a compact of your oil control powder and a brush to give a quick touch up or buy some of the facial blotting papers which are normally available in a little notebook form or box. Some are made from rice paper and others contain ingredients such as flax seeds. Use them once and dispose of - they are incredibly useful and discreet in your bag.

How To Create A Natural Golden Glow To Show Off Your Christmas Party Dress

Yes, it's that time of year again when we are all thinking of what we will be wearing for the annual Christmas bash, but I think nothing sets off a little black or sparkly dress as well as a lovely golden glow. Don't get me wrong - I'm not advocating a few hurried sessions on the sun-bed as we all know that in the long term this is not good for you. However, there are lots of other ways to create a golden summer glow on your face and body without harming your skin.

How To Create A Healthy and Natural Glow For Your Face

• Start by either mixing some self-tanning cream with your normal night cream - allowing the tanning solution to work overnight will give you a lovely golden complexion the next day. Be careful to use a cotton bud to wipe away excess cream from the sides of your nose otherwise this part of your face will be darker than the rest.
• Use a day cream which already includes a hint of tanning lotion - these are available even in the supermarket with brands such as Johnson's and Olay being easily available.
• On the party night itself when applying your make up stick with your normal foundation colour. Using a darker shade just won't work, particularly if you plan to dance the night away, as with the heat of the Christmas dance floor you will probably just end up with a patchy face.
• Instead set your foundation with a light application of face powder and then work with a bronzer, brushing over your check-bones, and lightly across the forehead and nose. You are aiming for a subtle shimmer - not an orange all-over glow.

Shimmering And Glowing Arms, Shoulders and Chest

• Ideally you should be planning at least two or three days ahead - start by using a body scrub and exfoliate - then each day apply a light application of self-tanning lotion. Have a look at my blog entry on self-tan application which gives some great tips on how to achieve the perfect tan.
• On the evening itself, using a bronzer and large powder brush or puff, dust the bronzer over your forearms, shoulders and along your collar bone and decollete.

Perfect Golden Pins

• If you are showing off your legs without stockings or tights, again you need to prepare a few days ahead, particularly if you are waxing to avoid any redness or rashes.
• Again, you may be happy with an application of self tan, but there are also leg creams available, such as Pretty Polly Love Legs Sheer Silk Leg Make Up which covers up minor imperfections.

Stylish and Practical - Bags For Shoppers

Yes, it's happening in all our supermarkets and it's a good thing too - in my local Sainsbury's supermarket there are no longer free carrier bags hanging at the end of the till to help yourself to. You have to ashamedly admit to the cashier that you do not have any ecologically friendly shoppers or second hand carrier bags that you want to re-use and yes, you would like some free plastic bags to carry your purchases home and then promptly stuff into your kitchen bin. The horror of it - you feel lower than a leper as you sheepishly pack your shopping into shiny new plastic bags.

But there is a stylish and also an environmentally sound way to escape from this horror and that is to make sure you have a stylish and practical reusable shopping bag that you will actually want to be seen with. Of course, all the supermarkets have their own versions which you can pick up for a couple of pounds, but there are some great alternative bags which are a lot more fun.

A very cool shopping and book bag by Roxy which is made from cotton and is washable - with Roxy branding throughout.

The brilliant Onya Bag (suitably named - think about it!) which has the convenience of a plastic bag - it fits in its own tiny little pouch in your pocket or on a keyring and will always be with you.  Made of resilient parachute nylon with a reinforced handle.

 Have you got a favourite bag that never leaves your side and what do you use it for - let us know :-)

How To Fade Away Freckles And Unwanted Brown Marks

Some of you may look at the above and say "Hey, I love my freckles - they are cute." And you would be right - freckles are indeed a sign of beauty, but for some too many brown marks or dark freckles on the face can be distressing. Sometimes it's a case of having spent too many hours sunbathing, or during pregnancy brown marks can appear on the face which do not totally disappear after the baby is born. Later on in life age spots can appear on hands and face - ie on areas which have sometimes been overexposed to the sun.

What Causes Freckles And Brown Marks On The Skin?

Freckles and age spots are caused by exposure to the sun - the easiest way to ensure you don't develop age spots later in life is to limit the time you spend in the sun - we're not saying don't enjoy your beach holidays BUT do make sure you use a good sunscreen of SPF 15 or preferably higher. You will still tan, but at a slower rate, without burning, which also prevents premature aging - yet another bonus.

How Can I Treat Freckles and Brown Marks Now?

If you have dark freckles or brown marks that you would like to fade away you can either wait and ensure that you wear a sun-screen all the time when outdoors, which means your freckles and brown marks will slowly fade away or you can try some of the following treatments:

• Glycolic acid - this is a treatment which can be carried out at either a salon (where the treatment used will be slightly stronger than that available for the home market) or you can purchase home treatment kits. Glycolic acid is derived from sugar cane and it's part of the Alpha Hydroxy Acid family (AHAs) which can be derived from fruits, plants and dairy products. It works when applied to your skin by breaking down the bond which keeps all the sticky, dead skins cells attached to the surface of your skin promoting shedding of the top layers, along with your freckles.
• Kojic acid is a natural product derived from mushrooms and was discovered in Japan in 1989. It is used to lighten skin discolourations and freckles and is a natural inhibitor of melanin production in the skin. It can be found in various skin creams and treatments for curing freckles and brown spots.
• Wash your face with sour milk - hmmm.. not to everyone's taste, but the milk does contain lactic acid which will encourage gentle peeling without irritating or drying your skin.
• Make your own fruit mask by mixing together peaches, strawberries, papaya, honey and enough oatmeal to make a paste. Leave the mask on for 10 minutes and the fruit acids will attack and remove your dead skin cells along with any freckles and marks - when washed off you will have a smooth and hydrated glowing skin.
• Along with these treatments, make sure you use sunscreens and facecreams with a minimum SPF 15 so all your hard work isn't wasted.

If you have any remedies for fading freckles or sun-spots let us know by sharing at fashion-Tips.