Fashion

One of my favourite shops is jewellery shop called The Jewellery Stop.  They’ve a few branches dotted around the Midlands, but I tend to shop in their Kings Heath store as that’s the closest to me.  It’s an Aladdin’s cave of jewel like colours with plenty of choice and a selection of items in just about every colour imaginable.

So when Barclaycard got in touch and asked if I’d like to spend some money in a local shop to illustrate the benefits of their Freedom Rewards Card, there was no holding me back. The idea behind Barclaycard’s Freedom Rewards Card is that it’s a card that lets you earn points no matter where you spend your money. Unlike other loyalty cards, the Freedom Rewards card literally rewards every single purchase, so whether you’re at your favourite independent retailer, are buying gifts from a unique craft shop or are buying a round of drinks at your local pub, you can be earning points. In addition, you have the potential to earn double and triple points with major retailers.

I decided that I would splash out on a few items to take with me on the Caribbean cruise that we are going on in the new year.  As well as jewellery, The Jewellery Stop has a wonderful array of floaty scarves to choose from.  Again they are displayed in colour order which not only looks wonderful, but makes it very easy to find what you want.  I picked out a gorgeous, crinkly, silk scarf to provide an extra touch of warmth in the evenings and a bit of upper arm coverage.  To team up with this, I picked out a bronze coloured flower brooch to help hold the scarf in position and to really make a feature of scarf.  I’m looking forward to wearing it especially on one of the formal nights that we will be having.

I didn’t want to leave the shop though, without picking out one of the stunning necklaces to add to my little collection of The Jewellery Stop pieces.  My eye was soon drawn to a gorgeous, purple necklace with multiple stones which suited me very well.  Purple is one of my ‘colours’ and I only had a rather delicate purple necklace, but this one provides a lot more impact in colour terms.  So now I’ve some lovely accessories to take with me on my cruise and to help me ring the changes with the limited wardrobe that I’ll be able to take with me.

Working from home in a period property can be a bit chilly at times.  I’m loathe to put the heating on just for me, so I tend to just wrap up and try to make it through to mid afternoon.  I tend to manage it on all, but the coldest of days.

The way I manage to avoid resorting to the heating is to layer up.  Layering can just make you look like a yeti, unless you choose your pieces carefully.  The last thing you want to do is dash down to answer the door looking a complete sight.  Cosy and warm doesn’t have to mean dowdy or unattractive.  I’ve been on the look out for some nice layering options to keep me toasty warm this winter.

Keeping those extremities nice and warm is key, so some cosy socks are key. I like these Fat Face at John Lewis ones as they look good as well as being very soft.  It’s worth thinking about a scarf too to keep your neck warm and it can lift your outfit too if you choose a complimentary one.

I like simple scoop neck tops for layering as they tend to go with almost any neckline and they are flattering too.  This Fortuna Top has some lovely detailing, so you could wear this piece on its own on warmer days.  With its dark grape colour, it’s a good shade for me to wear and it goes well with a number of other tops and cardigans in my existing wardrobe.

For my top layer I often opt for a nice chunky cardigan, but it’s nice to have one that’s fairly closely fitted to get the maximum warmth potential.  I like this Kelsey Cardigan, also from Fat Face, with its attractive cable pattern and button up the front fastening.  It’s a cotton/acrylic mix which is perfect for me as I’m not good with scratchy wools.  As it’s cream it will go nicely with just about any top, so it’s really versatile too.

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