What’s New February 2006:

Let me flag up spring 2006 and fashion trends for summer and show you my favourite online buys this month to answer your style dilemmas

I love this page because this is where you and I can talk directly. I would happily sit at my desk every day sifting through your questions, (you‘ve all asked about spring 2006 and fashion trends for summer) but the big wide fashion world calls so I’ve collected five here to answer and covered a further 10 of your questions in ‘ask Caryn’. As always I found your intelligent enquiries a joy to deal with and I know the answers will help not just those of you who asked, but many others too! So let’s get started.

Question: ‘I’ve looked everywhere for a gorgeous bra that will enhance my minimal curves, but more importantly, I’d just love to find a company that makes bras for grown up women who want something sophisticated and chic. I’m sick of making do with white trainer bras and teenage styles adorned with cute fluffy animals. Ruby

Hi Ruby, I’m more than pleased to tell you that such a delicious company already exists and is waiting for your visit right now. In fact I first wrote about it last month in my newsletter – so you are missing out by not subscribing. It is run by Retha Queenan, and is dedicated to A and AA cup sizes only. There is a wonderful selection of sexy and sophisticated styles as well as hurrah! wonderful swimwear and bikini’s too. I know you’ll be visiting this marvellous site through out the summer too.

Caryn says. To know more about making the most of your curves, download an e-book specially written by me for your individual body shape
Click here

Eva strapless/multiway bra sizes 28AA to 38AA and A cost approximately £13.90 with matching thong available from www.aalingerie.com

Question: ‘The current obsession with expensive ‘must have’ bags at several hundred pounds a go is madness! That said I don’t like the idea of a massed produced one in cheap leather that everyone else will have too. I want something individual and have tried markets but can’t find what I’m looking for, can you suggest anything? Nina

I’m pleased to say I can tick all your boxes right now Nina, as a great new label called Poppy Valentine has landed. With a brand new store in Portobello and a great on line business, designer Claire Read of Poppy Valentine is cleverly filling a need for individually made bags at stunning prices. You’ll be pleased to hear that your bag will be vintage through and through, because former textiles teacher, Claire has collected vintage fabrics from all over the UK for the last 15 years and makes them herself in limited editions.

Caryn says. To know more about dressing with style, download an e-book specially written by me for your individual body shape.
Click here

The ‘Molly Bag,’ is just one of many individual bags from designer Claire Read with vintage fabrics inside and out and amber effect handles £39.00 this price does not include postage and packing. Visit www.poppyvalentine.com

Question: ‘‘I want something that looks like I’m’ in the know’ about fashion. I don’t do girly and so I practically ignored all the summer clothes last year, but now I really need a quick injection of style. My friends think I’ve let myself go, and I don’t know where to start. Please suggest something sophisticated, versatile and affordable.’ Helen

Hi Helen I’m with you. You need a quick fashion fix. Fortunately designers have opted for a more pared down approach this season so there is less sparkly, candy coloured, fluff out there. The shirt dress was featured in loads of runway collections but was best in Stella McCartney’s show and will be one garment you can buy very cheaply from your high street stores and of course wear in a variety of situations. This one is from my favourite mail order and online company Boden who offer quality and an excellent size range.

Dress it up now to see you through the Easter chill with tights, boots and a polo neck underneath and later in the season with flat ballerina style pumps and some spray on tan for your legs (Superdrug do a great one for under £10.00 and when I was in last week all the make-up artists on ‘This Morning,’ were raving about it).

Caryn says. To know more about dressing with style and confidence, download an e-book specially written by me for your individual body shape.
Click here

Boden dress available in bright pink, dark brown and dusty green sizes 8-20 in regular and longer lengths £65.00 visit

Question: ‘Don’t tell me there are short shorts on the way. I loved the cropped trouser last season but now I’m hearing that styles are going to get even shorter and my legs won’t take it. I’m late thirties but I don’t look it and must be like every other woman on the planet with normal curvy thighs. I want to be fashionable and stylish! Anna.

Hi Anna, my glamorous girlfriend. I just want to give you a bit of calming advice here – it’s the sort of thing I’d say to any of my closest friends, Don’t feel that you have to wear the styles you see in your magazines modelled by young thin women. These photographs are produced as much to keep the advertisers happy, as they are to show you what the latest looks are. In my latest e-book ‘40 plus’ I explain how the beauty and fashion industries work and why they manage to make us feel insecure about our own bodies, and then I offer some new thinking. My new thinking to you today is prioritise ‘style’ over ‘fashion’. By that I mean never buy something just because it has been decreed fashionable by fashion writers. Use your own style filters to decide on whether it will flatter your body. That is the only reason for choosing an item of clothing after all. So, let me reassure you that all retailers are offering elegant and longer length cropped trousers styles because they know that the ‘catwalk’ style of high baggy short will only be bought by a small proportion of young thin women.

The picture I’m showing you is from Marks and Spencer and is perfect for a more formal setting but there will be so many more styles once the warmer weather sets in. For my curvy girlfriends, let me tell you that Evans have some of the best cropped trousers around ready to hit the shops – I know because I’ve seen their spring collections.

Caryn says. To know more about looking good at 40 plus, download an e-book specially written by me to help you understand and effect effortless style as well as much, much more
Click here

Marks and Spencer Limited collection vented culottes sizes 8-16 £29.50 visit www.marksandspencer.com

Autumn Fashion Collections - now online at Marks & Spencer

Question: ‘I am petite with an apple shaped body. I love the new resort looks with horizontal stripes but it looks like I will have to avoid this look if your e-book is anything to go by. Can I get away with some horizontal stripes please? Ingrid.

Hi Ingrid, I just couldn’t resist your question. Anyone who buys one of my books deserves my full attention! Yes I do say that horizontal stripes are best avoided on a petite body and that a rounded tummy needs vertical streamlining BUT, I want to show you a picture of a cropped cardigan that will work for you and let me tell you why my stylish lovely!

These horizontal lines are across a cropped cardigan and completely avoid the tummy area. In fact this cropped top will work well to raise the eye to the top of the body and create the illusion of height if you wear a single colour like black through the rest of your body.

Now fly like the wind over to ASOS to surround yourself in stripy heaven.

Caryn says: To know more about dressing your petite frame to create the illusion of height, download a book specially written by me for your individual body shape.
Click here

Stripe Bolero Cardigan in the style of Sienna Miller UK sizes 6-16 £15.00

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