New Year's Eve Debate - Sequins, Jeans and Heels or the Little Black Dress?

There's always a dilemma in my house on New Year's Eve - (it's my dilemma, I might add) - that of whether to go full on in my favourite Little Black Dress or dress down in a sparkly top, jeans and heels.

Every New Year's Eve is the same here, most of the family is here, the dogs are here (inevitably), the husband is cooking and creating all sorts of storms in the kitchen, including using every pan and utensil in the house, failing to wash them up, and leaving the kitchen looking as if something has exploded in it. On top of that the No 1 son, also chef inspired, will probably have stayed up until 5am in the morning cooking three incredible desserts for fourteen people of whom at least seven are professing to being on diets, and so creating another, slightly different type of storm to be cleared up before the day begins properly.

Now I better explain (defensively) that I can cook, that I love to cook, that I'm the only fully trained cook in the house, but the men in my family love to cook as well and I believe that they shouldn't be dissuaded, I'm sure you'll have no problem in agreeing with me.

What I'm trying to get back round to in the New Year's Eve Fashion Debate is that, although I would like to get dressed up to the nines, I'll have to spend part of the time with my Marigolds on. Being a straight forward bossy, organised Virgo I'm unfortunately unable to leave it all until the next day.

So. Sequins, jeans and heels or the Little Black Dress? Something to ponder on during the day but as I didn't manage to order this Marc by Marc Jacobs sequined cardigan in time my lace Ghost number from the wardrobe will probably win. Again.

Do you think it's too late to buy it now? Under the 'Luxe Sportswear' category that's about to be sooooo big for spring?

In case I'm unable to tweet everyone later - Very Happy New Year and let's drink to 2010!

Ghost - Iconic Brand - Where has it Gone?

My all time favourite Little Black Dress is a Ghost, lace covered slip in which I can eat, drink and be merry, and it never lets me down.

I have to say that I was surprised to find it originally, as I've always associated Ghost with highly priced flattering and easy to wear crepe dresses and separates which, because I'm short, never really suited me. Then I discovered two dresses in quick succession and then, almost immediately it disappeared from the stores.

Founded in 1984 by British designer Tanya Sarne, Ghost was a huge success story for over 20 years and won the British Apparel Export Award in 1992. Sarne parted ways with Ghost in 2006 after the controlling interest in the company was sold. In 2008 the company was rescued by the owner of shirtmakers Hawes & Curtis.

The new website carries no detail about the heritage of the brand - the designer, what made it so special (the unique processes used to create the fabrics, the wearability of the clothes, the celebrity collectors) which, for a brand that is still so famous, seems a real shame.

The two collections, Heritage and Modernist, aren't explained anywhere and the pictures, grey still life shots on a grey background, don't excite.

This is all, to my mind, a crying shame on the one hand and a complete waste on the other. Brands are hard to create, huge amounts of time and money are invested (frequently too much money, as we all know) to get a name, a label, a look 'out there', and Ghost succeeded in spades. Who hasn't heard of Ghost? Not many followers of fashion, I would think.

So please, if you're listening, bring Ghost back to life - there were over 27,000 searches for Ghost Clothing last month alone - I wonder how many of them bought. Just a few tweaks to start with, improved SEO, better pictures, 'the story', would make a huge difference.

Read more about Ghost

Fashion Queen de-frocked (The Independant)

Businessman Saves Fashion Label Ghost

Shopping the Designer Sales - Dos and Dont's.....

• This is probably the most tempting time of year. I can easily resist going out in the car and braving the crowds, however the online designer sales, all now launched, are impossible to ignore and extremely hard to browse without flashing the card.
  
  Over the past few years I've established a few rules for buying in these horrifically tempting online sales so that you minimise the necessity for sending things back - the bane of everyone's life when shopping online:
  
  Do
  
  Have a good idea of what you want to shop for before you start. If you buy something simply because it's a) gorgeous and b) heavily discounted, there's no guarantee that you won't still find it in the back of your cupboard, unworn, in a couple of years time.
• Spend as much as you can on one special item rather than going for lots of smaller ones - that Michael Kors bag, Givenchy boots or DVF dress will give you years of pleasure.
• Buy neutral or 'classic' colours that will always be current. If you don't you run the risk of not wearing/carrying the piece that swept you off your feet in the heat of the season.
• Buy cashmere, suede and leather, sheepskin, a great pair of boots, a fabulous bag - all things that again, will be your friends for years to come.

Don't

• Buy heavily into one of this season's trends, even discounted, they may not come around again, let alone be 'on-trend' next season.
  
• Buy anything smaller than your normal size, even if your New Year's resolution is to join the gym/lose a stone/squeeze yourself into it. Buy something gorgeous that fits you right now.
  
• Buy too much on impulse, if you can avoid it. Go back to your list and try and stick to it. Impulse sale buys can be the most regretted later on.
  
• Fall in love with something and then sit and wait for the price to drop further - it may, or it may not. If you really love it, snap it up right now, or leave it in the knowledge that it may be gone, and the only size left at half price or lower will be a 6 or an 8.

The designer brand sales this season are incredibly tempting and the prices are going down along with the temperature outside (according to those supposed to be in the know, it's going to be snowing again next week). Enjoy.

Right. I'm now off to put on the Slanket that I was given on Christmas Day (um, no, maybe not), and sit on the wonderful massage chair that No 1 son bought hubby and I (definitely).

On the Richard Bacon show on Wednesday evening I was chatting with a journalist who was singing the praises of being given a lettuce in a pot as a gift, and was going out to buy her turkey at Smithfield Market at 5am the next morning. Well I'm very happy for her, I have to say. I gather the lettuce gave hours of pleasure, and whether or not she found her turkey, who's to say! I hope very much, for her sake, that she did.

Check out all the best Designer Sales together in one place.

Parka Coats and Jackets.............

I've long been a collector of those puffed up, warm as anything hooded coats and jackets that'll take you anywhere, keep you dry and warm, work perfectly as knee rugs (and no I am not that old) in the cinema and last you for ever and a day.

There are loads of them around right now, some cheap and cheerless, that will probably not keep you very warm, let alone dry, others stiff as a board in the name of fashion (and sometimes cropped!) and the very best ones are long, hooded, down filled and perfect.

I really can't listen to the 'oh I hate hoods' merchants who get out their brollies when the snow falls (I mean really!). I'm always warm, and I'll usually have a spare coat in the car with me so if you see me, and you're shivering, come and ask.

If all of this sounds a bit smug I really don't mean to, it just comes of living in a cold place, having two energetic dogs and wanting to keep warm. Let me tell you how.

Here are some excellent down filled jackets - you may just have time to get yours by Christmas if you put your order in right now.

The pictures of most of these are, how can I put it nicely? Not the best. But don't be misled, they will all do what they're supposed to do. If you search around the stores now you'll find little left on the rails and these still have sizes available.

And if you can't get yours in time for Christmas, well you'll just have to sit in front of the fire with a large glass of mulled wine and wait for it to arrive, won't you?

Faux Fur Coats and Jackets - Yours in time for Christmas

Would you wear the real thing even if you already had it in your wardrobe? Hmmm. That's a difficult one. I suspect now, that because many of the fake furs are so lifelike, un-faux (if you know what I mean) furs are creeping out and being worn with aplomb, pretending to be faux. It's quite funny, when you think about it for a moment.

I inherited a couple of coats and a wonderful wrap from my mother which I stroke from time to time, because really, they do feel different. I haven't worn them yet and I don't know if I will, but bearing in mind they're beautiful, vintage pieces, I may well be tempted in the future.

Now that faux fur can be such amazing quality I thought I'd have a quick look and see what you could order now, that would get you to the church on time on Christmas Day. I found five to fall in love with, so here they are.

• Oasis at ASOS Leopard Print (just two sizes left so hurry, hurry, hurry.)


• Wallis long Faux Sheepskin Coat


• Star by Julien Macdonald for Debenhams


• Coast Faux Fur Mandarin Collar Jacket


• Oasis Shaggy Faux Fur Jacket

There are more, particularly at ASOS, Debenhams and Wallis, but beware, lots of the sizes have gone so shop fast if you want something soft and furry to wear this week.

It's Never Too Late.................Apparently

As I stood yesterday afternoon in a phone booth in the Westbury Hotel in London being interviewed for a BBC Radio program pre-record on the subject of Christmas shopping (what else), and I blithly admitted that I thought that prices would come down next week, I was, I'll admit, totally crossing my fingers that I would be right.

I was also thinking about another live radio show that I've been invited to be on next week, on the same subject (and I'll let you know which nearer the time, just in case it's 'cancelled due to unforseen circumstances') which will be on December 23rd, after the shops close!

I have to confess I totally don't understand, those who leave their Christmas shopping until the last minute, really because the old excuses, of not being able to get off work in time, young children, 'there'll be better bargains in the shops', don't really work now.

I also have a problem understanding why anyone would want to do all their Christmas shopping on the high street - yes it was lovely walking through the blue Christmas lights of South Molton Street, and the really festive lights on Regent Street, but the only things I carried back home were two pairs of Calvin's for my son's stocking (I know, at 21? I suspect he's never going to grow out of that one) and a pair of earrings.

The rest was waiting for me at home, thank goodness. Ordered online, of course!

Today is our major Christmas Tree day. I should explain; I live in a barn. Seriously. Our tree is normally between 15' and 18' high. Whoever puts the angel at the top has to go up a ladder to the top of one of the high beams and perform a balancing act. It is a ritual, accompanied by much rudery (as the ladder climber is usually my son), mince pies and crumpets.

This year we have a major problem, as we grow Christmas Trees, and ours is still out in the field, covered in snow. We may not have to dig it out of the frozen ground, but my floor may end up flooded.

We have 'tree shakers' coming over to help cut the tree down and decorate, we just haven't briefed them yet about the new 'tree shaking' part of the ritual.

If you haven't finished your Christmas shopping, and you'd like a straight click to the best express delivery shops, here they are.

We're all snow mad here, always have been, I suspect always will be. Here's one for the album (mine, I mean).

Why you should be Cashing in over Christmas

According to Emailvision, you shouldn't be halting your marketing campaign between Christmas and New Year, historically known as 'the Dead Zone'.

With so many people off work, time to browse the sales and gift vouchers to spend more of us than you may think will be shopping online on and after Christmas Day.

According to Hitwise, Boxing Day 2008 was the busiest day for Online Retailers during 2008 as high street retailers and department stores got ahead of the curve by launching their sales on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day creating a major sales spike which traditional high street retailers were unable to take advantage of.

Jason Smith, Commercial Director of Price Comparison Site and Shopping Portal SHOP.COM, comments 'many online retailers don't take full advantage of the Christmas marketing and sales potential. At SHOP.COM last year we saw our off peak visitors increase by over 65% between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, averaging at over 130,000 unique visitors per day. What people are looking for are Special Offers and Sales, and we make sure that's what they find when they visit us'.

'Paid Search' says Simon Lloyd, Search Director at Jellyfish, 'will be a key channel in the battle for share of pocket on Christmas Day' (read the full article here).

The message is - don't close up shop online on Christmas Eve -

• Be prepared for an increase, rather than a decrease in orders from Christmas Day onwards.
  
• Respond to the anticipated demand by highlighting savings, delivery options and that the historical sales scrummage in the stores is no longer a fact of life.
  
• Get your email marketing campaign ready to go beforehand so you can be eating your mince pies while it's working on your behalf.
  
• Keep an extra bottle of champagne on ice for when the orders come in.

Last year, according to IMRG, (Interactive Media in Retail Group), 3.8 million people spent £102 million online on Christmas Day 2008, 21% more than in 2007, after which traffic lept by almost 100% on Boxing Day.

Are you ready to Cash In this Christmas?

Can Thermals be Sexy?................................

Thinking about this, this is definitely not a sexy subject to write about, and the words designer, fashion and luxury have no link with thermal underwear, let's face it. Absolutely none at all. So forgive me to touching on a subject that is close to everyone's heart right now, even if they don't really want to admit it - (say quietly) 'thermal underwear'.

If you haven't gathered by now I'll tell you again - I live right out in the wilds of Buckinghamshire, in a very, very old house which costs the earth to heat. Also my office isn't heated (apart from the six foot radiator I have expensively plugged in at the side of my desk which my husband sneakily tries to switch off every time he comes in).

So if it's truly 'warm hands, warm heart', then mine, at this time of year, is usually like a brick. although my fleece handwarmers, sheepskin lined boots and wonderful (and fashion-classic) Joseph shearling gilet do help.

Today they weren't going to be enough, and searching through the drawers I found my lace edged cami, one of a pile of 'ski-friendly' clothes and essentials I've collected over the years from various skiing trips. I need to search out the rest.

But for those who are now waking up to the fact that they are going to need something more than they already own to cope with the snow forecast for the end of this week, and want something that isn't totally boring - it is Christmas, after all - AND wanting it tomorrow, or Thursday at the latest, here's what I suggest.

Dash off to Uniqlo - and buy something from their Heattech range. Sexy? Non! But the prices are amazing and while you're there you can buy some half price Jil Sander for Uniqlo +J cashmere. You'd be mad not to. Next Day Delivery Option so you can order up to December 22nd.

Take a look at Bella di Notte - This classic lingerie site offers lacy thermal lingerie in surprisingly good colours such as Bordeaux and Blackberry as well as the more traditional black and ivory. It's excellent for clothes for lounging about in as well. They offer Next Day Delivery and Gift Wrapping.

Fabulous Figleaves? - Not much I need to say here, except that there's a very (surprisingly) small range, but one item I would really love to own in their thermal draped cardi. Next Day Delivery and Gift Wrapping.

Finally, of course, you can go to good old Marks & Spencer, where the prices are of course excellent, there's a good choice, but it definitely doesn't make me tingle!

My prize, without any hesitation, goes to Bella di Notte, where they managed to tempt me to order while I was just browsing their site (blackberry, strappy, lacy, pretty) - great news that they'll be launching a new one next year. It's amazingly hard to find glamorous thermal 'lingerie', but I'd say they've got it wrapped.

Carry on keeping warm!

One More for the Last Minute List - Definitely not for Dieters

Have we now gone from the 'what am I going to wear' to the panicked 'I have twenty people I need to buy presents for and haven't a clue where to start'? So from Christmas Glamour to Speed Shopping in just a couple of days - it seems that way to me, I have to say.

Somewhere you will probably have heard of but may not have shopped from is Lakeland. Where alonside all the Twirling Spaghetti Forks and Wet'n Dry Grinders (and other clever kitchen paraphanalia which I would be very careful about before giving as gifts), there's the Food Marketplace, with a huge collection of Chocolates and Confectionary Gifts including Turkish Delight, Chocolate Ginger and Champagne Truffles and brands such as Charbonnel et Walker, Niederegger and Lily o'Brien.

Then for kids there are buckets of Chocolate Slugs, tins of Gruesome Grubs and Milk Chocolate Mice. So something for everyone there then. Last minute express delivery orders up to 23rd December.

I know, as if there wasn't enough food around at Christmas. Somehow I always end up ordering from Lakeland for the 'sweetie plate' (platter more like) which my non sweet eating diet conscious kids insist we have each year as part of our tradition, but then refuse to touch.

I love Christmas - don't you?

Next Day Delivery - Something to Shout About!!!!

When I wasn't being dragged shopping yesterday by the daughter for new tree baubles, which she refused to let me order online, I was trying to hide from the rows about the time the taxi picks her up from her birthday bash and whether she'll be up in time the next day for us all to go out to dinner! Too late and I doubt it, but we'll see.

Christmas brings all sorts of strange things in people, particularly online retailers, when many of them hide behind their websites hoping and praying that everyone'll go on buying from them right up until the last express posting day when in fact I, after fifteen years in direct mail and online retail get frustrated, annoyed and then start to LAUGH because I know that they won't.

Because.........




The messages that most retail sites give out are as follows:

You MAY or MAY NOT get your order in time for Chrismas - we tell you on the site.
We MAY or MAY NOT offer to gift wrap your order - we'll let you know later.
You MAY have to wait up to seven days for your order.


When what they should be saying, on the home page is:

We offer guaranteed NEXT DAY DELIVERY
We will beautifully GIFT WRAP for you.
Our LAST CHRISTMAS ORDERING DATES are.....

So when yesterday, a retailer I know and like pipped me to the post and asked me if I was going to create the ultimate list of those who offer both Next Day Delivery and Gift Wrapping (which I had already planned to do) I went ahead and did it. I would say that there are a couple here who don't offer gift wrapping and never have, but because of the range of products and the delivery service I put them in.
They're also up on the home page at http://www.thesiteguide.com/

Incidentally - the picture above is from The Ribbon Shop - a great place to visit at this time of year.

Fabulous Gifts for Under £50.........

There seems to be a lot out there at the moment about what to give the person who has everything, and some beautiful, incredibly priced gift ideas that I certainly won't be buying for anyone this year, if ever.

Recently having been asked to write a piece on gifts over £2000 it was interesting just how hard it was to find a selection that anyone would want. Overkill was very much the name of the game and I came away from it feeling quite disheartened, I have to admit, not because I wasn't going to be the recipient, but because frankly, I'd feel ridiculous if I was given any of them.

Here are my ten favourites of the moment which won't set you back more than £50. All with quick delivery.

Aspinal of London Leather Billfold Wallet - £39 - for the luxury loving man

Grey Herringbone Cashmere Scarf - now £44.95 down from £90 - he'll have no idea how much you spent!

Diptyque Tuberose Candle - £38 - for scented candle loving girls

Laura Mercier Colour Wardrobe Palette - £50 - complete set of colours for makeup junkies

Thomas Lyte Leather Travel Card Holder - £50 - luxury for girls

Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily Body Shimmer - £30 - gorgeously scented and sparkly

Pure One mini DAB Digital Radio - £44.95 - perfect for grans and mums

Power Traveller Power Monkey - £17.95 - for absolutely everyone

X-Mini Max Portable Stereo Speakers - £28.01 - clever and powerful

+J Jil Sander for Uniqlo Cashmere Sweater - £79.99 down to £49.99 - luxury at a great price.

I could go on, but I'll stop there. Where the gadgets are concerned, these are three that I already own and wouldn't be without, and I've also given them as gifts several times. The Heavenly Gingerlily Body Shimmer is also gorgeously scented and sparkly rather than shimmery. I totally love mine!

For more great gift ideas at a wide range of prices check out our Gift Solutions at thesiteguide.com

American Foods and Homewares including Barefoot Contessa and Gant

I first came across Redwood Bay on my return from the US a couple of years back, when I was determined to get my hands on a can of Blue Crab Bay Spiced Nuts (to which I'll freely admit I'm extremely partial to - they're seriously good)

Having pursuaded Adrian, the proprietor of this American and International foods and homewares store based in the UK that he really needed to stock them I've been keeping an eye on this site, where you can find Barefoot Contessa, Riviera Maison and Gant Home and such delicacies as American Cake Sprinkles, Pancake Mix and Chocolate Brownie Pudding.

Now aren't those just what we all need in the lead up to Christmas - Ex-pats and lovers of everything American - you will want to shop here.

My favourites are the Gant star throws, the unusual, attractive peg hooks, the vintage flag trunks and the hotel reception bell which, (ha ha) might just get my family to take notice that they're being called in to dinner. Having said that, I need a gong and even that probably wouldn't work.

How to Choose the Perfect Present for the Mother-in-Law........

Finding the perfect present for the mother-in-law can be a really tricky task because you will probably, unless you get on with her exceptionally well, be judged on what you give, whatever it is, and whether you get it right or not. And I know these things.

Mine is now 89, and we've definitely had our ups and downs (more of the latter in the past, more of the former recently, thank goodness.) She's all there, controlling, indomitable and still travelling the world teaching Ikebana -
this is one of her books.

We've actually reached the stage where what I give her doesn't really matter, she usually stays with us over Christmas, and whatever I choose gets left here because she lives just outside DC in the wilds of Hollywood Maryland and doesn't want to carry stuff backwards and forwards.

Moving back to the point, and through around twenty-five years of experience, I can say for certain that you have to be very careful here, but I'm sure you already know that.

If you want to be clever, without having to put a great deal of effort into it, it's the same formula as finding a gift for anyone, which is not about how much you spend money-wise, but totally about how much thought you put into it.

I always say there's a trick to giving gifts. Do a quick analysis of the person concerned, whoever it is. Their style, the colours they like, the type of fragrance, music, books etc and jot it all down plus, extremely importantly, hobbies or sports (the latter not usually applying to the ma-in-law). Then buy something appropriate. If they're classic in style, then follow that. If contemporary, then go that way.

The difference is a bit like that between a Kelly Hoppen candle for a contemporary, minimalistic, neutral loving person and one by Penhaligon's, for a classic, colour wearing, floral fragrance one.

Mother-in-laws are no different to anyone else (apart from the possible stress factor), put them into the gift-giving perfect present selection think tank, come out with a few answers, and then feel smug because you can see that they didn't think you were that clever. Do I sound defensive here? Maybe, just a little, but you're probably no different.

By the way, if this sounds like a long drawn out process, it isn't, you'll be amazed at how quickly you can do it and your brief analysis will last for all the other gifts you give to the same person.

Take a look at The Gift Book if you want lots more ideas about what to buy for everyone. In the back there's a section where you can store your notes about each person.

Website Review - Online Boutique - The Dressing Room

I love it when I discover a new online boutique - you may tell me that they've been around for a while, but The Dressing Room is new to me so I paid them a visit to have a good snoop round. (We're talking online here, by the way).

Offering brands including Ash, Paige Premium Denim, Toy Watch, Wilbur and Gussie and American Vintage and everything from dresses to jewellery, this is a really good online boutique for different, interesting and hard-to find products.

I love:
The range - there are so many clothes and accessories I haven't seen anywhere else
The ease with which you can get to the products

The Boutiquey (sorry) atmosphere

That I can see immediately what's in stock

I don't love:
The fact that some of the pictures are taken at strange angles

That the quality, size and background of the pictures is not always the same

There are not enough detail shots.

The font used for the right and left static columns.

The Home Page which doesn't shout, to me 'hey, come and take a look here, now!'

Now I'm well aware that someone out there is probably sticking pins into a Patricia doll for these comments, however, I have to say that anyone making a foray into the hugely competitive designer boutique online market better concentrate on getting everything right, or they'll fall by the wayside.

It can also be very costly to try and emulate the 'leaders of the field', however smaller tweaks can improve things tremendously and make a site stand out far more.

The Dressing Room has all the hallmarks, to me, of an eclectic 'buy' that may well succeed, and it's well worth having a look round right now. I also think it could, and probably will be improved.

And just in case you're wondering - no one ever paid me to be polite - what would be the point?

Don't forget to take a look at the new Special Offers at http://www.thesiteguide.com/

The Perfect Pair of Heels..........

I don't think you could exactly describe me as a shoe addict, at least, not in the Imelda Marcos sense (or anything like), but I do love a great pair of heels, don't we all?

Particularly at this time of year, when most of us, or those who use public transport, are traipsing around in their rain-proof flatties with something high and gorgeous lurking in their sequin totes, you want to have several glamorous pairs, although if you're anything like me there'll be just a couple that you truly love and wear over and over again.

If you think it's ok to say that your true spend on something is the price divided by the number of times you've warn it, or them, then my best value shoes go like this; Gina's fabulous crystal encrusted sandals, which are something like these, and which I've worn in full-on dress-up mode, or with wide linen pants on a sun filled holiday, and LK Bennett's glamour courts - classic enough to wear anywhere, but with just that little bit of edge (and height) which the platform gives them.

I'm sure you'll have to agree that with these two (or should I say four) babies in your shoe closet you don't need any others. If only I could stick to that!

The delivery man has just arrived and brought me a wonderful cheer-up gift on a dull day from http://www.amara.co.uk/ of their amazingly scented Beobab candles - I definitely needed a bit of spoiling today having had to cancel my lunch and with all this dreadful rain. When will it ever stop? Snow I'll confess to loving. Rain, rain go away!

Check out our gifts to click straight through and buy at http://www.thesiteguide.com/

Glamour Jewellery - Get Ready to Shine

If this is the moment to sparkle and shine, and the bank balance isn't ready for a quick dash to Tiffany, then ASOS has to be a great place to visit, where all the looks are waiting for you for less.

A quick trip down the jewellery aisles will get you stone set earrings and as many bangles as you can fit on your arm, and with sequinned and rhinestone set cuffs, statement necklaces and glittering pendants, frankly there's enough bling to satisfy just about anyone.

This is not the time of year to be a snob about jewellery if you want to stand out, the beauty of this store is that you can have it all, (well most, anyway) and you won't feel any pain.


The other marvel I discovered here putting together Beauty Finds for http://www.thesiteguide.com/, is their excellent range of beauty brands, including Illamasqua, Benefit, Too Faced and Urban Decay, plus some brands I've never heard of but am totally convinced I need to check out.



From shimmering eye colour palettes to metallic mascaras, pick up your next beauty fix (or a gift for a well deserving friend) while you're shopping for your party face. It's all here - and I mean all!

Glamorous Gifts for the Home at Amara - Home Fragrance and much more - Website Review

There is such a thing as 'blog-guilt', as I discovered yesterday, when I had to leave my warm home at 5.30am in the morning to go to Berlin for the day.

Today I thought I'd make up for it by telling you not only about my day in Berlin, which was fabulous, fun and interesting (and useful, as after all, I really went there to work) but also about a website you may have not come across before, but which you're going to love this Christmas, http://www.amara.co.uk/.

With my review hat on I just love their home page (above), which is Christmas clever in a way which just makes you want to go straight in and see what's there, so well done them.

Then with my Christmas shopping hat on quite frankly I could buy for everyone on my gift list here, from home fragrance, to clever barware, to lovely and unusual tableware, and from brands including Baobab, Missoni Home, Millefiori, William Yeoward and Mulberry Home. My favourite area by far is Home Fragrance, because I love all those scented goodies (hint, hint, hubby) but there's so much more to browse.

On to yesterday and Berlin. I have to say that Easyjet behaved themselves perfectly, with two flights leaving absolutely on time, and apart from the ghastly queuing system really no complaints, which for me is amazing.

It was totally freezing when we arrived from murky London, which made me really pleased - and just a little bit smug - that I'd taken my wonderful Max Mara Weekend eiderdown coat and sheepskin gloves.

Our first event, having been met by Marcus and Michael from http://www.ekomi.co.uk/ was a whistlestop tour of the city, as I hadn't been there before. We drove past the graffiti covered Wall, past Checkpoint Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate, and on to the fabulous shops and luxury hotels of the West side. As I said, this was a whistlestop tour!

There is so much to see here and I will definitely be going back as soon as I can. Oh and did I forget to mention the incredible steak at Steak & Friends? If you go to Berlin, you have to go there to eat. To book a break in Berlin visit http://www.myberlin.co.uk/.

In the evening we visited the main Christmas market, and if you haven't yet been to a Christmas market in Germany they're a wonderful experience, from the piping hot gluhwein to the huge, lit-up Christmas trees, to the white feathered angel on stilts. Why oh why didn't I have my camera with me?

Back on the 9.30 flight to London Luton and brought rudely down to earth by five flights arriving at once and a 45 minute queue at passport control. All in all it was a great day.

Visit the Gift Guide at http://www.thesiteguide.com/ to do your Christmas shopping.

Five Fast Ways to turn Visitors into Customers

Think of it like this: You're in a shopping mall. Most of the shop windows give you a clear idea of what you'll find inside from the type of products (with the most popular likely to get you inside) and, usually, the sort of prices.

You come to a shop that has nothing in the window. Inevitably you walk straight past.

Web shopping is a bit like that, and we usually visit online retail shops for one of three reasons -

i) We know who they are, so we know that we're already likely to shop there;
ii) We visit because we're looking for a particular type of product and search, or a directory such as http://www.thesiteguide.com/ or a mention in a glossy mag has suggested we take a look;
iii) We stumble there by chance, without recommendation, because we've found a link somewhere, on a price comparison site or Google ad - where although we'll have an idea of the type of products, we'll know nothing about the retailer.

It's at this point that the 'shop window' becomes of major importance, because that's really what a Home Page is - the place that people decide, in a very few seconds, whether they're going to buy from you or not. Unlike a store shop window your visitors aren't going to stop and have a good look, we know for a fact that you have just a few seconds to pursuade your visitors that they'll want to buy from you today, and this comes down to just a very few things:

1. Visitors need to be able to see immediately who you are, and what you're offering, or they'll be gone. You have no doubt when you visit net-a-porter that this is the place fashionistas to find designer clothes and accessories.

2. If you want people to buy from you as well as learn about you, the heading Online Shop, or Shop Online, or Online Boutique needs to be very, very clear. Don't try and call it anything clever, such as The Boutique (which could lead to information about your offline store) or Collections (which could be anything and which I came across yesterday) or anything else which might cloak your main message; 'Hi there, come and shop with us today'. 'Online Boutique' is clear and simple. 'The Boutique' could be one of two things. Don't confuse.

3. Lead people in through great pictures of your best sellers and clear category headings. Don't make the mistake of having products you're trying to get rid of fast on your home page, seduce visitors with items that you have already proved work for you and you're far more likely to get visitors attention. Make sure that your pictures are really clear and enticing and put your most popular three categories at the top of the list as attention grabbers. Go alphabetical after that.

For the majority of fashion stores, and particularly at this time of year, dresses are the No 1 seller. Take a look at net-a-porter.com and Matches and see where they put their top selling item of clothing, then follow their lead.

4. Let visitors click quickly through to the product they're looking for. As I've said before, shopping on the web is about instant gratification - yes people will want to browse when they're reached the type of product they're looking for really fast. The more clicks they have to make, the more customers you'll lose.

At net-a-porter.com for example I just click on Clothing, then Dresses, and I'm there. Page after page of mouthwatering dresses.

Debenhams brand new website, launched just a few days ago, is a really good example of this. Whereas before I had to dance through hoops to get to a specific product, now it is literally just one click to getting to a product or brand. Point at the category, click from the beautifully clear drop down menu and you're there.



They draw you in in a way which makes it almost impossible for you not to want to shop, because you now find what you're looking for in a flash, whether it's Betty Jackson Black, partywear for kids, what's new from Benefit or their selection of well priced skiwear

Their new search facility is pretty amazing as well. Look and learn.

5. Create instant trust with your visitors

a) By letting them see what other customers have said about you. I've written about this before but I can't stress enough how important this is. Eventually almost all online shops will be plugged in to one kind of customer feedback system or another.

Provided the review system you work with is independent, trusted, and obviously can't be manipulated you can instantly

Establish trust,
Increase your sales
And, (by reacting to the feedback you get) streamline your procedures to match what your customers are looking for.

I'm lucky enough to be working with one such feedback platform at http://www.ekomi.co.uk/.

You can find out more about them in the Retailers' section at http://www.thesiteguide.com/ where there's a special offer as well plus a great comment from one of their customers.

b) Sign up to an accredited retailer scheme such as IMRG's ISIS. Again you'll find more details here.

If you are a small online retailer as opposed to a household name, both of these become even more essential.

With the whole world going online, it would seem, and a whopping 93% of us expected to shop online this Christmas, you can't afford to ignore the elements that will turn your visitors into customers, they're not rocket science, they're just plain good sense. Are you following them?

If you'd like an individual review for your website you can find out how in the Retailers' section at thesiteguide.com or contact me direct at [email protected].

Sheepskin Gloves, Driving Gloves, Fingerless Gloves - you need them all right now

Today when I looked out of the window the first thing I did was go to my glove drawer. Ok, that sounds pretentious, and it doesn't only have gloves in it, but that's where they all return to, hopefully in pairs, when the glove-wearing season is over. I do find pairs that have been stuffed into coat pockets and forgotten, as you do, but try to get them back to their home so they're waiting for me when I'm in need. Like today.

I've written about being cold and hating being cold before so you'll have gathered by now that I really mean it. I try and buy one new pair of warm lined gloves each year so that when my glove stealing daughter comes along and, even worse, lends one of my favourite pairs to one of her friends, I have a replacement. Somehow I never end up with all those extra pairs - I can't imagine why.

So today being the perfect glove day I thought I'd track down a great new pair. First stop was Celtic sheepskin where the quality is great, the prices are reasonable, there's a good range of colours and you can also order fingerless sheepskin gloves and driving gloves along with cashmere wristwarmers (on my Christmas list immediately) and sheepskin handmuffs, which are strictly for watching the telly in but yes, I'd like a pair of those as well.

Because I like to have a choice, and I bought these before, I then took a look at Dents, who as we all know make some of the best gloves around, and this year are offering their lambskin lined gloves in mahogany and a gorgeous pale camel, plus driving gloves and cashmere lined leather gloves.

Not surprisingly as soon as it gets frosty gloves start selling really fast, along with sheepskin anything else, so don't leave it too late. Cold hands are one of the worst things, in my opinion.

Radio Alert: Yesterday was fun, with daughter/father gap year travel rows going on in the background and three telephone interviews, culminating in the Black Friday/Cyber Monday fest on the Chris Evans Radio 2 Drive Time show in the afternoon. Which leads me to a question; Should you ever correct the presenter if he/she gets a fact wrong? With care, I think is the answer. I just hope that that was how I came over - or I won't be asked back. The trouble is that live radio goes so fast you can't remember. I hope one of my kids was listening. They'll definitely tell me.