The New Valentine’s Day Competition at thesiteguide.com for Myla Luxury Lingerie

In the new Valentine’s Day competition at www.thesiteguide.com you can win a £150 Gift Voucher to spend at Myla’s luxury lingerie boutique.

Myla offers seriously beautiful luxury lingerie in a romantic colour palette of rose pink, soft blush and dramatic black offset with flashes of ruby red. There are some great gift ideas in the new Spring Summer collection, perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Included in the range are bridal lingerie, bras, knickers, suspenders, corsets & basques, hosiery and lingerie enhancers, and sizes go up to 36E in most cases.

Click through to browse Myla's online store. To make sure that you're entered for this competition send an email to [email protected] with the words 'Myla Competition' in the subject line and please make sure that sure you're signed up on our Home Page at www.thesiteguide.com.

Just back from a weekend in Newcastle for a christening. 600+ miles in two days - seemed like a very long way but as the three escapees managed the journey down from Edinburgh to be there (the middle son was a godfather) it was well worth the effort. Had very good moules at The Saville Exchange - a modern bar/brasserie with excellent canapes, and stayed at the Metrocentre Marriott in Gateshead. If you need to stay in Newcastle this is a very good place. A bit faceless? Maybe. But extremely comfortable and very reasonably priced if you sign up as a Marriott Member. Very good service as well. Just watch you don’t get lost in the road system on the way out. We did, every single time.

And the gym there is seriously good. Much needed after five hours in the car………………………..

Wearing the Wrap Dress- Sultry, Seductive and Sensational or Simply another Dress?

I’m a collector of wrap dresses. They tend to be in soft uncrushable jersey which means they travel perfectly (and I love to travel in case you didn’t know), they fit everywhere you want them to and can work from day to night with ease. Having said that I’ve seen this amazing style of dress worn so badly that I thought it time I put in my two-penneth and re-wrote the rules for turning the simple wrap into something not just flattering and wearable but sexy and sensational as well.

Find a style that fits: Just because it wraps around you doesn’t mean it’s the right shape for your body. The difference between Diane von Furstenberg and LK Bennett on you can be quite startling. Try on as many as you can and find which designer is cutting for your shape.

Make sure it’s the right length. Vertically challenged as I am at 5’2” I know all about this. I have to have pretty well everything shortened. Not so much if it’s an American brand such as Nanette Lepore or DvF but pretty well always if it’s a British brand. Why is that? I have no idea but it’s a fact. Have yours shortened if you need to or it may look frumpy.

Check your shoes: In the day I nearly always wear a pair of black suede boots with my wrap dresses, for evening high suede platforms. The wrong pair of heels can ruin the overall impression. If you’re not sure take pics of yourself with different shoes and boots to see how you appear. Be very very careful of ‘heavy’ shoes and boots with dresses such as shoe-boots and gladiators, there’s a fine line between modern and fashion victim.

Watch What’s on Show: It’s easy to display more assets than you intended in a wrap. For day you can wear a lace edged vest or plain cami underneath if you need to (and make sure it’s fitted, not loose), and for night a plunge bra. Make sure you don’t fall into the trap of wearing the wrong bra and no cami, Once you’re dressed move around and make sure that the dress doesn’t move with you too much - they can. Trust me, I know these things.

Wrap dresses can be the most flattering of friends and travel with you everywhere. Fixed or tied they hug your shape and always look sophisticated and ‘now’ provided you wear them effectively.

Win £150 Gift Voucher for Myla in the Valentine’s Competition at www.thesiteguide.com

Ten of the Best New Daytime Bags and Where to Find Them-A Pop of Colour or a ‘New Nude’.

This season there are so many new daytime designer brand handbags that if you were in the mood for some new arm candy you might find it extremely hard to choose.

Here are ten of the best new daytime shoulder bags from DKNY’s croc print leather tote in taupe to Fendi’s floral print bag and Mulberry’s Watermelon Alexa.

Take your pick, any of these will give a nod to a new season’s trend from a pop of colour to the ‘new nudes’ and florals and are perfect for taking you right through the season. My votes for the best places to find your Spring 2011 handbag go to:

Net-a-Porter.
Matches Fashion.
Browns.
LK Bennett.
Reiss.
Aspinal of London.
My-Wardrobe.
Karen Millen.
Coggles.
Selfridges

They win for choice, not just of styles but also of a range of prices, the clarity of the pictures where you usually see more than one view of each bag and the sheer lustworthyness of the collection.

If were to choose two, it would be the watermelon Alexa by Mulberry - a wonderful colour in a cult classic shape for days when I’m wearing jeans and boots or black from head to toe, and DKNY’s new neutral croc print leather tote up at the top left - a great price for a designer bag in a chic shade and sooooo useful for every day.

ps There's a lot to see in the Latest Websites section at www.thesiteguide.com so take a look now

Six Excuses to Buy a New Dress for Valentines Day

Having sworn off buying any new dresses until June (why June? I’m not sure, but a few months anyway as I seem to have been collecting last year………..) I thought about how I would justify buying something little, special and gorgeous for Valentine’s Day. So here’s the rationale.

• I don’t have anything that fits…………….
• This is such a bargain………the sales won’t last for ever and they have it in my size.
• A perfect, on trend little black dress that’ll work right through Spring and Summer and I can even wear it now.
• Red lace dress? It’ll be sold out within a few weeks if I don’t snap it up now
• This is just what I need for the uber-chic destination I know I’ll be taken to and I have nothing like it, nothing at all
• I don’t really care…………..I just want something new and fabulous to rid me of the winter blues NOW

Which all comes down to saying found it, want it, need it, must have it and I’ll wear it on Valentine’s Day……..probably.

As if we really needed an excuse………………………………………………………

The Valentines Day collection is now up at thesiteguide.com with the best places for online flowers, chocolates and pampering gifts so take a look.

Website Review-Reiss Spring Summer 2011-Bodycon Dresses, Striped Tops and Biker Jackets

 

It seems far too early to be looking at the new collections bearing in mind the freezing weather outside, however there are some pieces new arrivals at Reiss that you may want to get your hands on right now, from the strappy blue and black bodycon dress to the striped tops, biker jacket and trilby hat, not that I’m suggesting you should wear them all together of course. 

Reiss offers directional styling and mid-range high street prices with covetable pieces that can’t be found anywhere else.  Their bodycon and bandage dresses are staples of the collection, always turning up in a slightly different mode as are their leather jackets, with this season’s biker jacket a must-have which you’ll be able to wear right now.

    

  

You can find the review for Reiss in the Latest Websites section at www.thesiteguide.com along with East and Esprit.

Posole, Blue Jeans and Cowboy Boots. Recipes for Success in New Mexico.

 

Out in the wilds of New Mexico I asked someone yesterday how far it was to the nearest skiing.  17 miles he answered, which is not altogether surprising as here I am surrounded by mountains and the crystal clear blue sky and crisp temperatures cry out that snow must be somewhere near.  Just not right here, thank goodness, as I’m here to work and chill, not ski.  This is an incredible place to both work, have fun and relax.  Posole, blue jeans and cowboy boots are just some of the items you’ll eat and wear, at least if you want to blend with the locals.

Posole, which you may well not have heard of, is a traditional local dish and perfect for lunch, eaten with a hot tortilla.  It can be as spicy as you want to make it.  Personally I’m a bit of a wuss when it comes to chillies of any kind, though I have seen people add copious quantities of hot sauce to it which make my eyes water just thinking about it.  I have never made Posole but here’s a recipe which has very good reviews so you may just like to try it, particularly if it snows again. 

If you get out to New Mexico and are anywhere near Santa Fe go to the Tesuque Village Market and try their Posole, it’s truly excellent.  Formal dining it certainly isn’t but you may be surprised by who’s sitting at the next table over from you.  From film stars to locals everyone eats here.

Blue jeans of course are a requisite for New Mexico and something I didn’t bring because it is so cold (and anyway mine are blue/black).  Did I feel out of place in my skinny cords?  No because anything goes here, but if you really want to blend in pack your favourite pair or jeans along with a rodeo style belt and you’ll be perfectly styled.  There’s a wide selection of places to shop for jeans in Jean Shop at www.thesiteguide.com. 

    

Finally of course if you come out here you should invest in a pair of cowboy boots.  You can find them in the UK both at designer boutiques such as Net-a-Porter (designer versions at designer prices) or Cloggs, who stock Loblan cowboy boots plus several other online stores - here are some of my favourites.  Best of all browse in Santa Fe where you’ll find a huge choice although having said that if you want to be able to walk in them comfortably you’ll probably want to wear them in before you come.

   

The answer to that one of course is to come here more than once.  Sniff the fresh air, try the incredible food and chill out.  New Mexico is addictive and a perfect place to get away from the crowds.  Hmmmm……April 29th?  I just might…….. 

See you here then.

Designer Jeans-Pick your Brand on Sale-from J Brand to 7 For All Mankind

Whatever your favourite in terms of designer jeans they’re all on sale right now, including brands such as 7 for all Mankind, Citizens of Humanity and J Brand and on to Victoria Beckham Denim, Roberto Cavalli and Alexander McQueen and there are some astonishing bargains to be picked up.

I always think that buying designer jeans online is extremely tricky from a fit point of view unless you know exactly which brand and style specifically works for you, but at these prices and with the sizing advice that many of the online stores offer, you can order more than one size and just return the ones that don’t fit. Some of the bargains around right now are definitely worth checking out - these are just a few……………………..

Of course in some styles there’ll be a very limited range of sizes, but if you spend a bit of time browsing you’ll be surprised at the amount of choice there is. Best of all stores such as Matches Fashion and Net-a-Porter allow you to refine your search by size, so you can eliminate the styles that aren’t available for you.

New Season’s Trend-Animal Prints-Come Party in the Jungle

If it seems a bit strange to be calling this a ‘new season’s trend’, take heart, because animal prints have followed through from Autumn/Winter 2010 and padded into Spring/Summer 2011 - in real terms they’ve never gone away, but do they ever? From a sleek chic leopard print dress to a zebra print scarf, join the jungle trend and add to your collection.

The real splurge of the season will inevitably be a leopard print coat. I’ve tried to persuade myself on occasion that I really need one of these but never quite managed it and prefer to go with animal print accessories - I think there’s a great danger of going over the top and ending up with something you a) might not have the occasion to wear and b) feel a bit daft in when you do. I’ve seen some great ones and also some very cheap and nasty versions. All I advise is if you go down this route go for the very best you can find and make sure it’s something you’ll love for years.

As a natural black wearing person (and again I’ve tried to change this but for the most part failed) the mix of leopard/zebra/tribal prints and minimalistic gold jewellery is irresistible this season. Don’t go for the whole look - to keep it chic and current mix modern jewels with your big cat prints and you’ll be ready to party. Snake? Did I hear snake? I’m sure it’s going to have a re-invention this season and there are some great pieces about…………