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Augustus Couture your Personal Shopper and Stylist introduces you to, Oxford Street one of London’s most popular shopping streets and provides the best of the High Street fashion brands. This area would suit most shoppers who are more price conscious and are looking for the latest trends or wanting to update their wardrobe with a few fashionable pieces. You can also find the more classic staples here too.

As part of Augustus Couture’s ”Style Me” services, the 2 hour Personal Shopping Experience features Oxford Street in the High Street Program level.  There are three main department stores to explore which offer both men and women’s brands:
Debenhams – offers its own fashion brands plus exclusive designer collaborations with Jasper Conran, Julien MacDonald, John Rocha, and many more
House of Fraser – houses fashion and classic brands. Plus the Mary Portas shop which was especially set up to cater for grown up women who wanted modern and contemporary fashion to suit their more womanly body shape and lifestyle. And exclusive to the store is the iconic label Biba with its 60s and 70s glamour inspired pieces. Also has a floor dedicated for the younger trends and of course menswear.
John Lewis –offers the more classic fashion brands.

Oxford Street is scattered with plenty of smaller shops offering fast fashion trends.
Aiming more for the young fashionistas are:
Miss Selfridge, H&M and River Island – for the latest fashion trends
Topshop & Topman– a department store in itself with up to the minute fashion trends. It also has a cool cafe bar serving hot and cold drinks plus snacks to keep you going.

For all fashionistas whatever your age there are stores such as Next, Zara and Massimo Dutti which also stock the basic staple pieces as well as the fast fashion trends.

Oxford Street is a bustling place and so are its cafes. Our recommendation for a bite to eat would be St Christopher’s Place.  Look out for the landmark purple clock as you head down Oxford Street and you’ll suddenly discover the entrance to St Christopher’s Place – home to an eclectic mix of shops, boutiques, restaurants and bars.

Book an Augustus Couture Personal Shopper and Stylist Here http://www.augustuscouture.com/styleme

Guest Writer and Augustus Couture Stylist Karen Grace studied Personal Styling at the London College of Fashion and received her professional training in one of London’s leading Image Consultancy training centres. She is also a registered affiliate member of FIPI, the Federation of Image Professionals International. Karen Grace is Director of Style Me Services at Augustus Couture; owner of Frumpy to Funky, an in-house personal shopper for a large department store; and a fashion writer for several online magazines.

Images courtsey of New West End Company

Coast – Holly Ann Dress

This Summer is going to be colourful season with yellow outshining them all. But take care before you inject a ray of sunshine into your summer wardrobe as this is one of the hardest colours to wear.

So how do you wear this latest colour trend? Choose the right shade of yellow for your own colour characteristics. Your colour characteristics consist of the colour of your hair, your eyes and skin tone.

Dark golden blonde, redhead to deep brunette, soft eyes (muted greens, warm hazel or brown), skin tone can range from fair to dark, often has freckles.

You are best with deep but muted yellows e.g. mustard, old gold, buttercup, banana, yellow ochre, yellow topaz, and goldenrod

Dark or white/silver hair, bright eyes (clear blues, hazel, brown and black); skin tone is bright and can range from pale to dark.

Still go for a deep yellow but this time in a cooler and brighter shade such as neon yellow, daffodil, ice sorbet lemon, canary yellow

Pale ash blonde, mousy brown to medium ash brown, soft eyes (muted greens, hazel, brown, greys or blues); skin tone ranges from pale to medium.

Go for a pale to medium shade in muted tones such as pastel yellow, powdery yellow, pale lemon, mellow yellow to a light banana

Light golden or strawberry blonde, pale red to light warm brunette, bright eyes (clear blues, hazel, greens and brown), skin tone is bright and ranges from very fair to medium, often has freckles.

You need a light fresh yellow such as bright golden yellow, light lemon, pale gold, golden honey, buttercup

Coast Beverley Dress

But the real test is when you try it on.

Check your complexion: If it looks sallow, drab or washed out then you are wearing the wrong shade. Wearing the right shade will enhance your complexion making it appear fresher and brighter.

Check your overall look: Are you wearing the colour or is it wearing you? You want people to see you rather than just the outfit.

A little goes a long way
Yellow is an attention seeking colour, even the palest shades draw the eye to them. And although the designers may dress their catwalk models in head-to-toe yellow, for us mere mortals it is often better teamed with another colour to tone it down.

Neon yellow is the scariest shade to wear but when matched with greys, white and navy the ‘highlighter pen’ glow is neutralised. For this shade less is definitely more. Look out for neon yellow as an accent colour to your on trend sport luxe look or just accessorize with neon bags, belts, scarf or shoes to bring your retro ladylike style into the 21st century. To carry off this shade your own colour characteristics need to have an overall dramatic and strong look. But all is not lost if they’re not; just don’t wear the yellow near the face.

The paler pastel yellow will be more suitable for those with a less dramatic colouring and more of a softer and blended look. You can still create the new high tech sporty style by teaming with a lighter grey or blue. Colour blocking is still on trend, so match with other pastel shades to create a dramatic yet soft look. For those of you with strong colouring, pastel yellow can wash you out so always create a high contrast combination with a darker colour or colour block with brighter colours such as fuchsia and Yves Klein blue.

Lemon is an easier shade to wear; it suits most colourings if mixed with the right fruit cocktail:

Sharp and dramatic with cherry red, lime green and of course the darker shades of damson and blackberries.

Faded and cool with raspberry pink, mint green, watermelon red, and coconut ice
Warm and spicy with olive green, plum, merlot red or chocolate brown and cream
Light and fresh with orange, apricot, apple green, peach and vanilla ice

Coast Felicia Short Dress

Mustard is a great shade for the warmer complexions and works well with the earthy colour palette of browns and olive green. This combination is usually associated with an autumn/winter outfit, so add some spring into the shade by colour blocking with blue or black.

The all neutral outfit in creams and beiges give a classic cosmopolitan vibe in the summer, but a splash of yellow will update your look whilst still remaining stylishly cool.

But if you’re still not ‘bananas’ over the colour yellow, then the easiest way to update your wardrobe is with yellow accessories and don’t forget the must have yellow nail polish.

Book an Augustus Couture Personal Shopper London Here http://www.augustuscouture.com/styleme

Guest Writer and Augustus Couture Stylist Karen Grace studied Personal Styling at the London College of Fashion and received her professional training in one of London’s leading Image Consultancy training centres. She is also a registered affiliate member of FIPI, the Federation of Image Professionals International. Karen Grace is Director of Style Me Services at Augustus Couture; owner of Frumpy to Funky, an in-house personal shopper for a large department store; and a fashion writer for several online magazines.

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Roll up! Roll up! And step in to the wonderful world of Christian Louboutin.  Augustus Couture your London fashion stylist reviews this retrospective exhibition, a glamorous showcase for those iconic red glossy soled shoes and provides insight to Mr Louboutin’s creativity and key design inspirations over the past 20 years.

At the age of 16, Louboutin became an intern at the famous Parisian musical hall, Les Folies Bergeres, and was mesmerised by the showgirls, their costumes (particularly the Birds of Paradise) and the way they could dance in very high heels. This sewed the seed for the desire to design such glamorous shoes so every woman could be a showgirl in their daily lives.

The Louboutin showgirl shoes vie for attention as they pose and sparkle near the footlights of the red glossy stage. The Queen of Burlesque, Dita Von Teese, makes a 3D holographic appearance as she morphs from a giant stiletto and dances on the stage.

But the glamour and glitz doesn’t stop here as the stage is surrounded by the brightly lit fairground attractions of a carousel, glass helter-skelter, gigantic spinning top and a topiary walkway. All these house and represent Louboutin’s key inspirations:

Carousel – travel inspiration, always something to see  Shoes sit majestically on slowly rotating red velvet cushioned swings which hang from the carousel

Helter Skelter – transparency inspiration, suggesting nudity.  The mirrored shelves show the shoes from all angles. Here Louboutin uses lace, mesh and metal in the designs.
Spinning Top – entertainment inspiration, Louboutin’s love of the entertainment world.  Giant black piano keys sit on top of the spinning top and act as display stands for individual shoes.

Topiary Walkway – Architecture inspiration

In 1989, Louboutin turned his hand to garden design, so it is only natural this is one of his inspirations.

There is so much more to this exhibition, it will keep you enchanted for the whole day:

Christian Louboutin just can’t and doesn’t put a foot wrong!

The exhibition is until 9 July at the Design Museum, Shad Thames, London SE1 2YD www.designmuseum.org

Book your Augustus Couture Fashion Stylist Now http://www.augustuscouture/styleme

Guest Writer and Augustus Couture Stylist Karen Grace studied Personal Styling at the London College of Fashion and received her professional training in one of London’s leading Image Consultancy training centres. She is also a registered affiliate member of FIPI, the Federation of Image Professionals International. Karen Grace is Director of Style Me Services at Augustus Couture; owner of Frumpy to Funky, an in-house personal shopper for a large department store; and a fashion writer for several online magazines.

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Most people only wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. They may have a wardrobe bursting with clothes and drawers full to the brim, but still have difficulty in finding anything to wear.

The main reason is that most people don’t actually know what’s inside their wardrobe. They don’t see that perfect top squashed in between those two bulky jackets, so they have to buy another one. Eventually this new top will also get sucked in to the wardrobe’s black hole and the process of buying more clothes begins again.

Why are we such clothes hoarders? Usually we can’t bear to throw away our clothes due to sentimental value; they may come back in to fashion; it’s a designer piece or someday we’ll slim down enough to fit back in to that smaller size. These are valid points and we’re not saying that you should ruthlessly clear out everything in your wardrobe, just trim it down and store the rest away from your valuable prime space.

With a wardrobe makeover, the stylist with help you achieve this by going through what you have and together deciding what to keep and what not to keep. You’ll try on clothes to see if the fit and colour still suits you, and the stylist will help put together outfits from your existing wardrobe by mixing and matching. The stylist will also help you re-arrange your clothes in your wardrobe.

This way when you wake up in the morning you’ll be able to see what’s inside your wardrobe and choose an outfit straight away. No more rummage through the clothes you are not going to wear once in a month never mind on a day to day basis.

View our Wardrobe Makeover service here http://www.augustuscouture.com/styleme/

Guest Writer and Augustus Couture Stylist Karen Grace studied Personal Styling at the London College of Fashion and received her professional training in one of London’s leading Image Consultancy training centres. She is also a registered affiliate member of FIPI, the Federation of Image Professionals International. Karen Grace is Director of Style Me Services at Augustus Couture; owner of Frumpy to Funky, an in-house personal shopper for a large department store; and a fashion writer for several online magazines.

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Royal Ascot has always attracted the most fashionable people since day one which was over 300 years ago. And in 1822, the glamour increased as more of the elite started to attend due to the opening of the prestigious invitation only Royal Enclosure.

How to dress for Royal Ascot.
Royal Ascot has tightened the reigns this year when it comes to the dress code in both the Royal Enclosure and the Grandstand. But don’t think of this as a restriction on your dress style but as a guide. How many times have you received an invitation to a party or a dinner and thought what do I wear, what will everyone else be wearing, how dressy is it? It can really spoil the day or evening if you are dressed up to the nines and everyone else is casual or vice versa.  The style you should be aiming for is a flamboyant glamorous look which is also sophisticated and well groomed. Think along the lines of a dressy wedding outfit without the worry of upstaging the bride.  Here are the dress code rules that should not be broken. If they are you may find yourself being refused entry:

Royal Enclosure dress code:
Here you’ll find all the gentlemen looking dapper in their uniform of black or grey morning suits and top hats. So the ladies definitely have a lot to compete with in the style stakes.
Neck lines: No halter necks, strapless gowns, off the shoulder or spaghetti straps. Dress straps must be at least one inch wide. And wearing a jacket or matching bolero over a dress does not count – the actual dress has to follow the guidelines.
Skirt length: No minis or shorts, dress length should be no shorter than just above the knee.  With the ladylike style being on trend this season it should not be a problem to find on trend longer dresses. The 1950’s retro full skirts and the 40s long pencil skirts are the perfect ladylike styles for Royal Ascot, plus they both look great when worn with large hats.
Midriffs: Definitely no bare midriffs and that also means no midriffs just covered in sheer fabrics.
Trousers: Only trouser suits can be worn but the pants must be full length, so definitely no shorts or cropped pants. The colour and fabric of the trousers have to match the jacket, i.e. it has to be a true trouser suit.   White trouser suits always look stunning especially worn with a contrasting coloured hat.
Headgear: A hat or a substantial head piece has to be worn at all times. Fascinators are no longer permitted. The base of the head piece must be 4 inches (10cm) or more in diameter

Grandstand dress code
Here the gentleman will be looking stylishly smart in suits with a shirt and tie, so the ladies will have to make sure they are pipped at the style post.
Necklines: Strapless or sheer strap dresses and tops are not permitted. Even if you wear a jacket at all times, the dress still has to comply with the dress code.
Skirt length: You can wear shorter dresses but you are encouraged to dress as befits a formal occasion.
Midriffs: Definitely no bare midriffs and again that means no midriffs revealed under sheer fabrics
Trousers: You can wear trousers, but they must be full length so no shorts or cropped pants. They do not have to be worn with a jacket and the jacket does not have to be in the same fabric or colour. Tops worn with the trousers have to adhere to the neckline rule.
Headgear: A hat, headpiece or fascinator must be worn at all times.
And definitely No fancy dress, novelty or promotional/branded clothing allowed in either the Royal Enclosure or Grandstand.

Footwear
Although there is no actual dress code for footwear, it should be in keeping with your outfit so no wellies or hob nail boots please. Royal Ascot only stipulates that gentleman for the Royal Enclosure have to wear black shoes, no other colour will do.
A day at the races will take its toll on your feet so here are a few suggestions on footwear:
The classic Mary Jane is always a safe bet at the races – the style is feminine but the heel is not too high that your feet are going to be in serious pain at the end of the day. And the strap ensures your shoes don’t slip off whilst galloping across the grass to collect your winnings.
Stilettos look elegant and sexy, but that will soon disappear when you sink in the grass and lose your balance. So buy some heel stoppers or better still wear wedges instead. There are some high and thin wedges which will look equally elegant.
Always take a spare pair of flats or fold up ballet style pumps to change in to when your shoes start to hurt.
At Royal Ascot it is not just the horses the crowds will be looking at, but all the glorious outfits and hats. So put on your glad rags and don’t see the dress codes as restrictions, but as a guideline so you can fit in with the crowd and enjoy the day.

Guest Writer and Augustus Couture Stylist Karen Grace studied Personal Styling at the London College of Fashion and received her professional training in one of London’s leading Image Consultancy training centres. She is also a registered affiliate member of FIPI, the Federation of Image Professionals International.

Karen Grace is Director of Style Me Services at Augustus Couture; owner of Frumpy to Funky, an in-house personal shopper for a large department store; and a fashion writer for several online magazines.

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Debuting during Japan Fashion Week, designer Kunihiko Morinaga showcased an 8-bit interpretation of women’s fashion, from dresses and professional suits to athletic items and sweatshirts, in the pixel-patterned fall/winter 2011/2012 collection of his fashion company Anrealage.

Composed of colourful square blocks across diverse fabrics, the clothing range appears relatively conventional from a distance, but at closer range its unusual pattern is revealed. The collection included a line of shoes created in the same concept, including pumps. Models also donned coloured translucent eyewear and accessories composed of individual squares and cubes.

If you like Pixelated Fashion, here are some clever accessories to help you achieve your desired look.

Pixelated Glasses
Dzmitry Samal a contemporary designer, based in Paris combines both a futuristic and a retro vision of design, mixing vintage aesthetic with advanced production elements. The collection is entirely manufactured in France using up-to-date technologies and handmade know-how.
http://www.samaldesign.com

Pixelated Wigs
Holland-based concept designer Elroy Klee used LEGOs to create unique wigs. The former graffiti artist describes his artistic style as “a mixture of graff, typo, optical 3D, and a bit of Dutch design.” Be warned the carefully fitted wigs could be challenge to balance on your head!
http://www.elroyklee.com/#Mindplay-bricks-on-me

Pixelated Necklaces
Mike and Maaike Stolen Jewels collection of printed and scored leather “jewels” tell an interesting story, they’re based on actual stolen jewels, in fact pixilated images of the stolen gems from the web, and printed on scored leather so that each facet/pixel can be bent out.
http://www.mikeandmaaike.com

Pixelated Watches
Inspired by the old-school 8-bit graphics the face of the watch is shaped like a computer icon. Add a little bit of modern nostalgia to your wardrobe with this stylish watch.
http://www.poketo.com

If anyone knows how to shop, it’s us. Augustus Couture is a professional shopping service; throughout London we offering a wide selection for every need; and an outfit for the most special occasion, bridal, corporate or maximising your wardrobe. You will have access to a wide variety of designer name brands as well as young and upcoming couturiers. We will assist you in your choice of items, accessories, shoes, gifts, as well as ensuring a proper fit. View our Fashion Styling Services here http://www.augustuscouture.com/styleme