Fashion & Beauty Tips

Vicki Ogden-O’Fee tells us about her fashion and beauty tips, plus inspiration from some Style icons.

“A girl should be two things: Classy and fabulous.”- Coco Chanel

Fragrance

I absolutely love fragrance; Coco Chanel Perfumes are my favourite and go too. Keeping a small bottle of your favourite perfume in your hand bag is always a good idea, and quite often a wee pick me up if your day is dull. It is good to have a signature perfume that suits your skin. Buying Perfume over an Eau de toilette is something I always try to do as the fragrance lasts longer on the skin and is more intense. - Vicki Ogden-O'Fee

“A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future.”- Coco Chanel

Lifestyle Tips from Dame Trelise Cooper

My secrets for staying cool under stress are to keep hydrated and breathe deeply and I believe singing can be quite uplifting (I do that in private!). The beauty product I can't live without is moisturiser. I've been known to resort to dipping into a jar of coconut oil when I'm caught short!Getting my nails done is a necessity in my business. I have very weak nails. Now I get gels and I love it. I can get back to work straight away and put my shoes straight back on. I change my nail polish depending on the season. For neutrals, I like soft greys and lilacs. In summer, or when I'm travelling somewhere summery, I like bright pinks and oranges. In winter I like a bold red.My beauty philosophy is that a smile is the most beautiful thing you put on. A smile and kindness should come before any makeup. Dame Trelise Cooper

“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman!– Coco Chanel

Fashion Rules to Live by from Paula Ryan

Its not the cost of the garment that is important…It is wears per item! Buy quality well fitting classic clothes and you will have them for years. Your cheekbones and shoulders never age because they’re just bones. Keep your hair off your cheekbones and accentuate them with a bit of makeup and highlights. And show a cold shoulder in a dress, because it's youthful. I do it all the time.When it comes to dressing, you need to train your eye to assess what will suit you. Be realistic about your body and who you are. And stop complaining – there’s always going to be someone who has a bigger problem than you. Paula Ryan

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening" – Coco Chanel

When Did Wearing Glasses Become Cool?

Fashion, perhaps an unlikely supporter of the optically challenged, has helped: spectacles regularly star on catwalks at Gucci and Max Mara, while Prada and Chanel's eyewear campaigns, starring Gemma Ward and Kristen Stewart respectively, have been well publicised.Celebrities including Emma Watson, Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Aniston are spectacles-wearers; Meryl Streep, Karlie Kloss and Lupita Nyong'o have even thrown caution to the wind and frequently wear glasses to red carpet events. Glasses can be fun, funky, stylish and classy at any age you only need look at Iris Apfel in her nineties as living proof of this.

"Having worn glasses for most of my adult life - I feel it’s important to be able to have a few pairs to choose from. These can be to match your dress code for the day or just change things up for fun and play. Now a days with the internet and internet shopping just about anything at any price point you choose is available. Do your research there are some great companies out there supplying great quality stylish glasses at good prices. I recently have purchased some Prada and Roberto Cavalli glasses online and just love them." - Vicki Ogden-O’Fee

“Fashion changes, but style endures.”– Coco Chanel

Vicki's Top TenHair, Beauty and Fashion Tips

• Lipstick can brighten up any outfit, they don’t have to be the most expensive, get three main colours that go with your wardrobe I have a pink, red and coral tone I like and keep one of each in my make up bag, purse, office and car. Choosing three tones that tie in with your style wardrobe colours this way you cover all bases.
• Always invest in a good shampoo and conditioner, it makes your colours last longer and hair look beautiful and stay in good condition.
• A good skin care regime is important, always remove makeup before bed and use a good daily and nightly moisturiser and eye cream.
• Hydrate-Hydrate-Hydrate always try to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, this keeps our bodies hydrated and is very good for the skin and our general wellbeing.
• Invest in a good foundation that suits your complexion and has a good SPF factor, this will help with preventing unnecessary ageing and protect your skin.
• If you are going to have colour on your nails it must look good, chipped nails are a sign someone doesn’t really take pride in their grooming and personal appearance.
• As my dad always said,” Clean shoes and good manners cost you nothing”, this is always something I look for when employing staff.
• Choose a hair style and colour that make you look great and give you confidence but also that fits with your life style. In saying that looking good does take effort, just set that alarm for 15 minutes earlier in the morning and get up a bit earlier the results will be worth it!
• Buy classic well-fitting clothes and add fun seasonal accessories that are more budget-friendly, dress to suit your hair and skin tone, dress for your colour season, I have lived by this for 25 years now and it really works. Your wardrobe will flow, and you can easily mix and match clothes shoes and hand bags. Don’t buy clothes on sale just because they are cheap, save the money and put it towards something you will love and get more wear from.
• Set your own standards, as my Aunty said to me many years ago and is advise I have taken on board “If you’re not sure of the dress code…then dress up and feel good…set your own standards”

“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little—if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.”– Coco Chanel