When it comes to Christmas, there's nothing I like more than to take the opportunity and let my inner sequinned goddess free to really have fun with fashion.  As soon as mid-November hits, the shops start to fill with all things bright and beautiful and in place of jumpers, boots and tights, we start to see chiffons, satins and lace taking centre stage.

For some Christmas is a great excuse to be a bit more adventurous but if like a lot of women, the idea of getting dressed up for the office party fills you with dread and leaves you overwhelmed and stressed, here are a few of my top styling gems to ensure that you look and feel your very best on the day, so that all you need to worry about is what time to book your taxi home.

·         Take a few moments to think about the areas of yourself that you like i.e. good bust, slim waist, long neck etc and make sure that when you're choosing an outfit, these are highlighted.   Focus on your positives and NOT your negatives.

·         When you look at yourself in the mirror, don't zone in on the areas you don't like, instead look at yourself as a whole and try to see yourself as others see you. 

·         Listen to your instinct.  If you feel good in something,  chances are you look good.  If you have a favourite dress or pair of trousers, think about why they work for you and look for something similar in an evening style (i.e. satin/silk or an embellished neckline etc)

·         Being stylish isn't about being fashionable or trendy. Create a style that reflects your own unique personality.  If you have no idea what your look is or don't think you have one, buy a few magazines and rip out the pages that you like. You will soon start to see a pattern emerging of what you are naturally drawn to.  Use these images to influence and create your own look.

·         You might not need to buy a new outfit, you can update a dress with a new necklace or statement piece of jewellery and use these to create a different look. A beautiful beaded clutch bag will instantly update an outfit for example. Use accessories to add pattern, colour and texture and bring interest to your outfit.

I hope you now feel equipped to have a fabulously confident and stylish festive season and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you an extremely happy new year.

Karen Lowe, Image Consultant and Personal Stylist - www.karenl.co.uk, karen@karenl.co.uk
Karen is the Image Consultant and often works with Sam Holman in workshops working on inside out confidence.

Christmas is fast approaching so in preparation, Helen Dowling from Exceptional Thinking (http://www.exceptionalthinking.co.uk) has put together her 12 tips of Christmas for you and your business.

On the 1st day of Christmas:  don’t forget to take a bit of time off this year. I’m sure your family will appreciate it and anyway, you’ve worked very hard all year so it’s a good time to have a bit of a rest.

On the 2nd day of Christmas: with only 2 weeks to go, this is a great time to do some last minute marketing in your business. Send out your Christmas cards yes, but why not include a voucher in there too with a Christmas gift for all your customers?

On the 3rd day of Christmas: what plans have you got for a January sale? Everyone likes to feel that they’re getting a bargin when they buy something. Are you planning to have a sale for your customers? It could also be a big incentive for those who’ve been thinking about buying your products and services to do something about it.

On the 4th day of Christmas: plan, plan, plan for the New Year. Make sure you know what you want and put a plan in place to get there. If your goals include things that you’re really passionate about and would happily do for no money at all, so much the better – you’re much more likely to want to achieve them!

On the 5th day of Christmas: now and over Christmas when things are quieter, are a great time for some house-keeping and for getting round to the things you’ve been meaning to do all year. Get them all cleared up so that you start the New Year with a clean slate.

On the 6th day of Christmas:  I know January seems like months away, even though it’s only just around the corner and I know you’ve probably been promising people that you’ll look at things in New Year. If you have, try if at all possible to keep your promises and if you know you won’t, be honest with the other person and let them know.

On the 7th day of Christmas:  Keep an eye on your Christmas expenses. It’s really easy to go out and enjoy yourself a little bit too much by treating your customers and staff. But for most of us, we’ve still got another three months to go until the end of the financial year and believe me if you overspend in December, things will not look as rosy in the cold light of January.

On the 8th day of Christmas:  On the other hand, don’t forget to give yourself a reward (doesn’t have to cost a lot). As small business owners, we’re great at beating ourselves up when things don’t go as well as we hope, but not so good at celebrating success. Look at what you’ve achieved this year and give yourself a pat on the back.

On the 9th day of Christmas: Remember to be realistic at Christmas. Everyone is going to be starting to wind down between now and the beginning of January, so if you run a service business and are expecting loads of customers, think again. Don’t be too discouraged about it though – use the time wisely to give yourself a kick-start for the New Year.

On the 10th day of Christmas: Notify your customers when you’ll be working and when you won’t be – letting them know your Christmas opening hours in advance will make sure everyone is clear about what’s happening when. Give them a last update too, so everyone knows what’s been done.

On the 11th day of Christmas: Be green this Christmas – recycle your Christmas Cards and reuse your Christmas Trees.

On the 12th day of Christmas: Finally, remember, that Christmas is about having some fun too, so make sure you have some. Have a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2013!

Get your surroundings sorted before Christmas in 3 steps 

People from all walks of life come to me because they need help to “reclaim” their houses. Clutter in the home builds up over time and ends up weighing many of us down. It’s difficult to think clearly when your home is disorganised and when you are very busy preparing for the festive season, you need to have surroundings you can be productive in. 

I have put together a 3 step guide on how to declutter your home and reclaim it before Christmas! This is only bitesize though, so please feel free to visit my website for more ideas or give me a call if you would like some expert advice. 

1. Choose a room to start with and identify problem areas 

In a cluttered home, there is often one room that is the most cluttered and is causing the most problems in your home and with your family. This is the room to start with. Look at the problem areas and decide what is wrong with the cluttered parts of the room. Is there post lying around everywhere? This means you don’t have a system for new post when it comes in. Do you have kids toys strewn about the floor? This could be because there isn’t a central place to keep all the toys. Decide on the room and make a note of the cluttered areas and think about why they are getting cluttered up. 

  2. Out with the old...
Decide what you are going to keep, store or throw. This is often the bit many people have the most trouble with. With each item genuinely ask yourself “Am I going to use it?” Be ruthless! We often hold onto things we know deep down we are never going to use. (Analyzing all the stuff we buy helps us to make better purchasing decisions too). Sort your clutter into piles: recycle, charity shops, store, bin. Once you have sorted them into piles, don't make the mistake of letting them sit there! Make time to go to the charity shop or recycling centre. It will be such a relief to say goodbye to it all and find your new room completely decluttered. 

  3. Find a system for the remaining stuff 

Step 2 is not the end of the process. It is just the beginning! So as to ensure that the clutter doesn’t build up again - you need to create organisational systems for your things. Systems which work for you and which you will find it easy to stick to. For example, if one of your problems was paper work and post mounting up, you need to create a workable filing system and create storage space for your papers. Whatever you do- don’t just put it down and forget about it. That's where clutter comes from!

Declutter your home, declutter your mind
http://armitage-homedecluttered.co.uk/

"We all have issues at Christmas." He said. "Here’s a big one." I just had to buy a copy of the Big Issue from him on that day. A few months later, I also read an article about a homeless man who talked about the worst aspects of his situation. He didn’t want to beg, so he spent hours every day often in the freezing cold trying to sell copies of The Big Issue. In the article, the homeless man said that over 90% of the people who passed by would look straight through him as if he wasn’t even there. That, he found was the most hurtful aspect of his life.

As Christmas approaches, acknowledge the existence of more people. A smile costs nothing. In Africa, there’s a traditional greeting "I see you." The response is “I am here.” This is about respecting the presence of each person. It means far more than a simple "Hello." But just saying “hello” in a warm, friendly way even to complete strangers as a daily habit, starts something magical. It makes you feel so much better about yourself. Its as if a small flame is lit inside you, which starts to radiate light and warmth, first internally and then it gets passed on to others. Give it a go. Its free.

Roy Sheppard is a professional speaker who lives near Bristol. www.RoySpeaks.com He is also the author of How to Be The One, a book that explains how to be a better boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife. www.BeTheOneBook.com His new book is Dear Son: what I wish I’d known at your age is for all 15-25 year old men. www.DearSonBook.com He is currently working on the Dear Daughter version for all 15-25 year old women.