It’s time for me to have a break and get ready for the festive season, so I’m going to sign off until the new year.

Thank you for supporting me and what I’m trying to do for all of us lovely ‘mid lifers’. Without you, there is no Feel Fab at 50 so please keep sending your emails and comments so I can continue to provide you what you need to look great and feel fabulous, in a truly authentic way.

Enjoy yourself this Christmas time. I hope both Santa and 2010 bring everything you wish for.

Gosh it’s so cold out there with the snow, ice and below freezing temperatures upon us. I’m always frozen whatever the weather so I’m really suffering at the moment. If you feel the same, here are a couple of things that might help.

Firstly, I have just bought the most amazingly warm slippers. They look really cute and are so lightweight they are extremely comfortable to wear. For £6.00, these are one of my best investments of the year.   Kisses slipper bootees are so soft, you can just snuggle into them and your feet really thank you. Because they are bootee style, they really keep your feet warm and toasty so your whole body feels the benefit. I bought them from Amazon. The vast array of products available from this company never ceases to amaze as does the incredible speed of service, especially in this weather. I only ordered them on Saturday and they arrived this morning - brilliant.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=slippers

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=slippers

My friend Jeanie, who at 52 is so sexy it’s untrue, told me about her best buy which was from one of my least favourite stores, M&S, but I admit that this time they seem to have got it right with their range of thermal underwear. Thermals! Yes, you read that correctly. According to Jeanie, they look sexy because they have some silk content and fit the body really well. Starting at £12, you can’t go wrong. Choose from sexy, lace trimmed cami’s, long sleeve T’s and snug fitting leggings.

If you were renowned for pairing unusual and unique design with shimmering high quality crystals, where else would you turn for your inspiration but to one of the foremost architects in the world.

This is exactly what Swarovski has done for their Glace range. Designed by probably the most revered female architect in the world, Zaha Hadid has created an organic line of necklaces, rings and cuffs which can be worn singly or with each other, wrapped around the neck, wrists or fingers to create a signature look. Created with birds of paradise in mind, the shimmering crystals look as if they are floating in the abstract pieces.  

Rings from £160 and Bangles from £225 each, they make a fantastic Christmas present, so start hinting!

http://www.atelierswarovski.com/Content.Node/index.en.html#/collections/springsummer10

Or was it the mince pies and sherry? Whatever the reason, it’s easy to feel bloated, uncomfortable and over full or develop burning indigestion, a bad stomach or excess wind when the party season’s in full swing. Not much good if you want to dance the night away or fit comfortably into your frock.

If you recognise these symptoms in yourself or any of your family, then help is at hand with two fabulously effective products that work in our house really well.

Proacatzyme helps our bodies assimilate all the nutrients we eat as well as maintaining a healthy digestive system. As we age, our bodies produce fewer enzymes so not only do we suffer more with all the problems noted above but we may not even be getting the benefit of the foods we actually eat.

Papaya Mints can also help. These chewable tablets function as a digestive stimulant as wll as refreshing the mouth. They are naturally sweetened with sorbitol and fructose, so better for you than ordinary mints.

I’ve also felt so much slimmer and more comfortable since I did the Healthy Start Detox programme. I feel like I’ve literally had an internal clean sweep. It’s a 10 day programme so you might want to leave it until after Christmas, but it will definitely be worth it.

Details be found at http://www.naturessunshine.eu/uk/lovinlivin

Go eat!

I reported on my blog of November 12th that blonde hair is being shunned in favour of grey not, as you might expect, in our age group but in that of a much younger woman.

Personal Shopping with clients in London this week, I spotted many examples to bear this out. I had thought grey hair might look very strange on someone like Pixie Geldof (a recent convert) but seeing these younger girls in the flesh, I realised that they looked really cool - no pun intended. The assistant at Ronen Chen, one of my favourite shops, had succombed to the trend and looked fabulous with her new hair setting off her porcelain skin to perfection.

I know it’s not quite the same thing, but I have been dying my hair grey for the past 6 years or so. I’m not totally grey yet, so I still have all the expense and frequent trips to the hairdresser to contend with, but I’d like to think I’m ahead of the game here. Yes, Sue the Style Setter has quite a ring to it!!

If you are tired of endless, expensive trips to the salon, this would be the BEST time ever to let yourself go grey naturally. Grey is IN, TRENDY, MODERN. Just make sure the cut is fantastic and you could save yourself a fortune and receive great compliments. Isn’t this what we all want? 

A blue/purple base shampoo will keep the colour from fading or yellowing. I like A Touch of Silver, which is fantastic value for only £2.99, though other well known brands, such as Wella, John Freida and Tony & Guy, now stock a similar product range as they too have spotted the emergence of a new trend and know a new salesline when they see one.

And by the way, don’t forget you’ll probably need to change your makeup so see a consultant for your best choices. A colour analysis consultation might also be wise.

This really could be a New Year and a New You.

My friends and Publishers, Debbie Jenkins and Joe Gregory, are doing a special Christmas launch with over £150 of bonuses when you buy just one copy of their new book - The Wealthy Author - before Friday 18th December 2009.

The Wealthy Author

For just £15 (or $25) you’ll get a print copy of their acclaimed book, Free access to Publishing Academy for 30 days and loads of bonus content, ebooks and resources all authors and budding authors will love.

The Wealthy Author

I won’t say any more here, other than they’ve also limited this launch to the first 200 people to buy because they want to ensure all their new customers are well looked after.

If you’re interested then Debbie has a personal message for you with instructions

http://publishingacademy.com/launch

Note: Debbie and Joe asked me personally to share this message with my contacts so, if you get a message like this more than once congratulations! You’re moving in the right social circles!

One of the highlights of the last year for me was joining the Peakirk Pageturners. I am an avid reader of any kind of literature, so when I heard that a new book club was setting up in my village I jumped at the chance to join. In the past 12 months I’ve read some great books and some not so great, ranging from Salman Rushdie to Celia Ahern, presented Molly Fox’s Birthday (an Orange Booker Prize contender) to an audience at the central library, entered the local pub quiz and met some great new friends. The wine and homemade treats don’t go amiss either, especially as the others in the group are fabulous cooks.

The most current read goes straight to my passion - shopping. If you want a really good, holiday type read over the Christmas period then this is for you. The Secret Shoppers Revenge by Kate Harrison is an easy to read novel which also concentrates on my other passion, customer service. Needless to say, I loved it.

Buy from Amazon or any good bookshop.

Looks like many of you shared my thoughts on ’second-hand’ shopping. Here’s another great site for you courtesy of blog reader, Lucy.

‘Great article. Like you I too was adverse to buying second hand. I do nearly all of my shopping on line these days and stumbled across an online dress agency called Designer Desires, unlike the Arch store you can purchase directly whilst browing, I have been over the moon with my purchases from them which have all come divinely packaged. On top of which they have also sold a number of my own unwanted designer items. Certainly worth adding to your favourites’.

I must admit that I have never really been into buying second hand (vintage) clothes. Not sure why apart from I like the idea that I am buying ‘fresh’, though that doesn’t really hold up as most clothes we buy have probably been tried on by someone before us in the changing room.

My husband is a huge fan of eBay and kept going on about the bargains to be had, so I decided to take look for myself. Not for one second did I think I would find anything. How wrong I was.

In the last few weeks I have bought some stunning Vivienne Westwood ( my fave designer as you’re probably well aware) for a fraction of the retail cost and I love all the pieces as much as if they were brand new.

I sell many of my unwanted clothing to a dress agency called Circles. When I went in yesterday Sue Albright, the owner, showed me a fabulous Roland Mouret trouser suit with the Net-A-Porter price tags still intact. For £150, I have something that not only looks fabulous but has saved me well in excess of £1000.   I know she also has some Westwood jackets but, unfortunately, they were too large for me. Circles has lots of great stock and the shop floor is in the process of being extended, so providing you with an even better to bag some great bargains. Circles - 01733 242539. 

Another local agency, Arch, got a fabulous write up in the Sunday Times Style magazine last week. Known more for its designer shoes and bags, they have an online store so well worth a look if you don’t live nearby.

 http://www.archlabelagency.com/catalog/information.php?info_id=9

Sly, is another Stamford based dress agency that also houses some great stock. It’s just off the main street leading into the town from the George Hotel, so be careful you don’t miss it.

The great thing about buying vintage is you are doing your bit for the planet too. ‘Waste not want not’, as my mum used to say. I’ve even managed to customise a couple of my purchases (this is where you need a good seamstress to support you) and that ticks ALL my boxes about authenticity and uniqueness.

I was invited to present  a session on Personal Branding (Look the Business) at a recent business event and the organiser, the lovely Amanda Carlin, looked perplexed when I showed her my Feel Fab at 50 business card. The reason? She thought I was 32.  Do I LOVE this woman - I so do!

For more information on Amanda and the great work she does for small to medium businesses go to www.amandacarlin.co.uk or www.get2business.co.uk