January 28, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
The hourglass is
the shape most women dream of having. Blessed
with gorgeous curves and a tiny waist, hourglasses are pretty much perfectly
proportioned. As you’ve got such a
womanly figure you want to embrace your femininity and stay away from clothes that
will swamp your shape as you also have a big bust and hips. You’ll find all the clothing and accessories
that will compliment your curves at The Bentall Centre in Kingston so why not treat yourself to a bit
of retail therapy.
If you struggle
to find the right clothes for you then have no fear! There are ways to enhance your best bits and
hide your body insecurities allowing your confidence to grow. Once you know which styles suit you, shopping
will no longer feel like a chore but a fun experience.
Hourglasses
should stay clear of items with too much frill, flounces and bow detailing as
big decorations and excess fabric will add weight and volume – not what you
want. Flat clumpy shoes and pointed
stilettos will also shorten your legs so opt for cute round toe styles to go
with your curviness. Peep toe shoes are
also another great option.
When it comes to
knitwear, deep v-neck style cardigans are best you for. They will give you an amazing shape and are
versatile items to have in your wardrobe.
Dresses which lift your bust and elongate your waist will help enhance
your curves instead of hiding them.
Draped sleeve detailing is an ideal finishing touch as it adds a hint of
elegance to outfits.
The t-shirt
style which is best for an hourglass are those with a wide neckline as they
won’t swamp you – comfortable but you’ll still feel sexy. If you wear a lot of shirts to work but find
it difficult to find the right cut for your shape then the answer is this –
choose a shirt where the buttons don’t go all the way to the top. The trick is to leave your neckline open as
it will give you a more flattering shape – simple!

Pencil skirts
are oh-so-perfect for hourglasses! They
are super flattering, exaggerating the curve from your hip to your knee – you
definitely need one in your wardrobe.
[Read more →]
Categories:
Fashion And Style · Trend reports
Tags: Best Clothing Styles for an Hourglass Shape, hourglass figure, hourglass figure fashion
January 26, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
Peplum styles
are huge for Spring/Summer 2012, putting all the focus on your lovely waist! It is a perfect trend for enhancing curves
and creating a gorgeous hourglass silhouette so is sure to be a massive hit
across the country. I’ve already nabbed
a floral peplum top from H&M and I love it - looks great worn with my black
skinny jeans and heels!

Yumi
Spot Mesh Peplum Dress, £42.99 from New Look
Seen on the
catwalks of Alexander McQueen, Jason Wu, Marchesa and Vera Wang, each designer
had their own unique take on the peplum.
Futuristic styles saw dramatic chrome designs, with white and mesh
giving the trend a modern feel.
Femininity was evoked in romantic peplum styles that were layered with
lace or pretty frills. Stunning when
worn in the evening or to special occasions.
Gothic glamour continues into the new season as peplums were given a
dark twist to create some dramatically beautiful creations.

Lace
Top with Frills, £29.99 from Zara
[Read more →]
Categories:
Fashion And Style · Trend reports
Tags: peplum styles, style trend ss11,
January 24, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
Getting back to
normality after having a baby might be challenging for new mums. Your confidence may have dropped slightly due
to your changing body shape or you may just be too tired to even think about
clothes. This is where a capsule
wardrobe comes in handy!
Looking good on
the outside will help you feel better on the inside too and I sometimes feel
that a new set of clothes can give anyone a confidence boost!
So what is a
capsule wardrobe some of you might be thinking?
It is a
collection of clothing and accessories that can be mixed and matched to create
a variety of looks for different occasions – extremely versatile! A good way to start is to go through your
existing wardrobe and get ride of anything that no longer fits you or that you
haven’t worn in ages.
Your body shape
may have changed slightly since becoming a mum so it’s nice to start fresh
sometimes.
Choosing
pieces to be in your capsule wardrobe might seem a little daunting, but once
you get into the swing of it you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about! You want to be able to create looks for
casual wear, day, work and evening, incorporating some of this season’s hottest
trends, and The Bentall Centre in Kingston
will help you achieve this.
[Read more →]
Categories:
Fashion And Style · Footwear · Trend reports
Tags: capsule wardrobe for a new mum, capsule wardrobe for new mum, capsule wardrobe for new mums
January 22, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
Most girlfriends
and wives might find it a struggle every year to find the perfect Valentine’s
Day gift for their partner. I don’t know
about you ladies, but I tend to find buying presents for guys a challenge –
especially when it comes to romantic gifts.
You may worry that the gift you’ve bought for him is too soppy and not
‘manly enough.’ Flowers and chocolates
are usually bought for us girls – so what do we get him?!

Joshua
Silk Tie, £20.00 from Oliver Bonas
Well fret not
ladies as there is no need to panic!
Taking a trip to The Bentall Centre in Kingston will solve all your gift buying
problems thanks to the amazing variety of stores to browse round.
Nano
Crown Leather Bracelet, £82.00 from Swarovski
If you want to
get him jewellery then stick to something simple that fits in with his
personality – don’t go too crazy with the style choice.
A stylish tie or
cufflinks make lovely gifts for men who aren’t afraid of fashion. They can be used all the time or be saved for
special occasions.
[Read more →]
Categories:
Fashion And Style · Homeware and Gifts · Menswear
Tags: Valentines gifts for Him, Valentines gifts for man, Valentines gifts for men
January 20, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
Celebrating the
arrival of a newborn baby is a very special occasion. They may be too young to know what’s going on
but that doesn’t mean you can’t get them a lovely gift which can be treasured
forever or something more fun– a great excuse to spoil them!
Family and friends waste little time in
shopping for the perfect new baby gift these days and what better place to find
them than at The Bentall Centre in Kingston.
My
First Small Bunny, £8.00 from Mothercare
With stores such
as Mothercare, Baby Gap and Oliver Bonas to browse round, you’ll find so many
gorgeous presents to give to the new arrival – boy or girl!
Unisex
Luxury Hamper Set, £45.00 from Mothercare
Whether you want
to give them one of their first cuddly toys or a beautiful ornament to decorate
their room – the possibilities are endless.
Silver
Caterpillar First Tooth/Curl Box, £17.50 from Oliver Bonas
Mothercare is a perfect
place to start your shopping hunt. The
range of gifts and keepsakes seem to be endless.
Humphrey
Record Book, £15.00 from Mothercare
From blankets to
impression kits and baby record books to luxury hampers you’ll want to leave
with half the store! A record book is a
really thoughtful present as the parents will be able to document all the
precious moments of their little ones all the way through to their early years.

Circus
Animal Bib, £5.00 from Baby Gap
Spoil the adorable
newborn baby with all the essentials such as bibs, clothing and soothers from
shops like Baby Gap. There are some
really cute ones to be found at The Bentall Centre. You can’t go wrong with a cuddly toy
either! Help start the little one’s
collection by getting him or her an adorable animal friend – they’ll love it!
Categories:
Child and Baby · Homeware and Gifts
Tags: newborn baby gifts, gifts for new baby, new baby gifts
January 18, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
Pear - Being a pear
shape means you are heavier on the bottom compared to the rest of your body but
that doesn’t mean you’re overweight. You
have a flatter chest but are wider at the hips and thighs which means the trick
is to balance this out by broadening your shoulders. Finding clothing to compliment this shape is
actually quite easy – boat neck tops are a good place to start.
Inverted Triangle - From the name inverted
triangle you can pretty much guess what your shape consists of. You have broad shoulders and a small bust as
well as slim hips and lovely long legs.
Although you are not very curvy, your athletic build is perfect for the
catwalk. Flared skirts will help balance
out your figure rather than disguise it.
Rectangle - Although
rectangle shapes only have a slight waist you have gorgeous long legs. Your shoulder width is the same as your hip
width so you may find it difficult to find clothes that fit, especially as most
rectangles are tall as well. Look for
clothes that create the illusion of curves such as angular shapes and different
patterns and prints.
Apple - An apple shape
is hard to dress but it can be achieved.
Your waist measurements
will be significantly larger compared to your hip and chest measurements
meaning you have a larger tummy. This is
nothing to be ashamed of though. You
have great legs as your strong point so stick to flat front trousers and
tummy-skimming tops which are perfect for you.
Once you have
determined what body shape you are ladies the next step is embracing it! See what key points apply to you so next time
you go for a little retail therapy you’ll no longer struggle finding clothes
and accessories that look fashionable. No
matter if you have a big or small bust, curves or no curves you’re beautiful in
your own way!
[Read more →]
Categories:
Fashion And Style
Tags: How to identify your body shape, identify your body shape, what is my body shape
January 16, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
The time has
come ladies for us to gaze ahead and set our sights on trends for Spring/Summer
2012 – and there are some truly fabulous ones to get excited about! The Afrocentric trend was seen on the
designer catwalks and I love this style as there are so many aspects to it –
you can be really creative!
Donna Karen,
Burberry Prorsum, Gucci, Missoni and Michael Kors all added their own flare and
twist to the trend to create some truly fabulous looks that any fashionista
would love to have in their wardrobe.
Traditional references such as animal prints and safari suiting have
still been used for inspiration but this season’s Africana also mixes ethnic
prints, raffia work, tribal sketches and intricate beading. Beautiful!
Ethnic
Print Tunic, £35.99 from Zara
Anyone can sport
this trend as there are so many prints, patterns and styles to play around with
– you’ll never get bored. Leopard print
is still a fashion favourite and this season it can be seen adorning flowing
cocktail gowns and evening dresses.
Large life size zebra stripes are not just in black and white
anymore. Be daring and bold by sporting
a neon design for the ultimate fashion statement.
Animal
Print Open Back Shell Top, £16.99 from New Look
[Read more →]
Categories:
Fashion And Style · Trend reports
Tags: Afrocentric Trends, ss12 Afrocentric Trends, Afrocentric Trends london
January 14, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
Before your bank
balance has time to relax and breathe again you realise that either a family
member or a friend’s birthday is just around the corner and you have to try and
find a gift which is thoughtful but also not too expensive!
This obstacle can easily be overcome though
ladies and gentlemen as the sales are still lingering in most shops - you’ll be
able to find the perfect bargain birthday gift!
Take a trip to
The Bentall Centre, Kingston
to do a little retail therapy and have a good old rummage through all the sale
items.
Winter Wobblers Mini Hot
Water Bottle, WAS £5.00 NOW £2.50 from Paperchase
You will find
some amazing bargains to be had which will make lovely birthday gifts but won’t
put pressure on your bank account. No
one has to know!

Rosehip
Pink Flower Photo Album, WAS £42.00 NOW £21.00 from Oliver Bonas
What woman wouldn’t
love a gorgeous bag or pair of shoes for her birthday? She’d be mad to turn them down – I certainly
wouldn’t!
[Read more →]
Categories:
Fashion And Style · Homeware and Gifts · Sales and Discounts · Special Offers
Tags: Bargain Buys For Her, london shopping bargains, london shop bargains
January 09, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
With the
excitement of Christmas and New Year out of the way, it’s time to get prepared
for the next calendar event – Valentine’s Day!
Yes it is once again time to spoil your partners with lovely gifts and
surprise them with romantic gestures.
9ct
Yellow Gold Diamond and Cultured Pearl Necklace, £135.00 from Fraser Hart
Safe present
choices to get for your wife or girlfriend include scrumptious chocolates,
sparkling jewellery or beautiful lingerie – a cuddly toy is also a nice little
surprise too!
Me
To You – Gorgeous Girlfriend, £19.99 from Clinton Cards
They’re all
guaranteed to make her feel special and she’ll love you even more for them! With the variety of stores to browse round at
The Bentall Centre in Kingston
you’ll have no trouble finding the perfect gift.
Vintage
Playing Cards ‘LOVE’ Picture, £35.00 from Oliver Bonas
For unique gifts
visit the Oliver Bonas store. There is a
huge range of items which appeal to everyone.
You’ll want to buy everything for your partner! If you want to get your wife or girlfriend
something truly original, yet stylishly simple, then treat her to the Vintage
Playing Cards ‘LOVE’ Picture. It would
make a lovely addition to your home!
[Read more →]
Categories:
Homeware and Gifts · Jewellery and Fashion Accessories
Tags: valentine gifts for her, valentine gifts for wife, valentine gifts for girl
January 06, 2012 · By Hayden · No Comments
What secrets
are hidden in your handbag?
The Bentall
Centre has teamed up with Debbie Percy, an experienced life coach and
specialist Bagologist. Basically, Debbie can reveal what
your bag says about you!
The contents of your
handbag tell a deeper story than you might think and Debbie has mastered the
skill to understand someone’s personality and lifestyle just by seeing what is
in your bag.

To find out the meaning
of your handbag, just visit The Bentall Centre facebook page, ‘like’
the page, take a photo of the contents of your handbag and then upload it to the Facebook Wall.
Three bags
will be randomly selected by Debbie every weekday for a detailed reading and
her analysis published underneath each photo.
Uploads
must be made between 1st January & 29th February
2011.
Categories:
Bentall Centre News · Special Offers
Tags: Free Bagology Readings, bagology, facebook reading