Some jewellery like costume jewellery, you may just want as it’s fashionable at the time, but some pieces of fine jewellery you may wish to keep forever.

You may wish to remember a special relationship and not just with a partner, maybe with a child or a parent. Perhaps a special ring you got for your birthday with your birthstone in it. It’s worth spending money on this because you know you will treasure it forever and it will never date, unlike some cheaper modern jewellery which may be unfashionable in about 5 years’ time.

Some jewellery you may wish to keep as a reminder of a certain period in your life – like when you were a student, or when you first met your other half, or when your first child was born or when you went to live somewhere else. That necklace your aunt gave you when you were a penniless student and you thought at the time “What a waste” and that you would rather have had the money, but years later you still treasure it (and indeed wear it) and you know that you will treasure it forever and pass it down to your own daughter – and you hope she will feel the same. And the memories will last forever …. and the jewellery is always there to remind you of those happy, yet penniless times.

If you’re picking an engagement ring, you always pick fine jewellery because you want it to last forever so the same with other pieces. There is no harm in buying cheaper or loud bulky fashionable jewellery like costume jewellery, but these are expendable and may just be kept for a few years but fine pieces will always have their place and may even last you forever.

An eternity ring is another piece of jewellery you may wish to keep forever. The jewels in this are elegant and dainty. And remember the songs “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. Jewels will last forever even if the relationship does not! And it will be a memento of happy times.

Older relatives in the family like to give fine jewellery as well and although as a teenager you may not appreciate this, you will realise its value in the years to come and the jewellery will always remind you of your family. And again you can pass it on to your own offspring, although they may not initially appreciate the gesture, but remember your own feelings initially and try to sympathise.

Fine jewellery is ideal to keep as a keepsake and as a memory of special times and events. It can also stay in your family for many years and be handed down the generations. Treasure it forever.

It depends on what you consider classic designer clothing? It is perhaps difficult to define as everybody has different tastes in clothing but I see them as items that have gone away and returned at multiple different periods in modern time. When I think of classic items, I think of items such as Kate Moss’s waistcoats or skinny jeans, Nike Air Max basketball shoes and leather jackets. These are all items that have been popular with the young generations in the past and have re-emerged at various different times to become the front runners of fashion again.

These are all items which are highly popular again now and I think it is a testament to the designers of these items who have been able to capture the tastes of various generations of different people. Now, look at today’s fashion and popular items. I think we are going through a wonderful time for consumer fashion in the United Kingdom. There are now more unique and wonderful items that are entering high street stores and I think some of them have the potential to become classics of the fashion industry.

The first group of items I would like to mention are the ‘two-in-one’ items. I am not entirely sure of the correct name for these items but I will explain. These are items that are two items of clothing which you would wear together as a combination, such as a waist coat and tee-shirt but are actually just one item sown to make it look as if you are wearing both items of the combination separately. Personally, I think that these are wonderful items that look better than wearing two items because when you would buy the two items separately it often occurs that the underneath layer will look creased and not very smart. They also save time when getting dressed. Now that’s efficiency!

The next item for me has to be G-Star jeans. I think that these will live on to be classic because of their sheer popularity and recognisability. People anywhere can recognise G-Star jeans, the designs, the colours, the fitting and most of all the brand logo. These items are perhaps the most easily recognisable line of jeans and I think in a few years time, their recognisability will surpass that of Levis and Wrangler whose jeans are becoming out dated.

I think the area of today’s fashion industry that sets it apart from that of any other period has to be the accessories. There are so many unique and individual accessories out there that I am sure there will be many that will become classic items. I think that the designer sunglasses are wilder and more unique than ever, such as the clear plastic see through sun glasses that are the pinnacle of cool. In addition to this, I believe that the ‘extra large’ beanie hats are also items that will go on to become classic items. In today’s society, we are more casual than ever and these particular beanie hats are a good representative of the way we are now and in the way that fashion is moving. It is not clean-cut anymore.

I really do feel that this current period of fashion has all the hallmarks of being something special. We are looking to represent ourselves and our personalities more than ever and fashion is a great way to express it. The aforementioned items of designer clothing do have the potential to become classic items but whether they surpass the ongoing popularity of classic items such as waistcoats and skinny jeans remains to be seen. Only time will tell. Until then we must enjoy this wonderful period of fashion.

I am very fortunate in that I am able to wear casual shoes to work. I understand that last summer there were moves afoot (pun fully intended) to ban the wearing of certain shoes at work, such as flip-flops. Well, perhaps there was a summer last year, but as I write in early September, I can hear the rain pounding outside and it feels like anything but summer. This won’t stop me wearing my flip-flops, though. I actually find them ideal in the rain since your feet get wet, but there are no saturated socks to worry about; nor are you concerned about rain damage on the actual shoe as you can be with more substantial shoes. The rain hits mainly your foot, the sole tends to be rubber and very little damage can occur. Besides, flip-flops tend to be cheap and cheerful and easily replaceable once broken.

I do, however, have full understanding as to why these types of shoe might not be considered suitable for work and after my aunty fell and broke her ankle, (no alcohol had been embibed) wearing such footgear, I was told by a nurse that flip-flops account for a large number of falls. Along with slippers, which I would never suggest anyone wears to work, though, frankly in terms of style they’re not much worse than those dreadful slip-on mule things.

It’s in the dead of winter I struggle, though. Flip-flops are great to team with dresses, skirts, posh blouses and the like and you can still look well presented and well turned out. I manage to keep them on my feet from April to November, without looking (particularly) daft around the workplace. December to March is not an option, though. It is now that I would benefit by wearing walking or hiking shoes, but these look impossibly silly with a frock, or even with posh trousers. (Yes, I tried…) The kind of garb that suits this footwear is too casual and utilitarian to look appropriate in the lecture hall or office. If they looked ok with more formal clothes, I would certainly wear them to work because I love my hiking shoes and next to the flip-flop, they are my favourite footwear for functionality, comfort and just being plain wearable.

Normal work shoes, such as court shoes, Mary Janes, wedge heels and the like (obviously I’m referring to ladies’ options here – and doubtless male choices like brogues and Chelsea boots are adequately comfortable) just don’t do your feet any favours when worn for long periods. In fact I’ve come across more appealing instruments of torture than the average pointy toed, 5 inch heel worn by so many women at work.

Over the winter months, when denied both my flip-flops and my hiking shoes at work, my only recourse is to live in my Brasher hiking shoes at the weekends…..or perhaps I could change my job…

Jewellery is, of course, a wonderful accessory. The possibilities are limitless – from expensive ‘heirloom pieces’ that you wouldn’t dare wear without at least two extremely large armed bodyguards, to cheap and cheerful (some might say tacky) market-stall junk, and every price level in-between. There are hand-made items for something individual, or you can even try your hand at making something yourself, with a vast range of craft items available in shops or on the Internet.

It is true that the right piece of jewellery can change an outfit, or complete it. Most of us probably haven’t perfected the art of ‘capsule dressing’, as seen in those articles that advise you how to pack enough clothes for a month’s holiday in a bag the size of your mobile phone. All you need to do is add the right necklace/ earrings / tiara, and your outfit is utterly transformed, taking you from shopping trips to sightseeing to dinner with that charming man who picked you up in the museum … now, back to the real world.

With jewellery, it is important to match it to the occasion. Turning up to the school sports day looking like you expect to be snapped by the paparazzi is somewhat excessive, unless you are Victoria Beckham, in which case wearing a red-carpet outfit with jewellery worth more than the average house would be expected of you. Few women would think it worth wasting time selecting just the right pair of earrings, or wearing valuable rings if they are popping to the supermarket or doing the cleaning. Furthermore, it is guaranteed that adorning oneself with a mountain of ‘bling’ would be entirely inappropriate if you work in a bank or a funeral parlour.

However, putting on a necklace can alter the look of a top or dress, and there is no doubt that it can be a lot of fun. As well as choosing something appropriate to the occasion, it is wise to pick an item that complements the outfit you are wearing, and your personality. Someone who is shy and retiring would feel deeply uncomfortable in a bold necklace, and this would show in their demeanour. As a result, the necklace would not suit them. They would be better off opting for something more discreet. A more flamboyant character, however, would be able to wear a large necklace in bright colours, or with an original style, because their personality would allow them to carry it off.

In conclusion, jewellery needs to be chosen with a sense of occasion and a little style. If you don’t like jewellery, there is simply no point wearing it, but it can add that little something to a plain outfit. In addition, there is a difference between daytime and party items. Above all, wear something that you love, and the sparkle will be there.

With over one in five people in the Western world considered to be overweight, designers have been forced to start styling clothes for larger sizes (size 28). Fashionable large size clothes are becoming more available but there is still have a long way to go!

Due largely to influence lead by the media and catwalk fashion, the High Street mainly caters for sizes 10 to 16 maximum. Larger size women have hardly been considered at all. Fashion experts Trinny and Susannah, in a recent TV programme, attempted to find stylish clothing for larger size ladies. They looked at High Street stores, such as Gap, Debenhams, and Marks and Spencer’s, but found it almost impossible to find trendy, fashionable outfits for women in size 18 plus. Any clothing they found tended to be baggy, smock style tops in drab colours and frumpy styles. There was nowhere near the range of stylish, reasonably priced clothing which could be chosen by their slimmer sisters.

The main High Street store catering especially for larger sized women is Evans, who retail clothes in sizes up to 32. Their winter season range features smart, stylish trousers, skirts and tops which flatter the larger figure. They stock everything from work wear to classic, stylish outfits which would look great for the evenings. Marks and Spencer and Debenhams stock fashionable clothes in larger sizes, but don’t seem to stock enough outfits and they are soon bought from the rails.

Mail order catalogues, such as Littlewoods and Freemans also have large ranges of clothing for plus size ladies. And larger clothing can be bought online from retailers such as Fiftyplus, Marisota and Simply Be.

As people are increasing in weight larger size clothing is becoming more fashionable. More and more women are choosing to have breast augmentation to increase the size of their breasts. It’s important though to consider which type of clothing suits your particular figure. Starting with correctly fitted bra and underwear, it’s best to try on several different outfits to see which look good. Take a friend who will give honest opinions. Smartly tailored trousers with a neatly fitted shirt or top will always appear more stylish and fashionable than clinging leggings and smocky tent top.

When choosing a dress remember that horizontal stripes are more slimming than vertical, which can widen the larger figure. Never wear tightly fitting belts at the waist, a fitted shirt is much more stylish and flattering. Brighter colours can look great but it’s important to wear contrasting accessories.

Although ultra-thin models and celebrities, such as Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Keira Knightley are still dominating the pages of Vogue, Cosmopolitan and other glossy magazines, larger ladies are beginning to get a look in. Wearing the right clothes, size 28 women can be seen to be both fashionable and smart.