Win! The Perfect Sweater Dress From Femme Luxe

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One of the Autumn/Winter wardrobe staples is the jumper/sweater dress. A dress that you can only wear during this season, it is the item in the wardrobe that works for all events, can be dressed up or dressed down, and can ultimately be styled in a multitude of ways. Add to all this that it is possibly the only item of your wardrobe that can be classed as warm and cosy, and sexy, and you have a real wardrobe hero piece, an absolute winner.

The Ivy Rust Ribbed V Neck Midi Jumper Dress from Femme Luxe is gorgeous. A midi length, with a deep v front and back, it is a warm drink of a dress that is stretchy enough to be comfy (even after that second pumpkin latte), and yet also has a form fitting style that totally gives the wearer some va va voom. The dress is a ribbed knit jumper style and is actually very generous when it comes to the fit – I have worn the XXL (which is 14/16) but could definitely size down and still have a comfortable fit.

The shade is rust, but it has some black coming through the ribbing which I really like. The sleeves are long and uncuffed, whilst the v neckline has a neat cuffing detail that makes it look like a Jumper.

I wore this styled with a pleather biker jacket, black ankle boots and I also chose to belt it. The dress doesn’t need the belt and works perfectly well without one, but I just liked this style. The boots could be swapped for Doc Marten style to really toughen the look, or you could opt for a 1970’s style knee high chunky boot in tan for a retro look. A blazer or a shacket could also both work well for either a smart, or more relaxed look.

Another way this would work would be to add a polo neck jumper under the dress to give a layered style (cream would be a great option with the rust colourway). A t-shirt or cami could also add a layer, and the dress would also work with opaque tights or skin tight leggings when the weather really begins to turn cold and wintry.

The deep v of the neckline would make it a great base for some of this seasons gold chunky jewellery – a vintage rope chain or a large gold tone pendant would look fabulous, particularly with the rust colouring of the dress.

If rust is not your colour, this dress also comes in  both stone ( like a gorgeous Winter White) and classic black, making this one of Femme Luxe’s  classic black dresses. The sizes range from S/M (size 8-10), to XXL which would easily fit a size 18, and would possibly stretch a little further.

Competition Time

I have an Ivy Stone Ribbed V Neck Midi Jumper Dress in size XXL to give away in a Fashion-mommy.com competition. You can enter using the competition tab below. 

This competition is open to UK residents only.

Win A Femme Luxe Ivy Sweater Dress size XL

Go Glam with Gold

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Gold – is there a color more glamorous that this rich, shimmering hue? Probably not. Although gold is a great color, a lot of ladies shy away from wearing it in any way other than as part of their jewelry which is such a shame because gold is a very popular color in fashion right now, and there’s barely a woman alive who can’t pull it if off, providing they use it in the right way.

Want to get more gold in your life? Check out these game-changing ways to wear gold:

Jewellery

The simplest, easiest way to wear gold is in your jewellery choices, and you can’t really go wrong with 14k gold necklaces. This season, layering those chains, with a mixture of styles that can range from curb and link and rope styles, and then teaming them with some sort of pendant, is a style must. Wear over a little black dress, or casually with a plain white tee, and you get an instant hit of glamour, whatever the outfit.

Other popular styles include chunky 80’s style chains and coin effect necklaces that have a more traditional feel.

Find the Right Shade

Unfortunately, some shades of gold can wash you out or clash with your eye-colour, which means that you might not get quite the effect you’re looking for when wearing it. The good news is that it has never been easier to find variations in gold clothing and accessories, which means that all you need to do is tray a few out until you find the perfect shade to complement your skin, hair, and eyes and make you look like a queen.

Dressed in Gold

Gold clothing. Sounds too scary for you, right? Well, it needn’t be because you can find gold clothing in all shades and hues, so you don’t have to wear a gold lame dress to try out the trend, although go for it if that’s your thing! A good way to start with gold is by trying out a muted golds sweater or slogan shirt with gold writing, but you could also jump in with some gold PVC pants or a sophisticated rose gold evening dress – the choice is yours.

If you are wearing a gold garment, it is usually a good idea to team it with something a bit more muted. A gold shirt, for example, will look great with a taupe skirt and a gold dress covered with a black or natural jacket will stop it from being too showy, if you want to wear gold in an everyday situation.

Accessorize with Gold

If you’re too scared to take a chance on a gold outfit, fear not! Gold accessories have and will continue to be popular, as you can see from https://www.frostnyc.com. When it comes to gold accessories, start out with smaller, finer pieces for a sophisticated look, adding in bigger, bolder pieces if and when you are comfortable with the color. Gold accessories will add a little sparkle to your outfit without going over the top, which is why they are such a great option.

Makeup

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Another great way to glam up your look and make a statement with gold is by wearing it on your eyes and nails. Gold eyeshadow, in particular, can make your eyes pop, give you the look of a classic Greek Goddess or pretty popstar and stop your makeup from looking safe and boring. The trick is to choose a few different shades of gold and blend them together for a subtle sexy look that rivals the smoky eye for sex appeal.

If you aren’t comfortable enough to go for gold in the eye department, why not paint your nails gold instead? Gold nails are relatively uncommon, but your nails are so subtly located that you won’t feel self-conscious about wearing the color. Anyone who does notice them will be impressed by their elegance, beauty, and uniqueness.

 

Glittering Gold Shoes

Want to spice up your little black dress and stop your outfit from being a bit bland and boring? Check out http://shop.nordstrom.com/sr/gold-heels and pick up a pair of stunning gold heels. Not all that glitters is gold, but these shoes certainly are, and they’ll make sure you stand out each and every time you wear them.

If you’re not a glitter kind of gal, a nice solid pair of heels in your favorite gold hue will have almost as much impact on your outfit, with the added bonus that you’ll probably look a bit more sophisticated.

If you choose a pair of gold sandals, make sure that you get a nice gold manicure too – your toes deserve as much attention as the rest of the body, and it’ll bring your outfit together.

Add a Belt

If you don’t want to go out wearing a big block of gold, why not break up your outfit with a pretty gold belt, that will nip in your waist and make your outfit shimmer and shine. A gold belt work with a black or white dress will look particularly good and elevate your plain outfit to a whole new level.

Hair Accessories

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If you don’t want to dye your hair gold, you could always add an accessory or two to your locks instead. It’s not hard to find gold hair bands, barrettes and if you’re feeling brave, even tiaras, which will certainly make you stand out.

As you can see, there are lots of ways that you can look more glamorous by adding gold to your look. If you’ve never worn such a bold colour before, it can be daunting, but it’s so worth it when you see how much more noticeable your outfits are and how envious the more timid gals are when they see you strutting your stuff in everyone’s favorite metallic hue.

Yasmin David: Into the Light At The New Walsall Art Gallery

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Finding a new artist’s body of work to love and savour is always a moment to cherish. That is what I encountered when I checked out Yasmin David’s ‘Into the Light’ exhibition that is currently showing at the New Walsall Art Gallery. The exhibition is the first of David’s work, she is a relatively unknown artist with work of real beauty that was hidden away in her home in Devon during her lifetime, only to be discovered in its entirety by her daughter Clio David, during lockdown.

Now the work is taking its rightful place in the museum that is also home to the world renowned Garman Ryan collection, rightful, because Yasmin is the daughter of Lorna, the youngest Garman sister, a glamorous muse to artists and writers. Her father was the writer Laurie Lee, something she didn’t discover until her teens, and wasn’t confirmed until she confronted him in a pub at the age of 19. With such a dramatic, unconventional family, often involved in scandalous, convoluted relationships, Yasmin went against the grain and kept her artwork and life private, although always harbouring a dream that one day her work would be displayed alongside the works of her illustrious family. Seeing her work at the New Walsall Gallery, it feels like another piece in the puzzle of the Garman’s has been put back into place.

Yasmin loved her South Devon home, and the landscape, rivers and streams of the county were often the inspiration for her work. Her initial paintings were conventional in their style, but often with a glorious sense of colour and place that made them come alive. Later paintings became more abstract, but Yasmin never lost the thrall she gained from that landscape, producing painting after painting.

The exhibition is a wonderful way to access Yasmin’s work, with lots of source material also available in the guise of polaroid’s of some of the sites and settings of the paintings, letters between Yasmin and her family, and archive photographs of family  These provide a real sense of place and inspiration for the work and give an insight into Yasmin’s life.

You can find out more about the exhibition here.