Melanie Moss Styling - Styl-E-letter

Welcome to the June issue of the Melanie Moss Styl-E-Letter, your monthly guide to all things fashion and fun, filled with hints and tips to help you create the perfect wardrobe.

This month is packed with discounts from one of our favourite retailers Baubridge and Kay as well as OzDesigner.com so start shopping!

Don't forget to enter our June competitions. You could win one of five Johnson's Holiday Skin prize packages worth $25 or one of two pairs of boots from Diana Ferrari worth $199.

Congratulations to Brooke Martinez who won two tickets to the May Park Hyatt Sydney Fashionista High Tea. Read her review of the day in our Entertainment section. We spied several Melanie Moss clients at the event, one of whom won a gorgeous Trent Nathan Croc handbag valued at $250.

Colour Your World

When base colours such as grey, beige, brown and black are worn with no colour they can look dull. Use colour to break up the bland tones. For example, wear a red scarf around your neck if you are wearing a plain colour. This stops your face looking dull.

Aim to blend tones from the same colour family. Most people wouldn't think that red, pink and orange are the perfect colour combination or that blue and green which traditionally came with the saying blue and green should never be seen is actually one of the easiest tones to wear.

Try purchasing accessories from the same colour families all at once. Choose colours that work with your existing wardrobe for example you might have a gorgeous red bag and nothing to wear it with. Purchase a set of beads from the red colour family as shown below and you have the accessories to create a fantastic outfit.

Work with your skin tone. To work out which tones suit you simply hold an item of clothing or accessory up to your face. If it brightens you and brings out your eyes its good, if it washes you out its bad – unless you are trying to convince the boss you are getting over a nasty 4 day cold…

Winter Boots Special

With winter quickly headed our way it is not hard to see why everyone is madly rushing out to purchase a new pair of winter boots. We have been inundated with questions asking; which styles to buy, what colours to choose, how much to spend, how high should they be and many more.

With this in mind, we decided to put together a fools proof guide on this season's only boots to buy.

A great all round shoe brand, Diana Ferrari has designed a range perfect for this season. While most retailers are designing only slouchy trend styles, Diana Ferrari have included classic boots as well as this seasons newest looks.

Chocolate is definitely the colour for boots this year. The rich tones give a sense of luxury and femininity and are a nice way to get way from black on the weekend. Choose classic chocolate to wear over or under jeans as well as current looks. Try a summer floral dress, opaque stockings, a rich winter coat and boots. Choose a kitten heel style to give comfort and the illusion of height without the discomfort of a stiletto boot.

Black boots are for pounding the pavement at work. Again choose a low to medium height. Boots are all about being warm and comfy. With all the wet weather you don't want to be sliding around in 6 inch heels. Match a knee high kitten heel with a slim line pencil skirt and knit for a key look.

We matched the Marcella and Promote boots in black from the Diana Ferrari range.

Flat boots are perfect for weekend style. We matched our flat boots with jeans, a crisp white shirt and a fitted blazer for an easy outfit that screams understated style. Imagine tramping through autumn gardens in the mountains, weekends spent at winter wineries and walking along windy beaches. So romantic isn't it?

Slouchy boots are this year's trend boot. Round toe with a high heel, they are perfect for wearing over the skinny and tube jeans which is the fashion girl's favourite this season. These styles work just as easily shopping on Oxford Street as they do in your favourite bar.

Diana Ferrari has designed a gorgeous winter range to match their footwear. You will find all clothing mentioned in the descriptions can be found in Diana Ferrari stores Australia wide.

The wonderful people at Diana Ferrari want to share their gorgeous boots with the Melanie Moss Styl-E-Letter readers. They are giving away two pairs of Diana Ferrari boots each worth $199.95

For your chance to win simply be one of the first two people to book and pay for a Melanie Moss Wardrobe Makeover or Style Tour during the month of June. Winners will be notified by email and sent prizes in the mail.

Johnson's Holiday Skin

Even though opaque tights are the look of the season, there is no excuse to have white pasty legs. If you wear stockings often or spend much time in front of a heater you will notice your legs drying out and leaving flaky skin behind. Enter stage left the miracle product that not only moisturises, it builds a light tan at the same time. The product, Johnson's Holiday Skin, has a small amount of tanning ingredient added to the body lotion to gradually build up an even tan. After 3 days of using the lotion we noticed a difference to our skin colour which deepened to a full tan after 8 days. The product has no streaking and looks like you have spent 2 weeks in Bali. At the same time you are doing your skin a favour by moisturising during the winter months.

As Johnson's Holiday Skin products contain lower levels of DHA than self tanning products, this gives the skin only a light natural glow, which reaches its upper limit after just eight days of application. Continued use after this period simply maintains the golden glow rather than deepening the colour further. As such, Holiday Skin can be used every day without the careful application processes needed when using other self tan products. It also promises to be effective and gentle on the skin.

The price is so impressive we stocked up. Good thing too as the product is walking off the shelves. Just three months after hitting the shelves in August 2005, Johnson's Holiday Skin Body Lotion skyrocketed to become the number one body moisturiser in Australia, selling almost over four times more bottles than the next best selling body lotion!

We spoke to the lovely people at Johnson's and they agreed to give us 5 packs of Holiday Skin to give away. This includes the miracle Holiday Skin Body Lotion Normal to Fair 250mL, Holiday Skin Body Lotion Normal to Dark 250mL and Holiday Skin Daily Facial Moisturiser valued at $25.

All you have to do to win is be one of the first 5 people to forward the June Styl-E-Letter to 10 friends who are not subscribed to the newsletter. Forward the email to info@melaniemoss.com.au and you could win!

Dior Addict Ultra Shine 2

At Melanie Moss we have been fortunate enough to work closely with Dior Makeup for the Park Hyatt Fashionista Afternoon Teas as well as wear their product during the afternoons. They are just about to release the brand new Ultra Shine 2 lipstick, sequel to the hero product Ultra Shine and we thought you should know about it before it hits the shelves in mid June.

The gorgeous creamy texture is mixed with a divine double burst of gloss which combines with the lips natural shine to leave a long lasting film that provides moisturiser to the lips as well as that sexy sultry look we are always trying to create to drive men crazy. Another product that's perfect for winter, the lipstick is enriched with a natural ingredient that is found in olive oil. This provides moisture to the lips and reflects light. It truly makes the lips look like they are shining from the inside! Unlike lip-gloss however, it doesn't feel like your hair is going to stick to your face when you walk out into the wind. Instead it provides much needed protection.

The packaging for this product makes it worth carrying around in your purse. The shape of the stick is bevelled to follow your lip line – perfect for touch-ups in the car. It comes in four main shades – Brown-beige, Red-orange, Pink shades and Mauves to match each colour tone.

Released in June and priced at $45 it is definitely worth treating yourself to a product that is half lipstick half gloss and promises to provide colour and protection.

Baubridge and Kay

You are a reflection of your company's image. With so much competition in the market place it is more important than ever that you project success, confidence and personality. Your goal for getting dressed for work should be to project a positive, competent image to clients.

However, it can be difficult to purchase the right clothing and accessories that stay true to your personality whilst reflecting your work place.

This month we are recommending Melanie Moss retail partner, Baubridge and Kay for designing some of the most beautiful quality shirting, ties and cufflinks currently in retail.

It is important when you are purchasing your investment work wardrobe that each piece stands alone. There is no point choosing a cheap, poor quality shirt that will only keep its shape a few wears. Shirting is the most undervalued item in the working wardrobe when in fact it's the perfect item to enhance your individual style. You should feel confident enough to wear it without a jacket in more casual situations.

When purchasing a shirt look for quality fabrics. Choose pure cotton, quality is the key here. A well bought shirt shouldn't last a season. It is an investment item that should last for years if taken care of correctly. Quality shirts in Australia normally cost between $150 and $250. This may seem like a lot for some but if you want the best you must be prepared to think differently about your wardrobe.

Baubridge and Kay have developed an elegant collection this season which uses innovation and practicality, to design clothing that takes you from home to the workplace and even out for dinner and drinks afterwards.

For women, this season's range shows a little more emphasis on classic career looks with sharp stripes and plain colours in luxurious weaves, all in high quality textures and fabrics. With two styles on offer, the "Hepburn", which offers a tailored cut in luxe two fold cotton designed for a close fit with double cuffs and buttons through to the collar, or the "Munroe" which features a fitted cut in luxe two fold cotton designed for a close fit. The collar on the Munroe is slightly bigger and the bottom of the shirt is cut straighter than the Hepburn. The top button is positioned just above the bust line, yoke, cross stitched buttons and French seams with the bottom of the shirt being slightly rounded.

The best thing about the women's shirting is the size range. Both styles are incredibly flattering with a size range available in size 6 through to 18 which as we know is one of the hardest things about purchasing a well cut and designed shirt. There are many labels we cannot recommend as they do not fit all Melanie Moss customers.

Baubridge and Kay's men's fitted shirting range continues to grow with popularity and the current collection combines interesting textures and weaves to create a classic yet innovative style. Royal Oxfords are fused with Herringbone to produce an elegant shirt with a difference. Subtle floral and stripe pattens are set next to plain colours- whites, blues, pinks, greens and lilacs to complete the look.

The fitted style is a modern take on the classic shirt. Instead of billowing out around the waist it falls straight for a crisp, flattering shape. Not all men suit this style so Baubridge and Kay also design a city shirt range which is designed to give the wearer more space around the waist, perfect for a long lunch at Machiavelli's.

Made in the UK and Italy, luxurious silk ties are bold and with colour and pattern a huge feature. Perfect for the discerning professional, these silk ties will stand out from the rest in any situation!

Cuff links keep with the exceptional quality and innovative design Baubridge and Kay are renowned for. Perfect for gifts, the new designs such as Maze and Bubble have been added to this collection along with a wide variety of enamels, classic silver, and crystal as well as the addition of semi precious stones.

Baubridge and Kay are offering an exclusive discount to Styl-E-Letter readers and subscribers. Simply mention Melanie Moss to receive 20% off any clothing, accessories or homewear purchases during the month of June.

OzDesigner.com

We wanted to find an easier way to purchase one of our favourite designers, Camilla & Marc and were quickly directed to

OzDesigner.com.

OzDesigner.com is a fantastic Australian online fashion boutique. They stock some of Australia and New Zealand's favourite labels including Alice McCall, Karen Walker, Camilla & Marc, Ginger & Smart, Natasha White Suede and many more.

We love that OzDesigner.com now makes it possible for time poor women to be able to shop for designer fashion from the comfort of their own home. So while we put together your newsletter each month we can be shopping a mere mouse click away…

It is also a brilliant way for women in regional Australia to be able to get their hands on some of their favourite Australian and NZ labels, without having to take a plane flight to a major city! Perfect for my mum who's stuck in the country with only a Target to choose her fashion from!

OzDesigner.com offers a luxury service to its customers, wrapping every purchase beautifully and sending all orders out via courier. The shipping is also free for any purchase over $100.

The fashion forward gals at OzDesigner.com have created a special discount for Styl-E-Letter subscribers. Simply purchase anything from their gorgeous website and receive a 10% discount by typing melaniemoss in the discount code box when going through the checkout. You even get a discount off sale items! Now when does that ever happen?

Prét-a-Portea – A Fashionista's Afternoon Tea

In collaboration with Moët Hennessey, Twinings Teas and Christian Dior Parfums, Park Hyatt Sydney has created a series of afternoon teas that will take place at the Hyatt's Harbour Kitchen restaurant, over-looking the gorgeous Sydney Harbour and Opera House.

The May event was an enormous success for all who attended and were involved. The next High Tea will be held in June celebrating 300 years of Twinings Tea and all things fashionable and elegant. We strongly recommend this afternoon as the perfect way to treat yourself, your mum or friends to a divinely elegant afternoon by the Harbour.

Brooke Martinez who won two tickets for herself and her girlfriend has kindly written about the experience to share with Styl-E-Letter readers. Thanks Brooke, we are thrilled you had such a great day.

The beauty of The Rocks, the serenity of Sydney Harbour and the timeless charm of the Sydney Park Hyatt, played host to a magical afternoon of high tea, fashion and champagne.

Set in the Sydney Park Hyatt, harbourkitchen&bar, "Prét-a-Portea, A Fashionista's Afternoon Tea", was the occasion. Many fashionable socialites spent their afternoon indulging in an elegant high tea, prepared by Executive Chef, Danny Drinkwater. Afternoon tea was complimented by refreshing Twinings Tea and Vittoria Coffee. Each guest was welcomed with a glass of bubbling Moët Champagne, which freely flowed from glass to glass throughout the afternoon.

The afternoon hosted by Sydney Stylist, Melanie Moss, presented us with seasonal staples from legendary Australian designers, Trent Nathan. The parade featured both fashions for men and women offering complete wardrobe solutions that are relevant and enriching for the fashion and lifestyle conscious men and women of today.

Hair stylist to celebrities Elle McPherson, Megan Gale and Sarah Murdock, David Keogh, demonstrated how to create simplified catwalk hairstyles, with the help of products from the John Freida hair range.

Thank you to the Sydney Park Hyatt and Melanie Moss for a divine afternoon and a celebration of fashion and high tea.

—Brooke Martinez

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