Red lips are set to stay a key look for 2010. The look is achieved by creating beautiful skin, paired down eye make-up and defined red lips.

While our clients love being shown which lipsticks suit them and how to wear them, most of them run a mile from the red lippy! But there is no need to be terrified of red lipstick, everyone can wear it and look great. Here are a few easy steps to help you get the WOW! factor from your red lipstick.
1. Create a beautiful base. Most of the time for this look will go on getting your skin looking natural and radiant. When your lips are red they are in contract to your skin therefore your skin needs to look great. Always use a primer Silk Foundation Primer £15, 30ml before your foundation. It will not only help your make-up last all day, but it will create a much more even texture to you skin, making foundation much easier to apply and look great. (If you are having a bad day with your skin - don't wear red lipstick as it draws attention to other red areas on your face). I would also recommend using JFC Shadow Lifting pen just around the eye area to brighten up your eyes.
2. Prepare your lips. Use the primer over your lips to help prevent bleeding. Red lipsticks are notorious for ‘bleeding' or ‘feathering' - it's all to do with the pigments that are used. Outline you lips using a brush and then fill in still using a brush and work well into the lips. The brush will get the lipstick into all the creases in your lips and it is far less likely to bleed. If you apply lipstick straight from the stick it simply sits on the surface and is more likely to spread or rub off. If you want to add gloss on top, wait a good ½ hour to allow the colour to stain your lips. Then you can add the gloss without fear of it making the lipstick bleed.
3. Choosing your red. This is the part that puts most people off! Looking at a sea of reds and knowing which one to pick - and because red lipstick is quite a statement if you get it wrong is obvious! Use this guild to help you confidently choose the red that is right for you:
If your skin tone is yellowy, olive or sallow pick a slightly cool red. Cool reds from Jane Fardon Cosmetics include Cranberry (bright), Fiesta (light and bright), Cherry (pinky red) and Burgundy (deep).
If your skin tone is honey or pinky, or if you have red hair, pick a warm red. Warm reds from the Jane Fardon Cosmetics range include Rudy Red (deep), Flame (strong), Fiesta (bright), Poppy (light and bright). Garnet Red is a great ‘safe' red for all skin tones.

 

 
Colour blocking with bright colours is a big look this summer but because it involves being very committed with colour it can feel a bit nerve wracking.

It's not - it's actually a very easy look to put together. Simply put plain and contrasting colours together, for example tops and bottoms. If you feel too self conciousness to do that, or feel it that cutting your body in half with colour isn't flattering for your shape, just add the blocks of colour with contrasting bags, shoes or bold accessories.

Nicole Scherzinger is going for contracting colour with her dress and cardy, and then ties it together with a black hat, bag and shoes. To use a colour to link the outfit, like black, is a really good way to insure you keep your look stylish and on trend rather than messy!

Over the last few weeks we've been posting these easy ways to wear this years Spring/ Summer Trend on our Facebook page - Why not like us on Facebook so that you can keep up to date with all our latest advice and news - it's free and fun! Here's the link http://www.facebook.com/pages/True-Colours-Image-Consultancy/159772000725562

As usual there's lots of choice from 50's, 70s, tailoring to pretty florals and it's a case of choosing what you like and what suits you - in terms of your body shape and personality. Fashions change so if you go for a very current look e.g. 70s, our best advice is just buy a few pieces, enjoy them and wear them to death before they go out of date!

Colour blocking
This season's catwalks were full of clashing neon orange, purple and green and if you really want to go for this look, you need to choose contrasting blocks of colour and dress to make a statement.
Easier ways to colour block are to choose the bolder, contrasting colours from within your own season. It's easier for Winters and Springs who suit contrast so well, but Autumns can also use their brighter colours too e.g. Autumn - lime, orange and yellow, and Summers - pinks, blues and jade.
If you want to go for neon, the best one for each seasonal palette will be Winter - purple, Summer - pink, Autumn - green, Spring - yellow.

Lots of Stripes
We can all wear them somewhere! The key question to ask is always, "Where?"
You might have seen some recent articles in the newspapers debating how stripes work visually, but it's still generally true that vertical stripes tend to lengthen and narrow and horizontal stripes tend to shorten and broaden. Sections of striped pattern will draw the eye; so think about where you want to make the focal point on your body. There are a few exceptions to these points, so please give me a ring if you're not sure how it works for you.
Also think about your scale when choosing striped garments and make sure that the stripes look like they belong on you. Too big and they'll swamp you, too small and you'll lose their impact.

Midi length skirts
You'll either love them or hate them! Avoid if you are below 5'7 because the longer length of skirt will shorten your legs.
And don't forget that, the longer the skirt, the more you need a heel.

Wedges
Talking of heels we love this season's wedges, a really comfy way to wear a heel. Why not go for a bold colour and do a bit of colour blocking at the same time?

Work it with Accessories
I know we're always going on about them, but the easiest way to pick up the fashion trends is still with accessories - so why not go for a bright belt, striped scarf, denim bag - whatever takes you're fancy, so long as you enjoy it, and it doesn't cost the earth.

Sheer and fur

Mix sheer and fur on the top half (think fur gloves or collars, and sheer sleeves on blouses)
Blouses are embellished for a modern addition to the usual ‘bare all'
Think fur shrugs and scarves, useful if you want to accentuate your shoulders.
Just keep it toned down, it's minimalistic this season.

Above the knee
Whether it's a skirt, coat or blazer lines are above the knee this season
Skirts are in a range of materials with velvet and cotton popular in jewel tones.
The skirt shape for the season is the pencil, however if you aren't straight up and down the tulip and A-line designs are a good choice

Jackets
This season there are two types of jacket shape; the fitted forties-style with a clinched waist and the boyfriend.
YSL & Chanel did vintage Chanel tweed jackets and Gucci & Galliano also chose the fitted jacket, this look is great for a classic look at work.
However boyfriend was also popular, with Stella McCartney making the dinner jacket casual. This look is great with a touch of sparkle at parties this winter.

Pattern
Pattern is big this year, with many designers returning to the orient, with both geometric and more curved designs.
There are two things to know about pattern before you buy it; the 1st is getting a pattern to match your shape. To do this you must always remember that a more geometric pattern will suit angular shapes, while floral, more rounded patterns are best suited for the curvy.
The second trick is check it has a lead colour. If no colour that stands out more than the rest, then there is no lead colour,  then it's a much harder a pattern to work with

Leather
Last but by no means least, is the bizarre and unexpected leather fetish designers appeared to have this season. Dresses, skirts and trenches were leather, PVC, or rubber on the catwalk this season.
An interesting extra to the mainly classic glamour of this season. Leather is an expensive fad, so if in doubt invest in a bag or gloves - black or brown are always safe.

Isabella Hawkes