The clocks have gone back and the darker winter months have arrived but it's not all doom and gloom - winter fashion can be fabulous too and planning some sparkly festive outfits is always fun and uplifting!  I've been slowly sorting my autumn/winter wardrobe out, having a bit of a refresh and seeing what gaps need filling, as well as checking my diary to see what invitations are coming up so I can decide on my festive outfits!

As you probably know, I am a big dress fan, and whatever the season, a dress is just so easy to put on, style and wear, with no cumbersome too tight waistband to worry about, a dress can be the ultimate in comfort as well as style.  And I was recently asked by Afibel if I would like to choose four of their new season dress styles, alongside two gorgeous jackets and share how I've style them.  All the outfits featured in my post are from the Afibel new festive collection.

Remember that everyone, whatever size or shape, can rock a dress, and in this blog post I am going to talk through a few different style details to look for to ensure a flattering fit every time. 

Afibel is a French company, it was founded in 1954, and offers ready-to-wear clothing for every BODY from a size 6 to a size 34.  I was very impressed with the combination of style details and high quality fabrics in the dresses I received, so do read on to take a closer look and let me know which one is your favourite!

This is a sponsored blog post.

I know we are just out of a late summer (or is it early autumn) heatwave but I am already taking tentative steps to retrieve my clothes from storage, remind myself what I have in my wardrobe and check it is all in good condition, clean and ready to wear!  

In recent years I have been trying to overhaul my style choices and invest in 'quality over quantity' and that includes buying less of cheaper man-made, unethical fabrics from the fast fashion outlets.  I will now regularly buy items that are preloved, especially cashmere knits or silk dresses and tops.  We used to avoid these fabrics because of the dreaded hand wash only or dry cleaning label, now laundry care is so much easier - and better!

Were you aware that the average item of clothing only has two years of use before it is thrown away and that an estimated £140 million worth of clothing goes to landfill every year?  

We need to be more willing to wear the same item regularly and restyling our clothing in lots of different ways is something we can all embrace.  Cost per wear has always been a key point I keep in mind when buying something  - how many different ways can I wear it to make an investment purchase worthwhile?  We also need to consider details like the quality of the fabric, the finish used, and be willing to make alterations or repairs as needed.  If a hem comes down, fix it don't throw it out!  

Clothes Doctor want to bring back the tradition of caring for our clothes, loving them and making them last longer!  And with the popularity of preloved, vintage and renting clothes, caring for our clothes has never been more important and relevant.
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This blog post is sponsored by Clothes Doctor and contains affiliate links.

Do you struggle to find clothes that fit?  Is it even worse now we are being encouraged to shop more online and less in-store?  And what about the challenges of our changing body shape as we move through midlife and beyond?  It is all very confusing ... especially women's size charts, do you even use them?  Julia Reynolds of Rey House Clothing wants to help, the former founding CEO of F&F Clothing is on a mission to start a conversation around why it is so difficult for older women - us Gen X women - to buy quality and stylish clothes that fit!  Julia explained 'I firmly believe that it is about listening to women and hearing their stories and trying to do something about their challenges and clothing is just a part of that'.

When I asked my blog subscribers to let me know what their pain points are when it comes to clothing sizes, I wasn't surprised to read I am not alone with my frustrations.  Carole told me 'I have to get everything taken up or I look like I am dressed in an oversized tent and a lot of clothes for women over 50 are shapeless tents'. she went on to say 'I don't want clothes that are skin tight, but equally I don't want clothes that are shapeless'.  Another reader told me 'I hate my body shape at the moment and it doesn't help that oversize clothing is in fashion now ... sometimes I need a 10, sometimes a 12, depending on the store, it is difficult to believe believe sizes any more'.  

This blog post is sponsored by Rey House Clothing and contains affiliate links - GET 20% OFF at Rey House (details below).​

I dream of a perfectly curated capsule wardrobe!  I dream of walk-in cupboard space, you know one of those big American style wardrobes, a whole room that is Pinterest worthy and all stunningly organised!  Having an empty nest has given me the added bonus of a 'dressing room come spare room' but I'd still like to do more, it is very much a work in progress.  In the meantime, I am slowly decluttering my wardrobe, selling on Vinted, donating to charity and keeping only what I love.

Creating a capsule wardrobe is a fantastic way to really streamline your clothes and build a versatile collection that you can mix and match and love every time you go to pick an outfit.

There are so many benefits to a capsule wardrobe, especially for women over 50.