BATTY ABOUT HATS

If there is one thing I wish women would wear more its hats. I think they add that extra bit of glamour to any outfit and used to be high fashion but sadly died out at the end of the sixties. However with people like Kate Middleton sporting them they are starting to make a fresh appearance however more so in the States and the UK. Africa we need to catch up and start the hat revival!

However not all hats are created equally and unfortunately not everyone looks good in a hat but don't let this stop you from giving it a try as there are so many hats to choose from that I am sure 95% of us can find a hat to give us that little extra spark and hide a bad hair day...

Here are the important factors to look for when picking a hat:

1. Find the right colour - remember a hat is right next to your face so you don't want it to wash you out. Try it on in natural light to make sure it does not wash you out.  
2. Play around with position - see which way your hair looks best under the hat, does it look better in a low pony etc. also the position of the hat, don't just plonk it on, should it be at an angle or further forward. Make sure you look at yourself in the mirror from various angles not just the front.
3. Size is everything - make sure the hat is not to tight and cutting off blood circulation to the brain and that it is not do big that you look like a cartoon character.
4. Storage and care are key - ideally they should be stored in a large enough box to protect them from dust and help them keep their shape. I store mine on a hook in the cupboard. If they loose their shape or get a dent you can try using steam from the kettle or a steam iron to mould them back to their original shape.

The rules for picking the right hat for you is to look at your face shape:

1. Oval or triangle - This is the easiest face shape for a hat and most hats will suite you. Just make sure when picking a hat that the crown of the hat is never narrower than your cheekbone's.
2. Round or square - brims that are placed at an angle work best with this face shape. Also hats with a high broad crown work well to lengthen your face.
3. Oblong -  stay away from hats that are tall and with wide brims. Also try bringing the hat down a little on your face to your eyebrow to shorten your face.

Well hopefully the tips and tricks to finding the right hat for you will help you bring hats back to life! I have posted a couple of pics below to inspire you. Two of my favourite hats that are on trend right now are the Trilby and Fedora (this is definitely on my wish list currently) , happy hat shopping and remember hats are for both winter and summer.

It is impossible for a hatless woman to be chic - Emily Post

XOXO Simone

Fedora perfect for autumn and winter

Cowboy hat looks great with a costume or bikini and makes a statement by the pool 

Tribly looks great with jeans or with a boho inspired an outfit as warn here

Fedora softens the other wise overpowering all leather outfit

SMALL CHANGES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Linen from @home and pillows Mr Price Home



Little stool from décor shop in area, with small bucket with guest soap etc.

Brought in some style books (always looks chic) small tea light protea candle and a fresh Protea flower they last forever

 Making my home and making small changes helps me fall in love with my house all over again and make sure that it feels like a home. Pinterest is an absolute haven for décor ideas and since magazines are pricey now a days it is a great way to get up to date information without shelling out on a magazine.

I have even incorporated my spring cleaning with the home make-over setting myself a goal of doing small updates to at least two rooms a month and at the same time tackling the cupboards and sorting out the clutter that has accumulated in these rooms. So basically killing two birds with one stone so to speak. It is amazing how much we can acquire over the years.

The first room to receive a little make over is our guest bedroom. Now that I have two teenagers this room sees a lot of guests. We had painted this room a few months ago and the beige duvet and red curtains were just not working in this room! One of my key make-over drives is to change the bed linen and duvets through out the house to white, white always reminds me of being on holiday plus white accessories make the room lighter and brighter without having the major expense of changing dark furniture etc.

Mr Price Home and @home all have some great accessories and linens at reasonable prices, I even found a gorgeous white fluffy blanket at @home to keep the bed cosy in winter. Adding a few flowers not only gives a nice fragrance to the room but is also inexpensive way to add a hotel touch, here again look for in season flowers that last a while to keep expenses down (Proteas are great for this I have some that are in their third month and still look great). I put some deodorant and disposable toothbrushes in the bedside draw with a box of tissues for guests that stay over un-expectantly. I also reduced the number of cushions on the bed at one point it had grown to about seven scatter cushions, reducing it too two cushions makes it easier to un-make and make the bed.

Final finishing touch was a small stool with a hand towel and bath towel on the bottom shelve and an extra blanket on top. I also found the cutest little "bucket" which I put a sponge, soap and small shampoo and conditioner in to make the guests feel welcome.

XOXO Simone

WHATS IN THE BAG

Oh how I want a Louis....

A request I received this week is what are the key essentials for your handbag if you want to be "style" ready at the drop of a hat. I love to research what celebrities are hiding in those large bags that keep them camera ready and these are the key items I have found I reach for on a daily basis without making your handbag weigh so much you get a mini work out in the process...

First up is the all important make up bag as you never know when you are going to need to be photo ready...You really just want the basics, if you apply your make up properly in the morning and use good products as a base then you should not need to reapply a whole face of make up by mid afternoon (if you do it is either too thick or not the right brand for you). My key essentials are a concealer, lip balm (I love Carmex), lipstick (I just keep my go to shade Shy Girl, good neutral shade), lipgloss, eyeliner and a que-tip to remove those pesky black bits that form in the tear duct. Also an old mascara wand this helps control eyebrows and brush out any mascara clumps (if you shop at mac they have little brushes that are there for samples so pick up a couple next time you pop past Mac).

Other Key essentials are...

Small bag containing Panado, Gaviscon, nail file, tweezers, plasters, hair tie, toothpicks, dental floss (I have a thing about clean teeth), waterless hand cleaner (Woolies has a mini one), compact mirror.

Hand cream is a must especially in winter (Woolies again has a great one right now that smells divine, I have the raspberry one. Then I have a little sewing kit which also comes in really handy (Dischem has a nice handbag size one in their travel section, small hairbrush (again travel size ones are easy to find) and chewing gum (again oral hygiene a must). Also a tiny little bag with female goodies just in case she decides to visit without warning! Then last but not least my purse.

Hope you have found this helpful let me know if you have anything unusual in your bag!

XOXO Simone 

Eventually....

Well those of you that know me, know I have been threatening for ages to start a blog. I love trying new products etc when it comes to beauty and fashion and have small pearls of wisdom to share. Friends and family are always asking my opinion on new products and my recommendation's, hence the birth of Simone's Style Café where I can share the latest tip bits and style inspirations to help you navigate through the world of fashion and beauty! I am hoping to post every Sunday if not more often just to keep you at the fore front. Let me know if you have any special requests. I look forward to hearing from all you fashionista's out there.

XOXO Simone