Dear January...

It's that time of year again; once again we enter the month of January. All the festivities of Christmas have been forgotten, and decorations have been put away. It's a month of new promises, and fresh starts, billed under the premise "New Year New You!". But, for many, January can be a hard, and to be frank, a rather boring month. Extra Christmas pounds haven't been lost; the days are still dark and gloomy. Spring isn't quite in the air yet. Most of us return to work (the end of the month pay check hugely anticipated) and school/studies (the inevitable exams).

However, I say that we need to make the most of this drab month, and turn it into something happy! The last few weeks of winter need brightening up...
Here are a few tips to make the "Worst month of the year" slightly more bearable:

- Banish those winter blues (literally) by digging deep into your cupboards and making a range of healthy, heart warming soups. A bowl of classic vegetable soup served with hot crusty bread is a great meat free alternative, and will hopefully keep the colds and flu away! The best thing is that you can add whatever vegetables you like to it!

- It's funny, but I always find a way to make me feel good is to paint my nails. Nail varnish is a cheap way to update your winter look. A fabulous colour that I often use is the 'Barry M' nail varnish (available in most Superdrug stores) in shade 'Raspberry'. It's a wonderful deep berry red colour that will compliment all skin tones, and jazz up a weekend outfit of jeans and a chunky knitwear jumper. A top tip is paint base coat ('Barry M' also sells a good one of these) on your nails before the actual colour, so it stops your nails from staining.

- Two words Ladies, control panties! These clever undergarments suck you in at the waist, stomach and bottom to give you an altogether tighter, more streamlined silhouette. They can be worn under just about every outfit! A good way to disguise the extra Christmas pounds that you may haven't have lost yet, and to give you a confidence boost.

 - Take advantage of the January Sales! Nearly every retail shop on the High Street offers huge reductions (some up to 75%) on stock during the month of January. And if you haven't yet ventured to the shops, go and see what bargains you can grab! Sales are good ways to find those basic wardrobe staples (items that will carry you through season to season) for a fraction of the price. Underwear, well fitting jeans, knitwear, work wear, LBD's, classic court shoes etc are all hugely reduced, just waiting for a happy shopper to come and snap them up! And, a little bit of Retail Therapy never hurt anyone!