Friday 30 April 2010

Friday Floral Fix - Yumi Roslilly dress

I don't know if you've noticed, but it's been warm recently.  This agrees with me, because I have to worry less about coats working with cardigans working with dresses - it makes my mornings easier.  However, we mustn't get carried away by a bit of sunshine and temperatures reaching over 15 degrees; it's still Spring, people!  The weather can turn on you like a disloyal friend.  This is the time of year when the maxi dress truly shines - you get to keep your still-pale legs covered up, whilst embracing the warmth of the sun on your shoulders!  What's that? A chilly breeze?  Just chuck a cardigan on!  The Yumi Roslilly dress is an ideal purchase for Spring, and it'll see you through into Summer (especially on those days where you forget/simply can't be bothered to de-hair your legs).  It's also our cheapest maxi dress at £50:



Practical AND pretty.  My favourite combination.

Wednesday 28 April 2010

What to Wear Wednesdays - Rockin' the Rockabilly look

I think there's something ever so glamorous about the Rockabilly pin-up girls of the 50s, and the modern take on the style stays true to the original, with emphasis on bold colours and strong shapes.  It's a look which embraces curves and is sexy without being revealing, and makes you look 100% woman.  Here's all you need to become your town's answer to Dita von Teese*:



Until next time,

Ria
www.aspirestyle.co.uk

*This doesn't mean you have to take your clothes off.

Friday 23 April 2010

Friday Floral Fix - Yumi Britte dress

We just got the Yumi Britte dress in this week, and I rushed to add all three colours to the website in time for Friday Floral Fix (I know how people have grown dependent on their weekly hit of flower-based fun).

Britte is a lovely dress with a classic rose print, and a waistband which ties in a big bow at the back.  Do you remember that favourite summer dress you had as a child (back in the days when your mum still dressed you)?  This is that dress, reincarnated.  It's available in grey, blue and pink, and currently we're the only shop online selling the blue and pink:



Which is your favourite?  Mine's the blue.  I'd happily have all three though, if you're offering!

Until next time,

Ria
www.aspirestyle.co.uk

Thursday 22 April 2010

Aspire Style - A Midsummer Night's Dream

As you may or may not know, good old William 'The Bard' Shakespeare, was (probably) born on the 23rd of April 1564, so in Stratford upon Avon we like to mark this event annually by putting on the Shakespeare Birthday Celebrations.  This forthcoming weekend, Stratford will be paying homage to the great play-write with:

"a packed programme of special celebratory activities - great days out at Shakespeare’s historic houses, literary and music events and amazing theatre."

AND a window display competition!  We came second in the competition for the best Christmas window in December (an absolute travesty - we were robbed), so we're eager as beavers to win this one.  The competition  is open to any shops in the town creating a window display linking their business with any theme from Shakespeare.  This was obviously a job for Aspire Merchandiser and all round Lovely Lady Sass, who chose A Midsummer Night's dream as her inspiration and created this:


Not the best picture in the world (the glare kinda ruins it), but here are some close ups of the three main elements:

1) Titania, Queen of the Fairies (wearing the beautiful Fever Alina dress, £69)



2) A Donkey's head (hired from the RSC itself!) to represent the cursed character Bottom


3) The pretty woodland scene in which the story is set (featuring Cath Kidston handbags, £55, Tan Studded Platforms, £45, and Irregular Choice Kim Oh No heels, £79)



So magical!  The judging will take place on the 23rd, and the winner will receive a plaque at a ceremony attended by the press on the 24th.  Keep your fingers crossed for us!  I'll let you know next week if we're successful.

Until next time,

Ria
www.aspirestyle.co.uk

Wednesday 21 April 2010

What to Wear Wednesdays - Get Nautical

Avast ye, sailor!  Nautical is one of those trends that has been popular for several Spring/Summer seasons in a row in recent years, and it's easy to see why.  With three main colours - red, white and blue - it's easy to mix and match pieces, and it's a fun trend; these are the kind of clothes which make you feel like playing.  So please give a hearty 'Ahoy!' to the Aspire take on Nautical...

Shiver me timbers, cap'n, that outfit looks pretty shipshape to me! (Sorry)

Until next time,

Ria
www.aspirestyle.co.uk

Friday 16 April 2010

Friday Floral Fix - Cezanne side lace dress

Back in stock as of today: the STUNNING Cezanne side lace dress by Fever - a brand our customers love for their flattering designs and high quality.  This dress has been featured in A Change of A Dress and has been one of our best sellers in the shops and online this season.  It's ideal for summery weddings, picnics and parties, or even if you're just going to Tesco and want to be the prettiest lady there.


Gosh, it's pretty, isn't it?  And at £69, it's a lot of pretty for your money!  It's got a tummy-flattening panel so no-one will notice if you've had one too many scoops of potato salad, and ties on the side of the waist to cinch you in.  Aspire owner Emma wears hers with a pretty green cardigan, which is ideal for the Spring sunshine we've been having.

Until next time,

Ria

Friday 9 April 2010

Promo update

Because we're in a generous and giving and lovely and kind mood today, we've decided to extend our 15% off offer until the end of tomorrow!  Just enter the code B0904 at the checkout and the discount will be automatically applied.

You can thank us in cupcakes.

Ria
www.aspirestyle.co.uk

Friday Floral Fix

Florals are, once again, everywhere this season - I think it's just the time of year and the fact they're a safe, easy step to instant pretty.  I was going to do a single blog post with our best flowery products, but there were just so many and I had such problems selecting just a few that instead, I'm creating another regular feature: Friday Floral Fix (even catchier than What to Wear Wednesdays, I think).  This feature will showcase a single item a week, starting with this week's Cath Kidston messenger bag in folk flower print:


When this bag arrived, all the Aspire girls instantly fell in love.  I personally am a fan because I'm one of those carry-my-life-around-in-my-handbag types and this messenger bag is nice and roomy, and has compartments aplenty so I don't spend half an hour looking for my keys.  The lovely soft adjustable strap also means I can wear it as a cross body bag, which helps massively when I cycle to work!

It's only £38, and for today only we're running a 15% off promotion which would make it £32.30 - a real bargain for a Cath Kidston bag!  Just enter the code B0904 at the checkout and the discount will be automatically applied.

Until next time,

Ria

Wednesday 7 April 2010

What to Wear Wednesdays - 50s Style

Welcome to a brand new regular feature of the Aspire Style blog entitled What to Wear Wednesdays (catchy, no?), where we will showcase an outfit completely made of Aspire products!  Yes, I know it's terribly biased, but we are a) full of so much loveliness you don't need to go elsewhere and b) running a business here, people!

Those of you who subscribe to our newsletter will have seen the arrival of new brand Tara Starlet to the Aspire Style website and shops, and those of you who aren't subscribers need to get involved here!  Tara Starlet is a London-based Mother and Daughter team who take their inspiration from the 1940s and 1950s, and we've used their beautiful full circle prom dress as the centrepiece of this 50s style outfit:



Items in this set:
Tara Starlet full circle prom dress : Clothing : Products : Aspire..., £75
Silver pearl necklace : Jewellery : Products : Aspire Style |..., £6.95
Rose ring - pastels : Jewellery : Products : Aspire Style |..., £4.95
Jeepers Peepers Sandy black sunglasses : Accessories : Products :..., £15
Poetic Licence Girls Night shoes, black : Shoes : Products : Aspire..., £69

All products are available from www.aspirestyle.co.uk including the very stylish sunglasses from Jeepers Peepers, another exciting new Aspire brand!  I think this outfit is perfect for picnics in the park, or parties, or pretending you're in Grease and doing the hand jive, or going up to boys and saying "tell me about it, stud".


Until next time,


Ria
www.aspirestyle.co.uk

Friday 2 April 2010

Happy Easter! Here, have some cheap shoes...

Hello all!  I know it's raining, but if you've got the day off today why not head to your local Aspire shop and check out the shoes?  Ok, if you're really aqua-phobic you can do it online.  We've had a lot of new styles delivered in the past couple of weeks, and there's something for everyone.  If that alone isn't enough to tempt you, how about this...


So pretty!  I love those Kim Oh No shoes from Irregular choice, they're a really cute rockabilly style and look absolutely amazing on.

If the prospect of heels so tall makes you want to run and hide, you can prettify your feet with lovely sandals.


These cuffed ankle sandals are going to be a big look this summer, and ours are not only just £29 (or £24.65 if you buy them these weekend) but they're also really really comfy.




I have been coveting these Mint Julip sandals from Poetic Licence for a while now; maybe buying them this might make the sun shine again?  They're reduced from £59 to £50.15 this weekend - a saving of nearly a tenner!


The Genteel shoes, also from Poetic Licence, may look a bit high, but the clever platform means they're actually surprisingly easy to walk in!  They look so beautiful on, and you can keep your tights on with them now until it gets a bit warmer.  Normally £75, these babies are £63.75 this weekend! 

You can see all our pretty pretty shoes here and you have until the end of Monday to bag yourself a bargain.  Go!  Go now!

Until next time,

Ria