It's all kicking off!

Goodness me!

If you had told me this time last year that I would be running shopping tours of the charity shops I wouldn't have believed you. But it's very real and the word is getting out there fast. Even the BBC recently filmed a short piece on it as they were intrigued by the concept! So I just wanted to share some of the feedback from recent shoppers as it's such a good feeling to know that other women are now finding joy in pre-loved clothes.

And here's what some of my most recent shoppers had to say about the whole experience:

““I keep meaning to write and say what a BRILLIANT time I had on the last charity shopping tour with Becky. It was so helpful to have your wisdom and eagle eyes Becky and I absolutely love everything I bought, including that amazing 1950s vintage dress for £20. One very happy woman! Thanks so much xxx””

““7 tops, 4 dresses and 4 necklaces...epic shopping session today with the amazing Becky Barnes. Becky you are a total legend and thank you for a fab morning””

So if you fancy seeing what little gems might be out there for you, please have a look at my latest dates and book yourself on before I hang up my shopping shoes for the summer! You can find all the details and book here:

Charity Shopping Tour Tickets

Go on, with summer just around the corner let's bring in some new pieces to help your wardrobe and your style feel refreshed x

Charity Shopping Tours are now live!

When Bristol's Independent District asked whether I'd consider setting up and running shopping tours on the Gloucester Road, I could hardly believe my luck! The answer was always going to be yes as it combines shopping and personal styling with charity shops. All of my favourite things!

The first tour was last week and my intrepid shoppers and I hit the Gloucester Road. We spent two hours scanning a variety of charity shops, carefully selecting different items for each woman to try. 

As we went, I passed on some of my top tips for successful charity shopping and after two hours my shoppers could barely carry their bulging shopping bags.

One shopper's haul included a Windsmoor coat, two blazers (one from Reiss and one from LK Bennett), two dresses, one waistcoat, two jumpers, five scarves, two bags, three necklaces and two pairs of shoes. All for less than £100!

The good news is that it was so successful that I've already organised another two tours on Saturday April 21st. If you'd like to find out more or buy a ticket you can click here for the morning tour, or here for the afternoon tour. Tickets cost £25 per person plus a small Eventbrite booking fee. I'd love to see you there and help you find some treasures x

Some of my favourite boutiques in Bristol

The party season is almost here! From office parties, family gatherings to New Year’s festivities, there are plenty of opportunities to look glamorous. That’s why I love the season so much! Next time you’re in Bristol, you don’t necessarily need to rely on the High Street when looking for that special outfit - if you want something a bit different and extra special to wear, give one of Bristol’s numerous boutiques a go. I know we’re all busy in the lead up to Christmas, so to save you time I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite hidden gems in Bristol to help you begin exploring...

Rhubarb Jumble

I love Rhubarb Jumble and they specialise in 1950s to 1970s fashion as well as homeware. Their collection is just amazing which is why they were recently featured as one of Bristol and Bath’s 'hot spots' in none other than Vogue magazine. They take a lot of care in choosing fabulous pieces so you’re bound to discover something unique. As a bonus you’ll might find a perfect gift for someone too, such as Lea Stein jewellery.

Location: 52 North Street, Bedminster, BS3 1HJ and their website is here

Amulet Boutique

You’ll find an exciting range of brands at Amulet and there’s something to suit so many styles and occasions. From dresses to outerwear, skirts to accessories, they have something for everyone in their extensive range. They also stock  Fair-trade and ethical products as well as British made and organic items too. If you try to source your clothes ethically and sustainably then you will love what’s on offer.

Location: 39A Cotham Hill, BS6 6JY and their website is here

Motiq

No outfit is complete without stunning jewellery – and Motiq has just that! They carefully select the most beautiful pieces of jewellery as well as other accessories such as sumptuous shawls and silk scarves. You’ll find a range of showstopper party pieces too available during the lead up to Christmas. We all deserve to treat ourselves to something special during the festive period so go and see if you can find yourself something amazing.

Location: 8 Boyce's Avenue, Clifton, BS8 4AA and their website is here

Heartfelt Vintage

As the name suggests, Heartfelt Vintage specialise in all things vintage and their shop is absolutely beautiful to look at. You’ll find a carefully selected range of designer vintage pieces that combines style and quality. If you haven’t given pre-loved fashion a go yet, I promise you’ll only find very high quality, faultless pieces here. Once you’ve finished shopping, you can give yourself a break and enjoy a scrumptious afternoon tea in their beautiful tearoom – just be sure to book in advance. 

Location: 32 Alma Vale Road, Bristol, BS8 2HY and their website is here

Movement Boutique

Movement Boutique is relatively new on the scene after launching in March 2016 and they’ve already blown me away with their great taste. You’ll find brands and items here from across the world, many of which are completely new to Bristol. They currently have some beautiful dresses by Rixo which I urge you to go take a look at. They’ll definitely give you a warm welcome and help you find something special,whatever the occasion.

Location: 66 Alma Rd, BS8 2DJ and their website is here

And if it's still too hard, I can take you shopping and provide invaluable support and guidance to help you find the perfect look. Happy exploring! x

In need of a confidence boost? I might have just the thing for you!

One of the reasons I set up my business was because I witnessed women losing their confidence over the years and I wanted to help give some back. I can say this from a position of authority as I was one of those women. The type that had a career, a great social life and didn't think twice about spending time and money on myself. 

Then babies happened. My world changed overnight. Post natal depression kicked in, I felt isolated, incompetent as a mother and over time, I slowly lost my identity. 

My self esteem took a nose dive, my body took a battering and as a result I morphed into the background. My son didn't sleep through the night until he started primary school and I gave birth to another baby in his first term. So just as I had one successful sleeper, another round of sleepless nights began.....

You will be hard pressed to find ANY photos of me at this stage of my life. I really didn't like what I saw and to some extent, I gave up. I was in survival mode and when you're there you just don't have the capacity for anything else.

But slowly things got better, the children became older, I got some sleep and I began my second career as a stylist to enable me to work around their needs.

And that is where the magic happened. My love of colour and clothes returned. The excitement of buying a beautiful piece came flooding back. I got my hair cut, had my nails done and started to put myself further up the priority list. I was turning into me again and it was bloody powerful stuff!

Over time I started to rebuild my sense of self worth and noticed that instead of it being an indulgence, the whole family benefitted from my new found happiness.

So why am I telling you all this? Because over the next 12 months I'm going to be teaming up with other incredible business women whose purpose is exactly the same as mine - to help you feel better about yourself, to give you a shot of confidence and to help you see just how beautiful you are just the way you are now.

The first collaboration is super exciting as I'll be working with Janette from Beautifully You Photography. Janette creates absolutely stunning photos of women and is as passionate as I am about helping women to see their true beauty. You can check out her work here: https://www.facebook.com/beautifullywomanportraits/

For a limited period we are coming together to offer you a unique makeover package which includes: 

A style and body shape consultation

A full colour consultation and booklet of colour swatches to keep

A wardrobe edit to include an outfit building session 

A shopping list of suggested pieces to invest in

A high quality, luxury makeover photoshoot including professional hair and make up

A gorgeous 10 x 8 inch image to treasure forever

And most importantly:  A HUGE boost of confidence and much needed pick me up! All for just £399. 

So if you feel like a you're ready for a little lift, we're here for you  x