FASHION TO FEEL GOOD

The power of fashion

As the dark days of winter can leave us feeling tired and lethargic, Hannah Hill –founder of LIFESTYLISH, a Bristol-born business providing bespoke styling and shopping solutions –delves into the mood-boosting powers of fashion...

We’ve just completed what feels like the longest January on record. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could feel good about ourselves thriving in February rather than just making it through?

While getting dressed is something we all do every single day, a lot of us don’t take the time to consider the emotional benefits we might be missing out on when it comes to choosing what we wear.

Unless you’ve made the very specific lifestyle choice to be a naturist or nudist –hats off to you (literally) – you’ll be needing to put clothes on in the morning. So, if I told you that what you choose to wear might just boost your mood and make February feel a bit better, wouldn’t you want to give it a go? Here are just a handful of ideas to keep in mind.

Wear what sparks joy

To coin tidying-expert and best-selling author Marie Kondo’s famous phrase, wearing items that “spark joy” is a gamechanger. We all have pieces in our wardrobes that we love, whether it’s from a memory we have wearing it or simply the look and feel or the item itself. If you’re dressing in clothes that you really enjoy, you’ll feel all the better for it.

Introduce colour

It’s been proven that wearing colour helps boost your mood but this can feel scary if you’re not sure where to start. Most of us will have had a favourite colour as a child. Do you know what yours is now and would you consider wearing it? We all have complimentary colours that will make us look and feel awesome so don’t be afraid of those bold brights on grey February days.

Don’t save it for best

Many of us have clothes that we save for best but given what we’ve lived through over the last two years is there really any point? Nine times out of ten these items will be higher quality and we’ll have paid a little more than we usually would for them. Saving them for special occasions to keep them in good condition might seem logical but really what’s the point? You’ve bought it, so wear it. If the item is for “best”, wear it and you’ll feel your best!

Be comfortable

Even if you’re not completely sold on the idea that your clothing can have a positive impact on how you feel, being comfortable in what you wear can stop it having a negative one. Being uncomfortable in clothes can often make us feel unnecessarily self-conscious and no one wants that. Don’t forget the three Fs. Fit, fabric and function. Items that fit well in fabrics that feel good against the skin and are functional for your lifestyle will keep you comfortable and feeling confident.

There are no rules

As a personal stylist, it’s my job to make people look good in their clothes but, for me, the outfit is the by-product of helping someone to feel good about themselves. When it comes to what we wear there are no rules, your outfit just needs to make you feel great. Last week, that meant sitting on video-calls all day wearing a bright green sequin jacket. I’m perfectly okay with that –and so were my clients!

Here’s to feeling good in February! What are you waiting for?

• Need a little extra help with your wardrobe? Head over to LIFESTYLISH’s website to find out more about what Hannah does: lifestylish.co.uk

BEAUTY NOTES

N°1 DE CHANEL L’EAU ROUGE – REVITALIZING FRAGRANCE MIST

Olivier Polge used a skincare base enriched with refreshing camellia water and a revitalizing red camellia extract as the medium for this fragrance mist. The red camellia inspired him to create, in collaboration with the CHANEL Fragrance Laboratory, an original floral bouquet. 100ml, RRP £90.

• Chanel.com

JO MALONE LONDON CELEBRATES THE ROSE

Jo Malone London has introduced a collection of scents celebrating the rose. The limited-edition consists of three romantic, floral scents with a focus for Lunar New Year celebrations and is perfect for Valentine’s Day gifting. from left to right they are: Rose Blush Cologne, 50ml, RRP £76; Rose & Magnolia Cologne 50ml, RRP £76; Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense 50ml, RRP £92. • jomalone.co.uk

HERBAE BY L’OCCITANE

It’s the scent of Provence on a clear spring day; aromatic, invigorating and lightly floral –thanks to wild flowers that blossom in abundance across the Southern French hills. HERBAE par L’OCCITANE Clary Sage is the embodiment of this scent; refreshing notes of wild grass, are expertly intertwined with a herbaceous heart of clary sage whilst zesty top notes of bitter orange, bergamot and red thyme invigorate. The perfect transitional spring-summer scent. Eau de Toilette, 50ml, RRP £55. • uk.loccitane.com/

Little High, Little Low. Hello, Profhilo

There’s a new non-invasive, youth-preserving treatment on the beauty block. Crystal Rose heads to Ciao Bella Aesthetics to put Profhilo to the test.

If you’ve ever found yourself at a crossroads between age-defying invasives and letting nature run its course, then allow us to introduce you to Profhilo. Free from any chemical crosslinking compounds, the non-invasive treatment is here to turn back the hands of time. How? Through a radiance-boosting formula (an ultra-pure hyaluronic acid concentrate) that's inserted underneath the skin’s surface and designed to boost collagen and elastin levels.

I headed down to Ciao Bella Aesthetics, based in the idyllic village of Wrington, to check out the illuminating treatment. Headed up by lead practitioner Alex Henderson, the award-winning medical cosmetic clinic was founded in 2010 and is one of the only nurse-led clinics in the South West to hold Care Quality Commission Registration – ensuring quality and safety of care through ongoing monitoring and inspection.

Following a consultation, my appointment began with an in-depth skin analysis to address any concerns and assess the current condition of my epidermis. Having run through the relevant safety procedures (I can’t stress enough the attention to care that I received here, no stone was left unturned and I felt completely at ease from the moment I arrived), Alex began by cleansing the area, before plotting out the route of action on my face – five Bio Aesthetic Points (BAP) on each side of the face to maximise diffusion in the cheeks and lower face. Ten injections later, we’re all wrapped up and I’m on my way to enjoy the rest of my day. After the treatment, each injection site appears as a small lump, this softens over the next few days as the hyaluronic acid disperses evenly inside the skin. The result? Hydration, rejuvenation and boosted collagen production. Expect to see results around the twoweek mark before you wave goodbye to the appearance of fine lines, and say hello to skin restoration at its finest.

Oh, and for those located in North Bristol, Ciao Bella Aesthetics is due to open another clinic in Downend this year. We’ll see you there.

Two Profhilo treatments are recommended initially with a four-week interval in-between.

Profhilo Treatment at Ciao Bella Aesthetics from £299; ciaobellaaesthetics.co.uk

Unit 3 & 4 Railway Wharf Station Road, Wrington, BS40 5LL

Are you struggling to book a GP appointment?

Although things are returning to normal across Bristol, you may still be finding it difficult to schedule a GP appointment. Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital offers a private GP service, with minimal waiting times for appointments, prescriptions and referrals.

The GP service at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital offers patients the opportunity to see a GP face-to-face for 30 minutes in a relaxed environment. There are three GPs at the hospital, each working on different days to ensure cover across the week; Dr Claire Winstanley, Dr Gill Jenkins and Dr Sonia Mann.

Meet the team

Dr Claire Winstanley has a diverse interest in medicine, and is fascinated by all aspects of health and wellbeing, with a particular interest in diet, lifestyle and alternative therapies. Having worked as a GP in the NHS for over 20 years, Dr Winstanley is experienced in treating a wide range of acute and chronic problems. She enjoys the variety that general practice offers, as well as its challenges, and continues to work in the NHS, based at the Whiteladies Health Centre in Clifton, and for NHS 111.

Dr Gill Jenkins has over 35 years of medical experience, and a career that has spanned several areas of medicine. She has a particular interest in diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but has experience in family planning, accident and emergency, psychiatry, weight management and travel medicine. Dr Jenkins also works as a freelance medical writer and broadcaster, working with a variety of magazines, medical newspapers, websites and on local and national TV and radio. Dr Sonia Mann began her medical career in London before relocating to Bristol with her family in 2010. Her main areas of interest are women’s health, mental wellbeing and integrative medicine. Dr Mann’s travels abroad and study of alternative health systems has helped her develop a more holistic approach to care, where time is taken to work with a patient’s individual needs, especially incorporating mental wellness and how this relates to their physical health, and visa versa.

Seeing a GP at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital

Appointments with a GP at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital are usually available within 48 hours, and sometimes on the same day you call. Appointment slots are 30 minutes, giving you a good amount of time to discuss your concerns or your ongoing medical condition. Our GP will also review your medical history, examine you, and talk with you about medication and lifestyle changes that may be advisable.

With 30 minutes available to discuss your options, you can feel reassured that your GP appointment at Nuffield Health is providing the help you need. The GP team cannot access your NHS notes. Therefore, if you are able to bring along a summary page of your NHS GP notes (available from them on request), along with any blood test results, scans or letters from previous consultations relating to your condition, this can save time during the appointment. Our GP can also oversee and coordinate your healthcare if you need to see multiple consultants for multiple problems.

Diet is also very important to our health but we all have different dietary needs, which can be made more confusing with the knowledge and advice, often conflicting, available on the internet. Sometimes the internet can be very helpful for our health, but sometimes it can cause unnecessary worry. We are here to have those conversations and signpost you, if needed, to respected, evidence-based websites to help you get well and stay well.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us all more aware of the importance of our health, both physical and mental. As general practitioners, the team at Nuffield Health see a wide variety of acute and chronic problems, as well as those “odd problems” which might not be so straightforward.

Dr Winstanley says: “Our job is to talk to you about your symptoms (we love a list!), examine you as needed, organise the appropriate investigations and prescribe the necessary medication. Gill, Sonia and I have a wealth of knowledge in all areas of medicine. While we are generalists, not specialists, we know what tests may be necessary and can refer you for diagnostics and then, if needed, to the appropriate specialist.”

A 30-minute GP appointment at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital costs £110. If you would like to book an appointment with Dr Winstanley, Dr Jenkins or Dr Mann, call our Bookings team on 0117 911 5339, or visit our website.