Life & Style
www.westernweekender.com.au
FASHION FIXATION
PERSONAL FINANCE
by Katherine Tweed
by Anthony Walker
I’m crazy about blazers!
Make the most of golden years
T
I
his season’s must have… It’s got to be the blazer. Perfect for jazzing up a casual outfit on a night out, making your work wear a little more office appropriate and dressing down an evening dress – is there anything that the right blazer can’t do? As we move into the new season and the weather begins to cool down, you will fi nd yourself searching for something nice to add to an outfit that will protect you from the chilly night air or those brisk mornings. The blazer is the perfect addition to a wardrobe to give you this protection, whilst adding to your look at the same time. Th is season, the black blazer is practically nonexistent and has been replaced with a rainbow of colours and styles that you can match to any wardrobe. Th is season’s most popular colour trends are deep, warm colours; think dark reds, dark blues and deep, warm purples. A blazer in a colour like this can brighten up any outfit whilst giving it a sophisticated and controlled look. When dressing up a casual outfit, opt for a loose fitting blazer. A loose fitting blazer looks fantastic with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, especially when it falls to hip level. I have a great salmon coloured blazer from last season that is loose fitting, hip length but with ¾ length sleeves which is great when there is still a hint of warmth in the air. Turn your patterned knee length, high-waisted skirt and sheer shirt combo into the perfect office appropriate outfit with a cropped blazer. Choose to wear a blazer that is the same colour as some of the patterns on the skirt; if the skirt is black with a red and white floral pattern, either a black, red or white blazer will look great – remember that the shades don’t have to be the same. When dressing down an evening dress, let’s say it is something in a sheer, shiny or sequined fabric, wearing a fitted blazer in a matte fabric will tone down the look. Th is is perfect for those situations where you are not sure of the dress code.
THIS WEEK I... •
WAS SURPRISED BY THE NUMBER OF COLLAR-LESS BLAZERS IN STORES, THINK CHANEL STYLE .
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FELL IN LOVE WITH BIG SHOULDER PADS, NOTHING SAYS POWER LIKE BIG SHOULDERS!
Katherine.tweed@mediaview.com.au 4722 2998
’ve just read HSBC’s The Future of Retirement, A New Reality research report about global retirement planning trends and the outlook for Australia has me concerned. Some of the fi ndings were; that 57 per cent of Australians surveyed were not preparing adequately for a comfortable retirement, 48 per cent of 55 to 64-year-old Australians surveyed have never saved for retirement and out of the 15 countries surveyed, Australia was the second most likely to save for a short-term goal such as a holiday over saving for a long-term goal such as retirement. Ouch! Don’t be one of these statistics. Remember government pensions of the future will be vastly different from the pensions available today. Research published last year by Westfield Wight showed by 2050 there will be 2.7 working Australians for every citizen over 65. In the 1970’s the ratio was 7.5 workers for each older Australian. It is statistics like this that make me question what government support will be available down the track. And while Australia has a great compulsory superannuation system, everyone is different and has different retirement expectations so it’s worth evaluating how much more you need to do to have the retirement you want. I understand that life involves a number of big fi nancial commitments such as paying off a mortgage, raising a family and covering daily living expenses, and that all of these make it all too easy to postpone saving for retirement. But planning for a comfortable retirement doesn’t have to be a burden. A good plan will involve making manageable savings that suit your lifestyle across a longer time frame. Remember, the sooner you start the easier it is. So my message to you is this, if you haven’t started planning for your retirement then start today. And if you would like to talk through some different strategies, please feel free to come in and talk to me or my friendly staff.
Anthony Walker, Owner-Manager Bank of Queensland Anthony.walker@boq.com.au
Starfish Animal Rescue PHONE: 0405 593 088 MALE CHIHUAHUA X
5 TABBY KITTENS – MIXTURE OF MALE AND FEMALE
Squizzy is a young “go with the flow” type of dog who is adorable in every way.
CURRENTLY
Friday, March 1, 2013
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The Western Weekender
Squizzy weighs in at 4.5 kg and is small, but not tiny, with a beautiful easy care coat. He loves his cuddles, is not a yapper and is very people focused. He walks well on a lead and gets along with the other dogs he shares with as well as the resident cat.
36
SQUIZ Z Y 12months
5 WEEKS OLD.
A litter of tabby kittens were surrendered to me last week and all are needing loving and caring forever homes. Adoption is still 4-5 weeks away but if you would like to meet with them please contact me.
If you can offer this sweetheart a home where he will be loved and cared for please don’t hesitate to contact his carer, Liz on 0450 607 908.
Kittens come microchipped, vaccinated, desexed, flea/worm treated and Lifetime Registered for $200.
Squizzy comes microchipped, vaccinated, desexed, flea/ worm/heartworm treated and Lifetime Registered for $400.
WW1416
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