Love them or hate them, proms are here to stay!

No sooner will the delights of the various Fashion Weeks have come and gone, than they are swiftly followed by the consternation and preparation of parents up and down the UK about how to dress their youngsters for the summer proms.

Our students have taken the American custom to their heart; you can see the origins of the proms here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prom.

After all, which young person doesn’t love a good reason to dress up and set off to a celebration with their dream date on their arms?! And even if they don’t have their ideal partner readily to hand, a stunning prom dress or sharp suit can only enhance their chances of meeting them there.

Prom dresses in the UK tend to be slightly less risqué than in the USA as our students have their proms earlier, but that doesn’t mean we can’t create spectacular, sparkly, superb outfits to make Junior Miss feel like a Princess for a Night. Or Young Sir feel like style icons James Bond, Justin Timberlake or Labrinth (http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/style/articles/2013-02/22/labrinth-interview-music-and-style-london-fashion-weekend).

But the key, as ever, is in preparing early. Get Waisted’s Toni Pickles can make bespoke prom dresses at our Steyning boutique in whatever colour scheme or style you’d like – short prom dresses or long prom dresses - as well as tailored suits, and will offer you practical and sound advice about the most flattering shades and shapes, highlighting best features and skin tones.

Prom dresses by Toni Pickles, Get Waisted

Contact Toni for a chat about what will make your young person feel wonderful on their special night, followed by a series of fittings as the garments are made. You can follow the project from start to finish, and then watch your youngster’s face as they finally wear their extra-special prom dress or suit, brimming with expectation for a fun night ahead. Of course, you’ll also have to hide the tears of pride and joy as you wave them off in their limousine (or dad’s car!).

We also have a wide range of jewellery and accessories to match any outfit, so get in touch to book your appointment now.

You can see more about us on www.getwaisted.co.uk or contact us on:

Email: toni@getwaisted.co.uk

Steyning boutique, 94 High Street, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3RD

Open 9.30am-5.30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, closed on Mondays

Tel: 01903 812992

Mobile: 07947 497342

Get Waisted hosts a Fashion Show for Brighton College

Toni Pickles firmly believes in supporting local charities as well as education, so it’s no surprise that for the third year running, Get Waisted helped the girls of Fenwick House, one of the houses at leading independent school, Brighton College, put on a fashion show (www.brightoncollege.org.uk).

Last year the theme was ‘James Bond’, the year before ‘Moulin Rouge’ – so there’s never a shortage of glamour. This year the theme was 1940’s and ‘50’s ‘Hollywood Glamour’ so of course it was just the ticket for Get Waisted.

After music and dance from some extremely talented students, brave members of staff strutted their stuff in front of the student body wearing pieces from a number of local shops including Passport, Lucia’s Workshop and Foxed Up Vintage, for the ‘Teachers Runway’.

This was followed by collections from Get Waisted, Dig for Victory and Pretty Eccentric, varying from fun outfits through to vintage-inspired day and cocktail dresses, and evening glamour.

With financial contributions from a raffle as well ticket sales for the event, catering and a fun photo booth with accessories for a record of the event from Emmest Photography (www.emmestphotography.co.uk/), the final amount raised for Chestnut Tree House is still being calculated - but with around 200 people there on the night (a full house), the evening was a great success and much enjoyed by everyone.

To see more about Chestnut Tree House, see www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk

You can see more about Get Waisted, see www.getwaisted.co.uk or contact us on:

Email: toni@getwaisted.co.uk

Steyning boutique, 94 High Street, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3RD (from 4^th March)

Open 9.30am-5.30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, closed on Mondays

Tel: 01903 812992

Mobile: 07947 497342

Moving on out, moving on up

Never ones to let the grass grow under our feet, Get Waisted fashion boutique is moving to bigger premises on Tuesday 4^th March. But we’re not going far, just three doors up in fact, above Vintage and Home at 94 High Street, Steyning. It’s bigger, with a separate studio, ‘consulting room’ and retail areas.

Preparations for the move are going well, as you can see here:

We know where everything is - really!

 Although no-one likes the packing and unpacking associated with moving, it’s highlighted the variety of items of clothing, jewellery, handbags, accessories, shoes and boots we have for sale – something for everyone.

We’ll be focusing more on made-to-measure for women and men, as well as alterations, and we’ll still be selling our usual ranges from our new boutique in Steyning.

Toni can ensure you get more wear from your favourite clothes by letting them out (if possible) or taking them in, or in the case of trousers or skirt hems, taking them up. Toni can also let you know if she is able to restyle an item of clothing if it needs updating and you just can’t bear to part with it!

In our new Steyning fashion emporium, we’ll also be featuring vintage and vintage-style items, like this:

Fashionable vintage

And for those of you who find this time of year difficult to dress for (and who doesn’t, is it still winter or is it spring yet?!), come in and see us so we can recommend the best styles and designs for you.

Get Waisted at this fashion show!

Coming up soon – our fashion show for Fenwick House girls’ boarding at Brighton College. This will be the third year we’ve been involved and you can see last year’s Bond-themed show, complete with Aston Martin here: http://vimeo.com/65000079. Watch this space for more details soon.

Whatever the occasion, Toni Pickles at Get Waisted (www.getwaisted.co.uk) is able to make a bespoke item of clothing for you. Toni’s background is in tailoring and she will advise on tone, fabric, design and cut. Whether it’s a made-to-measure suit, a sparkling prom dress or an outfit or two for a cruise, you can rest assured it won’t be seen anywhere on the high street as it’s been made especially for you!

You can see more about us on www.getwaisted.co.uk or contact us on:

Email: toni@getwaisted.co.uk

Steyning boutique, 94 High Street, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3RD (from 4^th March)

Open 9.30am-5.30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, closed on Mondays

Tel: 01903 812992

Mobile: 07947 497342

It's not just about the ladies this Valentine's Day!

We’ve had so many men coming into our Steyning boutique to buy Valentine’s gifts for their ladies over the last week or two, but how about you stylish and fashion focused ladies getting your special man something that’ll warm the cockles of his heart?

There are some interesting general suggestions in this article from Harper’s Bazaar: http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/fashion/inside/valentines-day-gift-guide-for-him#slide-1 and a photo of Matthew McConaughey in Esquire sporting a chic charcoal grey suit.

One of the most versatile items in a gentleman’s wardrobe is the grey suit and for Autumn/Winter 2014, it’s making a big return to tailoring in a range of shades – in fact probably more than 50 shades of grey! The colour palette goes from graphite to silver and tone on tone is also so wearable, which you can use through fabrics, textures and cuts.

Tweed is also making a comeback as well as the sophisticated grey suit – check out great British brand Bladen (http://www.bladentailoring.co.uk/home.aspx), Skopes (http://www.skopes.com/retail/) and Purple Label by Benvenuto (http://benvenuto.de/en/anzuege/purple-label/).

A sumptuous grey suit can make a man look stunning for events like a wedding, a day at the races or a night on the red carpet. It can also ooze confidence and elegance if you need to look your best as a professional, but grey suits are nothing if not useful and so are ideal for office wear, with or without a tie (as long as the tone of grey and the shirt colour go well with your skin and eyes), Valentine’s dinners or dressed down with a designer black t-shirt, scarf and cashmere coat.

Our gift to you this Valentine’s – a photo of Brad Pitt in tone on tone grey

Photo: celebritysuits.com

Whatever your style, Toni Pickles at Get Waisted (www.getwaisted.co.uk) is able to make a bespoke tailored suit for every discerning gentleman about town. Toni’s background is in tailoring and she will advise on tone, fabric, design and cut. If you’d like a suit that is made-to-measure and won’t be seen anywhere on the high street, just get in touch with Toni.

You can see more about us on www.getwaisted.co.uk or contact us on:

Email: toni@getwaisted.co.uk

Steyning boutique, 98 High Street, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3RD

Open 9.30am-5.30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, closed on Mondays

Tel: 01903 812992

Mobile: 07947 497342

Spread the love with fashion, jewellery or lingerie this Valentine's Day

Whether it's a divine piece of bespoke corsetry, some fabulous jewellery or a fashion piece to make every heart melt, we have it here at the Get Waisted boutique in Steyning. And our sale is on till the end of the month, with up to 50% off selected items.

Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love, but its origins were actually rather dark. It's believed to have started in ancient Rome with the feast of Lupercalia where drunken men would hit willing women with the hides of slain animals, believing it would make them more fertile.

The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern day of love. Emperor Claudius II executed two men called Valentine on February 14th (different years) in the 3rd century AD. Their martyrdom was honoured by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St Valentine's Day, although there appears to be some confusion with other festivals and rituals in later centuries.

As the years went on, the holiday grew somewhat more enchanting. Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticised Valentine's, which gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. Handmade paper cards became the thing to give in the Middle Ages.

Eventually the tradition made its way to America. The industrial revolution lead to factory-made cards in the 19th century and in 1913, Hallmark Cards began mass producing Valentines.

Woe betide any partner who forgets Valentine's Day! But here's the good news ... you can shop early with our 'up to 50% off' sale going on till the end of January. Take your pick from our superb range of high fashion affordable clothing, jewellery, beautiful corsets, handbags and other accessories. There's even something for the man in your life too!

Some, though, will celebrate Valentine's in a SAD (that's Single Awareness Day) way but that's even more reason to come along to Get Waisted and choose something really great to make you feel special.

Will it be some knitwear to snuggle up to, a coat to take you out on Friday night, a bangle to dangle, or some stiletto shoes or boots to make your point?!




Don't forget - come and see us soon in Steyning. Those sale pieces won't hang around for long, and if you need something tailor made bespoke for you, we can't wait to get cracking.

You can see more about us on www.getwaisted.co.uk or contact us at:

Steyning boutique, 98 High Street, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3RD

Open 9.30am-5.30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, closed on Mondays

Email: toni@getwaisted.co.uk

Tel: 01903 812992
Mobile: 07947 497342

Shopping frenzy hits the high street

Sky News[1] says shoppers are expected to spend £12bn in just four days as they make the most of slashed prices and promotions, according to retail forecasters. There’s going to be a big battle both on the high street and online.

About three-quarters of retailers are now offering deals and 13m people are expected to shop on the high street today, the last Saturday before Christmas, with many having finished work for the festive season yesterday. Clothing, fashion, jewellery and lingerie are always popular.

People are becoming more canny though, waiting for the sales and hoping the items they’re after are going to be reduced. In larger stores which stock many of each size and design, that’s possible but in independent boutiques like Get Waisted in Steyning and Brighton, it’s a different story.

If you’ve been window shopping recently or popped in and seen something you love, as we have room for a bijou selection of unique clothing and accessories, you might be disappointed if you think they’ll still be there for you in a few days.

We’ve all done it – we think we’ll grab a bargain when the sale starts but only found the few items the gannets have left when we turn up. Instead of hoping for the best and taking the risk of getting what you want, we say that our clothes and accessories are good value to start with and as you certainly won’t see them anywhere else on the high street, you’re getting a great deal anyway!

We’ll be open today, tomorrow and Christmas Eve until 2pm so there’s still time to pop in to say hello and look at the wonderful display we’ve put on just for you.

Meantime, everyone at Get Waisted wishes you a sparkly Christmas and fun-packed New Year.

You can see more about us on www.getwaisted.co.uk or contact us on:

Email: toni@getwaisted.co.uk

Steyning boutique, 98 High Street, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3RD

Open 9.30am-5.30pm Tuesday to Saturday, closed on Mondays

Tel: 01903 812992

Mobile: 07947 497342

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[1] Source: http://news.sky.com/story/1185618/christmas-shoppers-to-spend-12bn-in-four-days

The Fashion Show Steyning has been waiting for!

We don’t think Steyning has seen anything like our recent Fashion Show.

Nearly 100 people came along, either sitting back enjoying the range of women’s dresses and accessories displayed on our beautiful models, or helping behind the scenes.

We had thirteen models altogether – ladies of all shapes and sizes – hair and make up team, lighting and music assistants, those serving drinks and canapés, selling raffle tickets, manning the welcome desk, not to mention the compère and those taking photos and shooting a video. It was a wonderful team effort, designed to make sure everyone had the best time possible.

There was much shimmying and sashaying along the catwalk as we showed the crème de la crème that Get Waisted has to offer in our boutique and on-line. We even auctioned a gorgeous black corset outfit modelled by Caitlin (see below).

The most important thing though (apart from showing that Steyning is clearly the centre of upmarket yet affordable glam and chic) is that we raised £300 for Chestnut Tree House (www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/) children’s hospice care.

This month we also took part in Steyning’s Late Night Christmas Shopping Extravaganza, where we welcomed more Get Waisted friends and customers with a hearty glass of mulled wine and festive mince pies. Once again, good fun was had by all!

We’re delighted we launched our arrival in Steyning with such a bang and we’ve certainly had many new visitors to our boutique in the high street as a result.

We still have plenty of unique women’s fashion clothes and accessories for those upcoming Christmas and New Year parties and we even have some you can hire. There’s just enough time if you need something special made bespoke too (but please don’t leave it too late!).

We’ve been up in London visiting buyers so we can bring you the very latest affordable designer and individually fashioned pieces before Christmas, so there’ll be new and exciting items arriving by the day.

Just give us a call on 01903 812992 or pop in to Get Waisted Boutique and we’ll tell you more.