Across the Seasons…

Here at the Colourful Edit, we like to make the most our of our pieces and style them up as we see fit! There are so many possibilities in terms of what to wear in Spring, lightening and brightening, and how to make our pieces work into a spring/summer capsule wardrobe. However, another cool way to make our pieces more versatile is to also style them up across each season… getting more bang for your buck so to speak!

For example, here is Nicole looking beautiful, in our gorgeous Pumpkin Abby, styled across both Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter.

So make the most of your pieces, and see how you can re-vamp your look, using what you already have. Our look at a new piece with fresh eyes, thinking, how could I get my wear across each new season. The best way of doing this would be to find your ‘wow’ colours and you know that we are here to help with that! We offer Colour Analysis and Personal Styling sessions here in the Scottish Borders. Team Colourful are also happy to travel to you! Please do get in touch if you have been thinking about this. It’s a great way to move forward with colours that suits and neutrals that work for YOU.

We LOVE to see our customers in our pieces. Please keep sending us in your snaps!

LITTLE TRAVELLERS

We are just back on UK soil after a wonderful five weeks adventure with the family. It’s been so wonderful to get away and relax into holiday mode, spending time off my phone and focused on the family. In such a busy world, I think we all tend to forget that it’s ok to step off the hamster wheel. Although, often if you do, it’s very hard to get back on!

My friends overseas were asking for the breakdown, how the kids got on, was it ok, was it hellish, what I packed etc. So I thought I’d share as it may come into some use for anyone who’s flying long haul economy with kids this summer.

We stopped over in Dubai on route to Sydney/Auckland. Our kids ages are 10, 8 & 6. They were wee superstars tbh.

Here are my top tips for family travel ❤️
- Allocate your team (seats will be split - we went 2/3 ratio)
- Bright clothes (make people smile and identify your tribe in a packed airport (I do this at play parks too)😊)
- ID bands and attachment wristlet (more for younger children, we had ours a few years back and Quinn wanted to use hers)
- iPads and own headphones (to avoid ear ache from the plane options and to elliminate white noise for other passengers)
- Individual hand luggage/ bag (makes security easy if you just have your own bag and devices to look after)
- Crossover bag for tickets and passports (bright and easily accessed - Colin was mortified, but he soon got into it)
- Roll spare clothes secure with hair ties (just incase they get wet or into a mess)
- Blow up cube pillows (sleep hack, under 7yrs, we were ok to use these unless there was turbulance)
- Buy transit snacks and take refill water bottle (there are filling stations at most airports and saves you buying endless plastic)
- Utilise the airline supplies (blankets, toiletries. I took too much of this and it was weighing the bags down)
- Exercise (walk around) before to burn off steam
- Shoes which easily come on and off (in case you need to rush through)
- Small comfort items, and sticker/book (sticker books are great for passing time/uno)
- Medicine for ear emergencies (your call)
- Book sensible flight times
- Split up clothing (half per person in each, just incase!)
- Factor 50, don’t overheat, long sleeve rash vests.
- Quick drying towels (compact)
- For avid readers - they will LOVE to figure out the gates and next steps so they feel in charge - they can learn all about the geography on board too❤️
- Book a good stop gap with plenty to do and a great selection of food, we spent 36 hours in Dubai.

I’ve flown this route several times, so I wasn’t really worried, but flying with kids I can imagine may be stressful - try and keep cool and enjoy the process. I can sense the anxiety of other travellers post covid, people aren’t as chatty, which made the airports a bit boring and less fun. I like a chat as you may have noticed!

Lauren xx

The Party Season…

Hello to whoever may be reading… Cole here! This is my first ever blog ahhhh! Bear with me, while I get the hang of this.

How are you all doing?

November already?? I guess it’s time to be thinking about those party attires, whether this is for a birthday celebration, work party, a get together with friends, romantic meal with your other half or just the big day… Can i say it yet?? CHRISTMAS!!

Personally I absolutely love the Winter Season as I get to mix up my wardrobe by layering, eating lots of over indulging food (because who can see from the layers?) I have lots of plans ongoing including getting all dolled up in my sparkles and spending time with people who mean the most!

Sometimes it can be tricky knowing what to wear at events/party nights in the Winter, especially in Scotland. This is where I come in as a Colour Stylist. I have put together an example of one style board - party wear.

At The Colourful Edit with colour analysis knowledge the style boards can be tailored to your seasonal colours with advice to make sustainable choices, or equally you can subscribe to our ‘styling subscription boards’ (launching early December). Here we will guide you on how outfits can be put together, inspiring you to use items from your own wardrobe.

Here is an example of what’s to come!

Warmer toned palettes (Spring & Autumns) should stick to golds and the cool tones (Summer & Winter) keep to your silvers.

If you would like a copy of this PDF to get the links please get in touch, nicole@thecolurfuledit.com

Thank you

Cole xx

COLOUR CONFIDENCE

Good Day!

I hope that you are all well and happy and taking some time for some self care.

It’s September now, and I find it’s the best month to start a little planning around packing away summer fashions, transitional dressing and layering into the cooler months.

I have been working as a Stylist for over ten years now and I have around 300 clients under my belt. These women come to me for all different reasons, some for milestone birthdays, some for a good time with friends, I get people who want to come out of wearing black, people who can’t wear more than two colours without panicking, classic dressers that are a little bored and need quirky, classic dressers that don’t feel great in the traditional classic colours (because they actually don’t suit the colours of Winter), women who have come through treatment for cancer, ladies who have gone grey and are at a loss, 18 year olds about to start uni, new mums who have lost their way (they haven’t btw, they have just lost time!). Whatever the reason, I am here for them, and they all leave feeling more confident in colour, with a clear direction on how they will present, for years to come. It is about presenting, and about being present. It’s about finding the joy in the little things, taking time for you, understanding the meaning behind colour confidence, feeling happy in your clothes, but ultimately understanding the process and the journey to get you to this point.

My services vary from client to client, but my main sessions of late have been in the following;
Colour Confidence (colour analysis), Colour-Shape & Style (makeover moment) and Wardrobe Edits (sustainable styling) with existing clients requiring some Event Styling (helping your look ace).

Finding your confidence through colour and style has so many benefits;
You start with a base colour palette which is worked through your tops, bottoms, shoes, bags and accessories.
You find out your style personality - you may be a classic, a boho, a minimal, a creative dresser. This is important to know.
You can wear with confidence, colour next to your face and know that these colours make you shine.
You learn about complimentary colours, harmonious colours, the art of tonal dressing. So when an event pops up, you are ready!
We advise you not only on clothing and accessories, but hair and make up too.
We continually keep in touch and reassure you if you need any further help.

Moving into Autumn, I have a few wardrobe edits booked in for people who have already discussed the colour and are ready to make use out of their wardrobes and have a focus on sustainability. I come into the wardrobe, take out everything that is either; no longer fitting, the wrong colour, the wrong fabric, just wrong (ha), and we see what we have left. We then re-create outfits out of your existing curated wardrobe and gap fill by writing out a list of missing classic pieces that will tie everything together. These can be bought over time. I am fully aware that black may feature, but it’s how we feature it. It’s not by wearing it in oversized cotton head to toe! My intention is to make the most out of what you have and I tend to be the queen of re-inventing outfits and adding layers to flatter.

Obviously i’m more free through the week, but I do try my best to accommodate my clients and can offer evening or a weekend. Nicole is also available for Colour sessions. I have had a few DMs lately, so I thought it would be a good time to let you know how to book in for a session.

So without further ado, you just need to follow these steps;

STEPS TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Visit our home page and select the Colour and Confidence tab. Here you see Book and appointment.
Choose from the available days (shown in bold), then select a time.
Confirm your information. You can pay now, or pay on the day.
Once booked you will receive a confirmation appointment. This features information about the session you have requested.
You come into the studio, or I can organise a home wardrobe edit.
Alternatively, if you aren’t a whizz on the old internet, you can call me on 07872859903.

What’s in your Top Drawer??

Well, according to the experts, we keep everything that means a little something, something to us… but why am I going on about this I hear you say?

Well, The Colourful Edit has exciting news! We are going to be exhibiting at Top Drawer London, with some of Britain’s top brand names! We will have the opportunity to chat about our story, the original concept, design and business to the people in the ‘know’, the wonderful retailers of this world!

It’s happening in September 11th -13th at London Olympia. We are feeling very excited, rather proud all mixed with a little bit of the unknown!

Whilst visiting Top Drawer last year, I thought to myself, how great a show it was, and wouldn’t this be the perfect platform for my designs. I already have a great portfolio of stockists, but this could be the chance to get the brand out there at a National level.

My designs are original, handmade, part of the circular fashion economy, backed by a team of passionate woman, a stylist who has a focus on colour at the forefront, teamed with an array of colours that women can rock. They are unique, eye catching and a talking point. And they are already a proved success selling over my own commerce platform and fabulous stockists!

What I am hoping to achieve, is to find connection with people who ‘get it’, to add a little bit of colour into their stores (their worlds) and become a passionate ambassador for our accessories by stocking our designs. There is so much happiness in finding your colours and dopamine dressing, and with Autumn approaching I’d encourage the use of wearing ‘wow’. We can all find happiness in the little things. We need colour, we need a circular fashion economy, we need small businesses, and we certainly need the niche!

So! If you know of any fabulous retailers or like minded folks who would love our designs, please point them our direction - we are happy to chat through the benefits of colour any given time! If you are a retailer and you are visiting, our stand is 286 and myself and Katie shall welcome your enquiries!

Thanks for reading,
Lauren xoxo

VISIT TOP DRAWER LONDON

BECOME A STOCKIST

SHOW LOVE - SHOP SMALL

You all are aware that I am a massive supporter of Small Independent Businesses. You know the ones, the original idea hatchers, the bakers and shakers, the work into the midnight makers.

You also may know I’m a MASSIVE fan of Holly Tucker. Holly Tucker founded Not On The High Street and had amazing success. She is now the UK Small Business Ambassador and has a passionate army of Small Businesses behind her flying their flags! Cue ‘me!’

This Summer is set to be a tricky tricky time for small independents as everyone (the consumer) seems to be watching their spend, using pennies for holidays and struggling with the rising cost of living. Our hope is that if you do need to buy a gift, cake, card, that you first of all look to your local community. And in the Scottish Borders you won’t find this a difficult task, as there is an abundance of creative talent who make or provide excellent service, and certainly in Galashiels alone, there are over 20 independent bakers!

My customers (yes you!) have been my best ever gift. You support me through the times I need you and I hope in return I bring you a little bit of colour, advice or joy. So, to celebrate you (and I), today, I am offering a ‘lucky dip’ giveaway for my next 20 online customers. Simply spend over £25 then along with your gift, you will receive a little surprise from me. This could be a kids design, a voucher, a keyring, or some earrings! I’ve bundled up 20 pieces from my collection, as a little treat. All you have to do is order from me - and if you are in the top twenty - you will get a little happy treat! You will know when your parcel arrives, you will have a little sticker on the front! I just need you to tag your box and do a little reveal picture for me on socials (if you can).

BE IN IT TO WIN IT….

SIMPLY KEY IN - SHOWLOVESHOPSMALL at checkout to claim your prize!

THE HEARTLAND MARKET
Myself and two other small business owners have created a space for creatives to shine and we host a monthly market to showcase our homegrown talent. It’s called The Heartland Market if you wanna go check it out! Whether you are a local maker, or interested in our line up of talent.

You probably haven’t missed this if you have been following me. We have been blown away by the success of this local market and have brought energy to an abandoned street! Putting the pennies back into our own pavements!

THANK YOU
Thanks so much for reading and supporting. You can further support me by following @thecolourfuledit, liking, sharing, commenting and saving my content as well as doing the same for @galashiels_theheartlandmarket and supporting all our fabby makers too.

---

WORD’S FROM HOLLY!
We’re making this the summer of small business love – and we need your help to spread the message. We want to encourage the nation to show heart by shopping small, asking everyone to think how they could change their usual spending behaviour to support our independents – but we need your help!

Books, wine & shopping…

Did that headline get your attention?

Sounds like something I feel a lot of you may be up for??

I don’t know about you, but lately, i’ve been feeling like it’s all work and no play! When I start to feel a little like this, I generally like to set aside some ‘me time’ and do the following;

1. Switch off, find a hiding space and read a book…

2. Catch up with my friends (possibly with a wine in hand, although this doesn’t need to be the case!)

3. Have a little potter around local businesses and support local makers…

Lucky for myself (and the girls), just around the corner (or over in Melrose so to speak), we have the fabulous Borders Book Festival happening between 16th - 19th June 2022. Four fabulous days of talks, comedy, live music, food & drink, and much, much more…

I’m delighted to be working with Borders Book Festival this year, by offering my clients a couple of special discounts…

First of all… I wanted to share a discount code to some lovely events at the book festival, which may just be to your taste.
(PS. there will be wine!)…

Simply enter EDIT20 once tickets are added to basket. Offer is up to midnight, Friday 3rd June, and is valid for the following:

Lisa Jewell & Will Brooker

Friday 17th June, 9.15pm, tickets £13,  concessions £11

Have you ever thought about what it takes to become a bestselling writer? If so, The Truth About Lisa Jewell is the book for you. In it, Will Brooker tells the story of how a novel is written, from before the start to after the finish; it’s an in-depth analysis of how that novel fits into a bestselling author like

Lisa Jewell’s career and her previous work, and what her style shares with other authors. Both Will and Lisa will be on stage to talk about the story of their friendship - popular novelist and professor of cultural studies - two very different writers. This will be a fascinating event - and Lisa will also give us a glimpse of what will be coming in The Family Remains due to be published in July.

Click here for ticket link

Helen McGinn: The Knackered Mother’s Wine Guide - A Top Up

Sunday 19th June, 8.15pm, tickets £20 (including samples!)

It’s been a while, but this year TV wine expert Helen McGinn is back and she’s bringing wine! Helen’s wine book is based on her award-winning

blog and aims to steer you through the wine aisle with confidence.  She’ll have a selection to taste whilst talking about the secret to picking

a good bottle every time and she’s also written two fiction books since her last visit so expect plenty of wine and book chat! Oh, and given it’s

Father’s Day they’re allowed in too!  Ticket includes wine samples from our wine partners Corney & Barrow.

 Click here to join in the fun and get tickets!

Jenny Colgan

Sunday 19th June, 5.00pm, tickets £11, concessions £9

From the chart-topping, Sunday Times bestselling author comes the final novel in the beloved Mure series, An Island Wedding. Prepare to have your heart broken, mended and then broken again. Olivia and Anthony are planning A Very Extravagant Wedding at the newest hotel on the tiny Scottish island of Mure.  They’re flying in chefs, musicians and something called a living flower wall…and no one is even allowed to think the word bridezilla. But it turns out to be a story of three couples and one midsummer night. Can everyone get their happy ever after?

Sunday 19 June

Again, Click here for more information and ticket link

CODE: EDIT20 valid up to midnight 3rd June 2022.

Hopefully these great events shall strike a chord with you and you can find a little space in the diaries to attend. Myself and the girls are going to be at the Friday evening event with Lisa Jewell and Will Brooker, making a little evening celebration for a 40th birthday all whilst learning how to write that ‘bestselling’ book! Ahh, maybe the next project!

I’m also trying to convince Colin that ‘the knackered mother’s wine club’ would be a great way to spend Father’s Day evening!
Although actually, to recall… the last time we attended the book festival on Father’s Day in Melrose, we found out that morning we were expecting the third child! I’m not sure we took much in that day :)

Secondly…. Necklace discount at The Heartland Market.

The Colourful Edit will also be there exhibiting during the four days with the fabulous Heartland Market, so you can add a little colour to your look via our market stall too! Simply show me your tickets to the above events, or mention the EDIT20 code in person, and we will also offer you an amazing 20% off all necklaces purchased.

Get in touch lauren@thecolourfuledit.com if you have any questions.

Hope to see you there gals!

Lauren xoxo

Are you a Queen of style?

Then this one is for you! Keep on reading …

I’m delighted to be involved with the team at Kelso Races once again, to help determine our “Queen of Style’ winner, this Ladies Day.

It's going to be an epic afternoon full of colour, fun and fantastic racing including the £12,000 feature race, The Corinthian Cup Hunter Chase. There'll be valuable prizes for the most stylish racegoers - so if you haven’t already, why not get yourself a ticket and enjoy a day at the races with your friends, and you may as well get all dressed up to dazzle when you find out about the amazing prizes on offer!

Myself and the gorgeous Claire from Inis (a beautiful clothing store with shops in Peebles, Galashiels and Hawick) have teamed up and shall be offering a full styling package (colour, shape, style, digital mood-boards & a personal shop ), along with £650 vouchers to spend within Inis, Galashiels. Claire has a beautiful range of quality classic clothing featuring brands such as; French Connection, Ichi, Birkenstocks, Part Two, White Stuff, Masai, Amazing Woman, Pilgrim, Isle Jacobsen plus many more.

What a fantastic opportunity for the crowned, Queen of Style! The perfect way to start your ideal capsule wardrobe, with a guided eye and fantastic quality, sustainable clothing at your fingertips. Less about the fast fashion, more about considered choices featuring your wow colours and ideal style. Refreshments of choice included too!

And alongside that wonderful prize - here are the details of more amazing prizes on the day, from other fantastic businesses.

The Vintage Style Award: judged at 2:25pm

Prize: The Edinburgh Gin Experience and Goodie Bag

Inc: Runners-up Prizes

Most Stylish Couple: judged at 3:00pm

Prize:Luxury Stay at the Schloss Roxburghe, including Dinner & Breakfast

Inc: Runners-up Prizes

The Dapper Chap: judged at 3:35pm

Prize: A bespoke suit, made to measure by A Hume

Inc: Runners-up Prizes

The Queen of Style: judged at 4:10pm

As mentioned above!

Inc: Runners-up Prizes

There are 10 days to go folks! So get your friends together and be in it, to win it.

Tickets can be bought online or over the telephone, for all the information, please visit click here

Colourful, creative, kind; our sustainable journey.

Written by Cairi Bates
Guest Writer - The Colourful Edit

Here at The Colourful Edit, we know that sustainability is a journey. It’s about being mindful, doing our research, and making informed choices in all aspects of our business. When most of us think about what it means to be sustainable, our immediate thought will be about product; how they are made, what they are made of and by who. This is of course a big part of it, however there are other ways that we champion it here at TCE HQ, ways we think might surprise you. So, without further ado, here are our four ways in which we champion sustainable choices:

The Sustainable Stylist:

Lauren uses her expertise in colour to create pieces that will compliment your personal and seasonal colour palette (proud autumn here, thanks Lauren!). Fast fashion encourages us to by what they deem to be on trend and of the minute, with those trend timeframes becoming shorter all the time. This encourages a throw away culture, something Lauren would love us all to do less of. Her ethos has never been about emptying out her clients closets and replacing everything, on the contrary, she is a great believer in helping you rediscover your own hidden wardrobe gems. The press often comments on Kate Middleton’s recycling of outfits as if wearing an item of clothing more than once is a monumental achievement. We here at TCE just call that smart. If you steer clear of the fast fashion ethos and concentrate on wearing what makes you as an individual shine, then that’s a win both for your pocket, and the planet.

When it does come to helping her client’s shop, Lauren encourages the slow fashion approach. Think small brands and shopping second hand, in turn what you get is better quality products and materials. Small brands will inevitably mean they have been carefully handmade by either a single maker, or a small local team, while second hand gives you the chance to perhaps rehome something magical. Personally, I think there’s something quite special about buying second hand and imagining the life that item had before.

Local Makers:

The creative industry is practically sewn into the fabric of the Borders, there is a long and rich history of makers, inventors, and creators here, so naturally, TCE products are made where it all started, by a lovely local team who create each beautiful accessory by hand. Quality is at the very heart of it all, with each piece being created to a pattern standard. Afterall, our beautiful customers deserve equally beautiful pieces, so there’s no rushing out a hundred necklaces an hour here!

Recycled Materials:

Did you know the yarn used to make that beautiful necklace, or pair of earrings you’re wearing is made from recycled fabric? Pretty amazing right? The textiles, instead of being sent to landfill or burned, have been repurposed to be used again as a lovely chunky yarn. We all think that’s pretty fantastic! Lauren takes great care to carefully plan her collections for Spring and Autumn, with the mindset to order only what she needs. Any off cuts are given to local community projects, so nothing goes to waste. Do you remember our fantastic mini creatives campaign? It’s a great example of how the so called ‘waste’ yarn can be put to good use.

Recycled Packaging:

Making a purchase from us is very much about the whole experience, packaging then, is every bit as important as the product. Most of ou packing materials have been locally sourced, which is an important part of keeping your footprint small. Equally, it means we are supporting the local economy, and fellow business owners, something Lauren is particularly passionate about and seeks to do as often as she can. But what about the pretty tissue paper your purchase is wrapped in? Fear not, it too is recycled, and bought in bulk annually from a lovely supplier in New Zealand.

I hope this gives you a little peek into what we are doing here at TCE to be as mindful and sustainable as we can as a brand. As you can see, it’s not just about the product, but is a multi-faceted, carefully considered mindset that is at the very heart of what we do. It’s about keeping our footprint small, looking after local, and helping everybody change how we think about clothing and shopping, while still offering you beautiful products and services to make you smile.

Written by Cairi Bates
Guest Writer - The Colourful Edit

We brought the heart back…

Well, it’s safe to say, our very first market, the Heartland Market was such a great success! The street was filled with over 2000 peoplewho all came to have a little shop, chat and potter and obviously take home some of our lovely produce!

Myself, Emily and Esther were kind of just jumping for joy all day - you see it’s quite a big thing, putting your heart into something and praying it doesn’t fail! Galashiels didn’t, and we all felt the emotion, of the return of people to the streets.

Our stall holders almost sold out and the retailers in town saw footfall like no other Saturday they could remember all surpassing their normal Saturday sales.

For myself and Katie, creating the look and feel, the website and all the promotions was such a joy, so to see the vision and the planning come together just made us smile. Branding is key!

We are in the midst of planning our April event as we speak - you can visit our website for more information…

www.theheartlandmarket.uk

COLOUR CONFIDENCE AT EGG & CO

Next week I will be placed up in Edinburgh, popping up for a whole week in the newly established EGG & Co, a space championed by females, for female founders to bring their goods too! It is perfect timing really, the week before Mother’s Day weekend, so an ideal opportunity to come and arrange a gift or a voucher, or even treat yourself to a colour analysis session.

I will be there all the days except Friday, when Nicole will be representing our Brand. We have sessions in ‘colour confidence’ available at 10, 11, 12 & 1pm most days. My week days will be from 10-2, a longer day onThursday, then Saturday and Sunday I’ll be in all day.

You can book here;

https://thecolourfuledit.as.me/eggandco

Please pre-pay by ordering a digital voucher:

https://www.thecolourfuledit.com/vouchers/p/eggandcovoucher

The cost is £75(1hr) which includes advice on your seasonal palette, a take home swatch and make up advice.

I will also have my new Spring range of necklaces which are going to add a splash of style to your look in this seasons key colours!

Did I mention that our products are sustainable? Made from recycled cotton, with recyclable packaging.

Look forward to seeing what the week brings!

Lauren xx

the heartland market

As you all know, I’m a passionate ambassador of small businesses. Pre-covid I organised and ran The Colourful Edits’ Christmas Markets which showcased female founders under one roof. Most of you came and had a lovely couple of hours (peace and quiet from actual life), caught up with friends and shopped locally for your festive gifts. The Scottish Borders has so much talent. And most people I speak with, really want their towns to thrive.

You may also know that I was born and bred in Galashiels and have lovely childhood memories of growing up here. The town felt safe, there was a community, great shops and you wouldn’t walk past someone without stopping for a chat (or was that just my mum!). After a stint in Edinburgh, and all my twenties overseas in New Zealand & Australia, the call of ‘home’ brought me back. What was I thinking you may ask, but actually, the Scottish Borders is beautiful place to be. Like most though, I want my home town to be somewhere I’m proud of, to invite people, to have a talking point, especially now that I have my own family and dream of the same memories for them, as I had growing up.

Lately, with covid thrown into the mix, that sense of community has really diminished. We need to increase footfall in our home town and rally together for our lovely independent shop owners with great products, working everyday to support their families.

There isn’t really a gathering as such to bring everyone together. To put the beating heart back into the town centre (other than the town festivals that happen once a year). Wouldn’t it be nice to have a sense of homeliness.

It was time to get together with some like minded ladies, and make it happen…

We hatched a plan, each took on roles and have actually made it happen with support from Energise Galashiels Trust.

We - myself & Katie, Emily McGowan, Esther McLuckie and Jude Cormack have been working behind the scenes, planning our first Market. We have been working into the evenings and zooming through the last few weeks getting everything ready for March’s launch. Yes, March.

Introducing… The Heartland Market.

flyers for the event

The Heartland Market is to be a monthly creative space for our local traders to showcase their talents and products, to inspire and entice the community within the heart of Galashiels. Our hope is that It will bring people in from other areas, boost other Borders locations and make us feel proud to have a community event in the town centre, in turn this will create footfall for our shop owners and other small businesses.

We are looking for wonderful homegrown talent, people who have a craft, a skill, a product they can showcase. We also are hoping to involve the students from the University, to build a bridge for them to feel like they are connected. If you are a maker, shaker, baker or caker, you may apply through our form on the website. We will consider all applicants and hope to rotate and showcase an array of brands every month.

image of the planned layout

website is live and ready

I guess I’m telling you all this in the hope that you might get the train down from Edinburgh with a group of friends, pop over from Jedburgh/Peebles for a bit of retail therapy, or even fly up from London (hi Katie!) to taste some gorgeous Borders products. Who knows!

All I know is that we are putting in the work, to hopefully create some lasting legacy for our town to thrive. We will be running once a month from March to December. That’s the present commitment. It needs to work. We’ll try our best. We jut need the support and encouragement of like minded people. I’d love for you to come to the party!

Lauren xoxo

www.theheartlandmarket.uk
Please like, share and comment on our social channels.

egg + co

save the date

SAVE THE DATE
☀️Mon 14th - Sun 19th March ☀️

Delighted to be taking a space in @eggcommunity

This is a space, powered by woman. With an array of amazing founders popping up with their products, with a focus on sustainability.

I’ll be using the space to work from all week - train line here I come! Coffee & WiFi!

TCE will have an amazing range of colours and styles of necklaces and earrings available, in time for Mothers Day gifting. I’ll also be available for colour analysis bookings - so if you fancy this, just email lauren@thecolourfuledit.com to secure a spot with me. Or just come and say hey and find a bit more about our TCE brand ❤️

It’s all very exciting! 💝

inspiration for wedding guests…

WEDDING GUEST INSPIRATION
I’m sooooooo looking forward to attending my cousins wedding this year, it has got me thinking! What shall I wear, can I rework my current wardrobe, how can I put a new spin on my accessories… should I buy something new?

I know that most of my clients feel the stress to dress, especially for events. If you are attending a wedding this year, I’d alway be recommending to try and shop your own wardrobe, borrow from a friend, buy second hand or rent your outfit from a rental clothing platform site like HURR. It’s a nice way to get an up market revamp, without the cost of buying full price. Here, I’ve grabbed a few show stoppers from HURR which are available to rent…

CONSIDERED PURCHASES
Of course, if you see something you love - then also go for it! Life is too short to stress, (but always try to consider the life of the piece you are investing in).

When it comes to purchases, my main rules for myself are now;

• a great quality of fabric (sustainable),

• the absolute wow factor (that I can pass down the line),

• buying from a small business/designer

• something unique that I will treasure for years to come.

I actually bought my wedding headpiece before my actual wedding dress! It was the show stopper for me and I try and wear it at any given opportunity!

THE POWER IN DRESSING IN YOUR PALETTE
You know by now (if you follow me!), that by shopping in your colour palette, you are already putting your best ‘YOU’ forward. It’s worth the investment of a colour analysis to get you into the right zone. It helps with dressing in your colours, tonal dressing, how to wear colours and even what make up to wear.

In light of this, as a little guide to dressing in colour, Nicole has put together a digital shopping board for each season. Nicole’s brief was to look at all shapes, sizes and budgets. Here it is! If you would like a PDF copy of this guide, simply email Nicole@thecolourfuledit.com

colour & confidence - finding ‘your’ wow!

I’ve had the pleasure of working with the most gorgeous woman throughout my 10 years as a stylist. I couldn’t have asked for a better crowd. Not only have we had great sessions together, the relationships have extended into friendships, which is just lovely.

There is a reason behind my ‘rainbow lady’ status. I use colour to boost woman into levels of confidence that they have been missing, or have put to the side whilst they see to everyone else. Sound familiar? We dress with the intention of creating small bouts of happy. We look good, we feel happy, we have more confidence and other people start enjoying the vibe.

I can’t take all the credit for dressing in colour of course. My trained eye can look closely at your skin tone, your eyes and your hair and watch you glow in your perfect palette. Being in your correct colour palette can make you more attractive, youthful and healthy. But the happiness, learned knowledge and confidence part, well that comes down to a few things, and I’ve noted a few here for your reading pleasure!

YOUR INNER CONFIDENCE
You are the only person who can ultimately challenge yourself when it comes to colour and style. When I work with new clients, the first thing I ask is what is the favourite colour, and why? You see, it’s the ‘why’ part that seems to stumble women. ‘Why’ would I take the time to think about the ‘why’?? Well, it’s time to start focussing on YOU.

When I first trained as a colour specialist, for me, it was all about the seasons and the colours and getting that right. Fast forward a few years and a black book of lovely clients, I now have come to realise that it’s more about giving you all the tools, the inner work needs to start with you. There is no point me telling you to dress head to toe in the brights, if your personality is screaming for the calm factor. Or moreover, you are looking lush in muted tones, but you want to SHINE.

Colour can have a profound effect on you, and others. There are healing benefits to wearing colours. Colours can make you feel things - for example a calming blue for communicating or a caring pink to nurture. Red has associations with drama and romance and can be often seen as ‘dangerous’. Black is the power dressing colour, although black if it isn’t in your palette won’t make you shine. Black also can really drag down other colours, with the exception of cool and brilliant tones.

REVISITING YOUR NEUTRALS

For the record, I am not against black clothes. I have a large section in my wardrobe detailing light and shade and texture in the form of my bridal stylist attire. HOWEVER. If you are not in the coolest category of the skin, you are most definitely going to have to pick a new neutral. You will thank me for it. If you have warmth, you should opt for a Marine Navy, Khaki or French Navy. If you have more of a cool and soft tone, stick to Navy. If you can’t avoid black, focus on a pop of colour near your face!

THE DOPAMINE DRESSING EFFECT
A little something to do with dopamine dressing ladies. Well, c’mon then, what’s dopamine dressing I hear you say?

Well, it is the association between brightly coloured clothing and the happiness. Instilling joy through what we wear has a name – 'dopamine dressing' – there are books, reviews, articles and the likes… go on, google it, you won’t look back.

THE COLOUR WHEEL
Take a look at one.

You see those colours on the opposite sides? Well my friend. They are called complimentary colours for a reason! Blue and Orange, Red and Green (think of Christmas people). Try it. You will reap the benefits!

Colours on the quarter which you see reminding you of sunsets, oceans, summer fields, well these are called harmonious colours and they work together in harmony to create something beaut.

TONAL FOR THE WIN

Moving away from black is tricky. The trickiest thing is that not only are our clothes obsessively black, but ALL our shoes are too! To get around this, an idea I suggest is to keep your colour from head to toe. Navy top, navy bottoms, navy shoes, accessories etc. On a side note, I love navy and black together too.

DRESS YOUR NECK

Framing your face with colour is a fantastic start. Don’t you know I created a whole product around this concept! I don’t just mean to sneak in a side advert for my ‘edits’, but actually, you can wear;

A hat, glasses, a pair of earrings, a headband, a scarf, a necklace, a polo-neck.

As we are all finding ourselves chatting more online, now, than ever before, your face really is going to be seen! I’ve had specific briefs for boosting the ‘zoom’ profile and linked in images where I can give advise on colour and styles.

POP OF COLOUR
And whilst we are on the subject, wearing the wrong shade of lipstick for your skin tone can have an ageing effect. Autumns, please avoid pink! There’s a list of mascaras for your eye colour too…

PICK YOUR PALETTE
Sticking to three or four colours can reap benefits for your style and work amazingly well in creating capsule wardrobes. You can mix and match and make decisions easily based on having a few key pieces. Tonally they will match, you have creative license, it stops you from buy, buy, buying and slows the pace into more a considered fashion approach. For me, I group my wardrobe items into colours. My top colours are; shades of blue, peachy and pretty pinks, cool & bright greens, mother of pearl, navy and sequins.

So, I hope this has helped start a conversation about the joy of colour and what it can do for you and your confidence.

But how do you find ‘your' wow’. You do, through time and work. Meanwhile, you listen, you pay attention to how you look in the mirror, the toolkit we work on together, and you go forth with your palette the way you see fit.

Inspiration is everywhere. For me though, it’s in the shift of the Seasons and all the joyous hues and tones that come with each change. It’s literally being gifted to us everyday of life. So will you roll with the drama of Winter, the soft haze of Summer, the vibrancy of Autumn or the joy of Spring. I could type for days!!

All my love,

Lauren xoxo

I’m always happy to make new connections, so if you have been thinking about a session, please do get in touch. You won’t look back, I promise. lauren@thecolourfuledit.com or call 07872859903.

TOTES AMAZING

A while back, whilst styling a lovely client, we got to talking about another lady, with a love for colour.

‘Have you heard of Totes’ Jan said
’Like, as in the ‘tote’ bag’ said Lauren
’Nooooooo, like as in the awesome runner/fashion lover/blogger’
’Ahh - no?’ said Lauren
’Well, you must must must - she’d love your products!’

And that’s basically how it all started.

The next day I messaged Alison Stankard and mentioned a friend had put me onto her and I wondered if she may like a few of our pieces to try. She said she was very honoured and that people never send her stuff!

So my products went down South, the lego coloured ones anyway. And I got on with my day.

A few weeks later, another friend sent me some images from her social media, of Alison wearing my designs. Not just wearing them though. Rocking them. She looked wonderful and really gave the designs a fabulous canvas.

We had a quick chat about doing a collaboration, and after a series of events, we got a little date in the diary.

The thing about my products are this;

They were created on my kitchen table.
They are designed with the wearer having an interest in COLOUR
They are a statement piece, setting off any outfit into it’s own league.
You come to them in your own time. It has to be organic or it isn’t going to work.
People just ‘get them’, adore them and wear them even better than myself at times.

The collaboration with Totes really started out of a mutual respect for each other’s style, the love of colour and supporting small business. Since meeting ‘in person’ in Manchester, i’ve realised that there are just some people who are genuinely out to help others and spur them on. As a fellow mother of three (plus a dog) I’d like to thank Alison for being such a ray of sunshine on a cloudy Manchester day.

You can follow Totes here

A Special Thanks to You…

“Use LOYAL21 at checkout for a 20% discount across the entire site. Includes styling and colour services.
Valid until 15th December 2021”

— Lauren xx

Growing my own brand has been quite the journey. I have been extremely blessed to have seen growth in my following over the last six years. It’s strange to think back to 2015, when the kids were little (I mean tiny), I was working away into the wee hours on The Colourful Edit imagining where I could take it and knowing that it had strength.

I said to hubby at the time, if this doesn’t work, and my ideas are awful, I’ll get another job once they are all in school.

‘They’, the reason, are my three children, Mac, Nell & Quinn. Balancing the load has never been more tricky (especially post lockdown), but my work allows me to have the time with them, then have the time building my brand, when they are at school, or in the evenings, so that they can look back and think, wow, my mum changed things up and made people feel good about themselves through her colourful ways.

My first ever pop up shop saw customers coming in to check out ‘the rainbow girl’. I’m not sure everyone got it at the start. I’m not sure I knew how to even talk about it. Most of you just saw the beauty in my idea, but needed confidence to embrace the colour. Mainly, you all just wanted to embrace the creativity and support me. You all know who you are, and you are still with me to this day, looking damn fine and embracing colour, and encouraging people to do the same. Some may call you my Brand Ambassadors!

2020/2021 has been such a rollercoaster. I’m not sure we are talking about this enough. Everyone is feeling the burn, from my GP friends, to my mum friends to my small business friends, teacher friends to my overseas friends. What’s worse, no one has any of the answers.

Amongst the personal worries that come with being a mum, wife, daughter, sister and friend. Business wise, I’ve had to combat a lot of change and uncertainty for my small ‘but mighty’ business. Growing from strength to strength, with opportunities to Pitch with the likes of Trinny Woodall, to panicking the next month with my Studio closed, no footfall and no ‘colourful news’ during the Pandemic. Not to mention dealing with the ‘copy cats’ and ‘idea thieves’ who aren’t worthy of the mention (but one day may get their stage). Strategies for growth were popped on hold, whilst new strategies for the ‘new norm’ were popped quickly into place. Pivoting and thinking outside of the box is something I do quite well as an ‘ideas’ person, thankfully.

The one thing I can say however, is that there is so much power in colour and the joy and hope it can bring. You all were using it through lockdown to create happy zooms, sending on colourful gifts to loved ones, and post lockdown 99% of my clients are all encompassing of the COLOUR. This makes me soooooo happy!

I have lately been working with Katie on my new Website and this week we have launched. It’s been a while in the making. I wanted to showcase everything we stand for at the Colourful Edit and all our products & services. I have revisited a few of my styling and colour services and revamped them in a way that will best serve my clients (and myself) in terms of best value. There are some price changes in some areas, but these are reflective of the service provided. The products are now easily listed and shopable - I hope you’ll agree.

So, I conclude…

This has been a long winded message of THANKS!

Thank you to you all for sticking with me, supporting me, booking in with me and wearing my products. I’m offering 20% off until 15 December across products and services. So if you have been thinking about a colour session, you are more than welcome to order vouchers using our special code LOYAL21 at checkout.

Lots of Love,

Lauren xx

Mini Creatives - Campaign Winner

Back Story… During lockdown, being a mum of three myself, I always found it was lovely to see the kids crafting. As a small token, myself and the kids created 100 mini packs for local kids to collect and create with. Using recycled yarn, as I do, to make something beautiful.

After the year we have all gone through, knowing the joy that kids can bring, and with use of a sustainable fabric, I wanted to tap into this sentiment for my upcoming Christmas packaging. We always send pictures to our closest and it brings joy. How nice would it be to involve the local community and schools, in helping us with our art and putting a smile on our customers faces.

PILOT SCHEME
The brief was for the kids to use our yarn, to create something which would bring joy to people over Christmas. They could use their imaginations, other recycled products to explore their meaning of Christmas.

We made up 16 large boxes of our ‘yarn ends’ and we hand delivered these to 16 local schools. We had over 200 responses. Out of these 200, we shortlisted to the five below. We were completely blown away by the entries and the talent of all the children involved.

Each of the children will receive a gift from The Colourful Edit, and hopefully we will be able to meet in person to have a chat about what inspired them.

However, there must be a winner…

And the winner is… Alfie’s Reindeer.

We love this one so much as it really resonates the magic of Christmas, the carefree spirit and elegance of the animal, the peacefulness of the night and the joy inside colourful homes. We loved the print and pattern choices and the magic this creates.

Well done to Alfie and we will look forward to meeting with you soon! Your artwork will be printed and delivered to all of our customers over the festive period.

---

FURTHER NEWS…

Not only has the response from our primary schools been incredible, but The Colourful Edit has been approached by Dr Aude Le Guennec, Assistant Professor in Design studies / Design anthropology at Heriot Watt University, School of Textiles and Designs who has showed great interest in our creative campaign;

We are currently collaborating with anthropologists, educators, practitioners and museums professionals on a series of projects where we are exploring ways children interpret their clothes, co-create with adults and how this could inspire the industry for a more sustainable and inclusive society. And every initiative on this approach is really inspirational and informative for our project.

This has prompted an even greater initiative, to run a bi-yearly programme to involve both lower and upper levels of the eduction sector. Heriot Watt University are happy to support and collaborate with The Colourful Edit on this initiative and we will look forward to bringing together our ideas.

To the children (present and future) who have been/will be shortlisted we would be delighted to educate and help them find out and explore further into the world of fashion and sustainability.

So - look out for EASTER campaign kids!

---

FURTHERMORE…

We are also delighted to announce that as well as the winning postcards, we had such amazing entries (honestly so tricky to choose), we have decided to created a pattern design with some of our favourite entries! Have a look at the sneak peak!