Beat The Holiday Stress With Super Stylist Natasha Coote

Beat the Holiday stress with super stylist Natasha Coote

Natasha Coote - London based super stylist

Here in the YCB office, we’ve been indulging in a bit of early festive cheer: gingerbread lattes and Christmas music have been keeping us jolly as the temperature outside plummets. As much as our inner seven- year-olds are squirming with excitement, the reality of Christmas can be stressful. Wrestling spiky evergreens into living rooms, searching for the one blown bulb in the string of fairy lights, battling down Oxford Street in a desperate search for gifts…the sources of festive stress are many and varied. All this palaver comes before we’ve even got to what to wear for Christmas parties. Everyone wants to look their very best at this time of year, however it can be tricky when everything else is so frantic.

A great way to take the stress out of festive fashion is to hire a great stylist who will guide you to choices that will make you sparkle like a Christmas star, but with all the expenses this time of year, that seems unrealistic. However, we’ve discovered an extraordinary stylist. This talented stylist is Natasha Coote and she runs a styling boutique in Fulham and offers an amazing styling service, %100 free of charge. Her new concept store offers a totally fresh way to shop and delivers a personalised shopping experience.

Natasha Coote

The inspiration to start her own business came from her friends who’d long asked her for style advice and Natasha decided to launch her store in 2006. After years of working in the fashion industry as a buyer, Natasha posses intimate knowledge about how clothes behave and a razor-sharp stylist’s eye, as well as warm, open demeanour that instantly reassures all her clients.

The beauty of working with a stylist is that it saves you time and money; no more costly mistakes and bundles of unworn clothes lurking at the bottom of your wardrobe.‘When you have a stylist’s second opinion, you can break out of a rut and try new things that you wouldn’t have thought of before’ Natasha explains.

Her store is an Aladdin’s cave full of one off pieces, under the radar brands and exquisite textures and colours. The clothes aren’t particularly trendy, but rather than buying her stock according to passing fads, Natasha has chosen hardworking pieces that work for busy women in all areas of their lives whilst expressing their essential selves. ‘It’s all about styling a client’s personality, the clothes should reflect who they are, but the best version of themselves.’ She states. This service is invaluable all year round, but especially at Christmas when the added pressure to look great is piled on. When you have to dash from boardroom to bar, looking your absolute best needs a little careful manoeuvring. Coote’s guidelines are simple but effective: ‘The key to a great 24 hour outfit are chic basics that you can add interesting details to. Keeping a couple of great necklaces, a change of shoes and a clutch bag can add the essential details that work for the evening.’

Natasha Coote stylist in London

When we came to visit Natasha in her boutique on New Kings Road in Fulham earlier this week, the stylist shared with us her secrets on how to layer up an outfit that works for colder temperatures, starting with a delicate cotton t-shirt and a great pair of dark jeans, then a beautiful soft metallic top to add shimmer, a cosy cashmere knit and a chic crombie coat. To add extra warmth whilst maintaining Christmas sparkle, Natasha added a super cute jewel embellished beanie. Who knew that staying cosy could be so glamorous?

At this most frazzling time of year, us women have a tendency to run around trying to do everything, whilst still looking after families and holding down jobs. Here at Your Coffee Break we believe it’s essential to take care of yourself. There’s nothing quite like walking into a room and knowing that you look your absolute best, especially at Christmas. Natasha Coote’s boutique is a one-stop-shop not only for brilliant party looks, but also personalised, expert styling advice. ‘Tis the season for all things joyful and to make some time for yourself, not major outfit stresses and holiday headache.

For more information, visit www.natashacoote.com 

Rosa Hoskins

Rosa is an actress and writer living and working in London. She is also the writer behind Haute Hoskins (www.hautehoskins.com), where she talks trends, new designers and vintage fashion with a dash of social commentary.