The beginning of 2020 is almost here: what is going to be in fashion during the cold winter months? Here are some of the top fashions and trends to get you started in the new year:

1. Loose jeans. The days of skinny jeans are over – straight leg and boyfriend styles are in vogue now. Skinny jeans may still have a place in your wardrobe, but on a day to day basis, straight leg jeans is where it’s at.
2. Ankle boots. Chelsea boots, chunky laced up boots and high heeled boots are the styles that will be filling your wardrobe in 2020.
3. Chunky knit jumpers. January is one of the coldest months of the year, which calls for a fashionable chunky knit.
4. Backpacks. If you’re looking for a new handbag, leather backpacks are still very much the ‘in’ look. They’re fashionable and very practical as well.
5. Hoop earrings. The trend for hoop earrings doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon.

Plus size clothes can make or break a clothing business. Either plus size ranges will really take off, or they will be too niche and not enough people will buy them. However in recent times, more businesses have been starting to stock plus size clothing lines and are seeing real success from them.

Plus size clothing doesn’t have to be niche at all, it can be beautifully made and appeal to a lot of people. You don’t have to stock plus size clothing in favour of other types of clothing, you can stock both at the same time. This will give your customers more choice and will ensure that everybody can get something to suit them, in a size that is flattering and comfortable. Plus size lines can be great for your business and will help you to appeal to a broader range of people who might otherwise choose to shop elsewhere.

Let’s face it – occasion wear is expensive. If you are buying high quality dresses that you enjoy wearing, chances are they aren’t going to be all that cheap. You get what you pay for, so a beautiful dress or smart blazer that is made from quality material will set you back quite a bit.

The answer? A capsule wardrobe. This will allow you to go to various events without wearing the same outfit twice, giving you the flexibility to mix and match the various parts of your outfit. This means you only need to have one or two complete outfits, with elements that will go together in various combinations. For example, you might have one skirt, two tops, two pairs of shoes, a dress and two cardigans/jackets, all of which can be worn in different combinations to give you a new look every time. And the beauty of it is, it will cost you a lot less.

Many of us have purses and wallets full of store cards, probably many of which we don’t even use, as we may have visited to store once of twice. Is it really worth having all of these store cards lining our wallets?

With some store cards, the benefits are clear and it is a very good idea to have them. For example, some will give you a certain amount of money off each purchase, and may even give you seasonal gifts or birthday gifts, which will often be products that you buy regularly. This can be very beneficial for you and can help save you money in places that you regularly shop.

If you aren’t sure of the benefits of a store card, look them up. Some will need some research, as they will operate on a points basis and a certain number of points will equate to a certain number of pounds.

When someone has a baby, people inevitably want to give gifts to welcome the child into the world and to congratulate the parents. When you are shopping for a gift, you will probably be looking for something meaningful, something that will be really useful for the new parents and something that will help them remember the joyous birth of their child.

Have you thought about gifting clothes? You will be able to buy something that the parents really need – never underestimate how many clothes a newborn will get through! You can also buy something that is pretty and befitting a new baby, so you can have some fun when choosing it as well.

Buy something that is going to be useful to a new parent. Think about getting a babygro or some vests – the kinds of things they will get through so quickly. Bibs are also a good idea, and you can get some very cute options with illustrations and patterns.