Top Left: Highwaisted black trousers £85, shirt with removeable chiffon collar £65 and suit jacket £105 all Firetrap. Top Right: Saint Tropez cardigans £19.95 each available in red, black, purple and brown. Bottom Left: Thomas Burberry patent leather and chunky knit handbag in navy blue £130. Bottom Right: Firetrap highwaist Prince of Wales check trousers £80, Firetrap ‘mclaren’ top £50 and Saint Tropez black cardigan £19.95.

Ladies take a deep breath, sit down and thank your lucky stars that we now have everything you need to make all your curves (or lack thereof) stay exactly where and look exactly like you want them to. Introducing…Fashion First Aid from Useful Chick Stuff Co; a collection of “solutions to those small fashion faux pas that can ruin your entire day.” Let me explain more, imagine this, you walk into a shop and fall in love at first sight with a sleek low back thin strapped dress. You try it on knowing that it’s ‘THE ONE’ and disaster strikes; there is no way you can wear a bra with it and without one of your boobs are proposing to your stomach. If that wasn’t enough your bum has suddenly turned into double bum, and you’re left completely disheartened that your perfect match wasn’t meant to be after all. Well Fashion First Aid is here to insure that the dress you fall in love with, falls in love with you too. They have designed an array of items that include Boostits, a half or full cup bra insert to, well, boost-tits! Completely invisible underwear to evade that nightmare VPL and my personal favourite Liftits! Following is what the collection contains and in UCS co own words what they achieve:
  
 Liftits: Face it we can all use a bit of perkification now and then. Especially when it’s time to slip into something slinky – and we’re talking backless, strapless or halter neck here.
These are perfect for those moments. When bras are not an option, and droop is definitely out of the question. Just unpeel, hitch up and attach. It’s a perkified new you. All it takes is Liftits.
Liftits lift your breasts up to 5cm (2”) – works for an A cup up to a D cup. They stay in place all day and night (or until you decide the time is right).
Liftits are a hypoallergenic adhesive, applied to the top of the breast rather than underneath. They are transparent, waterproof (yes – that means you can wear them swimming) and virtually undetectable.

Tapeits: Memorable fashion moments. We’ve all had them. And if yours are more ‘Oh God!’ than goddess, this tape is for you. It’s the secret ingredient of magazine-perfect glamour. The fashionista’s hidden weapon. And it couldn’t be simpler.
Invisible. Reliable. Comfortable. Just peel and stick for instant confidence. Hide bra straps; keep breasts under wraps; sling backs, necklines & hemlines are finally just where you want them. Your fashion fix all – just tape-it!

Supportits: What to do when something says ‘wear me’ but your body goes ‘wobble’? When there is no way a bra can go under that dress.
Yes it’s that backless, strapless, slip of a thing we’re talking about. You know you want it. Nothing short of a magic trick is in order. Well here it is.
Made of soft fabric, this self sticking, no bra is totally comfortable, 100% effective, and contours beautifully to your body creating the ultimate bust line. Repeat after us. Support-It!
The first re-useable fabric bra gives you a totally smooth, supported and natural finish.

Boostits: The million dollar boob question. Would you, wouldn’t you? And what if some days you want them, other days you don’t? How to decide? Well now you don’t have to.
Slipped inside your bra, they feel and look just like the real thing – only bigger. They’re mood uplifting, confidence-inspiring, and super-discreet. For all these reasons, we love our Boostits.
They can be worn with under wired, push up or plunge bras to achieve a natural looking silhouette. The skin-soft silicone is comfortable against the skin and feels natural to touch.
Available in full cup bra inserts to increase your breast by one cup size or half cup inserts for extra cleavage enhancement.

Concealits: You know how it feels to have thermometers instead of nipples – sometimes the pesky things just can’t help popping up to say hello and offering a weather report.
Not any more. These re-useable silicone discs are flesh coloured and ultra smooth, perfect to disguise those over-friendly moments – with or without a bra, even under a swimsuit or bikini. Goodbye nipples, hello Concealits.
Re-useable up to 20 times.

Underwhere?: ORIGINAL! Using revolutionary laser technology and heat-sealed seams so you can truly be seam-free where it counts!
We’ve all been there. Go commando or suffer a VPL. Not a great choice. Especially when you’re in the mood for sheer or slinky.
Now those dilemmas are over. Seam-free, virtually invisible, they’re panties, but not as you know them. More like wearing nothing at all, just a tad more demure. Did I hear someone say Underwhere?
Available in boy short or thong, sizes small/medium or medium/large and in pink, nude or black.

So there it is ladies, no more excuses as to why you can’t wear that backless top or slinky dress anymore. So when you come in and find ‘THE ONE’ just remember to get your Fashion First Aid at the till.

The start of December has marked the official start of Christmas, there is hustle and bustle everywhere, the tree is up and the Christmas songs are on loop on the stereo. The streets are filled with shoppers, their bags bursting with gifts and I haven’t even started!
Thankfully my present shopping nightmare has been answered with the arrival of some superb stocking fillers. We have had a delivery of some gorgeous jewellery to add sparkle and dazzle on Christmas morning, pretty scarves from Caroline that brighten up any outfit, soft wool socks from Noa Noa to keep your toes warm when walking off your indulgence of Christmas pudding on Boxing Day and some delicious smelling French Connection perfume to make you smell go enough to eat!
This year we have also filled the shop with some of the oldest and most beautiful smelling candles from France – Maison de Cire Trudon candles have been manufacturing candles since 1643, using the finest and most natural of ingredients. Candle wicks are weaved from the purest cotton, wax enriched with the cleanest most natural fragrances and all contained in hand blown green glass to give a festive glow.
So we have Christmas covered from every angle, fill your bags with our beautiful gifts.

Jasmine

It’s that time again where we show you one of our customers looking like a real diva, and this week it was Jane Forrest that won the title of ‘Diva of the Week’. Jane is a single mum of two, her daughters are Emma 19 and Amber 13. Jane works as a Land Agent, buying and selling land for large companies. Jane has lived in Torquay for eight years and has been a regular customer since she moved here, she says “I love spending money, but spending other people’s is even better!”, we agree!! Jane’s favourite brands are Ted Baker and Firetrap but she always tries anything we say will look great on her; this week we put Jane in this fab Miss Sixty dress £55, with French Connection leggings £12 and Ted Baker shoes £75. Jane loves going out dancing and sampling a few cocktails on a Saturday night so this outfit was perfect for her, she says “every time I come in here I have to buy something” and we often see her out on a Saturday night looking fab in her new purchases!! Thanks for being our Diva of the Week Jane, you look great.

Pictures clockwise from left; Black slash neck crinkle top, £95, Caroline. Black pleated long skirt, £110, Caroline. Black leather waist belt, £42, Noa Noa. Clutch bag with wrist strap, £120, Lie Down I Think I Love You. Top right; Beaded Alice band in gold and black, £12, Noa Noa. Bottom right; Grey 100% Mongolian Cashmere Wrap, £200, Caroline. Red velvet trim cardigan, £78, Avoca. Red a-line skirt, £71, Avoca. Gold plaited bead necklace, £12, Noa Noa. Brown leather belt, £28, Noa Noa. Bottom left; The perfect Christmas present; 100% Mongolian Cashmere scarf available in a gorgeous range of colours, £65, Caroline.

Its week three of ‘Diva Of The Week’ and Jodie Shelley has stepped up to the mark!  Jody is married to Jonathon and has a son, Ellis, seven.  She embarks on an exciting new venture in the new year, opening “Jods”; a hair and beauty salon in Torquay.  Jody has been a customer of Diva for fifteen years after discovering us when she was living in Totnes and studying at Exeter College.  Her reason why she loves shopping here so much?
 
“I just tell the girls what I am after and they are good at ‘cherry picking’ pieces for me!”
 
Jody’s favourite brands in the shop are French Connection and Great Plains and she loves nothing more on a Saturday night than to go out and show off her new outfit!  So much so that her husband jokes that he only works to keep Diva going!! Jody’s always lovely when she comes in and lets us throw all sorts of styles at her, which is usually how she finds what she’s after. This visit Jody loved this gorgeous embellished gemset dress from French Connection,£110 with Ted Baker “Kim” shoes £75.Thanks for being our Diva this week Jody and see you next time!
 
 

Top Left:French Connection Purple satin dress £85 (also available in navy with gold spots), French Connection polo bodysuit £30 and Great Plains black tights £7.50. Bottom Left:Great Plains tights in Black £7.50, Grey footless £8 and Rasberry £7.50. Top Right:French Connection animal print scarf £30 and gloves £18. Bottom Right:French Connection multicolour dress £95 and Great Plains tights £7.50, available in colours as above.