Tights, we’ve all worn them. Whatever your preference, feminine coloured ones, feminine fabrics, quirky designs, a little lace or even some traditional hold-up we have all worn them.  Perhaps pairing them with ballerina flats, wedge sandals, or strappy heel?

Here are the best tips and tricks on how to get the best out of your tights:

1. High heels

It is a well known fact that legs look miles longer when wearing a fabulous pair of heels. Well maybe not miles but by wearing high heels, your gorgeous pins appear longer and leaner, not to mention show off those stunning pair of tights!

2. Colour choice

If you’re wearing bright tights, pair them with plainer colours up top. Nevertheless, you don’t necessarily have to wear only black, grey or brown on the top half. On the contrary you can certainly still wear more than one colour, but try keeping it neutral is essential.

3. Be aware of skirts with a split

Pure maximum exposure is not necessarily the best way to draw attention to your awesome tights. What is more, if you live in a cold climate it is essential to go for a higher denier fabric. Also when wearing skirts, take into consideration the location and length of a split, nothing is worse than unknowingly revelling a little too much!

4. Wearing boots

Boots can look absolutely fabulous with a great pair of tights, not to mention are ideal if you are not quite ready to bare all!

5. Wear denim

For pure ease, denim is just so easy to put with just about any kind of tights, from sheer and nude, to stunning, bright and sexy. Our verdict: denim with tights rock!

6. Blander makeup

Some people feel the need to match their makeup with their bold colour tights. This is a BIG no-no, it just looks too over done.  Have the confidence and be happy with having a single focus of your outfit, your fantastic tights!

I find that on the whole, work shoes or boots are more comfortable than hiking boots, but that is obviously dependent on what type of shoes you wear for work. Typical low heel boots or shoes are much easier on the feet than heavy hiking shoes which tend to be rather restrictive and do not let the feet breathe. Because of the lace up styles, they do need to be done up quite tightly. Work shoes or boots tend to be softer on the feet and more suitable for everyday conditions, but hiking boots do have their uses though as I would not want to be wearing anything else if I was out in terrible weather conditions climbing a mountain or trudging through heavy snow. They are designed for all weather conditions so they need to be tough in order for them to last and to keep your feet dry at all times.

At my office I am allowed to wear any style of shoes as there are no restrictions in place, although judgement and common sense has to be upheld when choosing footwear. Open toes, boots or shoes are acceptable, but I feel that heavy army style boots or trainers for example would be frowned upon as they do not reflect the professional environment that the office has. Working in trainers and a Berghaus Fleece top can be acceptable while walking in with heavy boots and a thick hiking jacket may be seen inappropriate in a corporate or creative situation.

It really depends on what kind of job you do as to what footwear you should be allowed to wear, as company standards and health and safety matters need to be considered, so some companies would not be so flexible regarding footwear and clothing. A factory worker for example would not be able to wear open toe shoes, so closed boots or shoes would be the only style accepted. In this instance, hiking boots may well be accepted as a means of work footwear, if you find them comfortable enough to wear all day. Some people prefer the more rugged footwear, but they are not something that I would want to wear for long periods of time.

Keeping warm in winter might seem like a bit of a challenge, but it can be done. The obvious answer is to turn the central heating up to maximum, but this is both expensive and wasteful (just think of the bills and turn the thermostat down). This doesn´t mean that you have to freeze. It should go without saying that it is important to wear suitable Damart clothing; put on a sweater, and you may not need the fire on. When it´s really cold, wear a Damart thermal top under your sweater and don’t forget the fur-lined slippers (so what if they make you look like your grandma, it´s better than frostbite).

One often overlooked way of warming yourself up is by eating the right foods. The Scots know a thing or two about surviving the winter chill, when they start the day off with porridge. Oats retain heat well, and can also be added to stews to thicken them. Eating flapjack doesn´t count, unless you eat it warm, which is a good excuse for baking and not waiting for the flapjack to cool down.

Forget salads and sandwiches for lunch, and think seasonal. Stock up on root vegetables, and make lots of hearty soup (freeze some for a quick and easy lunch). You could even try baking some fresh bread (use a mix to save time) to accompany your soup. That will keep you warm all afternoon, and satisfy your appetite. Toasted sandwiches, warm quiche, or pasta with tomato sauce are other alternative hot lunches.

Many classic English dishes are designed for the cold weather. You won´t feel the cold after a good serving of Toad in the Hole (sausages in batter, for any confused foreign readers). Hearty and filling, it’s a perfect winter dish. Think also of Shepherd’s Pie (mashed potato topping a thick minced meat sauce – vegetarians can use soya mince). And can you imagine cooking a classic Sunday roast dinner on a hot summer’s day? Roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding will keep the chill out.

Talking of puddings, winter is the perfect excuse to pass on the yoghurts and enjoy some good filling desserts. What could be nicer than apple pie or a fruit crumble (peaches or rhubarb are alternatives to apples), straight from the oven, with some hot custard? For custard haters, cream is also divine poured over a hot dessert. Or get out the recipe books and bake some cakes to eat fresh from the oven. This is no time to be thinking about diets. Bon appétit!

I feel that companies who utilise the talents of celebrities they feel to be known to a minority only is quite cutting edge, they are daring to be different and it works for them. They feel they are using subtle marketing but as a general rule that may not be the case. Take for example Ray Mears andBear Grylls , I went in to work today and asked my colleagues if they had ever heard of them, not one person in the whole room said yes. Then again, neither had I until recently, I was introduced to these delectable characters by a partner who is obsessed with the outdoors and outdoor survival tactics.

Nightly viewings on Sky have made them both a household name in this dwelling, and if we miss them the dear man records them for later viewing! I could now trap a squirrel with a piece of cotton, and cook a hock of deer in an underground barbecue made of stone and mud thanks to these guys, whose names certainly do not roll off the tongue of the majority!

Ray Mears endorses a Viggy Vig Vig tent, do I own one? No, but it would certainly be one I would consider for our next purchase, only because he clearly knows what outdoor life is all about and has an authentic and “knowing” presence in an advert.

Advertisers globally are taking on emerging celebrities as they are offering a fresh take on things, a sort of novelty so to speak, who are benefiting both the company and the artist themselves. Take Pepsi for example, for the last few years it has employed a changing cast of obscure comedians, not world renowned celebrities such as Michael Jackson or Britney Spears for their commercials as they did previously.

For some companies, household names are not the priority when casting, today’s audiences are highly influential, taking cues from exciting new discoveries, rather than “old hats”. Audience chemistry now plays a big factor, do I want Peter Andre to tell me how good a tent is, he may have a six pack and a lovely tanned, toned body, but is he a really sincere about the product he is advertising, and is best person for the job when showing me mountain equipment? Bear Grylls on the other hand would make be believe the tent he was using was the best invention since sliced bread!

I think obscure and little known celebrities really do benefit a company, as they are casting people for individual talents, rather than international recognition. Consumers today are fully aware that top celebrities are not necessarily using the products they promote, and that it is just a facade (personally I can’t see Lenny Henry washing his crockery with Fairy!). I think being innovative with their choice of celebrities works in their favour and makes the product more believable.

Tailored suits do still have a place in the contemporary office, but have diminished in popularity for a number of reasons.

One of those reasons is cost. It is so much easier to go to your local retailer and buy one off-the-rack at a vastly reduced price. For example, Tesco offer a number of suits of surprising quality for unbeatable prices.

People are also less patient. It takes seemingly ages to choose an off-the-rack suit, let alone a tailored one. Men simply aren’t good shoppers as a whole and would rather end their shopping experience as quickly as possible. Pain staking measurements don’t assist a man in terms of achieving that objective.

There are vastly more people than there used to be working in offices so the percentage of the workforce wearing them was always going to decline. Not every position requires that one invests in such an item. Holding a call centre job will usually just result in that person wearing a shirt and tie. To turn up each day wearing an expensive, tailored suit would make that individual feel out of place.