Fashion

The following tips are from Kelly Herring, who studied at London College of Fashion before working for New Woman and 19 Magazine. She is now Fashion Editor at The Rumour.

1. Customising is the way to go. Customise literally anything, jeans, T-shirts, etc. - bleach things, add jewels - anything to make it individual.
2. Be wary of the '80s trend of wearing ankle boots with short skirts, very few can get away with this look unless you have very slim legs.
3. Hosiery is coming into its own this season - get hold of striped socks, lace socks, coloured fishnets.
4. When going shopping, if in doubt leave it out. Go with your gut-instinct.
5. If you dare to wear plunging frocks and are afraid of showing off too much, tape those boobs intact.
6. Avoid horizontal stripes if you are top-heavy.
7. Always invest in a good quality, well-fitting bra - worth paying a bit more as it makes clothes look better.
8. Charity shops are always worth a look. The wealthier the area, the better the cast-offs.
9. Practice walking in heels (avoid pushing your bottom out in a duck-like manner) before stepping out. Persevere though, there's nothing like a pair of heels to lengthen legs.
10. Try not to throw anything away (if you've got the space keep it all) as what goes around comes around, things can also be dyed or cut up for a new lease on life.
11. Don't be a fashion victim - wear things that suit you, not just because they're fashionable.
12. Although fluorescent colours are going to be making a comeback next summer, anyone with pale skin should steer clear!
13. 'Vintage' is always in. Check out car boot sales, grannies' wardrobes, and the Yellow Pages for your nearest shop.
14. Wearing head-to-toe one colour is very slimming, black is the obvious choice.
15. Hats are good to hide bad hair days and the fashion accessory for this season.
16. Don't worry if you loose an earring - wearing one is the height of cool.
17. Gold is a big trend, but don't go o.t.t. - just a hint is all you need.
18. Not many of us can afford designer everything, but most of us can stretch to a pair of shoes or a handbag.
19. If you are lucky enough to go to the United States or Japan and you're a trainer addict, hunt down pairs yet to arrive in the UK and make your mates green with envy.
20. Belts are big business. Wear scarves, skinny belts or the trendiest '80s wide belts round your waist.
21. Adorn bags, jackets, jeans - in fact, anything you fancy - with badges and brooches.
22. Scour weekend markets for up-and-coming designers. Get them cheap before they make it big.
23. Invest in classics, timeless items such as a John Smedley and Pringle jumper, a mac or a quality white shirt.
24. If you need to take up jeans (and are bored of turn-ups) use a pumice stone on the bottoms to give them that authentic frayed look.
25. Remember you can carry most things off, as long as you are confident and comfortable.

Beauty

Sam Dean joined The Rumour team as Beauty Writer after extensive travels abroad. She previously worked on New Woman as the beauty assistant but is now putting her stamp on the dot-com world.

1. Creamy pink lipsticks can double up as blush.
2. Eyeshadow works as eyeliner. Just use a thin damp brush.
3. Moisturiser applied on the ends of your hair will temporarily seal split ends.
4. Mild shampoos can double up as shower gel.
5. Hair conditioner works well as shaving foam.
6. If you wake up with bed head hair try changing your Pillow Case. Satin Pillow Cases allow the hair to slide along the pillow in your sleep whereas cotton cases don't.
7. Hold your hairdryer above your head, the hot air will then flow down the hair shaft and over the cuticles.
8. If you have sensitive eyes stick to baby shampoo, the soap won't hurt if it gets in the eye.
9. If you have coloured hair avoid dandruff shampoos, they strip the colour causing fade.
10. Never use other people's mascara, unless you want to risk conjunctivitis or other eye infections.
11. Try Scotch tape instead of expensive T Zone stickers to drag out those black heads.
12. If you have small eyes, avoid dark eye-shadows, they make the eyes look smaller.
13. Thin-lipped people should wear glossy lipstick, which makes lips appear fuller.
14. If you're looking to buy makeup brushes, check out art shops as they're much cheaper and just as affective.
15. Don't wash your hair if you're wearing it up. The natural oils in unwashed hair make it easier to style.
16. If your skin is dry use a cream, if its oily use lotion or gel.
17. If you look tired don't pile makeup like mascara or eyeliner on the lower eyes - it will just drag your face down and make you look exhausted.
18. Never pluck eyebrows from the top, just pull out those strays along the natural eyebrow line at the bottom.
19. Don't bother with expensive eye makeup removers, Johnson's Baby Oil works better.
20. For shiny hair rinse in mineral water.
21. Skip wearing mascara on the lower lashes, it doesn't do much for defining the eye and it always smudges.
22. Experiment with new colours from the supermarket before you waste money on posh brands that don't suit you.
23. If you're into home dying, wipe a little Vaseline around your hair line to stop skin getting dyed.
24. If you're posh, mix Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream with a powder eyeshadow for a 'grease' effect. If you're not posh, Vaseline works nearly as well
25. If you want your blush to look natural choose the shade your cheeks turn when you blush naturally