fashion: Perfect for a special occasion; SUHAINE STEVENS reports on a makeover with a difference

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), March 29, 2008

Byline: SUHAINE STEVENS

NOWADAYS exclusive to the rich and famous, they are available, affordable and can give people a real boost of confidence!

Julie Ridley, 39, from South Shields won pounds 2,000 of cosmetic enhancement treatments from local firm Absolute Image, in a recent Evening Chronicle competition. Winning the competition really was perfect timing for Julie, as she is having her 40th birthday celebrations soon in Majorca with a large group of friends and family - definitely an occasion when you want to look your best!

After a consultation with Anne Pullan and Jill Tait at Absolute Image, Julie opted to spend some of her vouchers having a line-smoothing treatment to her forehead and frown lines, as well as dermal fillers for her smile lines. Julie was delighted with the results of the procedures!

We thought this was a perfect excuse to take Julie out for a day of pampering and finish off her transformation!

We started off at Skullduggeri Hair and Beauty Salon, where stylist Alison Dalgleish opted for a touch of 50s glamour by using large tongs to create beautiful tumbling curls in Julie's long brown hair! Alison then used Tigi Bedhead Afterparty to smooth the hair, giving it a salon sleek finish.

Skullduggeri's resident make-up artist Michelle Kay then gave Julie a full makeover, choosing a lovely natural look and enhancing the eyes with rich black mascara to create simple, timeless glamour.

We then headed along to John Lewis, Eldon Square, where Fashion Advisor Eileen Connelly had selected a few outfits with Julie's upcoming holiday in mind.

For our first outfit we selected a lovely taupe and cream bat-wing sweater with feminine capped sleeves. We teamed this with an attractive pair of chocolate brown linen trousers which are a must have item for your wardrobe, as they can be dressed up or down and will see you straight through until autumn!

Julie then models a fabulous cream dress from Jesire, which we accessorised with a chunky brown belt. We finished off the outfit with a gorgeous pair of sparkly sandals in muted gold to create a glamorous summer look!

For our final outfit we decided to go for a look that was both elegant and flirty! We chose a beautifully detailed chocolate and baby pink calf length dress from Phase Eight, with a flattering v-neck and full skirt. The colours complimented Julie's complexion and the pink added a fun summery feel to the outfit! This was definitely Julie's favourite outfit as it was such a beautiful cut and it would be perfect for a special occasion such as her upcoming birthday celebrations!

Julie said "I've had a fabulous day from start to finish, it's been a real treat! I've tried on outfits I would never have chosen for myself and I'm over the moon with the treatments I've had at Absolute Image - I can really see the difference!"

Special thanks to: Anne Pullan and Jill Tait at Absolute Image, Amen Corner, Newcastle (0191 260 5222). Alison Dalgleish, Emma Clarkson and Michelle Kay at Skullduggeri Hair Salon, Amen Corner, Newcastle (0191 233 1029). Eileen Connelly at John Lewis, Eldon Square. Dan and all the staff at Tiger Tiger, The Gate, where the photos were taken.

CAPTION(S):

OUTFIT 2 - Jesire cream dress pounds 83, Phase Eight brown belt pounds 35, Dune sandals pounds 65; OUTFIT 3 - Phase Eight chocolate/pink dress pounds 150 Dune sandals pounds 65; OUTFIT 1 - Jesire taupe sweater pounds 55, Hobbs linen trousers pounds 79, Dune sandals pounds 65