When I was a little girl, I would take great delight in the fairy stories my mother would read to me.  I would spend hours in our garden, pretending that the flowers were filled with fairies, that the dog’s house was a castle and my front lawn was a forest.  My mother’s old satin nighties became dresses fit for a princess, and my cat often played the role of the wicked witch.  There are times now, as an adult, when I wish my world were filled with even a fraction of the wonder and imagination that it was in those days.

I bet that you can sympathise with me.  How often have you thought to yourself, “I’m so tired of washing dishes, if only a band of helpful animals would sweep into my house and give me a hand with the tidying”, or “I’m so darn tired, I wish I could sleep for a hundred years”.  To every reader who has wished that their world was more wonderful and magical, then this post is for you.

If you’re feeling downtrodden, or longing for a bit of fairytale glitter, why not take a sprinkling of wardrobe inspiration from your favourite fairytale characters?  It’s easy to work a bit of magic into your outfits.  To start with, look for medieval details like fur trimmings, corset lacing, capes and hair garlands.  Pair these with items that incorporate the imagery of fairy stories.  Keys, clocks, apples, roses, crowns and woodland creatures all appear in fairytales, and these symbols are well-represented in clothing prints and jewellery.

You could also experiment with fairy tale style hair and makeup.  If your hair is long, brush it and let it flow naturally, perhaps incorporating a few loose braids.  If you have short hair, gel it into a style a pixie would be proud of.  Decorate your hair with fresh flowers, or even a dainty tiara.

If you like, you could create a whole outfit in homage to your favourite fairytale herione.  Here are a few that I’ve created:

Rapunzel

Snow White

Red Riding Hood

Cinderella

Sleeping Beauty

The Red Shoes