Five things singer Auriol Hays can tell you

• Always go to a trusted hairdresser - someone who knows what they are doing. I remember walking out of a salon once and calling a friend up in tears. I was devastated because the woman had made such a mess of my hair. Bad hairstyles can lead to instant depression! Needless to say, I never went back there again.

• Always wear something that flatters your body. I won't lie. I have big breasts and they were always a bit problematic until I tried on Eli Ball corsets. I love the way I look and feel in them. When I am singing, clothes are the last thing I want to worry about.

• What you put on your feet is so important!

My producer's mother once pointed out, when I was moaning about my shoes, that I should view shoes differently. "Shoes are the things that will take you places," she said. So in that spirit I chucked out my "brown mummy boots" and bought a pair of sexy shoes instead.

• Accessories matter - I spend money on earrings. I look everywhere for them. If I don't have the money for them I make a plan to find some because I feel naked when I am without earrings.

• Perfume makes you feel much better.

I won't wear things I don't like on stage, but at home clothes are not really an issue. When I am at home I love my coats, caps, specs and my rasta rings, but I always wear a nice perfume.