Michaela

The originality of the brand is tied in with its eccentricity – the height of creative hosiery – expect hand embroidery and intricately drawn designs.

My interview with Bebaroque:

1. Both of you designed leg wear separately before you started your label in 2007. Why did you both focus on leg wear?  What gave you the idea to name your label Bebarque?

WE BOTH PLAYED AROUND WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND MATERIALS FOR OUR MASTERS COLLECTIONS AND MOVING ONTO HOSIERY WAS AN APPEALING IDEA FOR US BOTH. THEN WE DECIDED TO JOIN FORCES TO MAKE SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL AS THEY WERE PROVING SO POPULAR. WE DECIDED ON THE NAME BEBAROQUE BECAUSE THE WORD BAROQUE IS USED FOR ART AND DECORATION THAT IS OVER THE TOP AND OVERLY ORNATE, WHICH IS THE WAY THAT WE TEND TO DESIGN. WE ALSO DONT SEE THE POINT IN BEING BORING WITH WHAT YOU WEAR SO WE WANT EVERYONE TO BEBAROQUE!

2. What made you join forces? How do you work together? How do decide what is next?

WE WORK WELL TOGETHER, WE DESIGN TOGETHER AND DO ALL THE BUSINESS SIDE TOGETHER ALSO.

3. I am a huge fan of your brand. It is fun, yet stylish and gives the wearer a unique look. Though you make use of colour and embellishments your collection has always something for any type of leg shape and size. What inspires you to create the next collection?

AT THE BEGINING OF EACH SEASON WE DECIDE WHAT WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT, AND THEN CONCENTRATE CAREFULLY ON THE SUBJECT DRAWING AND DESIGNING FROM THE INSPIRATION WE FIND. AT THE MOMENT WE ARE DESIGNING FOR AW11, WHERE WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH AT LONDON FASHION WEEK

4. What would you consider is your iconic signature style?Who brings which personality into Bebaroque?

OUR SIGNATURE STYLE ISS DEFINITELY INTRICATE DRAWINGS AND OUR USE OF BOLD EMBROIDERY AND COLOUR. WE OFTEN INVOLVE OUR SIGNATURE STYLE TATTOO PRINTS AND EMBROIDERIES INSPIRED BY VINTAGE LACE.

5. Besides legwear you started to do Bebaroque Body. What gave you the idea to move from leg to body wear?

WE HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DEVELOP THE COLLECTION TO BODY WEAR TO LET US DECORATE THE BODY FURTHER. WE ARE NOT TIGHTS SPECIALISTS , WE ARE TEXTILE DESIGNERS SO WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO EXPRESS OUR DESIGNS

6. How many collections do you create for leg wear and body? Your products are available in stores such as Liberty or online like my tights. Where is your strongest customer base- online or in stores?

WE SELL WELL THROUGH BOTH WEBSITES AND IN STORES BUT MOST OF OUR BUSINESS IS THROUGH STORES. OUR PRODUCTS NEED TO BE SEEN ON THE BODY SO IT IS ALWAYS GREAT FOR THE CUSTOMER TO VIEW THEM ONLINE THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY ALSO

7. What is next?

LONDON FASHION WEEK, THEN PARIS TO LAUNCH AW11 COLLECTION. THEN WE START TO DESIGN AGAIN FOR SS12. WE WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON THE HOSIERY, BODY WEAR AND ACCESSORIES BEFORE GROWING ANY FURTHER.

8. Who is your ideal customer and if you could pick any celebrity you like- who would you like to dress with Bebaroque and why?

WE WOULD LIKE CHLOE SEVIGNEY TO WEAR OUR CLOTHES AS WE LOVE HER UNIQUE AND STRONG LOOK.

9. Which are your favourite products on Joy of Clothes?

10. Bebaroque on Joy of Clothes:

Thank you for your time,

Michaela

Dress suggestions for Cheryl:

• Click here for more Maxi Dresses

• Click here for more Strapless Dresses

• Click here for more Metallic Clothes

Though Danni’s style choice and look rocked again on Saturday it wasn’t a hit for me. Yes, the style of her dress fitted her body shape perfectly, her earrings looked perfect in colour choice with the  shape and style for the dress and her hair style brought the whole outfit together. What didn’t work for me was that the colour white. It is not close enough to Christmas and combining this white drapey dress with turquoise/gold earrings it feels more appropriate for summer or a warmer climate than for cold English November in the UK. The theme is too breezy and has more of a ” hot summer night” feel about it. On Sunday she was back by going for an animal fitted dress that worked her full hourglass shape to perfection. She kept the whole look current by wearing an animal printed dress in the current fashionable 50s style, combining it with a hairstyle that picked up on the edgy feel of the dress but keeping it classy at the same time.  But what I liked best about it that the dress had a a bit of a “dress for success” feel about it. Since it was eviction night I thought that style of dress and theme was most appropriate for the occasion. She turned this day dress to an evening one by wearing metallic Christian Louboutin heels and wearing earrings that went with the theme without overpowering or competing with the animal prints.

Dress suggestions for Dannii:

• Click here for more Animal prints

• Click here for more Jersey Dresses

• Click here for more Christian Louboutin

Rebecca Ferguson dress was a perfect fit for her pear body shape and for her style personality. But it didn’t work with her colouring. The neutral or nude colour of the dress is washing her out. But her make up, hair style and accessories were absolutely spot on and worked like a dream.

Dress suggestions for Rebecca:

Kate Waissel look and style on Saturday was reminding me of the movie Grease . To me it was all too much of everything from her headband to studded leather jacket, printed cropped T-shirt, washed low rise jeans combined embellished belt and key ring to the studded biker boots. Every single inch of her body was decorated.

• Click here for Leather Jackets

Cher Lloyd style is getting better and better. Since she is a lean column in her bodyshape she needs to add fullness and roundness to her body shape. Her slightly oversized metallic blazer with its metallic features and the metallic printed trousers did that. The nude, metallic and black combination worked for a deeper colouring -even though she wore a nude colour on top-, because she wore her long, full dark her open.  My only dislike is that she is  styled like the MINI CHERYL COLE rather going for her own identity.

More printed hosiery:

Michaela

Dannii Minogue’s fashion sense and style show every week how versatile she is . Her looks and outfits are always different but always true to her body shape, colouring, style personality.

Dannii Minogue outfits on both shows are a celebration of the return of the full hourglass body shape, but as well on trend with the 1950 fashion dress code. A lot of waist and keeping the hemline below the knee.  But still she makes it her own by keeping it current with her hairstyle, make up and accessories. By combining metallic pumps with her electric blue Victoria Beckham dress – that is one of the hottest colours this season- she turns the elegant lady like dress to an evening outfit. While on Sunday she turns the tea party dress to an evening gown by adding black elegant pumps and keeping it current with casual wavy hairstyle. Styling in perfection.

Alternative electric blue dress:

• Click here to view more dresses for full hourglasses

• Click here to view more dresses by Dolce & Gabbana

Cheryl Cole styling to the launch of her new single ” Promise” was picture perfect. Cheryl ‘s black and white outfit contrasted her red hair colour without over powering it.  The bandage print tights and the sequined knickers gave her outfit the edge, the twist and the wow factor. The statement blazer and the laceup added elegance and personality.

• Cheryl bandage tights:

• Alternative black/white blazers:

• Click here to view more Blazers

Her nude long HMH (Hanna Marie Hutchinson) Couture gown, with cut-away side panels and a twist-knot front worked beautifully for her inverted triangle body shape and with her new found hair colour. It was also a nice break from her black and white dress choices.  Her make up and her de Grisogono earrings completed the whole look. The only thing which didn’t do it for me was the length of the dress. A shorter hemline would have balanced more the waist details and definiton.

• Click here to view more Maxi Dresses

Sunday it was back to a white shine silver one shoulder panel mini dress by Kristian Aadnevik. The one shoulder dress is not ideal for her shape, but she made work by having a slight a- line hemline and wearing her long hair down. All in all it doesn’t look bad or wrong, it is just more of the same outfit and colour choice. It would be nice to see her more versatile in her colour choices and looks. White dresses are best worn in summer and white outfits closer to Christmas. But her current hairstyle is one of her best.

• Click here to view more Mini Dresses

Rebecca Ferguson was channelling Jessica Rabbit for her Guilty Pleasure performance on Saturday. Her redfloor-length  one shoulder maxi dress by Hardy Amies Couture came with a with dramatic side-bustle. Again very wrong shape for a pear body shape. The side- bustle is sitting on her fullest part. The red colour in her dress and lipstick look great on her. But it should have stopped her. The red hair is too much and as Dannii Minouge said- it is ageing her.

• Alternative red one shoulder maxi dresses:

• Click here to view more one shoulder dresses

What were they thinking when they were dressing Treyc Cohen in rock-chick figure-hugging Izmaylov dress with exxagerated  feathered statement shoulders? They got the colour right and the idea of the right shape for her body shape but got it very wrong with the statement shoulders. You need a long lean neck in order to make it look balanced. Treyc neck is too short for this style and it makes her face look cramped inbetween the shoulders. Also her dress in the sing off on Sunday didn’t flatter her shape and her colouring.  The draping Grecian mini dress is creating unflattering volume and attention on her thighs and the they grey colour is washing her out.

• Alternative dress with statement shoulders:

Whether you are fan of Katie Waissel or not- her styling and outfit were perfect!Retro styling works best for her! Especially the style of the 1920 with their head pieces and shift, flapper dresses will work on her like a dream!

• Alternative retro dress:

• Click here to view more shrugs

Cher Lloyd stayed true to her style by keeping to a street ghetto look, which goes with her music and image.

Michaela

A visually balanced body, regardless of weight or height, always looks most flattering. Legs and calves come in different sizes and shapes and each variation requires a different styling and dressing guide.

Dressing your legs and calves requires a strategy, because you need to have an understanding of your build, you need to put the size of your calves in context with your bust, body shape, height and proportion (ie do you have a balanced body? A longer body with shorter legs? A short body with longer legs?). By modifying the lines of your clothing you can create visual balance whether you have small or large calves.

In short here are the rules for leggings fashion:

• In general the stronger the pattern the longer and smaller the leg the better. Click here for more info how to dress your leg line
• The same rule applies for calves Click here for more on calf sizes and how to dress them
• Leggings are better for women who have either a balanced body or a shorter body and longer legs since leggings will shorten visually the legline. The stronger the pattern the better. Therefore women with a longer body and shorter legs should stay clear of this trend. It takes too much tweaking to make it work.
• Any horizontal lines will shorten your leg line and add additional roundness to your legs and calves.

The rest should stay clear and focus on other fashion trends that are more suitable to your build.  Opt for hoisery that tunes our leg line down rather than puts it on full display.

Click here to view more

Michaela

Our guide will help you find the perfect regime for your shape choose the right diet for your body shape!

• Inverted Triangle

Your build is characterised by:

• Straight and squared shoulder line
• Little definition between waist and hips
• Flat hips and bottom
• A bottom half that seems smaller than your top half

Advice

Doing a mixture of cardiovascular and resistance exercises will help. More resistance exercises on your lower body will be necessary, to obtain a balance between lower and upper.

Essential diet tips

• Stick to foods that are moderate in unsaturated fat – to avoid piling on the pounds – and high in calcium.
• Incorporate a balance of low G.I carbohydrates with lean proteins.

Essential exercise tips

• Lower body exercises like squats and lunges.
• Upper body toning exercise.
• Incorporate moderate to high amounts of cardiovascular exercise

• Lean Column

Your build is characterised by:

• Narrow shoulders
• Flat chest or small bust
• Small and non-defined waist
• Narrow hips and flat bottom

Advice

An exercise routine should include exercises to enhance gluteus and shoulder muscles. This will help curve out the shape of the body. Also do whole body

Essential diet tips

• Make sure you include plenty of lean protein, like fish and turkey; complex carbs, such as wholegrain rice and pasta; and calcium-rich foods, like yoghurt and tofu in your diet.
• Avoid carbonated soft drinks and cut down on starchy foods like white rice and potatoes.

Essential exercise tips

• No activity is off limits for your shape, but abdominal and back exercises should be high priority.
• Three days a week of formal exercise with lots of rest in between is ideal level.
• It’s important to exercise intensely and really tax the muscles during each workout in order to achieve good muscle tone.

• Rectangle

Your build is characterised by:

• Straight shoulder line
• Straight hips and bottom
• Very little waist definition
• Straight ribcage

Advice

Short fast bouts of cardiovascular exercises are recommended. High repetition resistance exercises may help tone and define shoulders, waist and hips.

Essential diet tips

• Eat a high protein diet to help muscle development. i.e fish, chicken, eggs and dairy products.
• Include RDA (recommended daily allowance) of omega 3 and 6, to help with joint suppleness during extra resistance training.

Essential exercise tips

• Upper body cardiovascular exercises will help define shoulders. Boxing training may help this as well as helping definition of the waist.
• Compound resistance training will help shape and strengthen of the middle part of the body.
• Exercises such as squats, deadlifts and pressing movements will help.

• Apple

Your build is characterised by:

• Rounded shoulder line
• Curved back
• Fullness around the middle
• Flattish bottom

Advice

Apples shapes should concentrate their exercise regimes on cardio activities to bring the body back to proportion by reducing upper body mass, while core- strengthening exercises will help to trim the waist further.

Essential diet tips

• Eat a moderate amount of healthy fats found in grains and oils, as well as lots of fruit and vegetables.
• Replace brown-coloured whole grain foods with smaller quantities of white.

Essential exercise tips

• Do high reps with low resistance for the upper body and high reps with moderate resistance for the lower body.
• Best exercises include step and spinning classes, racquet sports, abdominal crunches, kick-boxing and skipping.
• Worst exercises include all upper body exercises that involve using heavy weights.

• Pear

Your build is characterised by:

• Full hips or thighs
• A defined waist
• Shoulders that may slope and are narrower than your hips
• A top half that appears small

Advice

Doing cardiovascular exercises for quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteus for long durations will help. An example of this could be cycling or running. It would also help to do heavy resistance training on the upper body.

Essential diet tips

• Stick to foods that are low in fat – to avoid piling on the pounds – and high in calcium.
• Lower your salt intake to reduce water retention and cellulite in problem areas.

Essential exercise tips

• Use aerobic activities to slim your lower half and then strengthen the upper body with weights and resistance training.
• Best exercises include push-ups, chin-ups, leg lifts, jogging and dancing.
• Worst exercises include rollerblading, stepping and high resistance weights.

Neat hourglass

Your build is characterised by:

• A defined bust
• A defined waist
• A neat bottom
• Neat hips

Advice

Doing moderate to high intensity cardiovascular exercise will help tone the whole body. Carrying out resistance training at high reps and low weight will also help.

Essential diet tips

• Eat lean protein, such as skinless chicken breasts, and lots of leafy green vegetables, like spinach, broccoli and cabbage.
• Avoid foods high in sugar and limit your intake of eggs, dairy products and nuts.

Essential exercise tips

• Focus on losing weight and inches first with high reps and low resistance exercises, then slowly incorporate weights if you want.
• Best exercises for your shape include fast walking and slow jogging with no incline, jumping jacks, swimming for distance and stationary cycling with light resistance.
• Worst exercises include step and spin classes, leg presses and thigh machines on high resistance, weighted squats and lunges, and running or rollerblading on incline.

• Full Hourglass

Your build is characterised by:

• A full bust
• A small waist
• A rounded bottom
• Rounded hips

Advice

To help fat burning do interval training or circuit training. This will help burn excess fat around the body.

Essential diet tips

• Eat lean protein, such as skinless chicken breasts, and lots of leafy green vegetables, like spinach, broccoli and cabbage.
• Include lots of antioxidants and minerals to help break down fats within the body.

Essential exercise tips

• Use interval training and circuit training to help burn fats and tone up the whole body.
• Include exercises that help strengthen both lower and upper back.
• Include toning exercises like light resistance training for the whole body.

Click here for more advice

Have a nice day,

Michaela

P.S: Net- a- porter is now available on Joy of Clothes

“The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress.”

Hubert de Givenchy

It’s party time!  Glide effortlessly from desk to the dance floor by choosing day dresses that you can easily dress up by changing accessories. Or have a spare one in the office. Only women who choose appropriately for their body shape and body features will make most of the dress, will have the most fun at the party and will get  all the compliments !

Tips for choosing your dresses:

• Avoid mini dresses and above the knee length dresses when you have big calves. Also opt for plain thick tights and match them with shoes or boots that have a medium to big heel.
• When having a big bust avoid high necklines or any clutter around it, but instead choose a longer neckline that will flatter your bust.
• If you have big arms avoid any attention to them like big shoulders or short and tight sleeve lines. Instead choose from elbow onwards. Also sleeveless is a good option since you can over them up with a nice cover up such as capelets, shrugs or boleros.

• Big Bust

• Small Bust

• Big Calves

Click here to shop for more dresses

Have a nice day,

Michaela

P.S.

The trick for the day is to keep it to a small amount where the purpose is more to lift’s ones complexion. It should be used more as an accent “colour” rather to make a “shining “impression.

The best way to wear “Glam” and “Flash” now is to wear just one shiny piece-small or big- at a time. Remember that metallics draw attention to whatever body part you wear it on, because the light reflection will grab attention. So, make sure you are highlighting a flattering part of your body otherwise you will just achieve the opposite of “Glam”.

It can be at times quite challenging to keep the choice appropriate for the occasion ,current and right for your body shape.

Here are the top 3 tips how to wear them:

• Keep it current by accessorizing your metallic’s with the right clothing that will neutralise the shine, so nobody will have flash backs from “80ies” when seeing you. Metallic tops or trousers look great with knits, T-shirt and jeans- mix match your look rather going for matchy matchy! Click here for more info
• Know your personal colouring when choosing between silver & gold metallics. It can badly clash when choosing the wrong metallics too close to your face. Click here for more info
• Body shape! Don’t be fooled by the item because it looks so nice, or it is the latest or everyone wears and has it who is hip and in. Highlight body features that can take the lime light. Remember metallics need space to shine and breathe, but they will also add “volume” to the part in question. So, make sure it highlights the best of you where you can take the clutter, volume and glam. Click here for more info

• Women with long legs:

• Women with a shorter body and longer legs:

Click here to shop for more “Glam” outfits

Have a nice day,

Michaela

P.S

Hubert de Givenchy

The festive season is imminent and the big questions we all face are what do I wear? Do I have anything to wear? So many engagements to attend, but not enough outfits and dresses to wear. Can I spend all money just on clothes? So, let’s do some black magic and cast a spell on it ” how to create more outfits out of one”.

Top 3 Black Magic Rules:

• Think first of your body shape and then of your dress! It is all about virtual balance and something out of balance never looks good or flattering.
• Only because you manage to fit into a dress size don’t mistake it for the right fit. Keep the overall look in mind e.g. if you have big thighs and calves don’t even try to go for a mini dress. Choose instead a dress at or above the knee . Only wear it with thick and dark tights only if you don’t opt for a maxi or full length dress.
• A sexy look requires that you are comfortable in what you are wearing and you are accentuating what is the most flattering on you. Create a focus point e.g. bust, legs, back, waist, shoulders, arms or bottom.

Click here to find more black dresses

Once you have got your dress then start to accessorise! Again, choose your accessories carefully!

• Women with great legs:

• Women with a waist:

• Women with a  big bust:

• Women with a small bust:

• Women with big arms

Click here for more style advice

There are so many fantastic styles out there for everyone’s budget. And it is a great way to express your own style by making the dress your own with your own signature look.

Have a nice day,

Michaela

P.S:  Here are some gift ideas

Coco Chanel

Make the most out of the new season’s knits. The big cardigan is the new cover up and the waist belts will give you an edgy layer look.

Some quick guidelines how to keep the look in the moment:

• Mismatched texture and fashion style- contrast is key
• Multi layers for the oversized look ” a la just have thrown these clothes on”-  Allow layers to peek out, combined with cheerful or icy colours in order to keep the look sharp. Be careful you don’t look messy, uncoordinated and unproportional.
• Layer over coloured tights, funky leggings, skinny jeans.
• Make sure that your knitwear looks current in order to avoid a dated and dull look
• Also, please caution this  oversized, layered look is not best for women who are apples, full hourglasses, pears, big busted, non balanced in proportion.

But here are some ideas how to enjoy your knits for any body shape. Keep your dominant colour as well in check for maximum impact!

• Neat Hourglass

• Full Hourglass

• Apple

• Pear

• Inverted Triangle

• Rectangle

• Lean Column

• Click here to shop for more knits

Have a nice day,

Michaela