Last weekend the curtain came down one last time on the X-factor and saw Matt Cardle as the winner of X-factor 2011. Congratulations and very well deserved- it was almost an impossible choice between him and Rebecca Ferguson, which felt like the the finale of the ” Gentleman” and the ” Lady”. Though Rebecca didn’t win there is no doubt she is already now a Star and will be soon an International Super Star. She has got it all- the voice- the beauty- style- charisma- and above all ” GRACE”. It was touching to watch how graceful she was handling her defeat and how happy she was for Matt. The same goes as well for One Direction- though so young of age- they handled themselves – like real troopers -and showed grace and character when losing out to Matt. As well here I am not worried about them and their future success in live. The last three standing in the finals are all success stories and role models for everyone.
On Saturday night Cheryl Cole wore a white one shoulder dress by Roberto Cavalli. In general a one shoulder is not a great style for an inverted triangle but it worked here because of the drape that continued from the shoulder to the hemline. The dress and her chosen earrings worked well together but still her whole look didn’t come together due to her very bad choice in hairstyle. It gave it all a very tacky feel to it. On Sunday Cheryl stepped out in a red dress by J. Mendel that flattered her body shape to perfection. The red colour looked flawless as well her chosen hairstyle. What didn’t work here was her chosen earrings, because her look reminds you more of the “80?s”. She should have kept it more modern in her earrings in order to keep her look current.
Dannii Minogue wowed us again in flawless and stylish looks. Saturday she came out in a red J’Aton Couture. Her look was breathtaking. So, right in the fashion moment, occasion and right for her full hourglass body shape. Dannii added some sheer parts around the bust to make it less revealing but it added even more to a classy, feminine and stylish look. Her hairstyle and Annoushka earrings were spot on. Sunday she went for the “Ice Queen” look. Her white silver gown was by Jenny Packham and she nailed the whole look with her stylish hairstyle and snowflake earrirngs by Annoushka. “Well Dannii – Matt was not the only one who won yesterday. You have proven over and over again the last months that you got style and you definitely won the crown of fashion and style for 2010.”
In regards to Rebecca Ferguson – a style icon and super star in the making. She is still a pear shape though she lost so much weight in the last weeks. Her outfits and looks at the weekend were simply a hit. On Saturday she simply looked like a magical fairies in her gowns. Her pink maxi dress was by Luisa Beccaria and her whole look was simply breathtaking beautiful. It all worked together. In her second song Rebecca Ferguson was joined by Christina Aguilera and again she didn’t disapoint. Her gown was by Richard Sorger and its sequins caplet was picture perfect for her pear shape body. It provided the perfect visual balance for her lower part. Herlast outfit on Saturday night was by William Tempest. With its peplum on the hips it doesn’t make it a perfect style for a pear shape. But it kind of worked because she wore her long thick hair wide open, which gave volume to her top to balance the lower half. Sunday she performed in a metallic dress that wasn’t best for her shape but it all came altogether with the rest of her styling. Her hair accessories absolutely nailed the look. For the final results she stepped out in a red orange dress by Matthew Williamson which was again not best for her shape since it has far to many sequins details on the her hips. But her styling, beauty, grace and talent were simply taking over and pulled it altogether into a classy act. I guess it won’t be long until we will see her on magazine covers- since she has become a favourite by high end fashion designers.
Now that the day light is fading earlier it is crucial to add colour and day shine to our wardrobe to lift the spirit. You can add day shine to your wardrobe in a number of ways by wearing studs, pearls, crystals or other embellishments in your clothes. If this is not your cup of tea then you can wear silk blouses that had a huge comeback with the revival of the 1950′s.
Some tips of wearing day shine right:
Keep in mind that day shine will put the spotlight on you. So, make sure you choose the right clothes type to wear, so they will complement your body shape and your body features rather highlighting it in the wrong way. It is not about how pretty it looks but how pretty it makes you look.
Day shine is meant to lift your outfit rather making you look too glam. So, less is more for the day. Best is to choose just one piece with day shine and combine it with other garments that will tune it down but as well create a feature to your outfit.Day shine should make a feature. So, give it space to shine.
Don’t forget to choose the right ” shine” for your colouring. It shouldn’t make your skin look more yellow and or wash you out or give you a harsh feel by choosing the wrong colour.
Here are some ideas that will add an instant day shine to your outfit!
You can add glamour and glitz to your outfit everyday no matter whether it is for day or night. You can choose from embellished tops, velvet tops, shiny trousers ,studded jackets or metallic accessories – not to forget about our favourite embellishment: Sequins. Glam, glitz and shine add attention to a body part. Therefore it is best to put the spotlight only there where you feel most comfortable . Keep current by turning the glitter down by combining it with knits, oversized cardigans, tweeds or T-shirt or wool garments.
Some of our favourites
Watch : Net-A- Porter: GLAMOUR BALL | Fashion Trends for Fall Winter 2010
“Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.”
Vivienne Westwood
You have your outfits for the occasions, but nothing that complements it with a perfect cover up! Masculine meets feminine in this glamorous season, so the focus is on the waist and shoulders. When choosing your cover up you have the choice from capelets to shrugs, cropped jackets, tuxedo, boyfriend jackets to faux – fur jacket.
But before choosing your cover up you have to decide whether it has a certain function to fulfil like covering big arms, tummy or deeper neckline, where it becomes automatically part of your outfit that you won’t take it off. If not, then you are more flexible in your choice, because its function is merely to cover you up when going from A to B.
Plus these cover ups are fantastic tools to bring out your personality, where you can create your own individual look and style. But before choosing know your body shape, so it follows your shape rather adding bulk to the wrong areas and giving an unflattering look.
Metallic’s have become a must in everyone’s wardrobe and it is a great way to lift one’s outfit or mood at day or night. You can add shine by choosing clothes in fabrics such as sequins, metallics, lurex, studs or jewels. Anything goes – even for the day.
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
“The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress”
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.
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.
“Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly”
Epictetus
Dating back to the late 1800s, the capelets developed from the traditional full cape cut off just past the shoulder to accommodate and accentuate women’s waists and hips.
More feminine tastes came to the fore in the early 1900s as sumptuous fabrics such as lace and fur were used so that the design became a more decorative piece.
In the 1920s delicately beaded, sheer capelets become more the trend for a slim, unfussy silhouette. The 1940s and 1950′ were more influenced by fur stoles.
This season all style types of capelets joint forces, so that the fashion landscape for capelets varies from beads to fur to collar to stole to cropped jackets to sequins to cashmere in classic or bright collars.
Capelets are transforming instantly any outfit and can be worn over a turtleneck jumper or blouse or dress. They are a fantastic cover ups for dressy events and festive seasons especially for strapless tops and dresses.
Some words of wisdom here:
Triangles should avoid this fashion trend. It just accentuates their broader shoulders.
Super for Pears to add volume to the top- no matter what you wear.
They work beautifully for apples and full hourglasses, just make sure you don’t add clutter and volume to the bust and keep them cropped rather longer to the waist.
Lean Columns and Rectangle should opt for rounder shapes around the bust line, so that add curves to their body shape.
A fantastic way to cover up bigger arms, but avoid dropped or batman sleeves and make sure they cover you up to your elbow.
The new way of wearing the Sequin trend is to wear them in your everyday wardrobe rather wearing Sequins just by night. Best is to wear the metallics by mixing them up with different textures, patterns and styles . It is all about mix and match rather “matchy matchy” as it was in the “80′s”. They don’t come only in different colour variations, but also they can be found in every clothing item like leggings, tops, belts, shoes, bags, berets etc. The trick to wearing sequins is to use your ” Sequin” only in one clothing item, so it adds the right day shine to your outfit and gives your look a bit of glitz and glam. While wearing Sequins at night e.g. a Sequin dress it is important you don’t get your look dated by wearing it like in the “80′s”. Instead shake it up by combining them with current and edgy items, which will give you an up to date look.
One more important thing to remember: Sequins will put the spotlight on you. So, make sure you choose the right Sequin items to wear, so they will complement your body shape and your body features.
“Fashion is architecture: It is a matter of proportion”
Coco Chanel
Here are some Sequin outfit ideas for various bodyshapes:
Michaela has a unique range of experiences from the fashion , media and design industry in London , New York , Milan and Prague . She was the MD of Cosmopolitan in Prague where she deepened her passion for colour and style. In 2005 she founded one of the leading colour and style consultancies Joy of Colour www.joyofcolour.com . Joy of Clothes aims to share her experience with a wider audience.
Michaela believes that everyone is different and they should build on their own unique DNA rather than try to be a bad copy of someone elses. Nowadays there are so many fashion trends co-existing that there is something suitable for everyone. Michaela advises against following every single fashion trend . Dressing with style needs strategy and an understanding of your colouring and body shape . Joy of Clothes aims to make it easy for you to identify the fashion that works for you and your life style.
