The new collections by Irregular Choice and Iron Fist are set to be the trend setter for this coming season.
They are quirky, sweet, individual and will give you for sure a one of a kind look in your outfit. The shorter you are the leaner and cleaner you should keep your wardrobe outfit. The taller you are the more focus points you can integrate in dressing your body shape. But you don’t have to complicate it- just let the shoes do the talking by keeping your outfit neutral or natural.
But before choosing your favourite design or shoe keep in mind that a visually balanced body, regardless of weight or height, always looks most flattering.Calves come in different sizes and shapes and each variation requires a different styling and dressing guide.Dressing your 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. By modifying the lines of your clothing you can create visual balance whether you have small or large calves.
“Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress.”
Coco Chanel
Wearing a bright colour in your dress will enable you to wear it for daytime occasions, but also for evening engagements- you just have to combine the right accessories. Dress these coloured dresses up or down by wearing them with boots, flats or high heels or nude tights, coloured or patterned tights or with chunky necklaces and bracelets, or with hats or scarves or with a faux fur jacket or fancy dress coat. The choice is yours.
These dresses are great to add your signature style, by dressing them up or down or with your individual style and making them your own. Therefore they make great investment buys since you can create so many looks with them for different occasions and make them work as well in different seasons.
Have fun and experiment with colour, but since these dresses come as block colours you need to make sure you wear the right colours for your colouring, body shape and proportion. Colours bring the spotlight on you and the darker the colour the longer you will appear visually- and vis versa. But also bright colours are adding volume while darker shades are more slimming.
Dressing in the right colours is about creating balance and harmony between your own colouring and the colours you wear, in both clothes and make-up. Balance and harmony is achieved by wearing colours that have similar characteristics as our colouring so that the undertone, depth and clarity are in a similar range. It’s an easy way to look good, feel good and co-ordinate your wardrobe. Not only that but wearing the right colours can help you achieve a younger, healthier and groomed look.
Wearing your favourite colour and wearing the right colour for your colouring and body shape might not always be the same thing. Keep also in mind that little changes in your hair such as highlights or lowlights in your hair will affect your dominant colour. This means a colour that may have looked great in the past, now doesn’t work so well because your hair colour has changed or skin matured. So, don’t try to force it and try something new instead – embrace change rather than seeing it negatively. If there are colours that look great on you, but for one reason or another you don’t like the colour on you or at all, then just don’t wear it. As important as it is to wear the right colours, it’s also important to feel comfortable with the colour choice you are wearing.
Also, this the last blog before Christmas. We will be back with more blogs around the New Year! I am wishing you all a merry Christmas and a relaxing and happy time. All the best for the New Year- hopefully you will have a fantastic beginning.
Thinking of going for a dramatic look for a party ?Like having a colour block in your dress? It is a fantastic feature but not without any side traps. It looks either great when you getting it right or very wrong when not.
Colour blocks put a focus on a body part. So, you better be certain which body part you want to highlight. Last not least when choosing your dress with a colour block, make sure it follows the the guidelines of your body shape e.g. If you are a pear you certainly don’t want to wear anything like it on your lower half!.
Here some know how:
Colour bocks add visually volume to that particular body part of yours. So, don’t wear a colour block where you can’t take the additional volume. Wear it wear you are the slimmest.
Colour blocks are splitting your body parts in two or more- depending on the look of the dress. Meaning it is shortening visually the length of your body part. So, if you have nice long legs you are doing right by wearing colour blocks in your lower half since you have enough leg line to cope with it. If you have a longer body or a lean body you do right by wearing it on top. Since it is a good way of shortening visually your upper half and make your more balanced in your proportion.
Colour blocks are dramatic and therefore not very forgiving when not wearing them in your best colours. The dress will wear you rather the other way around. You need to own it and the look otherwise it is a car crash about to happen. It is never good to be in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
You have the dress, the bag and your cover up- but which shoes will you wear with it? Are you going for a matchy match, rock chick ,glamorous or edgy look? Stand out of the crowd for the right reasons by choosing your perfect heel according to your proportion, calf size and body shape.
Some know how:
Big calves
Don’t be tempted by choosing a high stiletto heel shoe, because it looks great and fits your shoe size when not having the right calf size. The thinner the heel the smaller the calf must be. Heels should be seen like an extension of your calf size! That means stiletto heels are mostly for women with a small calf. Also, avoid any delicate pattern or ankle straps or details or bright colours around your calf. Keep simple and clean without any embellishments or drama. This is not the part that should be highlighted but instead played down.
Short in height
Being short in height you should be opting for shoes that are lengthening your leg line and not visually shortening it. So, stay away from ankle boots, calf boots, that cover up the front face of your foot . The more details a shoe has the more space it needs to “shine” and “breath”. If you can you should wear always wear a bit of a heel not matter what the occasion – with exceptions e.g. sport etc. Ballerinas are not your best footwear.
Proportion
You need to choose wisely when you are not in proportion meaning having either a longer body and shorter legs or shorter body and longer legs. In general if you have longer legs and a shorter body it is best to avoid heels in your shoes because it will make youeven more unproportional. Similarly if you have a longer body and shorter legs flat shoes should be only worn where it can’t be avoided and then it is best to keep them simple and clean. Keep in mind that coloured heels and design heels can shorten your leg line, so make sure you wear them with dark long trousers. Calf boots, ankle boots, ankle straps are only for women who have the legs and can afford to shorten visually their leg line. In this case it is only an option for women with a shorter body and longer legs.
“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.
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.
Today the official count down to Christmas has begun. So from today we will provide you with tips & information on what to wear for all your official and private engagements. It order to make our advice count we will give you our top 3.
Velvet is having a big comeback and it has proven to be one of the top choices for the festive season. Velvet is said to have originated from Kashmir at the turn of the 14th century. But it was the 80’s that the majority of us first got to notice this luxurious fabric.
This season it was championed on the runway and the high street as Topshop, Boden and Marks & Spencer proved that Velvet is back in our favour. The choices of Velvet items are great on hats, bags, dresses to skirts, shoes, bodies. It’s perfect for parties, but it is wearable as well for the day – as long as you stay clear of the bright colours and opt for a mix and matching look with other more subtle fabrics. Remember do one look and style at a time. Don’t try to squeeze all fashion trends into one.
Here are my top 3 rules for velvet:
Wear Velvet only on body parts where you can take the shine and thick fabric. Don’t highlight features that are less flattering on you.
Keep it current by wearing only one velvet item at a time. If you wear a velvet dress don’t combine it with a velvet jacket or boots- it will give you a dating look from the 80’s. But wear it with a boyfriend jacket or blazer or tuxedo jacket.
Opt for darker shades overall in your velvet piece for your day look. Otherwise you might look too glossy and you get the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
“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.
Michaela Jedinak is the founder of Joy of Clothes, the easy way to buy the clothes for you, your body shape and your colouring . She is also the founder of Joy of Colour one of the leading colour and style consultancies click here to read full bio
