White is always a spring/ summer trend. It never goes out of fashion. What changes is how you wear it, what you wear it with and which of the latest items you accessorise it with.
As secure and safe it might sound to buy white there are a lot of mine fields to step into. Many of us are so concerned with the latest fashion trends and items that a lot of us forget that a fashion trend doesn’t only have to suit your body shape, size and colouring but also the occasion, weather and season. You just can’t wear all the fun and colour of spring and summer when it is cold and raining outside. It makes you look sad and desperate and turns someone who is a fashion savvy into a fashion victim, because they can’t adopt to the weather condition. Fashion is only fashion when it not only looks right on you but also when you look comfortable and at ease. Something you never feel when trembling of being cold, getting wet and soaked because not dressed for it, getting all the dirt on your white outfit that comes with bad weather. White is a colour that requires sunshine to come out to its full potential- in cold or warm weather. Also, white only looks good when it looks white and clean otherwise you look very quickly shabby in your outfit.
A solid white outfit is not always a winner for everyone’s colouring;
Dominant Colour Light:
A fantastic choice. You can wear white from top to to if you like and if it is appropriate.
Dominant Colour Deep:
Not best to wear it as solid colour near your face, because it is too light for you and it will wash you out. Unless you wear your e.g. white top or shirt with a jacket or coat in a deeper colour. The deeper colour has always be stronger or in majority versa the white colour. Or to be sure keep keep the white to your lower half.
Dominant Colour Warm:
It is a bit of tricky one. If you got porcelain skin and red hair the pure white will provide a good contrast to your hair. But if you don’t have that type of skin it will easily clash with that and your hair together. Therefore you need to “warm” the white with yellow driven colours such as brown, green, orange, yellow, coral, tomato red etc- meaning you need to combine it with any of these type of colours when wearing white.
Dominant Colour Cool:
One of the best colour and absolutely must for this group. It will balance your white hair and make any outfit sharper- especially when wearing some nude/neutral colours with it.
Dominant Colour Clear:
As well one of the must colours for this group. It will almost always guarantee a contrast effect with any other combined colour.
Dominant Colour Soft:
White is an essential accent colour for this category to ensure that the overall look doesn’t look to muted.
Some adivce when buying your white item in question:
The white shirt: Always a winner no matter what age or season. It should be part of every woman’s wardrobe. A white shirt makes muddy/ nude colours look sharper and by wearing a cardigan, jacket etc on top of it you always can tune and soften the pure white to suit your colouring.
White top/ T- shirt are a must as the white shirt in a woman’s wardrobe. It is a great neutral weapon to dress up or down an outfit and will give any outfit always a lift. A classic that shouldn’t be missed in anyone’s wardrobe.
White Dress: Is a beautiful choice for a summer outfit. But be careful the more formal, elegant and in a maxi version the more festive it will look. Many times it looks like women are taking a wedding dress out for a stroll. Try to choose your white dress right for the occasion, in a style that can’t be mistaken for a wedding dress and/ or choose it with colour and a pattern combination or mix it up with accessorising it with an contrasting theme or style. Avoid to dress in white from head to toe unless the occasion requires it. Also, the older we get the less forgiving a pure white dress will look on us. I guess it goes with the territory ” not that innocent anymore…”.
White Jacket: As well a must for any woman’s wardrobe, but should be worn only in sunshine or in a warm climate. Not only one looks being on the wrong side of the planet but also the whole look can you turn look naff.
White Coat: Always a favourite for the summer! But proves in the UK not always a great investment buy since the sunny and warm days are here numbered. So, the more time you spend in a warm climate the better your money is spent on a white coat.
White trousers: Injects instantly elegance and chique to your outfit. It can be a one of your wardrobe heroes that you can’t live without it, but be careful since white trousers are not very forgiving when not having an easy body shape to dress. It brings always attention and adds additional “visual volume” to that part of the body. So, make sure you can take it. Also, ensure you wear the right underwear with it, because many times the colour, style and make of your underwear can be seen by anyone but you. Not a good look at all!
White shorts: It always brings a smile to our faces since it is always the synonym for sunshine, warm weather, fun, good time simply ” me time “. Watch out you got the right hemline for your thighs, calves and age. The thumb rule is the bigger and older they are the longer the hemline.
White skirts: Almost nothing makes an outfit as instantly girlie or feminine chique as a skirt- depending on its style. Most of the times they are not best to wear with tights, therefore they should be only worn with warm temperature, a hemline that suits the leg and occasion and in a style that works your age.
White shoes: Not always a hit. White pumps are best left for special occasions and white sandals and trainers are dirt sensitive. It is better to buy cheaper white footwear but two instead, so you have more and longer wearing the look before they look shabby. It is simply impossible to keep them out of any dirt, foot marks or scratches.
White swimwear: Looks great on young, toned or both body. Wearing a white swim wear gets you very quickly into dangerous waters with your skin, body and size and age. If in doubt just pass on this one!
White bags: As nice as they are in form of a clutch or shoulder or handbag or shopping bag they quickly pass their sell by date. They only wear with the right outfit, occasion, weather and also only when they are still completely untouched by any scratches and marks.
Over the last few years, printed t-shirts have emerged as statement pieces within the world of fashion and it is proving its staying power for spring/ summer 2010. From big, bold pictures to eye-catching phrases, these casual yet stylish pieces are now nothing short of wardrobe must-haves and have proved over and over a hit with designers and the high street. You can choose this season from cropped to long or from oversized T- shirts to T-shirt dresses.
But the trend of printed t-shirts is, in actuality, a revival from the 1950s, and is something that has reappeared and been reinvented .
T – Shirts are used and worn to make a statement of some sort like declare political, musical or social connection for everybody to observe or stating personal beliefs, team affiliations, hobbies or just to express how one feels that day about something.
T-shirts are favoured, because in a word they are comfortable, affordable and you can easily add these stylish pieces to your wardrobe. Whether you want to make a statement with a bold or funny phrase, or let the pictures on your t-shirt do the talking.
But before you get go and by your statement T- shirt in question, here are some tips to consider.
The bolder and bigger the print and picture on the T-shirt the better it is for women with a small chest and leaner upper body.
Picture prints should be worn like a framed canvas hanging from the wall- straight and without and crinkles caused by an uneven surface!
Eye catching phrases or pictures are adding volume to your upper body as well as putting the limelight on that part of the body. And it is not a good look when pictures or prints look crimpled on you- you wouldn’t want such a picture hanging from your wall, so why do want to want to wear and opt for such a look? Statement T-shirts whether in print or picture are meant to be understood and noticed by everyone who sees you and not just by asking what you are wearing or by pulling down the T- shirt .
Women with a bigger chest and roundness around waist and tummy should opt for small prints on the neckline or/and go for statement prints and pictures on their back instead.
Women with broader shoulders and arms should opt for styles where the print are not starting or finishing off near the arms, shoulders and above the bust. Opt for straight T- shirts or T-shirt dresses versa fitted ones.
Pears and women with bigger hips and thighs should be avoiding any form of printed long T-shirts or T-shirt dresses, because they will follow the body line and therefore highlight any uneven and unbalanced body part. Their hemline with its print will add volume and attention to an area where you want it the least.
Women with a bigger bust or/and short and wide neck should opt for lower necklines. Choose at least a jewel neckline if not even lower.
It is always good to make a statement in print or picture, but if it is a fashion statement keep the colours in check you are wearing in your T-shirt. They have to complement your dominant colour otherwise what is the point wearing a fashion statement that looks wrong.
T-shirts have become such an essential in our wardrobes that they are not anymore worn just with jeans and trainers. Instead they are nowadays worn as well as a replacement for a blouse when wearing a suit, blazers, tuxedos, high heels, totes, clutches or any other formal or glamorous clothes. It is all about adding an edge and personality to your look by mix matching styles and tuning the formal & elegant look down and make it more street.
When dressing for your shape, colour and occasion you need as well “to dress yourself” from the inside in order to ensure that you feel good about yourself. Both aspects need to be addressed – none can co exist without the other. No clothes or make up will be able to cover up a lack of sleep, a bad diet that is lacking of the right nutrients to make you feel good and look energised. Also it will have the unpleasant side effect to add additional pounds to your shape and mostly when that happens you put it on where you don’t want it. It is not about wearing Size 0, which I do not support, but about feeling good about yourself- no matter the size- with no regrets. Looking and feeling as good from the outside as you feel on the inside can be influenced by the right diet for your shape but also by the right workout for your shape. Every shape has different criteria good and bad therefore it is only logical that when we workout we need to apply different sets of rules to address different parts of the body we like to keep build up, slim down or just keep in shape. Someone who is a for example a. pear- carrying the weight on hips, thighs and calves will need to choose a different regime in diet and work as someone who is e.g. an inverted triangle who have broader shoulders or/and upper body than in comparison to their bottom . So, it is natural that their diet and workout plan has to vary from each other.
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.
“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
When looking for luggage, choose substance and practicality over style without losing out on looking trendy.
For the traveller, luggage is a long-term investment. With hundreds of brands, styles and sizes to choose from, purchasing luggage can be a daunting task.
When purchasing luggage you should ask yourself a few questions:
How often will you be travelling? How often will it be used (once a week or once a year)?
Why do you travel?
Where will you be travelling?
Will it be used for personal or business use? Or both?
What kind of luggage would you be comfortable carrying? How do you prefer to carry it, by the handle, over your shoulder or pulling it on wheels?
How much will you be packing (enough clothes for overnight trips or bulky, heavy items)?
How much does it weigh empty? Do you need a hard- or soft-sided case (soft is lighter, but easier to damage; hard is heavier, but holds up better).
Costly or inexpensive? Expensive luggage is more likely to be targeted for theft. Cheap luggage falls apart sooner.
Single compartment versus multi-compartment? Non-sectioned pieces allow you to put things where you want. Divided luggage keeps items organized and in place.
Knowing a little about the different types of luggage available also helps. Suitcases are the most common, but business cases, duffle bags, garment bags and backpacks are also useful
This colour powerful colour combination can be dressed up and down as you need it. You can wear it with a fierce attitude, create a sexy look for going out , go for the rock’n’ roll chic look or do red power dressing for the day in the office. Choose one look and complement with colour blocks or bold current accessories. Best is to follow the road of simplicity and let the colour combination do the talking.
Here are some red & black garments and pieces that suit your body shape:
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:
Think leather, printed rock T-shirt, studs, biker jackets, leather boots, rayban glasses, leggings, leg warmers, waist belts and over – the knee boots. Keep it current by mixing it up with day and night items, high street and designer labels , old and new.
Click on the clothes below to findwhich rock chic items work best for your body shape:
The white shirt is a must have for this season, especially when dressing for work. There is one at every price and one shirt option for every day of the working week . The white shirt makes the perfect investment buy, because firstly it won’t go out of fashion, secondly you always can dress them up or down and last but not least it gives you the perfect platform to accessorise to the occasion and to your mood. The white shirt comes this season in a huge variety e.g. in silk, with giant bow at the neck, in gleaming white, with or with out ruffles, in oversized sleeves or in classic style, crisp or with puff shoulders, cropped sleeves or in cotton. As always when the choices seem endless the body shape style will narrow your options.
Neckties and high collars
These are best for women with a normal to a along neck and great as well for women who tend to be small to normal busted.
Long puffed sleeves
These are best for women who have a slender upper half and can take this additional volume to their frame, waist and bust.
Short puffed sleeves
Only women with small to normal arms should be wearing this option otherwise bigger arms are only looking bigger. Also, women with a big bust should avoid this option completely, because it adds unnecessary additional volume to the bust area. Women with an inverted triangle shape should also pass on this option, because it will make their shoulders and frame even broader.
Ruffles around bust or bib style shirts
These are best for women who are small busted and have more of a slender top. Ruffles add volume and roundness to your chest and upper part and therefore should be avoided by those who are fuller on top.
Crisp shirts versa softer material
Crisp material is stiff and adds volume to the top, because it doesn’t follow the body line and shape. Therefore it should be only worn by women who are slender on top, have small to normal bust line or need to balance a bigger bottom to their upper part like the pear.
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
Dominant Colour Light:
Dominant Colour Deep:
Dominant Colour Warm:
Dominant Colour Cool:
Dominant Colour Clear:
Dominant Colour Soft:
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