Finally the dresses of the night and the winners of the Oscars 2010 were revealed.  Most of time when watching these type of events I am reminded of the fairy tale ”the emperor has no clothes “.  Nobody is telling the truth- everyone is dodging the bullet and looking left, right and over their shoulders – or they simply put the vote out to their readers in order to avoid telling us what they really think . Nobody wants to voice their opinion either because they might get it wrong, or their judgment wouldn’t be popular or they would be outed for not having a clue why dresses do or don’t work- of course until someone says it out loud- then everyone jumps ship.  Plus their comments are always  ” I like, I love, I hate, looks like…, she shouldn’t…” This is not very useful  for a review.  In a review you want to know why the dress colour, shape and style works for the actress . So, let’s get started:

1. Kate Winslet in Yves Saint Laurent

2. Kathryn Bigelow in Yves Saint Laurent

4. Vera Farmigain in Marchesa

10. Carey Mulligan in Prada

Colour: This ivory white black dress works great for a soft.

Bodyshape: Her perfect neat hourglass body shape works perfectly on this very complicated dress in style and shape. You need to have a long neck, waist, long legs and be slender at the right places in order to deal with all the details and frill of the dress.

Overall Look: 5***** I love the dress, the shape, style and her whole look. It is different, it has leading style rather being a follower and it is right on target with the fashion trend “white”. Though this dress divides opinions and one journalist defined it as toilet paper roll, it still doesn’t take the fact away that it works for her.

12. Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel

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.

Click here to view more whites

Have a nice day,

Michaela

Everyone is different to another and needs an individual and personalised advice how to dress right.There are an infinite number of physical features and each person has their own unique combination of these.

I. But here are some golden rules how to dress for success, which apply to everyone no matter what age, life style, work or play or budget.

1. Complement your personal colouring, which is based your dominant colour ( Eye- hair and skin colour)
2. Dress accordingly to your body shape, proportion and scale- it is important to understand how to dress to your build in order to create the appearance of a balanced body
3. Dress appropriate for the occasion- learn the know how to get it right for each occasion no matter how different they might be.
4. Dress right to your personality, which reflect your life style & character at work and play. It is your personality, which will put an outfit and look together.
5. Current must be your look- make sure that your outfit do not look dated in fabrics, cuts and accessories. Nothing is more aging and draining than wearing clothes which look out of fashion. Make sure that your investments buys have a timeless look & feel, so you can jazz them up to the occasion & current fashion trend or season.

II. How to create the illusion of the perfect shape.

The aim is a neat hour glass figure ( which is considered the perfect & most balance figure of all body shapes). To achieve this we need to understand “line design”. A line leads the eye and can give optical illusion for our benefit.

• The stripes on the left will make someone look wider  (if that’s what you need).

• The stripes on the right make a person look longer (if that’s what you need).

The same rules apply to putting on make up as putting on a dress. Just as stripes on a dress can create an illusion of shape so can makeup and eyebrows.

Click here to read more on proportions

Balance rules to short Legs

• Wear straight or boot cut trousers.
• Opt for darker denim or trousers- ideally without patterns
• Opt for a skirt/dress hemline that has a pencil skirt or straight line- best in solid colour and without any fuzz.
• Wear heals rather than flats
• Add length by wearing tights or socks in the same colour as your trousers or skirts
• Avoid bulk and volume in your bottom, thigh and calf area e.g. strong feature in your back pockets, dropped skirt lines, baggy trousers, pleats, full skirts
• Avoid turn ups, heavy patterns, washed out jeans or light coloured trousers, wide legs

Click here to see more items for short legs and short women

Have a nice day,

Michaela

A visually balanced body, regardless of weight or height, always looks more flattering than an unbalanced one.

Creating perfect proportions can be achieved by modifying the lines of clothing. In this way you can visually e.g. widen narrow shoulders, create a longer neckline, disguise a fuller tummy or lengthen a short waist. It is possible to appear taller, shorter, heavier or thinner by making the line, style and cut work to your best advantage.

Your bodyshape, proportion, scale and body features e.g. small bust versa big bust; short versa long neck will determine which clothing line and details, such as neck-sleeve-waist-hemlines, will flatter you the most. By looking at your build objectively you will know how to dress your body and how to emphasize your advantages and hide your disadvantages. Every person has their own unique DNA, so accept your differences in build to others and see them instead as a challenge to create your own personal style.

So, for those of us who don’t have a perfectly balanced figure ( hourglass bodyshape/ upper and lower body in proportions) there are ways to give an illusion of balance. To achieve this we need to understand “line design”. A line leads the eye and can give optical illusion for our benefit.

Design lines in our garments need to complement our figure shape. So, a curvy figure looks more appealing with curvy design lines in the outfit rather than straight line, and a straight figure looks better in straight lines rather than curvy lines. All style lines need to lead towards a feature you want to emphasize, such as your waist or shoulders.

We often think that by wearing long loose jackets and tunics we will appear taller and slimmer- this is not so for everyone. A horizontal line can make us appear shorter and the nearer it is to your knees the shorter we look. For example if you are a pear shape, try on some short fitted jackets and see how much longer your legs appear and how much taller and slimmer you look. In many cases loose flowing garments will achieves the opposite by adding pounds instead of slimming our silhouette.

1. Body Balance rules in general

Do’s

• For your body to look balanced your shoulders need to appear balanced with hips and thighs.
• Wear garment design lines to complement your figure shape
• To balance a long waist wear a belt, a wrap, Empire line, details to shorten it
• To balance a short waist be choosy and careful with wearing fuzz and buzz such as belts, bows, highlighted Empire lines- less is better or even none of it.
• Wear a tone in tone outfit to give the illusion of height.
• Break the colour when you are tall

Don’ts

• Avoid jacket hems finishing at your widest point e.g. hips or thighs. Your best length is above or below this level.
• Avoid skirt/dress hems finishing at your widest point e.g. calves, unless you have very thin legs.

2.A few balance rules to:

A. Small Bust

• Add details around neck and bust line e.g. necktie, cowl neckline, ruffles, pockets, prints, layers, scarves, dropped sleeve line
• Wear a padded bra to add volume in your bust line
• Layer on top to create curves
• Avoid wearing tops dead straight from neck to hemline without any volume or layers or details

b. Full Bust

• Wear lower and wider necklines e.g. scoop, square or V- necks
• Make use of a well fitted bra to lift the bust and create more space between bust and waist
• Keep the attention to your décolleté line e.g. embellishments and necklaces

c. Big Calves

• Wear your skirt/dress hemline on your thinnest part of your leg line e.g. below knee or ankle length
• Wear medium to chunky heels to balance with your big calf
• Opt for straight or boot cut in your trousers instead of narrowing leg line
• Avoid any bulk and detail in this area e.g. finishing hemline, short boots, buckles on your boots, ankle straps, kitten heels
• Don’t wear mini skirts or short trousers or Capri trousers

d. Double Chin

• Wear lower and wider necklines
• Wear clean and clutter free tops around your neck
• Avoid turtle or cowl necklines, ruffles, neck tie, rolls, turtle neck and short necklaces

e. Tips for Broad Shoulders

• Wear  lower wider necklines e.g. scoop or V- necklines
• Avoid halter necks-, boat or bardot-, turtle-, roll- or any necklines that add bulk and volume
• Avoid too much padding and big wide collars in your shirts or tops
• Avoid lapels that are too narrow or too wide
• Avoid wearing big shawls on your shoulder
• Avoid any shoulder details

Click here for more information how to create visual balance.

Click here to shop

Have a nice day,

Michaela

From tropical brights, futuristic abstract to image,graphic, dainty and monochrome – prints are the answers to the nude, pastel and utility trends dominating spring & summer season. Prints are a wonderful way to add character, individuality and colour to your outfit- no matter what the occasion or weather. But when choosing your favourite print you shouldn’t only decide by the mood you are or which one you like best but always consider your body shape and dominant colour when choosing them.

Here is an overview of the different prints dominating this season :

• Animal Print

• Graphic/ Abstract

• Image

• Flora & Fauna:

• Monochrome

• Brights/ Colour blocks

• Tribal

• Tropical

Here is some know how to wear them:

• Your dominant colour is a decisive factor when choosing the pattern of the print. For example the brighter the print is near your face the more suitable it will be for a clear, cool, light than for a warm or soft. Unless you wear the brighter print on your lower half and tune it down with a calmer top.
• Floral prints are great to add roundness to rectangle, lean columns and inverted triangles ( on the lower half only!)
• While graphic & abstract & edgy print will counter balance the roundness for apples, full hourglass and pears ( only on top!)
• Horizontal lines are only for lean and tall bodies or body parts since they either shorten visually your body or add roundness.
• Vertical lines are super for short people but a no no for tall people since it will you elongate you further.
• Block prints are great- but watch out. They add serious attention to that body part and add volume to it. So, firstly make sure the colour combination suits you, secondly the pattern size are right for body shape size and thirdly that the patterns are sitting at the right place of your body shape.
• Artwork/ photographs/image have to hang like a canvas from the wall. That means if you wear it on top you need to be slim, lean and flat chested. Otherwise it looks like if that the artwork or photographs got dents, which is really not a good look at all. Therefore they are never a good choice for women with a bust or fuller bust or have a apple or full hourglass body shape.  Don’t be seduced by the image.
• Last but not least make sure that the print you are using is suiting the occasion and the weather otherwise you look quickly out of place.

Have a nice day,

Michaela

It was all a very British affair honouring British actors and actress in typical british weather. Though the red carpet fashion was a bit of a disappointment overall.

1. Anna Kendrick in Pucci

8. Vera Farmiga in Marchesa

9. Claire Danes in Burberry

10. Kristen Stewart in Chanel

11. Saoirse Ronan in Burberry

12. Anne Marie Duff in Alberta Feretti

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

Hubert de Givenchy

On Joy of Clothes you can search for your favourite clothes  by body shapes. It will make your search faster, easier and your purchases more successful.

When it comes to looking good, it’s not your size or shape that matters, it’s the fit of your clothes. Wearing the right clothes shouldn’t be about following the latest fashion trends; it should be about choosing what actually suits you and what makes you feel comfortable and confident.

Knowing your basic body shape and understanding the types of clothes that will accentuate your good features (and minimise your less- than perfect bits!), means you’ll be able to dress in a way that really suits you. Today there are so many options to choose from so you’ll always be able to find something that will complement your body shape, scale, proportions, colouring, personality and life style.

Click here for more info

Every body shape has its own characteristics and silhouette, which needs to be addressed when choosing your clothes. The aim of choosing the right clothes is to balance your silhouette. You may not be able to follow all the fashion tends that are out there, but nowadays there are so many trends in fashion that there is something available for every body shape. So, don’t get sidetracked by falling in love with a style and look that doesn’t match your body shape

On Joy of Clothes you can search for products for your body shape in 3 ways!

1.Click to Shop by body shape

2. View the most recently added products in different clothes categories in body shapes- scroll down the page, please!

Pear

Neat Hourglass

Lean Hourglass

Inverted Triangle

Full Hourglass

Apple

Rectangle

3. Shop and view by product results by body shape all at once

Go to www.joyofclothes.com

and select on the left navigation bar the body shape in question. It will provide you with a search results with all products suitable for that perticular body shape.

Have a nice day,

Michaela

]]> http://www.joyofclothes.com/blog/index.php/2010/02/shop-by-body-shape-in-3-different-ways/feed/ 0 http://www.joyofclothes.com/blog/index.php/2010/02/peppy-prints/ http://www.joyofclothes.com/blog/index.php/2010/02/peppy-prints/#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:55:55 +0000 michaela http://www.joyofclothes.com/blog/?p=2734

It is a zoo out there! From loud, futuristic, bright, graphic, abstract, floral, tropical, tribal, artwork or monochrome- this season seems to cover it all.

In order to give the prints a current look and feel wear them with sharp shoes  or edgy jewellery. Try to mix and match rather than opting for a matchy matchy look. If this is too daunting play safe by wearing a simple white T-shirt with a heavy printed skirt or combine a pair of jean shorts with with a peppy print top or choose a work outfit with a peppy print shopper bag to jazz it all a bit up. But keep in mind to wear prints only where you can take the drama! Prints add volume and attention, so put it only where you can take it.

Here are some print ideas for all 7 body shapes:

• Inverted Triangle

Click here for more recently added products for inverted triangle

• Lean Column

Click here for more recent added products for the neat hourglass body shape

• Rectangle

Click here for more products recently added for rectangle shape

• Apple

Click here for more recently added products for apple shape

• Pear

Click here for more recently added products for pear shape

• Neat Hourglass

Click here for more recent updated products for neat hourglass

• Full Hourglass

Click here for more products recently added for full hourglass shape

Have a nice day,

Michaela

“The best colour in the whole world is the one looks good on you.”

Coco Chanel

Colour is individual, natural, magnetic, influential, emotional, therapeutic and joyful and the emotions it stirs are a vital part of a woman’s beauty and charm. Everyone is different – hair, skin and even eye colour change constantly with the play of light and shade, and these nuances mean that every woman can possess a colour of her very own, one as personal as her signature. Women who understand colour look more interesting, more in control, more confident, more self-assured and ultimately more attractive. These women have more personality in their looks, because they have created their own colour signature.

The choice of colours out there is enormous and can be not only confusing but also quite daunting. Why is it that sometimes the colour blue looks great on you, then just ok and at other times doesn’t work at all? The answer is that every colour comes in different shades, tones and intensities. So, blue is not just blue – there is icy blue, pale blue, light blue, pastel blue, clear blues, soft blues, clear blues, medium blues, dark blues etc. Once you know your dominant colour (which is based on your personal colouring) you’ll know which type of tones and shades of blue look best on you and which look just ok. These ones can be made to look better by combining them with other colours from the dominant colour palette.

Also, note that colours will either lose or gain intensity with your choice of fabric. So a blue linen can look lighter or softer, because it’s translucent, while a blue corduroy might gain intensity because it’s a more heavily textured fabric. There’ll be other blues that you love but if they just don’t work on you, stop wearing them and integrate them into your life in another way – for example, use the colour in your home.

Click here for more info on colour information

Click here to find your dominant colour

In total we recognise 6 dominant colours. Now you can not only find out how to wear your colour palette but also shop for the most recent added product by your dominantcolour!

Light Dominant Colour

Deep Dominant Colour

Warm Dominant Colour

Clear Dominant Colour

Soft Dominant Colour

Cool Dominant Colour

Have a nice day,

Michaela