The wait is over for the Outnet’s Balmain pop-up sale! The sale will be devoted to signature pieces with up to 85% off and will last for just 7 days. It’s a heart-racing opportunity to own a piece by the label that everyone wants to be seen in. There’s never been a better time to join team Balmain and wear the sharp-shouldered jackets, crystal-sprayed dresses and super-high boots the label is famed for.
Buckle-embellished suede boots: Original Price £1,160 NOW £464 60% off
Best for women with long legs with small calves
Striped sequined top: Original price £9,545NOW £1,909 80% off
Best for Lean Column, Neat hourglass and Rectangle Body Shape
Crystal-embellished wrap jacket: Original price £4,760 NOW £1,428 70% off
Best for Lean Column, Neat Houglass and Pear Body Shape
Leather crystal-embellished skirt: Original price: £7,150NOW £1,430 80% off
Best for Lean Column, Neat Hourglass and Inverted Triangle Body Shape
Buckle-detail satin pants: Original price: £1,315 NOW £395 70% off
Best for Lean Column, Neat Hourglass, Rectangle and Inverted Triangle Body Shape
Swarovski-crystal satin jacket: Original price: £3,805 NOW £1,142 70% off
Best for Lean Column, Neat Hourglass, Full Hourglass, Apple, Rectangle and Pear Body Shape
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.
We are talking coats of many colours, cuts and shapes- from lady like strict tailoring to military, bright to neutral shades, slouchy and fitted to volume in shapes, statement coats to belted wraps, camel, patterned and tweed, wide or high collar, neutral or bright.
It might seem at first that there is no common theme among them, but you will find that the big fashion trends this season are buttons and wide or high collars or both or even all of them together.
So, how do you find your coat (s)?
Though it seems that there is an endless choice (at first) and making the right choice might look daunting to choose the right one (s) – especially now that it is getting cold and with the festive season ahead of us. But on the second glance the choices for your coat (s) can be narrowed down easily
You want to make sure that the coat you choose is versatile for different occasions and works not only for your life style and personality, but also works for your body shape and colouring. Remember the coat should complement you and make you look and feel good. It is not about having the latest but having something that works for you.
Coat style tips for this season:
High Collars: Not a good look for women who have short necks and a bigger bust. But is great for women who have a shorter body to create the illusion of a longer torso- as long as the neckline is clutter free! Therefore it is fantastic one for women who have a long thin neck. They can take the clutter in any given way.
Wide collars: A big no no to women who have a big bust, who have a short body and longer legs. Women who are apples and inverted triangles should stay clear of this style. Full hourglass should be extra careful by choosing this style. Also, not a wise choice for short women it will visually shorten them if the collars are to chunky or made too much of a feature.
Belted Coats: Belts need a waist. They need to lay into your waist and not wrap around a not existing waist. It is really not a good look and not an option for rectangles. Though lean columns have a similar shape as rectangles, but their body is more petite in build. That means if they go for chunkier & looser belted coat versions e.g. wraps they will create the illusion of a waist, because the extra volume of the coat will “build” up above the belt. Also women who have an apply body shape should stay absolutely clear of belted coats version, because it will right sit on their fullest part of the body and highlight that part in the most unflattering way.
Military Coats: It is a great style for those who need attention on the upper body e.g. pears, small busted, long waisted women but it is absolutely the wrong choice for those who don’t need the attention there e.g. inverted triangles, women with a big bust, short waist or short neck. It is just too much detail and details need space to breath and come to light.
Shoulder Details: Is a big feature this season and therefore it can be found in many different styles & designs on coats. Again this is great for those who can take the attention. It is adding volume and therefore a fantastic feature for lean columns, pears and neat hourglass. Rectangles have to be a bit more careful by choosing designs that adds roundness to their visual balance and not make them look more “edgy”. Unfortunately this trend is not good news for inverted triangles and apples- it is just too much attention and clutter for these shapes to cope with.
Patterns: They are great if they work and you choose the right ones. It can be a bit of a tricky on! You need to know your body shape, proportion, height and scale to make the right decision. In general patterns or colour blocks should be only worn on body features that are flattering on you. They create attention to this part, so you need to make sure you can take it. If you are a lean column or a rectangle opt more for “rounder” patterns e.g. florals, dots but stay away of horizontal strips in your waist area ( similar concept to belts) and also from “edgy designs and graphics”. While women with “rounder shapes” e.g. apples and full hourglass should opt instead more for abstract & edgy designs ( obviously at the right places only!). Pears should be wearing patterns only on the top, while inverted triangles should do exactly the opposite.
Buttons: Buttons as any other of the details mentioned above need space to come out to shine. So, the longer and leaner your body the more buttons you can take and vis versa. If you have a shorter body and longer legs or are an inverted triangle so keep the to your lower and not upper part. If you have a longer body and shorter body make sure your buttons don’t go any lower than your mid waist. Otherwise it will even more emphasise your longer upper and shorter lower. Empire styles are a great choice here. Women with a small chest will have a field day with this trend. Now who should opt for double breasted, single breasted or just single button coats? Double breasted are great for those who have space on the upper part, but no good for bigger busted women, apples, short/body long legs, short women and full hourglasses need to be extra careful here. Double breasted are super for tall women, small busted, long body/ short legs. Rectangles and lean columns’ need to make sure that their double breast coat will come with features that adds roundness and softness to their frame e.g. big lapels, chunky collars, volume in its sleeve line. Super as well for pears but not any lower as mid waist- anything lower and you enter the “no fly zone”! Single breasted are good for everyone depending on the pattern, shape and cut. Lean columns should stay away from tailored cut since it will make them look even leaner and longer. Single breasted is as well a much better choice for women who have a fuller top. But apple shapes should opt for the one or two button types that sits under the bust and over their tummy.
Sleeves: Women with fuller upper part as inverted triangles, full hourglass and apples need to opt for clean cuts in their sleeve line- no volume or clutter. It will just make them fuller. Great for pears to balance out their smaller upper part. Puffs, volume, wider sleeve lines are also good for rectangles and lean columns to add a visual roundness to their shape.
Fashion is architecture: It is a matter of proportion
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!
“There is no such thing as an ugly woman- there are only the ones who do not know how to make themselves attractive”.
Christian Dior
From slate to cloud to dark charcoal- the new greys can be found in any clothes item.
Many of us are shying away from grey- because it can look quickly aging, boring and will show bad quality in fabric in comparison to black, dark navy or purple. But it is a fantastic basic and neutral colour for any outfit, occasion or personality if you know what to do and what not to do. Grey is not as forgiving as black and has to be handled with care and thought when dressing yourself.
Grey is the colour of teamwork, agreement, and passivity. In a darker charcoal shade, grey is a true power colour. In a lighter shade, it becomes more relaxed. Grey is a good choice for people in sales, banking, or finance and it is ideal in combination with other colours to personalise according to colouring, body shape, scale and proportion. However, grey is not a colour to be worn on its own – it will make you look “robot like” ie lacking any own personality…
Grey is a great alternative for those who should not wear black near the face
Don’ts
Dressed all in grey in a corporate environment can send the message you are lacking of imagination and personality.
Same goes for combining grey with white or ivory or black.
Avoid wearing different shades of greys in different outfits together – it can work, but very rarely and it is so easy to get wrong.
Don’t combine grey with any soft or mudding colours- it looks aging, your look will be dated and overall it won’t give you a confident boost wearing your grey.
Never ever wear a washed out grey in any of your garments. Remember grey shows quickly bad quality and together with a washout tone…let’s not go there!
Does
When wearing grey from top to toe e.g. coat, dress, suit remember it needs a sharp or /and tailored look.
Grey needs colour- a strong dynamic bright colour. You can choose a dramatic look, but you can also be subtle in your choice. Important is that you have focus point and your look looks energetic, fresh and modern.
Studs and Sequins are fantastic ways of adding an edge, glamour and sparkle to your outfit. They are especially great when wearing them in or with grey knitwear. It will transform your look instantly.
Grey can look nice with beige, but remember keeping it sharp e.g. with a white blouse. Add personality with a statement accessories, so you look will look sleek and elegant rather dull and dowdy.
Mix match your grey with different fabrics or fashion.
A little advice here- grey looks best when you are groomed. Too much make up & big hair and it will remind everyone quickly of the 80ies and will just drain you. Even if you wear a strong colour in your grey look- the colour needs to be balanced with a groomed understated look.
Grey and lipstick- you can say the more grey or neutral your outfit & look is the stronger and bolder you can be in your lipstick choice.
Keep our body shape, height and proportion in mind when choosing your grey and when combining it with a dynamic colour. Darker greys are more slimming and will make you look more taller. When accessorising grey with a dynamic bright colour keep in mind to choose a ” positive “body feature that will make you feel comfortable and confident to show off by creating a focus point.
Last not least Grey makes a fantastic investment buy!
Here are some ideas what to buy in Grey and how to mix match them:
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
