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.
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.
Who doesn’t feel ready to ditch the winter clothes and last season behind and embrace the new spring and summer collections? Especially now that the excitement of sales are almost behind us!
Although slowly but surely the next collections are hitting the shops we still don’t feel ready for all the spring and summer looks- it is just too grey, cold and wet outside and really doesn’t go with the theme of the clothes. One would feel utterly undressed or wrong for the occasion. Quite right!
So, why not ease the way by wearing clothes in the colours of hot pink, fuchsia or magenta? It is a fantastic investment buy because you can combine with any colour, dress it up or down, create different feels, looks and themes. Last not least it is the perfect colour to path the way from winter to summer from last collection to the new one.
Fuchsia/ Black: Glamorous, edgy, sophisticated
Fuchsia/Grey: Feminine, formal, elegant
Fuchsia/ (navy) blue: Cools the pink, takes the nudge down, adds masculinity to femininity
Fuchsia/ neutral colours: romantic, elegant, soft
Fuchsia/ lime green: fresh, fun, strong
Fuchsia/ orange: bohemian, creative, excotic
Fuchsia/ purple: creative, feminine, indulgent
Fuchsia/ red: daring, glamorous, sexy
Fuchsia/ white: summer here we come!
Find your perfect piece for your wardrobe, body shape and body size. Make sure you wear it the colour at the right part of the body so it can take the spotlight. There is no point for buying a piece because you love but doesn’t play up to your strengths. A beautiful outfit can only follow a woman’s body line, shape and size- it can’t make you into something that you are not.
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.
“I am against fashion that doesn’t last. I cannot accept that you throw your clothes away just because it is spring.”
Coco Chanel
Women will spend more than £1billion in the sales – on clothes they will never wear, research reveals.
In total, Britons spend some £4.1billion in sales on goods that are never used, at an average cost of £85.60 a person.
Women are the worst offenders, with 10 per cent of their average wardrobe consisting of clothes and accessories bought in sales but never worn – and more than half of the items still have the price tag on.
Some love sales – others hate it – some are impulse buyers – some spend more than they can afford.
No matter which group of shoppers you fall into – if you are somewhere in between – maybe it is time to have a more systematic approach or just keeping the following things in mind when you go shopping the next time.
Budget: How much can you spend per month?
It is not worth going overboard and being always in debt with your credit card. So, if you are an impulse buyer or someone who plans their shopping trip- know always how much you can spend when hitting the shops.
Investment buys- Classic clothing
Investment pieces or classic clothing will vary according to your life style and personality, but they are classic or investments buys because they can be worn most of the year – independent of which season- or which trend is dominating that year or season. They can be worn for years without looking dated! Important here is to keep focus on the quality and buy the highest you can afford. So, make the math here – how many times will you wear this item in that season – year – or years? The cost per wear is much lower – the more you wear something, the less expensive it becomes!
Shop only when you feel good about yourself
Hitting the shops when feeling low about yourself in order to do some shopping rehab ends up most of the times in a bad experience. You will be ending up buying just for the thrill but with any thought about it, so they joy will last only for a moment and the end will be even more depressing because you spend money on something you don’t want and will end up returning it in the end. Or you will end up even more depressed because you can ‘t find anything you like or you don’t like anything on you when you look at your image in the mirror. You are much better off buying yourself some nice chocolate to make you feel good. Dress comfortably
Don’t bother with a full make up or great hair do- it will just get in the way while trying on clothes – look nice and at ease with yourself. Also wear clothes that are easy to get in and out of otherwise you will start to loose interest of trying something on, because it takes too long or it is just to difficult to get out of your clothes. Don’t forget to wear as well comfortable shoes when going shopping – and take the shoes with you that you will be wearing with the garment your buying
Shop when the stores are least crowded
Some people can’t avoid to hit the shops when everyone goes because of work, kids or other commitments. But if you can try to go when less people are in the shops, so you don’t have to queue at the changing rooms, can move around the shops easily and see the garments in full display. Know the store’s return policy
Each store or department store has different return policy- some return your money and in others you just can exchange it for another garment. The normal return policy is two weeks, but can go up as well up to 30days. Be careful when shopping in sale, because most often they cannot be returned at all!
Shop only for things which work for you!
Know your colour palette, your body shape, scale and proportion, so that you know what fabrics, patterns and styles will look great on you. That doesn’t mean you should not experiment, but also you should be honest what works for your figure and colouring. Be true to yourself and shop for the body you have got and not the one you want! It is all about feeling good now in the clothes you buy and not when you will loose some weight then and there! It just will end up in tears because this garment will come with a “but” and will put pressure on you and so the beloved item will turn into a be hated one instead. Last but not least the clothes you buy need to be for real life- don’t try to buy items you might wear but don’t know yet or because they look so pretty but you won’t wear them so much because they might be not comfortable. Keep remember looking good is all about feeling good that means when you are in pain e.g. because trousers are too tight or heels are too thin then you don’t feel like yourself and therefore you don’t look yourself- it’s going always to show how comfortable you are in your clothes!
Items, which are always useful to have:
Click here to shop more for bargains-remember you will see all reduced prices once you clicked on the buy button and you are diverted to the retailers shop.
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.
“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.
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.
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
