Get the most out of simple pieces of fabric. Brilliant.
Personal Fashion Tips
Let it go – a closet makeover
This is a fantastic article in Design Sponge from May by Amy Azzarito. It outlines how “buying less makes you rethink your possessions” and when you actually make the time and space to be able to see all your possessions, you value them.
We clutter up our wardrobes surprisingly quickly, which makes it difficult to appreciate what we have, and therefore nothing brings us pleasure and so we just keep on buying. Realising how your current possessions can work for you definitely makes you hesitate when buying more. It’s a great read with some great tips and i couldn’t agree with her more!
Click here to read the full article :-
How to wear…the essential asymmetric wrap skirt
This skirt shape is really flattering due to the uneven hemline that doesn’t cut the legs off so harshly, like standard horizontal hemlines. It works in minis & pencils and can also look fantastic in softer fabrics too.
Take care : if the fabric is thick & heavy, the wrap creates layers of fabric which can sit on top of each other and end up adding bulk around the hips & thighs. So if you are larger in this area, choose a pencil length in a medium/lightweight cloth.
Perfect for apple shapes
This kimono x-over shape is perfect for apple shape – those of us who carry weight around their stomachs. This is a key shape for A/W and can be found in most fashion forward retailers.
I chose examples from Zara / Country Road / Lisa Ho but ASOS and Topshop also do great, well priced, examples. It’s unusual for blouse shape to look great with a sleeve but this x-over does, which makes it practical and perfect for this time of year.
PS: works when you have a pregnancy bump too!
CALLING ALL NEW MUMS!
Now i’m a new mum, i’m constantly looking for fashionable garments, that are also practical, and although they have been around for a while, the pleather (faux leather) paneled legging is an absolute must have in my wardrobe.
They’re the perfect weight for the current weather, can be styled in many different ways, look a little sassy rather than mumsy, but best of all, they are wipe clean – which is great when you’re around grubby little hands!
The fact that they are paneled with the faux leather make them much easier to wear and more versatile than full pleather leggings, as well as more comfortable.
Most retailers from designer level through to lower end high street, carry a version, so have fun shopping around and make sure you take advantage of the panels and angles to flatter your particular body shape.
How to wear…the essential white shirt
The vastly underrated button-though white shirt is a must have piece to have in your wardrobe. It can take you from a job interview to a dinner date and there is one to suit all body shapes and ages. Because of its conservative connotations, you can team it with something uber sexy and it still retains class.
The secret is to buy a good quality one made from a medium/heavy weight cotton, ideally with a little stretch in it to help with fit (particularly helpful when some padded bras burst open the front buttons). Hugo Boss sell a beautiful white shirt that has the center front placket stitched down to avoid this ‘bursting open’ look and a few other retails have since followed.
Also, a white shirt needs to be washed on a white wash only to retain the bright white colour which will keep it looking new. Look for shirts with flattering seam details or expensive looking buttons.
The many looks below show it’s versatility …but there’s many more
The best skirt shape for your body shape
Love this website WHOWHATWEAR as they give some really practical fashion tips to help women dress for their body shape, which is what i’m all about.
We categorise body shapes – often using the humble fruit – to help people understand what styles will look best on them and which ones to steer clear of, but we must take in to account that not many people are a textbook. For example, a small apple can wear quite different styles compared with a larger sized apple, and that is the case here.
The first high-waist flouncy skirt is not suitable for a larger sized apple as the skirt will hang too far away from the thighs and look very unattractive. So a lot of the guides you read for what styles a particular body shape should wear, are generally steered towards the smaller size version of that fruit.
Have a read here.
Finding a diamond in the rough
Not that i’m one for throw away fashion, i do appreciate that there is a place in our wardrobes for a few lower priced items that are a bit more trend driven. After the interesting L&B experiment by Best & Less, it got me thinking about other shops with a stigma attached when buying clothes, and so i had a browse in KMart and found this little gem.
It’s easy to wear and not too masculine or rock ‘n roll, and as I would have bought it for $40, I thought it was a wise purchase. I trimmed the armhole a little so it looked a bit more authentic and styled it with a vintage red leather skirt, Zara heels & a lace bra peeping through. No one would have guessed it was from KMart – or is that a bad thing – should i be proud of that fact I love my $8 tee?
It’s all about how much you value your purchase.
How to wear…the essential white jean
Yes, white jeans are a little difficult to wear for some of us. But if you do have the figure, they are surprisingly versatile. The actually give a less harsh outline than dark jeans so can be surprisingly flattering. Make sure you go for a heavyweight denim so to give you good coverage and like all jeans, make sure the back pockets are in the correct place for your bottom shape.
Best&Less launches ‘The L&B Experiment’
I love this, it’s such a fantastic social experiment. Ricki from Campaign Brief reports on the success of the latest, and very bold experiment, by Banjo – the PR agency for Best & Less. By presenting exactly the same clothes within a more beautiful retail environment, peoples perception of the value of the items changed dramatically. They could view the garments without the stigma and indeed, appeal to a lot more people that wouldn’t have usually stepped foot inside a Best & Less. Customers were even prepared to pay a higher price for these items, almost 4 times the correct price! The video is a must watch.
Due to this lower end market not giving the love the clothes that they should ie. steaming garments before hanging, using decent hangers, merchandising in to outfits etc, it’s often hard for potential customers to imagine how good they could look once they get them home and mix them with their own wardrobe. I think there is definitely a place for lower priced fashion. But it should still fit well, be made of a cloth that doesn’t give you a rash and be a considered purchase. You should never buy an item because it’s cheap. If that’s the motivation, you’ll never love it, and it’s just a waste.
I visited Best & Less yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by their knitwear and encourage any one to go in and take a fresh look, particularly at this category.
http://www.campaignbrief.com/2014/02/bestless-launches-the-lb-exper.html
Click on the image to enlarge & read.
