Deja Pseu of Une femme d’un certain age recently asked if horizontal lines could ever be worn by a fuller figure. So what do you think? Horizontal lines – good or bad? Most of us just steer clear of horizontal stripes as they’re fattening – which they are in general, but there are ways you…
. . Your hips and shoulders are pretty much the same width (you can measure them if you’d like to check), but your waist measurement is less than 9″ smaller than your hip/shoulder measurements. So you don’t have a waist, and no matter how much dieting you do, you’re never going to have one.…
Julianne from Potpourri Promenade has asked that I create set for her. She’s a Mum and needs a practical and stylish wardrobe. I’ve created this set for her with her colouring in mind. Julianne has soft warm colouring, so I’ve avoided black, and as she needs comfort and practicality, so I’ve shown a few shoe…
Reader Question – The last time I was fitted for a bra I ended up as a 34G. I understand that the band needs to be firm to support the dress the breasts, however, the firm band of my bra digs into my padded back causing unsightly bumps under t-shirts and other close-fitting tops. Are…
If you need to choose a new swim suit for this summer here are some options finding a pair of swimmers that flatters your body shape. If you want to hide your stomach look for a suit that is either darker over the stomach area than either the bottom or chest area, or find one…
What are the keys to creating flattering outfits for the A body shape? The A shape has narrower shoulders than hips with a defined waist and is often described as a pear shape body. If you want all the details grab your Body Shape Bible here. The widest part of the hip is at the…
Diagonal lines create movement and action. They move the eye from one element to another and can be used to move the gaze upward or downward, depending on the direction of the diagonal. In Western cultures, because we read left to right, the left to right diagonal moves the gaze upwards (towards the face). The…
Hi Imogen, I am 5’0 and 120lb with a figure of eight shape. I am very short waisted (my waist is the smallest about 1.5 inches from the bottom of my bust). So I’ve been wearing shirts untucked with a belt as I have a little bit of a belly. The only thing is, it…
I don’t belt often as I’m an H shape and have a short waist with large bust, so belting at the waist draws attention to my boxy shape and makes my breasts look larger. But occasionally I do like the addition of a belt as it adds a detail to my outfit to make it more interesting.…
Winter is a time of year that allows you to throw on more, not less, which means it’s way easier to create more interesting outfits as you can keep adding layers of texture, pattern and adding details (unlike in summer, where even adding a “third piece” can be too much, which is why I’ve shared…
Becoming a magician with clothes involves learning the illusion of line. The slowest line we see is the curved line. Why? Well as our eye follows its path, it’s curves slow us down. Thus, if it’s a slower line to look at, it adds volume and curves to our bodies. Where do we find curves…
Jackets are one of the essential third pieces in your wardrobe. They can cover a multitude of sins, and dress up a more casual outfit, or if made from a casual fabric, dress down a fancier one. Jackets bypass many of your personal ‘statistics’. The can diminish the appearance of a large bust or tummy,…
Your weekly roundup of style and colour Q&A videos – please do email me your pressing colour and style questions to answer in upcoming videos! Your Questions Answered in this video 0.10 How can I create a capsule wardrobe when I have low colour contrast and don’t want to include neutrals? 4.15 As a low…
How to Choose an Empire Waist to Suit Your Body Shape An Empire Waist garment has a high cut waist seam that sits directly under the breasts (above your natural waistline). It’s flattering on so many body shapes because it doesn’t require a defined natural waist to work. For petites it works because it raises…
Many people in warmer climates would like to add a 3rd piece (that extra garment that adds some extra interest) but find it’s too hot for a jacket, so why not try a waistcoat. 5 Easy Ways to Style Waistcoats as a Third Piece Wear a vest over a dress Wear a casual or unstructured…
Yes, body shapes can be confusing, we are all unique, so there is no exact standard for body shapes, but these are guidelines. You can be a mix of body shapes, though you will probably find that you fall more into one shape than another. If you have the top half of an A and…
Why should you care about the size of your clothes? Yet I see again and again women judge themselves, their value, their worth on the number that sits on a label inside their clothes. That’s it, it’s just a number. A number that has no value. You are worth so much more than any number…
The H shape body guide is making sense to me. The one piece of advice I find confusing is to avoid anything at the waist. I though if you don’t have much waist definition you can fool the eye by adding a belt or using contrasting colors where your waist should be (in my case,…
Yesterday’s post titled Curves are Back! has sparked some interesting discussion. One of the most obvious points about these articles is that curves are only ‘media acceptable’ when they’re the ‘right kind of curve’, that is, hourglass, slim waist, no potbelly, bust and rounded bottom, and generally around a size 12-14, definitely not size 22…
What are the keys to creating flattering outfits for the V shape body (otherwise known as the inverted triangle or cone shape)? The V shape has broader shoulders than the waist or hips. If you want all the details grab your Body Shape Bible here. You most likely have an undefined waist (your rib…
