If you’re like me and like to wear a cardi when it’s a little nippy, how to choose one to flatter your figure? How to Choose a Flattering Cardigan Clockwise from top left The stripy cardigan is great for I shapes, the wide stripes will add curves as will the pocket detail which will add…
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…
Have you got a high “shelf” like hip? I often think of this as the Barbie Doll body shape – it’s what I call the 8 shape and is one of the two hourglass shapes (the X shape is the other hourglass shape). What you notice with an 8 shape is that there is a…
Nancy K put in a request (and yes I’m doing all the body shapes) for an 8 shape – so here are some guidelines. If you are an 8 Shape (high hip and bootylicious) you are best to avoid trying on garments that: Flare from the waist – such as dirndl or circle, or any…
I was over at Academic Chic who all LOVE belts, in a big way. This week, S is doing a course on belting, if you’re interested in following along. Belting is something that you need to try out for yourself, some of us have bodies that belt well (body shapes -I, X, 8 A, V)…
Yesterday I did a post on What Size Handbag to Choose – one of the commenter’s asked about handbag placement, should you wear it at your hips or under your arm, down the side of your body and what happens when you wear it across your body? The answer lies in knowing your body shape and…
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…
Karen asked me to give some advice on tucking – who should and who shouldn’t. Basically, if you are short through the waist (and especially if you have a medium to large bust), don’t tuck, it will make you look even shorter through the waist. This applies to H shapes, O shapes and…
Many of you have asked me to share with you some celebrities who have similar body shapes to yours (so you can get some style inspiration). Now in Hollywood ‘very thin’ is common due to the pressures put on celebrities so there is less variety in body shapes. But here are some celebrities who…
What is the difference between an 8 shape and an X shape? Well they both have defined waists, and their hips and shoulders are both fairly proportioned, (though sometimes you can have an 8 shape that has narrower shoulders, more like the A shape, but their hips are a different shape to a traditional A/pear).…
Tonight I spent a couple of hours with some lovely image consultant students of mine, and we were looking at each others outfits and working out what we might tweak to improve. One of my lovely students was wearing ankle length pants (which are a trend at the moment) and we played with the length…
I know that many of my readers are in the northern hemisphere where it’s currently winter, but here in Melbourne, we’re sweltering – or in the words of Cole Porter “It’s too darn hot!”. The heat from my laptop feels extreme, something I normally don’t notice. My hands are sweating on the keyboard as I…
Do you like to wear a patterned skirt but are unsure what colour you should choose for your top? If you are an X, A, 8 or H shape, choose a lighter or brigher colour from the top to draw attention away from the hips/thighs and up to your face. If you’re an H, O,…
The lovely Karen asked me to write a post about Collar Flipping, Cuff Rolling and Shirt Tying – so here are my thoughts. To Flip or Not to Flip – that is the question! Collar flipping (that is standing up the collar of your shirt), can make your neck look longer (provided that the…
If you like the look of a straight or pencil skirt, which shape should you choose for your body? This Premise skirt from Nordstrom with pleat details at the waistband is only suitable for women who are and I shape, straight up and down and very slim, with no hips as it will give you…
How to Choose a Garment with Detail Have you ever thought about where a garment is making you look? Garments can have focal points, particularly with pattern and detail (or colour changes) so it’s good to be aware of where these are and what is ideal for you. Design details can draw attention to different…
