The Must Have List (and my comments)

According to Nina Garcia

(TV’s Project Runway, & Fashion Editor at Marie Claire magazine)

Trench Coat—a wool version for cold climates, cotton with removable lining for temperate climates. Just below the knee seems to be the most versatile.

Double-breasted styles can make you look boxy and wider in the torso. If you opt for a colour people remember it but one of your Season’s Neutrals is forgettable and will go with everything in your wardrobe, just brighten it with colour near your face eg a scarf.

White Shirt—perfectly tailored. There are many different styles, avoid ultra-trendy designs.

Not everyone suits white (ivory flatters warm skin tones) and for many women even the right one can be too draining. Wearing a white shirt with very dark skirt/trousers cuts you in half so you won’t look as slim (add another layer eg waistcoat/cardigan/jacket to minimise this effect). Nor does every Style Personality like tailored shirts. By opting for a Neutral top you will tend to wear all neutrals or need a coloured ‘jacket’ (which won’t go with all of your colours).

Trousers—light wool trousers can be worn almost throughout the year. A solid, neutral colour with a simple cut (avoid extremes eg flares, very tapered).

Most Kiwi women will opt for black but charcoal or chocolate may work better with your skin tones and wardrobe colours.

to be continued in next newsletter

Selecting Swimwear

Here are some tips to make it a bit easier to find the right one for your body shape. Basically, highlight assets with lighter/brighter colours or prints or detailing and camouflage figure challenges with darker/plainer colours

Small Bust: Choose lighter /brighter colours for top half, a little padding, or detailing eg frills, ruching at the bust.

Big Bust: Make sure you get the support you need. Opt for wide shoulder straps (not thin, string or strapless). The right halter-neck style can work well. Avoid detailing at bust area, keep it simple. Plain, darker fabrics will visually minimise.

Thick Waist: create curves with draped surplice (cross-over) style, darker/plainer colour at waist. Add emphasis to bust & hips as visually widening them makes your waist look smaller.

Round Tummy: Distract away from area by high­lighting a figure asset eg bust. Draping & ruching flatter by preventing fabric from clinging (which emphasises).

Big Hips/Thighs: draw the eye up with print top, use plainer/darker colour for lower half.

Short: a one piece with plunging neckline or vertical stripes will elongate you. Or plain bottom with printed top (draws eye upward). Simple & unfussy styles.

Tall: opt for patterns, blocks of colour, details, or cut outs (to break up your length). Avoid high necklines, vertical stripes, dark solid colours.

Small Group Workshops - subsidised

Want someone else to organise a Small Group workshop for you?

The Katikati Resource Centre has decided to continue hosting Personal Style Small Group Workshops (called Affordable Wardrobe Planning) AND they’re heavily subsidised (only $30 in 2010!).

Next one is Saturday 19th March 2011.

Phone them early to book your place 07 549 0399

Want More?

Like to know more? Visit my web site www.personal-style.co.nz

Personal Style is also on FaceBook, comments and handy tips (approximately weekly) if you’re a member please ‘like’ the page and get the updates automatically. www.facebook.com/personalstyle.nz

P.S.

I’m sure I’m not the only one wondering why Christmas is coming so early this year!

I think we were distracted by my brother-in-law Peter celebrating his 60th birthday in his back yard on Waiheke Island. BIG back yard! Argentine style barbecue, live music, and 200 guests with a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party theme.

On Line Advice

Do you want more info. and pictures regarding what to wear for your body shape? Maybe this will help; there's now a link on my website to The Personal Stylist (an Australian site).

Usually $A89, if you go via my website then it's just $NZ85 The program will ask you various questions and provide advice regarding your best shapes eg collars, necklines, tops, jackets, dresses etc (even hairstyles) which you can print out. Books are also available ($NZ30-38)

Yes, you can check it out first. View the video and look at the sample recommendations for "Ellen Sims".

Spring Fashion

This little top is from Farmers. It uses narrow stripes above the bust which visually widens the shoulders. Great for Triangles.

Spring Fashion

I love viewing all the gorgeous
clothes now in (and still coming to) the shops.

Ideally your wardrobe is 70-80% core essentials and 30-20% fashion. Now that's not to say you have to buy everything that's trendy (there'll be lots that won't suit you). But you can have an up-to-date looking wardrobe by having a few items which are current eg shape, colour or style (not all three, it'd be too much). Pick and choose the look that works for you.

There are lots of pastels and neutrals this season; Pastels won't suit everyone but it's a great time to stock up on your Neutrals (white, ivory, cream, beige, brown, grey, black). Autumns will be relieved to see khaki is popular - a great alternative Neutral for you.

The very bright Poppy Red is still popular - ideal for Springs but too bright for Autumns and too warm for Winters.

Lace and ruffles or frills are everywhere; so if your style personality includes the Feminine-Romantic, you'll enjoy this trend.

Also lots of stripes and polka-dots. Broad horizontal stripes are not your friends (unless you're tall and thin) but skinny ones can be RELATIVELY slimming.

Look for clever draping, asymmetrical and/or diagonal stripes to create the illusion of curves and optical illusions. Be careful where you wear stripes; try layering (see illustration) to wear them in the right place for you.

Looking Slim Rule 10

Finishing a series based around Leah Feldon's 10 Rules for Dressing Slim. Her Top Ten are all covered in the Personal Style Workshops. This item is Rule 10 Direct Attention to Your Face. Divert attention away from figures challenge(s) and towards your face (the centre of communication) and figure asset(s). Negative Space is created when bare skin is surrounded by material eg cut out sections, necklines. The more attractive the shape of the neckline, the better its negative space and the more effective it is at directing attention to to your face. Scarves they're unbeatable when it comes to redirecting attention plus they can help elongate the body and turn an ordinary outfit into something extraordinary. There are two main shapes: square and oblong. Square are great as shawls but oblongs are more elongating when tied or draped. Scarf Advice:

• Go for top quality; definitely a worthwhile investment as it never goes out of style and will always fit!
• Match clothing weight with scarf weight eg a lightweight chiffon scarf may look unbalanced with a heavy wool jacket.
• Wear scarves in colours that warm your skin and make it glow.
• A print scarf should always include one or more of the colours in your outfit.

Subsidised Workshops

The Katikati Resource Centre is hosting Personal Style small group workshops AND they're heavily subsidised (only $30!!) Just two more this year Saturday 30 October and 20 November. Phone them early to book your place on 07 549 0399

FaceBook

Do check out the Personal Style business page on FaceBook - you don't have to be a FaceBook member to view it. But if you are, please 'like' my page and boost its popularity, plus you'll receive the updates automatically.

PS

The day after we arrived to visit my daughter, her husband Ben and their 3 year old son Malakai, Cherie had their son Jakin. A lovely straight-forward birth, he was a whopping 4945g (10lb 14oz)!

We had wonderful family time for an all-too-short ten days. They plan to return to Cambodia at the end of October (new silk scarves should be available in November!).

I needed new biz photos; thanks to Logan Davey photographer, Lillybeth of A Beautiful Education for a great natural make-up, and Beks at B Hair for styling my hair (ph 07 571 4603)