Fallcolors compliment Jessica Chastain's pale skin and red hair. She glows in this vibrant yellow.
The dress' sweetheart necklinecut gracefully accentuates her bust while drawing attention to her lovely face.
Note how the dress is fitted through the waist, its narrowest point, highlighting Jessica's figure for a sexy yet demure look.
The volume of the dress' skirt balances out Jessica's figure. Many say Ms. Chastain is hippy. I'd say she has an hourglass shape. Do you see how the top (shoulders, bust) and bottom halves (hips, dress width) balance?
I'm a fan of her accessories too, earrings, a bracelet and two handsome, talented men. ;) Way to go Jessica! Seriously speaking, simple accessories kept the focus on elements described above, which all amount to, "She looks stunning!"
It's no secret that crop tops are trending now. I must admit I love them (in some of their incarnations), but I'm not necessarily able or ready to unveil washboard abs whenever I want to wear one. Last year around this time, I pulled one out from my closet to wear to a friend's NFL Superbowl party. Faced with the same predicament, I decided to pair it with a semi-sheer top in the same color family. The blend was genius, and I'm not only speaking from an aesthetic point of view!!!
So, you can imagine my excitement when over the last few months I've noticed images popping up on Pinterest of women like Joan Smalls and a model styled by Free People implementing the same camouflaging, flattering and put together strategy. It works, ladies! Not comfortable with bearing midriffs, but like crop tops? You can still leave some things to the imagination and enjoy them. Here is your solution!
photo courtesy of: Stockholm-StreetStyle.com
photos courtesy of (l) to (r): Free People; Rtister and altered by Styled to Wear
Styled to Wear is proud to bring you its very own (and first of many) pop-up shop. Find beautiful winter coats. Coats, capes and trenches organized by body type (i.e., pear, hourglass, rectangle, inverted triangle, round) to help you select what will most likely flatter you the first time. Details of qualities to look for in a winter coat and maintenance costs HERE. Hover over images below and use arrows that become visible to view all coats available for each body shape. Click on the coat you like for enlarged view and direct purchase. Happy shopping!
PEAR
HOURGLASS
RECTANGLE
ROUND
INVERTED TRIANGLE
For further shopping assistance contact a Styled to Wear stylist for a consultation today.
RELATED- StW Looks of the Day featuring winter looks HERE, HERE and HERE.
This is the final installment of the Are You Like: Nina? series in which I introduce Nina, her sartorial goals, obstacles, body type, and I style her in clothing that meets her goals. Find Nina's profile and some tips in Part I HEREand a second outfit I styled Nina inHERE.
For the final outfit I styled Nina in I wanted to address creating an hourglass shape and bring a little edge to a feminine outfit. I selected a dress for Nina in her favorite colors: gold, burnt orange and black and paired the dress with peach shoes with gold accent on the heel and gold accessories that feature near transparent gems in flattering colors for Nina.
Nina's shoulders are broad relative to her narrow hips. So, I chose a dress with a fuller skirt to balance her bottom half and added a belt to provide her with an hourglass shape.
I chose a brown croc skin man's belt with a large, heavy, metal buckle to add edge. Its brown color plays nicely with the tones of the dress, and though the belt's style contrasts with that of the dress it does not disturb the overall look, especially because the remainder of the accessories ground the ensemble in femininity.
Accessories can totally transform an outfit.
See...I think she's happy.
Swapped out the earrings on the table for those on her ears and added a bejeweled pendant in colors that pop against the dress and Nina's skin. This is a simple and easy change.
Queen Latifah's dress choices may serve as guidelines for women with apple (or round) body types. Physical attractiveness, most influenced by the media, is often synonymous with being thin, and having high cheek bones, large eyes, bee stung lips and a small nose; these standards are found worldwide. However, all women cannot fit the mold. In the US, the Center for Disease Control finds that 60% of adult women are overweight and one third of overweight women are obese. We all need to don clothing or risk being arrested, so dress to flatter your body like Queen Latifah and join her in defying the societal image of attractiveness. Below, I dissect why this look works for her (and you too).
WHY IT WORKS
Thinner straps, beaded embellishment on the bodice and a fitted, near empire waistline all draw the eye upward to Queen Latifah's face and bust, both of which are assets of hers.
The bodice flattens the top of her abdomen.
The high tulip skirt allows her to breathe and falls gracefully over her stomach and hips. It tapers inward towards her knees drawing attention to her great legs.
I find that peep toe stilettos (withoutankle straps) flatter every and any woman. Hers are simple, sleek and elegant.
I provide similar advice for dress features that flatter a round body type HERE.
Obviously ankle straps are a HUGE trend in women's footwear for Spring/Summer 2012; you've seen them HERE and HERE. However, not all legs and ankles are made alike and thus not everyone can wear the same width ankle strap and look good. Just like I can't always wear the same dress as my best friend and look great she can't wear my ankle strapped heels and rock them like me. As an experiment, check out the ankle strap shoes below then read the next paragraph.
It is of my humble opinion that wide ankle straps better flatter women who have thick calves and ankles than thin ankle straps; wearing thinner straps will cause the area they encase to appear larger and sometimes swollen. No one wants their ankles to appear swollen, right? In addition to thicker ankle straps (think about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch wide), I advise higher heels to make your legs appear longer and leaner, especially if you are on the shorter side. Ankle straps shorten the look of any leg. So, the higher the better. Also, you may want to consider (your) flesh colored ankle straps if you're set on incorporating this trend. This way your ankle strap is visible, but not as arresting--your figure won't be foreshortened as much. What I've said above begs the question: "If I have cankles, am short and or have thick calves, should [I] buy into this trend?"; my answer is a resounding "no" for reasons previously stated. If you have thin ankles and calves, rejoice! You can wear any width ankle strap you want.
Here are some ankle strap shoes that I'm eyeing. I'll put this pic on the Styled to Wear facebook page tomorrow (Thursday) and identify the different designers behind each ankle strap. Which ones would you choose? Did the information I provide here change some of your initial choices? I encourage you to take a look at the ankle strapped feet walking around near you and see my point up close and personal.
In Are You Like Nina?, Part I I introduced my friend Nina and described her attributes and sartorial goals. One of her goals is to use clothing to create the illusion of a longer torso; find a tip on how to accomplish that HERE. I dressed Nina in the drop waist dress below because they too lengthen a short torso. A drop waist dress is one that has a waistline seam at the hips rather than the natural waist. The near geometric V pattern on this dress draws the eye downward and is slimming on most figures. A V shape will pull the eye towards whatever direction it points.
Above, I dressed Nina in a couple of her favorite colors: blue and white. Here are a few more colors that would look great on Nina. To this palette I would add rich royal blues and reds like you saw HERE as well as royal purple, fuchsia, and electric blue, moss green, and the list goes on...
MEET NINA! Nina is a good friend of mine from college who was kind enough to participate in this for our benefit. I styled Nina in a few outfits based on her self-described style, attributes, and goals. Check out her profile below and the first outfit I put together for her. Are You Like Nina? Through her story find tips for yourself.
I chose this dress for Nina because of its versatility, color, and ability to add shape to her body though in this wind it becomes quite voluminous.
*VERSATILITY* Nina can throw this dress on with a suit jacket and pumps for work, pair with flat flip flops and a slouchy tote for a casual weekend look or pair with these edgy shoes and leather jacket for...well whatever she likes.
*COLOR & SHAPE* Nina is lucky because primary reds and blues work against her skin (and if you're like her, yours too). In this dress, they are tempered by white, violet, black and midnight blue. Notice the pattern on this dress. The center blue portion elongates her torso because it visually flows from bust to lower thigh, while the red belt creates a visual break in her dress to define her waist. The red bit down the center of her frame also elongates it. This is a great example of how to use color to elongate the body. Remember vertical lines elongate the body, as discussed HERE.
Whenever someone mentions 'edge' I think of a few things immediately: studs, spikes, leather and leather jackets in particular, rips, black shadow and mascara, mohawks, chains, cuffs, etc. These studded shoes are fun and add just the right touch of 'edge' for Nina. PLUS, who with her skin can resist this bright pop of blue? It makes her skin all the more vibrant.
There's this saying, "Cut your coat according to your cloth," that means only buy things that you have sufficient money to pay for (ahem, financial crisis 2007-present...hard cough). Anywho, I take a similar tack when it comes to clothing, and maybe, just maybe so should you. Buy what makes sense for your body type and save yourself the embarrassment of being the woman in ill-fitted clothing, unless intentional. Bonus, save yourself the money of buying something you wouldn't dare wear again after the first humiliating ordeal.
In walks Chanel. Well, I mean the company not Coco, toting its expertly crafted tweed jacket. I watched the video below and noted how rare it is to find a jacket that suits almost anyone. With the many varieties of blazers for us to choose from how does one choose the right one(s)? My tips are below.
Cropped jackets like the one by Band of the Outsiders below automatically make you appear taller. Petites and those crying for a few more inches, jump for joy and spread the word! They also will draw attention to the place on your body where they stop. If you have a wide mid section, steer clear.
I'm IN LOVE with this long straight jacket by Stella McCartney. It's loose and has structured shoulders. If you have sloping shoulders this jacket works for you. The jacket screams androgyny, but pair it with feminine pieces--A-line or full skirt/dress, cutoff short shorts and tank, and or cinch it with a belt and you're good to go with your pretty self--if you fear being called sir. More about that HERE.
Sonia Rykiel's double breasted jacket is best for pear shapes and anyone looking to add size to their top half. Anything double breasted makes your torso appear larger. The same goes for wide lapels. Step away from double breasted anything (unless we're talking your own anatomy) if you are carrot shaped (wider on top than bottom) and don't plan on balancing out your bottom half; that includes you if you're not sure of how. I also like that this one falls well below the hips.
Are you a ruler? Who doesn't want to be Queen B? But if your body type, not mindset, is one of "ruler" (straight up and down) then Sass & Bide's jacket is your subject. It will work for you. Its cinched waist and slightly flared bottom give your body more of an hour glass shape.
And finally, ladies (and the awesome gentleman reading out there) we come to that beautiful tweed jacket. Stop drueling. This one from Chanel's Spring 2012, is great for we women with broad shoulders. We don't need the extra shoulder pads and structure, though nice when balanced. Chanel, don't kill me, but avoid this if you have of an apple shape. For apples, I would recommend v-neck jackets that button just below the bust and a lot of jackets now feature an inverted v at their base which lets you breathe. Check out Smythe's jacket below for an example. TIP: v shapes make the areas where they fall appear smaller.
(click image for larger view)
photos courtesy of (l) to (r): shopbop, Stella McCartney, shopbop x2, style.com, shopbop
In "Are You Like" posts, I introduce a woman, and identify her body type, hair and eye color, goals, obstacles and budget. Then I style her in pieces from her own wardrobe and a few new items that I've selected for her. The intent is to present someone with whom you identify and provide you with tips that will help you get dressed to impress everyday. Check out Ali's profile and some tips HERE and HERE.
In this final installment, I created a new polished and alluring party look for Ali.
Can't you see yourself shimmying in this beaded mini skirt? It draws attention to some of Ali's best assets: her curves and legs. The dark chocolate and metallic beads look great against her olive skin and the white blouse makes her face glow. Do you like the cap-toe trend? Find them in a bright hue like these to add zing to any outfit. PLUS pointed toe shoes add length to your body creating the illusion of more height. The jewelry is Ali's: a necklace found on her travels in Argentina, pair of hoop earrings with dark wood and silver embellishments, and classic yet modern watch also seen HERE.
I started this type of post called "Are You Like?" where I present a woman, discuss her attributes, goals, obstacles and budget. Then, I style outfits for her taking all of these elements into account. Here's the second installment of "Are You Like: Ali?" See the first one HERE to read Ali's profile. Then return here to see what's in Ali's closet and a couple outfits I put together from her things.
IN ALI'S CLOSET
keepers- they get a lot of use and most importantly flatter her! Examples in Ali's closet: a midnight blue cropped blouse with medium sized, silver polka dot embossing, well cut all purpose black dress, grey sun dress, white skinny jeans, great jewelry, etc.
purgatories- items waiting to be matched with other pieces in proper ensembles, but until then are lost in your closet: chocolate brown jacket, gray, v-neck sweater and gray tank with silvery, sequin like embellishments--seen below.
deuces- anyone ever say goodbye to you with a peace sign (aka deuces)? In your closet, there are almost always over-worn or outgrown items you have no intention of slapping onto your backside again. Bid them farewell. DEUCES!
A TON of underutilized jewelry. Keep your jewelry organized and within reach.
Enjoy the outfits below and come back soon to see the last installment of "ARE YOU LIKE: Ali?"
I recommended that Ali purchase a few things:
White tank top and tee- a basic to mix and match with just about anything, like the brown blazer I mention above as a purgatory.
Clear jewelry cases with dividers-to organize her jewelry and keep them visible for use
Colorful scarves and bags-as in tip above
Wedge sandals- practical, comfortable, add height- as seenHERE
Crisp, cropped white jacket- cropped jackets automatically make you appear taller
COME BACK SOON FOR THE FINAL INSTALLMENT OF "ARE YOU LIKE: ALI?"
MEET ALI! Isn't she lovely? This is the first of many blog posts bearing this theme. I'll present a woman, describe her physical attributes, personal style, obstacles and provide some ideas of how she can achieve her sartorial goals within budget. Do you identify with Ali?
I shopped Ali's closet and brought in some new pieces to mix and match. Here's OUTFIT NO. 1. OUTFITS 2, 3 and 4 will be published later this week or next. Stay Tuned!
I'll share more clothing styled with Ali and you in mind this week, so stay tuned.Keep up with me:LIKEStyled to Wear on facebook. FollowStyled to Wear on twitter.
All of us aren't blessed with a J.Lo booty or one at all, but no one has to know. Cure n'assatall (no a*s at all) or droopy booty with a couple wardrobe tricks and maybe try some exercises to boost your bum.
Make your wardrobe turn tricks by selecting pieces off the rack that create the illusion of volume in favor of your backside. Grab a box pleat ordirndl skirt, or a piece that features a peplum or bustle, for example. (Hover over each for definition.)
photos courtesy of: (l) Burberry; (r) Christian Dior
PEPLUM
photos courtesy of: (1) Natalie Faye; (r) Necole Bitchie (Kerry Washington in Cushnie et Ochs at 5th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon; GET KERRY'S LOOK, FOR LESS, HERE)
BUSTLE
photos courtesy of: (l) Little Plastic Horses; (r) Joyfolie blog
Lil Wayne said if you're a chick "with no ass, you ain't got sh*t". I disagree, Weezy! Though, I bet his infamous words or those of men and women around us have caused many to purchase PADDED UNDERWEAR. Just know:
Undies with SILICONE inserts are heavier but provide a more authentic feel
There are butt bras if you have enough of a butt, but need more perkiness. Skip the padding and go for the bra!
I always believe in doing something healthy for your body and self image so I strongly advocate for toning and shaping your bum through exercise. Watch the Tone It Up video below and or read Self magazine's workout plan. Self mag takes a more personal approach. You identify your butt type: flat, droopy or ample and they tell you which specific exercises to do (HERE)
Every fashion outlet is in a frenzy recommending the perfect holiday party dress. I prefer to jump to the chase. Likely, the most festive party most of us will attend during this season is the New Year's Eve soiree. Women of all backgrounds and shapes will step out their front doors hoping to ring in the new year on a high note. We owe it to ourselves to set the tone by starting the evening feeling fantastic! When we look good, we feel good. I present to you ideas for the ultimate New Year's Eve dress for common body types.
What to rock: Sequins, Metallics, Lace, the Darkest Black you can find
Note: fashion models may not fit body type--dress recommendations are best suited for body types mentioned below because of cut, fit, shape, etc. Notes on image offer you direction. Click image for sharper view.
photos courtesy of: (l) Style.com (Jonathan Saunders Pre-Fall 2012); (r) The Sartorlialist
