It must be officially Autumn now as my boiler has blown again,so I am thinking it’s time to get my wardrobe and self under wraps! I adore ponchos and capes, a hangover from my dalliance with those wonderful Bohemian styles of the ‘70’s. So words like Retro, Folk and Gypsy all have an appeal when allied to fashion terms. There are so many wonderful capes to drape, from sparkling to sumptuous, luxury to cosy, featherlight to blanket style and if that’s not your choice then a cocooning coat will be easy to find this season. Just think about your personality and scale before you invest. If you are a petite then you have to balance your consideration for warmth and practicality with that of the weight of the garment. You don’t want to be weighed down by lots of bulk and massive collars, so clothing which allows you to layer up will work to your advantage. The taller you are the more you can add the tassels, texture and bold patterning. Curvier ladies will benefit from the draping qualities while more angular body types can enjoy the duffle coats and heavy wraps. The duffle coat reminds me of my winter school days and I just loved those toggles! This cape reminds me of what I aspire to, crisp cold, no rain and no kids! and finally...a swish of luxury, marginally practical but a very nice addition to a stylish wardrobe! Whatever your age, it is essential that you take your personality and lifestyle into account. On the whole, as we get older, we need a bit more or slightly weightier fabric, to help camouflage the lumps and bumps that tend to come from nowhere, and we are better to incorporate trends, rather than do the whole look from top to toe!
I always think it is worthwhile considering the elements of clothing that you enjoyed wearing in the past. For example, I preferred the seventies more hippy styles with crochet, wild colour and wacky patterns. So, to my reckoning if your personality and shape hasn't changed that much, then the probability is that much of this fashion will still work. Just make sure that you aware of how the original fashion may have been a bit revamped. A good trick can be to look at how the youngsters are doing it, then remove at least one of the pieces. Most importantly your make-up should be bang up to date so that you don't look stuck in a time warp. When I am “Personal Shopping” or “ Wardrobe Weeding” what often comes up is the concern that ladies have of looking the same and not having enough variety in their repetoire. For sure you don't need ten pairs of black trousers, but remember that we do wake up and look the same! I have waited for the day when I wake up blonde and slim, but it hasn't happened yet! Therefore, it pays to understand what your assets really are and go with them! Classic has never done it for me, so why bother? If you are a girl, then be a girl! If you are sporty, you will probably find that high heel boots will work better than shoes. So you can alter your look, but always maintain what feels best. Play up your best features in tops and bottoms that hug your curves in all the right places and camouflage the ones you don't like as much. With age our waistline tends to disappear a bit more, so it can be more important to find ways of creating the illusion of a waistline rather than opting for blazer styles, a shaped jacket will be more flattering. Cover up unsightly flesh, but don't hide what may be your best asset, such as shapely legs or firm arms. Some older ladies are firmer and fitter than their younger counterparts! Invest in a few quality pieces that will run and run so make sure you really love these and play with a variety of accessories and - finally but essentially, spend money on lovely undergarments because these are more key than many ladies realise to making your wardrobe both flattering and stylish – hippy and braless will not work second time round! My theory is that looking like mutton dressed as lamb is more exciting that mutton looking like mutton, where's the challenge and excitement in that?? Shades of purple should feature in all wardrobes, you don't need to be any particular age, but if you still fee sure you are past trying...read on!! When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter. I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells And run my stick along the public railings And make up for the sobriety of my youth. I shall go out in my slippers in the rain And pick the flowers in other peoples' gardens And learn to spit. You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat And eat three pounds of sausages at a go Or only bread and pickles for a week And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes. But now we must have clothes that keep us dry And pay our rent and not swear in the street And set a good example for the children. We must have friends to dinner and read the papers. But maybe I ought to practice a little now? So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple. by Jenny Joseph According to Leatrice Eiseman of Pantone, designers are taking a modern twist on the traditional for spring 2014 by pairing soft pastels with vivid brights to create a colourful equilibrium. Inspired by a mixture of blooming flowers, travels abroad, and strong, confident women, designers are using colour to refresh, revive and defy conventional wisdom.
So, whether you make a statement wearing a head-to-toe colour, or bring different shades together, you'll be bang on trend. Having experienced the wettest winter in recent history, I think most people are feeling a bit blue at the moment! While Leatrice states that “This season, consumers are looking for a state of thoughtful, emotional and artistic equilibrium," the UK consumer probably needs a little bit of warming up! Luckily Spring’s palette includes freesia (yellow), celosia orange and cayenne (a soft red) which all work perfectly with blue. You can choose from Placid Blue, Violet tulip to Dazzling Blue and make this your wardrobe staple. The more vibrant versions, as always, belong best to the Cools, Clears and Deeps but Warms, Softs and Lights will wear their blues in lighter and softer versions, the placid versions. Add your warm tonalities of Fusion Coral, Azalea Pink, Pink Carnation and Sachet Pink and add a dash of sunny lime for good measure! Azalea pink evokes drama and glamour and is best suited to Cool colourings or Deep or Clear colourings with cool skin tones. Blush pink in a key piece or top-to-toe can be a statement look too. It is a great shade on all colouring (aka a universal colour!). The delicate pastel sachet pinks are made for the Lights but can be mixed with bolder pinks for those that can. A pastel pink in shiny fabric will turn a simple garment into something more special. Warms should go for more corally shades of pink (fusion coral) or head for or celosia orange! Peach Whip and Flamingo are also the delicious names of colours being bandied around... I am thinking of fun and sunshine for a change! Radiant Orchid has been hailed the colour of the season and this sits somewhere between violet and pink so perfect for most colour types! Are you ready for some sunshine? Then say hello to Yellow! It's a sunny, feel-good colour but you need to get just the right shade for you and have the confidence to wear it. Choose from the vibrant freesia or head towards precious amber for a richer tone. You can add this to pattern or go quite bold, but remember you will be seen, so choose your most flattering version. And finally Spring wouldn’t be Spring without those lovely shades of green which remind us of everything fresh and full of life, saying that Hemlock is a fashion shade! Posted by Clare Greenwood at 16:58 No comments: Links to this post Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest Labels: Clare Greenwood, Clare Greenwood Looks Magic, colour me beautiful cornwall, image consultant cornwall, personal shopping Truro, personal stylist Truro, princes house cornwall Getting to Know YOU!
Getting to know you is all about understanding what it is that you have which is unique. We all follow certain patterns, but, at the end of the day we come together in our own way, so don't try to emulate...create! Understanding Colour Colour works like magic and gives you an instant boost, which can make you look younger and certainly makes you feel more vibrant - so that's your first step! Love yourself by choosing only those shades which love you back, it's a perfect relationship! Those nearest your face are most important as they quickly reflect on you, so that's your focus! Love your Body! Caress those lines and curves with styles that match and embrace you. Too many women are scared of every lump and bump and end up hiding all their assets. You can critique yourself without being critical! Do you love it, do you wear it, do you get compliments in it? Do you feel comfortable or twitchy? Or, have you simply forgotten what it feels like to feel great! Don't waste your time by not feeling fabulous... every day is worthwhile, not just those special occasions! Even your doggie walking gear and gardening stuff can be flattering...your old clothes should still be ones which you once worn as "best"! You do not need to spend loads of money. Charity shops are a worthy source of unloved items which could just fill that gap perfectly! If you have some treasured clothes that you think are really very old now, just re-label them as "vintage" and wear with pride! It is not all about new or fashion..it is about you and feeling good. Anything that you didn't like when you bought it...why?? Well, those should certainly head to the nearest source for recycling. So, while the weather is dreary and unrelenting, take some time in and go through your wardrobe. Sort into your three piles - love it, doubtful and what was I thinking. The "love its" can be fixed up and placed reverently back into your wardrobe, either in colour order or garment order, I can never work out which I prefer! The "doubt its" may be simply that someone else has given you bad feedback, but you love it. Really think about what merits it has for YOU! If in doubt, leave it out. The bad mistakes are only filling your wardrobe and creating negative karma. But, before you relinquish them, take a fresh look at why they got there in the first place. Was it a cast-off? These can be great, but not if you are just lending wardrobe space to someone else's mistakes! Were you shopping with the wrong friend? Perhaps she loved it because it would have suited her. Did you have that niggle of doubt before you even paid for it? Did you buy it in the sale thinking it was a bargain? Next time you may be better to buy something at full price which is of true value. Work on all the bits you love and play down the others. Dressing well is all a game of balance, disguise and adding the touch of magic. Dabble with fashion but be its mistress, play with it, tease it but don't be led too far astray! You may have been a Quant girl of the '60's, a Laura Ashley fan of the '70's, a Dallas fan of the '80's...perhaps you can still play with an element of that look which suited you then? You don't need to choose one look, your lifestyle and personality can stretch across many trends, you simply need to be comfortable about expressing what you feel. Style is...what is style? There is no answer! That is the beauty, the challenge and the fun, but you will know it when you find it! Enjoy the magic! Vivien Westwood knows all about style, colour and confidence!! www.looksmagic.biz As the recession filters more and more into every aspect of our daily lives, businesses are increasingly under more scutiny, as are you and your role. Your profile and visibility become even more important, whether as a team member or individual pioneer. Now it’s imperative to stand out and deliver.
My motto is “Be Seen and Heard”, set the scene, don’t follow the herd! This message is all about branding yourself or business in such a way that you have the impact and presence that attracts people to YOU! With every enterprise, this takes into account that you need to attract the appropriate business that benefits you and your customer/client base, it is a case of mutual attraction. It is vital that you engage people in a positive and vibrant way. If you fail to recognise that it is human nature to identify with success rather than failure, your business is doomed! So, whether your business is booming or feeling the hideous drain of a dragging recession, you need to manage the perceptions that others have of you. Look like a failure, you start to feel like a failure and the spiral will surely whirl downwards. Look great and feel great and suddenly you engage with a more positive energy which in turn attracts more visibility and engagement. Whether on a more personal or professional level, you need to be seen, be consistent with who you or your brand is and make sure that people like what they see! This of course means that you have to be seen to be proud and enjoy what you are offering. One of the biggest lessons that it is worth reminding ourselves, is that if we don’t like ourselves, why would we expect anyone to like us. Put that into a business model and learn to love every aspect of your product, even if that means you. Then you have some chance of sharing this love with a world that needs you and what you have to offer! Clare delivers “Be Seen and Heard” life coaching and personal or business branding sessions so that you can develop an authentic, attractive and visible profile. |
AuthorClare Greenwood was trained as Colour Me Beautiful's South West Image Consultant. So, just how did someone with no apparent sense of “style”, end up becoming an Image Consultant, long before it was really heard of? That’s what Clare Greenwood’s family probably often still think when she is away camping or wearing a bikini,at her size? Or wearing leggings, at her age? Therein lies the magic that she has shared for over 30 years, simply that we all have an inherent beauty, an affinity with colour and all things harmonious and with a bit of understanding we can learn how to be comfortable in our own skin whatever our age, shape or size! Clare always experimented with fabric and wool. With 6 siblings she was left to play with the leftovers of any recently made outfit and spent endless hours dressing and making dolls. From such humble beginnings began her lifelong fascination for colour, fabric and texture. Now she dresses 'live dollies'! Archives
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