Evening Trousers
September 8th 2010 by Sally | Filed in evening wear, fashion advice, women fashion, womens clothing
Evening trousers are a great alternative to an evening dress cocktail dress for an evening event, party or special occasion. Dresses are usually the most popular choice of evening wear for ladies but trousers if worn with the right top can look just as elegant. Most evening trousers are made from a black lightweight material that drapes well. Sometimes it is possible to find evening trousers in colours like navy blue, gold, taupe or grey. You may also fond some very beautiful evening trousers that are made from a thicker cotton with a sheen or slightly shiny finish or satin or velvet. For the summer, linen can also be a great fabric for evening trousers.
Unless you have particularly chosen to wear a pair of ankle length trousers, most evening trousers will look best when they are really long, almost skimming the floor. A pair of high heels is usually by far the best option of foot wear for any evening wear but if you really can’ t walk in them, then choose a pair with a mid height heel or even a pair of pretty embellished ballet flats.
How your overall evening outfit will look is very much dependant on the top that you choose to wear. Hip length tops usually look best with evening trousers although sometime an elaborate tunic will also look great. You can choose from all sorts of different styles from sleeveless tops to blouses and even sparkly or embellished knitwear. Unless you are planning to wear a jacket, bolero or pashmina or shrug that makes a big style statement, you could add interest to your outfit by looking for a top with sequins, beading or some other interesting embellishment. Another option would be to choose a simple but elegant style of top and choose some beautiful accessories. If you choose an elaborate style of evening trousers, a simple top will usually look the best.
These Lilac Straight Leg Evening Trousers make a huge style statement with their eye catching colour. The top layer of the trousers is a floaty material that drapes perfectly for that evening look. They also have a lining which ensures that they are not see through and hang perfectly. Combine these trousers with a black top or a purple top and gold jewellery for the real wow factor.
These brown layered Cinderella evening trouserswork really well for ladies who like to look different and individual. The flattering straight leg trousers are covered by a petal like skirt which moves as you walk for a really stylish evening outfit. These trousers are also available in black. The brown trousers would look good when worn with black, a range of other neutral colours or even metallics or red.
These double layered trousers with diamante detail are a really unusual style with a floaty top layer with a slit which reveals a row of diamate as you walk. You could combine with a fitted top that also has a little diamante detail or just a plain black evening top.
The Chanel Style Jacket
September 7th 2010 by Sally | Filed in fashion advice, women fashion, womens clothing
Coco Chanel was probably one of the most iconic designers ever and along with Christian Dior can be classed as one of the most important influencers of ladies fashion in the Twentieth century. Her influence continues today with the many Chanel inspired pieces of clothing that come back into fashion year after year.
A Chanel style jacket is usually similar to the many jackets designed by Coco Chanel. It is characterised by its box-shaped and collarless jacket style. It was originally inspired by a cardigan sweater in the 1930’s but is still hugely popular now. A Chanel-style jacket is often made of nubby fabrics like the signature tweed often used and typically features contrasting trim and patch pockets. The Chanel style of jacket works particularly well for slim and average size figure and can also be flattering for women with long waists and small chests.
Since its original conception by the House if Chanel the jacket has also evolved into many new styles. Surprisingly, it is now even possible to buy Chanel jacket inspired cardigans with a round neck and design which looks like edging. You can also get the same look but with a longer line instead of the traditional boxy jacket. Trims vary from grosgrain ribbon to lace and net.
Whilst the original Chanel jacket was usually worn with a suit, these days they can be dressed up with a smart skirt or down with a pair of jeans. You will also see them in all sorts of different colours from pastel shades to monotone.
Coco ‘Gabrielle’ Chanel was particularly recognised for introducing comfortable more casual clothes which were a definite contrast to the corsets worn by most in the thirties and particularly the styles of Christian Dior which emphasised the feminine figure. The loose fitting box style jackets and suits that Chanel designed were comparatively masculine. Chanel herself wore mannish clothes and all of her designs were adapted from these styles which she found so liberating. Isn’t it funny how times change as a Chanel style suit is now considered quite ladylike in comparison to the jeans worn by many. Coco Chanel was pioneering in her use of jersey in ladies fashion, a fabric which dominates the catwalks at the moment.
Other designs iconic designs by Coco Chanel which also became iconic include her little black dress and quilted handbags.
This navy fringe trim jacket with long sleeves is inspired but the original Chanel style jacket but has also been adapted slightly to suit the modern women. Its longer length make it a little more flattering and the fringe and lace trim add to the interest. It also has a beautiful and eye catching pattern and would look equally stylish with the mid length straight skirt in the same fabric, contrasting navy trousers or even a pair of jeans.
5 Ladies Clothes To Flatter A Pear Shaped Figure
September 6th 2010 by Sally | Filed in fashion advice, women fashion, womens clothing
Pear shaped is the term used to describe ladies with proportionately wide hips and thighs, slim torsos and relatively small waists and busts. It may seem a little strange to use a fruit to describe the shape of someones body but it creates quite an accurate picture in your head. The pear shape is probably one of the most common body types for women. The secret to looking stylish what ever you size is to identify your body shape and the styles which tend to flatter it. Once you know what sorts of clothes to wear, you will always look and feel great and avoid buying clothes that you later decide don’t suit you. Here are 5 great ways to flatter a pear shaped figure.
1. Boot cut/ straight leg trousers
A pair of tailored boot cut trousers or jeans is probably the most flattering style of trousers for ladies with a pear shaped figure. The fitted shape around the top skims over the hips and thighs and drapes straight down to a wider hem. The width of the bottom of the trousers helps to balance the width of the hips and thighs. For maximum effect opt for vertical stripes and wear with heels to lengthen the leg and the hem reaching to just above the floor. These Ladies Straight Leg Pin Stripe Trousers in Brown are a really flattering choice and great for work.
2. A line skirt
The a line skirt is a good alternative to boot cut trousers especially for the summer. Again the gently flaring shape skims over and disguises the hips and the thighs and the wider hem helps to balance the width of the hips and thighs. Diagonal lines or stripes on the skirt can help to slim this area as can dark colours particularly black. You should look for skirts that finish on or just below the knee. Again high heels are a great way to elongate and slim the legs. This Dark Grey with Black Flock Print A Line Skirt is both flattering and very stylish.
3. Boat neck top
A boat neck top is another great balancing act for a pear shaped lady. It creates the illusion of wider shoulders making the hips appear proportionately smaller. If you really want to maximise the effect choose a top with horizontal stripes.
4. Jacket that finishes just below the hip bone
Where your tops, jackets and even skirts finish is really important when choosing figure flattering clothes. A hem line or the bottom of a top or jacket will draw attention to an area so you should avoid the widest parts of the hips or legs.
5. Empire line dresses
Another very flattering style for a number of different body shapes is the empire line dress. The seam or high waist just below the bust draws the eye towards the narrowest part of the torso. The looser skirt then covers and disguises the hip and thigh area. You should aim to find empire line dresses that finish on or just below the knee.
How Ladies Fashion Is Influenced By TV And Film
September 5th 2010 by Sally | Filed in Uncategorized
Team this long sleeve front frill green blouse with collar with a pencil skirt for your own take on Mad Men’s secretary style.
You might no realise it but TV and film have a huge influence on our lives right down to the clothes that we wear. Each season, not only are there countless collections inspired by TV programmes or films but many period films and programmes also have a more general affect on the overall trends and ladies fashion for he season. Many of us spend a fair few hours watching televisions but even those who don’t watch it all can’t fail to be affected by these trends in some ways. The stars of these shows have also been made into overnight style icons, this is of course no accident, some major costume co ordination is going on behind the scenes. Here are some of the biggest influences on ladies fashion at the moment.
Sex and the City
With the cult following of the TV show and recent release of the second film, sex and the city is one of the first programmes that springs to mind when thinking about ladies fashion and TV. Many don’t even care about the storyline, they just watch for the amazing clothes. The film and TV episodes revolve around four ladies, each with their own unique style and to die for wardrobe of designer clothes. The programme has even been credited with making Manolo Blahnik a household name in the US. The costume designer and stylist for the programme is Patricia Field, known for her clever mixing of vintage and designer clothing.
Mad Men
This is also a huge influence on current trends including the secretary chic look shown at both Prada and Louis Vuitton autumn collections. The full flared skirts that are likely to be every where this autumn are probably a result of this programme. Again each of the characters has their own distinct style. Stylist and costume designer Janie Bryant has given Betty Draper a style a little like Grace Kelly with cashmere jumpers, pearls and vintage scarves. The programme is filled with vintage clothes and lots of historical references.
Ugly Betty
This American TV show is all about Geek chic which is also a huge trend at the moment. The main character Betty Suarez is a style icon because of her clashing style. This is a look that has been favored by both Marc Jacobs and Prada. The stylist for the show are Eduardo Castro/ Patricia Field. In the last series the trendily ugly character has a style make over. It remains to be seen if her new look will prove so popular.
Glee
Glee is fairly new TV show which is attracting a huge following. Whilst on first viewing you might be a little confused as to what influence this show could possibly have on fashion. But there is definitely a more of a geek chic vibe going on. In contrast to other TV programmes, the costume designer, Lou Eyrich uses mainly affordable high street clothes.
Which TV programmes do you love for their fashion and style?
How To Find A Great Pair Of Tailored Trousers
September 4th 2010 by Sally | Filed in fashion advice, women fashion, womens clothing
Indigo waistband tailored trousers with belt loops
Tailored trousers must be the most flattering, practical and stylish thing to wear to work. They eliminate the need to sit carefully and ladylike and are much warmer in the winter than skirts. But best of all they cover up your legs and skim rather than cling creating a streamlined and slim fitting (at the top) silhouette. When you are wearing tailored trousers, there is no need to wear tights so it just makes getting dressed in the morning quicker and easier. You also don’t have to worry about laddering your tights.
But in order for tailored trousers to look great, they need to be well fitting. It can be a bit of a chore to find a pair of trousers with a great fit but when you do, it will have been well worth the wait. Here are just a few tips on how to get a great fit.
- Around the waist the trousers should be comfortable and the waistband should sit neatly against your waist. When buying mail order, use a tape measure to measure around the narrowest part of your torso. Do not pull it too tight, it should sit comfortably around your waist the same way as a perfectly fitting pair of trousers would.
- Around the hips and thighs the fabric should drape allowing the trousers to hang straight down. It should not be pulled, puckered or strained. Crease lines across the front of the thighs indicate that the trousers are too tight in this area. You should get a size bigger and alter the waist to make it smaller if needs be.
- The height of the waistband should be in the right place which for most people will be just above the navel. This is by far the most flattering height or those with a round belly as too low will show off this area and too high will draw attention to it.
- The rise length is another consideration for the fit of your trousers. The rise is the area between the crotch and the waistband. Too short and the waistband will be forced to sit uncomfortably low, too long and the crotch will hang down too low making you look strange.
- The leg length of any trousers should just be just above the floor. In order to work out where this will be, you will need to decode on which shoes you are going to be wearing.
- The fit of the trousers can also be affected by side pockets and whether the front has pleats which can add volume and make your stomach look bigger. A wider waist band also usually works best as it helps to flatten the stomach.
When looking for a pair of new trousers, the only way that you can be sure that they fit well is by tryingthem on. Try them on in the comfort of your home where you can try on shoes and walk and sit in them to make sure that they fit perfectly. If there is one area like that is not quite right but they fit in all other areas, getting them altered may be the best option.