Showing posts with label Dressing for your body shape. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dressing for your body shape. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Dressing For Your Body Shape - Skinny Jeans

Hi everyone, before I begin with today's post I just want to say I hope everyone of my UK followers (and friends family etc) are all ok after this horrible horrible week we've been having, I hope none of you have been affected and if you have been I'll be thinking about you so please stay strong!

On a lighter note Today's post is the latest installment in the 'Dressing for your body-shape' section, of which you can find the previous posts here and here.

Todays post centers around an item of clothing that literally every girl has in their wardrobe now thanks to their massively increased profile in recent years. However, despite their popularity Skinny Jeans seem to still be somewhat of a scary clothing option for a lot of girls. There's all kind of crap put out there such as 'you can't wear skinnies if you're over a size 10' etc etc - NOT TRUE.


Today I have a basic guide for you to show that actuallly any shape/sized girl can rock a pair of skinnies
.

My general 'rules' for wearing skinnies would be :

1. If you're at all unsure or conscious about your body in tight jeans go for black or very dark blue - it sounds so simple but it can make a massive difference. There's not a lot that's more flattering than a pair of black skinny jeans teamed with some killer heels.
2. TRY THEM ON - I cannot stress this enough, jeans are awkward mo'fo's - like seriously, you could be a general size ten in everrrrrrry other garment in your wardrobe and then BAMN you buy a pair of size 10 jeans and find out they will absolutely not go past your calves - cue feeling like poop and a big waste of time and money. Save yourself the stress of having to take them back and slip them on before you buy.

So now I've hit you (in the most loving way) with my 'ground rules' here are a couple of sets I've designed to show how skinnies can be made to work on any body shape :

Apple Shape
 

For you Apple shaped lovelies I would go for a gorgeous pair of black skinnies to high-light those fabulous pins of yours, then team with a drapey style black top (I know black on black seems boring but killer accessories will totally make this look) the string tie on this top will enable you to create your waist at the most flattering point on your torso and therefor give you a fabulous overall shape whilst hiding your problem tum!

Hour- Glass

For you lucky Hour-Glass loves the same skinnies above teamed with a  beautiful top such as the one above with a defined waist will suck you in and highlight your perfect proportions. The wide straps on the top allow for  a supportive bra to be worn underneath to hold your lovely curves in place and the killer heels will elongate your body keeping your sillhoutte as lean as possible.

Pear Shaped

For our Pear Shaped Princesses the trusty black skinnies are back (perfect colour to minimise a larger bottom half) teamed here with a lovely bright top to draw attention to a slender top half and also with the help of the halter-neck broaden shoulders to balance out your sillhoutte. Nude heels are classic and further slimming to your lovely legs. 

Petite 


Lastly for our petite ladies, team these gorgeous skinnies with a detailed and ruffled top - the volume will create the effect of a  slightly curvier frame whilst the fitted style will hug your figure and again flatter your shape. Killer heels will give you some height and funky accessories will finish off your look with style!


So there we are my loves, I hope this latest installment of dressing for your bodyshape has been of use to you all!
If you have any requests as to what sort of clothing you'd like to see featured in this section feel free to leave a comment below!
<3

Monday, July 18, 2011

Dressing For Your Body Shape - Maxi edition

Hi honeys! Blooming horrible wet monday here in the middlands (what's new though really?!) so I'm all cosied up inside working on the blog and scoffing a mars-bar (feel super sick now urgh!) whilst hiding from the elements ha-ha. But anyway I hope you are all alright and not having too much of the Monday blues and hopefully this little post will inspire some better weather and give you something pretty to look at ha-ha (no no it's not my face don't get too excited!)

Today I have another installment of  my 'Dressing for your body shape' posts, you can check out the originial post here if you'd like or just settle down for this next chapter. As we all should know finding the right clothes to suit your body and more precisely your body shape can make an absolutely massive difference to how you look and more importantly feel about yourself! A clever trick here and there can make all the difference and with this set of posts I aim to teach you all the little things you can tweak.

Todays Dressing for your body shape post is focusing on assisting you in finding the perfect style of a really great Summer staple that I'm sure most of you already have in your wardrobes :

The Maxi Dress
Maxi Dresses are ridiculously versatile and chic, they can be casual, dressy or all out show-stopping and everything in between. Super simple to style they're definitely one piece that I'd always want in my wardrobe and in the warm Summer months they become a real neccessity - who wants to have to panic about considering what to wear when it's boiling hot and you have a BBQ waiting?

So now, here is an example of the kind of Maxi dress that would suit your particular body-shape :
 
Pear Shaped


For our Pear-shaped example I have gone with this gorgeous rich berry coloured dress. Cinced in at the waist to high-light a pears best feature - a teeny middle, this dress is super flattering for pear shaped ladies. The slight V shaped strap detail would widen shoulders a little helping to balance out your larger bottomed proportions. The gorgeous material is close fitting on the top half which would show a small waist and delicate upper body to perfection, but then skims larger hips softly allowing for a little camoflauge of the area you may be more conscious of.
Miss Selfridge £50.00

Apple Shaped

For our lovely Apple shaped lovelies we have this absolutely beauty of a dress which I would quite love for myself please?! As Apples tend to struggle with their stomach area this dress with it's flattering draping material would be the perfect antidote. Hiding a larger stomach with it's elegant folds it's still very fitted which would allow you to keep an elegant sillhoutte and avoid the temptation to hide yourself in an unflatteringly loose dress. Then we have the incredible colour and I really don't think I need to say any more on that - it's just >gorgeous<
Dorothy Perkins £35.00

 Hour Glass

 For all you hour-glass babes (lucky things!) we have this beautiful black number which I think we'd all agree is a complete show-stopper! The gorgeous fit would pull you in at the waist and show off your fabulous curves whilst the large straps would allow you some upper body support - important if you're a bustier lady (I can only imagine me and my A's envy you ha-ha) a little bit of plunge allows the glam stakes but the classic black colour and length keeps it classy - overall an amazing dress and a complete bargain at...
Peacocks £20.00

Rectangle / Petite

Lastly we have this gorgeous dress for our petite ladies who don't have the curviest bods. The one shouldered design of this dress would again widen shoulders and give the look of a more broad body. The nipped in elasticated waist would create the effect of a narrower part on a less curvy torse giving the illusion of more of an hour-glass figure and creating shape. Then the beautiful pattern would again broaden the body a little (and come on it's absolutely beautiful!)
Topshop £68.00

So there we are my loves! I truly hope that this is useful to you and you like my selections ha-ha! If you want any other particular item of clothing features on the 'dressing for your body shape' series leave a comment here or drop me a tweet or an email - fashionismyh2o@hotmail.co.uk
<3

Friday, July 8, 2011

Look For Less - Nicole Richie

Hey lovelies, I hope you're all happy and well on this lovely (rainy) Friday night. Absolutely cannot beleive yet another week has gone by and we're all right on the cusp of another couple of days off - bliss! I'm planning on taking some fabbo outfit pics and working on some special posts for you this weekend so keep your eyes peeled next week!

Moving onto todays post though I have a 'Look for less' post for you - one because it feels like I haven't done one in a while - but also because I saw this outfit and absolutely fell in love with the laid back california cool that resonates through it.

Todays look is curtesy of the gorgeous Nicole Richie who I am one hundred percent a mega fan of! Her bohemian, rock n roll, casual style is something that I just cannot get enough of and if there was any celebrity in the world I could raid the wardrobe off it would be her!

Here is Nicole looking absolutely fabulous out and about in LA:




And here is how you can achieve Nicoles gorgeous bohemian look for less :
 Firstly this beatiful but simple tank top which with it's elegant drapey material would be perfect for casual Summer days or sophisticated summer nights. The classic black colour meens this of course would go with anything whilst the very light embellishment offers a little edge.


These super cute 70's style lightweight flares which I absolutely love - usually I'm a skinny jeans girl but these kind of jeans could just about convert me! They just scream summer to me and the idea of wearing them with a lightweight floaty tank or sheer blouse is definitely appealing. Flared jeans are especially great for pear shaped lovelies as they balace out larger hips but they look pretty good on most shapes - to maximise the slimming impact they can have team with some funky wedges or sexy heels.
Boohoo £15.00

 Next up we have these gorgeous wedges. Now although you can't actually see what shoes Nicole is wearing in the actual outfit I do feel that these would compliment the rest of the look to perfection. Lightweight and summery in terms of colour and style they would work to elongate legs and flatter all figures. Plus they'd look freaking amazing with most of my wardrobe so they're going in here ha-ha.

Next up we have a Nicole classic - The fedora. This one is just the ultimate simply chic accessory and I absolutely looove it! It'd top off (literally) so many fabulous outfits and add a bit of quirky chic to day to day looks.

Lastly we have this super funky bag which would finish off any summer (or indeed any season) look perfectly. The simple black mock leather is incredibly chic and classic meaning it'd work with any colour/print/combination and then the funky stud detail help rock your outfit up a bit and add some glamour. Beautiful.


 So there we are my lovelies! Hope you love this look as much as I do and have a fantastic weekend!
<3

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

100th Post - Summer Must Haves

Hello lovelies I'm so happy to tell you all that this is fashionismyh2o's 100th blog post! Argh! How did time fly by so quickly? I wanted to say a quick thankyou thankyou thankyou before I get one with todays post as I could not have managed this blog journey without you and I love each and everyone of you to bits and hope you keep coming back for hundreds more posts in the future!

Anyway, with soppiness out of the way todays post is all about 'Summer Must Haves' now... I'm writing this whilst cuddled up in my boyfriends hoodie with a cat on my lap and pouring rain outside ... not exactly what you would imagine 'Summer' to be like, but hey ho I'll work with what I've got and use a little imagination for what I would want to be rocking if the weather actually behaved itself for once!

To start the list off is one of my absolute must-have items (regardless of seasons) : 

The Maxi Dress
Maxi Dresses are something that I just can't get enough of! (Literally if I could sing I would sing the Black eyed peas song to every Maxi Dress I own ... but I can't and frankly that'd be weird so...) Moving on as to why I adore them so much - They flatter literally all body shapes, skinny mini's, pears, curvy lovelies and all in between can look fabulous in a maxi dress and best of all they're just so damn comfy!

Here are my top 5 maxi dresses around at the moment :
From Left to Right :

This gorgeous simple black dress would look both super chic and super flattering. It's probably one of the easiest dresses ever to wear and I honestly think it'd suit everyone as whilst it's fitted enough to give even the teeniest girls some shape it's drapey material would skim any bulges and flatter larger figures

This unique nautical style striped number is both casual and sporty yet classic and glam. It's different to stereotypical blue and white nautical styles and therefor adds instant individualism to your summer styling. Again a super flattering shape although curvier girls might want to stay away from this number as the jersey like material is known to be incredibly clingy and therefor might highlight areas you'd rather conceal.

Then there's this beautiful floral print dress which I'm absolutely in love with the mix of classic black base and bright summery floral patterns is a win win for me and I adore it. Again this is a dress I can imagine flattering all shapes although girls with a bigger bust might struggle to find a supportive bra that could be hidden underneath the sleeveless top.


Next there is this gorgeous feather print patterned maxi which is just beautiful and perfect for summer. The colours remind me of a beautiful sunset and wouldn't it just be so fitting to be wearing this whilst watching one for real this summer? The one shoulder fit would balance out a bottom heavy pair shape or add width to skinny minis looking for a little filling out.

Lastly we have this absolutely divine champagne coloured gown which is just divine for summer balls. The gorgeous pleated material reminds me of Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the city and the effortless glam of the dress certainly would fit in perfectly with New Yorks finest! Simply stunning!

Next up on the must have list we have another summer staple of mine : 
Denim Shorts
Denim shorts are one of those effortlessly chic pieces of clothing that you don't have to think about and that will never go out of style! Simple yet gorgeous they look fabulous with just about anything and can be dressed up or down depending on your mood or occasion. Providing you buy the right size shorts - dont be scared to go up a size it's so much more flattering than having a little overhang - denim shorts can flatter anyone. If you're curvier and feel a little stocky in them simply choose darker denim for a minimising effect and team with wedges or nude heels to elongate and slim legs.

Here's my top Denim shorts currently on the highstreet:

 From left to right again:

Firstly these funky studded rock n roll stylin' shorts that I'm obsessed with atm! A little bit of simple rock chick glamour to incorporate easy breasily into any of your wardrobes. Perfect to team with simple T's, band T's, tanks, cami's, shirts, crop tops... the list goes on!

Then we have these beatiful pink tinged shorts which remind me of the pink ladies in Grease! They're super cute and I'd love a par in my life. I can imagine these looking either gorgeously girly with a cute blouse and some sandals or edgily glam teamed with some ankle booties and a black tank/leather jacket combo! Delish!

Then we have these super cute casual style shorts which have lovely pinstripe detailing on them (it doesn't translate too well on the image but they're super cute) these would be perfect for a flattering comfy short to wear a million times a summer.

Lastly we have perhaps the most flattering pair of shorts on the list a gorgeous simple black denim pair. The shorts are a fabulous length - not too short and of course being in flattering black meens that they'd slim down any sillohoutte. Chic and slimming what more could you want?

Next up on my 'Must Have' list is:

Simple Summer Tops:
In the Summer (well when we actually get anything resembling a Summer) I absolutely live in simple but chic tops which I can layer up or down and just throw on over anything. Basic yet gorgeous and lightweight for the heat they're some of the most important items in my wardrobe and on a cost per wear basis are worth their weight in gold!

Here's my top five:
Again from left to right

I think it's fairly obvious why I would love this top. It's just everything I adore - gorgeous nude colour (I live in simple nude shades in the summer) bohemian print and with some beautiful silky material thrown in. Infact you could probably call this Sarah's fashion dream ha-ha. It's just lovely and how friggin cute would it look teamed with those black shorts above?!

Next we have this divine Orange tank top - this for me is the embodiment of Summer brights and how gorgeous is that soft silk material? I feel like this would feel perfect against your skin on hot Summer nights and would again look gorgeous teamed with the shorts above.

Next up is this beautiful soft mint shaded silky shirt which with it's cute buttons is again perfect in my eyes. I'd team it with either white skinny jeans or denim cuttoffs in the day and then glam it up by tucking it into a high waist skirt in the evening.

Then we have this simple black shirt top. Although black is generally a no-go in the sun I think the lightweight material of this shirt allows it to work here and frankly if you're most comfortable in black clothes in the Winter why should that change in the Summer? Team with some gorgeous jewellery and a bright clutch and you have a perfect bright outfit without loosing your comfort zone.

Then lastly we have one of those simple tanks that every girl needs in her wardrobe. It's gorgeous creamily tone is just like ice-cream and it's loose fit is so perfect for holidays as you never know when a giant bloat inducing but oh so yummy feast will come your way! Throw on over anything - jeans, shorts, skirts or even layer it over a dress - it's one of those super versatile pieces and it's absolutely gorgeous to boot!


Then we have something which can always change an outfit and always always has a place on any of my 'must have' lists :

Jewellery
Now I'm sure I dont have to sing the praises of jewellery too hard to any of you - who doesn't love it? The way one simple piece can completely change an outfit and add a fabulous new dynamic is just perfect! I love and adore adding to my jewellery collection and these pieces have tempted me more than anything lately :

This rock n roll spiked bangle would add some edge to any outfit and work perfectly in a sweaty holiday club where any pervy men might be getting too close to you ;) (I'm not condoning violence merely promoting getting the best use out of your jewellery as possible ha-ha)

Then there is these beautiful red diamond shaped earings which I absolutely adore. They remind me of Nicole Richie's House of Harlow line and I can't tell you how perfect they look to me! I think with a gorgeous black maxi dress like the one above and a tribal print clutch they'd just be perfection. In the words of Rachel Zoe 'I die!'
Topshop £8.50

We then have these funky coloured bangles which I just think are so classy and colourful. They'd brighten any outfit up and just add a really cute playful edge whilst still keeping it really classy and elegant. The warm tones are perfect for Summer but would also work perfectly in the Autumn.

Now I have a personal obsession with snake bracelets - my best friend Nat got me an incredible one for my 18th last year and ever since then the obsession has grown! This gorgeous one is just Eygptian Chic at it's height and would look perfect wrapped around a tanned wrist this Summer. Topshop £12.50

Lastly I think double fingered rings are super cute and this Eagle winged one is no exception. With a piece like this there's no need to worry about other jewellery you can dress your outfit up with perfect ease and be ready in no-time.

Lastly we have the ultimate fashionista finish to an outfit :

Shoes
Ahhh shoes. I could talk about shoes all day. I could drool about shoes all day. I could dream about shoes all day. But yeah, time to post about shoes! Shoes are pretty much a necessity to everyday life unless of course you are a hippie chicky type in which case I salute you but you're missing out! Shoes can much like jewellery change a whole outfit up within a second - add a pair of heels to jeans and a tank and you're ready to hit up any bar, add a pair of flats to a maxi dress and you take it from ball-gown to side-walk ready - it's that easy. I could probably post about a million 'top' shoes that are around at the moment but I've limited myself (aka controlled myself) and here are my tops:

Firstly here we have some amaaazing platforms. Nude which = Leg elongating. Wooden heeled = perfect for summer. And chunky heeled which = less chance of a hospital visit! Perfecto.

Then we have these amazingly cute simple simple simple sandals. I adore the black pipe like material - it's patent which is always a love of mine and then the cute pink bows add some kind of rockabilly style to them which I am totally adoring. I think these'd look super cute with a pair of shorts + a top tucked in or as a gorgeous alternative to heels with a maxi dress.

Next we have these uber chic ballet flats which are in the cuuutest shade imaginable! I love these I think they'd look perfect with anything from a dress to leggings and a tank. They're chic they're cute and most importantly they're super comfy. These are the type of shoes I rock at work (in a Primary school running after 7/8 year olds all day) so I praise the Lord everytime I come across a cute pair to add to my collection.

We then have these amazing sandals which are basically summer in a shoe! The peppy yellow colour would look beautiful teamed with a pretty sundress but equally stunning teamed with black skinny jeans and a simple shirt! I love them and I'm seriously temped to get them. Personally I'd wear with a black dress for a cute juxtoposition of dark and bright.

Lastly we have the shoes I've been obsessing over all Summer - these amazing platforms. The shade is jus perfect for me - pinky but not pink. Dusky but not too dusky. Creamy but not just cream. Mhmm! They also again look super comfy and rock a heel that isn't tooo high. These may just be ending up in my wardrobe sooner or later!
H&M £29.99

So there we are lovelies! My Summer 'Must Have' Post!
What would you include in yours? Is there anything you think I've missed that you couldn't live without?
<3

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Thursday Feature - Dressing for your body shape

Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing brilliantly and looking forward to yet another week nearly coming to a close - hello weekend party time!

Now, as some of you may know when I set up Fashionismyh2o one of my main motivations was to show you ordinary regular girls that no matter what the size of your budget, or the size of your clothes are, you can all find a way to look fabulous. This has lead to me coming up with the idea for a regular feature on here which will be called 'Dressing for your body shape' throughout the posts that will feature in the 'Dressing for your body shape' section I hope to help showcase how every girl can find the right items of clothing for her shape, her body and of course her bulging wardrobe.

So, today we have the first 'Dressing for your body shape' post (I'm so excited/nervous it's ridiculous) 

For this first feature I wanted to pick an item that every girl needs in her closet and therefore although it's a complete cliche it just had to be:
The Little Black Dress

So without further rambling here is my guide on Dressing for your body shape LBD style:

Shape Number One - Pear
Pear Shaped lovelies typically have a petite upper body - small chest, narrow shoulders, delicate neck and slender waist with a fuller lower body - rhythm worthy hips and larger thighs. Girls with this shape should look towards a dress that plays up your teeny waist & elegant shoulders whilst mimamizing the hip and thigh area.

Examples of Dresses that would flatter a Pear shape:

 This beautiful slinky number would perfectly proportion a Pear shape. The nipped in waist with it's elegant details allows the focal point to fall on one of a Pear shapes most flattering features - A teeny waist. Then the lovely draped skirt skims over the hips and thighs to minimize attention. The one shouldered design also showcases the elegant upper body and works to slightly broaden the shoulders creating a flatteringly balanced silhoutte.

Or, this elegant Maxi- dress. The halter-neck neckline again gives the effect of slightly broadened shoulders, balancing out a bottom-heavy figure. Then the plunging neckline draws attention to the upper body whilst the beautiful floaty material skims the hips again hiding any problem area.

Shape Number Two - Hour- glass

Hour-glass girls are typically curvy with a defined waist, full shapely bust and hips that are equal to or slightly larger than the width of their shoulders. Girls who are hour-glass shaped are generally considered the luckiest as most clothing suits their shape. However it is important for them to make sure that they seek out structured and supportive clothing to show their curves off in the most flattering way.

Examples of dresses that would suit an hour-glass shape:

 This lovely fitted number would work wonders on an Hour-glass body. The waist is nipped in whilst the top half is structured enough to give support to a curvy chest. The length allows a flattering 'pencil' style fit which highlights perfectly the curvacious shape whilst keeping it all in check.

Similarily this sexy number would be a must have for any hour-glass fashionista. In a similar style to the dress above it nips in at the waist and then clings flatteringly to the hips to display curves perfectly. However, the flattering pannelled material would work to keep those curves under check and in the right place. 

Shape Number Three - Apple
Apple shaped babes generally have a full chest, little or no waist definition and a larger stomach. Legs are generally shapely and so is the rear but thanks to all weight distrubution heading to the mid-riff Apple shapes are often the most conscious girls around. To flatter an Apple shape attention needs to be drawn down to fabulous pins and disguising of the stomach area is a must. However Apple shapes should resist the temptation to drown themselves in Tent-style garments as they will only serve to make them look larger and more shapeless.

Examples of Dresses that woiuld suit an Apple Shape:

 This gorgeous fitted number may appear intimidating to Apple Shapes but thanks to the flattering 'wrap' style midriff section the 'problem area' of the stomach would largely be disguised. In addition thanks to the tapered style a waist would be created which would instantly work to even out an Apples unbalanced proportions and create a flattering look. Lastly the dress is also perfectly poised to show off those pins and make sure all eyes are on them. Right where you want them.
ASOS £21.00

This pretty little sundress would also work wonders on an Apple shape - The empire style waist works similarily to the dress above in creating a noticably smaller section of the middle which would appear waist-like and balance out proportions. The skimming flattering fabric of the dress would easily hide a larger stomach but the dress is still shaped enough to not give the illusion of a tent on legs. Talking of legs - once again on display here highlighting one of an Apples best assets. 


Shape Number 4 - Rectangle.

Rectangle shaped ladies typically have a figure which doesn't have many curves, fairly straight up and down with a small to adverage sized chest and no real waist definition. Rectangular ladies should look to creating the illusion of curves for the most flattering effect and should also look to show off honed and toned pins.

Examples of dresses to suit  a Rectangular Shape :
 This super cute LBD would be perfect for a rectangular body shape as the bow waist detail teamed with the slight flair of the skirt below it would work towards creating a sembelance of a waist. The short length meens more leg focus - perfect for rectangular chicas and then the pretty collared detail would help to add more femininity to the less curvacious lovely.


Lastly we have this gorgeous flirty number. This would again be spot on for a rectangular figure as the flared skirt would give the illusion of larger hips - adding valuable curves to a boyish figure. The elegant material and super cute belt would again add yet more femininity ensuring a lovely womanly look is created.
ASOS £40.00

So there we are lovelies, that's me finito!

I really really really hope you find this usefull and encouraging please let me know your opinions good or bad I'd love to hear feedback.
Most importantly though beleive in yourself! You're all absolutely gorgeous and with a few sneaky tricks can achieve top notch style!