Dressing For You

The best piece of advice I ever received was to wear clothing-don't let it wear you. I am amazed at the number of people who do not know how to wear fashion. Not everyone can wear everything. That is just a fact of life. When you see a celebraty think to yourself, "I wish I always looked that good." Cheer up...you can. They look fabulous because they know what looks good on them and what does not. I learned a long time ago that reds, pinks, and oranges look terrible on me, I cannot wear strapless anything, and my dress/skirt length should not go below my knees. I follow these rules religiously because no matter what I do....these will NEVER look good on me. Your first step to fabulious-ness is identifying your skin tone and what colors suit you. A popular misconception is that white & black looks good on everyone. NOT TRUE. Just as there are many shades of pink, red, ect...there are many shades of black & white. Skin tones can be divided into to seasons.

• Winters have blue or pink undertones. Skin can be pale white, yellowish-olive, or dark. Winter people are generally brunettes, with deeply colored eyes. Many Asians and African Americans fall into this category.
• Summers ,like winters, have blue or pink undertones. Skin is pale and pink. Summers are often natural blonds or brunettes with pale eyes.

• Spring complexions have golden undertones and are usually creamy white or peach. Spring people generally have straw-colored or strawberry red hair, freckles, rosy cheeks, and blue or green eyes.

• Autumns should select colors with golden undertones, like camel, beige, orange, gold and dark brown. Avoid colors with blue tones, like navy.

Clothing colors that help accentuate your complexion.

• Winters should wear colors that are sharp, stark and clear. White, black, navy blue, red and shocking pink all go well with winter complexions. For lighter colors, wear icy tones rather than pastels. Avoid subdued tones like beige, orange and gold.

• Summers should choose pastels and soft neutrals with rose and blue undertones. Lavender, plum, rose-brown and soft blue suit summers well while black and orange do not.

• Springs can wear warm colors like camel, peach, golden yellow and golden brown. Avoid dark, dull colors.

• Autumns should select colors with golden undertones, like camel, beige, orange, gold and dark brown. Avoid colors with blue tones, like navy.

The next step is identifying your body type and dressing accordingly. There are 4 types: pear, column, straight, and hour glass. Pear shaped woman typically are bottom heavy with a slender neck and sloping shoulders. Small to medium bust and a well defined waist.

Because your bottom half is slightly larger than your top, you can wear slightly looser fitting cloths on top with out any problem. However, fitted tops look great on you as well. Blouses with a lot of detailing, tops in all sorts of prints with lighter and brighter colors, or textured fabrics are what you want to look for in your tops. This will help balance your lower half.

Look for necklines that are scooped, draped, v'd, rounded or squared. Any neckline that has a lower and wider neckline will look great. These will emphasize your bust and draw attention to your face. Also look for an under-wire or molded bras to help with balance. A halter top that ties at the neck will give the shoulders the appearance of width they need, and this will help balance out your hips and thighs.

A-line and flared skirts look best on pears. You want to look for jeans or pants that are flared or have a wide-leg, this will help hide your thicker thighs. Straight legged jeans are also a good for a sleek slimmer look. Go for low-rise dark jeans (the darker the better) and dark pants. This gives the illusion of a slimmer hips and bottom. When choosing a dress, choose ones with an empire waist or a wrap dress which will flow over the hip area. Sleek shoes with a thinner heel will work better visually rather than clunky footwear.

The lovely apple shapes tend to have a softer fuller middle, with full shapely breast. Your have broader shoulders and upper arms with an undefined waist. You will have thinner hips and thighs and a flatter rear end than most. When Apples gain weight, they have a tendency to gain in the midsection. Balance is always the goal. Our main goal will be to lengthen or elongate your torso. We want to give the appearance of slimmer shoulders and waist. Wrap around tops look best on you, fitted tops also look great, but nothing to tight. Look for tops with v necklines; this will pull the eye away from your shoulders. The right bra can make a big difference when it comes to enhancing your figure. An empire, or raised waist also brings the eye up and away from problem areas. A cami, or tank top, with a matching jacket is always a good way to go! Look for blouses that have a cinched waist, or belted jackets, this will give the illusion of a smaller waist, and slim down your tummy. Jackets should fall right below the waist to mid-thigh, never at the widest part of your hips. Wear jackets and blazers open for the best vertical lines. Darker solid colors work best for your tops. If you want a top with some pattern, choose tops that are darker around the midsection, and with the pattern at the top to bring the eye up toward your chest and face, while diverting attention away from your middle.

Play up those nice legs with shorter skirts, by shorter I mean above the knee. A-line skirts also work well, as it will give you the look of a waist and more of an hourglass figure. You want to look for jeans that have a flat front, and a rise that is lower than your natural waist. Look for jeans that have back pockets with flaps, this will help give some curve to a flatter rear. Lighter washes and/or jeans with fading will add shape to your thighs. Boot-cut and flared legs will give you a longer leaner look.

The hourglass shape (think Marilyn Monroe) has the most proportioned body shape with their shapely shoulders and curvy hips being equal in size. Your bust will be medium to full, and is a much envied asset. Your waist is very defined, while your thighs and bottom are full and curvy as well.

You want to wear tops that enhance your bust and waist. Because this shape tends have larger breast always make sure you have a bra that offers good support. The right bra can make a big difference when it comes to enhancing your figure. Look for tops that will lengthen your body. Tops with V necks or scooped necklines will do the trick. Wrap around tops are also great for emphasizing your waist. Tops that sit at your waist is another great look for you. Halter tops are great on you, as they show off your shapely shoulders. Darker fabrics will help you appear slimmer, however most colors look great on you. Select small dots or patterns for a softer slimmer look. When looking for jackets, keep them simple. They can be either short or long, just make sure that they are well cut, fitted and nipped at the waist to show it off.

Play up your shape by wearing bottoms that accentuate your positive features. Jeans that are made of stretch denim will hug you curves and give a smooth fit at the waistline and hips. Look for jeans that are cut with larger hips, and a smaller waist. You also want to look for jeans that are slightly flared, or have a wide leg, this will balance out your hips. Mid-rise jeans are the way to go, especially if you are carrying some extra weight in the tummy, but low-rise jeans work great for you as well!

When looking for skirts, ¾ length or full length with a long slit or crease in the front will make you look taller, thinner and sexier.

And last but not least the column shape. This shape is the ideal for today's top models. Your figure is lean and athletic. You may have a fuller neck and your back is broad. Your shoulders and hips are balanced between a straighter torso with a waist that has little or no curves. There is little difference between measurements of the chest, waist and hips. When you gain weight it tends to go to your tummy forming a little pot belly, and your thighs and love handles. You want to create the appearance of a curves and draw focus to your great legs and thighs.

You want to wear tops that give the illusion of curves. Do this by wearing surplice or wrap tops with a scooped or V- neckline these will emphasize your bust and draw attention to your face. When searching for a bra, look for bras that have extra padding and under wire for fuller more feminine curves. Pretty tops with spaghetti straps will draw attention to your breast making them appear larger. Look for jackets that have a cinched waist, or these will look great on you. Jackets that flare out from your waist will create instant hips. Tops that are fitted and go in at the waist will help give the appearance of a curvier figure. There is not a whole lot you can not wear. However there are things that do look better on you. For instance look for jeans that hug and lift your bottom. Smaller back pockets that are spread far apart will make your bottom look fuller. If they have flaps on them, this is even better, as this adds some bulk to your bottom. Jeans with lighter fades on the thighs will help give them shape. Jeans that have a low-rise and that are a straight fit from the hip to the knee with a slight flare at the end will look great on you. A contoured waistband helps create curves.

Skirts that have a dropped waist look great on you. Other skirts that look great include pencil, a-lined, and flared skirts that gather at the waist. You have great legs, so be sure to show them off!

Using these helpful guidelines will set you on the road to displaying your best asset to the world-YOU. Coming soon: I will be devolving into learning your face shape and what cosmetics and eye frames best suit you. **All pictures are courtesy of Superiorpics.com

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