Archive for October, 2010
When choosing the perfect outfits for autumn, whether it be evening or everyday wear, it’s important to pick the right colours. Autumn 2010 has many inspirational colours, which will keep you looking stylish for the season ahead.
One of the most popular colours this season is deep red. Deep red inspires a feeling of confidence and will ensure you stand out from the crowd. Everyday tops, knitwear and tailored jackets are all perfect choices for everyday wear in this colour, and will keep you looking both fashionable and trendy. Red has always been associated with the festive period, so is an ideal choice for party dresses this season.
Rich purple is another ideal colour for the autumn, and is as attention grabbing as deep red. Gorgeous crochet neck cardigans, long sleeved and ruffled tops, will all look fabulous for everyday wear over the season and will keep your look warm and embracing. It is also an ideal colour to wear for dresses and skirts, and will go nicely with darker shades and colours.
Camel colours are also very trendy this season, and have been seen frequently on the catwalks during the illustrious Fashion Week parades. Camel is a favourable colour to wear for winter jackets and coats, and is a shade which will go with many other stylish autumn colours, such as blue and black.
Crisp winter white shades will keep your look fresh, and is ideal for blouses, tops, blazers and jeans. White goes well with black, which is a fantastic colour for slimming your body. Team up your white blouse with a pair of black everyday trousers to create a great look for the office. Other hot styles in black are leggings, which can be worn for all occasions, and black knee or thigh high boots will ensure your look is kept stylish for over the autumn season.
Another fresh, soft colour is pale/baby blue, which is very stylish this season. Knitted jumpers, top and skirts will all look gorgeous in this shade. Pale blue can be teamed up well with darker shades to make a stunning autumn outfit.
Evening wear in metallic colours, such as silver, copper and gold, will keep you looking trendy during over the autumn. Skirts and floor length dresses are ideal attire for wearing in these shades.
You can’t go wrong with charcoal grey colours for your everyday wear, especially for your winter coats. This colour has been regularly seen on the catwalks over the last few months and is very trend for the autumn season. Skirts, trousers and knitwear will also look fabulous and charcoal grey, and is a great alternative to the usual black colours. Equally, brown shades are in style this season, and signify the autumn season.
Other autumn styles to look out for are rich olive colours, including olive green. Olive green fits in well with the military style, which is very fashionable this season. Anoraks, jumpers and tops are all good styles to wear in this endearing shade.
If you have ever worried about what to wear to the office, then a suit is almost always the easiest option. It can solve all sorts of worries like ‘will I look smart enough?’, ‘Is my outfit on trend?’. Whilst suits are nothing new they have been around for many years, it is quite easy to find an on trend style of suit. But more importantly with a suit your don’t need to wear a really on trend style. Some times it can look better to pick a classic style that really suits your body shape and then accessorise with some fashionable accessories to bring the whole look right on trend.
The most fashionable styles of suit at the moment are simple and minimalistic styles with clean cut lines. Colour schemes are also very much based around neutrals think black (which is always in fashion) but also grey, brown, taup and of course camel. Whilst camel is very on trend this winter it can be a difficult colour to wear a suit in if you want to minimise your top or lower half and darker neutrals can be much more flattering. By investing a simple capsule wardrobe consisting of a skirt, dress, jacket and trousers, you can easily vary your outfit each day.
A line and flared skirts are really on trend at the moment and look great with almost all styles of jacket. Try adding a pair of lady like heels and a handbag for a little bit of Mad Men style. A smart shift dress is also a great way to work the seasons lady like trend but also stick with a classic and flattering shape.
As far as trousers are concerned, straight cut are almost always the most stylish and flattering style. Whilst new styles and shapes of trousers will emerge each season like this years ankle skimming tailored style, in reality these styles can be difficult to wear and quite unflattering. Wearing a heel with your straight cut trousers, even if you can only walk in a slight heel will help to lengthen the leg.
Military jackets are also very fashionable at the moment and are great for making a style statement in the work place. Look for khaki colours, double breasted styles and details like metallic buttons and epaulets.
In order to bring your classic suit right up to date you can take your pick from a huge range of accessories for the season including scarves and jewellery. You can also add a fashion shirt, blouse or camisole top to your skirt or trouser and jacket combination. Choose from animal prints, richly coloured winter florals, berry tones, lace, polka dots, paisley and colourful abstract prints. Lady like jewellery like pearls and vintage style lockets look great too. How about pinning a colourful brooch or flower corsage to your lapel for a really stylish look.
Finally a brown or tan leather satchell style hand bag is not only incredibly trendy but also really versatile and will go with almost anything.
Feature knitwear is definitely big news this autumn this includes chunky and textured knits. Some people especially those with a small frame may find really chunky knits a little over powering or difficult to wear. Patterned knitwear is another great option that will keep you really warm and brighten up your outfit. From florals to animal prints and abstract designs, there are plenty of options to choose from. Wear you patterned knitwear over a plain top or be really adventurous by layering it over other patterned pieces.
Patterned knitwear is a great option for smart casual office wear and will keep you warm in an air conditioned office without resorting to the same old black cardigan every day. It also works well for casual outfits and is a great way make an eye catching outfit with a pair of jeans or casual trousers.
Black long sleeved abstract cardigan
This cardigan is perfect for wearing with a pair of black trousers or even a pencil skirt for a more ladylike look. Layer it over a black or white vest or camisole top. If you want to add a pop of colour adding a brightly coloured top or accessories perhaps red, pink or green. For a slightly retro look you could also tie a scarf around your neck with the knot at the side.
Cerise circle print 2 in 1 cowl neck top
This top is perfect for the autumn with its rich colours, unusual pattern and elegant shape. The curved hem at the front is really flattering and the top has an inner part with a cowl neck in black, so there is no need to spend ages deciding what to wear with it . This top works really well for the evening and looks really sophisticated when worn with a pair of black evening trousers.
Zig zag cardigan
This cardigan has a really beautiful shape with its flared sleeves and hemline. The pattern is subtle but adds interest to a layered neutral outfit. Try wearing it with black or grey trousers for a smart daytime look that would work well for most occasions.
Abstract floral print longline cardigan
This longline cardigan is the perfect choice for a very stylish weekend outfit. It looks great with leggings, boots and a polo neck jumper. It has a flattering style with a hem that is longer at the back than the front and is available in blue and magenta.
Grey and purple long sleeved top
This striking floral knitted top looks great for the daytime and can also be dressed up for the evening. It is incredibly soft and comfortable. It looks amazing with any black trousers or skirt.
Beige animal print cardigan
This cardigan is a very trendy and striking combination of zebra and leopard print with a few flowers thrown in for good measure. It has feature buttons in contrasting black with intricate bow detail on them. It could work well for day time and evening depending on how you accessorise it.
Sequins are right on trend at the moment. They are being used to embellish all sorts of clothes from evening wear to knitwear and even sportswear. All over sequin clothes in black or a neutral colour is also a very fashionable look at the moment. There are also plenty of pieces which use just a few sequins for a more subtle sparkle or smaller areas of sequins to draw attention to a particular area.  You can wear your sequins day or nights, anything goes with sequins this autumn and winter. Sequins are also great for adding a bit of sparkle to your festive outfits.
The beauty of sequins is that they add texture to an outfit. They also reflect the light creating shine and sparkle on your outfit making it look a bit special. Any plain piece of clothing can be transformed into something party ready with the addition of just a few sequins. For those who want to be the centre of attention, all over sequins are the way to go.
We love this long line sequin cardigan (pictured above) which has an assymetric hem and long sleeves. It works so well for so many situations. Try teaming it with a pair of black trousers and black top for a Christmas day outfit that is practical enough to cook the christmas dinner in. You could also wear it over a little black dress for a stunning Christmas party outfit. If you are really fashion forward, you could wear it with a pair of jeans or casual trousers for a laid back look that sparkles.
Other ways to wear your sequins this winter could include a beautiful sequin party or evening dress. Black is definitely the most classic option but there are a range of other colours that will make you stand out from the crowd even more. Even dresses often have attractive sequin detail around the neckline which will draw peoples eyes towards your face.
Sequin details on the shoulders of knitwear is also very on trend this season. This is a really fashion forward look which makes the shoulders a feature of the outfit. Knitwear can also look great with just a few sequins around the neckline or floral designs with sequins in. Sequins can even be used embellish a jumper and make the shape of a rounded collar for a fashionable look. For the day time look for muted shades of grey, pink and brown and pale or clear coloured sequins that give a vintage feel. You can also choose from matt sequins for a more low key daytime look.
As amazing as sequins are, don’t overdo it. The golden rule of sequins is to only ever wear one sequin piece at a time. If you are wearing a sequin dress or jacket keep your jewellery to a minimum as you will already be sparkling. If you are a little nervous of wearing too many sequins, why not try adding sparkle to your outfit with a sequin scarf or bag.
Everyday trousers are a wardrobe essential, so get it right every time by sticking to simple rules according to your body shape.
Hourglass â?? This type is said to be the most attractive body shape, so think yourself lucky if you carry an hourglass frame. If you are not sure, this shape tends to have a full bust, shapely legs, but not particularly large hips. The attribute which stands out most with an hourglass shape is the waist, which tends to be quite small. This is the key area which you want to accentuate when you choose the perfect everyday trousers to wear. High waisted trousers or trousers with a low waist are ideal for this shape,as are trousers which fit well around the waist, showing off your main feature. Stay clear of baggy trousers, and choose those which are wide legged and loose fitting. It’s also a good idea to team your trousers up with a gorgeous waist belt.
Apple â?? If you have an apple body shape, you will tend to carry most of your weight around your midriff, giving you quite a thick waist. You will not tend to have big hips, but it will be hard to determine any waist definition. With this shape, you should wear everyday trousers which are straight, wide or with a slightly flared leg, which will create more of a balance between your top and bottom half. Dark colours are a good idea, and you should invest in some fabulous belts to wear with your trousers. These will give definition around your middle area, and take the attention away from your bigger top half.
Rectangle â?? Normally associated with athletic, or very slender ladies, the rectangle shape is one in which the weight is distributed evenly across the whole body. The hips will not really be any bigger than other areas of the body. There is not one particular ‘problem area’ for this type of shape, or one area which puts on weight easier than other areas. Ladies with a rectangle shape are lucky, in that they can wear any style of everyday trousers and still look great. However, if you want to create the appearance of hips, then you should opt for wide legged or flared trousers. As with the other shapes, you should wear a belt with your trousers, as this will create the appearance of a waist.
Pear â?? The pear shape is said to be the most common type of body, and some would say, the most womanly. Pear shapes are curvaceous, and tend to have a bigger bottom half to top half, with a larger bottom, hips and thighs. The shoulders for this shape of body tend to be small, with the top half being more slender than the bottom. When you put on weight, it will tend to go straight to your bottom half, so you need to think about this when choosing your perfect everyday trousers to wear. There is no point in wearing trousers which cling to your thighs and bum, as this will only make the area look larger. Choose trousers with a wide/straight leg and those which sit below the waist, as this will help balance out your whole shape. Dark coloured trousers will also make you appear more slender than brightly coloured trousers. The black straight legged trousers pictured above would be perfect for you.