Archive for the ‘accessories’ Category
Every woman should own at least one great leather handbag. The very nature of a leather handbag means that it will last for many years and so is well worth taking a little time to care for it. A good leather handbag is also a great investment buy, you will carry it every where so it is worth the investment to keep it looking good. If looked after well a good piece of leather will grow old gracefully and your handbag will remain just as stylish and even improve with age. Leather is animal skin and should be treated in a similar way to your own skin. If it is not looked after it will become damaged and dry out.
Storage
The best way to store a handbag is in a cloth dust bag with a little padding or scrunched up paper inside to stop it loosing its shape. It is also best to keep it away from sunlight or too much heat which will tend to age it.
Cleaning
If your handbag gets dirty which no doubt it will do at some point if you are using it every day, you should clean it carefully using a mild soap and lukewarm water. It is also possible to buy specialist leather cleaners although not completely necessary. You should never ever use any harsh household cleaners or substances containing alcohol on leather. Any liquid spills should be dealt with as quickly as possible by blotting gently with a soft cloth.
Care
Many leather handbags are not treated when you first buy them so to keep them looking really good, it would be wise to treat them with a leather protector. A leather protector will form a barrier which stops water or any other liquids from staining the leather. It will also protect it from oils and oil based substances like make up. You can buy specialist leather protector from most shoe or specialist handbag shops. Afterwards you can condition the leather using simple natural waxes for example bee’s wax. Often leather is waterproof to a certain degree especially if it has been treated but it would be advisable not to let your leather handbag get too wet in the rain. If it does then dry as soon as possible by blotting dry with a soft cloth. Never try to dry your bag out using a direct heat source like a heater or hairdryer as this is likely to damage the leather.
Carrying
Keep your leather handbags safe from thieves by holding on to it at all times. If you are going to a restaurant and you have a spare chair at the table keep it close by on the chair. You can also buy clip to hang your handbag under the table. This will also prevent it from getting dirty and dusty on the floor. Be especially vigilant when walking in busy areas or travelling on the tube, wear you handbag across your body or keep it tucked tightly under your arm.
We all have off days when we wish we didn’t have to get out of bed or when we just feel really miserable. On these days it can be easy to fall into the trap of wearing safe clothes that we feel comfortable in. Whilst comfort is no bad thing and ideally all of our clothes should be comfortable, they can also be stylish and look amazing. There is no need to every wear drab, boring or unattractive clothes at all. Even if you are hardly going to leave the house, getting a bit dressed up or making a bit of effort with what you are wearing will instantly make you feel happier and more confident.
Dress for your shape
Picking just the right clothes for your shape will not only make you look better but also make you feel better. Dressing for your shape is all about making everything appear in proportion no matter what your size. The trick to dressing for your shape is hiding or disguising the parts that you dislike and highlighting or drawing attention to the parts that you like. There are plenty of ways that you can do this be it wide hips, a round tummy or a small bust that you want to compliment. There are lots of books on the subject and you can also find lots of articles online about how to choose the right clothes for your body shape. As a general rule, use colour and pattern to highlight areas and fitted clothes in dark colours to disguise areas that you do not like or that appear out of proportion.
Find your best colours
Colour is probably the most important aspect in choosing clothes that make you feel like a million dollars. Some colours will make your complexion really glow whilst others will make you look pale or drained. There will be a range of different colours that look great on you and all you need to do is find these colours. There are a number of tricks used by stylists to work out which colours people should wear. This includes looking at their skin tone and matching warm colours like red, orange and yellow to a warm skin tone and cooler colours like blue, purple and pink to a cooler skin tone. The stronger the contrast between hair and skin colour, the brighter the colours that will tend to look best on you. You could also try looking for celebrity with a similar colouring to yourself and see what colours she wears on the red carpet.
Add the finishing touches to your outfit
Accessories are the finishing touch to any outfit. They can also be a style statement in their own right. Choosing the right accessories for your outfit is key in looking good every day of the week. Have your accessories stored in an organised way so that you can easily see what you have got and pick out what to wear each day.
There is one fashion accessory that you should never be without. It will instantly catch everyone’s eye and make them smile, it will brighten up both your day and everyone elses it is completely versatile and will go with every single item of clothing in your wardrobe, it will always be the focal point of any outfit that you wear and best of all it doesn’t even cost any money. I am talking about your smile! A bit cheesy but a smile can make a mediocre outfit look great. If you are happy and smiling, it is infectious and it will rub off on the people around you. Someone who is smiling always looks beautiful.
Although what you wear will only effect how much you smile to a certain extent, you should always wear clothes that make you feel happy especially on those days when you are feeling a little down in the dumps. It will vary from person to person but clothes that may make you feel happy are those that compliment you and make you feel good, super comfortable clothes, clothes in your favourite colours or clothes that some how bring back happy memories. Some people find that getting a little bit dressed up when they are feeling a bit low helps them to feel instantly better. Try doing your hair, painting your nails, putting on your favourite dress and shoes and see how much better you feel.
Some people just have a naturally happy outlook on life and will tend to smile all the time others will have to work at it a little. Try smiling at everyone you meet today. It doesn’t matter what you are wearing, it is your smile that they will notice. But there is something else that makes a smile such a great fashion accessory. Someone who smiles alot appears confident and looking confident and comfortable in your own skin is part of what looking stylish is all about. A woman who appears confident can pull off so many more adventurous outfits than someone who looks a little unsure.
If you find smiling really challenging, then try thinking about happy things or someone that you really love. If you keep practicing, eventually, it will start to come naturally and you will always look and be happy, confident and stylish.
If you have ever watched the musical, Little Orphan Annie, you may recognise the lyrics from one of the songs “Hey, hobo man
Hey, Dapper Dan, You’ve both got your style, But Brother, You’re never fully dressed, Without a smile!” This sums it up really, you smile is not just the finishing touch to any outfit, it is an essential part of it. Smiling will affect your mood, style and well being. A smile is definitely the one accessory that you should never be without.
Treat yourself to one of these style inducing pieces of clothing in the Roman Originals sale. With a great style and price that are definitely worth smiling about.
Black and Ivory Ribbon Applique Dress
Yellow is such a bright, energising and beautiful colour. Just looking at yellow makes you feel happy and yet so many people shy away from wearing it. Summer is the perfect time to wear yellow, some how when the sun is shining it just seems so appropriate, but yellow can also work well in spring, autumn and winter. Yellow is one of those colours that will always earn you compliments and catch everyones eye. It is a little bit unusual. Here are some of our top tips on introducing yellow to your wardrobe.
Pick your shade
There are so many different shades of yellow to choose from. Just because one shade doesn’t suit you it doesn’t mean that another won’t. Choose from acid and citrus yellows to banana yellow and mustard yellow, pale yellow or yellow with a slightly orange or green tinge. Generally speaking the really bold and bright yellows will look best on those who have the most contrast between their skin and hair colour. So if you have pale skin and dark brown hair opt for a really bright yellow. If you have tanned skin and medium brown hair, a paler or pastel yellow will look best. If you have a cool skin tone (with blue, pink or purple undertones) you will probably look best in yellows on the green end of the spectrum. For those with warmer skin tones (olive, orange and yellow undertones), you will look better with yellows towards the orange end of the spectrum.
Colour blocking
If you are bold enough why not use yellow to create a colour blocked outfit. It is by far the boldest and most eyecatching way to wear yellow. If you are a little weary start off with a small colour block perhaps a stripe and work your way up to a whole yellow top.
Accessorise with yellow
Adding one of two yellow accessories is a great way to add yellow to your wardrobe without spending too much money or being too bold. Think about adding a bright yellow belt, clutch bag, necklace or shoes to your favourite little black dress for a great style statement.
Yellow Patterns
Contrast Tie Back Yellow Sleeveless Dress
Patterns that include yellow are a great way to introduce yellow to your wardrobe in a more subtle way than colour blocking. If you are unsure about yellow, then start off with a pattern with just a little yellow in it. Once you get used to wearing it you may well want to try a bit more yellow.
Yellow combinations
Yellow and black contrast sleeve top
Consider carefully how the colours that you combine with yellow will change the look. The more of a contrast the more eye popping the look. Combine yellow with black for a really bold look or try white for a more subtle effect. Yellow also looks great with lots of other colours including browns, blues, greens, oranges and reds for a really tropical feel.
If you are still unsure about yellow, why not have a look at some of the beautiful yellow clothes available at Roman Originals.
Florals are so perfect for summer, whether they are bright tropical colours or more subtle ditsy floral prints. Ditsy floral prints look great on a blouse for a casual summer outfit. They are really on trend this year due to a resurgence in the popularity of the vintage Liberty floral prints which are being seen on tennis shoes, accessories, dresses and a lot more this summer. There is definitely something a little bit nostalgic about these floral prints which are also becoming quite popular for home decoration. Floral print blouses also look great with denim or the seasons neutral colour palettes.
Beautiful blouses are the perfect choice for covering your arms from the sun if they burn easily. They are also really flattering as they skim over curves for a streamlined silhouette.
These two floral prints blouses are the perfect choice for a summer outfit with plenty of detail and a slightly fitted shape. These blouses have three quarter length sleeves and pleating on the front and sleeves. They also have a flattering high collar neckline.
Ditsy green floral print blouse
This green blouse perfectly compliments those with blonde, red or brown hair and skin with cool undertones. It can be worn with denim, blue, stone and khaki trousers or a skirt for a very stylish look.
This red blouse looks amazing on those with brown hair and skin with warmish undertones. It can be combined with denim, brown, white and beige trousers for a great outfit.
Of course if ditsy floral prints aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other floral print blouses to satisfy just about everyone.
This ditsy cotton floral cap sleeved blouse has a beautiful orange print on it. The capped sleeves and button neckline has small frills on it. It looks great when worn with brown trousers or jeans for a casual outfit but also works well with a suit for work or brighter trousers for a party or smarter event.
This red floral print blouse would look equally good with black or white trousers. It is cool and light weight for the summer and its vibrant colours are really eye catching.
This floral embroidered summer blouse is cool and crisp for the summer. Its delicate embroidered flowers look amazing with denim for a classic casual look.
To accessorise a casual floral print blouse, there are a number of options. For a subtle look accessories in a tan or brown colour will look good but will not compete with the floral print for attention. You could also try picking out one of the colours from the print for a co- ordinated look. For a really different and eclectic look, a clashing print handbag or scarf will look great. You will need to pick carefully though. Try out some different combinations to see what looks good. Spots stripes and different florals are all good choices.
Why not add a bit of colour and interest to your casual wardrobe with some great summer floral print blouses?