Archive for the ‘accessories’ Category
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?
Everyone is unique and individual and the way that you dress should reflect this. Your style is completely personal to you and should not only compliment your body shape and colouring but also reflect your preference and personality. The world would be a very boring place if everyone dressed the same, your own style will make you different to everyone else and make you stand out from the crowd. Having your own style does not mean that you cannot follow fashions, it just means that you pick and choose the items that you love instead of following every single fashion regardless of whether it looks good on you. Your own style is some thing that you will look and feel great in. If you feel happy and confident in your clothes then you will automatically look gorgeous and stylish. But if you have got into something of a style rut and find yourself wearing the same boring and uninspiring clothes all of the time, perhaps you need to put a little effort onto developing your own style, it is really easy.
The first step is to find out the colours and styles that really suit you. You do this by reading books, magazines an watching television programmes about fashion and style. Once you have established the key shapes to buy for your body shape and the colourings to suit your hair colour and complexion then you will always be able to find an outfit that looks great on you. You can then use these shapes as a basis for all of your outfits.
Once you know what looks good on you, you can choose whatever you want to wear from the latest trends, classic pieces, vintage pieces or completely unique and individual clothes. You can begin to add some of your own personality by accessorising or wearing your clothes in your own unique way. Perhaps you like to clash bright colours or patterns or team neutral tailored jackets with some really fun accessories. What ever it is that you like wearing, you can put your own unique stamp on it.
You can look for inspiration on how to put together outfits in all sorts of places from magazines and celebrities, to street style and historical costume. It really is up to you how you interpret this inspiration and turn it into your own style. Think about how you will combine different shapes, colours and textures and how you will add interest to your outfits. Remember that sometimes less is more and you don’t need to add any fuss or accessories. On the other hand why not break all of the rules and add as many accessories as you can.
Pick out clothes that make you feel great and really compliment your personality. If you are bold and out going wear bold, bright prints. If you prefer to be a little more subtle perhaps opt for neutral colours and add just a pop of colour with a bright accessory or two. You can be stylish, fashionable and have your own unique style that others recognise and admire, just think about your wardrobe, plan a little and wear what feels good.
The belt is a much underrated accessory, often added as an after though or forgotten about altogether but it has the amazing ability to completely change the shape and silhouette of an outfit by cinching it in at the waist. A belt also finishes off an outfit perfectly and makes it look together. It highlights the waist (or hips or bust depending on where you wear it) and can add interesting colour and texture to your outfit.
Types of belt
There are plenty of different types of belt to choose from, so you should have no problem in finding one to suit you and you choice of clothing. The fashions are constantly changing but as a general rule, you should pick whatever suits you and your outfit best regardless of trends. The most basic and classic style of belt would be a plain leather belt in brown or black that goes with jeans or trousers. Everyone should own one of these as not only does it keep you trousers up but it gives a neat look when tucking blouses or tops into your trousers. When wearing a dress or shirt, you can choose to wear a belt of the same colour or different contrasting colour. You can also opt for braided belts, elastic belts with ornate fastenings and wide obi or corset style belts. Brightly coloured belts are great if you want to really highlight your waist and add a pop of colour to an outfit. For more formal outfits ribbons or sashes are also sometimes used as belts.
This cerise summer crinkle dress with border print would look amazing when cinched in at the waist with a white belt.
Ways to wear a belt
A belt can be worn though the belt loops of a pair of shorts jeans or trousers but it can also be worn over the top of a dress or shirt. There are three main ways to wear a belt. The traditional way is on the waist, you can also wear it just under the bust which often looks good with empire line dresses or tops or low slung on the hips which works particularly well with wide belts.
The white bow belt on this black pleat dress looks amazing and really highlights the waist. It is perfect for ladies with hour glass figures.
Update your wardrobe with a belt
A belt is the ideal way to update your wardrobe and change the look of some of your clothes. For example a bright red belt worn with a black shift dress will give it a completely different look and a shirt dress cinched in at the waist will look neater and more fitted.
Using a belt to flatter your body shape
The belt is the best friend of ladies with an hour glass figure. Use it to highlight a slim waist and cinch in clothes to show off your feminine curves. For slim builds, a wide belt worn on on the hip over a long top creates curves and for pear and apple shaped ladies an empire line dress worn with a belt around the empire line or just around the bust draws attention to the narrowest part of the body. Tall slim ladies look great with wide belts worn at the waist and petite or shorter ladies look best with a belt of the same colour as the dress or top.
Weddings are great fun to attend. Not only do you get to see members of your family on one of the happiest days of their life, but you may also get the chance to catch up with family and friends that you have not seen for a while. A wedding is also the perfect opportunity to get dressed up in your best dress and some very stylish accessories. Most weddings and really formal occasions and it is expected that you will look quite smart in some sort of occasion wear. For ladies wedding hats or fascinators are often worn especially by close friends and family of the bride or groom.
Hats are traditionally worn by ladies at weddings but fascinators are a modern alternative to an occassion hat. What you choose to wear will depend very much on your style, the outfit that your wearing and of course how you would like to do you hair.
Ladies Wedding Hats
A hat will look best if you have short hair or long hair worn down. It probably looks slightly more formal than a fascinator and is usually worn by the mother of the bride and mother of the groom as well as other lady guests. A hat is instantly visible and so great to wear if you really want to stand out from the crowd. Tradition dictates that a lady keeps her hat on, including inside the church at a church ceremony, until the mother of the bride removes her hat, this can often be after the speeches. Of course these days many people do not take any notice of traditions. A real benefit of wearing a hat at an outside reception, on a hot day is that it will keep the sun off your face helping to avoid sun burn and a flushed or shiny face from the heat. A hat can look stunning if chosen well. Pick a hat that really compliments your outfit and suits your face shape.
Fascinators
If you would like to wear your hair in a glamorous up do, then a fascinator is the perfect wedding accessory for you. It looks modern and on trend and draws attention to your face and hair. The real benefit to wearing a fascinator is that you will hardly know that you are wearing it. It can be worn all day and evening if you are staying for an evening reception. It eliminates the problem that those wearing hats will have with ‘hat hair’. A fascinator can also look amazing with long or mid length hair worn down or a shorter hair style. Fascinators are usually made of feathers but can also include other decorations like flowers, beads or sequins. They are usually attached with a hair clip, comb or hairband to the top side of the head.
Other Wedding Accessories
For those who like to be a little different and individual, there are plenty of other very stylish wedding accessory alternatives. An ornate or jewelled hair clip can look amazing if you want to go for a simple and stylish look. Hair flowers are also very on trend for this summer and make a colourful, fun and fashionable statement.
Summer balls, proms and formal evening events are a great opportunity to get dressed up in a beautiful dress. Once you have made that all important decision about which dress to wear, you will need to put some careful thought into which accessories will go best with it. Accessories are a really important part of an outfit, some would say even as important as the dress itself. The accessories can be a focal point or a major statement or they can be more subtle complimenting the outfit and finishing it off just perfectly.
When it comes to jewellery to wear with evening wear, it is sparkle that really counts. Jewels, whether they are real or costume will look amazing and make the outfit look something really special. The amount of sparkle required for your evening dress will partly depend on your own personal style. If you like to really stand out from the crowd and get noticed the bigger, brighter and more sparkly the jewels should be. If you are a ‘less is more’ sort of person, you will probably want to opt for a simple pendant or a pair of stud earrings even with the simplest of dresses. You should take into account the style of your dress. It is possible to over do it and wear too much sparkle. A very simple dress can carry off one amazing piece of statement jewellery. A very fussy or detailed dress will probably look best if you keep the jewellery to a minimum.
When it comes to handbags to carry with evening wear, a small clutch bag or evening bag with a delicate chain strap usually works well. Again, the usual rule applies, only have one statement accessory, but you can make it your clutch bag by choosing one in an unusual shape or with intricate beading or in a bright colour. One thing to consider when choosing your clutch bag is whether it will have enough room for everything that you need. You will probably find that you need to minimise what you take to fit into an evening bag.
Shoes are an important part of any outfit and for the evening high heels are almost always worn. If you really can’t walk in heels, don’t make yourself uncomfortable or risk falling over, try getting some medium height or kitten heels or even some embellished ballet pumps. A pair of black shoes is by far the best investment when it comes to shoes for evening wear, black will go with almost anything so they will definitely get worn more than once. If you have a simple or minimalistic evening dress, you can choose a pair of statement shoes with detail on the heels or some type of embellishment.
Finally, some sort of cover up is usually needed with evening wear either for wearing to and from the venue or during the evening if it is cold. Pashminas, boleros and shrugs are suitably formal and will look good with most evening dresses. If you are having a meal a bolero is often the most practical option as it will not fall off of your shoulders.