10 Things You Need For Fall 2008 to Winter 2009

With each new season, you need a new look that stays with the trends. There is no need to get rid of all your existing clothes and buy a brand new wardrobe. These 10 things are all you need to take you through this season. Just mix and match the old and the new for a brand new look.

1. A New Tweed Skirt Suit

That was the big look for Chanel’s Fall 2008 through Winter 2009 Ready To Wear collection. It is also the most practical thing a woman could own. That skirt suirt would take you to the board room and would boost your image at work.

2. A Pair of Tweed Pants that matches your tweed skirt suit.

The tweed jacket, and skirt from the skirt suit and these matching tweed pants would smarten up your professional image tremendously. Classy yet not stuffy. Professional but not boring. The jacket could be worn with either the skirt or pants. You can always wear your existing blouses inside the jacket and still look like you are dressed from head to toe in new clothes. Or you could leave off the jacket and just wear the pants or skirt with one of your new blouses.

3. A blouse with a big bow at the collar

The ribbon blouse or big bow blouse, whatever you call it gives you a sweet, yet sassy look. You can wear that with your existing skirt or with your new tweed skirt or pants to work. Wear it with jeans for the weekend. With it with a flared skirt for thanksgiving or for family gatherings.

4. A lace blouse.

White lace blouses are a Chanel favourite this season while black lace blouses, dresses and skirts are big at Prada.

5. Wide legged trousers in a fabric that drapes your figure

Androgyny rules at Armani with a models looking sharp in gorgeous trousers. A pair of gray, beige or black trousers that drapes well over your figure would look great for work or play, depending on what you match it with. Throw a smart jacket over it for work. Wear it with a sexy top for the night.

6. A black lace dress

Every girl should have her little black dress. This season, make it a little black lace dress that is oh so Prada. That is your go anywhere dress. From the dinner date, to a party or for any occasion when you want to dress up.

7. A trenchcoat

At Hermes, the trenchcoat, worn above the knee was often worn with a short skirt or tights or a pair of wide legged trousers that drapes softly over the figure. If you don’t already have a trenchcoat, invest in one as this trend is here to stay.

8. Knee high boots

These not only look cool, they keep your feet and your legs warm.

9. A floaty print top

Anna Sui’s Fall 2008/ Winter 2009 ready to wear collection featured beautiful printed tops. Some were inspired by native american designs while others looked more like the clothes from the Victorian era. Either way, prints abound and the fabric is soft and floaty. Might be too cold to wear on its own outdoors, but inside a heated building or where winters aren’t too cold, a top like that can go a long way.

10. A winter t-shirt

Hey, don’t forget about comfort. Nothing beats a comfy t-shirt beneath those jackets and coats. Just make sure yours is in a winter fabric. It goes well with jeans. There’s no need to buy new jeans if your existing jeans fit you well. Just pair old jeans with your new tops.

Designer Clothes

Designer outfits have made its way into every nook and cranny of contemporary life all over the world. Designer dresses are regarded as a powerful tool that endows us with an elite and appealing look at any hour and event. We all yearn to wear designer clothes that complement our body shape and cast a positive impression on others.

Thanks to the Internet that offers you the chance to do a kind of virtual window shopping. Nearly every leading brand is available online. You can browse online, check out the products and purchase them as well. As a customer, you can check out the latest fashion trend and place the order right away.

No matter whether you possess a pear shaped body or hourglass figure a designer wear will flatter your body type. With endless array of stylish clothes available online anyone can look and feel fabulous.

With just the right choice of designer clothes, your body shape fears will be a thing of the past and ensure you to be an excellent model of high class fashion.

Likes and dislikes, shape of the body, contemporary fashion, contrives; patterns, originality and uniqueness are some of the factors that are kept in mind by the designers while designing an outfit. In-fact the designers stretch their imagination and finally come out with an intense beautiful thought, which afterwards transforms into a substantial one.

Usually the price of designer clothes is somewhat higher but an amazing beauty of a designer wear is gimmick to attract attention towards it.

It’s Fun To Make Designer Dress Online

To wear a designer dress is everybody’s wish. It’s not tough also as it is made at various places. As online stores have greatly made an impact on people’s life, they also want to make their designer dress online.

There are several websites that make a custom dress. For that you need to provide them with a design and fabric you want for your dress. This entire process is done online only. But this much is not enough. There is a proper way of doing this entire thing. Read below written guidelines to know how to order a custom dress online.

First you need to go click on a website that offer online dress design. There you will get ample of designs, just go through them.

Among the myriad styles, select your favorite one. You have to choose which style bodice you want, length of the dress and how much close fit you want for your dress.

Choosing the neckline is also one of the essential things to be finalized on. Whether you want V-neckline, scoop neckline, turtle neckline, boat neckline etc.

Choose which styled sleeves you want for your dress. Such as long sleeves, short sleeves, without sleeves, cap sleeves etc.

Choose a length for the dress, such as full length, knee-length, mid-calf or ankle-length.

If you want any design over your dress, select it. Any kind of embellishment can also be picked out.

After finishing with all the details of the dress, select a fabric type of your choice. Silk, satin, taffeta, jersey, crepe, chiffon, poly chiffon are some of them.

After fabric, choose the color for the dress. Among the numerous hues put your choice forth. Mostly color looks different on monitor than they actually are due to resolution. To avoid it it’s better to order fabric swatches to get the exact color you want. Many websites send fabric swatches for a minimal fee or shipping cost.

Apart from these features you can also go for other optional features like pockets, belts, hemlines, back, trims etc. of your own choice.

One of the most important things on which you have to be very clear is your fit. Take your measurements properly of hips, waist and busts. If website offer custom sizes, you will be able to check your size more correctly and accurately. Take your measurement above the undergarments that you wear for more accurate result.

Brush up the entire thing again and be sure this is the kind of dress you exactly want or still something can be added or set out. After nailing down on everything, then place your order.

At last most important thing you should be clear on before placing an order is the company’s policy which include the cost of the dress, shipping and sales tax, the return policy, whether they will send fabric samples and whether they will make alterations if needed etc.

Thus you can see that how easy it is to place an order online with just one click on the mouse. Even you can make the dress for you yourself, by broadening your outlook by taking help from these websites. The thought of sitting at home, with relaxed mind, with your dear and near ones around you, increases more your craze for making designer dress online.

How To Be Sexy, Unique and Stylish

The women fashion industry will always be in business. The multi-billion dollar industry is signified by evolving trends, fashion centered events like the Melbourne Cup Spring Racing Carnival and celebrities like Paris Hilton and Victoria Beckham coming out with their own fashion labels. For a woman fighting to make her own signature mark in society, being sexy, unique and stylish can be a challenge. But it all basically boils down to three main points:

1. Be confident in yourself.

Let’s face it. Even A-list celebrities get criticised in the media every single day. Lindsay Lohan’s dress might be the talk of the town tonight, but tomorrow, if she puts on a daggy pair of jeans, she will still be slammed by the Hollywood fashion police.

Being confident can make up to 50% of the attractiveness of a person. How you carry yourself is almost equivalent to what you are wearing, if you pull it off with grace, posture and cool self-assuredness.

2. Check out trends and tailor them to your own style

Keeping an eye on trends in the fashion world does not necessarily mean having to buy every piece of designer wear that comes out in the market. If you find a design or style that you like, tailor it!

Dressmaking is not a very expensive or time-consuming thing to do. Tailored clothing ensures your uniqueness and gives you the opportunity to wear a piece of clothing that best fits your body, style and comfort.

3. Wear quality fabric

The quality of the clothing you wear plays a vital role in comfort, look and movability. Wearing all-natural types of fabric can assist in warming up winter nights, cooling down summer afternoons, and give you the freedom to move freely.

How Exactly Do You Dress Yourself Up?

1 – Know your body shape

Bulky clothing and bold prints should be avoided by petite women. They should go for tapered shapes and smooth fabric, with thin belts and delicate texture and colour. You should keep your styling streamlined so that your body is not cut in half by the eye.

Woman with a larger bust should wear short (if suitable) skirts that stand out. These will draw the eye down away from the top half. Trousers, bold fabrics and colors will do this as well. As well, wearing one single colour is slimming. You must avoid wearing anything on top that draws the eye to this. A long jacket, a dark coloured top that is loose fitting and waist hugging will also accomplish this.

Women with a pear shape love vertical lines, skirts with a slip up the side and V-necks. A-line skirts that fall just below the knee are also perfect for this shape. Shoes with colour, tights that are dark or a shirt or top that hang past the hips look best in patterns. The eye is drawn away from the hips with classic style on top. If you are tall and you wear a too short or too long skirt, you will look out of proportion. Always wear blouses over trousers so that your top half is not shortened.

A patterned fabric is best for rectangular shaped women. A delicate knit sweater worn over a skirt is good for this shape. Wearing a round neckline mirrored by a round scarf or necklace will be lovely.

2 – Always dress to match your personality.

If you are a rocker chick, you should clash and wear a lot of accessories, but you should always remain feminine.

If you are urban chic, you can wear outrageous high street fashion that is dazzling, yet humble.

Sporty types should layer faddish, natural clothes.

Artful types use current fashion trends and they add a bit of their own personality to liven the outfits up.

If you are sexy, you should wear sensual textiles that hug your curves sensuously with a dash of scent or colour.

Retro chic calls for all time, classic style with the perfect timeless accessories.

Romantic styles are made up of pears, vintage cuts, wonderful tailoring, soft colours, and embroidered pieces and lace.

3 – The perfect accessory makes all the difference.

Necklaces with a Y or V shape draws ones eye down.

A necklace with a round shape fills the neckline.

Super long earrings make your neck look longer.

A long belt that trails makes the legs look longer.

The perfect outfit can be obtained with the right hat.

A relaxed look can turn fun and sparkly with cocktail rings

Scarves seem arty on an outfit.

An outfit can be brought together with matching accessories.

4 – Makeup every morning

Your eyes will sparkle if you use an eye shadow that contrasts.Black gives eyes a dramatic look.

Soft pink lipstick and gray makes for a perfect look.

If you use red lipstick similar to your own colour will give you a classic look.

Use opposites. When you have pale eyes, use red lip colour. If your lips are pale, use dramatic eye shadow.

5 – A bag for life

For daytime use, a decent sized leather bag in a classic style is good. This season will offer a lot of choices in textures and colour.

The clutch bag style has returned for eveningwear. A good alternative is a nice shoulder bag with a chain strap.

6 – Trouser or skirt

A slender cut elongates petite people.

Those with slender hips should avoid wearing straight leg trousers and skirts. Also, they should avoid flared ankles.

Trousers that flare at the ankle and also the traditional cut widen hips.

Wear a short skirt and blouse together.

Wear a long skirt with a trim jumper.

You can look slimmer if you wear heels as they always make you look thinner.

Length and heaviness are critical; always wear the proper jacket.

7 – Dress for the season

Wear glimmery makeup during the spring and summer months.

Lower cut, soft fabric in bright tones should be worn in spring and summer.

In fall and winter, you should wear your makeup in matte, somewhat darker colours.

Wear knitwear, leather, cotton, linen and relaxed colours and textures in fall/winter.

8 – Never mix styles

Even though there are many trends this year, don’t wear loud colours, metallics, jungle print or vintage glamour at the same time.

Using just one or two pieces of jewelry will look fabulous with a simple outfit. Every day have jewelry that is mix and match

Alter your parting

Wear your scarf as a belt

Wear your regular clothing, but in unique way

There are numerous styles of comfortable jeans this year that are fashionable. Stretchy jeans make the best “skinny jeans.” For curvy hips, low-rise boot-cut jeans are best to make your hips stand out. For an ample bum, wear low waist with low pockets and always balance this out with a flare at the ankle. Dark colours and texture is best this season.

If you don’t wear a traditional suit to work, it can be perfect for lots of occasions.

Wearing a white blouse is a feminine and adaptable.

A feminine style coat at the perfect length for you is a must.

Think carefully when purchasing an evening dress. If you are lucky, you will get a dress style that makes it easy to dress down for special occasions.

Daytime, the perfect bag is a shoulder bag; a clutch bag is perfect for evening while the barrel bag is perfect for overnight.

Blue Prom Dress Is A Wonderful Choice For Prom

Color is a visual attribute of things that play a great role in present world. Its essence can be estimated from its power to mould thinking, to like one thing more between the two of exact shape, cause action etc. It has both positive and negative sides, as it can soothe your eyes or can irritate it. Color also holds importance while choosing a dress.

It has become a most ‘in’ part in everybody’s life. In every sort of life it is used and has great effect on every thing. It similarly applies true at the time of selecting a dress. As between the wide varieties of dresses, there are some few particular styles that are very much in fame, similar takes place with colors also. Dresses do come in wide variety of colors.

Dresses that are particularly destined for some particular occasion has colors distinguished for them. Let’s take prom in this regard. Most worn color dress for prom is black prom dress. This is the highly worn dress in prom. But there is one another color dress, which is rapidly emerging i.e. blue color dress.

Blue color prom dress has come in a hit list of couturiers. There is wide variety of blue prom dresses created by a number of designers to choose from. It actually suits fair skinned women. But it is made keeping all skin textures in mind, as there is a great stampede for blue prom dress. Wearing a blue prom dress makes the women stand apart from the crowd. Blue prom dresses of several sizes and colors are ready for prom.

Blue prom dress should be worn according to the type of her skin. If blue color is inept for your skin then it will give you an ugly look. Skin tone matters a lot for attaining a beautiful look. But this is sure if blue color suits you then you will look dazzling and different in the crowd. The main positive thing about the blue color is that it goes with almost all skin tones.

In special occasions everyone wants to look different and blue dress has that potential to fulfill it. This vibrant color is very good to make your separate identity so as to can be recognized very easily. Whatever style dress you are going to wear but if it’s in blue color can get you a stunning look. If you want to stand differently from the other women, then go for blue prom dress. You can get blue dress in any style like strapless, one shoulder, halter, spaghetti straps, sleeveless, full sleeves full-length, short length etc.

Blue has a very good reputation in fashion industry. It is always preached in the world of fashion. In any store, shop, boutique and in online store you can easily get blue dress with its different shades. Shades of blue ranges from baby blue, royal blue and turquoise blue to navy etc. These prom dresses give you all the blue colors in the market. Remember the more elegant the color is it has greater effect on both wearer and onlooker. Thus for this year make blue prom dress staple of your wardrobe.

Tips For Buying Indian Sarees

Indian sarees has been traditional, and a beloved dress of Indian women. Majority of women in India wear sarees no matter of which class they are, it is there national dress as well so a special importance is given to it. Sarees are now sold in market of vast variety of range, of different fabrics, light and dark, heavy and light, simple and glossy and many much kinds of it are found in the market. Asian women love sarees and many of them have a vast collection of it. Sarees is a dress that is worn in every occasion, rather the color of saree symbolizes the occasion or the event in which it worn. Anyhow this extent is found in Indian countries most. No bridal luggage is complete if it doesn’t carry plenty of beautiful sarees collection. Anyhow sarees are sold in different fabrics; the expensive ones usually are those that are worked over with sequences or golden thread.

A few tips should be kept in mind always before buying saree for you. One should know well about her body type, skin color and height. These are the three main things one should consider before buying saree for oneself. Usually women ignore and they get what they like for themselves. Saree is a dress that frames your personality, so it a must to seek about yourself before wearing any saree not knowing anything and spoiling your image. Those women who are bulky should buy Georgette, Chiffon or Crepe fabric sarees; also heavy Mysore silk sarees help one look thinner than normal. These types of sarees can be expensive but buy before you get to know its price finally. The printing of the sarees also matter a lot, those women who are of short height should wear those sarees that have narrow or no borders, this will avoid huge appearance and the women will definitely look taller than its orignal height. Girls or young women who are thin should get Organza, Cotton and Tissue sarees, these appear to be fluffy and give voluminous appearance so the thin body sets well with the starched type fabric. Sarees should be worn according to the event that is if you wearing in offices or any other formal event than you should see simple floral printed sarees and also the paisley prints look good and soft in such places. Sarees are meant to give sophisticated look, thus select sarees with delicate work on it. It look good to the viewer’s eyes and they wearer also feels encircled in a soft image.

Though the saree size and the fabric matters, but the main thing is you get the saree according to your skin tone, the Asian women are usually of dark complexion, few are of fair complexion so it is god to wear soft and light colors. Age also matters a lot; young women should prefer soft and pretty colors and the old age women or the adult one should select color according to their profession and their personality.

Sarees are favorite dress of Indian women, the flavor of wearing and liking of sarees is now spreading world wide, seeking this the designers are now presenting new smart and mind blowing designs of sarees. But the practical point of view says that selection of sarees should be done according to the budget, women think to save money as well so it is better to opt for the saree that is feasible for you in all manners.

The Top 5 Mistakes to Make this Season

Fall has come in and settled upon us. And we all know what that means: richer hues, darker eye color, jewel tones and more clothing options. While this season offers more wardrobe options, the avenues for mistakes are endless as well.

Mistake #5: Wearing Too Many Dark Colors at a Time

While it is true that this season calls for darker and richer shades, piling these on is definitely a faux pas. For one thing, layering different colors will look disastrously disheveled on anyone. Wearing white lingerie under your dark clothes is another pitfall that can make any glam outfit terrible. A great way to avoid this is to stock up on different kinds of nude underwear. Brands like Le Mystere and Anita have great nude bras in different styles.

Mistake #4: Wearing Bright 80s Colors

Neon colors made a strong showing last year on runways but these have been replaced by softer summer shades and now rich jewel shades for fall. Though you can’t wear neon colors on the street, you can still wear them in bedroom. Glamorise, Fantasie of England and Anita have neon offerings you can wear comfortable at home while lounging or while doing your reps at the gym.

Mistake #3: Slathering on Too Much Make Up

Let’s face it. Too much make up doesn’t look good no matter what season we’re in. This season calls for more subdued lips (think nude), cheeks (think golden glow instead of really red or pink), sheer foundation (do not cake your concealer and foundation on, that never ever looks hot!) and defined eyebrows (unkempt and unruly eyebrows will never be in). But, smoky eyes are all the rage this season. If you’re having dramatic eyes, don’t make your lips compete with them. Tone down the rest of your face. Dramatic eyes always go great with sexy lingerie. Sexy lingerie brands like Le Mystere and Freya have sexy offerings this season which will go well with dark hues you’d be sporting.

Mistake #2: Wearing Printed Bottoms and Printed Tops

This season calls for more classic looks. So, put those outrageous paisleys and dots on the back burner for now. Classic looks usually utilize the basic colors (charcoal, gray, navy, white, black) but this season is far from boring. Big disc-like accessories in diffused metal colors are all the rage this season. If you want to take a step further, use creative bra accessories like Lauren Silva’s Shimmer Link Bra Straps. Remember to keep the bling minimal, though.

This season’s biggest mistake: Not having the confidence to match your fabulous wardrobe.

Even the best of dresses look awful on self-conscious persons. So make sure you do everything to avoid nipple trouble and strap slippage. Nipple covers and Clothing Tape are readily available online.

Make this season’s trends work for you. Be the best!

Tips before choosing men’s suit

As per the scientific records, it has been proved that the people who finds difficult to identify others will make through their mind with regards to opponent skin color, sex, appearance, speech, way of dressing and behavior. Men use to make some sort of mistake while wearing mens suits. Some of them are :

- Try to avoid short sleeve with a tie. Generally, short sleeve shirts are considered to be low class wear.

- The other important factor considered in mens suit is shoes. Men should wear shoes cleanly, proper condition, shine look, repaired and it should be suitable for the occasion of the day. People are suggested to prefer lace up shoes, so that men have enhancing look of formal, sophistication, royal and trendy.

- The trousers should be tailored long as it covers the socks properly. Generally, trousers should cover the socks and socks should cover the shins. The socks and shoes should match with your suit. Pants will be long enough when slight break is applied in the front. Pleats and cuffs are the vital requirements in trousers and while tailoring it should be considered.

- Avoid wearing belt and braces together. The belts should match the shoes and try to avoid mismatching costumes with mens suits.

- The tie is the other important factor in mens suit. Make sure that tie chosen matches your suit and also it reaches till your belt line. The tie should not be too long or too short. It should be correct enough to add impressive look. The ties should be knotted properly and it should be known that proper knotted ties should have dimple.

- The sports jacket should match the occasion chosen to wear. The buttons cuts, fits should be designed properly and it should be emphasis the tradition consequently as per trend and culture.

Single breasted suits come in one or two or three or more button styles. The two and three button jackets looks classic and more buttons look more fashion and trendy. The suits for men are available in more styles, colors, designs and cuts. As per business occasion, get together events and any other special events, suits are designed and produced. High quality fabrics are used to make men feel cool, good and smooth all over the day. Double breasted suits looks more formal in style and it comes in four to six buttons. Most of the men use to prefer double breasted suits for parties or business events to enhance the day with professional look.

It is always suggested for men to choose the best suit to wear. More number of fashion designing companies comes up with excellent designed suits for people in competitive prices. Try to avoid some of the mistakes made in choosing the suit.

The secret to women’s suit fashion

It takes a bold move to stray from the usual office get up of a trouser and a blazer. While some may be comfortable enough with the business suits as it becomes part of the business world, far older than the establishment you are in, this sometimes becomes less satisfying. This is the reason why dressing innovations have been in demand in the corporate world and more and more businesses are giving leeway to women’s suit in the office. In answer to this dressing clamour, fashion designers have been more creative in thinking ways to make women’s suit more fashionable without losing its authoritative presence. But what is the secret to women’s suit fashion?

Versatility. Versatility is one of the requirements of having a fashionable women’s suit. Aside from the fact that these pieces are quite costly, it would be better if the pieces still retain a good ensemble whether the pieces are paired to a pants or a skirt.

Comfort. Comfort is established by the time you are able to wear the women’s suit. However, by having knowledge of the quality of the fabrics that may be available, you can choose which fabric will be more comfortable for you. Most often, wool is preferred as the material for the clothing while cotton runs secondary.

The aesthetic appearance. While it is a must that women’s suit is smartly bought with cost-effectivity considered, the visual appearance still is the top priority in having a fashionable women’s suit. The suit should be able to project a powerful office presence yet maintaining the feminine side of the woman. The suit should be able to create illusion to make the body appear classy and elegant, and able to highlight the bearing of a woman. Aesthetic appearance includes all the factors affecting the visuals of the suit. This includes the color, the style and the fit.

The fit. Women’s suit should be able to hug the body however, it should not be tight. Having the perfect fit may be difficult yet it should be one of the greatest factors to consider. Having the perfect fir accentuates the body and the curves in the feminine form while refining the appearance of the woman.

The accessories. While some women may neglect the impact that accessories can have on the fashion of the women’s suit, these have unnamed importance as accessories add to the accents of a simple suit. However, accessories should be left at a minimal to avoid exaggerations on the fashion. Most often the simplest is the best. Accessories include the jewelries, the bags and the scarf.

The secret to women’s suit fashion is incredibly flexible to all women. Though there might be no definite standard on this matter, as fashion sense varies from a person to another, fashion has a meaning that engulfs its definition: comfort.

Wearing The Right Bra Means Great Breast Support

The early undergarments, such as brassieres and corsets, were used to make the waist extremely small and the breasts flat and formless. Luckily, these pieces of clothing are not in vogue anymore. Nowadays, bras and undergarments are created to protect and enhance the bust and support the upper torso. Gone are the days when you have to make your breasts as inconspicuous as possible and your waist as tiny as the circumference of a solo-sized pizza.

But despite the recent technological advances in the bra industry, there are still a lot of women who do not know how to choose the right type, size and cup to use. Hence, many are suffering in silence because their bras are small, deformed, and even unsightly. Perhaps, the average Jane is still not comfortable about asking the help of sales specialists in lingerie stores.

It is important to note that having ill-fitted bras and undergarments is not only an issue of beauty and appearance; it also poses some health risks, such as back pains, bruises, and other potentially serious diseases.

Six Signs That You Badly Need To Replace Your Bra

1. You see red marks on your skin, particularly on the shoulders and at the back.

2. Your bra makes you slouch.

3. The centermost area of your bra does not reach your breastbone.

4. Your boobs swing and bounce every time you move.

5. The straps slip and fall off even after you tightened them.

6. When you raise your arm, your bra also goes up and leaves your bust half covered.

The above signs show that your bra does not fit you properly nor does it give the right support; it may even cause unnecessary health risks.

Health Risks

Wearing a bra that does not fit your cup or band size can actually cause rashes, headache, neck pain, pulled ligaments and back problems. If your breasts do not get the right amount of support from your undergarments, they tend to droop, bounce and go to places where you don’t like them to go, such as your belly or underarms.

If you are into sports, you should also remember to wear a sports bra. Exercising and other strenuous activities can put a strain on your bust that may result to sagging, stretching, and a couple of pulled ligaments. Sports bras are specifically designed to provide utmost flexibility and maximum support, keeping your bust in shape and in place. Furthermore, the fabrics commonly used in this type of undergarment are breathable, which helps moisture and sweat stay outside the fabric. It must be stressed that you need to wear a sports bra every time you indulge in extreme physical activities and sports.

Best Style For Your Cup Size

Large Bust

For women who were endowed by nature with big and full breasts, you need to wear bra that has wide back and shoulder straps so that you will get the highest support. It would also be advisable to steer away from half cups because these might give an appearance of you having four breasts. A full cup, on the other hand, gives enough coverage and helps make your breasts look shapelier. A bra with an underwire is also appropriate for you.

Small Chest

For a curvy shaped, slightly lifted, and gorgeous neckline, a woman with small bust should choose a balcony-type bra. To give the appearance of cleavage, half cups with padding beneath and at the sides of the bust should be worn.

Wearing the right type of bra is really important in enhancing your appearance and even taking care of your health. For women who are small-chested, there are many types of bras that give added pads and support in the right places to give you more shape without sacrificing support.

Make Eve Dazzling with Beaded Dresses

Magic of beaded dresses cannot resist your man by ogling at you. The reason behind this is that enormous beauty of beaded dresses catches attention soon. They have the power to give life to a lifeless outfit too. In special occasions everybody wants to shine and the beaded dress is the perfect way to stand out amongst all.

Since times the fashion industry is famous for and taking delight in delicate embroidered fabrics. The spectacular treasuring embroidery designs include satin stitch, Kashmir embroidery, Zardosi, tikkiwork, Gota, Chikan embroidery, shadow embroidery, cross-stitch, etc. These embroidered fabrics are either hand-made or machine embroidered. All these fabrics in wearing make you different from others by giving a princely grandeur.

Sumptuous quality and refinement are its unique lineaments that have made beaded dresses so popular. They come in enchanting designs, colors and sizes. Its essence is in the air till now and that’s the reason many hearts and minds are still cherishing its fondness.

Adorn yourself with the ostentatious and distinct embroidered dresses, with attractive design and styles. Automatically you will set the tone for the rest of the night with your swish look. Beaded dresses are especially designed for evenings, as it makes your appearance glamorous. But they can create sensation by wearing in formal occasions too.

Its myriad patterns, groomed according to various events, have made beaded apparels befitted for all occasions. Their shine has the sparkling appeal to turn all heads towards you. In this world of shine, various colors do the work of giving extra grace to it. Basic embroidery colors are black, red, green, yellow, white, orange and blue.

Embroidery does not go with all dress materials. Main enthralling materials that create a buzz are Silk, Satin, Organza and Dupionic silk. Concoction of embroidery and these fabrics imparts glitz and gloss to your entire outlook. Apart from dresses embroidery work can also be seen on curtains, tablecloth, mats, cushion covers, etc. Its beauty magic is slathering all around.

Today you can get embroidery or beaded dresses in various contours like long-length dresses, snazzy short dresses, strapless, halter, one shoulder and many more. They come for various body shapes including plus size women too. Due to versatile nature they are admired everywhere. They are epitome of fashion quotient.

Be ready to set hearts ablaze with glittering beads and sequins in a flaming red gown teamed with marvelous jewelry. Walk down the red carpet with splendor and style, as you will be the cynosure’s delight. To maintain this style forever, fill your wardrobe with its whopping designs. It is the perfect choice to launch ‘Poise and Passion’ as it defines both perfectly.

Ivory Dresses

When wedding day or call it a big day approaches, its quite obvious for a bride to get into her nerves. No doubt she wants to look gorgeous and her all efforts are towards achieving that particular goal only. Besides choosing her wedding gown, she also has to keep in mind the dress color that suits her. Nowadays heated debate is going on between ivory vs. white wedding dress. These are highly preferred colors for wedding dress and have a tough competition among them.

White is the traditional color that brides usually wear on the wedding day. But ivory has also become an in-style preference for the wedding dress. There are certain added advantages of the ivory dress over white dress that has made it popular in a certain span of time. Instances are there to prove it. Certainly white looks awesome on brides but it does not go with fair skinned brides and red haired brides, as it looks pale on the previous one and weird on the later one. Ivory wedding dress is the fair solution to the problem of the above-mentioned brides.

Ivory wedding dress looks good on all skin tones and is a gorgeous color for wedding dresses. Also it fits perfectly with any wedding ceremony. It adds a tropical feel to any occasion. Wearing white dress gives a great feeling but it gives a washed out look to fair skinned people. In contrast to it, the ivory wedding dress compliments every skin tone. It also highlights classic red or auburn red hairs people.

Also for the ladies who do not get sun burnt in the summers, ivory-wedding dresses is a perfect wear. Adding colors will countervail fair complexion while white dress will completely wash it away. You want to enhance your alabaster skin, not wash it off. An ivory wedding dress is always a good choice and its every style is very appealing. While your wedding is an elaborate affair, formal occasion or a beach ceremony, ivory dress is for all. Various trends of these dresses come with myriad patterns of ornamentations on them.

Question like ‘where to shop for ivory wedding dresses’? If arises in mind. There are several ways to do it. No need to go far away, start from your local nearby store. Large assortments of styles, contrives and patterns in ivory dresses open ample choices. Great treasure is present in these stores for you to choose from. If this does not fulfill your expectation then Internet is the second option available. It is a great venue for clothing. You can browse through various sites and can choose the one that reflects your own sense of style and personality.

This entire thing clarifies that the diversity in ivory dresses has increased their demand a lot. More than white dresses, ivory dresses are best loved. These all qualities of ivory dresses have made it a popular choice for wedding. Without looking further go ahead and embrace the most splendid look.

Corsetry More Than Art and Illusion

Corsetry is not only making the corsets, but the word refers to the corsets,too. Women love wearing corsets because of the beautiful feminine shape it gives to their body. They tend to hug the waist and give more focus on the full breasts. In the past, corsets were extremely constricting and extremely uncomfortable. However, corsets have become less restricting and a popular novelty piece in the bedroom. Corsetry is a wonderful addition to any women’s lingerie wardrobe.

Corsetry has been around for hundreds of years, but it generally fell out of fashion in the Western world during the 1920s when corsets were replaced by girdles. Since that time, corsets have been used less as underwear and more as costumes, lingerie, and even outerwear.

Just as the purpose of corsetry has changed over the years, so too has the construction. They were originally made from thick material such as leather that had channels to hold “stays.” Stays were made from rigid material such as whalebone or steel. Today’s corsets are usually not as rigid and may be made from softer fabrics. Stays are typically made of plastic, although it is still possible to find some made from steel.

Most corsets wrap around the upper body with either the front or back left open. The opening is lined with eyelets or grommets along both sides, and these are used to lace the corset together. As the lace is tightened, the corset constricts the body and holds it in place. Throughout history, corsets have been worn so tight as to cause women to faint or even to develop permanent deformities. It is thought, however, that some of the drawbacks to corsetry have been overly dramatized and that wearing them is not as uncomfortable as has been portrayed in literature and movies.

The point was simply to modify the body’s shape by a small amount in order to reach an idealized silhouette. There are still people referred to as “tightlacers” who use corsets to constrict the size of their natural waists to be less than 20 inches in circumference. These people are quite rare, however, and most use corsets as sexy underwear for the boudoir. They are also quite popular in BDSM practices, both for their restriction and just for aesthetics.

Corsetry comes in a number of styles, but the two main categories are the overbust and underbust. These names mean just what they imply. An overbust corset starts just below the armpits, while an underbust corset begins below the bust line. Both types are likely to push up the bust to create a fuller look with more cleavage.

Modern corsetry is much more forgiving than its forerunners, and it is used everywhere from the bedroom to the dance floor. Many wedding dress designers have incorporated corsets into their fashions, and other dress designers have followed suit. It is not uncommon to see laced-up dresses at the high school prom. They are also very popular in certain subcultures such as “Gothic” and for those involved in reenactments and renaissance fairs.

Flounce Your Wardrobe With Ruffled Dresses

Ripples formed in water by stirring it up, looks pleasurable to eyes. It takes a pleated form shape but for a short period of time. Just imagine if on water it looks so good, then how nice it is to have the same ruffle shape design on the dress, for instance, ruffled dresses. They make a gathered effect with frills to enhance the beauty of the dress.

Ruffled dresses have a unique flair of elegance though having the qualities of being fun, flirty and romantic at the same time. They also render a slight younger look than the actual eld and thus famous for the appearance of baby doll dresses. The exclusive distinctive style of these dresses makes them the most fashionable dress, hence perfect for your closet in a role of home for them. Get a luxurious feel in them due to their comfortable nature and beautiful ruffles either along the neckline, skirt, at the hem portion or on sleeves that adds a right amount of feminine panache to it. This posh high hemline dress is sure to be a favorite henceforth the season’s greatest hit.

All dashes of splendid ruffled dresses are perfect for any formal event such as wedding, bridesmaid, prom, homecoming, winter formal, cocktail party, military ball, evening party, etc. Be the belle of any event or day with these stunning go-to party dresses and add a flounce to your wardrobe. Be beautiful to look at in this structured silhouette by complementing your all veers with these flowy attires with cascading details of ruffles. A ruffled front imparts pretty, romantic quality to a classic tog and has an easy and urbane fit. Ruffled dresses are not only limited to formal parties but can be worn in weddings too. They provide rather a vintage feel. For weddings white or ivory color ruffled dresses are best. Your all occasions are going to be an exuberating experience.

Their comfortable fit provides a right shape to all parts of your body. Ruffled design can be seen in all the pattern dresses like halter, tea-length dresses, skirts, full-length gowns, etc. Cascading contingents of ruffles along the dress gives a look as fountain is flowing from above thereof make them beautifully feminine and will surely get you appreciation from all over. They also add texture to your visual aspect and hold the dress down for a great look.

The layer of tiers by accumulating together takes the shape of a flower. This beauteous pattern soon grabs attention thus can be seen rapidly emerging on the red carpets with frills, layering and ruffles. Spice-up your wardrobe with the stylish details of ruffled dresses. These opulent dresses although disturb the smoothness of the dress makes a perfect accessory. Without giving a further thought pack your things to go to the hot beach, as the extremely pleasing ruffled dresses are a great destination dresses ideally.

Tips to maintain your Suits

It is important that you should take extreme care of your suits so that they last long and give you the same look for what you bought. Taking good care of your good suit makes sense. Here are some of tips that you could exercise which would help you to make your suit last long.

Brush your suit

It is very good practice that you clothes brush your suit before you hang it in the hanger. It will help you to remove the dirt and rejuvenate the wool retain its shine.

Hanging your suits

Always hang your suit in a hanger that is round, and is broad. It would not cause you any problem no matter how long it is hung it will also enable it to retain its shape. Do not rely on these metal hangers they will not enable your coats to retain their right shape. Be in a practice that you remove the buttons and empty the suit’s pockets ensuring that you retain its shape. It is a good practice that you hang your suit in the air for about 24 hour so that the moisture content in the suit dries properly. Be sure that you have enough space in your wardrobe so that your suit could be hung properly, and be sure that you do not cram it in between other clothes so that it doesn’t creases. Keep your suit in partial enclosed garment bag, enabling the air to pass on. But make sure you cover the shoulder area so that there is no dust accumulation.

Rules concerning ironing:

Have your suit steam ironed if you find the any crease before the next wear. Be careful about wool suits, dry ironing can spoilt the fabric. Before ironing be careful about the heat flow, if the iron is too hot it can make the wool material become shiny. Always use a cotton cloth or a linen cloth, and do not move the iron directly rather lift it up and press.

Dry clean your suits

Dry clean your suits once in two months to make sure that it remains clean. Dry cleaning your suits will help you to retain your suits shape as well as its glow. But make sure you give it to the right laundry.

So keep your suit last long with the little care which you would exercise on a daily basis.

Caring for Your Linen Clothes

Linen is one of the most comfortable fabrics you can buy. It also requires a little extra care to own, this is due to the fact it is made from the flax plant, which produces long fibers from its stalk. These natural “yarns” are what wick moisture away from the skin to help create the fabric’s light, airy feeling. The drawback, however, is that the “breathing” fibers are quite stiff. Once they bend, they stay bent, and the result is linen’s trademark wrinkles. Even more frustrating is that the more you sweat, the more the fabric wrinkles.

Before washing any clothing, it is important to look at the label to view the manufacturers care recommendations. Although linen may be laundered with great results, the garment label will take in account any special instructions that may be necessary for the particular item you want to wash. Some garments may include different fabric types used for their lining, or some may be a blend of linen with another type of fabric. If the label says it’s best to dry clean the garment, it would be wise to follow this advice.

Typically linen shirts and pants can be machine-washed in a gentle cycle in warm water. Of course it is preferable if you hand-wash your linen or have it dry-cleaned. Repeated hand or machine washings make linen soft, thereby eventually reducing wrinkling, while dry cleaning keeps it crisp and new looking.

To hand-wash a linen item, place it in a small tub with warm water and soap suds. Rub the linen in the mix and then pull it out of the tub. When it comes to stains, the treatment really depends on the source of the stain, but the general method is to rub immediately with cold water (which prevents the stain from setting in), or letting the garment soak in laundry detergent. Rubbing the stain with white vinegar, or sprinkling some talcum powder on the stain while letting the garment lay flat overnight, have also been proven to work. If the stain is oil based, it is usually best to let the dry cleaners do the work for you. If you choose to use a stain remover or treatment product, it is safest to test an inconspicuous area of the garment with the product first. Apply the product and let it sit for at least 5 minutes and then rinse. If you notice no color change, then proceed, using the product directly on the stain. After using the stain remover, rinse the garment and launder as usual. Remember that some stains just can’t be removed.

Once you’re done hand- or machine-washing, air-dry the linen garment. You can then iron it, or wear it as is.

It’s in linen’s best interest to never see the inside of a dryer. Ideally, you should let a freshly washed linen garment air-dry, whether by laying it flat on a towel or hanging it from a padded wooden hanger.

If you’re ironing linen, do so on a high setting, while the garment is still damp. The dampness guards against burning the linen; the fabric dries quite fast. Iron first on the inside of the garment to remove wrinkles, and then on the outside to create a nice sheen. Also, be sure to iron until the linen is smooth , not dry. When it’s to your liking, begin air-drying. As well, avoid folding your linen items; hanging is preferable.

And if you wear a linen suit or pants regularly, get in the habit of always pulling your pants up from the knees before you sit down. This keeps the fabric stiff between your knees and waist, and avoids the excess wrinkling in the crotch area that can be brought on by sitting, slouching and so on.

By simply caring for your linen clothing in the proper manner, you will be able to enjoy wearing your garments for many years to come.

Summer Maternity Swimwear and Swimsuits

Just because you are pregnant, does not mean you have to shy away from the beach or pool. It also does not mean you have to hide behind big tee shirts as you watch your family in the water. Today there are many flattering and sexy maternity swimwear styles on the market that can perfectly compliment your evolving shape as you step out on the beach or in the pool. Here are some recommendations based upon your body type and personal style choice:

Halter Maternity Swimsuits

Embrace your enhanced cleavage with a well made halter swimsuit in a fun color combination or pattern. The magic of halters is that they can be tied to achieve the perfect fit and accommodate a changing shape. They also give you a pretty and feminine silhouette while flattering both your shoulders and bust and giving you an overall slimming appearance. Prego Maternity has a number of fun and pretty patterns out this summer. A great one is their Aqua Trim Tie Halter in an aqua and chocolate polka dot pattern that pops. This suit comes with contrast chocolate brown bottoms that fit under the belly and match the chocolate trim tie and polka dots in the top. If you prefer a black contrast halter swimsuit, take a look at Prego Maternity’s Roxy Dot Tie Halter which is made in a similar style but also with a front black tie and a hip and retro pattern of bold geometric white dot clusters integrated with aqua and yellow against a black backdrop and with black bellow the belly bottoms.

If like the halter style, but find yourself needing more room in the hip and bottom area, then try out the adjustable tie style bottoms with the halter top. The Black Dot Tie Halter and Aqua Dot Tie Halter by Prego are the same style suit in different patterns - The Black Dot pattern is white dots on a black backdrop with tie black bottoms and the Aqua Dot pattern is aqua and chocolate dots on white with tie chocolate bottoms. These styles are very popular with expecting women as the bottoms fit even lower below the belly than the standard halter bottoms and the side tie sashes can be adjusted to fit throughout your whole pregnancy.

Tank Maternity Swimsuits

If you need a bit more bust support or are looking to do some serious lap swimming, many women find they are more comfortable in a supportive tank suit with adjustable straps. The Prego Maternity Ring-Kini offers wide supportive straps with rings accenting a pretty V neck and under the belly bottoms. This suit comes in both a solid aqua top with chocolate bottoms and solid black on both top and bottoms. If you are looking for a fun beachy patterned suit, take a look at the Prego Maternity Mad Hatter Tie Tankini that has both bottom ties and a matching string tie in the top along with tank straps. The Mad Hatter Pattern is a festive floral pattern in both pinkish orange combo on white with orange bottoms and an aqua green combo on white with aqua bottoms.

Strapless Minis Maternity Swimwear

If you looking to totally cover your belly, bottom and hips but want to look sexy at the same time, there is no better style than the mini. The mini allows you to show a little more skin on the top with the strapless design while hiding your middle section and simultaneously complimenting your curves. Prego’s minis comes in solid black, brown, olive and mocha as well as patterns. Check out their Black Dot Strapless Mini which is white dots set against a black backdrop on both top and bottoms, the same pattern as the Black Dot Tie Halter. Another fun pattern is the Tiki Strapless Mini with a white Hawaiian Floral pattern on red. This suit is both festive and sexy with taste. If more understated and subtle is your style, the Bali Strapless Mini is a great choice. The Bali pattern is a latte brown on cream with an intricate paisley like design that is super sexy. Most minis come with a removable halter string that can be attached around the neck for a little extra security for lap swimming. All of Prego’s suits come with a lightly padded bra for a super flattering look both in and out of the water.

So, go ahead and step out on the pool or beach in a suit that suits your personal style and compliments your shape. Remember don’t try to squeeze into a pre-pregnancy suit after your first month or two of pregnancy because you will only be uncomfortable and constricted all over. Go ahead and invest in a well made maternity suit that allows you to enjoy your pregnancy in style and that will last you all summer long.

Plus Size Teen Fashions

For years, plus size teens and young adults had little in the way of choice for fashionable, youthful clothing. They were forced to shop at “fat” stores, and find the least conservative styles at the “plus size ladies or guys” store. Manufacturers and retail stores would call all their plus size clothing, “teen friendly” when in reality the large flower print smock type blouses didn’t even really appeal to old ladies! It took years for the s/m/l designer mindset to realize that the majority of women and men, let alone teens aren’t s/m/l.

Plus size pre-teens had it even worse. At that awkward growing stage, pre-teens had to buy jeans that were way too baggy, long and shapeless and even with alteration, they would grow out of them quickly. Swimming suits for pre-teens went to size 14 or 16 if they were lucky, and they were never sized properly or attractive.

The 70s brought an appreciation and realization that one size did not fit all, and jean companies began to stretch their line to size 18 and 20 with some fashionable choices. Richard Simmons came on the fashion scene in the early 80s and brought recognition those plus size women and men were people too and might want some style in the wardrobe. But it still took another 20 years for fashion to embrace a teenage, youthful plus size look.

Thank goodness times have changed! Finally the fashion world has recognized there is a market for young, hip, plus size clothing and the internet is the delivery vehicle. The internet has forced choice on the fashion manufacturers and they are slowly realizing the demand is there and profitable.

Plus size teens still can’t find many options at the mall but that will no doubt change as the popularity of the online plus size teen stores becomes evident. The waif model is morphing into a more realistic body type and fashion designers are building their styles on “normal” women, rather than designing a size 0 and making it larger for their plus size customers.

This notion that plus size teens would rather hide because of their weight problem and then not need fashion is being replaced with the realization that with body acceptance comes a greater ability to deal with weight issues. This new, healthy way of looking at size and style will ultimately help plus size teens feel better about themselves both mentally and physically. Hopefully the fashion world will embrace these new body types and retail possibilities and continue to expand their lines with plus size clothing actually made just for plus size teens.

How to Choose the Best Men’s Collar Styles for Your Face Shape

Most men wear a standard traditional point or button down collar dress shirt, either out of habit or because stores do not offer other choices. The problem is that these collars may not flatter the shape of your face. Here is a simple guide to help you decide which collar style looks best on you.

Round Face

You have full cheeks with a rounded jaw line. Narrow point collars help to thin and elongate a round face. The best collar styles for you have straight points with a traditional or narrow spread. Stick to a traditional point for versatility, button down and hidden button down for a sportier look, narrow point for a fashion look and tab collar for a formal, dressy look.

Best Collars: Standard Point, Button Down,Narrow Point, Hidden Button Down, and Tab Collar

Avoid spread collars; they make your face appear wider and fuller.

Worst Collars: Medium Spread, Wide Spread, and Varsity Spread

Square Face

You have a square jaw line, which gives your face a broad, square, angular appearance. Square faces look best wearing traditional point collar shirts for versatility, narrow point collars for a fashion look, button down and hidden button down for a sporty look and tab collar shirts for a formal look.

Best Collars: Standard Point, Button Down, Narrow Point, Hidden Button Down, and Tab Collar

Avoid spread collars; they make your face appear wider and fuller.

Worst Collars: Medium Spread, Wide Spread, and Varsity Spread

Triangular or Diamond Face

You have pronounced cheekbones and a narrow, pointed chin, which gives your face a “diamond shape.” To make your jaw line appear wider, choose shirts with a medium spread to wide spread collar.

Best Collars: Medium Spread, Wide Spread, and Varsity Spread

Avoid narrow spread collars, including button down collars; they make your jaw line appear weak.

Worst Collars: Button Down, Narrow Point, Hidden Button Down, and Tab Collar

Oblong or Rectangular Face

Oblong faces tend to appear long with a u-shaped jaw line. You need collars with a wider spread to give your face the appearance of fullness. Choose medium spread collars for everyday and wide spread collars for a formal look.

Best Collars: Medium Spread, Wide Spread, and Varsity Spread

Avoid narrow spread collars, including button down, hidden button down and tab collars; they make your face appear long and narrow.

Worst Collars: Button Down, Narrow Point, Hidden Button Down, and Tab Collar

Oval Face

You are fortunate because you can wear any collar style. Enjoy wearing traditional collars for an everyday look, button down collar shirts for a sportier casual look, tab collars for a neat, dapper appearance, or wide spread collars for a formal look.

Best Collars: Standard Point, Button Down, Narrow Point, Hidden Button Down, Tab Collar, Medium Spread, Wide Spread, and Varsity Spread

Ask for Advice and Help

To determine your face shape, ask a family member or friend. You may also seek the opinion of a men’s clothing store specialist or ask an image consultant.

Don’t be afraid to try something new! Learning about and choosing collar styles that look great on you will enhance your appearance and get you tons of compliments—it could even help you get ahead in your career.

Where to Find a Good Selection of Shirt Collar Styles

Department stores usually carry only the basic styles. You will be better off shopping at a men’s specialty store or finding a custom tailor who specializes in dress shirts. If you still can’t find the right collar style for you, check on line. It may be only a click away!

A Custom Made Shirt May be Your Best Option

You will be amazed how affordable custom made shirts can be. Custom made shirts allow you a better selection of styles and fabrics. They will fit your budget as well as your body!

The Evans Holiday Fashion Essentials Guide Is Here

The one question that every women asks herself when going on holiday is ‘what am I going to wear?’ With so much to choose from, and only a single suitcase to fit it in, we at Evans have the answer with our essential guide to the items you shouldn’t be without this holiday season.

1. A great dress – skimming fabrics and bright summer colours are hot this season and a great dress is something that every woman needs in her holiday wardrobe. Dress it up with heeled sandals and a cute bag, or wear to the beach over your swimsuit with a pair of flat shoes.

2. Comfortable crops – denim and linen are our favourite fabrics this season. They are easy to care for and comfortable to wear and will keep you cool all day long. Team with a t-shirt or vest for casual comfort or try a floaty top and heeled sandals for a summer’s evening out.

3. Sexy sandals – give your legs a lovely line with a gorgeous pair of summer sandals. Add some sparkle to any outfit with silver sandals or a pair with bead or gem embellishment. A brightly coloured heel is a great way to add some personal style to your holiday wardrobe.

4. A swimsuit…or two – feeling great on the beach is every bit as important to feeling great on an evening out. Find a swimsuit that fits your figure and shows off your curves in all the right places. Our favourites for the season are tankinis that you can mix and match, or a plain black halter swimsuit, perfect for a fuller bust.

Stay Sunsmart and Stylish With Evans

Summer sun filled days and the beach are two things that we at Evans believe go hand in hand during the holiday season. Our tips on staying sun smart and stylish will ensure your confidence shines through and you find your own beach beautiful style.

1. Stay sun smart from sunrise to sunset. The harsh rays of the sun are strongest during the summer season and the damage they can cause is best when it’s avoided. If you are heading to the beach, or spending the day outside, re-apply your sunscreen every few hours, especially if you are swimming. A cover-up is also a great idea and will help not only protect you from the sun, but also add a touch of style to your swimsuit.

2. Take a picnic. The best part about relaxing on the beach or by the pool is that you can switch off your phone, relax and watch the world float on by. We recommend doing all you can to avoid a trek up the road for your summer’s day lunch or a snack. Find a picnic set that has a built in cooler bag and your lunch will stay cool and fresh all day long. Sandwiches and fruit are great for the beach and for a special treat, try taking along some pre-made jelly, it’s a delicious way to cool down in the hot sun.

3. Pamper your tootsies. Flip flops and sandals are perfect for a stroll along the beach or getting to your towel without burning your feet on the sizzling sand. Compliment your new shoes with fabulous looking feet. Moisturise with a vitamin enriched foot cream twice a day to keep them soft and supple and paint your toes to give them some summer time shine. Sandals in a neutral shade look great with bold polish, or try a simple cream or pale pink if you are wearing a brighter shade of flip flop.

4. Be body beautiful. Get ready for a day in your gorgeous new swimsuit by exfoliating your skin and applying a gradual tanning moisturiser. The moisture will help to keep your skin soft and the tanning element will give you a natural looking glow all season long.

Summer is all about having fun and finding your own style on the beach or by the pool. Looking gorgeous from head to toe will help you to feel confident in your curves all summer long.

Bespoke Shirts

First of all let’s make it clear what is and what is not a bespoke shirt. A shirt that is classed as bespoke should be cut from a hand made pattern which is produced exclusively for the wearer of that shirt. If the shirt is made from standard blocks or alteration to standard patterns then these are not bespoke; they are made to Measure or Stock Specials. Many of the online so-called ‘bespoke’ shirt vendors do not produce a unique pattern.

The most important things that you should demand in a bespoke shirt are as follows:

Good fit - a bespoke shirt is made to YOUR measurements, so it should fit you well. Your pattern should also be adjusted based on the fit of a shirt to ensure that subsequent shirts fit even better. If you want a good fit, then you need measuring by an experienced person. Self-measurement favoured by on-line shirt vendors is very much a compromise.

Quality material - Bespoke Shirts should be made from Cotton, Linen or if feeling extravegant a mix of cotton and cashmere, or silk. In the majority of cases it will be cotton that is chosen, as it provides better wrinkle resistance than linen and is suitable all year round. Not all cottons are the same! Cottons come in many qualities, cotton from the far east is poorer than the cotton woven in Italian and Swiss mills from fine Egyptian or Sea Island cotton. Brands of cotton to look for are Alumo of Switzerland, Tessitura Monti of Italy and Thomas Mason of England (but woven in italy). There are other good mills such as Acorn and Albini. These quality cottons will outlive the cheaper varieties by a long way.

Quality of collars and cuffs - Collars and Cuffs are the part of the shirt that can really show the quality (or lack of it). Many online bespoke shirt companies use fused collars and (where the interlining in the collars and cuffs is glued to the fabric); this causes flat looking collars and cuffs and is a sure sign of low quality. A good quality shirtmaker will stitch the interlining to the collar and cuffs so it is ‘free’, he may even offer you a range of softness for the linings.

Single Needle Stitching - This increases the durability of the shirt, but it does increase the cost - but in the long term it is an investment.

Pattern Matching - a shirt maker that produces a quality shirt will ensure that pattern on the shirt is matched wherever possible. A shirt with a split yoke should have continuous pattern going up the sleeves to the centre of the yoke. This shows the maker has taken time and care on making the shirt.

Gusset Strengtheners - This is a small triangle or butterfly shape piece of material used to strenghten the gusset area to prevent the seam splitting; a simple but effective addition to a quality shirt.

Mother of pearl Buttons - These not only look better but they will not break or crack. they should be sewn to the shirt by hand.

So what would you expect to pay for a shirt with all these features? You would expect to pay anything between £120 - £300 for such a shirt dependant on specific cloth chosen and amount of handwork required - cheaper than £100 and the maker has likely used cheap cloth, poor quality construction or missed one of the other items that makes a bespoke shirt worth buying.

The following are examples of Bespoke Shirt makers in the UK along with prices to be expected (these prices are from their websites where available). The shirts from these companies are Made in England (which is becoming ever rarer) to the quality described above. Some of these companies will make a trial shirt up first which may be cheaper than the prices quoted below.

London

Alexander Boyd - From £125 (No minimum quantity)

Dege & Skinner - From £167 (Minimum of four shirts)

Emma Willis - From £200 (Minimum order of three shirts)

Russell & Hodge - From ~£160 (Minimum unknown)

Budd of Picadilly - No details available

Turnbull & Asser - From ~£160 (Minimum of four shirts)

Harvey & Hudson - No details available

Hilditch and Key - Price unknown (Minimum of six shirts)

Sean O’Flynn - Price unknown (Minimum of three shirts?)

New & Lingwood - From £175 (Minimum of three shirts)

Outside London

The Sartorial Executive Bespoke Shirts - From £115 (No minimum) - Covering Bristol, Birmingham, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and The Cotswolds (with a visiting service)

G D Golding - From £175 (Minimum of three shirts) - based in St. Albans, Hertfordshire

Buying from one of the above companies will ensure that your shirt is truly Bespoke, Made in England using the finest possible cloth and is of a quality of manufacture that means it will last for years.

Fashion Forward 2008

You probably can’t recall who said it, but whoever first uttered that fashion comes full circle every 30 years or so was not too far off. This season on the runway is reminiscent of the flowing 70s in both fabric and style. We are seeing much more of the long skirt and much less of the micro mini. Materials like silk and chiffon, which tend to flow and gather, are much more popular for Spring 2008 than fabrics like cotton or denim which tend to hold shape and stay stiffer in appearance. The word for the season is feminine, feminine, feminine! The exception to this seems to be in outerwear, where rubber is oddly back in style. Indoors, though, thin little belts, hats, and scarves are also popular and a throwback to the 70s as well as being womanly. Don’t despair, though - some things from last season are still popular and can be recycled for this season. Accessories like metallic bags and clutches, as well as sequins and some of the longer pencil skirts can still be worn with confidence. Dresses with color blocks are still around as well, left over from last season and still cute. Headbands are still a popular accessory as well.

Sheers are in this year as a fabric style, which works well with the flow-y nature of the season. Pairing a sheer shirt over a camisole with denim jeans is a great casual look. In fact, a sheer scarf works with almost anything this season. Especially cute is the above-mentioned shirt and jeans with a little scarf and dressy sneakers. “Dressy sneakers” are another big hit this year, which will keep your feet happy as you get to be comfortable and stylish at the same time. Low-lying, patterned variety sneakers with ties that sport the best of brand names are the most popular for the young trendsetter.

Speaking of patterns, big bold prints such as tropical themes and jungle prints are back. For whatever reason, and it seems to happen every several years, tribal and jungle themes like leopard prints and zebra stripes make their way back to the runway. This year is no exception. Color is back, and black is out, at least for now. Last year, brown was the new black, and this year it is muted silver and grey that’s all the rage when you want to opt for a non-color.

What about shoes, you ask? Pointy-toe pumps are back! Not that they ever really went out of style, but they certainly came second to the flip flop, the ballet slipper, and other such cutesy flat footwear, along with the rounded toe pump. Also noteworthy is what’s in store for later on in the season. Fall 2008 promises to be chock full of the “bigger is better” theory. Bigger, chunkier heels, bigger, longer boots, and bigger and heavier accessories on the shoes themselves such as thick buckles and chains should be on your radar for footwear.

Of course, if we are going to talk shoes we must talk shades. Still popular, especially with the Divas, are the ever-present round and dark sunglasses that cover most of your face. The celebrities, of course, brought this trend to the forefront of fashion and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon. Also popular though, is the blue lens which seemed to disappear for a while. This lens is more appropriate with a smaller frame than with the oversized shades discussed. The RayBan Wayfarers, so popular in the 80s, also seem to be making a comeback this year.

Last but by no means least, there could not be a fashion article written about what’s hot for 2008 without mentioning jeans. Designer denim continues to be the hottest thing around. We all know that True Religion, Citizens of Humanity, Buffalo, Seven for all Mankind and Lucky have become standard, almost run-of-the mill designer jeans. Even though they cost upward of $200.00, they are still the ‘norm’. Slightly more pricey is Diesel, and this brand continues to be popular as well. Relative newcomers, though, are some of the names that were actually around long before these newbies even existed. Yves St. Laurent, Donna Karan, and some of the more elite designer’s names are being plastered on the derrieres of the most discriminating fashionistas this season. As for jean style and cut, the zipper-ankle and straight-leg varieties that were popular in the 80s are making a comeback. Expect to see them on the legs of the trendsetters this fall.

This season proves to be an interesting and eclectic mix of 70s and 80s styles. This may seem contradictory, but the feminine nature of the season’s styles pulls from flowing 70s fabrics and cuts and seems to just use a hint of 80s metal and accessory - and it’s a hit.

Finding the Perfect Teen Pageant Dress

So you are entered in a teen pageant, and you want to think about what teen pageant dresses will make you shine on the stage. You’ll feel best if you’re unique and different from the others.

You must discover a dress for your next pageant that will speak powerfully about your character. Unique and special teen pageant dresses are available. If you want to win that pageant, your dress must be special. It’s important to find something that coordinates with your own taste and style. You must wear an appropriate dress to the pageant, and it should not resemble a prom dress.

You will want your teen pageant dress to project an air of class and elegance. Alyce has several great dresses for you to wear for your upcoming pageant. They are lengthy and flow well, but also fit your body to accentuate your curves. You will want to wear a beautiful, lengthy dress, but the judges will want to see how great your figure is too. You’ll surely look stunning in front of the judges when you wear such a form-fitting yet elegant gown on stage. The judges will be amazed when you appear in this type of gown.

Teen pageant dresses should express your character and allow the judges to see it shine through. If you want to demonstrate class and simplicity, consider the style of the dress. There are dresses that expose more than they should and can be a little too provocative. Make sure you are aware of the style before purchasing the dress.

Your physical appearance and your poise will be examined by the judges. Therefore, finding a dress that fits perfectly should be one of your top priorities. Do not purchase a gown simply because of how it looks. Your dress should be properly fitted and make you look fantastic.

Alyce has designed many teen pageant dresses with quite a few designs for you to choose from. They’re certainly the most beautiful and will definitely be unique from other dresses at the pageant. It would be terrible to show up wearing the same dress as one of the other girls.

Who Needs Loungewear?

You may not see yourself as the lounging type. After all you lead a frantic life juggling kids/jobs/husbands/families/extended families/homes, just when are you going to find time to lounge on a Designer Guild’s covered day bed having what is sometimes called some quality ‘me time’. Probably never or at best 5 yrs ago before the kids/jobs/husbands/families et al completely took over your life.

We all know that if we make the effort when going out, we feel infinitely more confident about ourselves, the same thing goes with a new pair of shoes or a blow-dry. The issue is how do you do that in reverse?

Most people resort to some old pair of tracky bottoms that have definitely seen better days and some oversized t-shirt that belonged to some long lost boyfriend. It should work at helping us switch off and relax but if you don’t watch it you also ending up feeling like a rather large slob to boot. The reason this happens is that the tracky bottoms no doubt sport a rather fetching bit of elastic around the waist which coupled with the oversized top create a person who sounds like you, but sadly looks 2 dress sizes bigger. And this is the problem your precious bit of me time has left you feeling less then great about yourself, and instead of relaxing and making the most of the time you end up zipping round like person possessed finding ever more expensive remedies to help you lose the 2 dress sizes.

Here’s the thing you don’t need to. Why not put on something that is loosely fitted, comfortable and easy to wash but is also elegant, stylish and is designed to cover the bits you want covered and perhaps accentuate the bits you don’t feel so bad about. It will prompt a part of the brain to slow down, leave the lists, the homework, the frantic body overhaul list and allow you to feel good about yourself, thus relax and just be. How good does that sound?

Thankfully with the penetration of broadband and the rise of luxury brands online, luxury loungewear is but a click away. This previously unloved area of retail has seen a plethora of new brands emerging, notably in the US and Australia and latterly in the UK. Leading the field is Pyjama Room with it’s unique combination of stylish yet incredibly comfortable loungewear and pyjamas.

What is Fashion and Why Do We Care?

For centuries individuals or societies have used clothes and other body adornment as a form of nonverbal communication to indicate occupation, rank, gender, sexual availability, locality, class, wealth and group affiliation. Fashion is a form of free speech. It not only embraces clothing, but also accessories. What we wear and how and when we wear it, provides others with a shorthand to subtly read the surface of a social situation.

How we perceive the beauty or ugliness of our bodies is dependant on cultural attitudes to physiognomy. In many cultures, those defining fashion are the cultural icons. This is why newspapers and magazines report on what celebrities and even politicians are wearing.

Examining who is wearing what through print media dates as far back as to even the 1700s. People pored over fashion magazines to see the latest styles. Women and dressmakers outside the French court relied on sketches to see what was going on. The famous French King Louis XIV said that fashion is a mirror. Louis himself was renowned for his style, which tended towards extravagant laces and velvets.

We are constantly being bombarded with new fashion ideas from music, videos, books, and television. Movies also have a big impact on what people wear.

Sociologists believe group affiliation is our prime concern with regard to fashion. As long as some group similarity is identified within the group, our personal fashion whether current or dated can belong to any tribe. It is the sense of belonging marked by how we fashion ourselves that gives us the tribal connection.

At the same time, we as human beings desire differentiation. People are often socially and economically labeled by their clothing or fashion. In history, the Edwardians were socially stratified into those who wore tailor made clothing down to those who wore other people’s cast offs. The poor simply looked poor, because their raiment betrayed them. The rich and nouveau riche displayed their wealth through an iconography of signs and symbols that enhanced their body image in the eyes of those that saw themselves as socially inferior.

Today, the purchase of fashionable clothes, fabrics, or accessories becomes a visual currency and can speak to one’s status. People are so aware of the fact that others make judgments about them through their clothes and accessories that many run up huge debts to appear to belong to a particular lifestyle. Only individuals with a strong sense of self-identity stick their necks out and admit to wearing items that others might consider dubious or passé.

In reality, there are many reasons we wear what we wear.

* Protection from cold, rain and snow: mountain climbers wear high-tech outerwear to avoid frostbite and over-exposure.

* Physical attraction: many styles are worn to inspire “chemistry.”

* Emotions: we dress “up” when we’re happy and “down” when we’re upset.

* Religious expression: Orthodox Jewish men wear long black suits and Islamic women cover every part of their body except their eyes.

* Identification and tradition: judges wear robes, people in the military wear uniforms, brides wear long white dresses.

The fact is, fashion is big business. More people are involved in the buying, selling and production of clothing than any other business in the world. Everyday, millions of workers design, sew, glue, dye, and transport clothing to stores. Ads on buses, billboards and magazines give us ideas about what to wear, consciously, or subconsciously. Choosing what we wear may be more complex in nature to ourselves than we imagined, ask yourself – why determines your fashion?

Jeans: Finding Your Perfect Fit

With dozens of brands of jeans and so many different styles, how is a girl to find her perfect fit?

Jeans come in all forms from “around the house casuals” to “hot n sexy flirtatious”, so first decide what look you are going for.

Knowing a few tricks of the trade that the Hollywood divas’ dressers use, can help you find the perfect match to flatter your figure. So here are some Do’s and Don’ts to help you look your best.

How to choose jeans that:

1) show off your butt

2) draw attention away from butt, thighs, waist, tummy bulg

3) produce a slimmer, sleaker outline

Identify your figure type. Certain cuts of jeans will slim you and show off your good features. If you are the skinny supermodel type (like so many of us are! �), the selection is relatively simple and boils down to how much you are willing to spend. All the low cuts work for you. To draw attention to that sexy little bottom, look for rear pockets that are close together and have an eye-catching pattern.

For the rest of us, it is really helpful to know that jeans with a slight stretch and straight legs can produce a slimming effect. Also darker colored denims are more slimming than the lighter shades.

To flatten the tummy, mid-rise jeans tend to look best. High-waisted jeans can make a bulge even more prominent, drawing undesired attention to the mid section. Wide belts attract the viewer’s eye to the waist. If that is not your intention, select a jean with smaller belt loops and wear a belt that blends in rather than pops out.

Obviously, tight jeans emphasize the thighs and buttocks. If that is not the look you are going for, check out the straight leg cuts. Jeans with higher pockets are the best choice for de-emphasizing the rear end as they tend to draw the eye higher up the pant.

Flared jeans look great on long-legged ladies but be aware that the flare can make short legs look even shorter. If you are under 5′3″ straight or tapered jeans are probably a better choice. Tapered legs emphasize curves and straight cut legs even out the proportions.

You will find a huge selection of jeans out there today. The industry has done a great job and there truly is a best-fit jean for everyone.

So if finding just the right pair of jeans is your goal, bring along a friend whose opinion you trust, take your time and have a blast trying on as many pairs as it takes. While you are at it, include a nice lunch (after all, a girl needs to keep up her strength for a jean marathon) and make a fun day of it!

Women’s Fashion Tips

Delicate horizontal stripes smack of the nautical trend, whilst vertical pinstripes are the domain of the office. However, chunky, ferocious looking stripes are having a fashion moment, — reminiscent of “‘80s punk and ‘60s beatnik” says Look magazine, in their 2nd June, 2008 article “Chunky, Punky Stripes.”

According to Karen Homer, in her book, Things a Woman Should Know about Style, traditionally, horizontal stripes have a classic, nautical feel and have their roots in summer beach resort wear. Pinstripes are professional and business-like, with a more masculine feel, in a Marlene Dietrich kind of way. However, this season for a more modern up-to-the-minute look, broader stripes are the order of the day.

Both men and women can make a bold impact this season by saying goodbye to classic navy sailor stripes and say hello to Americana rock and roll-style stripes. From tailored dress and jackets to waistcoats, T-shirts, tunic tops and tote bags; these big and bold striped outfits are for those who want to be noticed.

According to Marie Claire’s online article, “How to Wear Stripes,” when paired with the right pieces, they can really enhance your figure and keep you looking up-to-date.

Stripey Summer Looks

Spring and summer runways were full of designers mixing wide stripes with thin, vertical with diagonal ones, and matching stripes with florals. However, such looks may be too dramtatic or out-of-place for everyday wear.

Instead, wear a stripy top with a fitted blazer or skinny jeans or an edgy dress with a toughened-up biker jacket. Go for a wide vertical-striped blouse and plain black pencil skirt, and for the beach, an elegant ‘50s-style swimsuit in broad stripes. At this year’s legendary Glastonbury folk festival in England there were black and white stripes galore, with celebrities such as Alexa Chung and Pixie Geldorf proudly sporting their stripes with biker jackets and rubber wellington boots!

If you are looking for something more colorful then there are bold candy-striped dresses and skirts, and punked-up stripy tea dresses like Anna Sui’s orange dress.

How to Wear Stripes

Unless you have the body of a willowy waif, horizontal stripes should be work at your own risk. Vertical stripes and more forgiving, but even they should be worn with care, if you don’t want to look like a clown.

Horizontal stripes have the power to make boyish figures look curvier; vertical stripes give an elongated look to your body.

If you are curvy, have a big bust, or are chunky around the middle, then wear horizontal stripes with caution; especially tops which cling around your bust and waist.

Keep horizontal stripes loose, follow a go 1-size-up rule, to stop them clinging and having a widening effect on your figure.

Vertically striped skirts or trousers can make you look taller, especially worn with a solid-colored top or T-shirt. Diagonal stripes have the same effect.

For an everyday look, don’t overdo the stripes. A single piece is stylish, head-to-toe is not. Team a monochromed stripey outfit with a solid color or some shiny patent or satin shoes. You can always add a splash of extra color with an edgy purse. Go for a simple monochromed striped scarf, or wear your stripes on your shoulder with a stripy tote bag.

In terms of color, stick to darker stripes if you want to hide your lumps and bumps. Twenty-somethings can get away with cute candy-stripes, but these may be ageing on those who are the wrong side of 35. Other current on-trend colors for stripes are pink, red and orange.

Narrow stripes look best on petite frames, and if you are fuller in one part of your body than you would like, then consider a stripey style with a single color-block in that area. For example, if you are big-busted then a dress with a plain black bodice and monochrome-striped skirt will be a real figure-flatter. If you have a small bust and big hips, then the reverse is true — wear a stripy top with a plain-colored skirt.

You can magically create the illusion of a bigger bust by wearing broad stripes across your top half and then balancing out your lower body with narrower, diagonal stripes.