Contributions from Caryn Franklin, Jane Galpin and Claire Ginzler.

December

Hi
My son is getting married in March in Australia. It is a very casual affair (even the groom is just wearing a shirt and trousers).The ceremony is to be blessed under a tree, not in a religiousbuilding. 99% of the guests are to be 30 somethings. I'm 62 - cant cope with the heat and whilst I dont want to appear overdressed want to look smart, and with it (without a hat), but trying to keep cool at the same time. Everything in the shops now isfor Autumn, so please advise what to do. I live in Leeds.Also - I've had my colours done my a supposedly image consultant.They are all really drab, I'm not happy with them at all. What would you suggest please ?Loved your point about grey hair this month. I continually dye mine,but roots appear after 2-3 weeks. My hairdresser tells me it willtake 2 years to grow out properly - in the meantime it looks dreadful- apart from a wig, not sure how to get over this growing out stagehave you ?
Best wishes,
Angie

Hi Angie
Sounds like you will have a lot of fun.

You're right, at present the shops are full of heavy coats and winter polo necks but they are also full of pretty dresses and skirts, as day dressing is back in fashion. So there are also a lot of lighter weight dresses and separates that you can look at now, and remember your local big department stores will also start to bring in the new season clothes by the end of January, as the sales start to clear away.

Australia will be still be hot in March so avoid trousers as they are too heavy for the heat, the best solution is to wear a light weight skirt,such as chiffon and team it with a wrap top and a light weight jacket or shrug this will also mean that you can mix and match it throughout your stay (remember weight restrictions when flying).

Try out your local boutiques too as they usually good for separates. For footwear I suggest you invest in some pumps, these are very comfortable, especially if there is a lot of standing around, and will still look smart without given the appearance of being too dressed up. You can start checking out online now in places in our Shopping Mall such as Debenhams, who offer lovely chiffon dresses and separates by the leading designer names such as Ben de Lisi and John Rocha.

A tip for packing is to roll or wrap your outfits prior to putting them into your suitcase, and then when you arrive the other end hang them up in the bathroom so that when you have a shower the steam will help to ease out the creases.

You also say that you have been to an image consultant but have not been happy with the advice on colour. Hard to comment here but why not use the help of a stylish girlfriend. Take her shopping with you and work out together what will make your skin look warm and creamy, your eye's and teeth bright and your hair vibrant. Just hold up colours to you face in daylight for an instant yes or no!

As for your hair. How marvellous that you are considering your natural colour again. There are two experts to consult, both of them will give a free consultation and both are colour specialists. There are definitely things you can do to revert back to your natural colour without having to wait years for the old colour to grow out!

Try my friend Lisa Shepperd (recent British hairdresser of the Year based in Birmingham) www.lisashepherd.co.uk or Jo Hansford based in London www.johansford.com.

I have a pair of dusky pink trousers, can you tell me what colour tights &shoes would be the best???
Kath

Hi Kath
I think that with your dusty pink trousers black is best. Team with black opaque tights for the day and a black ankle boot, or if you are wearing them out in the evening, choose patterned tights and black patent shoes which are very in vogue this season.

Hi,Im a petite size six but I have broad shoulders, very short legs and I am very flat chested. I have a nightmare finding clothes and to make matters worse I have no idea what would suit me! Specifically I have a christmas party coming up I would love to get a really nice dress for but I don't know what styles to go for and where to begin looking. I am quite pale with naturally blone hair and blue eyes. Any advice? Please Help?
Thanks
Jenny

Hi Jenny
I would suggest you look at empire line dresses, as they draw the eyes up the body to give height, for broad shoulders opt for necklines ideally that are v-shaped and finally invest in a push up bra which adds cleavage to any outfit. I have done a bit of searching for you on line from our Shopping Mall and found that Marks and Spencers, who are really on the trend this season, have a gorgeous empire line lace shift dress that I think is well worth checking out.

You are also lucky as your skin tone will suit a lot of the rich colours that are highly fashionable at the moment. So also look around for colours such as plums or red. Why not also purchase one of my petite e-books, that will guide and advice you on what suits your body shape in terms of shapes and styles.

Hi
My mother in law has recently said that she wants to take us to see Phantom of the Opera, my problem is, is that I've never been to an opera before and dont know what I should be wearing, she says formal but by that does she mean an evening gown or smart suit. I dont want to turn up and feel overdressed but on the other hand I would love the opportunity to go somewhere where I can wear an evening gown, or do I wear a smart suit and possibly turn up and feel underdressed.

Please Help. Many thanks in advance
Penni

Hi Penni
Gone are the days when the men are required to wear tuxedo's and women - ball gowns. Now anything goes but the majority of the audience are smart and of course glamorous.

As it is your first time and obviously a special experience I would advise you to dress up within your comfort zone. This will allow you the freedom of blending in with the audience and also the smart evening set as you probably will go for a dinner/drinks too either pre or post opera.

Try a mid length dress in a colour that will work well for other events like office parties and Christmas drinks and team it with a black crop cardigan or jacket and high heeled shoes. This will ensure you look smart but also glamourous. Why not check out Coast who are in our Shopping Mall.

They offer a fantastic variety of dress that are chic and perfect for the Opera. Enjoy the show!

Hi, How do you suggest wearing a pink colored coat? I loved it when I purchased it but don't know quite what to do with it. It's a medium shade of pink,not fushia, knee-length, slim cut, based on the lining, suitable for fall or spring wear.

My second question is regarding a long (to mid calf), dark brown, faux suede, with one side slit (on the thigh), skirt. How can this be worn and with what color top and footwear?
Thanks so much for any help.
Jackie

Hi Jackie
First question
You obviously love the coat still but are worried that it is out of date. It sounds a classic shape which is good as classics never go out of fashion. Why not wear it to jazz up a dark trousers suit in the day or a simple pencil skirt or slim black trousers, as the slim silhouettes will work with your coat shape, or with a LBD (little black dress) for the party season? Also don't be afraid to wear your pink with other colours such as red. Alternatively you could also team it with a fluffy scarf to soften the overall effect of the pink. Check out Dorothy Perkins in our Shopping Mall as they have a good selection of plain and coloured scarves in a variety of textures.

Second question
Straight away I would say can you get you long faux suede skirt taken up to just below your knees, this will freshen up the look, and then you could team the skirt with a great pair of chocolate long boots, chocolate opaque tights and a white or dark fitted shirt and piece of knitwear (you can opt for a rich colour such as purple), all of which are very fashionable at the moment. Check out Debenhams in Shopping Mall who do designer ranges that include Betty Jackson who has some fab knitwear that are very easy to wear.

Dear Caryn,
I am 5ft 4 inch's and pear shape. I am good at finding skirts and have a good idea about what works well for my shape but have a nightmare with trousers and jeans. I am a typical pear shape around a 12 top and 14 bottom but find jeans a nightmare due to having bigger thighs and bottom. If I go a size up the waist area is too big. I am prepared to spend up to £100 for each if it means they fit and look good. I want to wear them with heels and would buy a 2nd pair to wear with flat shoes or trainers etc.

Would you suggest where I can go as I am desperate.
Warm regards
Rebecca

Hi Rebecca,
I’m so pleased to introduce you to AJK jeans. You can find these available to buy from the www.ilovejeans.com website.
They will answer all your prayers because they are specially designed for pear shapes by Felissia the designer who is herself curvier on the bottom half and fed up with making do.
I would love to have your feed back on the fit of these. I have used them in a recent filming of ‘Body Matters’ (New Clothes Show, UKTV Style) and my make-over was over the moon with the fit!

Hi, I would really appreciate your help. I am looking to find a coat that flatters my shape. My frame could be described as top heavy as I have a 36E bust. Also my tummy tends to stand out over trousers etc. My waist is 30-31". I am only 5ft tall so I tend to avoid long coats as they don't suit me. I am desperate to find a nice fashionable coat that will make me look slimmer. Thank you in advance for your help. Kind regards,
Charlene R

Hi Charlene
Look for an a-line coat or trench coat as this will flatter your shape and will help to balance out your figure, opt for a tie waist also, very fashionable this season and great news for you as there are plenty of this shape out there on the high street at the moment.

Dorothy Perkins and Next in our Petite Shopping Mall are worth checking out for this style.

Hi Caryn
I am 28, 5 ft 2 and size 10 and generally happy with my shape, except for my legs! I never show them in public but I am getting bored of wearing trousers all the time. Despite looking for years, I have never found a pair of knee high boots to fit me as I have chunky calves and knees.

By some miracle, I recently found a pair from River Island that fit nicely - black leather with slight tie-up detail at the back - and I am trying to find some ideas so I can wear them for a Christmas night out. I have bought a lovely black, mid-calf length, pencil skirt from M&S which has a subtle pattern with a slightly satiny finish. I have no idea if these items would be a good combination. My other options would be a skirt with a bit more flare to it, although I'm concerned this could make me look frumpy.
Please advise!

Also, for future reference, are slim or wider fitting cropped trousers generally a better, more flattering match for knee highs?

Thank you!
Kat

Hi Kat,
I've got to tell you about Duo www.duoboots.com who are simply the best calf width boot supplier. They offer width fittings between 30 cms and 50cms and also create a shorter fit for petite shapes, so you need never worry again. And yes prices are comparable to the high street.

Now on to your second point. Your key tool for creating a streamlining effect for your calves is to wear the same colour tights as your boots so that your legs can be read as one long length. Now add a skirt in the same colour and reserve bright colour for the top.

Without seeing the proportions of your pencil skirt and boots I can't confirm that this combination will have the desired effect.

I do feel that an 'a line' skirt or gently flared skirt will make your legs look smaller. Also an empire line dress with your boots will look funky too. I worked on Victoria for Body Matters strand in the New Clothes Show on UK TV style and did just that. Check it out this week as it is repeated several times.

I have a size 6 foot but slim leg where can I buy a high leg boot that will fit my calf. Problem is I also have quite painful feet ie. bunions, etc. and need the foot of the boot to fit like a glove and also be fashionable? Is this an impossibility?

Thanking you in anticipation!
Anne

Hi Anne,
I’m recommending the ‘Malmo’ which is a knee-high boot with an injection moulded sole that has a gentle curve to the arch and around the widest part of the foot. There are other great styles too in this wonderful catalogue and you can also choose the calf-width fitting to suit your slender leg. Just log on to www.duoboots.com and do let me know how you get on!

Hi,
I am getting married next July and I am specifically looking for victorian lace-up wedding boots, ideally calf high. My wedding dress is 'Carousel' by Ian Stuart and I feel that shoes are to dainty for this dress. I've found some on American website westernweddingboots.com, however I can't seem to find any boots anywhere in the U.K which, I would prefer to buy from. I've asked at the shop where I bought my dress, looked all over Bath and feel like I have exhausted the internet for options (I could only find non-leather). At the moment I'm considering both satin and leather as well as white and off white as my dress is pale blue on the corset and light champagne on the skirt (sound sickly but it isn't!). I hope you can help!

Thank you
Kirsty

Hi Kirsty,
As you may know the How to Look Good team work at the National Wedding Show 4 times each year so Claire our stylist has just informed me that Ivory of Bond St have just designed a new pair which go to the calf. A link is in our Bridal Shopping Mall. Ivory will also dye the boots to match the dress if you have a colour swatch of fabric.

Hope this fits with your look, and an Stuart Dress is always very special.

Hello,
I’d like to buy one of the e-books for petites but am not sure which one to go for. I’m 5ft tall weigh about 8st 10lbs and am quite evenly proportioned but certainly not slender. The advice would suggust that I get the one for Pear Shaped but I do have quite a small waist (which often causes me problems with flappy waistbands) so would I be better off with Curvacious?

Many thanks
Julia

Hi Julia
The curvaceous book is for women who have even body symmetry that mean they have an hour glass figure. The pair shaped book will help you to minimise your bottom half and even up you body symmetry by creating more volume at the top of your body.

Flappy waistbands are a big problem I know but there is a great jeans label set up by a Felicssia who has the same problem and the jeans can be adjusted by up to three inches. The label is called AJK jeans and you can find out more on www.ilovejeans.com