Contributions from Caryn Franklin, Jane Galpin and Sharon Tyler.

May

Festival pac a mac!!!!

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

I am going to the festivals in the summer months and am having major problems finding 'a trendy pac a mac"
I am writing to see if you can help me locate one.

I would be so grateful if you can help
With thanks
Sian

Hello Sian,

Ah yes the festival season is coming soon so what a great idea to get prepared now!

Well we’ve found a good few options for you. My favourite is from Joules. This label has a great red and blue floral print pac a mac that will look very funky. Also have a look at JD Williams, Land’s End. and Hawkshead. who have stylish packable macs in a great range of colours such as purple, cornflower blue, pink, royal blue, turquoise and bright green. These brands are all featured in our shopping mall.

Macs are coming in many stylish choices now so go for a bright colour or print as this looks much more stylish and fresh as opposed to the more traditional olive green and navy versions.  Prints and bright block colours are really big this season so these are bang on trend and why not team with some coloured accessories and or some coloured wellies which these companies also offer.  

Have fun!

Jeans for a large tummy and small thighs

Can you suggest where I can buy reasonably priced jeans to fit.  I’m 5’7” tall and have a 29” inside leg.  I have a thick waist and a tummy, but don’t have large thighs. This means if I buy larger sized jeans to fit on the waist and round the tummy, they are far too big on the thighs.  Also I cannot wear low-rise jeans as I find them far too uncomfortable and seem to have a large roll of fat coming over the top.  
 
Any advice would be great, thanks.
Catherine
 
 
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for getting in touch! 

Have a look at ilovejeans which is featured in our shopping mall – they offer lots of advice about styles and shape and also carry over 90 brands and many body enhancement features. They sell a brand of jeans called Tummy Tuck jeans which have a girdle effect and makes tummies look smaller so it might be worth having a look at them. They also offer a private consultation service where a stylist will go through each specific style of jean to your body shape and if the jeans do not quite fit you right – such as around your thigh area – then they will arrange for the jeans to be altered. There is a charge for the alterations but the consultation is free and they really take the time to get it right.
 
Alternatively you could find a good tailor and have a pair of jeans altered yourself – Oasis and French Connection on the high street have some great options of jeans that sit on or above the waist.  Your local boutiques, department stores or high street personal shopping services can often refer you to a good local tailor.

Levis jeans offer a free body scanning service in their flagship store in central London.  Your body is scanned to determine your shape, size and measurements and then a personal stylist will find a style and size of jeans that will suit you best.  Finally Selfridges offer a service called Bodymetrics, this is another body scanning service where they will make a pair of customised jeans in a range of styles to fit your exact measurements obtained from the scan.  This service is not cheap, however, and prices start at around £200. 

I hope this helps.

Which ebook for petite top heavy

Hi , Please help not sure what e book to buy , Bust 34 dd, 5 ft 1 half , short body no waist , size 10- 12 more 12.
Lots of do’s always had trouble looking good, getting worst at 38 .
Regards
Louise  L

Hello Louise,
From what you say I’m prescribing our petite top heavy e-book which will give you the best advice to suit your body shape. In it you will discover techniques for creating the illusion of height as well as much more like understanding which necklines will flatter and elongate your neck and minimise your bust.

I’m confident that with your new skills you can select clothes that will work for you and leave you free to enjoy the events you have coming up.

In time you can evolve your style skills, gaining confidence from trial and error in front of your mirror. It’s all about learning what works for you and your body and the e-book will show you how.

Petite top heavy and broad shoulders. Please help!

I am a 42 year old mom of 3 - I have worked out my whole life and am muscular but have excess weight - I am almost 5'3" and I weigh 150lb.

I am not sure my body type - I think cone? I sometimes feel narrower from the front view and really thick from the side view. My profile is very thick.

Broad shoulders
Large/Medium Breasts
Thick waist
Fairly Flat Tummy
Narrow Hips in relation to the rest
Normal and proportionate legs
I am fairly muscular too.

I have such a hard time finding shirts that don't make me look really big. I always feel so masculine. Dresses just look goofy on me. I feel like Amazon woman - just thick and compact. Nothing feminie about me at all.

Pants are easy for me but the only shirts I can live with are v-neck snug shirts and my girls keep telling me they are sick of my boring tops and I show too much cleavage. Can't you wear a normal Tshirt???

Crew necks look awful. I forgot to mention I have a fairly short neck. Any help would truly be appreciated.
Rachelle

Hello Rachelle

Have you tried an empire line dress or top as these could work really well for you? An empire line dress, in particular, will lengthen your body and show off your great legs which it sounds like you have. Choose a dress in a soft line and fluid fabric as this is more flattering and feminine while not being too girly. A dress in a darker solid colour all over will soften your shoulders and will have a slimming and lengthening effect. Debenhams have a great chiffon frill dress in their petite collection which comes in blue, purple and black and Wallis have a lovely wrap mesh dress in pink and green. Have a look at both brands in our shopping mall.

A top with a v-neck is best for you as this will break the visual line of your shoulders, making them look narrower and will also help to lengthen your torso and also make your neck look longer. A scoop neck top will also work well and have a look for any tops with a vertical stripe to lengthen and draw the eye downwards. I know you said that you ar not sure about dresses so you could also try an a-line skirt which will also help to balance out your shoulders and bust. Try wearing a dark colour on top and experiment with a skirt in a lighter or brighter shade than your top. Choose a skirt with a higher waistline to elongate your figure and keep your waist in focus. Highlight your higher waistline with a belt so that the volume of the skirt doesn’t swallow up any inches in height. The belt will also draw the eye downwards and you could employ the same trick with a great pair of interesting or coloured shoes. Have a look at Next in our shopping mall for some a-line skirt options.

You said that you were concerned about your tops being boring so also think about using some accessories such as belts, bangles, rings that can pull together a stylish look, give you a different edge, make you look feminine and also draw attention away from your top half.

These are just a few tips to get you started and you can find full advice on how to your dress your shape and lots of tips to make you look fantastic in the ebooks that I have written. From what you have said I would try the petite top heavy ebook and we offer a full money back guarantee if you find that the book doesn’t help. Also have a look at the petite section in our shopping mall to find more clothes options to suit your shape.

Dress for Wedding

Hiya
I'm a young 35 and going to my cousins wedding at the end of June this year (2009). I'm a bit stuck as to what to wear, trends, colours etc for this year. I'm 5'10, size 10/12 on top and a 12/14 on the bottom. I was thinking of a shift dress but not sure if this would suit me.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks
Mikala

Hello Mikala
Ok have a look at our catwalk and high street sections where you can learn more about the trends from the catwalk season and how these have been translated onto the high street and this will give you some great inspiration to begin with.

To give you a heads up, though, print and bright block colours were all over the catwalk this season. If you have a favourite colour that looks great on you, then look for a dress in that colour in a solid block or in a vibrant print of your favourite hues. If you are not so sure about bright colour then why not opt for a darker more muted option but add some colour through some brightly coloured accessories. Accessories are really key as they can turn a good look into an amazing one, be it a gorgeous pair of shoes, a quirky bag or a piece of signature jewellery. If you like colour then don’t be afraid to make a statement by clashing coloured accessories with that of your dress but, if you do so, pick pieces in sleek shapes, like a slim clutch or unadorned shoe.

You mentioned that you were thinking of a shift dress and that could work well on you – just make sure that is figure skimming rather than hugging and look for one with a higher waistline. The classic shift dress was back on the catwalk, nodding to a minimalist, pared down style – think Jackie O.

In this month’s what’s new page I feature a coat from Boden which perfectly channels this look and would look great over a shift dress and flatter your shape. Take a look at Boden in our shopping mall as they also have a fabulous colour block shift dress in a variety of colour ways as well as some other great dresses. Dorothy Perkins also has a lovely bow front shift dress in pink and lime – the bow details adds that little something extra.

Another option for could be the one-shoulder dress which is not only one of the key dress shapes this season but will always looks effortlessly chic and stylish. Having your shoulders on show will accentuate your waist and also minimize your lower half if it is bigger than you top. Have a look at Oasis who have a few great one-shoulder options and they also have a lovely shift dress called Zahara.

If you would like more detailed advice and tips for dressing for your shape and looking effortlessly stylish then my tall and pear shaped ebook is perfect for you.