Month: February 2011

Posted on February 10, 2011 by admin
We were watching the news the other night and my husband commented that the channel must have a new make-up artist as each female on the channel was wearing what appeared to be identical red lipstick. Fashion trends come and go and I was aware that red lips had made resurgence this spring but this was a bit much.

Like every other trend, some people can wear it and some can’t. First, the general rule is to emphasize either eyes or lips, not both unless you are on stage. If you are young, emphasize your best feature. If you have beautiful eyes, use them as your fashion focal point. If you have great lips, put the emphasis there.

However, for those of us who are a bit older, signs of aging often occur at the jaw line. In this case, you want to bring attention up on the face and emphasize your eyes. In a recent interview with Hillary Clinton, she had chosen bright red lipstick. It was not her best style. Now, Ms. Clinton is showing her age, which, I am sure is exacerbated by the intense schedule she must keep. She would be better served by drawing attention up to her eyes and not emphasize her mouth and jaw area. 

There are many examples of women with a natural look who use soft make-up all over and look lovely. On the flip side, a young, dramatic person can pull off both eyes and mouth for a special occasion. As in all fashion, you only want to follow those trends that work for you.

To keep your lipstick on longer, a great trick is to use a lip pencil and, after outlining the lips, fill in the lip area with the pencil. This helps hold your lipstick in place so that you won’t have to check the mirror so often.

Another fashion tip is to choose a color that complements what you are wearing but does not match. This is especially true of red. A red lipstick that matches your red garment is never as flattering as choosing a color that is good with your skin while complementing your red garment.

You must decide if bright red is your new spring lipstick fashion color. If you are drawn to the look, try it out. Do a preview in the mirror and ask a few friends for their opinion. If you think this is your new fashion look, enjoy every moment of it.

If you would like some guidance on what colors to wear for spring, feel free to call us for a 30-minute complementary consultation at 404-467-0288 or contact us at Beryl[@]StyleWithAplomb[dot]com.

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Posted on February 2, 2011 by admin

Among spring styles appearing in your local stores are wide leg pants. This style doesn’t seem to have a lot of staying power but every few seasons, the reemerge. Personally, I like them a lot but only want a few in my wardrobe.

Wide leg pants are becoming to those who have a triangle shape with wider hips. The pant width below the hip is a great camouflage. These pants are designed with the waist at one’s actual waistline, giving a wonderfully long leg line. The hem of these pants should be just above the floor with only a little shoe showing. This is a perfect time to wear your platform or wedge shoes. The wider hem needs some “weight” in the shoe to give proper balance. For those of you who like a touch of drama, these are the pants for you!

Not everyone can wear this rather extreme style. If you are short or if you are a rectangle or oval, they will not be flattering. These pants will make you appear shorter and wider. A better option would be a classic straight leg.

Another consideration is which shoes to wear with the trousers. It is even more important with wide leg pants to have your hemline cover most of the shoe. With straight leg pants, you can fudge a bit and wear slightly different heel heights but these pants need to just clear the floor.

Cropped wide leg pants are good for only a select few. The wide, shorter cut makes your legs appear shorter and adds width to the silhouette. This style is worn well by the very tall and slender (i.e. the model type)!Marc Jacobs at Neiman Marcus

This example by Mark Jacobs is excellent. Notice the long, lean leg line with only a bit of the shoe exposed.

This jumpsuit by Yves Saint Laurent is actually a little short. Even though the pants are more a modified wide leg, I would like to see the shoe just peeking out.

Yves St. Laurent at Neiman Marcus

Yves St. Laurent at Neiman Marcus
Armani Collezioni at Neiman Marcus
Although Armani is one of my favorite designers, this Armani Collezioni is not shown at its best. It appears that these are cropped wide leg pants (or they are either cut very short or are worn by an extremely tall model). Assuming they are cropped, the jacket has a tailored business-like appearance while cropped pants are always more casual. Secondly, sandals are never appropriate for business. In this case, the ankle strap adds another horizontal break in the leg line, shortening the leg even more. If these pants were long, I would suggest a closed toed pump with or without a platform, with the hem just skimming the floor. As the suit is designed, I would wear the jacket unbuttoned, exposing a colorful shell and wear ballet slippers. This look would not take you to an important business meeting but it certainly would have flair and would be perfect for many more casual events. (All fashions available at Neiman Marcus.)

If you are thinking of getting your closet ready for spring, we’re here to help. Give us a call at Style With Aplomb at 404-467-0288 or email at Beryl[@]StyleWithAplomb[dot]com.

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