Colour Blocking - 5 Top Tips

Colour blocking is wearing loud and proud colour combinations to create a dynamic, confident look. I think this is one of my favourite trends. It’s so versatile. Easy to put together and then pull apart when it’s no long on trend. Plus, it makes me feel happy!

Follow my top tips to make sure you get it right:

      1)      Wear colours which suit you

This is a key point. Colours worn on your top half, or anywhere near your face, reflect light upwards and this has a huge impact on your overall appearance.

The right colours will enhance your complexion, bring out the colour in your eyes and make you look more youthful and generally radiant. The wrong colours can of course do the exact opposite, making your skin look dull and grey and often adding on years. If a colour is very poorly suited to you then you can even look unhealthy

You know you’re wearing the right colour when:

•      Your face appears to be lit from underneath

•      Your skins appears smoother, fresher and younger

•      Eye colour is enhanced

•      You notice YOU more than the colour

            2)      Avoid detail

Keep the look clean and simple. Any excessive detail such as frills or lots of pockets takes something away from the impact of the overall look. You can still accessorise though with brightly coloured costume jewellery or a block colour scarf.

      3)      Get the Colour Combinations Right

Actually this is relatively easy as pretty much anything goes. It looks most striking when the colours are all bright, ideally this should be the most dominant colour characteristic of everything you’re wearing. For example bright red worn with bright pink or bright green has more of an impact than if worn with a pastel 

shade.

            4)      Chose the right fabrics

Silk and satin fabrics look particularly good. Fine cotton work well too but avoid thicker fabrics as this will interfere with the clean, sharp look.

            5)      Wear with Confidence

This is crucial. You must stand tall with your shoulders back and a smile on your face so it’s clear you’re happy to be noticed. Make no mistake, colour blocking will get you noticed! For those of you who are a bit less brave, go for a brightly coloured top with jeans and accessorise with a scarf or jewellery in contrasting colours.

However you chose to “colour block” have fun with it. It should look AND feel good.

Want to know which colours you should be wearing? Contact Alice at www.dresswithconfidence.com

©Alice Treanor 2011

Too busy to go into town for a bra fitting with Rigby and Peller or Bravissimo?

Well look no further than Eloise Lingerie, based in Wimbledon, South West London. Free parking too - result!

Better still, all their fitters are trained by Rigby and Peller and Bravissimo so they measure with their eyes rather than their hands. As one fitter, Catherine, said to me “Use a tape measure for curtains, not on women!” It’s a fair point, breasts are such different shapes that to try and standardise their size in that way does seem an odd approach.

Meet Harriet who kindly showed me around – please excuse my dodgy camera work, I’m still perfecting my steady hand!!

Eloise Lingerie specialises in lingerie and swimwear and caters for everyone; including women who have had a mastectomy and pregnant women.

I went there for a bra fitting myself recently - having recently had my daughter and finished breast feeding I decided it was about time I got measured - and found that I was wearing the wrong size bra. No surprise there I guess since 80% of us wear the wrong bra size. The most common mistake is wearing a band size which is too big and/or a cup size which is too small. I had been wearing a 34B but was actually a 32c so I’m a prime example of that!

I bought a silk bra in a beautiful rich champagne colour and it really fits well. No red marks when I take it off so 32 clearly is better for me. Puts all my other bras to shame in fact – I won’t be chucking this one in the washing machine with the kids’ filthy clothes and then dumping it on the radiator!

Eloise Lingerie can be found at:

Truebell House, 
5b Lombard Road, 

Wimbledon
London, 
SW19 3TZ

(they also have a showroom in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire)

Phone 0845 22 55 080 now to book your free bra fitting by experts

© Alice Treanor 2011

My Favourite Find at London Fashion Week!

I was at LFW this week and thought I'd talk about a designer who particularly caught my eye. 

As I was wandering around, thinking some of the stands looked a bit like a jumble sale, I came across Tamara Fogle. I was instantly struck by her beautiful collection of bags as well as the stylish layout of her collection - far superior to those surrounding her.

She'd used meat hooks on rails to display her bags giving the stand an upmarket, quality feel about it. Not sure the pictures do it justice but here are a couple:

A gorgeous red leather clutch was calling out to me and when I picked it up the leather was so beautifully soft (being made from soft hide with a water-based aniline finish) that I knew I had to have it! You can also fold it in half, assuming you haven't already crammed it full of 'essential' items, as seen below:

Fogle uses Italian leather and the bags are all produced in family run workshops in London. The collection is classic and timeless; I love the new colours introduced for S/S 2011. Other than red my other favourites are orange and teal - I particularly like this one:

Tamara Fogle's bags are available in various stores and boutiques throughout the UK and overseas and you can also buy them from her directly. All details on her website www.tamarafogle.com.

© Copyright 2011 Alice Treanor

Jeans to Suit Your Body Shape

Someone said to me today that she finds it impossible to find a pair of jeans which actually make her feel good.

I hear that a lot and decided to offer some advice which will hopefully help those of you who are still searching for that ‘perfect pair of jeans’.

It’s generally a good idea to spend as much as you can afford to avoid them becoming baggy, misshapen or fading. However, the real key here is to find a style which suits your body shape.

Pear Shape

If you’re a pear shape then buy jeans which are a dark, even colour. This will help slim down your bottom half and bring you back into proportion. They should be mid-rise with a slight boot cut to balance you out, otherwise there’s a chance your bottom half will look like an ice-cream cone (probably not a look you’re going for!).

Look at the back pockets and choose ones with pockets that are straight down rather than angled outwards. This will help to create the illusion of a smaller, less rounded bum, again in order to bring you back into proportion.

PLEASE AVOID:

• Big belts worn on the hip as this will high-light your bottom half
• Wearing jeans with a top which ends at your widest point as again this will draw the eye to the very area you’re trying to disguise
• Lots of pockets or any detail which catches the eye. Your jeans need to be as invisible as possible, add interest with accessories on the top half
• Skinny jeans

Inverted Triangle

If you’re an inverted triangle (broad shoulders with little definition between your waist and hips) then choose a slighter lighter colour to add a bit of weight to your bottom half. Slight fading/distressing around the hip area is also helpful and choose jeans with pockets facing outwards to make your bottom look curvier. 


Mid-rise or slightly higher waisted jeans are usually best and make sure you go for a slight boot cut which again will help to bring you back into proportion and stop you looking top heavy.

PLEASE AVOID:

• Skinny jeans. They will emphasise your slim legs but exaggerate your broader top half in the process. If you absolutely can’t resist them then wear tucked into a solid pair of knee length boots
• Really dark colours which slim your bottom half too much 

Apple

It’s best to buy jeans which are dark and even in colour. As a rule people who are carrying excess weight around the middle wish to look slimmer generally and a dark colour will help achieve this. Jeans should be mid-rise but make sure they are high enough so you don’t have a muffin top - a look we’re all terrified of!! Similarly you don’t want to have to keep pulling them up all the time, it’s annoying for you and looks dreadful. 


Choose a slight boot cut to balance you out and avoid the lollipop affect. In order to achieve the illusion of an hourglass silhouette try wearing a top with an empire line (preferably a v-neck). This high-lights the narrowest part of your body, which is slimming, and helps create an hourglass shape. 

PLEASE AVOID:

• Wearing jeans with tops tucked in or which end around your tummy area. 
• Skinny jeans as they will high-light your slim legs thereby making your top half look larger 

Hourglass

Lucky you! You have the most choice in terms of different styles but don’t get too cocky - you can still make mistakes.

A slight boot cut is always flattering as is a mid-rise jean. Celebrate your curves and buy jeans with pockets which face outwards slightly to accentuate the contrast between your neat waist and hip area. You can wear skinny jeans but make sure you choose the right top to go with them. Bear in mind you want to retain your hourglass proportions so if you wear skinny jeans with a top which broadens your shoulders (eg. boat neck, off the shoulder styles) then you’ll look like an inverted triangle.

PLEASE AVOID:

•  Hiding your hourglass silhouette by wearing a baggy top with jeans. Try to keep your waist visible and accentuated by selecting the right length tops and wearing belts

Rectangle (or boyish)

If you have little definition between your shoulders, waist and hips then you have a rectangular body shape and need to find jeans which introduce curves.

Mid- rise jeans work well as do high-waisted jeans. In order to create curves you must choose back pockets which face outwards at an angle to give a roundness to your bottom. Choose a slight boot leg to disguise your angular figure - any clothing which creates straight lines of any sort should be avoided. Accentuate your waist by wearing a belt of a contrasting colour or choose a flowing, feminine top to distract from your boyish shape.

PLEASE AVOID:

• Wearing jeans with a plain, fitted t-shirt. This will do nothing to create the illusion of curves
• Skinny jeans worn with flat shoes as this will only emphasise your boyish physique

If you're not sure of your body shape or would like further tips on how to dress for your body shape please contact me

Copyright 2011

Looking for a wedding dress? Going to a wedding and need to look great?

I went to see Elaine Closs (http://www.elainecloss.co.uk/) at her bridal shop in Clapham today. She has a stunning selection of made to measure bridal wear and occasion wear. I would describe her style as classic, simple elegance. 

She caters for larger sizes; petit sizes; more mature brides and women entering into a civil partnership.

It’s a very emotive thing to get married (I remember throwing a hissy fit because I couldn’t find the right dress) and I wish I had known about Elaine at the time. I think she would have had a calming influence on me, not to mention the fact her dresses alone are a reason to seek a divorce so you can marry again!

These are a couple of my favourite wedding dresses:

 Her “Mother of the Bride” selection sells really well and I can see why. Again, very elegant pieces in wonderfully vibrant colours. Mums travel far and wide to have a gorgeously classic outfit they feel fabulous in.  After all, how you can truly enjoy your daughter’s wedding if you don’t feel and look amazing? It’s no revelation that how you look dramatically affects how you feel and if your daughter getting married isn’t a reason to splash out on an amazing outfit then I don’t know what is!!

Here are a couple of my favourite occasion wear pieces:

  

Elaine’s on Battersea Rise in Clapham – definitely worth a visit if you’re in the market for bridal wear or occasion wear. Call +44 (0)20 7801 0821 or e-mail enquiries@elainecloss.co.uk to make an appointment.

What to know your body shape and which colours suit you? Does your wardrobe need a revamp?

Do you have clothes in your wardrobe that you never wear but have been there for months or even years? You're not alone, statistics show that women wear around 30% of the items in their wardrobe most of the time. A recent survey found that on average women have 14 items of clothes in their wardrobe which have never been worn.

It's time to stop wasting money and get yourself educated. Ignore that guilty inner voice that has prevented you from decluttering your wardrobe properly in the past and stop kidding yourself that you 'might wear it one day'. It's time to let it go, move forward and make the right decisions from now on. Equipped with the right knowledge it's really not as hard as you think to achieve wardrobe bliss!!

So why do we own clothes we never wear? Possibly because when you bought that dress you had an image in your mind of how it should look but it just doesn't live up to expectations. Maybe the style or cut doesn't flatter your figure or the colour's not quite right or maybe you're not sure which accessories to wear with it.

Several things are wrong with this picture:

1. It's a waste of money - but don't feel guilty as everyone makes mistakes and I can help you to attain the right buying skills so that you don't make the same mistakes again.
2. These clothes are taking up unnecessary space in your wardrobe. Where's the sense in having a wardrobe full of clothes that you don't wear? Surely it's much better to have a smaller selection of clothes you love to wear which can easily be mixed and matched to create a variety of interest looks.
3. Getting dressed for work or any occasion becomes much harder as you go through the same motions of trying on things that you wish looked right but don't, before settling on an item of clothing you always wear and are probably bored with.

Having an organised and "decluttered" wardrobe is hugely beneficial for many reasons. If you only have items of clothes you love, and which suit your body shape and colouring, all displayed in the one place then:

• Getting dressed in the morning or for an evening out becomes enjoyable and stress-free
• You will make full use of what you own and wear more varied combinations of clothes
• You will always look great as any items that don't flatter or suit your body shape will have been removed and/or replaced
• Never again will you get to work or arrive at a social event and wish you were wearing something else

Before we get started on the wardrobe declutter I will carry out a:

• Colour Analysis
• Body Shape Analysis
• Assessment of your Style Personality 
•  Lifestyle Analysis (to ensure you have the right clothes for your lifestyle)

 I will help you put together a shopping list of items you need to replace or purchase in order to complete your wardrobe, as well as giving you tips on where to find the items you need and what styles and cuts will suit you best.

When I leave you will have a wardrobe which only contains items of clothing that you love and look great in. You will open your wardrobe doors and love everything you see!

The whole process (wardrobe declutter; colour analysis; body shape analysis; style personality assessment & lifestyle analysis) takes 4 hours and the added benefit is that once finished you will be able to go shopping and choose clothes with confidence as you'll know which colours and styles suit you. 

For a limited time only you can hire me for these services as a package at a reduced price. If you book before the end of February for any time during the next 3 months then it will cost £180.00 instead of my usual price of £230.00.

To take advantage of this offer please e-mail me at alice@dresswithconfidence.com

Alice Treanor © 2011

Do you hate having your picture taken?? Think all photos of you are dreadful?

Meet Vicki Knights, a contemporary family lifestyle photographer specialising in newborn, baby, pregnancy, toddler, child, teenager and family photography. 

How many of us hate photos of ourselves? Quite a lot I’m guessing. Unless the photograph has been taken by a professional then it really is pot luck whether or not the person happens to have caught you in a good or bad light. Even if we’re pretty sure we looked ok at the time the angle, light, facial expression at that particular second all play a part in whether or not we look like Dannii Minogue or Danny La Rue!

I’m no expert but have had enough bad photos taken to understand the importance of owning photographs of yourself that you’re actually happy with.

Vicki specialises in baby and family photography but also caters for people needing good images for professional / business purposes and also for those wanting a good headshot for their Twitter pic, Facebook pic etc If you use social media a lot then it’s worth getting a decent headshot to avoid feeling depressed every time you see yourself!

I recently decided to scrap my website and start again and knew it was crucial to have some photos taken that I was really happy with – especially given my chosen profession. I had used Vicki Knights before for family photographs and so knew she was great and had no hesitation in hiring her again.

We went to Kingston and she took lots of action shots inside stores and also outside in the shopping centre. I felt nervous for about 30 seconds at the beginning but Vicki is so good at making you feel at ease that I instantly stopped feeling self conscious.

The outcome was even better than I could have expected – the shots all look natural and I looked relaxed and friendly which was exactly what I needed. I also, dare I say it, thought that I looked quite good so it was great for the ego too!! Definitely due to Vicki’s skills as a photographer as nothing about myself had essentially changed – in fact come to think of it the only pictures of myself I have ever liked have been taken by Vicki.

Here are a few of my favourites:

It’s so important to have photographs of yourself you’re proud to display so my advice is that if you’re considering hiring a professional photographer for ANY reason then use www.vickiknights.co.uk

Alice Treanor © 2011

Feel too guilty to part with clothes you never wear?

Are you amongst the many women who are just too guilt-ridden to part with clothes even though you never wear them? Were they expensive and you feel you must get your money's worth? Were they a present? Do you really like whatever-it-is but know it doesn't suit you? Do you keep clothes which are too small / too big in case you might need them one day?


There are many reasons why we hang onto clothes. Some women feel reassured by a wardrobe full of clothes but the fact is that a cluttered wardrobe:


1) Makes getting dressed stressful and time consuming
2) Is psychologically very negative (especially if you have clothes which are too small in your wardrobe - a constant reminder that you have put on weight)
3) Means it's inevitable you will end up wearing clothes that you shouldn't because they don't flatter your figure or suit your colouring
4) Means you are unlikely to be imaginative with outfits as you will stick to "safe" combinations that you already know work


I spent the morning with a lovely lady who, for the purposes of client confidentiality, I'll call Wardrobe Warrior.


Wardrobe Warrior's wardrobe looked like this when I arrived:

I don't think she will mind me saying that it was pretty difficult to see what items she owned and even harder to put pieces together to create an outfit. It was also fairly tricky to find any particular item and some of the clothes had not been worn for months, or in some cases years!


It takes real commitment to carry out a thorough and effective wardrobe declutter. However having a properly decluttered wardrobe means that:

• Getting dressed in the morning or for an evening out becomes enjoyable and stress-free
• You will make full use of what you own and wear more varied combinations of clothes
• You will always look great as any items that don't flatter or suit your body shape will have been removed and/or replaced
• Never again will you get to work or arrive at a social event and wish you were wearing something else

Following a colour analysis to identify Wardrobe Warrior's "wow" colours; a body shape analysis; a style personality test and lifestyle analysis (to ensure that the contents of her wardrobe are appropriate for her work / life balance) we set to work on her wardrobe. 


Each item was reviewed to make sure that it met all necessary criteria before making it's way back into her wardrobe. The end result was this:

So, far fewer items of clothing (some more will be returned following small alterations) but all suitable for Wardrobe Warrior's body shape, colouring, lifestyle and style personality. Out of season clothes went into under-bed storage and coats were also stored elsewhere.


We didn't discard any clothes that she liked; once she knew which colours and styles worked for her and we'd gone through a few items she quickly got the hang of it and started telling me that  "this top broadens my shoulders too much" and "this colour washes me out".

So I guess the moral of the story is that it's crazy to be comforted by a wardrobe stuffed full of clothes. Bite the bullet, take a deep breath and DECLUTTER!!!!!!!!


If you, like Wardrobe Warrior, would like help please contact me at alice@dresswithconfidence.com




Alice Treanor © 2011

Too skint to go shopping?

SELL , SELL, SELL so you can BUY MORE CLOTHES!!

Having two small children; nursery costs; a ski holiday looming and a damp problem in our flat (that’s likely to prove expensive) it’s difficult to justify spending money on myself.

I have therefore come up with a plan to buy clothes guilt free!

I am systematically clearing out stuff I really don’t need and/or no longer have the room for in order to generate income for clothes!! Genius don’t you think?

E-Bay is so easy and I have already sold our birth pool for £50. We may or may not decide to have another baby but you know what, if we do we can just buy a second hand birth pool for the same price. Added advantage being that we don’t have to store the bloody thing in the meantime!

I have since bought, for £49.00 (so already made a saving!) these shoes which I’ve had my eye on:

http://www.laredoute.co.uk/t-bar-shoes-with-7-5-cm-heel.htm?ProductId=324168529

I am now in the process of selling a pushchair; an Isabella Oliver maternity coat and my Wii fit (totally unused I’m afraid to say). I have my eye on a number of things, top of the list being a pair of jeans as most of mine have now worn through on the knee! I know what you’re thinking but the husband’s not to blame (shame!) – it’s clearing up after the kids!  

What have you got stored away which you really don’t need? Guaranteed someone does so why not sell and blow the money on a guilt free shopping trip!

Alice Treanor © 2011