Taking “What to wear this spring” one step further
By Bridgette Raes
The weather outside may not feel like spring is here, but fashion is certainly saying so. Spring hits the stores as early as December and is in full swing by February. Fashion magazines are already starting to tell you what you need to wear to be in or out this season, Marie Claire magazine being among them.
Of all the fashion magazines out there, I happen to really like Marie Claire. It’s realistic and more how-to than most fashion magazines, and because of this I often encourage clients to pick up and read this magazine.
On page 113 of Marie Claire’s February issue there is an article entitled The 10 Looks You’ll Want This Spring, showcasing the ten “must-haves” along with how to work and wear them this season. Reading this article, I found myself coming up with further advice for each showcased trend. Below are some of my suggestions on the advice provided for the first five highlighted must-haves. For the sake of length, I will be giving the first five this week, and following up with the last five in next week’s article.
Marie Claire’s must have #1 - Bold Prints
According to Marie Claire, bold prints are hot for spring. While I don’t dispute this trend forecast, Marie Claire simply tells how to accessorize a bold print and where to wear it. They give great advice; but the problem is that many women don’t know how to choose their best print, and as a result they usually avoid wearing them. I know that when I ask clients how much print or pattern they have in their wardrobe. they generally tell me “very little to none.” When I ask them why, clients tell me that they wouldn’t be opposed to wearing prints if only they had some hard and fast rules on how to choose the best prints for them.
The first thing I want to say about bold prints is that they aren’t for everyone, because they are just that - bold. Unless you want your print to outshine you, take the following advice to heart when deciding whether or not you plan on partaking in this trend for spring:
When choosing the best prints for you, you need to take a close look at your own personal coloring. I call it the Snow White/Cinderella comparison. Snow White would be someone who has very bold coloring. Traditionally, Snow White’s hair and eyes are very dark and her skin tone is very light. The boldness in her coloring is due to the high amount of color contrast between her hair, skin and eyes. Cinderella, on the other hand, has very soft coloring; her hair, skin and eyes are very close in color, so there isn’t a lot of contrast, making her coloring less bold or low contrast. Putting Snow White and Cinderella at opposite ends of the spectrum, look at the coloring of your own hair, skin and eyes and see if you fall closer to Snow White or closer to Cinderella. Most people fall somewhere in-between. Even if you are not of Caucasian descent (like the traditional coloring of Snow White or Cinderella) you can still do this exercise. If you are of African-American descent, for example, you would most likely be closer to a Cinderella because the coloring of your hair, skin and eyes would be closer in relationship; lower in contrast, and not so bold.
Wherever you placed your personal coloring on the boldness scale in this exercise indicates the level of boldness that you can choose in your prints. So, if you found that your coloring is closer to Cinderella then it would be wise to stay away from very optic prints like black and white. If you are more of a Snow White, your coloring is strong enough to withstand the optic boldness of a black and white print. Don’t worry Cinderellas, this doesn’t mean that you can’t wear a bold print, just choose bold prints that aren’t as optic as black and white; instead, go for a lesser amount of contrast by choosing color combinations that aren’t so optic, like the soft green and white dress that Marie Claire showcased in this article.
Marie Claire’s must have #2 - Trouser Shorts
The Bermudians have been wearing trouser shorts forever, and it looks like the trend is hitting us hard for spring 2006. Normally I am not a fan of shorts, but I have to say that I like the professional way it is being done this season. These shorts look like a basic pair of pants with the bottom half of the pant cut off. Marie Claire is calling this the alternative to the skirt. While I am hard pressed to agree that this trend is going to replace the wearable ease of the skirts that many of us wore last season, the trouser short is a nice breath of fresh air.
I like the way Marie Claire showcased this trend, which says that this slimmer, longer, tailored short can be worn just about anywhere, like the office and out with friends. Of course, it all depends on how you wear it. Marie Claire suggests that if you do wear this slimmer, longer short, then go with a bigger, blousier top. This is good advice, but it is general. Big blousy tops aren’t for everyone, so if you require a little shape in your waist to look more streamlined and balanced, go for the suggestion they make of wearing these shorts with a cardigan or blazer, just making sure that these pieces have some shape in the waist.
Lastly, don’t balk at the price of these shorts. Many people assume that tailored shorts should be much less expensive than a tailored pair of pants, but what I learned from my years of designing pants is that the construction details of a tailored pair of shorts and a tailored pair of pants are relatively the same. The only difference is that the shorts obviously need less fabric because they are shorter in length, but using less fabric only saves a few dollars in the end. A pant and short cost relatively the same to make because of the elaborate construction at the top part of a pant or short, meaning the sewing of the waistband, the zipper placement, the pocket construction, etc. Both a tailored short and pant share these construction steps; however, the perception of shorts by customers is that they should be much less expensive than a pair of pants. Because of this, many manufacturers will set their pricing accordingly and offer shorts at a much lesser price than a pair of tailored pants, so you may be able to find a couple of shorts this season at a decent price.
Marie Claire’s must have #3 - Red
Red is one of those colors that you either love or hate. It takes a bold woman to feel confident in red because it is such an attention grabber. There are a few rules to follow when wearing red.
Firstly, red will grab attention so be ready to be memorable when you wear it. In addition, red can evoke feelings of rage in others, so the rule of thumb while wearing red is not to ask for anything (like a raise or a job.)
Contrary to popular belief, everyone can wear red. Choosing your best red involves discovering whether you look good in a cool red or a warm red. This may sound confusing, but it isn’t. Warm reds are reds that are yellow based, or more brick colored in tone. Warm reds look best on people who have warmer, more yellow-based coloring. Cool reds are blue based. Imagine the color red that Coca-Cola uses for their red shade. Cool reds look best on people who have cooler coloring. If you aren’t sure if your coloring is warm or cool, put a red colored garment against your face the next time you go shopping. If the red you are looking at doesn’t work for you, don’t throw out red as a wearable option altogether. Simply look at the red and identify whether it is a more brick red or a more Coca Cola red. Also, you can go to a makeup counter and see the shade of red lipstick that a makeup artist would choose for wear on your lips. If you wear a cooler red on your lips, then you would wear a cooler red on your body, and vice versa.
Marie Claire’s must have #4 - Gold
Gold is such a rich color, and can be worn by many women. When it comes to wearing gold it really is up to personal preference and style. It seems that, according to Marie Claire, the “how to’s” of wearing this trend are best left to the individual. You can either go head to toe or can just use gold as an accent. Here are some guidelines that you can follow when deciding how you are going to add this accent to your wardrobe for spring.
Firstly, remember that this is a trend. While metallic has been around for some time now, I wouldn’t advise investing heavily in this trend unless you can afford to do so. An accent through a purse or a couple of inexpensive trendy pieces to punch up your wardrobe is probably the best way to go.
If you want to wear gold for daytime, either do it through small accents or choose a gold that leans more towards champagne than disco gold. If you pick up Marie Claire (which I hope you’ll do) you will see that the gold they are highlighting is much more of a brushed gold than it is a bright yellow gold. This is a much more sophisticated look to follow, especially for daytime. Pairing it with ivory or beige instead of black is another way to elevate it elegantly for a sophisticated daytime look.
Marie Claire’s must have #5 - Cropped Jackets
Oh, where to begin with this one? While I love Marie Claire magazine, the words “boxy, swing shape” that they used to describe the hot look for a cropped jacket this spring really got me worried. Boxy can also mean shapeless. and that word means nothing but trouble.
I think these cropped jackets for spring are feminine, adorable and another breath of fresh air, but please take the following into consideration when buying.
If you are short and squat run the other way, because boxy and cropped are two words that shouldn’t exist in your closet vocabulary. Why? Well, if you are short and squat then this style of jacket will enhance that. While petite women benefit from a shorter jacket to look taller, it also helps when the jacket has a little shape. So petite ladies beware; choose a cropped jacket that has a little shape in the waist. If you are a larger petite woman this rule also applies. The rule of thumb with large, petite women is to create or emphasize the waist area with shape, therefore making her look taller and leaner. Boxy and cropped jackets will do the opposite.
If you are short-waisted or have a larger chest, this jacket will enhance your shorter torso. Clients of mine who have larger chests have a shortened looking torso by default, due to their larger breasts. What I usually do to balance a larger busted client is put tops on her that either skim or are longer than her hip bone. This optical illusion of a lengthened top makes the torso look longer, therefore balancing her body. So if you have a shorter torso, or a larger chest that naturally shortens your torso, choose a cropped jacket that is more shaped in the waist. The more you streamline and narrow an area, the longer and thinner it will look.
Lastly, if you have long arms (even if the jacket has a full length sleeve) the much cropped look of the jacket may make your arms look disproportionately long. So stay away from those ¾ sleeves, and when choosing a cropped jacket make sure it isn’t too cropped with too much swing or boxiness.
Overall, the cropped jacket looks like it is going to be an important trend, so don’t give up on it; just try a few on following the above rules, and you will likely find the cropped jacket that is perfect for you.
(c) 2005 Bridgette Raes Style Group
Signup for our weekly newsletter where we not only offer weekly style article written by Bridgette Raes, but also include Style Q&A, Upcoming events, advice from our resident "What To Do Girl", organizing, beauty and financial tips by visiting http://www.bridgetteraes.com/
The weather outside may not feel like spring is here, but fashion is certainly saying so. Spring hits the stores as early as December and is in full swing by February. Fashion magazines are already starting to tell you what you need to wear to be in or out this season, Marie Claire magazine being among them.
Of all the fashion magazines out there, I happen to really like Marie Claire. It’s realistic and more how-to than most fashion magazines, and because of this I often encourage clients to pick up and read this magazine.
On page 113 of Marie Claire’s February issue there is an article entitled The 10 Looks You’ll Want This Spring, showcasing the ten “must-haves” along with how to work and wear them this season. Reading this article, I found myself coming up with further advice for each showcased trend. Below are some of my suggestions on the advice provided for the first five highlighted must-haves. For the sake of length, I will be giving the first five this week, and following up with the last five in next week’s article.
Marie Claire’s must have #1 - Bold Prints
According to Marie Claire, bold prints are hot for spring. While I don’t dispute this trend forecast, Marie Claire simply tells how to accessorize a bold print and where to wear it. They give great advice; but the problem is that many women don’t know how to choose their best print, and as a result they usually avoid wearing them. I know that when I ask clients how much print or pattern they have in their wardrobe. they generally tell me “very little to none.” When I ask them why, clients tell me that they wouldn’t be opposed to wearing prints if only they had some hard and fast rules on how to choose the best prints for them.
The first thing I want to say about bold prints is that they aren’t for everyone, because they are just that - bold. Unless you want your print to outshine you, take the following advice to heart when deciding whether or not you plan on partaking in this trend for spring:
When choosing the best prints for you, you need to take a close look at your own personal coloring. I call it the Snow White/Cinderella comparison. Snow White would be someone who has very bold coloring. Traditionally, Snow White’s hair and eyes are very dark and her skin tone is very light. The boldness in her coloring is due to the high amount of color contrast between her hair, skin and eyes. Cinderella, on the other hand, has very soft coloring; her hair, skin and eyes are very close in color, so there isn’t a lot of contrast, making her coloring less bold or low contrast. Putting Snow White and Cinderella at opposite ends of the spectrum, look at the coloring of your own hair, skin and eyes and see if you fall closer to Snow White or closer to Cinderella. Most people fall somewhere in-between. Even if you are not of Caucasian descent (like the traditional coloring of Snow White or Cinderella) you can still do this exercise. If you are of African-American descent, for example, you would most likely be closer to a Cinderella because the coloring of your hair, skin and eyes would be closer in relationship; lower in contrast, and not so bold.
Wherever you placed your personal coloring on the boldness scale in this exercise indicates the level of boldness that you can choose in your prints. So, if you found that your coloring is closer to Cinderella then it would be wise to stay away from very optic prints like black and white. If you are more of a Snow White, your coloring is strong enough to withstand the optic boldness of a black and white print. Don’t worry Cinderellas, this doesn’t mean that you can’t wear a bold print, just choose bold prints that aren’t as optic as black and white; instead, go for a lesser amount of contrast by choosing color combinations that aren’t so optic, like the soft green and white dress that Marie Claire showcased in this article.
Marie Claire’s must have #2 - Trouser Shorts
The Bermudians have been wearing trouser shorts forever, and it looks like the trend is hitting us hard for spring 2006. Normally I am not a fan of shorts, but I have to say that I like the professional way it is being done this season. These shorts look like a basic pair of pants with the bottom half of the pant cut off. Marie Claire is calling this the alternative to the skirt. While I am hard pressed to agree that this trend is going to replace the wearable ease of the skirts that many of us wore last season, the trouser short is a nice breath of fresh air.
I like the way Marie Claire showcased this trend, which says that this slimmer, longer, tailored short can be worn just about anywhere, like the office and out with friends. Of course, it all depends on how you wear it. Marie Claire suggests that if you do wear this slimmer, longer short, then go with a bigger, blousier top. This is good advice, but it is general. Big blousy tops aren’t for everyone, so if you require a little shape in your waist to look more streamlined and balanced, go for the suggestion they make of wearing these shorts with a cardigan or blazer, just making sure that these pieces have some shape in the waist.
Lastly, don’t balk at the price of these shorts. Many people assume that tailored shorts should be much less expensive than a tailored pair of pants, but what I learned from my years of designing pants is that the construction details of a tailored pair of shorts and a tailored pair of pants are relatively the same. The only difference is that the shorts obviously need less fabric because they are shorter in length, but using less fabric only saves a few dollars in the end. A pant and short cost relatively the same to make because of the elaborate construction at the top part of a pant or short, meaning the sewing of the waistband, the zipper placement, the pocket construction, etc. Both a tailored short and pant share these construction steps; however, the perception of shorts by customers is that they should be much less expensive than a pair of pants. Because of this, many manufacturers will set their pricing accordingly and offer shorts at a much lesser price than a pair of tailored pants, so you may be able to find a couple of shorts this season at a decent price.
Marie Claire’s must have #3 - Red
Red is one of those colors that you either love or hate. It takes a bold woman to feel confident in red because it is such an attention grabber. There are a few rules to follow when wearing red.
Firstly, red will grab attention so be ready to be memorable when you wear it. In addition, red can evoke feelings of rage in others, so the rule of thumb while wearing red is not to ask for anything (like a raise or a job.)
Contrary to popular belief, everyone can wear red. Choosing your best red involves discovering whether you look good in a cool red or a warm red. This may sound confusing, but it isn’t. Warm reds are reds that are yellow based, or more brick colored in tone. Warm reds look best on people who have warmer, more yellow-based coloring. Cool reds are blue based. Imagine the color red that Coca-Cola uses for their red shade. Cool reds look best on people who have cooler coloring. If you aren’t sure if your coloring is warm or cool, put a red colored garment against your face the next time you go shopping. If the red you are looking at doesn’t work for you, don’t throw out red as a wearable option altogether. Simply look at the red and identify whether it is a more brick red or a more Coca Cola red. Also, you can go to a makeup counter and see the shade of red lipstick that a makeup artist would choose for wear on your lips. If you wear a cooler red on your lips, then you would wear a cooler red on your body, and vice versa.
Marie Claire’s must have #4 - Gold
Gold is such a rich color, and can be worn by many women. When it comes to wearing gold it really is up to personal preference and style. It seems that, according to Marie Claire, the “how to’s” of wearing this trend are best left to the individual. You can either go head to toe or can just use gold as an accent. Here are some guidelines that you can follow when deciding how you are going to add this accent to your wardrobe for spring.
Firstly, remember that this is a trend. While metallic has been around for some time now, I wouldn’t advise investing heavily in this trend unless you can afford to do so. An accent through a purse or a couple of inexpensive trendy pieces to punch up your wardrobe is probably the best way to go.
If you want to wear gold for daytime, either do it through small accents or choose a gold that leans more towards champagne than disco gold. If you pick up Marie Claire (which I hope you’ll do) you will see that the gold they are highlighting is much more of a brushed gold than it is a bright yellow gold. This is a much more sophisticated look to follow, especially for daytime. Pairing it with ivory or beige instead of black is another way to elevate it elegantly for a sophisticated daytime look.
Marie Claire’s must have #5 - Cropped Jackets
Oh, where to begin with this one? While I love Marie Claire magazine, the words “boxy, swing shape” that they used to describe the hot look for a cropped jacket this spring really got me worried. Boxy can also mean shapeless. and that word means nothing but trouble.
I think these cropped jackets for spring are feminine, adorable and another breath of fresh air, but please take the following into consideration when buying.
If you are short and squat run the other way, because boxy and cropped are two words that shouldn’t exist in your closet vocabulary. Why? Well, if you are short and squat then this style of jacket will enhance that. While petite women benefit from a shorter jacket to look taller, it also helps when the jacket has a little shape. So petite ladies beware; choose a cropped jacket that has a little shape in the waist. If you are a larger petite woman this rule also applies. The rule of thumb with large, petite women is to create or emphasize the waist area with shape, therefore making her look taller and leaner. Boxy and cropped jackets will do the opposite.
If you are short-waisted or have a larger chest, this jacket will enhance your shorter torso. Clients of mine who have larger chests have a shortened looking torso by default, due to their larger breasts. What I usually do to balance a larger busted client is put tops on her that either skim or are longer than her hip bone. This optical illusion of a lengthened top makes the torso look longer, therefore balancing her body. So if you have a shorter torso, or a larger chest that naturally shortens your torso, choose a cropped jacket that is more shaped in the waist. The more you streamline and narrow an area, the longer and thinner it will look.
Lastly, if you have long arms (even if the jacket has a full length sleeve) the much cropped look of the jacket may make your arms look disproportionately long. So stay away from those ¾ sleeves, and when choosing a cropped jacket make sure it isn’t too cropped with too much swing or boxiness.
Overall, the cropped jacket looks like it is going to be an important trend, so don’t give up on it; just try a few on following the above rules, and you will likely find the cropped jacket that is perfect for you.
(c) 2005 Bridgette Raes Style Group
Signup for our weekly newsletter where we not only offer weekly style article written by Bridgette Raes, but also include Style Q&A, Upcoming events, advice from our resident "What To Do Girl", organizing, beauty and financial tips by visiting http://www.bridgetteraes.com/
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