Monday, February 21, 2011

Fashion Dos and Don'ts


Don't wear sweaters so long that they make you look short.
Not everybody is as tall as her to even try to pull it off!


Do borrow your husband's clothes.
Boyfriend's/husband's jeans/pants + cute tee = cute..
Boyfriend's/husband's shirt + skinny jeans/tights/shorts = awesome..
However!! Boyfriend's/husband's jeans + shirt = a disaster!

Don't wear acid-washed jeans. Especially if you are chubby/fat.

Cropped pants can make you look shorter.
If you do wear them, however, make sure they have the right shape and fit!


Patterned leggings can make legs look heavier.
Any flashy print/shred can either flatter you a lot or do the complete opposite as it emphasizes that part of your body..


Monochromatic outfits are one of the best slimming secrets there is.
Don't over-accessorize.


beautylish:<br /><br />Serious amount of bling. Do you believe in over accessorizing?<br />
Unless posing for a jewelry brand/company! But on a daily basis.. NO-NO!!


* Handbags have to match your outfits?? No they dont!!
Instead, make sure your bag compliments your outfit or adds a splash of color to something dull..


* Black is boring?? Yeah right!
It doesnt have to be! Add a nice colored handbag or a killer pair of shoes to contrast!



Don't wear too many colors at once.



Trust me you don't want to look like the mascot of the gay pride parade..
Sure it looks good in editorials or even movies and especially music videos, but do you seriously want to make people blind when you cross the street?
However if you live in Asia, wearing too many colors at once is actually quite normal!


If you find an inexpensive, basic item that fits well, buy it in several colors.


Do wear black for an evening affair if the event is black tie.
Just make sure, your black makes a good statement, or wear some really nice jewelry too..




 Do keep dyed shoes in the closet with the bridesmaid dress.
Any dyed satin pair of heels just screams tacky and bridal.. The only time it does not seem tacky is with a bridesmaid's gown/dress!




Do take advantage of the "Bring 'em back--shoes, that is--we'll dye
'em black" policy. Don't, however, wear dyed shoes if there's any chance
of snow or rain or if you get sweaty feet. The color is likely to bleed. 



 Do carry a small evening bag and don't overstuff it.
You dont have to stuff your money, car keys, house keys, compact mirror, lip gloss, mascara, tissues, cellphone, etc. into this tiny little piece!





Do sew Velcro on strapless bras and on your dress to keep everything in place.
And dont forget to check that you are wearing the right size and type for your body!




Don't wear a casual watch with very dressy clothes.
So pretty, but so very casual. Keep watches like these for a day out with friends or even shopiing but skip them if you have an interview or a wedding to attend.




Don't wear a casual jacket over a fancy dress.
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Again, keep your casual jackets with your casual clothes, don't try to mix and match and make them work together, cuz they never will..




Don't wear anything too tight, too sexy or too see-through. 
Please give clothes like these a miss.. Even this Playboy model could not make it work, what chance do we normal women have then??




Don't wear uncomfortable shoes.
bgf646
Many women, including me, would choose fashion over comfort.. But still, make sure you carry a back-up pair of shoes with you, and please don't torture your feet for very long, no matter how sexy or awesome the shoes are!




Don't upstage the bride in something that's too attention getting.
Make sure you avoid whites or off-whites and ivory, some people really take offense, and even if you do dress up really really well with a nice corsage and a pretty gown, people will definitely call you an attention seeker at the wedding and you might get a lot of stares from the older crowd!


Do


 Pearls. Need we say anything more?
They really are the most classic piece of jewelry and can never go wrong be it for a wedding, a date or just a walk in the park!




A chambray shirt under a blazer.
So very chic!




The perfect little black dress. Every closet should have one.
Take time to find the perfect LBD that flatters your body and they you can wear it almost every day of the week with different accessories and styling and it would still look new!




Opaque hose with Lycra spandex are a girl's best friend.
The spandex in it gives the legs a nicer shaper and makes everything look slimmer..



Don'ts




Linen in winter.
Linen looks very cool, and is not suitable for winter.. Unless you live where I'm from.. India.. We hardly have a winter, especially in Mumbai.. However in the North it does snow and the temperature drops a lot..




Skirts so narrow that you can't walk.
Make sure your skirt has a slit or even a little bit of stretch in the fabric so that you can walk easily.




Jogging suits when you have no intention of jogging.
Too shabby!




Too many patterns at one time.
Some people can pull it off well, and some just can't..


Do...




Buy elastic-waist pants and skirts--they're more comfortable.
Even if you are thin and dont need elastic, you will be much at ease with it..




Emphasize your best feature: Great legs? Wear short skirts.




Create balance by wearing shoulder pads--they can make your hips look smaller.
Beware if you have broad shoulders however!




Wear loose, comfortable clothes in soft, drapey fabrics. They're forever forgiving.
 
Not only will they hide a hint of tummy but will also make you look incredible chic and fashionable too..




Road test bodyshaper pantyhose before you wear them.
Always make sure that you can do normal stuff in them so that it does not seem obvious that you are wearing them.. My suggestion would be to play your favorite song and dance in front of a mirror to see any 'malfunctions' or miss-happenings!




Buy a supportive bra--everything will fit better.




Wear dark opaque hose or tights with short skirts.
Don't be afraid to experiment with color! Purple, maroon, red and green are also very great shades for tights!




Match hose to shoes for a slimming silhouette.
It also makes your legs look longer.




Choose belts that match your pants for an unbroken line.




Opt for pinstripes rather than wide vertical stripes.
Not only do they give an illusion of lean-ness but they also look pretty cool!


Do...



Make sure your hemline suits your legs:
Like if you have chunky thighs, always avoid something with a straight fit, instead go for A-line or even flare.


If you love your legs, anywhere above the knee is fine. (Above midthigh is pushing it, though, no matter what your legs look like.)

Just make sure you can always bend in your skirt without flashing your undies!




If you have heavy ankles, stick to longer lengths, but don't try to cover them since you only trip on your hem. Slip on a pair of matching opaque hose instead.
Make sure the fit of the skirt is flattering and not very bulky!




Opt for jackets with soft, body-skimming lines.



Take advantage of cover-it-all tunic tops.
Wear these on your 'fat' days with nice accessories!




Don't... 

Wear a skimpy dress unless you're sure that you look good in it--absolutely sure.
 





Fall victim to the whims of fashion and wear ultrawide-leg pants--especially if you're petite. 
Remember it is you that are wearing the pants, and not the pants wearing you!




Reveal too much when you wear leggings. Even if your rear end is super toned, 
always wear a top that covers it. 
Fashion Fail - Too Short Skirt, Too Baggy Tights
Also make sure your tee shirt/tunic/dress/skirt covers your butt!




Buy pants or skirts without checking out your rear view. And when you try on 
pants, always sit down in them.

If only Ange sampled out the fit of her pants before hand, she would never had gotten it split! But with Brad Pitt to save you (and keep his hand on your ass) who would not want a wardrobe malfunction?





Figure Fantasy vs. Figure Fact





Big, bulky clothes will hide my figure.
They'll also add pounds to it.
Oprah might be a little extra curvy, but here she chose to join the 'obese' wagon!




Prints will make me look bigger.
No, as long as the print is small.
No matter how chunky you are, a small print will always make you look good. And feel good too.




Buying something a size too small will inspire me to lose weight.
Maybe, but it's much more likely that you'll never wear it.
And when you do decide to wear it, either you bust a seam, or end up looking like you wore your niece's/daughter's/ younger sister's clothes! 





Battling the Bust-line






If you're large-busted, skip...
wide belts, long necklaces, big pins 
Jessica made the mistake of wearing a wide belt with high waisted trousers.. Both of which are not suitable for her 'chest-i-ness'


 And go for...
Blouses that minimize:

* softly draped (but not oversized) styles in silk or polyester.




* simple V necklines without pockets.




A bright jacket over a dark top. 




 

Taming the Tummy






If your stomach is not as flat as you would like it to be, skip...
tucked-in blouses, cropped tops, belted jackets 
 And go for... tunic tops ... loose jackets ... softly pleated pants




Slimming the Bottom Half 


 If your hips and thighs are less than svelte,
 skip...
leggings, big patterns below the belt, narrow trousers

 
And go for... * loose-fitting trousers * long jackets * long flowing skirts


 


5 Faux Pas(No Matter What Your Figure)



 1. Tops that draw unnecessary attention.
Pantene print ads
Hello?? My face is up here!!!
 
 
2. Jeans that don't fit perfectly. Finally, there are styles for every conceivable figure--flaws and all.
Every woman has a different type of body, that need attention! Whether you wear skinny jeans or wide leg, or boyfriend jeans or boot cut or straight leg, you must make sure that it fits you well and plays up to your advantage!


3. Long full jackets paired with long full skirts.
You dont want to end up looking like a pillar! However if you are 6 feet and above, you might be able to pull it off.


4. Anything so tight that it looks as if the seams might split.
Especially if you do not have the body for it!


5. Stiff, boxy jackets. Not only are they unflattering, they're uncomfortable
    as all get out.
If you have no shape like Posh, then a bosy jacket is good for you.. But if you do have the slightest curves, it might not be so flattering afterall.. Even if you do choose a boxy jacket, make sure it is light weight and not stiff!



Investments

Good eyeglass frames. Don't, however, wear them on a clunky chain around
your neck. If you must, choose something a little more subtle.



A good, versatile scarf that goes with the colors you wear most. And
look for silk crepe versions. They're usually easier to tie and more
likely to stay that way.
Choose your favorte color and use it to brighten up your day!


A well-made jacket in a 3-season fabric--lightweight wool or gabardine.
What's the mark of well-made? Look for fully lined versions with sturdy,
well-sewn seams.
Be it fur or plain lining, it should feel good and also look good!



A good bag that will last for years, big enough for all your essentials,
but not too big.
Firstly to make the bag last for years, you will need a very good quality one (that means expensive!). Its best to go for a neutral shade that will go with most colors.. Think colors like black, white, grey, brown, nude, beige and tan.. If you can afford to buy another piece buy something in blue or purple, green or red or even yellow or orange!


At least one well-made pair of pants (or a skirt, for that matter) that
you can wear for three seasons. By the way, pleats are fine as long as
they're not stiff.



A pair of classic pumps. Look for: leather, heels no higher than two
inches, and a natural, versatile color like black, navy or ivory.




Jewelry


Do...
* Wear ivory and tortoiseshell, but only if they're fake.


* Assemble a collection of good, basic costume jewelry:


   * a pair of matching gold bangle bracelets, or a gold cuff not wider than
      an inch and a half.



   *link necklaces in varying lengths.


   * a pair of simple gold hoop earrings, or gold button-style clip-ons.


* Buy a two-tone watch so that you can wear it with silver or gold jewelry.


* Keep your jewelry organized. Even egg cartons or plastic silverware trays will do.


* Wear large earrings if you're a large woman--you're among the few who can
   carry them off.



Don't...
* Wear jewelry that jingles when you walk.
However if you live in India, its cool.. We have an ankle bracelet here called 'payal' that has bells on it and young women wear them, and you can hear it jnggling all the time!


* Pierce your ears more than twice in each lobe. Never wear earrings so heavy
   that they stretch your lobes.
You might think wearing heavy earrings, even once in a while, cause no harm.. But it does.. The more you wear them, the more your lobe gets pulled and stretched, and in some unfortunate cases, split! Trust me, here in India, women wear heavy earring with their tradition clothes, and I see so many of the older women with their wobbly lobes. Yes their ear lobes shake when they walk!!


* Mix your metals. Silver jewelry is out of the question if your jacket has
   gold buttons.
Princess Eternity Ring - Gold
Its ok to mix gold and silver only if it comes that way.. But trying to do it yourself by wearing a silver dress with gold earrings is just a diaster.


* Wear rhinestones before 6 p.m.
All that shine looks good only after sunset.. So try and save it for nights..


* Squeeze a large neck into a dainty choker. It just doesn't work.
Avoid chokers if you have a short neck or a thick neck or even a double chin!




Accessories

Belts

* Do wear a belt with a gold buckle if you are wearing gold jewelry.


* Do cover elastic waists with belts or scarves.
Your elastic waist dress/shirt usually comes with a belt, but if it does not, that means you have to wear your own belt!! Especially if you are curvy..


* Don't assume that you must, in every circumstance, match your belt and
   shoes. But don't stray too far afield either.


* Do wear a belt whenever you wear clothing with belt loops.
Navy stripe cotton belt dress
Except with denim.. Its optional!


* Do wear belts made of leather. If they aren't, they should at least
   look like they are.


* Do replace belts when they start to look shabby. Or take them to a
   shoe-repair store for reconditioning.


Scarves

* Do iron them on low!!!


* Do think twice before you wear a print scarf with a print outfit. To
   make it work, you need a dotted jacket and dotted scarf, for example, or just make sure the colors compliment each other!


* Don't wear a long one dangling from your shoulder. Even if you can
   manage not to lose the thing, it screams fashion victim.


* Do keep scarves folded in clear plastic containers or in plastic bags.



Bags

Whatever you do, DON'T...
* carry more than two at once


* overstuff them
Your belongings should not want to 'jump' out of your bag.. And it can be very embarassing at times! I f you have so many things to carry, get a bigger bag, or choose which articles are important enough to get carried everywhere..


* carry anything bigger than a bread box.
This is just wrong! Nobody can pull of huge bags like these.. It makes a petite person look smaller and a large person look larger!



Do learn at least one great way to tie a square scarf.

* Fold in half to form a triangle; then fold it, from the point end
   toward the flat side, until it's about 1 1/2" wide.

* Wrap around neck from front to back.

* Bring ends back around to front and knot.

Just Say No

* Impossibly trendy jewelry like face piercings and navel rings
Sure they look super cool and trendy when you are in school and college, but do you think you might be taken seriously with a piercing? As long as you do no flaunt it of course.. 
And lets no talk about the chances of infection! If you really want to express yourself, go for a subtle nose piercing or even multiple ear ones..


* See-through clothes
Nobody deserves to see this!! So please spare the 'audiences' the shame and humiliation from both sides!

* Extremely high heels
Nothing else screams stripper, like super high platform heels!!

* Fake Chanel anything
Yeah it jsut looks plain tacky!


* Baby-doll dresses
Not every body can pull them off.. You definitely have to be petite to do so..

* Slouchy socks
Not such a hot look after all..

* Huge shoulder pads
My advice would be, only pear shaped people need them, to balance out their figures..
On a broad shouldered person it s a complete no-no..

* Fishnet stockings
If you do decide to wear fishnets, just make sure you don't look too trashy.. Take an honest opinion from your mother, sister or best friend.


* Baggy sweatsuits
Wear a baggy sweat shirt with fitted jeans or short..  
Wear a baggy sweat pant with a fitted tee.. 
But if you do wear all the bagginess at the same time, well you will end up looking like a quilt!

* Thigh-high skirts
Well they can look very hot, if on the right person.. And also there is a time and place to wear them!

* The schoolgirl look
There are 2 types of school girls looks..
Theres this one on top^ which should be a no-no, unless Halloween.
And then there is the Gossip girl type, which is still respectable..

* Bra tops
Lady Gaga will get away with this, but we definitely wont!


* Ultra-cropped tops. If your belly button shows, skip it.
A very fine line between looking cute or trashy.. Ask for honest opinions!

* Sunglasses at night or indoors
Tom Cruise Actress KATIE HOLMES and hubby TOM CRUISE holding hands as they are leaving their apartment to go see the play South Pacific at Lincoln Center in New York City....
The sunglasses at night look just scream 'look at me, I'm special!!'
Its just an excuse to be anonymous..
My friends an myself always thought that those who wore them were douchebags!


5 Closet Classics

* Organize your closet by item (all skirts together, all jackets
   together etc.) rather than by outfit or color. You'll see more
   mix-and-match potential.
Irrespective of how much space you have, you can organise your closet well and it will benefit you..



* Invest in shoe trees. They'll keep your shoes
   in better condition and keep all that closet clutter to a
   minimum.
Invest in a good shoe storage device, like this or even a plain wooden or plastic mini closet.. 
Or you can wrap them all up in plastic and store them at the back of your closet.

* Slip belts over hangers.
This way, your belts wont get worn out and wont curl weirdly.

* Buy padded hangers for delicate items.
Your very precious dresses/blouses will remain precious with these hangers.



Shopping

Do...
* Buy things that go with at least two other things you already own.

* Shop in consignment shops.

* Ask salespeople to call you when they know there is going to be a sale.

* Shop in the men's department for basics. They're usually much cheaper
   and offer a larger variety.

* Buy it if you absolutely love it. Next time it may not be there.

* Keep receipts in case you want to return something that goes on sale. And
   don't be shy about doing so!

* Take advantage of the convenience of catalogs. But be careful! It's easy to
   overspend if it doesn't feel like you're shopping. Before you pick up the phone:
      Set a limit.
      Make a list.
      And for every piece you plan to order, take something out of your closet and
      lay it in front of you. If you see things piled up, you'll be less likely to
      lose your head.

* Ask about free tailoring and personal-shopping services.

* Take a friend along with you. Not only can she can tell you how things look
   from the back, she can save you from yourself--"A hundred dollars? For that???"


Don't Be Afraid to...

* Check the sales racks in better department stores.

* Say no to a salesperson.

* Spend a little extra for a classic item that you know will last.

* Ask if the store will discount an item for a missing button or a loose hem.             


The Extras: Maintenance

Do...
* Hem your cuffs. And bear in mind that if you're tall, you can get away with
   a wider cuff.

* Treat your clothes with loving care. And buy clothes you can afford to take care of.

* Hang woolens out for 24 hours after wearing them to air them out.

* Clip out labels from sheer blouses and bras.

* Use liquid detergent when washing darks.

* Dry-clean and store winter clothes in the summer, and vice versa.

* Bleach whites that are bleach safe.

* Save time and iron only the cuffs and collars of blouses you are wearing under a
   sweater or jacket.

* Re-dye black jeans when they start to fade.

* Keep white canvas sneakers white by soaking them in one part water to one
   part bleach.

* Use spray starch.

* Sew bra hooks onto shoulder straps that always slip.

* Carry a portable sewing kit in your purse.

* Buy a steamer to dewrinkle your clothes in a jiffy.

Don't...
* Try to wash something that says "dry-clean only" unless you're willing to part
   with it for good.

* Rehang clothes that are in need of repairs. Fix them first.

* Hang sweaters.

* Alter expensive clothes yourself, unless you really know you can.


The 7 Deadly Shopping Sins

* Wearing lace-up shoes--you'll double your time in the changing room.

* Spending more than you should on trendy items. If you absolutely must have
   that silver lame blouse, set a limit before you get to the store.

* Buying on impulse just because something is on sale.

* Using a credit card when you can spare the cash.

* Shopping without a list, even if it's just in your head.

* Looking like a schlump when you shop. If you don't put some effort into your
   hair and makeup, you'll feel like nothing looks good on you.

* Shopping with your husband/boyfriend. Why torture one another?



Hope you guys enjoyed all of this.. 
I found most of these from Google, including the pictures..
Most of it is my opinion, what may be a 'don't for me could be a 'do' for you.. 

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