Broke or Be-spoke for Your Christmas Party Look?

A recent edition of The Sunday Times contained several glossy brochures which, with a perfectly straight face, were suggesting a range of ‘must have’ Christmas presents costing in the £00s and £000s. How lovely to be able to spend around £100 on an exquisite silk scarf from Liberty’s  – examples to the right - as a ‘stocking filler’……!

Broke or Be-spoke?
Few of us have the luxury of putting together a Christmas outfit of designer pieces with 'money no object', so I thought I'd see if it's possible to come up with something similar to a really expensive designer look, using items from the High St.

Red lace is a great festive choice, and a simple fitted shift style works best with a dramatic fabric. You could accessorize your dress with plain but bold shoes in gold, a statement gold cuff, and fabulous drop ruby earrings. Complete the outfit with an elegant black clutch with a gold fastening.

  

Firstly, here's a lovely designer version of the outfit which will set you back a rather eyewatering £4,515 until you add in the ruby earrings which puts another £23,000 onto the cost.....You really wouldn't want to lose one of those!

The Luxury version: Dolce & Gabbana Sleeveless Lace Dress £1,115  

Alice Menter Gold Plated Ruby Cuff £185   

Chanel Vintage Small Quilted Bag £2,730 

Jimmy Choo Metallic Leather 120 Peep Toe Shoes £485 Pintaldi Maurizio Ruby and Diamond Pendant Earrings £23,000

But don't despair ladies, because you can look pretty stunning for a fraction of that cost!

The cheap and cheerful equivalent of this Christmas party outfit is a mere £122.05..... 

Dorothy Perkins Red lace print lampshade dress £39.50  

Miss SelfridgeShiny Rose Gold Court Shoes £20 (sale) 

Asos Revive Superhero Double Cuffs £19 (sale) 

Oasis Leather and Suede Clutch Bag £38 

SONOMA Gold Tone Filigree Cabochon Disc Drop Earrings £5.55 (sale) 

Of course I might have done without a vintage Chanel clutch bag and ruby/diamond earrings for my designer look which did rather push the cost through the roof, but you get the drift! 

Or, if you prefer your red lace dress with sleeves to keep your arms covered, what about this? Gok Wan comes up trumps for Tu at Sainsburys again.Red Lace Shift Dress by GOK £37.50

You can look fabulous without spending a fortune - especially when you know what suits you!
If you'd like to start 2013 with a real boost for your image, then do get in touch to discuss a personal consultation.
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas season,
Best Wishes
Cass 

Fifty Million Shades of Grey

But which one will look gorgeous on you?
At a conservative estimate, there will probably be millions of different shades of Grey out there in the world.....
picture courtesy of www.danalee.ca
Also, there will be equally as many shades of Red, Green, Blue, Pink, Yellow, Purple, Brown and every other colour you can think of under the sun to confuse and beguile us!
picture courtesy of www.plus.maths.org
The trick is knowing which are the right ones to look fabulous on you!

This is where the colour swatch fan you receive as part of your Colour Consultation is invaluable, because our brains just don't retain different variations and shades of colour.
So, because we can't just rely on memory to guide us in choosing what's right for us, your colour swatches will act as an Aide Memoire for your own perfect looks.
They are a guide though - not set in tablets of stone!
Looking back to my own first colour consultation back in the 1980s, when the concept of Colour Analysis was in its infancy, I realise now how little help I was given to understand my own best colours and how to use my colour swatches. I was just handed a selection of swatches and told that these were 'my' colours - so I assumed if something wasn't a perfect match for one of the fabric swatches, I shouldn't buy it. The colour swatches provided were in a nice ring-bound folder but this was quite large and too bulky to carry round in my handbag so it was usually left in a drawer and gradually got forgotten.
After a while, I discovered that almost nothing in the shops was a perfect match anyway and, disheartened by the seeming impossibility of finding anything suitable, I began to neglect my best colours. Darker shades which were really too strong for my colouring started to creep into my wardrobe and once you have got some 'wrong' colours, you often start buying others just to have something to wear with them.....

It wasn't until years later when I went through my Colour Analysis training that I discovered a much better style of colour swatch wallet which can easily be carried in your handbag so it's readily on hand whenever you want to buy something new..
And of course most importantly I learned that the swatches are simply a guide to the millions of colours which you can wear - you don't have to search for a perfect match!

The essential thing is that the colour of the garment you which are thinking of buying blends harmoniously with your colour swatches and looks as if it belongs with them. How does it look with your best neutral colours? If it looks too bright, too pale, too dark or simply clashes when compared against your colour swatch fan, then it's not for you. But if it sits comfortably alongside your swatches, then go ahead and buy!    

I've met quite a few ladies who, like me,  had a Colour Analysis done many years ago and but never really benefited they should have done, because their colour swatches weren't in a handy practical format to keep with them and they didn't have a proper explanation of how to use them - so they stopped bothering... That's a shame, but it's not too late to try again.


All my clients get either a ladies' or men's colour swatch fan as part of their Colour consultation - easy to fold up and carry in your handbag or inside pocket, so it's always with you!
Examples of colour swatch wallets from www.styleandimage.co.uk 

After all, you never know when you'll be tempted by something gorgeous in a shop window, and having your colour swatches handy to check the colour is right for you will stop you making an expensive mistake!  
Equally, when you know it's right for you, you can really buy with confidence and pleasure and enjoy trying your new piece out with lots of other clothes in your wardrobe.

To find which shades of grey - and every other colour! -will look fabulous on you, just call and book your consultation.
Best Wishes
Cass

Curves and Stripes Don't Mix!

Nothing divides fashion opinion quite like stripes!

Every year without fail, usually around Spring time, stripes make a return to the fashion scene. The breton striped top is often hailed as a wardrobe classic.......
Some fashion writers insist that anyone can look good in stripes, whilst others advise extreme caution and avoidance, especially if you are a little more 'well built'.....

My view?  It really does depend on your personal body shape. Balance and harmony are what are important in great personal style, so if your figure is quite straight shaped, you will look fabulous in lines which are straight too. Vertical stripes will suit you if your figure is 'oblong', with a relatively undefined waist and square shoulders.

But if you have a curvy shape, and especially if you are full busted, vertical stripes can look distorted over your curves - particularly wider ones. It's a bit like trying to draw a straight line on a balloon! The angular lines of a stripe are less flattering for a curvy shape in any case - you will look better in flowing curving patterns which harmonise with you. If you desperately want to wear a striped pattern, try a chevron pattern over the bust, or diagonal stripes instead!

The diagonal lines draw the eye inwards, visually narrowing your figure.

Do horizontal stripes make you look wider? Yes, some do. A lot depends of the width of the stripe. Bold broad stripes definitely visually increase your width, but narrow stripes can look good..... 

Regular stripes of all the same size also tend to be more 'widening', especially if they are more than 1 cm in thickness.  Of course there is a huge variety of striped patterns around , with all sorts of different widths and colours to choose from - just remember that strong contrast draws the eye, so don't put bright colours or big stripes across a part of your body that you'd prefer people not to focus on! 

There will be a style of stripe to suit your shape - the trick is understanding what works best for you.

If you'd like some help to discover the styles which really look fabulous on you, then do please give me a call!

Best Wishes

Cass

A great tip to make your legs look longer...

Most of us would love to have long legs to help us look taller and slimmer but we don't always get what we want....
In which case, knowing a few tricks to help us improve our image is always a great help.
If, like me, you wish you had legs that go up to your armpits, instead of the rather short legs Mother Nature dished out on the day, here's a clever little style idea to give the illusion of having longer legs....!

Choose a top with three-quarter sleeves. 

For some 'optical illusory' reason, the shorter sleeve length has the effect of visually lengthening your legs.  (Fabulous outfit above from www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk)

Try the effect for yourself - wearing a long sleeved top, leave one sleeve to wrist-length on one side, and then pull up the other sleeve to about mid-forearm length on the other side. Have a look in a full length mirror and you will see that somehow, on the side with the shorter sleeve length, that leg looks longer!

A higher heeled shoe always helps to extend the look of your legs of course, but choosing the right style is important.
To visually lengthen the look of your legs the best choice is to wear a shoe with a low 'vamp' and a mid-higher heel  (3" plus).

What's a vamp? The point at which your shoes cover your toes or the front of your foot, so a low vamp means something like this (left)

Also, if your legs are a bit on the short side, don't choose a shoe or sandal with ankle straps - it will make your legs look even shorter.
The same goes for shoes which cover the front of your feet - shoe-boot styles or brogues. If your legs tend to the shorter side, these will just take length away from them visually, and are best avoided.

If you'd like some help to make the most of your figure, then please do get in touch!
Best wishes
Cass 





      

Keep Your Legs Looking Professional

It can be very tempting, when we come back from a fabulous holiday abroad and have a great suntan, to go without tights.
It's wonderful to be able to show off a pair of bronzed bare legs but this look really is best kept for your casual wear - don't do it when you are dressing for business!

It's especially important to wear hosiery if you work in a fairly formal environment and need to wear a suit or similar business-like attire.

Bare legs can just look tacky with business wear - especially if your skirt is around knee length. It doesn't matter if you have got a terrific tan, you won't look professional without stockings or tights.
Nor will your your smart business shoes benefit from having bare feet in them all day - from the perspective of either freshness or shape.........! 
Whilst a tan definitely helps to mask any imperfections in your legs, hosiery does an even better job of concealing any aspects - thread veins, uneven skin tone or rough skin, or knobbly knees - that are less than ideal, and keeps those legs looking well-groomed.
Sheer glossy hosiery in a nude shade works wonders, so keep your working look polished and sophisticated, and leave the bare legs and strappy sandals for casual or social outfits.

For a professional look, a closed toe to your shoe will always look best. A small peep toe can work but the shoe should otherwise be fairly conservative. A simple court style is classic and timeless. If you want a little more excitement, try a patterned or colourful court!

Kick Ass Court Snake Leather Shoes from www.office.co.uk

If you'd like any help with your image, then do get in touch!
Best wishes
Cass

Whatever has happened to James Bond's DJ?

Gracious Heavens, I can't believe that the normally scrumptious Daniel Craig was looking so much less than his best at the premiere of 'Skyfall'.

What is wrong? Well, his dinner jacket doesn't fit properly for a start. We expect to see 007 wearing a perfectly tailored tux, but here he is showing far too much shirt cuff - those sleeves aren't long enough! Of course we know there is a fantastically toned chest under there, but the jacket shouldn't be so tight over the torso that it pulls.

If your jacket is too tight and your sleeves are too short, it looks as if you can't afford one that fits properly, and have squeezed yourself into something you wore when you were younger and slimmer. Or, that you are a nightclub bouncer wearing a jacket supplied by the Management......

No more than about half an inch of shirt cuff should protrude beyond the end of your jacket sleeve gentlemen, and you don't want drag lines across the body of your jacket when it is fastened.

I'm also very unimpressed by the shiny midnight blue fabric of Daniel's DJ. Yes, he is a fair man and yes, dark colours like black close to the face are not great for fair people, so perhaps the midnight blue was intended to soften the black/white combination. It's still so dark anyway though, that it doesn't make any difference, and the shiny non-matching material just looks odd and tacky. Is he about to start calling out the numbers for a game of Bingo?
Evening dress for men should be black only with a matt wool fabric for both dinner jacket and trousers. Anything else will make you look like a game show host.
And whilst we are about it, what's with the contrasting buttons on Daniel's shirt? No, no, no, your dress shirt (in plain white only please, no frills or strange colours) always looks best with the buttons concealed under a placket, or at least in plain white.
Here on the right is 007 in Casino Royale wearing evening dress as it should be worn and looking truly sharp,classy and elegant.

And here we can see the contrast with how much better his co-star Javier Bardem looks in his classic and properly fitting dinner jacket.

Last but not least, what has Daniel done to his hair?
That short slicked back style reminds me uncomfortably of Hannibal Lecter and has put at least 10 years on him.....

I'm looking forward to seeing the film, but come on Daniel, do yourself justice!

Cass

Colours For a Slimmer Silhouette

Many women who feel they are heavier than they would like to be choose to wear dark colours - navy blue, dark brown or grey and above all black - because they believe that dark colours are more slimming.

There is some truth in that belief.  It's certainly the case that very bright colourful patterns will draw the eye, so if you don't want to attract attention to certain areas of your body, it's best to keep vivid colours and bold patterns away from these. The current trend for patterned trousers should be treated with great care for instance! If you have very slim legs, all well and good, but for those of us whose thighs seem to be constantly seeking more Lebensraum, patterns on the legs are most definitely best avoided........

Just a monochrome look can be very dreary though, and if you are already in low spirits because you feel overweight, wearing gloomy dark colours is hardly going to cheer you up.

There is a much better and cleverer way to look slimmer, by using colour to your advantage.
How? It's easy, combine a dark and a light/bright colour to create the illusion of a slimmer silhouette.
Choose a top in a pale or a vivid colour. Then over it, wear a dark coloured jacket, cardigan or long draped wrap which falls in straight lines down your torso.
The eye is drawn inwards to the lighter/brighter coloured panel at the centre of your torso and 'skims over' the darker colours on the outside, which visually slims you.
Here's an example of an outfit which would achieve a helpful slimming effect for you and give you some fabulous colour in your look too, from  Kettlewell Colours Ltd  at www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk 

Use colour on the upper half of your body with lots going on around the neckline and shoulders - jewellery or a scarf - to lift the eye to where you want people to look - your face!

The fashion world started to pick up on the slimming benefits of the 'dark with light or bright' combination last year when Kate Winslet visually shed 2 dress sizes with her stunning red and black Optical Illusion dress at the premiere of the film 'Carnage'.
Since then, 'two tone' dresses, skirts and tops have become increasingly popular. There are a wealth of options around this season in a variety of colours and patterns to help you look slimmer and stylish too!

Right - Lace Panelled Skirt from www.next.co.uk
Below Right - Short Sleeve Colour Block Panel Dress from www.matalan.co.uk

Looking great isn't just the prerogative of the very thin! If you'd like some help with your personal style and look, then please do get in touch so see what I can do for you.
Best Wishes
Cass

Necklines to Flatter a Fuller Bust

A fuller bust is a classic feature of the archetypal feminine silhouette - many of the screen goddesses of Hollywood's 'golden years' were well endowed ladies with enviable curves.
But many ladies today find having to dress a fuller bust difficult - how to avoid looking bulky and larger than you really are?
There are a few things to avoid:
- Don't wear high polo or crew necked sweaters or tops. An expanse of fabric over a larger bust can create a 'shelf-like' effect which visually adds an impression of weight.
- Choose jackets with a low revere and which fastens low down on the torso - a single button fastening is best. A longer blazer style is always an ideal choice to provide balance for fullness around the bust.
- Don't go for 'Chanel' style boxy jackets or those which button up high over the chest - they will make you look larger and heavier than you are.

A lower neckline is always best to flatter a fuller bust - a V neck is ideal. It visually narrows the area and if you add a gorgeous necklace to dress your decolletage, it lifts the eye up and adds glamour.

You can see from these pictures of the lovely Marilyn Monroe what a difference a higher or lower neckline makes to a fuller busted figure......
And, always invest in good underwear  - it will give proper support to a fuller bustline, and ensure your figure has definition.

Looking good is all about making the most of your assets.
If you'd like some help to understand your own body shape and how to dress to look fantastic, then please do get in touch!
Best wishes
Cass

Where Should You Draw The Line?

Answer: Never across your widest point!
Welcome to the first of my occasional series of Style Hints.
Human beings come in so many different shapes and sizes, and few of us are lucky enough to have a perfect silhouette!
So what can we do to minimise those aspects of our figure which we feel are less than ideal?
Well, we can avoid drawing attention to them for a start.
For many women, the hips can be a problem area, and this doesn't necessarily have anything to do with excess weight - it may just be that your torso and shoulders are naturally slender and narrower than your hip bones.

So you should avoid choosing a top and trousers/skirt in contrasting colours, and don't allow your top to finish at the hip line. If you do, you are 'drawing a line' across your widest point.. which just makes it look wider.
The eye is drawn to the point where the contrasting colours meet, so wider hips become more noticeable - the last thing you want! Try to make sure that your top finishes above or below the hips.

Red Stud T-shirt  www.evans.co.uk 

In the same way, if you are large-busted, you should avoid short sleeves which end level with your bust - you are creating a visually widened line across your torso which will make your bust look bigger than it really is.

Go for sleeveless, cap sleeve or 3/4 length sleeve styles instead.

Of course for those whose hips are very narrow, or who are small-busted, and want to visually increase the width/size of these areas, drawing some  horizontal lines across them will help you!

What should I do if I am a bit 'pear-shaped'? 

The solution is actually to add width at your shoulders to visually balance your hips.
Wider, 'bateau' necklines, or detailing like military-style epaulettes at the shoulder seam are a great idea.
Gathering at the shoulder seam, or a dropped shoulder seam (positioned over the top of the arm) is also useful to add the illusion of width.

Should you avoid stripes? Not necessarily - it's how they are positioned on the body which makes all the difference as to where the eye is drawn........

Sonia Rykiel Fair Isle Knit 

Pepe Jeans Striped Jumper

Where do you find yourself focusing when you look at each of these differently striped jumpers?
Look for some horizontal stripes across your shoulders!
Or, consider a colourful pashmina around your shoulders. It has the dual advantage of
- adding volume to balance you
-  lifting the eye up towards your face and away from those areas you'd rather people didn't dwell on!
(Both knitwear pieces are from www.asos.com)

Use colour and patterns to get people looking where you want them to - at your best bits!
If you'd like some help with colour or style to start building a personal image you feel really happy with, then do get in touch!
Best wishes
Cass

GOING FOR GOLD........

Still stunned by the wonderful London Olympics. In amongst all the fantastic achievements of Great Britain's athletes over the last 17 days, one of the phrases we've heard most has been 'Personal Best' - even those who didn't win a medal in their event were thrilled to have reached a new level exceeding anything they had done before in their sport, and rightly so.
We can't all be Olympians, but on a less exalted level perhaps,we can achieve our own 'personal best' by looking as good as we possibly can, and exploring new ideas to make the most of ourselves.
This doesn't mean that we have to get up at 4.00am for hours of gruelling training - though I have the highest respect for those who do! - but it does mean being brave enough to try something new and gaining confidence in yourself.
Working on your image, understanding what really suits you as an individual and building a wardrobe and personal style which reflects who you are at your very best is something we can all achieve, and the wonderful thing is that it doesn't hurt at all...........!

My personal Gold medals for Style to the sports presenters and pundits during the BBC's Olympics coverage go to:

Ladies - Denise Lewis. Not only a great athlete but a woman with terrific dress sense. From her bold pink fitted shift dress to the gorgeous outfit (black skinny trousers/purple top/white jacket) in which she jumped around the BBC studio yelling Mo Farah on towards his first Gold medal of the Games, her outfits really enhanced her colouring with vibrancy and contrast.

Men - Mark Foster who co-presented the swimming with Clare Balding. Cool, relaxed but sophisticated in sea-green, turquoise and  blue shirts which flattered his Silver Fox look wonderfully. Wow.

Dropping the Baton....

Clare Balding - an excellent commentator and mostly looked lovely in blues and pinks but just let down by a terrible disaster on one occasion when wearing a very fluorescent yellow/green top which completely overpowered her fair colouring....

Michael Johnson -such an intelligent and thoughtful commentator but should definitely jettison the digestive biscuit coloured jacket he wore on a couple of days - not such a good look for the great man.....

If you'd like a bit of professional coaching to achieve your personal best image and wardrobe, then do get in touch - I'd be glad to help you. And of course it might turn out that Silver is a better look for you than Gold!
Best wishes

Cass

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WEARING THE 'RED WHITE AND BLUE'.......

The wonderful celebrations this weekend of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee are just the start of a summer when the Union Jack will be everywhere -  we can look forward to a couple of months of taking pride and pleasure in all things British. With the European Championships, Wimbledon and of course the London Olympics/Paralympics still to come, there’ll be plenty of patriotic enthusiasm, flags and bunting around over the next couple of months……..

This got me thinking- if you really want to get into the spirit of the occasion and wear the national colours for your special event or celebration, what should you choose to express your patriotism and still look good?

Wearing a Union Jack…… Not the choice of most of us for a truly glamorous look perhaps, but great for a fun event when no one cares too much about ‘points for style’! The true colours of the flag will definitely look best on ladies whose colouring is strong and vibrant. Don’t forget your red lipstick! A simple pair of white pearl earrings will be all you need as a good finishing touch for jewellery.

Right: Smiffy’s Royal Britannia Dress from  http://www.amazon.co.uk

If you are going to wear a Union Jack, I’d leave it there though – don’t add any more flag motifs in your accessories! 

For those of us who feel that a Union Jack Dress or Top is a patriotic step too far, but would like to enjoy a bit of British fun in our outfit for a special national celebration event, there are plenty of options to include some Union Jack motifs in your accessories - bags, earrings, sunglasses, necklaces, scarves or even shoes!     

All items shown are from http://www.unionjackwear.co.uk except the sequinned shoes, which are from http://www.amazon.co.uk

Some’ Union Jack themed’ accoutrements may only be instantly disposable plastic novelty items just intended to be fun on the day, but you can find some with a touch more class and durability too. After all, we hope to have many more occasions to celebrate…..

Your Union Jack accessories will look best when wearing some, or all of the national colours on your outfit - and again the lady with strong colouring has the best options.  

A 'Retro' Fifties look is hugely popular this season and lends itself really well to any event with a nostalgic British feel to it.

This is a fabulous crisp and fresh look for the Winter lady to celebrate a really British occasion from Kettlewell Colours at http://www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

If your colouring is soft, or warm toned, (naturally red or auburn tones in your hair are always a good indicator of warm colouring!) the sharp strong colours of the flag won't be so flattering on you, so try a better version of your shades of red, white and blue for your outfit.

 If you already know your seasonal colouring, Kettlewell Colours is a great place to look for your best reds, whites and blues. 

Of course you could equally well choose just one of your own best ‘red, white or blue’ colours to wear in your outfit and complement it with some patriotically themed accessories.

The Duchess of Cambridge looked just wonderful at the River Pageant in vibrant red - as indeed did Her Majesty, in white.
Picture courtesy of http://www.mirror.co.uk

However you have celebrated the Diamond Jubilee, and plan to enjoy all the other events of summer 2012, I wish you lots of fun!

Best Wishes,

 Cass 

Expand Your Colour Horizons!

2012 is a fashion season to really enjoy a burst of colour in your outfit, but lots of women don't really feel confident combining vibrant colours and so they take refuge in dark and sober shades....
Darker neutrals are the basic building blocks for your wardrobe but colour is fun, lifts the spirits and gives you a boost - it's what takes an outfit out of the ordinary and makes it eye-catching and individual.
Astonishingly, all the colours under the sun come from mixing just 5 hues - black and white, and the primary colours of red, blue and yellow.
 This Colour Wheel show just some of the millions of variations we can achieve:
I was fascinated by this excellent article by Pene Turner on the Fox in Flats website - dedicated to helping Aussie mums look fabulous as they navigate Motherhood in Style.
It has some great ideas to help you push the boundaries a little, especially if you know your know your own best seasonal colour palette! 
Take a look - and see what might work for you! You can read the whole article here:

http://www.foxinflats.com.au/2011/11/colour-wheel-colour-blocking/

I'd advise a little caution if you are a 'cool toned' lady - only the mostly right hand side of the colour wheel will really flatter your colouring, but you can still use that half as Pene advises, just split the one side into halves or thirds again, and select a great mix of  colours for a gorgeous outfit.
Some women look fabulous in strong contrast, whilst others might look most elegant in a mix of different depths of the same colour - others still will be stunning in a mix of several shades from the whole colour wheel.............
If you'd like some help to understand which colourful look will work best for you, then do please get in touch.
Enjoy your colours!
Best wishes

Cass

TRIBAL, ANIMAL, FLORAL, ABSTRACT..... WHAT'S YOUR BEST PATTERN?

This is probably the biggest fashion trend for the coming Summer – patterns are exploding all over the High St; strong, colourful, unusual, in vibrant shades or gentle watercolour florals, you can choose from anything from the ditsy print to the striking ethnic look -  a great alternative for any lady who feels that subdued pastel colours are too wishy-washy for her! 

Those with a Creative streak will love the opportunity to mix it all up and and make a vibrant statement....or maybe just decide to  wear something completely different to the rest of the world anyway!

Really  vibrant multicoloured patterns tend to work best for darker haired ladies whose colouring is strong - very bold and striking prints can over power the fairer woman and result in your clothes 'wearing you', so softer floral designs or small ditsy prints will be more flattering. For darker brunettes and especially those whose colouring is warm toned, animal, ethnic and tribal prints often look fabulous! If you don’t want to make too much of a statement, try a colourful scarf to add drama and interest to a simple outfit. 

Left: Funky Aztec skirt from http://www.joebrowns.co.uk 

Dark haired  ladies with a cool skin tone often look their very best in block colours rather than patterns, so this trend isn’t an ideal one for you, but nevertheless, there are plenty of bold bright colours in your palette to enjoy. If you are a pattern devotee, look for one with plenty of contrast – black with shocking pink or red, or royal blue with pure white……

 Right: Invitation Galindo skirt from www.hobbs.co.uk

It’s really up to you whether you want to indulge in this season's ultimate fashion statement of clashing different patterns on your top and bottom half…… My personal view is that unless you are fairly slim, patterns are best kept just for your top half as they do draw the eye to those areas which may be less than perfect! A patterned skirt can be fine, but trousers with a pattern can be a real challenge! (speaking as one who foolishly bought a pair of candy striped summer trousers many years ago which were never actually worn, as they made me look like Andy Pandy’s older sister....)

 However, if you want to try it, here are some suggestions to make it work:

•  Keep roughly the same colour palette in both your clashing patterns

Left: Ted Baker Floral Jersey top from www.asos.com

Right: Linea Tesini Chiffon long skirt 

• OR  Keep roughly the same style/shape of pattern (e.g. stripes, animal/reptile print or floral design) in both your patterns, even if the colours may be different

Left: Ted Baker top with Paradise Bird Print 

Right: Asos Floral Print Skirt

both from www.asos.com

• OR  Have just one pattern in your outfit and use another pattern in your accessories (scarf, shoes or bag)

•  OR Team your patterned item with a pale neutral (the best shade of white for your season) in your outfit to soften the effect of a really bold pattern.

Right: Red Herring Black woven pencil skirt from http://www.debenhams.com

Some ladies may be looking at this season's patterned designs and thinking 'Wonderful!' - whilst others may think 'Yuk - never in this lifetime.....' - we are all unique individuals and the right thing for you to wear is what suits you - and what you feel happy in!

If you'd like some help to discover what really works for you, then do give me a call! on 01245 440162 or e-mail to info@cascadeimage.co.uk 

Best Wishes

Cass