BRIDAL STYLING: CELEBRITY BRIDES STYLES OF 2018

Last year was a year of large weddings, with a wonderful array of wedding dresses to sink our teeth into, and if you’re planning to have your wedding in 2019/2020 then I wanted to share some of my personal favourite styles and how to work them to help you feel your best on your big day!

Meghan Markle – Natural Styling

I loved how Meghan looked in this demure wedding dress, it was, of course, in need of sticking to some rules as a new member of the royal family, such as covering her arms, but this didn’t stop her from looking truly wonderful. Designed by Clare Waight Keller, the first female artistic director at Givenchy, it was a simple piece, showing off her collar bone and shoulders to add a little sex-appeal, without going anywhere near raunchy. Another touch that we now know about is that, Meghan chose to include embroidered flowers from all the Commonwealth countries in her veil, which was a beautiful addition to her personal and demure nod to the family she was joining.

How to take inspiration for your own wedding – this look is perfect for brides looking for a demure and natural look. If you love your shoulders and collar bone, whilst potentially feeling either less confidence about your arms, or simply want a dress more suited to a religious ceremony, then this style is excellent. Due to its a-line skirt, it is also well suited for those of us with larger hips, as it will skim past the widest point of our body, and flow to the ground. It may not be suitable for a summer’s day, however, as it’s long sleeves and heavier fabric could cause you to want to have a sit down before the speeches even get started!

One way to help with this is to take a page from Meghan’s book, and have a reception dress which is much more suited to the dancing in the evening. Meghan came out in a beautiful Stella McCartney halterneck dress which she chose to wear for the evening, a much better suited piece for a party, or evening reception. She looked stunning, and although her arms were on show, it was still an elegant design, suited to the royal family’s expectations.

Chiara Ferragni’s Classic Ceremony Dress to Creative Reception Styling!

I love making the most of one item of clothing, and this amazing Dior two-in-one piece is something that truly went the whole way with its usability – not only was it a stunning classically styled crochet long-sleeved bodice with a tulle ball-gown skirt, but, after the ceremony, she whipped off the skirt to showcase an all-over crochet playsuit! This is a piece that she could use after the wedding day, making it a more than one use piece, which, in this age of environmentally friendly options available to us, I am on board! Ferragni then went onto the dinner dress, a pale pink tulle and silk organza evening gown, which was embroidered with motifs that showcased Chiara and Fedez’s history together. These included lyrics from Fedez’s song to Chiara; emblems of the cities in which the pair had lived; a lion to symbolise their son; their wedding date on the straps; and other additions which were beautifully added to make this dress not only beautiful, but meaningful too.

After the dinner, Ferragni removed the long skirt to reveal a shorter, ballet-inspired style with matching ballet pumps – perfect for dancing the night away!

How to get inspiration from these pieces - I love how Ferragni used design aspects to create dresses and other outfits from her wedding dresses – going from classic, to fun and quirky, it truly was a great way to show off her personality. It was a very smart and fun way to change up the designs and be suitable to the changing needs of a wedding day. Ballgowns are a perfect option for most body shapes, and it is a classic princess style. Having a shorter dress for the reception is a fun option for those of us that love our legs, and if you are slightly more self-conscious of showing your legs during a wedding, no matter the time, then you could have a dress with a ball gown skirt for the ceremony, and then a more a-line style to change to for the reception. Pink is a fun option, with dusty-rose being hugely popular for brides looking for a colour that isn’t a classic white.

The crochet bodice is a rather daring move, I must say, but I love it! It’s a beautiful way to show-off your shape with such a overwhelming skirt, and if you wish to have such details, you can have a lace bodice with a skin-tone fabric underneath, for a softer option.

Mandy Moor’s Boho Pink Dress

I love a little creativity, and Mandy Moore showcased her boho style with this pink custom version of a Rodarte Haute Couture gown, which was made from Swiss-dot tulle and have beautiful floral appliques around the waist line. She finished this comfortable, and boho feel, with pink flat embellished pumps and a veil which had floral embellishments through it. As boho styles go, this was perfect for her shape – with layering of the fabric to create volume and movement across the bottom of the dress, with a high neck and simple details across the top. She looked truly comfortable and beautiful throughout the day, without any boning to restrict her whilst moving.

How to get inspired by this look – you can use this wonderful pink creation to showcase that white is not a necessity! Pink is a very popular colour, and if you wish to show off your personal style with a colourful dress, finding the right pink (or any colour for that matter) will truly help you shine. White can be a tricky colour to choose, so I’m delighted to see some colourful gowns coming to the forefront of the fashion world. If you are a more boho/relaxed bride, then this look is great for you, consider the sleeves, however, as this isn’t a perfect fit for everyone, as the added volume could bring attention to an area that many of my brides feel conscious of – I say don’t feel conscious of them but, we all have areas we love and don’t love as much!

I hope you find these wedding dresses inspiring, and I wish you luck finding your perfect wedding dress for your big day! I will share some more of my favourites in future posts to keep you inspired, and if you have any favourites you’ve been inspired by, I’d love to hear them in the comments below!

If you are looking for someone to help you find a dress or wedding pantsuit you’ll never want to take off, that will keep you feeling confident all day, I’d love to help, I have a special wedding service I can provide to brides and grooms to take the stress of shopping away from the process. Contact me to find out more.

PERSONAL STYLIST ADVICE: CONFIDENCE, STYLE & MOTHERHOOD

Motherhood is a life changing experience, but also a physical changing experience.

During pregnancy our belly grows, our bust and hips enlarge, we put on weight and often our body doesn’t return back to its original shape. For many months we have to give up on decent, clean, fashionable clothes; we have to give up on our style, whether it’s because we don’t have time to take care of anyone other than the new baby; or our clothes simply don’t fit any more, and we haven’t the time to spend shopping for new favourites to suit our new body shape. Whilst caring for a new baby, we need to wear practical clothes and feel comfortable more than everything and this is totally normal and natural, but still can bring to a lack of self-confidence and depression.

Now, if we don’t like ourselves, how can the others do it?

We must always be our number one fan!

So, if when you look at the mirror you don’t recognise or feel like yourself and if you don’t know what to wear anymore, what can you do to change the cycle?

The first thing is, absolutely, to get to know your new you and embrace it, understand it and learn how to enhance it, and I wanted to share with you some tips to do it that I have found truly helpful after giving birth to my new baby.

I am sure that when you look in the mirror, the first thing you do is to focus on that area of your body that you dislike. I ask you now, instead, to start thinking about the area of your body that you most like and, from now on, try to do this exercise: look at yourself in the mirror and focus only on that area. This is about changing the perception of yourself and learning to love yourself a bit more. If you learn how to highlight your points of strength, they will be the first thing people will notice and will remember about you, and more importantly, it will be what you notice about yourself, and your perception will start to shift.  

People aren’t thinking about you in the same way you do, and confidence will come over time. When you find an area (or areas!) that you love, highlight them in your styling, and trust me, as your confidence grows, your attitude towards yourself and your body will shift and your days will get easier. Also, trust me, hiding your body just isn’t the answer!

Now, once you’ll have determined what your point of strength is (or points of strengths are, if more than one), how can you enhance them?

There are several tools, in my opinion, that you can utilise to highlight your favourite features in the best way possible:

·       Colours

·       Fabrics/volumes

·       Patterns

·       Details

·       Accessories

Let’s start with colours:

Rule number one: light and bright colours tend to highlight; dark and soft colours tend to attenuate.

So if, for example, your critical point is your tummy, while your point of strength are your legs, you should wear dark/soft colours on the top while light/bright colours on your legs.

Or you can wear light colours on top, underneath a dark jacket/jumper that is creating the illusion of a slimmer tummy.

Some people, like me, are so called “triangles”, with a top slimmer than the bottom (despite the pregnancy, I still am 2 sizes smaller on top, and strangely enough my bottom is the part of my body that hasn’t changed!) So, I always wear dark trousers and try to wear lighter tops to boost my confidence.

Then, of course, if you want to know what your best colours are and how to make the most of them, I invite you to have a colour analysis. This will help you to find the best colours to boost your skintone, and boost your confidence not only whilst wearing your clothes, but also when going out shopping.

Now let’s talk fabrics:

Different fabrics create different volumes. And rule number two is: don’t add volume to volume, and stay soft on curves.

For example, velvet or corduroy are quite thick fabrics and tend to create stiff pieces of clothes. While silk is soft and slips on the body. If we have a point that is more voluptuous and we don’t want to highlight it, then steer clear of a stiff fabric on that area. On the contrary, something soft and light can work perfectly! Or again, a tweed woollen jacket is quite thick and stiff and I wouldn’t suggest people with a big bust or tummy to wear anything like that, but maybe a deconstructed leather jacket or a cardigan can work well!

Patterns: there are a few rules to know about patterns:

1.   Big bold patterns enlarge.

2.   Horizontal stripes enlarge

3.   Vertical stripes elongate.

So, think about your point of strength and see if you can highlight it with the use of pattern. While, on the contrary, you might want to avoid patterns on your critical point.

I, for example, always try to wear patterns on top, and stay plain on bottom. This way, I can make people focus the attention on my top part, which is an area I love the most on my body.

Details attract attention.

If you want people to focus on a particular area, you can play with details as much as you like (pockets, buttons, zip, stitches, embroideries, etc…). On the contrary, try to avoid too many details on those parts that you don’t want to highlight. On me, I can wear shirt with pockets on the chest, or double breast blazers, while I try to wear trousers without pockets and with no details as stitches/studs/stones.

Accessories: another very smart tool to play with!

Belts can, for instance, help us focus the attention on our waist, or hips, if that is what we want to highlight.

Scarves can help us brighten up our eyes and bring people’s focus up towards the face. Shoes - there are so many shapes and kinds...we could talk about shoes for hours, but you can simply know that once again you can play with colours - dark boots on dark trousers elongate the legs, whereas dark boots on light trousers, or the other way round, create a strong contrast and make the legs look shorter.

Jewellery also can help us attract the eye on our top and face, if that’s what we want to highlight, as well as adding a little touch of personality to your outfit without the need to feel overwhelmed by shopping for clothes in, potentially, different sizes than before your pregnancy. Long earrings can elongate the neck, whereas a choker can round the face.

Obviously, there are so many things you can do, and surely during a one to one session I could help you in more detail. But I truly hope that sharing these personal experiences and tools will help you create your new style and begin to make you feel more confident with this amazing body you have. Try to have fun with your wardrobe now, go home, have a look at it and try to understand if what you have is working for you, not just for you as a Mum, but for you as your own self – you still deserve to have outfits that you can wear to special occasions with your friends, on date nights with your partner, and, if you are planning to go back to work after maternity leave, then you truly deserve to have outfits which make you feel professional and ready to work. Try to create new combinations with the knowledge you have now, and try to look at yourself in your new outfits and start loving your new you again!

Everybody will notice the difference…everybody will start noticing you in a good way, everybody will like you because you will like yourself. 

If you are interested in a personal styling session with me, I’d be glad to help!

EVENTS: PINK RULED THE RED CARPET AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS

As a lover of fashion myself, I often find myself scrolling through the looks on red carpet events, and none inspire me more than the Academy Awards. It gives us access to see styles which are future trends, as well as designers we may not have heard of, shine and show their creative flair.

If you are reading this thinking “how can the clothes actors wear inspire me?” then you’re in the perfect place! You may not be attending a red carpet event in the near future, but you may be attending a formal event, or an event in which dressing up is a part of the pleasure of attending. You may also simply love seeing what fashion trends may be taking storm in the year ahead, and how you can put these trends into your day to day wardrobe.

The biggest trend I spotted was the use of pink.

Here are some perfect ways I spotted the use of pink being used at the Academy Awards, to help inspire you.

Pink and pink all over – a fashion faux par no more.

The stunning one shoulder dress, by Ellie Saab on Julia Roberts, was stunning in this one shoulder dress with high split, and it truly made her shine. She paired the pink dress with pink shoes, showcasing a trend of using one colour throughout an outfit. As a colour analyst, I can say that this isn’t the perfect pink for her Autumn skintone, however, it does showcase her femininity and she is obviously having great fun in it! With colour analysis, it is merely a guide, however, if you find a dress that makes you this happy, then go for it and wear it!

If you’re considering going for a head to toe look in one colour, take a page from Julia’s book and start simple, with the dress and the shoes. If you’re feeling bold, then perhaps consider a bright suit and shoes in the same colour for a truly strong look.

You can offset the all over pink look, by adding a splash of red, to coincide with the ongoing trend of red and pink together – which can look outstanding. I even thought Julia was doing this with the envelope in her hand, as it went so well with the pink!

Find different layers of pink

Helen Mirren was having so much fun in this ethereal dress, which was a custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture, and you can see how elegant the piece is when you look at all the different pinks used in the garment. The dress was perfect for her figure, and with the ¾ length arms, it’s great for a late evening event, or if you are conscious of having bare arms. With this sort of dress, mind you, make sure you have skin tone lingerie, as it was a little see-through!

I also recommend looking at her make-up in this outfit, the pinks in her dress and highlighted in her cheeks and her lipstick – a perfect way to utilise the pink shade. 

Nearly nude

With the use of the right pink shade on some of us, we can have a garment that is almost nude in colour. This looked beautiful on Marie Kondo, who’s Jenny Packham dress was almost exactly the same shade as her skin. The shape and delicate flowers on the dress are perfect for her shape, as she is given an illusion of a more dramatic waistline – great for those of us with a slightly straight frame.

True pink ruffles

This dress by Valentino, worn by Gemma Chan, may take some serious fashionistas to make it work, however, I had to share it as it’s such a fun and “true” pink colour, and any dress with pockets is a serious win for me. It does showcase the ruffles and high neck trends in fashion, and if you were to choose perhaps a more toned-down option, ruffles can help to boost confidence in areas you may feel a little self-conscious about, or to add another dimension to your outfit.

This colour is best for those of us with a cooler undertone, and perhaps go for even stronger if you really want to pop!  

Wedding dress chique!

This baby pink number by Giambattista Valli on Kacey Musgrave is all about the shapes! I love how the use of the fabric helps to create a floaty, almost wedding-dress style. The addition of the diamond bow helps to create an empire line on the body, drawing in the waist amongst the layers of fabric on her shoulders and the bottom of the dress. This may feel a difficult style to pull off, but it can be a truly beautiful hit. If you are looking to “rock” it up, then add a leather accessory, or boots. If you’re heading to a more formal event and this style is making you swoon, then perhaps considering minimal accessories, so the dress really can take the show. Baby pinks are a tricky colour to pull off, and can have certain style connotations for some of my clients – such as too young, or too girly – but for those of you with the right tone, you can truly shine in this colour. Consider using an accessory to dip your toe in the baby pink shade.

Whether you’re going all out and thinking of investing in a beautiful pink gown for an upcoming formal event, or considering adding a pop of pink with an accessory or two, you may want to look into the beautiful range of shades of pink that are out there, and treat yourself to this year’s trend-setting colour! I’d love to hear which of the looks you most liked at the Academy Awards, or if you have any questions about choosing the right pink, in the comments below.

PERSONAL STYLIST ADVICE – HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT RED DRESS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

It’s the month of love, and with that, the colour that most springs to my mind is of course red. Which scarlet colour most suits our beautiful skintones? What a question, and one I’d love to help you with! Colours can work beautifully on one person and drain another, and it’s all down to our tones of our skin. When you pick a red to suit you, if you want it to compliment you the most, then you can look into your own skin complexion.

If you are a lover of the emerging fashion trends, then you will have seen that SS19 will be bringing deep reds with more brown undertones, nearing auburn. This is excellent news for those of you falling into the Autumn colouring on the colour wheel (those of us with a warm skin tone, with red, auburn, dark brown, or black hair, and freckles if you are pale). However, which reds can suit those of us with different skin tones?

If you are cool-skin toned and naturally ash-blonde, you will probably be in the Summer category, and you are most likely to suit a softer red shade, opting for pastels with a blue undertone, you may suit a more demure look using a navy blue item and dashing red with your accessories. A perfect hit of colour blocking!

For those of you with cool skin tones and darker hair, you will most likely be a Winter. You can go all out with scarlet! Deep colours suit your skin tone beautifully, and will help your colouring to pop. Consider scarlet red or fuscia pink, and steer clear of the more brick-red colours.

Warmer skin tones with golden blonde hair are what we call “spring” and you can utilise this year’s colour of the year “coral”, as well as brick red and salmon pinks. Keep away from icy pastels and deeper tones as these could drain your colouring.

This can feel somewhat overwhelming when considering which of the seasons we can fall into, does it change seasonally, or if we change our hair colour? The real truth here is, although there are certain colours which will ultimately make your skin tone pop, and truly make the perfect impact to your confidence and how brightly you shine, these are just guidelines to helping you find the perfect match. I believe that with this help, you can find the key items that you will fall in love with, but you can go out there and find an item that you adore that may not fall into this “perfect” colour range, if you love it, go for it and rock it.

If you would like a little help in finding the colours which are the go-to colours for your skintone, I’d love to speak with you. I’m offering a very special Valentine’s month offer – if you buy a gift voucher for your loved one (whether it’s a personal shopping trip or a wardrobe edit) by 28th February, they will have a complementary colour analysis – so they can go out there and easily select the perfect pieces from the high street with confidence that they will glow. PS – if you’re reading this and want it all for yourself, why not leave a gentle hint with your partner by sharing the link to this blog 😉.

PERSONAL STYLIST ADVICE - NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION - TIME TO FEEL MORE CONFIDENT

We all deserve to feel confident within ourselves. Having a wardrobe that helps increase that confidence, so you can simply walk in, choose an outfit you know you’ll feel fantastic in, and go out is something that can not only be time-saving, but also truly life changing. As the new year sets in, I propose you have a resolution that you can stick to – make your wardrobe and clothes work for you, rather than against you. So often we spend our valuable time and energy going through wardrobes which don’t serve us or make us happy. I propose 2019 is the year you make a difference! Spend some time going through your own collection of clothes, and take the pieces that you don’t wear, or feel confident in, and giving them to a charity shop (or selling them, but I love handing pieces that will bring joy to others and help a charity close to my heart!). These pieces don’t serve you by being there, causing you to question yourself each time you get dressed, and are taking up valuable storage space for items that you do love!

You can start your 2019 with a fresh new start, a wardrobe that works for you, and helps you to feel ready to take on the year with confidence! Here are my tips to helping you get started on that all-important wardrobe edit.

1. Give yourself time – don’t rush through your wardrobe clean-up. Get yourself a cup of your favourite drink and make it an enjoyable, freeing experience.

2. Listen to your gut instinct – if an item of clothing makes you feel anything but positive, then it’s time to remove it from your wardrobe. If you are unsure, then place it in your wardrobe, with the hanger facing the opposite way to your other clothes, if in a month you haven’t worn it, that means it’s time to get rid of it.

3. Make it seasonal – unless you feel confident enough to match a summer dress with a lovely woollen jumper, you will probably have seasonal items taking up your wardrobe space. Take out any items that won’t suit the current climate, and place them neatly into a storage container, and put them away. A clean and seasonal wardrobe is a happy wardrobe! You can then go through these items before the new season comes in and take the same clear out process with these items before placing them into your wardrobe.

One of the toughest things my clients have when we go through the wardrobe edit is knowing what style most truly reflects them. This can often change throughout our lives, as we age, get new jobs, become parents, or simply feel a new personal style is more appropriate. Once we get to grips with the styles that not only suit our body, but more importantly suit what we want to project to the world, then our confidence can shine brightly. It makes it easy to shop and find new clothing that we will want to wear every day!

If this feels overwhelming to you, or you’d like some support and professional assistance in choosing the items in your closet which will look the best on you (as well as removing those which do not serve your personal style), then I’d love to chat. Please feel free to comment below if you’re hitting a roadblock, or have any questions, or call me to see how we can work together to make your confidence shine brightly.

PERSONAL SHOPPER ADVICE: HOW TO CREATE YOUR PERFECT WARDROBE

NO MORE WARDROBE MELTDOWNS is the title of the workshop I have handled on the 11th of May, in cooperation with Savio Los PT/Nutritionist and the Italian Fashion brand Liu Jo, at their flagship store in Marylebone, London.

The idea of this workshop came up from observing some of my clients. I have realized that more and more people, especially women, tend to buy lots of clothes and accessories every season, tempted by the millions of brands available in the high streets, by special offers, by the fashion trends of the moment and, sometimes, also by fashion bloggers.  As a result they usually end up with a wardrobe full of clothes and accessories, yet they feel they’ve got nothing to wear.

sounds familiar?! 

Well, Statistics show that the majority of people use a very little percentage of the items they own, and most of those items remain in their closet, sometimes still with the tags on.

I can tell you that most of the time having a minimal wardrobe can help us with our daily outfit choices and can turn out to be more functional than a full wardrobe! And the first step to get a functional wardrobe starts with our shopping choices. We need in fact to understand what to buy, to limit our purchases to what is really working for us: from the best cuts, shapes and combination to the best colours. It might seem difficult at the beginning but I can assure you that once you find your answers you will start shopping in a totally different way, more consciously and selectively and in the end you will find that this will also help you save money.

Another point that made me come up with the idea of this workshop is that most of my clients don’t just want to give a twist to their style, they actually want a dramatic change to their look and their image.  But, as I always say, while I can teach people how to enhance their features, I cannot change them.  So I thought to combine, in one single event, styling tips with fitness tips, thanks to the cooperation of Savio Los, an expert personal trainer and nutritionist.

Why have I chosen this particular store to host the event?! Liu Jo is an Italian fashion brand which is very popular in Italy and I’ve always been a fan. My opinion, as a stylist and a customer is that, apart from being original and different from other high street brands, their products have an incredible value for money, great quality and attention to details and great fit, especially for the denim, that is also their topic product, known above all for their exclusive BOTTOM UP formula. Yes...Bottom up! And it works!:-)

Anyway, fit and quality are, for me, essential elements for a good valuable shopping and a functional wardrobe.

Throughout the event we showed 5 models, each with a specific body shape and different proportions and colours. For every one of them I have created a personalized outfit, picking the best items to highlight their features; I called them one at a time, explained my choices to the audience. Savio could then give specific fitness and workout tips for every body shape we saw.

The first of the models was Benedetta

photo by Julia Andrzejewska

Benedetta is a typical inverted triangle, which means she has quite broad shoulders that are wider than hips; her point of strength, the one to be highlighted, is surely her bottom part (hips + legs) while she needs to be careful not to highlight even more her shoulders. This is why I created this outfit for her : the details are concentrated on the jeans, focusing the eye attention on what is her point of strength, while I chooses plain simple clothes in soft fabrics for the top. Benedetta has also very soft colours and contrasts, that is why I choose soft colours as well for her outfit, trying to respect her natural colouring; this way the colours can highlight and complement her features without prevailing or dragging her down.

Being her quite tall I dared a bottom fold at her jeans (not suggested for petit or for who has fuller or short legs instead); as for the accessories I went for a medium to big size handbag, good for her proportions, and high heels, but she can even decide to go for flat or small heels, as she doesn't really need to elongate the figure.

the second model was Maeva  another inverted triangle but this time with bright crispy colours and high natural contrasts 

photo by Julia Andrzejewska

To create her outfit I followed the same general rules as Benedetta, but I choose totally different colours and combinations, to highlight her features. For her, moreover, I choose a small sized handbag because she is a petit, and I also suggested (at least for her nights out) to wear always medium to high heels. 

To make targeted and right shopping choices, anyway, it is essential to know not only what works for us, but also what does not. For inverted triangles, like Maeva and Benedetta, here some clues of what to avoid: off the shoulders cuts, puffiness and volume on shoulders, stiff fabrics and horizontal stripes on top, specially if combined with plain darker trousers or skirts.

The third model was Crystel, this time a triangle, with deep colours and high contrasts.

photo by Julia Andrzejewska

Triangles have, typically, hips wider then shoulders and, generally, the bottom part of the body is curvy and full while the top is smaller, also shoulders are usually a bit slope. The rules for creating a perfect outfit for a triangle are exactly the opposite of the inverted triangle :-) So what it is working? ..Details and volume on top, puffed and padded shoulders, plain items and soft fabrics instead for the bottom; usually triangles are characterized also by a narrow waist, in that case it is also good to highlight the waist point with cuts and belts. 

What to avoid instead? Sheath and bottom clinging dresses, details on legs and hips, trousers with pleats and darts, stiff fabrics on bottom, patterns (especially bold) on legs and hips. For Crystel, besides, pastels or too bright colours are to avoid.

Then we saw Anna, a full hourglass with soft colours and light contrasts

photo by Julia Andrzejewska

We can say that someone is a hourglass when their shoulders and hips are even and they also have a narrow waist point; and when I talk about a "full hourglass" I mean someone with a quite curvy body. Basically hourglasses can wear any kind of clothes style, but generally speaking they need to pay attention to maintain their natural body balance with their outfits and full hourglasses in particular must take care to complement their natural curves with soft and fluid fabrics. They should also always try to highlight their waist through cuts and belts, being it a real point of strength. This is why I choose this dress for her, that gets all the elements to enhance her features. The outfit was then completed by a powder pink leather jacket (I am holing it in the picture) to create a nice soft contrast with the dress, high heels - good to elongate her legs - and a medium sized bag. 

What to avoid: stiff fabrics, sheath dresses, too much voluminous fabrics/shapes, horizontal stripes, stilettos (as their legs are usually quite full and needs to be elongated). For Anna, moreover, better to avoid bright or too dark colours and strong contrasts.

The 5th and last model was Giada, this time a neat hourglass with deep colours and soft contrasts.

Giada, with everyone's great envy (in the good sense of course), is the luckiest of the models and in general she represents the luckiest of the body shapes: naturally balanced and proportioned and, in her case, also tall! As I said before, anyway, hourglasses must always take care to maintain their natural body balance; so for Giada I tried to focus the attention on the whole figure, by choosing a quite detailed top, enriched by the belt that is highlighting her waistline, in soft deep colours and soft contrasts to complement her natural colouring, contrasted by a white slim fit jeans. For her I choose flat sandals, as she doesn't really need high heels to elongate her legs, and a big sized handbags. 

What to avoid: I suggested Giada to avoid small sized handbags and pastel or bright colours, specially if worn close to her face.

For all of the models and the body shapes they represented, our PT Savio Los gave then his workout tips 

There are, obviously, many other kind of body shapes and features, everyone is different and have their own characteristics; would have been impossible to speak about and show all of them in one single event. But people looked impressed by all the tips they were able to get all at once, and the hour after the demonstration they could practice, with my help for a shopping consultation in real time.

We are willing to do soon another event, seeing the great success of this first edition! 

Now enjoy the photo gallery, with shots also from the backstage :-) and don't miss the video too 

Gallery 

All photos by Julia Andrzejewska

Video

PERSONAL SHOPPER ADVICE: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WEDDING SUIT

After last blog post I realize I was addressing my 3 tips to women only, so I decided to release a new one giving this time 3 tips useful to men.  For who doesn't know yet I am, in fact, a personal stylist/shopper who works both with men and women; I've had male clients, indeed,  who were asking my help because their were struggling to find something appropriate (whether it was for budget, or quality, or simply in line with the event coming) , so why not to give them the some hints? 

I also realized that in my last blog post I was referring to Western weddings; always better to specify, as in the Eastern culture most of the habits and traditions (and the colour meanings) can be very different. 

Said that, here are my 3 tips for men, who are attending one or more weddings soon and need to find an appropriate suit, and the accessories of course, for the occasion/s: 

tip #1 is about the style of the wedding, where the location can be a big clue (villa or country house?! Castle or restaurant?!); this is a detail that can make the difference in the choice of the outfit's style!

tip #2 is about the accessories features, so bear in mind that shoes and belt must be always in the same colour, and knot tie/bow tie, handkerchief and cufflinks represent the accent to every men outfit, so it is high recommended to choose them carefully, coloured (not matching with the suit's colour) and, above all tie and handkerchief, must be coordinated. An outstanding outfit is not just done by the dress but by the whole set of elements and embellishment. So one of the key word to get an outstanding outfit (and so presence) is : coordination!

tip #3 is more than everything the answer to a question many clients asked her : can we wear white or black at a wedding? The answer is slightly different from the one I gave to my female public, but again If you wish to know the answer have a look to the video :-) We don't want to spoil you everything, do we?! 

So, enjoy the video, and for every question, or if you need a private consultation or personal shopping session with me, just contact me at stefania@onefoastyle.com.

PERSONAL SHOPPER ADVICE: HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR OUTFIT FOR A WEDDING?

Summer 2017 is approaching and so the Wedding Season (as most of the weddings are celebrated in summer indeed!).

Stefania, image consultant - founder of One of a Style - wants with this video share 3 tips for guests (women) who are attending one or more weddings in the coming season, to help them with their selection of dressed and outfits. 

This idea came after as she dealt with lots of clients in the past who asked her consultation to find dresses and accessories to attend weddings. It is clear that this is not an easy subject and that most people (especially women) get lost, and sometimes crazy, in their seeks of an appropriate outfit for the occasion.

1st tip Stefania gives is about the location and venue, and so the style, of the wedding (villa or country house?! Castle or restaurant?!) that can make the difference in the choice of the dress'style!

2nd tip is about the accessories features! An outstanding outfit is not just done by the dress but by the whole set of elements and embellishment. She suggests to find metallic accessories (gold / silver/ rose gold...) that can be easily matching between them and with all the colours of the spectrum for a dress! A smart choice above all if you have more than one wedding/even in a single season, so that you can change the dress but leave the same accessories (shoes, clutch, jewellery).

3rd tip is more than everything the answer to a question many clients asked her : can we wear white or black at a wedding? If you wish to know the answer have a look to the video :-) We don't want to spoil you everything, do we?! 

PERSONAL STYLIST ADVICE: WHAT TO WEAR FOR A JOB INTERVIEW / BUSINESS MEETING?

Probably you have asked yourself the same question many times! Image consultant Stefania wants to share 3 top tips with you through this brief video, to help you leading a successful performance also thanks to your image. 

If you need some specific styling tips for yourself contact Stefania at stefania@oneofastyle.com and ask her help to impress.

LIFE OF A LONDON STYLIST: BRIDAL PERSONAL STYLING SESSION

Stefania is ready to go to the second appointment with a bride to be for the research of her wedding dress, through her exclusive bridal personal styling service, and wishes her public a splendid Good Morning!

LIFE OF A LONDON STYLIST: MY INTERVIEW BY AN ITALIAN TV CHANNEL

Here a skype interview released by an Italian TV Channel (RTV 38). 

Pity it is in Italian, but I hope someone of you will be able to understand it. It explains a bit of me, my job, how and why I decided to start my business. Enjoy!

EVENTS: THE POWER OF COLOUR

"the best colour in the world is the colour that looks good on you" C.Chanel

Yesterday, Thursday the 12th, there have been a workshop organized by Stefania Bartolomei, about the colour as powerful styling tool!

Of all the styling tools, colour is maybe the most underestimated, yet it has the great power to affect not only our look but also our mood.

As the right colour can, in fact, confer us a healthy look, enhancing our features, making our eyes shine bright and our skin looks like porcelain, so the wrong colour can wash us out, highlighting the eye circles and the skin flaws. We perceive the effects that colours have on us, but most of the time we are not aware of it and we think that the causes of our look, whether it is good or not, are entirely of physical and mental status nature.

Being conscious of what our best colours are can really have an effect on our attitude. as I always say : when you look good, you feel good! And when you feel good, you have more self confidence, so you can be successful and get what you are aiming to, that in the social life as well as in business.

Let's go deeper now into the technical side of the workshop and its subject.

As you probably know, one of the services that Stefania offers to her clients is the colour analysis; the seasonal color analysis (to be precise) is a scientific way to determine's people best colours. 

As in nature, the seasonal colour analysis is based on the 4 seasons : spring, summer, autumn and winter.

These seasons recall the colours that we can find in nature, from spring, with its bright, powerful and warm colours , that become softer and lighter in summer, to autumn, with everything getting warmer and deeper, to the winter, with its crispy and sharp colours and its high contrasts. 

spring

summer

autumn

winter

The colour drapes, used for the colour analysis, recall the properties of the seasons in nature, reproducing the same general characteristics. 

spring

summer

autumn

winter

The same characteristics can then be found in our own features. So, generally speaking, people with light soft coloring would most likely belong to summer, while people with dark colours and high contrasts in their features would most likely belong to winter.

But it is not easy to recognize all this values in ourselves and there can be also exceptions. So it must be clear that this are general rules and that the only way to build up our palette of best colours, in the end, is to have a professional colour analysis.

During the workshop Stefania shown the effect of the colours on our features, whether they are good or wrong, explaining how to recognize our features through 3 values:

• temperature (warm vs cold)

• brightness (soft vs bright)

• light (light vs dark)

giving eventually practical examples on how to make the most of our colours through the use not only of clothes but also of accessories, make-up and hair colour choices. 

At the end of She also did a funny "celebrity game", where people were called to guess the properties, and so the season, of some star, among which Lucy-Liu, Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, Julia Roberts and so on... this was lot of fun! 

The workshop has been a great success! The atmosphere was cozy and nice and seen the great enthusiasm shown by the public Stefania will surely plan another one very soon! 

In the meantime, if you want to find out more about the subject and discover what is your season and what are your best colours book your session with Stefania writing at stefania@oneofastyle.com 

Special thanks go to : Veronika Damiani for the make-up of the models; Laura & Kim for being my models.

PERSONAL SHOPPER ADVICE: SALE TIME..HOW TO MAKE IT A REAL BARGAIN!

Christmas is yet to come but shops all around London have opened the sale season already!

Sales are tempting, aren’t they?! Everyone is waiting for the sales to get the chance to renew their wardrobe with new fashionable pieces; sales are the great opportunity we have, twice a year, to catch great “occasions”! Yet, it is so easy to make the bargain become a bad investment (not to say a waste of money)..

We are tempted by those tags reporting a 30%, a 40%, 50% discount on and even more, and most of the time we buy certain pieces just because of those numbers, thinking “I can’t let them go, that’s a real occasion”!! Yet, most of the time, once at home we realize we have nothing to wear with what we bought on sale, or that they do not fit us that well, and eventually we let them “age” in our wardrobe.

If we would count all the money we spent in one year on wrong purchases on sale, I bet it is quite a big amount! With the same money we could have bought something more valuable, really good for us, something truly useful to complement our existing wardrobe, or we could have simply them.tI am an image consultant and personal shopper and among my services there is the wardrobe edit. My words come for a reason.. through this services to my clients' I’ve seen so many of these situations, new items still with the tag on, never worn, bought ages before, and the answer to the question “why did you buy it?” is quite often the same: “it was an occasion!”... was it?!

Do not misunderstand me, sales can really be a bargain, but we need to understand how to shop wisely and avoid compulsive choices that would make them become only a "trick".

So here are some shopping tips, simple advice that can really help you to save your money, time and energy during the sale time: 

Ask yourself “would I pay for the whole price”?

Despite the discount, asking yourself this question will help you to understand the real value of an item and your real need of it. If the answer to this question will be "no, I wouldn't" , then leave it where it is.. it means you don't really love or need it and that you are tempted by the price and the discount = it would become a trick not a bargain.

Write down a list

It's always good to know what your wardrobe gaps are, but especially during sales time! Having your list with you during your shopping tour will help you doing a first important selection.

Go beyond that list just if you really fall in love with something, even if it is not mentioned in the list (but never forget point 1).

Stick to your style

Despite the fashion trends of the moment, despite the percentage of discount and the sales assistant persuasion, before buying something ask yourself if it really reflects your style and if you are really going to use it and wear it the next season! Sometimes we are tempted by celebrities or fashion bloggers, we want to wear what they wear and sales are just the perfect time to buy something extra to emulate our style icons. Very well, but what suits them won’t necessarily suit you, so always think if what you are trying on is really reflecting your personality and matching your lifestyle, otherwise it will last the time of the journey back home to become eventually another “untouched” piece in your closet.

Stick to your size

If it’s not your size leave it where it is. Be honest with yourself..If it’s smaller don’t think you are going to loose weight just to wear it. If it’s bigger you know you are never going to wear it, cause you won’t like yourself in it, as it is not going to enhance you and I don’t think you would rather put on weight, at least not on purpose, to make it fitting you. Save your money for what fits you perfectly.

Go to your favourite shops first

Rather than going randomly from a shop to another in the High Streets, make a list of your favourite brands/shops and start with them in your shopping tours. What usually work for you or what usually makes you satisfied throughout the year rarely will let you down on sale time either. After that, if you still have time, money and energy, or if you won't feel totally satisfied by your purchases, go have a look to other stores/brands..there can always be room for new favourites to add to your list!

Be on your favourite store's mailing list

The problem with the sales is that shops run out of sizes and stocks very quickly, so being late means having less chances to find items that suit us, for size, shape and colours, with an inevitable sense of frustration. Being on the mailing list of your favourite brands will allow you to be there at the very beginning of the sales time , getting more chances of finding the most suitable pieces for you.

Plan your shopping time wisely

Avoiding weekends and afternoons in general will give you a better assistants in store, better services in general, tidier stores and so more chances to find what you are looking for, in a nicer and quieter atmosphere. Too crowded places can make the shopping experience become stressful and unsatisfying, while we want to enjoy it, don't we!?

Dress comfortably

You are supposed to try on lots of things or, anyway, more than usual, so having comfortable clothes and shoes, easy to put on and take off, will help you to do less efforts and waste less energies. Being fresh will make you take good choices.

Stick to your colours

One of the services I do in a personal styling package is the colour analysis. If you have been my client in the past or you ever had a colour analysis in your life you should know what your best colours are. During sale time be carefull not to be tempted by the price, buying something in colours that you know will drag you down or will overpower your features. Once at home you won’t wear it anymore. Not to mention that, if you followed your palette to build up your wardrobe, something completely different in shades would most likely not match all the rest of your wardrobe with a consequent abandon of purchases on sale. 

Well, these tips should be enough to prevent wrong and compulsive purchases from now on.

I hope you did enjoy my article and, more than everything, that you will find it useful for your next shopping tours.

Merry Christmas to you all

BRIDAL STYLING: MY BRIDAL STYLE

I've previously written about how to choose the best shade of white and the best wedding dress style to enhance our features and personality, but recently someone suggested me to write about my own bridal style; I got married just last year, actually.

Well, usually I don't like to talk about myself in my articles, I'm not that kind of blogger who publishes pictures of herself and posts about her lifestyle, but I have to admit that probably the best way to explain the meaning of "personal bridal styling" and its effectiveness is by doing practical examples and that probably the best example I can report is...me!

I am a typical "spring", which in the personal styling world means I have light and warm features. I have actually fair skin,blonde hair with golden shades and blue eyes with some yellow/green hues inside, that make them warm as well (differently from the icy blue eyes, typical of the "cool-summer" featured people).

This on the left is a quite recent photo. Last year, when I got married, I had very long hair, but this does not affect the colours' matter at all.

The first time I went to a boutique to try some wedding dresses I had a clear idea in mind : I wanted a mermaid/trumpet style dress, in ivory or blush colour; my ideal wedding dress style and designer was Pronovias.  

Here below some examples of mermaid wedding dress style from 2016 Pronovias collection..beautiful, aren't they?

I went to the first boutique asking exclusively for this kind of dresses and I tried on some stunning samples indeed; I had to admit I was quite happy.. but not totally convinced. 

First of all because of the colour. Those styles were in fact all in pure white. 

Now, if you didn't read my previous article "50 shades of...white?!" you probably don't know that the pure white belongs to the cool colour category and that it is not really recommended to warm featured women like me.

I was aware of that, but in the meantime, I wanted to try them on because, you know, the pure white is the most classic colour for a wedding dress!

Well, I tried, but I wasn't convinced at all; my face wasn't illuminated, despite the sparkling decorative elements, and every flaw of my face like the eye circles and skin imperfections seemed to be highlighted. That's actually what happens when we put the "wrong" colour close to our face.. yet, apart from the colour I was still convinced about the mermaid shape. So I went to another boutique with exactly the same requests: mermaid cut and ivory/blush shade. They brought me several samples to try on, amazing these too, yet something wasn't really convincing me.. This time the problem wasn't the colour but I understood that it was probably the dress shape itself.

You must know that I am a "triangle" or so-called pear-shaped woman; it means I have narrower shoulder and wider hips. The typical triangle has small and quite slope shoulders while mine are angular and quite wide, yet my hips are wider and curvy! 

Here a typical "triangle" or "pear" body shape

I was attracted by those mermaid shapes because they were the trend of the moment and, being me a fashion lover and professional, I was looking for the most trendy wedding dress, forgetting two very important details: my body shape and my personality.

Despite those dresses weren't that bad on me, actually, they simply weren't enhancing nor evening my body. Certain kinds of dress cuts call the eye attention on all the body areas or, depending on the style, they can even highlight the hips area; so if you don't have perfect proportions between your top and your bottom and, above all, if you don't feel comfortable with the idea of getting the attention on your side B (like some celebrities) those dresses are not for you. So, well, they weren't totally wrong for me but they simply were not my best! And I bet every bride wish to be at her best on her big day...am I wrong? 

In the end I started to think more thoroughly to my body shape and finally I realized that probably my original idea wasn't the best for me and that I had to try something different; and then I spotted a dress in the boutique: it had a strapless sparkling corset and a smooth satin skirt, a dress with the so called "A-line" shape; the colour was a light pinkish ivory, warm , soft and delicate...I loved it at first sight!

I was only afraid that the skirt, a bit voluminous, would have made me shorter (I'm not that tall actually) but then I tried it on and, instead, everything seemed to work well: the colour, the shape, the style!

A picture of my wedding dress (picture by Alessandro Mayer)

I was feeling confident and comfortable in it (and trust me, that day you need to feel as much comfortable as possible in your dress!). I was feeling myself! That's what, most of all, made me go for it.

The shape was also perfect because it was drawing the attention on my bust and shoulders, rather than on my curvy bottom part, balancing this way my body figure; the skirt wasn't too wide, so it didn't make me shorter, and the soft fabric gently slips on my curves.

As for the style..well it was very feminine and romantic and of all the "styles" romantic is the one that represents me most!

Discover Your Bridal Style Now

That wedding dress seemed to have all the elements to make me feel a "perfect bride", enhancing my body, my complexion and my personality; so I bought it, without hesitations.

After that all the other details and choices came along quite naturally: the hairstyle, the accessories, the flowers for the bouquet.. the dress is, in fact, the most difficult and important choice for a bride-to-be; in my opinion is the dress, actually, that determines all the other features of a bride's style!

Well, I bet now you are curious to see the final result of my bridal style, and here I am

- pictures are by Alessandro Mayer www.photomayer.it -

So...what do you think? did I make the right choice?

I hope this article will help you for your wedding dress choice. But if you'll need some professional advice I'll be honoured to be your personal stylist for the big day! Basically I will help you to find your best dress in terms of colour, shape and style, as well as I've done for myself.

Find out more here

PERSONAL SHOPPER ADVICE: DO NOT WASH!?

I bet this is something that happened to most of you at least once in your lifetime, buying a nice garment and then finding this "funny" symbol on its care label the minute before putting it into the washing machine:

For those of you who don't know it yet, let me introduce you to the "do not wash" symbol.

I came up with the idea for this article after I had a personal shopping tour with a client. She was in love with a white coat, determined to buy it, and I was even encouraging her because it suited her very much; but right before going to the till to pay for it, I asked her to check the care label and, guess what!? The "funny" symbol was there!  

Now...can you imagine a white coat?

Pure, clear, magnetic.... just for one day probably!

It could become greyish in a snap just by touching something or leaning the elbows somewhere; not to mention the chance of getting it stained by eating or drinking something (and if you wear it for your nights out, there is a high chance for it to happen).

So, what options did she have? Apparently, two: buy it but leave it hanging in the closet, well preserved in its packaging, waiting for a very special occasion, or leave it in the shop. My clients, following my suggestion, chose option 2. A coat is quite an expensive piece of apparel, even in the high street chain shops, so she wisely thought it wasn't worth spending money on it. 

But, honestly, this is not fair; when it happens that we like a garment and it also really suits and enhances us, we should be free to buy it! 

I really wish to say something to all the apparel companies: probably they don't know it, but a garment needs to be washed, if not right after we bought it, at least once we've worn it.

The problem is I've worked for several fashion companies in the past, because I used to be a product developer and fashion designer before being an image consultant, and I know how it works. I can't and don't want to generalise, but most of the time, companies simply prefer to avoid risks - by putting a "do not wash" symbol on a care label, they prevent complaints related to the washing/care of a garment. This is an easy and convenient option for them, not as convenient for their customer, actually.

Let me tell you something: there is no fabric that cannot be washed! And in case it really exists it shouldn't be used to produce clothes (am I wrong?!). Obviously I'm not telling you to wash everything that has that symbol on its care label, I cannot guarantee that your garments can be really washed, there are many factors to be considered (for example if there are beads, delicate embroideries or any kind of embellishment on it) but I can tell you that as long as it's plain and the fabric is silk, viscose, cotton, linen, rayon, polyester, nylon and even wool, you can hand wash it or do a delicate and proper washing machine program; and if it's leather, a coat or a down jacket you can have it dry cleaned at the laundry. 

I've also got several garments that apparently cannot be washed; most of them are high-quality brands and quite expensive, and I noticed this detail too late, but I decided to run the risk: I washed them! And you know what? The outcome was unbelievably perfect.

This is another reason why I'm writing these few words: now, as in the past, when I was on the brands' side, I hate that customers are cheated! 

Take my words just as a warning, but do what you really think is best for your clothes and act according to your ideas.

I just want to give you a warm advice for next time you go shopping for clothes : before buying a garment don't just look at the price tag, also check the care label and if you see the "do not wash" symbol leave it where it is, possibly explaining your reasons to the sales assistants. Your money is valuable, spend it wisely and avoid surprises!

This is, in fact, something I help my clients with during their personal shopping experiences with me. With my background in fashion, I know fabrics well and how to treat them.

Stefania Bartolomei,
Personal Stylist, London

BRIDAL STYLING: WHAT IS YOUR (BRIDAL) STYLE?

As I always say, your clothes must suit not only your body and features but also your personality! As for the wedding dress it is probably the most important dress in every woman's life; so, when the time will come for you to choose your own, don't just look for the shape and the colour you'd like to get, but also ask yourself : "does it suit my personality"? If you think it does...that's it!! You've found your wedding dress!

How to recognize your bridal style and, consequently, your wedding dress' style? The only way to discover it is to wear that dress and see your reaction once it'll be up: if you'll feel confident, at ease, at the most of your energy and "girl power", if looking at the mirror you'll feel beautiful and magnetic or even emotional, I think you'll have just found your wedding dress or, at least, one of the best candidates!

Now I am going to talk about the different styles, so that you can already have an idea of which one represents you most, doing  practical examples through some beloved celebrities.

The first one of our style is : CREATIVE. 

You probably are a creative if you love to combine different items of clothing and accessories to get a unique and interesting look, if you rarely throw anything out, if your wardrobe is full of items from many different sources (even vintage mixed with High Street) collected over the years, if shopping for you is an art form and, again, if you like to make interesting purchases while on holiday and study fashion magazines to get new ideas.

Beyonce, as creative as she is, was wearing a creative dress at her wedding.

The second style is : DRAMATIC.

If you love to be noticed and often wear clothes with a "wow" factor you are probably a dramatic; you love parties and wear the last fashion items (even if they don’t particularly suit you) and shopping is one of your favorite pastimes. Probably your wardrobe consists of many different styles of clothes and one-off pieces that you have bought on impulse and you are not concerned with whether your clothes are practical or washable – they must simply make a statement.

Gwen Stefani surely chose a dramatic style for her wedding dress, designed by John Galliano for Christian Dior.

The third of our style category is : ROMANTIC.

If you, just like me, love details like bows, lace, ruffles, flounces, fringes and sparkling elements, if you like floral features (whether they are in patterned fabrics or as accessories and decorative details), pretty and feminine details and if you like to spend time for your self care (and money for skin and body care products) and you never go out without your perfume, you are undoubtedly a romantic.

Molly Sims was absolutely a romantic bride, in her Marchesa wedding dress.

Let's go on with the 4th style category : CLASSIC

You are a "classic" if you have a fairly formal wardrobe and you don't like to mix textures or wear daring colour combinations, if you like to appear well turned out and elegant and your tops are usually tucked in, or again if you don't love changes about your look (so you basically keep the same hairstyles and makeup) and if you are not a shopping nor a fashion victim at all! 

Princess Charlene is a perfect example of a classic bridal style, with her stunning wedding dress by Armani.

Then there are the NATURALs. 

You are a natural if the most important factor for you is to feel comfortable in your clothes and so you usually avoid anything that constricts, digs in or pinches. Also you are favor of a casual wear and in love with simple lines, while cluttered dresses are not done for you.

Megan Fox has been a natural bride, with her flowing chiffon silk dress by Armani prive’.

What do you think is your bridal style?

If you need help finding the best wedding dress for you, let’s have a chat! A special experience is waiting for you..

PERSONAL STYLING ADVICE: DOES SHORT HAIR SUIT YOU?

The new hairstyle trend is clear : short cuts!

I myself am a "victim" of this new trend! I couldn't resist, I cut my hair just a few days ago, after years of high maintenance long hair I said: "let's cut"! The sensation of lightness and freedom after that is incredible! Yet it wasn't easy to take such a decision.. before going for a "bold" cut you must find a good hairdresser, someone you really trust in, then you need to find the best cut for you 'cause the wrong one would make you regret your decision in an instant! 

So, how to determine if short hair suit you? And, in case, which cut is better for you? Well, there are some general "rules" to know that might help your choice, apart from your personal style and taste, that depends on your face shape, shoulder line and hair texture. 

The first rule to know is something about math, applied to beauty of course! It is called the 2.25" rule and it was invented by Giles Robinson, Senior Stylist at John Frieda Salons UK and International Training Director of Color Wow. This simple measurement will indicate whether a face is suited to short or long hair through the help of a ruler and a pencil! Just place a ruler under your ear, vertically, and a pencil under your chin, horizontally, then check the measurements from the intersection of the pencil and the ruler. If it's less than 2.25" (or 5.5 cm) it means that a short haircut will be perfect for you! If it's anything more, maybe you will have to change your mind and leave your hair long.

 But that's not all! Here are some other useful rules and tips :

FACE SHAPE :  

the oval face shape is the best one for short hair, basically good with every kind of haircut. Charlize Theron has a perfect oval.

Oblong face should instead be aware of haircuts that add volume on top and create vertical illusions, like the so-called "spike" hairstyle; they should opt instead for haircuts that add volume on the sides, in order to create balance; the best hairstyle for oblong face are bobbed hair and possibly wavy or curly.

Kim Kardashian is a perfect examples of oblong face shape.

On the contrary rounded face should create vertical illusions through their hair, adding volume on top, and go for a tuft or a long fringe. Michelle Williams is a perfect example of rounded face shape.

The pixie haircut are instead better for triangular or diamond-shaped faces. 

Scarlett Johansson is a perfect example of diamond face shape, and in fact, she looks is great with a pixie haircut.

SHOULDER, NECK AND JAWS : 

You must be aware that when you go for a short haircut your face frame become more visible, as well as any eventual defect! So, if you think your neck, shoulder and jaws (or at least two of them) are not well balanced maybe it's better to leave your hair longer. Jennifer Lawrence has, for instance, perfect proportions between her neck, shoulders and jaws.

BODY PROPORTIONS :

Your body proportions may affect your hairstyle choices as well. Pixie haircuts, for instance, are surely good for petit women, 'cause they tend to elongate, while they could be a risk for tall women unless they are extremely proportioned; as for triangles women (hips wider than shoulder) or the inverted triangles (shoulder wider than hips) they must be aware that in both the cases a very short haircut could highlight their unbalance. A pixie haircut, for instance, helped Emma Watson (H. 165 cm) look taller.

CURLY or THIN HAIR?

Despite the opinion of some hairdressers, I believe that even curly-hair women can dare a short cut! Obviously the hairdresser choice is fundamental, they must be specialists in curly hair, but with the right hand and the right cut, even curly-women can change their look and get an amazing short cut.

As for women with smooth and thin hair, there is no problem at all in doing a short haircut, that would add the volume and the movement they need unless it is an extremely layered cut.

In the end, do you think short hair would suit you?

BRIDAL STYLING: 50 SHADES OF...WHITE!?

Nothing to do with the famous "GREY" , don't worry! But if you think that there is just one shade of white I am afraid you are wrong.  

If you are going to get married and you are looking for your Wedding dress then take into consideration this article, maybe you'll discover what your best shade of white and it'll help to identify the perfect dress and complements for your Big Day!

Like any other colour, actually, even white has several and different shades : there are indeed cool whites and warm whites, there is the pure white, the greyish white, the pearl white, the off-white, the champagne, the ivory (that can be yellowish or pinkish) and I could go on with the list.

Nowadays there is such a huge proposal of Wedding dress styles and colours that you can get lost! Maybe you have a clear idea of what you want : if you are a classic and a traditional bride you would probably go for a pure white dress, while if you are a fashion victim maybe you would go for the last trend colours (2016 for example is the year of blush for the wedding dresses!); but it's not just a matter of personal taste : the right white, like any other right hue, can make your eyes shine bright, can illuminate your face and make your skin looks like porcelain; while the wrong shade of white could make you paler, highlight the dark circles or simply it wouldn't enhance your characteristics enough. Honestly, it is not just the shade but the mix of colour and fabric (shiny, matt, plain, embroidered, embellished, and so on...) that can really make the difference! But let's go on talking about the colour now, that is our real subject.

Still confused about what I am saying? Maybe some pictures will help! 

Here below as first the more classic of all, the pure white! This is a splendid example, shown in a sateen gown by Elie Saab http://www.pronovias.com/wedding-dresses/2015-elie-by-elie-saab

style CALAMIAN_ Elie by Elie Saab, 2015 collection

I am quite sure you will notice how the same shade of white (pure in this case) has a different effect when applied on another fabric kind, like this chiffon gown by Maggie Sottero for example  https://www.maggiesottero.com

Style DELANIE_Sottero and Midgley collection

It seems even more icy, isn't it? See also how the gown is embellished with silver jewelry applications; it is undoubtedly a wise choice! Usually silver is the metal that work better with the pure/optical white! This can be a useful info for you to complement your dress with accessories (earrings, necklace, tiara, hair pins, and so on..). 

The pure (or optical) white is identified as "cool" colour and it is generally better for people with cool features themselves (black hair or ash blond hair for example) and/or deep contrasts (black hair+black eyes and pale skin)_and I can tell you that the model of this picture is not the best to wear this colour actually. The pure white is usually the best choice for Asian women as well (Chinese and Japanese for example). But be aware that pure white can make your teeth seem yellow! 

Now I want to show your the warm classical white : the ivory. Here below a fine example of an ivory wedding dress from Pronovias http://www.pronovias.com . It is a yellowish one actually. Can you see the yellow shades of the fabric? It is clearly visible on the bottom part of the skirt. 

style TAIR B_Pronovias collection

This warm shades are generally better for women with warm features in their natural colours (like golden or chocolate brown or honey blond hair). Anyway this gown the white lace on top makes this ivory gown a lighter,delicate and less yellowish ivory shade, generally a good compromise for "neutrals" as well (women who have both cool and warm elements in their natural colours); for sure it is not suitable for women with real black hair and pale-pinkish skin tone. 

As I said on the beginning, anyway, there is more than one ivory as well! Here below another example of ivory gown, again from Maggie Sottero collection.  https://www.maggiesottero.com

style RIVIERA_Maggie Sottero collection

This time they added golden elements as you can see, accordingly to the fabric's colour nature; this really makes this gown warm and intense, good for women who have themselves very warm charatteristics (beige to brown/bronze shin, red hair, hazelnut eyes, for example). Honestly, the model they choose for this photo shooting is not the best to wear this dress (obviously I am referring just to her colours, not to her body!).

It is not the rule, anyway, to complement the pure white with silver and the ivory with gold, sometimes silver can work on warm shades as well as gold can work on cool shades, creating nice contrasts, good above all for "neutrals" women;  here an example of silver+pinkish ivory in a gown by Allure Bridals http://www.allurebridals.com/

style 9300_ALLURE BRIDALS collection

And what do you think about this wedding dress from BHLDN? http://www.bhldn.com/

style JOSINA GOWN_BHLDN collection

This pinkish ivory is good again for ladies with warm characteristics, maybe better for the ones with lighter colours (honey blond, light golden brown or red hair) 'cause it is very delicate and it has white pearly applications on the top that make it a bit softer and delicate; it suggests, moreover, the use of pearly accessories and jewelry to complement your total look.

What about this one below,  again from Sottero and Midgley collection?  www.maggiesottero.com . It's still pinkish but more delicate. This seems to me the best pinkish-ivory shade because it is very soft and not totally warm, it can really be a jolly for most of the women and, in my opinion, it can be complemented both by silver and golden elements.

style SORRENTO_Sottero and Midgley collection

Totally different story for this one below from BLHDN collection http://www.bhldn.com/

style LORRAINE DRESS_BHLDN collection

This is another version of a pinkish white again, with grey shades that make it cool and quite muted. It is probably good for ash-blond or light-brown women with light eyes (icy blue or green). I always say "probably" because you can't really determine if a colour is good for you or not unless you put it close to your face and see the effect it has on you and your complexion. Moreover women generally alter their hair colour and sometimes it alter their category as well (whether it is warm, cool or neutral).

The last one is a greyish-white gown, an absolute icy shade of white, complemented by greenish and probably dark silver elements, good for women with cool features and very delicate characteristics, like ash blond hair, icy blue eyes, pale pinkish shin (and this time the model used for the photo shooting seems to be perfect!)

Here ends my article, but there would be more and more to show you! My advice, if you really want to get a perfect look on your Wedding day and find the best shade of white for your dress, is to ask for the help of an expert colour analysist/image consultant... it really worth to try! At least is your Big Day we are talking about and every detail is important and can really make the difference!

Below you can see all the dresses mentioned above, so that you can have and immediate comparison of all these different shades of white!

BRIDAL STYLING: HAIRSTYLE TRENDS FOR 2016!

6 HAIRSTYLES FOR THE 2016 BRIDAL DRESSES

For me the second most important choice for a Bride, after the dress, is the hairstyle. So, if you are going to choose one of the 6 top styles from the 2016 trends, which is the best combination between your dress and your hair? Obviously you'll have to deal with your hair kind : long, short, thick, thin, and so on... but this is my guide-line to get the perfect combination without being excessive or, on the contrary, "dull" on your Wedding day.

1. Hairstyle for a fairy tale dress : what's better then a fairy tale hairstyle for your fairy tale dress? The sample shown on the picture here reminds me of Elsa (frozen) but it could work for Cinderella or Aurora as well ;-) it is romantic, feminine and if you want to make it sparkling you can add some bright stones, even replacing the flowers. Since your bust will be already embellished enough, I'd suggest to leave your hair on the back, avoiding overwhelming elements on front; on the contrary this way you will balance your image giving importance to the back as well.

2. Hairstyle for a Cropped-top dress : being this, in my opinion, the most youthful of the dress styles proposed, I would have a "young" hairstyle as well, leaving them quite natural or gathered in a side braid. Since this kind of dress is quite simple, and since you must be anyway the protagonist of that day, I would enrich your hair adding flower crowns, for example, that would add color and freshness, or even sparkling elements, to be more sophisticated.

3. Hairstyle for a High-low dress:  Well, it should be clear now,  if you choose a high-low dress you know that you will be watched all-over and your hairstyle must be as much fascinating and attractive as your dress (actually you have to draw the attention on your face as well!). So what I suggest is a rich and voluminous high-gathered hairstyle, with the addition of tiaras if you wish. I'd not add flowers, you would risk to send contrasting messages.

4. Hairstyle for a 3D Flowers dress : Well, your dress will be decorated enough, so I wouldn't play hard with my hair if I were you. keep it simple.. sophisticated, bu simple. I would not even add flowers (cause you already have them all around your dress) nor sparkling elements (that wouldn't be in line with the rest of your look). You will be elegant and beautiful without need of add anything more, don't worry!

5. Hairstyle for a Blush Shaded dress:  In this case, being the color the key point of your look, I can't tell you how to gather your hair ('cause it depends mostly on the dress' shape) but I can tell you that I would recall somehow the blush of the dress in your hair, probably by adding blossoms. The blush is romantic, make your hairstyle being romantic as well.

6. Hairstyle for a Long Sleeved dress :  as I told, the long-sleeved dresses are maybe the most regal of all. To get an appropriate regal hairstyle the key-word is "simplicity". Go for a simple shape but enrich it with a precious veil (in lace like the sleeves maybe?!) or a fine tiara to add light.

Let your guests and the groom being fascinated by your look! Let them remember how perfect your were, not "too much" nor "not enough"...just PERFECT.  

BRIDAL STYLING : 6 NEW TRENDS FOR WEDDING DRESSES

Here are the bridal dresses TOP trends for the 2016! what is the one the suits you most?

1. Fairy tale : bright, sparkling and romantic, this kind of dress recalls to the Disney's princesses. It will illuminate your decollete and your look and doubtless it will enchant your guests and, mostly important, the Groom! In terms of dress-cut it is better for whom has wide shoulders and want to emphasize her top part.

2. Cropped top : following the last high-street fashion trends, this is maybe the most fashionable of all and probably limited to the youngest brides. You must have a very flat belly and small breast to wear it properly. Absolutely not for everyone, but if you are a very fashion victim and a very thin figure this could be the best choice for you!

3. High-low :  this is the half-way between a short and a long dress, perfect if you want to show off your legs but have the long train also. This kind of dress will enhance all your body, because it will draw the eye attention both on your top and on your bottom part. If you really want to make a great entrance this is the right choice for you! Personally I think this is one of the best bridal dress cut ever (maybe my favorite) but it requires a very self-confident personality.

4. 3D Flowers : the flowers become real! We are no more talking about prints or lace, but real 3d application that will make you seem a nymphs! this is very romantic and, to me, it recalls to the famous "privamera" print of Botticelli. You will feel a Venus in that dress and that sounds great 'cause Venus was the Goddess of Beauty! There is nothing to say about the dress cut cause here the applications have the key-role and they can be applied on several kind of dress shapes. So you must really feel romantic and a bit bohemian to choose this style.

5. Blush Shades :  If you are not really convinced of the pure white, nor the ivory color, this is your year! Pink blush shades will dominate the 2016 palette, not only for the wedding embellishments but also for the dress! Here the color has the key role, not the dress cut, but you must be quite romantic and classic and , mostly important, you must love pink! warm colored hair (like red,reddish brown or medium blonde) match better with this kind of color.

6. Long Sleeves :  absolutely regal! it immediately recalls to Kate Middleton's wedding dress, indeed. Good if you look for a simple dress cut but, nonetheless, you want to feel the "queen" on your Big Day. It will give you importance, despite the simple shape, because none of your body part will be unadorned. I suggest it for women who wants to give importance to their arms (for example if they are very thin and you want to add volume).

So, before going on trying and choosing your Wedding dress,  think who you really are and what part of your body and your personality you want to enhance and highlight, then make your choice! Do not forget that dresses styles are closely related to hairstyles, make-up and shoes kinds! Shortly I will talk about these subjects as well.. so don't miss it!!

Stefania