How To Choose A Fabulous Pair of Glasses

Choosing the perfect pair of glasses can be a challenging exercise. There’s usually an overwhelming array of designs to select from, but the trick is knowing which ones to eliminate. When you do, the choices narrow considerably and the decision becomes much easier. The mantra of “harmony and balance” is just as valid for selecting glasses as it is for everything else that we wear.

The factors that affect whether frames looks fabulous on us are many, though they can probably be summed up under the headings of shape and colour.

Here are the important ones:

1. face size
2. face shape
3. internal facial lines (straight, curved or combination)
4. skin tone (warm or cool)
5. hair colour (natural or not)

So, no wonder it can be confusing. Let’s look at these factors a little more closely.

1. The Size of your Face. This is one of the easiest factors to get right. Small faces are usually overwhelmed by glasses with oversized frames and especially those which are much wider than your face. And of course larger and/or broader faces are underwhelmed by little frames.

• The Shape of your Face. Generally, if your face is rectangle or square with your temples, cheekbones and jawline forming a straight line glasses with a straight outside edge will be a good choice. Similarly, if your face shape is rounded or oval, then the outside edge of your glasses can also be curved.

• The Internal Lines of your Face. These lines are seen in your eyebrows, shape of your eyes and mouth as well as your nose. If the lines formed by these features are primarily straight, then frames that are angular and straight will flatter you. If the lines are predominantly curved, very rounded or oval shaped frames will suit you best. And if your face is a combination of curved and straight lines, then frames that are neither very straight nor very rounded will be best.

• Your Skin Tone. If your skin has a warm undertone then warm coloured frames will be your most flattering choices and the ones most likely to harmonise with your face. Very cool or black frames look disconnected and more obvious on those of us with a warm undertone. So consider gold, bronze and tortoise shell as best all-purpose shades. However, if you want more colour in your life and your glasses, then try oranges, purples, brick reds, olives and other yellow greens. Cool skinned people need to choose from silver, pewter, grey or black for versatile frames. Great colour options include blues, blue reds, blue greens, pink and purple.

• Your Hair Colour. If your hair is a deep warm shade such as brown with red highlights or a rich auburn, try darker warm frames; tortoise shell , dark brown, dark green or brick red could be perfect. If your hair is warm but lighter such as strawberry blond, golden blond or light brown consider gold, caramel, aqua or light yellow greens. Those of us with dark ash brown and black hair will look great in black, silver, burgundy or deep blue. Cool blondes and lighter ash browns will be suited to pewter, pink, blue, purple and blue greens.

Lessons to be Learned from a Style Icon

We love Audrey Hepburn, she is one of our favourite style icons. We think she perfectly epitomised stylish dressing and we began to consider that  the rest of us mere mortals could learn how to dress like a style icon by studying how Audrey did it. It's worth mentioning at this point, that Hubert Givenchy was Audrey Hepburn's stylist. Looking fabulous would be a little easier for most of us if we had someone of his inestimable talents directing our clothing choices. But in the absence of a personal Givenchy, the next best option is to learn from what Hepburn and Givenchy did.

 Firstly, her clothes and make-up were timeless, neither fashion forward or fashion passé. Minus the gloves perhaps, today we could replicate this outfit pictured here and look thoroughly contemporary.

 Secondly, she always presented a balanced visual image that showcased her beautiful face and slender body.

 Audrey's accessories and garments are carefully selected to create her stunning look.

Patterned pants are a very popular fashion trend this year. They are frequently colourful and just a little 'out there'. For the past couple of summer seasons, floral pants were the in thing, but in  Summer 2014/15, there has seen a shift away from flowers to abstract and geometric patterns. The colour options have been varied, and of course that's great because with a little discernment we can a find a pair of patterned pants that blend beautifully with our own colour palette. However, all that being said there are a few things to consider before spending dollars on this latest trend.

We frequently write about focal points and just as frequently about the need for balance in our visual image. Both these style issues need to be considered before we buy those colourful pants.
Rest assured, these pants are a focal point. People will notice them and they will draw the eye of the onlooker towards your lower half. For some of us this is a problem, not up there with world peace, but still an issue. If you are a triangular body shape and/or short legged and/or carrying a few extra kilos on the hips, thighs and bottom then the following tips are especially important. On the other hand if you have the good fortune to be tall and slim, these tips can still help you to look absolutely fabulous in your beautiful patterned pants.

1. Choose your pair of pants in a colour that works with your own palette. No point in buying something that doesn't work with the items you already own.

2. As these patterns often feature many different hues, choose the one which is most fabulous on you and base your outfit around this colour.

 3. To counter the downward attraction of these pants, do wear something eye catching on the top half. Choose a coloured top as opposed to a neutral shade or opt for an eye catching necklace, scarf and/or earrings. As well as taking the focus away from lower body figure challenges, this tip creates visual balance.
4. If you are hippy or short legged, avoid

elasticised cuffs. This style makes your legs appear shorter and wider. Instead select a straight or slightly tapered leg to elongate and slim your pins.

 So, with a little careful shopping and clever accessorising, there is no reason why we can't embrace this fashion trend and liven up our wardrobes and ourselves with a splash of colour!

Understanding how colours impact our appearance is the first step to looking younger and fabulous. Understanding how the line and design of garments and accessories work for or against us is the first step to looking slimmer, taller and fabulous.

Know Your Colours

When we wear colours that share the same qualities as our own colouring our skin glows, lines and blemishes are less noticeable and our eyes shine.  The qualities of colour are:

• depth,
• undertone (warm or cool)
• intensity (soft or bright)

Every one of us has colouring that can be described in these terms. Know your colouring and you will know the colours to wear that make you shine.

Line and Design

When we wear clothes and accessories that use the elongating power of vertical influence to minimise the impact of broadening horizontal lines and enlarging circular influence, we appear taller and slimmer.

Take a Look at Julie.

In one guise she is wearing burnt orange which is medium in depth, has a warm undertone and has soft intensity. This conflicts with Julie’s deep, cool and bright colouring. As a result her skin has taken on an unhealthy sallowness and her beautiful eyes have lost their sparkle. In addition, the orange outfit is making her look heavier than she is.

In the 2^nd outfit, the red and black colours are in complete harmony with Julie’s colouring. Look how clear her skin is now and how brightly her eyes shine. In addition, the 2^nd outfit employs strong vertical lines and a lower neckline to help Julie appear taller and slimmer.

Looking great is not hard and does not take any more time. All that is required is a little information and we think that’s absolutely fabulous!

We love talking about Style Personality because we know it is a huge influence on what we love to wear, what makes us feel good and what helps us to look 'absolutely fabulous'. We work with six to seven categories of Style Personality but very few women totally fit into one single category. Most women will combine various aspects of two, even three categories. It's the blending of different styles that makes us different from each other and

keeps life interesting. This image combines elements from both the Natural and the Dramatic styles. It will appeal to a girl who has a little touch of the Drama Queen and quite a bit of the relaxed Natural in her style make-up. The jeans, unstructured leather handbag and casual Tee are the Natural elements here but the red scarf and the very structured military jacket add the drama. The fabulous black boots make a strong statement too, but notice the heels are flat so comfort is not compromised. Does this collection appeal to you, or perhaps you know someone who would definitely do this look.

Women’s bodies are constantly changing. We Abfab women look in the mirror and see a body that barely resembles the one we had as young 20 somethings. We may still be ‘rectangles’ and ‘triangles’ but that’s probably where the similarity ends with our younger selves.  We have had babies, gained and lost weight and got older. That’s life and that’s all good. Over the years however, we have had to recognise when our bodies shifted a little and accommodated our clothing choices accordingly.

This recognition is vital for anyone who wants to look good in their clothes. One of the essential elements of stylish dressing is correct fit. It doesn’t matter how fabulous the garment or outfit may be, if it is ill fitting on you, your visual image will be compromised. People will notice that a top is slipping off your shoulders, buttons are straining to be free of their buttonholes, hems are too long/short, pants are baggy, sleeves are too long, so on and so forth.

Before you think this means you should discard half your wardrobe, stop!! Remember a couple of minor alterations may save the day (and your bank balance). We personally have extended the life of many garments by having them taken in, let out, taken up or let down. A dart here and there may be all it takes.

However, alterations are not just a way of coping with our constantly evolving bodies. Very few people have been gifted with bodies that have perfect horizontal and vertical proportions that replicate the shape and size used by manufacturers to produce our clothes. Numbers like 10, 12, 18 or 24 have little to do with whether we are short waisted or long waisted, long legged or short legged, have narrow or broad shoulders, flat bottoms or rounded ones, straight hips or saddlebags. The female form is a veritable minefield of variations.

Most of us should open our minds to the possibilities of alterations. We leave wonderful garments behind in the change room when a simple alteration would make all the difference. Shopping can be a lot less frustrating and upsetting if we accept that ready made clothes won’t always fit us perfectly.

We pay far less for our clothes today than women did years ago. Back in the day, women had one pair of ‘going out’ shoes and their Sunday dress. Think about your own wardrobes and the sea of clothes and accessories inside. Mass production and emerging economies like China and India have transformed the garment industry. Minor alterations cost a little (they should not be expensive) but when added to the price of most garments, we are still doing much better than women in the past.

So, our advice is dress for the body you live in today, find someone convenient and reliable to alter your clothes and stop waiting to lose or gain weight before you go shopping! Life is too short to not look absolutely fabulous NOW!

What woman doesn’t want to have a pair of great looking pins?  But what we want and what we get in life are often two different things. Some of us are born with long, shapely legs and some of us aren’t. However, there are strategies we can employ and things to avoid doing, in order to make the most of what we’ve got. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to help you have the longest, shapeliest legs possible.

1. DO end your hemline on a part of the leg that tapers in. Choose the length that suits your age and circumstance. Note, for the mature woman, the universally flattering leg length is 1 ½cms below the knee; short enough to be youthful, long enough to cover a few wobbly bits.
2. DON’T end a hem at the widest point of your calf or thigh. The horizontal influence of the hem only serves to widen the area of the leg as well as draw attention there.
3. DO opt for shorter lengths if you are short to medium height or you are tall with a longer body and relatively shorter legs.
4. DON’T wear light or white stockings!!! EVER!
5. DO wear dark stockings (when the climate allows) especially if your legs are full or heavy.
6. DO wear stockings with a vertical pattern.
7. DO wear heels 2 ½ cms at least. If comfort is just too important opt for a wedge heel.
8. DON’T wear an ankle strap. I know, Jennifer Hawkins and Miranda Kerr look fantastic in them. But their legs are so, so long and slim. If you have legs like them, feel free to disregard this point.
9. DON’T wear gladiator sandals. Read the point above!
10. DO wear a low vamp pump.
11. DON’T wear a very rounded toe. Pointy toes elongate the leg. Don’t like pointy toes? Then choose an almond shaped toe instead.
12. DO wear shoes and stockings that are a similar shade and if possible also blend in with your skirt or dress.

Belts can be functional as well as glamorous, but like most things in fashion they can work for us or against us. When we don a belt we need to be aware that it will be a focal point, meaning it will be eye catching.

Whenever we accessorise, we need to create or maintain our horizontal and vertical balance. Visual balance is such an important element of looking fabulous. How we wear a belt has the capacity to destroy or create our visual balance, so there are three things to consider when wearing one; position, width and colour. When these three factors are right, most women can successfully add a belt for panache and interest.

POSITION.

        I.            Above the natural waistline will flatter a woman with:

• A small to average bust, and/or
• A slight midriff, and/or
• An oval horizontal body shape

It will be least flattering on a woman who is long waisted.

      II.            On the natural waistline will flatter a woman with:

• A long waist, and/or
• An hour glass horizontal  body shape

It will be least flattering on a woman with minimal natural waist definition.

        I.            Below the natural waistline will flatter a woman with:

• A large bust, and/or
• A short waist

WIDTH

Wide belts are more successfully worn by;

• Long waisted ladies

Thin to medium belts are a better choice for:

• straight figure types, and/or
• short waisted women

COLOUR

By colour we really mean contrast. Some of us will be flattered by belts that contrast strongly with the garment underneath. Others of us will do better to wear a belt in the same colour.

Contrasting belts attract attention. They can highlight a positive attribute and/or draw attention away from another figure challenge.

And please note that most women regardless of weight, shape or vertical proportions, will be flattered by a belt worn under an open jacket or vest.

How many of us would intentionally bring home a packet of self raising flour when we already have 2 kg in the pantry and not a skerrick of cornflour? Or bring home a delectable cheese when we have no crackers to eat with it? Or buy some beluga caviar because it was on special but no one in the house likes the stuff? If this all sounds very silly, can we suggest that many of us do this when we shop for clothes. We buy multiples of the same garment when what we really need is something else entirely. We fall in love with something fantastic, bring it home and have absolutely nothing in our wardrobe to wear with it. We see some designer number reduced to a silly price, we don’t like the colour but hey it’s a bargain.

We waste money and we really shouldn’t it. It has to stop. One of AbFab’s business objectives is to help women stop wasting money.

So, one of the best strategies of course is to see us for a Colour and Style analysis, however in the meantime and even if you have already, here are some strategies to employ before you spend another hard earned cent at your local mall.

Set aside a rainy afternoon, grab a couple of garbage bags and a note pad.

1. 1.       Go shopping in your own wardrobe.

Pull things out, scarves, shoes, jewellery included and start mixing and matching items that you have not considered wearing together. You will probably be amazed at how many ‘new’ outfits you can create without spending a cent. Put things away together or take a photo with your phone. Do whatever works for you to remind you of your new combinations.

1. Find the gaps.

This means checking that you have at least one or two of the core garments you need. The quantity and quality will vary from person to person of course but generally we all need.

1. 3.       Isolate the orphans

Put aside those garments and/or accessories that go with nothing else in your wardrobe. Now, decide whether they are worth the investment of more money to acquire what is needed. If the answer is yes, write the items down that you need to buy. If the answer is no, put the orphans in a garbage bag labelled “Give Away”.

1. 4.       Check for items that owe you nothing.

Examine your garments and jewellery for signs of wear. If your one good jacket, for example   is looking like it has seen better days then it may be time to replace it. Put it in the “Give Away” bag and write it in the notebook.

1. Decide to move on.

Check for garments that look like they’ refugees from a past decade. Absolute classic styling doesn’t date but garments that were once very much on trend will usually look dated today.  However, before you immediately assume purchasing a replacement is the only course of action, stop to consider if some inexpensive modifications could be made. E.g extra large cuffs made smaller, full sleeves narrowed, hemlines raised or lowered. Alterations in many instances will be a much more cost effective option. Put these items in the other garbage bag labelled “Repairs”.  But, if that’s not feasible then put them in the “Give Away” bag and add these items to the notebook.

1. 6.       Take action!

Now, put the notebook in your everyday tote or handbag. Why? Because when you find yourself in a shopping centre you will have your shopping list with you. It will remind you what you need to buy and what you don’t need to waste your money on!! Take the “Give Away” bag to your local charity shop and take the “Repair” bag to an alteration booth.

It’s a great feeling to detox your wardrobe. Yes it takes a little time, but if you consider the cost savings involved, it’s well worth it. And if you really find it hard to let go of things or look at garments with an objective eye, then AbFab can come and help you clear out the clutter and make room for some fabulous new fashion. Don’t hesitate to call us if you think that’s an absolutely fabulous idea!!