Archive for December, 2009

…Get creative with your clothing this party season. To avoid that oh-so embarrassing situation where you turn up to a

Simple Black Dress

party in your perfect dress that took you weeks to find only to bump into someone wearing the same thing! So, take matters in to your own hands and do a Gok Wan! Gok is famous for turning old wardrobe horrors into stunning modern pieces by updating them and accessorising them. Fortunately you don’t have to be a whizz on a sewing machine or have a natural flair for fashion, but adding your own personal touch to your party piece could make the difference between feeling glam, gorgeous and unique and feeling like just another fish in a sea of little black dresses.

If you don’t already have one, our advice is to invest in a great fitting but quite simple dress. Choose both a colour and shape that suits your figure and skin tone and one that you will feel comfortable eating/drinking/sitting/standing and dancing in. This may take a while but it will be worth the search as this dress will last you the whole Christmas season (if you follow these tips!). Also, why not discover your Bravissimo size? Bravissimo sizes are based on standard high street sizes, but come in curvy – super curvy to take into account your boobs and fit your body perfectly! Click here to discover your Bravissimo size.

First of all find the dress. If you find one that you love, but can’t sit down/barely breathe in it, forget it! You might look great in it in the fitting room but you don’t want to be passing out at the office party, at least not until the end of the night anyway!

Secondly, select a range of accessories to compliment the dress that will also change the look of the dress, corsage, waist belt, chunky jewellery, the list goes on. This way you can get away with wearing your dress more than once!

And finally, if you’re feeling extra creative, try decorating the dress yourself. Haberdasheries are full of interesting bows, buttons and shiny things to sew onto any fabric. Try not to go over board however, subtle detailing on a classy dress will make it look and feel extra special. And knowing no-one else will the have the exact same dress will avoid the embarrassment factor.

Casual Winter Boots

There are just so many styles out there at the moment and you can’t beat a good pair of winter boots to keep your feet and legs warm and dry! As our favourite pumps and gladiator sandals become obsolete we take a look at the winter footwear trends this season;

1- The biker boot craze really took off over summer and is staying for winter too! They look great with skinny jeans or leggings and a long top/dress over the top giving an edgy rock-chick look which is bang on trend this winter!
2- The over the knee boot has become a staple in many women’s wardrobes. Flat over the knee boots are particularly cute and look great with casual dresses and skin tight jeans. They also keep your legs warm right up to your thigh as they provide much more of a barrier against the elements than a pair of tights do!
3- The shoe boot a great and, more often than not, more comfortable alternative to stilettos on a night out. We love shoe boots here at Bravissimo, they’re funky, come in all sorts of styles, colours and fabrics and look great with tights/leggings/jeans/dresses and skirts, perfect to mixing and matching! 
4- The flat ankle boot is great for throwing on with almost anything, much easier to get on than thigh boots and carries a lot less risk than platform boots! Studded and buckled ankle boots have just the right balance of attitude and style!

… Footless, toeless, sheer, opaque, lace, fishnet, tummy slimming, thigh skimming, tights! No longer the boring skin toned, leg coverers they used to be, now you can have a different pair in a different colour for every outfit!

To avoid the Nora Batty look choose a modern funky pair to complete your outfit and keep your legs warm! Coloured tights are great for adding a splash of colour to an other wise plain outfit. Dark purple and teal green tights work well this time of year and add subtle colour injection to a winter wardrobe. Or if you’re feeling a shade braver, try bright red tights, worn with black or navy. A colour corresponding accessory or garment (such as a bag or a cute winter hat) will help to tie in with the tights. But don’t go over board on matching colours!

Patterned tights have also returned to the high street, although these can be more difficult to match with an outfit they are good fun! Again try to keep the basic outfit simple if you’re adding patterned tights and try to highlight some of the shades in the pattern in your outfit too.

… If you’re a fan of the vintage look, then why not go for some vintage inspired lingerie. 1950’s style underwear in particular has enjoyed a revival recently and we love the shape and style from this era. You may have tried high waist trousers, A-line skirts and dresses that cinch at the waist so why not try some 50’s style underwear to go with them?

Vintage Bra

So many trends from different eras are repeated in the fashion world, currently the 80s are enjoying a rather sparkly revival, but there’s just something about the 50s look that is so chic, classy and sophisticated, even in underwear! The structure and shape of 50s clothing has also been recreated in swim wear and so, easily lends itself to underwear too!

The cute polka dots and embroidery of the Vintage bra are all the fun of a 1950s fair and the suspender shorts will look great with stockings to complete the look!

Try being your own 1950s siren!!