Bravissimo

Posts Tagged ‘accessories’

Grab yourself a Maxi

The sales seem to have come round quicker than ever this summer, not that we’re complaining. Although it does feel as though we’ve barely had chance to wear our summer outfits before the discounts have started and that means accepting the reality that soon there will be new season clothing in and by new season we mean Autumn/Winter collections AAARRRRRRRRRGH! The sheer thought of winter fills us with horror, so actually we think we’ll make the most of our summer clothes before we contemplate buying knitwear again! Plus, it’s a great time of year to pick up some bargains or some last minute things for your summer holiday!

Hot summer items to make the most of (before it’s too late);

• Maxi dress, if you haven’t tried one yet then now is the time! Go jersey for day time and accessorise with bangles and long necklaces or opt for silk for an evening/formal look. Patterned maxi dresses are more difficult to pull off, but find the right print and they look incredible.
• Wedges, heels are going delicate and feminine next season, so make the most of your wedge heels now.
• Prints always look better and more exotic when the weather is good, so wear yours sooner rather than later at home or on holiday, there’s nothing like a bit of sunshine to set off a bold and colourful print.
• Anything bo-ho, the bo-ho look with its floaty florals, torn denim and straw hats is definitely a summer trend, it ties in with festivals, summers spent by the beach or in the park having a picnic, not so good in the snow!
• Utility chic will make way to softer more feminine styles so if you’ve invested in a pair of combat style trousers/shorts/jacket, wear them now. This doesn’t mean however that we’ll all be wearing lady like dresses and skirts next season, trousers are still big news and we predict you’ll be opting for a pair of silk tailored trousers over a dress for your winter parties.

Time to accessorize

Keep your eye out for next season’s must have accessories;

1. A cleavage, it’s true, a cleavage is THE number one accessory for next season. As fashion makes a long overdue return to feminine easy to wear styles, with 50s silhouettes and flattering shapes, a celebration of curves is also on the cards. Hurray!
2. A square bag. Smart, simple and square are the three key ingredients to the perfect handbag, preferably in a brown or neutral tone.
3. High heeled boots, think hiking boot meets stiletto. This tough take on the classic stiletto works well with the season’s country look, leather jackets and tweed.
4. Kitten heels, we haven’t seen kitten heels around for a while, but they work perfectly with the back to simplicity feel of the new season’s trends. They’re also more practical for everyday wear and are way more feminine and dainty then the ‘fierce’ heels of previous seasons.
5. Thin waist belts, these were everywhere on the catwalks for Autumn/Winter 2010. Wear yours thin and tied in a knot over your coat, over a cardigan, top or dress to add definition to your waist.
6. Leopard print is having a thing next season as it outlasts other animal prints and is still going strong. Wear the print in the evening for full on glamour on the wild side!
7. Socks with shoes not quite as scary as socks with sandals but we’re not too sure we’ll be able to rock this look without feeling a little too little girlie.
8. Long gloves, practical especially if next winter is going to be as cold as the last, but fashionable too. Long leather gloves are going to have a moment next season so make sure you get the right pair, wear to the elbow for full impact and opt for leather or suede. You can either match or clash the colour depending on whether you prefer the subtle classic look or something bolder!

Tribal Accessorizing

Wood + crystal detailing = Glamazon accessories (tribal glamour) that will update your outfit for some high summer fashion. The statement piece this season is earrings; long, dangly, embellished and borderline OTT will get you noticed in the style stakes. This style of earring looks great with short or long hair in an up-do or worn loose and a little shaggy. The great thing about statement earrings is that they can be worn in the day time to add some fashion oomph to your day or work outfit or in the evening for more dressy occasions. However, if you’re not an earrings girl then there are plenty more tribal pieces for you to get your primal teeth into. Bangles have made a come back for summer and once again we are stacking them high on our wrists, just make sure the bangles you choose aren’t too heavy, we like fashionable accessories but we don’t like fashion related strains and injuries! Accessory rules have been broken this season so instead of having everything matchy-matchy we can now clash colours, prints and textures to our heart’s content. If you’re outfit is neutral add a bright but painless colour injection with bold coloured bangles, beads and rings. Necklaces are bigger than ever so make the most by investing in a statement necklace but make sure you stick to one very important accessory rule, statement necklace = no statement earrings and vice versa. This look is tribal chic not walking accessory department! Luckily the tribal trend lends itself to this look of eclectic and oversized pieces that are fun, funky and very fashionable. So even if you’re not sure about the khaki chinos and traveller prints then at least you can adopt the look in accessory form!

Get Holiday Ready!

So you’ve booked your summer holiday and it’s about the only thing keeping you going through the erratic British weather and what seem like endless days at work. But there is some preparation you can do now so that when your holiday does finally come around, you will feel beach ready and fabulous!

The countdown;
10-12 weeks – up your exercise. If you’re feeling a little sluggish at the moment and the idea of getting into a bikini fills you with horror then up the amount of exercise you do now to feel the benefits by the time you go away. By doing a little bit more each week a few weeks before you go, will result in feeling more toned, confident and beach ready, as they say, a little effort goes a long way. Pair this with keeping an eye on what you eat and you could feel slimmer and healthier in no time!

6-8 weeks – exfoliate. Revitalise your skin by regularly exfoliating before you go away. Try a body brush or exfoliating gloves for best results, this will leave your skin soft, supple and rejuvenated. You can exfoliate while you’re away too. Sand is a great natural exfoliant so when you’re on the beach you can use the natural resources to your benefit, no need to go to an expensive spa!

4 weeks – use a skin firming lotion for extra body confidence. This will give your skin extra firmness and will work hand in hand with regular exfoliating for smoother skin. Use firming lotion on thighs, bum and arms and anywhere else you want to firm up!

2 weeks – use a building self tan for that pre-holiday glow. To avoid feeling like a pale tourist when you arrive at your holiday destination, start using a building tan 2weeks before your holiday. It will give you a subtle colour whilst you work on the real thing.

1 week – Get a hair cut. Our hair can suffer from exposure to sun, sea water and humidity when holidaying somewhere hot. However, a quick trim before you go away can help avoid excessive damage.

2-3 days – get holiday nails. Treat yourself to a manicure/pedicure. Keep your hands and feet looking their best, pedicures are one of those luxuries in life that really make a lot of difference and if we’re going to be wearing our best sandals and peep toe wedges then we need great toes to match! This is also the best time to get waxed, no pain, no gain and waxing is best for keeping the hair at bay for the duration of your holiday.

Last minute – airport treats. From last minute manicures to treating yourself to a new perfume, the airport shops usually have some great last minute pampering ideas and tax free too!

Make a statement with accessories

This helpful guide to accessorising will allow you to match the right accessories to the right outfit this party season…

For strapless dresses or tops, go for the wow factor with a statement choker. Chunky jewellery is big news at the moment so don’t be afraid to try something with a bit more impact. Chokers are also great at taking attention away from the boobs, if you prefer to draw attention away from this area. Sometimes however, a strapless number can look better with a bare neckline, so add a chunky bangle or statement earings instead.

V-necks, a deep v-neck looks fabulous with a necklace that falls just short of the v-neck and this WILL draw attention to the boobs. A shallow v-neck on the other hand looks better with a necklace that sits just on the collar bone. As a general rule, pendants often work best with v-necks.

One shoulder dresses, have all they need on the upper body so add jewellery else where when wearing one shoulder pieces. If the top or dress has a lot of detail on or around the shoulders, such as a large corsage, then earings might look too much, so in this case rings and bracelets work best. If the top of the piece is quite simple however, earings can be worn but keep the rest of your jewellery simple.

And finally, choose which accessory is to be the statement piece, as pile on too many statement pieces and someone may mistake you for a Christmas tree!

… 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.