Oisercage

Remember that beautiful girl in the fun skirt in the Silhouette post? Not only is she incredibly gorgeous, but so is her blog. She has an amazing fashion sense, and I am positively in love with her writing, photography, and soul.  Dyane is a dream come true.

Follow her! You won't regret it. 

Photo Courtesy of www.oisercage.com

Pin It

Alive...with Color!

Color can become a fashion pitfall. Go to your closet, look in. What do you see? If your closet is anything like most women, you'll see a plethora of black, with maybe a few of your favorite colors thrown in. Especially for curvy girls, we feel safe in black. True, it can be very chic, slimming, and elegant. But, it can also be boring, and if you are fair-skinned, it can drain your complexion if you wear it alone. Black has its place in every woman's closet. But, consider some color and pattern as well.

It can be very confusing to walk into a store full of clothing, with  bombardment to the senses occurring at every turn of an aisle.  "Will this match anything I already have at home? Does this pattern clash with that one?"  I have been in those frustrating shoes. Then, I started taking some chances.

As hairstylists, we help people determine the best hair color for their features and coloring. We learn to use the color wheel to determine complementary color and tertiary colors. These same rules apply to all areas of design - whether you're choosing a new paint palette for your loft, or the layout for your website.  We see it in nature all the time - just look at the earth-tones in a cheetah's pelt, or the fan of a peacock's tail.  You should use the same logic when choosing your clothing.

Some designers which are inspirational for color and pattern are:

Missoni: This Italian family has been in the fashion industry since the late 1940s. They are unparelleled in their use of pattern and color.  The unique chevron pattern, which is their trademark, is instantly recognizable.  The interplay of colors in their knitwear is a good way to discover new, unthought of combinations.

Pucci: Emilio Pucci was the seminal designer for the jet-set 60s. His brilliant, opulent designs caressed the forms of movie stars and housewives alike. A Pucci print dress or scarf could carry you through many seasons - and this great design house is still turning out brilliant works of wearable art. 

Lilly Pulitzer: This Palm Beach fashion maven designed patterns and color combinations that influenced the golf course, the carpool, and the debutante scene of the South. These colors POP. My vintage Lilly dress is my favorite wardrobe item, hands down. People stop me on the street when I wear it. I got it from Decades, naturally!  If you want to be happy, choose a palette based on Pulitzer prints. It'll be summer wherever you go!

Vera Neumann:  In the 1960s-70s an artist named Vera created functional works of art for the home, scarves, and apparel for chic women everywhere.  Jina at Decades and I are crazy for her.  Her trademark watercolor and screen-printed scarves are great color informers.  I found a Vera scarf at a flea market two days ago for $1.95!  Always be on the lookout for unique accessories. They can take that black t-shirt in your closet to "WOW" in an instant. 

Another fun option for planning a wardrobe palette is very simple: go to your local home-improvement store, grab a palette booklet that has complimentary colors grouped together, and take it shopping with you.  Adding color to your wardrobe doesn't have to be complicated, and you might be surprised by what you come up with! 

Pin It

Bombshell of the Month: Nigella Lawson

What could be better than a beautiful woman who cooks? A beautiful woman who eats what she cooks, and still looks like a million bucks! How can we not love Nigella? This domestic Goddess fills out a dress, AND fills our tummies with the best recipes this side of the Pond.  Tasty!

Pin It

Silhouette

Here is some inspiration for you, and general style madness. Silhouette is very important for the voluptuous figure, and learning how to accentuate a slim, tapering waistline, hoisting the bust, and emphasizing a rounded derriere are all intrinsic to flattering your form. Here are some pictures that I found on Pinterest to inspire you:

This beautiful girl has proportion down to a science. Note that she has drawn attention to the most slender parts of her body: her waistline, arms, and collar-bone with the light-colored sweater. The belt adds a nice definition to the waist.  As a rule, pear-shaped women should stay away from extremely busy prints on their lower body, but in this case, it works, because the attention is drawn upward. Make sure you wear a high heel or a wedge to keep things elevated and airy!

If you have an hourglass figure (think Christina Hendricks and Marilyn Monroe), congratulations! You're ideal. Remember to accent your curves with a fitted and tailored look. Pencil skirts are a Godsend for this body type. Have your skirts altered to fit - find an excellent tailor. My personal favorite is Jonathan from Alterations Plus. Notice how, as a fuller busted woman, this model has chosen a darker top. The necklaces help add a bit of glamour to the neckline, and the bangle bracelet draws the eye to a slender wrist and hand.  Within reason, you can get away with almost anything. Just try to focus on one fabulous body part at a time and save a life, because you are a traffic hazard, love.

Jeans and casual wear for curvy women can be a challenge: in fact, there is a whole blog that is in the works on this subject. Jeans shopping is a nightmare for lush dolls. We find a pair that fits our butt, but then they gap at the waist, or we get the mid-day skinny jean creep. No one wants to see your thong, honey, unless it's in the bedroom.  Low-rise jeans, on the whole, are NOT good for us. Try a mid-rise from Earl Jean, or Ariya - a company specifically geared for the zaftig girl. Here, the model shows us that casual can be super chic. The dark rinse of the jeans, and the knotted sweater - again, emphasizing her waist, are stellar. Check out Girl With Curves for even more inspiration.

Here we are with evening wear. This would be a perfect look for a wedding or a cocktail party. The vintage lace look is super hot, and she has kept things monochromatic - always super flattering for an odalisque, especially if you are petite. The line of her body is only slightly interrupted with the darker shoes, fine if you are average to tall. Personally, I would have chosen a nude heel,  to lengthen the legs, but I'm a little stubby. ;)  Also,make sure the dress is properly lined.  I once wore the wrong underwear with a peekaboo lace dress, to my embarrassment. The 3/4 length sleeve is a prime flatterer. Most of us hate our arms -  it's a fact. Even though no one ever tells me I have fat arms, I prefer to cover them. 3/4 is perfect. For the most part, curvy girls should avoid a cap sleeve, unless you are an apple shape with lithe extremities. Cap sleeves are my kryptonite. 

This is the 101 lesson on proportion and silhouette. Remember, it's all about the waist. Show that puppy off - it's where your man or woman grabs you to pull you in for a kiss, and it deserves a little attention. Invest in a collection of fabulous belts, scarves and sashes. It's well worth it!  I have two or three camel-colored belts in varying widths. They match everything, and tie my look together.  If you are on a budget, small investments like these extend your style vocabulary immensely.  Happy wardrobing!

All images courtesy of Pinterest, with referring URLs linkable. Pin It

What is Zaftig?

zaf·tig

 

adjective Slang .

1.

(of a woman) having a pleasantly plump figure.

2.

full-bodied; well-proportioned.

Also, zoftig.

Origin: 
1935–40;  < Yiddish zaftik  literally, juicy, succulent

I first became acquainted with this word while reading a book on American opera singers. I was a little strange as a teen, and enjoyed reading biographies about luminous ladies from bygone eras. One of these ladies was Beverly Sills - or "Bubbles" as her peers fondly called her. Ms. Sills described herself as a "rather zaftig redhead." Hmm. I recall looking down at my rounded limbs and little potbelly and thinking I was rather zaftig myself.  But Ms. Sills wasn't necessarily fat -  She was pleasingly soft in all the right places, with hills and valleys in her figure. Her costumes and characters celebrated these assets. I thought that it wasn't such a bad thing. She looked happy; like she could have a piece of cheesecake and not feel bad. During the height of the heroin-chic late 80s, this was a big deal for me.


Throughout my life, my weight has been a fluctuating melodrama. I have been everywhere on the size chart from a size 4 to a size 18. Finally, my weight seems to have stabilized right in the middle - a size 8 to 10. I'm ok with that, as long as I am healthy and fit and my favorite jeans still make my butt look good.  I have slender friends, and I have plus-size friends, and all of them are gorgeous. What's right for me isn't necessarily right for everyone, and I can appreciate that. But, this blog is about those of us in the middle - the size mediums to larges (when we're on our periods!)

Here, you'll find tips for dressing that luscious body of yours in clothing that suits your curves. You'll find tips on makeup, hairstyles (with the help of my business partner, Sa'dia), and just general celebrations of your womanly figure. There are plenty of blogs out there for ladies who are above a size 16, and below a size 8. I noticed a real dearth of fashion advice for us so-called "normal" sized women - thus the blog.





The fashion focus will be mostly on vintage 
and vintage-inspired clothing  - a mutual love that I share with many of my friends. My friend Jina, herself a curvy beauty and vintage boutique owner, will be an occasional co-conspirator and expert fashion advisor. Keep your eyes peeled for posts involving her store, Decades. It can be tricky to find clothing in modern medium and large sizes within the vintage realm, so we will be showing you creative ways to incorporate pieces into your wardrobe with a fresh spin.  Also, we will be showing you how to dress UNDER your clothes - an often overlooked facet of a pulled-together outfit, especially for women whose thighs touch.

From the perfect LBD, to the benefits of corset-training and finding the best-fitting bra for your buxom bosom, you will learn tricks and tips that will help you feel confident and sexy. Glamour is back. Let's throw it a big welcome-home party. 

Photo of Decades courtesy of Jina Gorham

Pin It