Mature Fashion: Fall color Combinations

Season's Greetings, Fashionistas and Stylinistas;

On September 19th, I posted one of my first "runwaays" to Rockmyages.blogspot.com describing my style book combinations I had put together along with a few photos.  The photo on the left shows one of the combinations I had created back then. One of the fashion themes of this winter is unusual combinations of color as you have undoubtedly seen by now.

I am mentioning this for two reasons; 1) demonstrating why a style book works for me and 2) explaining in greater detail the look itself.

It took me less than ten minutes to get dressed this morning.  It was just one of those mornings when I really didn't know what to wear, or feel like anything special, but I knew I was going into San Jose, etc.  I grabbed the style book I created last summer (after the February 2015 Fall Fashion Week runway shows) and based on the weather, chose the outfit in this picture. Because I had already identified what worked for me,  what accessories I wanted to use, etc. I only needed to grab them from the closet, change my purse, grab the most appropriate jewelry (already identified) and shoes (also identified.)  I chose my coat based on the weather.  I did not have to second guess myself on anything because it was all thought out in advance.

I do want to explain in more detail the look.  No, I would not usually have chosen to wear a red cable sweater with a lemon yellow blouse collar peeking out of the neck of a sweater; it is a fashion statement that updates the look of the traditional black pant, colored sweater, black coat uniform that is tired and old looking at best.  I had all the elements of the look in my closet, but using this "fad" fashion touch, mixing colors suited to my coloring and body type made a look that was much more modern and not unattractive. (No matter what the fashion, I will not wear anything that I do not think looks good on me.)

 I also chose faux leather pants and ankle boots and good jewelry to complete a fashion forward look without looking like a teenager. The intent was not to suggest that anyone else should wear this combination, but to stimulate the imagination of my readers to look in their closets for mixes of unusual color mixes they might like.  This type of logic will run throughout this blog; examining items you already own that just re-imagined will expand your closet and update a fashion look at no cost to you.  One other advantage, you rarely have to be concerned with "mutton dressed as lamb" because you are using items you already own. They are all made up of classic pieces with just an added touch or two to make them stylish today.

I also wanted to stress that this type of update is a wonderful way to wear clothes that may be a bit out of the current fashion. You can view the combinations I posted on September 19th at "rockmyages.blogspot.com ".

It is drizzling outside so I will be wearing a black quilted jacket and a black imitation leather rain hat, black leather gloves and black hobo style handbag. Check out "rockmyfitness.blogspot.com" for ways to help relieve some of the season's stress levels.

Happy Styling...............Geneva......Rockmyages@aol.com  

Mature Fashion: Design Element: Proportion

Hello Fashionistas and Stylinistas;


As I mentioned in the post identifying the five design elements, proportion is somewhat confusing to many women, and the one that is probably one of the most important to your pocket book.and your styling triumphs or mistakes.  Simply put,  equal proportions are not desirable in a garment; Uneven proportion; a long top with a short skirt, a short top with a long skirt, etc. are usually the most flattering on your body.  For those of you who were art students, you may remember that as long ago as Greek and Italian craftsmen ruled the art world, proportion was an element of pleasing design. The generally recognized balance of proportions for overall pleasure to the eye was 1/3 to 2/3 or simply put, a ratio of one to two. his art principle still holds true today, tomorrow, and the next day. 

What does this mean?  For those of you who are at least as old as I am, It was  "a rule" that your hat, gloves, shoes, and handbag all were the same color  You might have had a fur collar or other elements of the garment that were the same color as the accessories.  Some

times this worked; sometimes it didn't.  Many women did not know that artistic composition  would not favor a balanced use of two colors.  The biggest offender of this artistic given was black and white; a problem that still exists today with many women.  ALWAYS the proportions of a black skirt, and a white blouse will be enhanced with a black sweater and black tights and black shoes rather than a white sweater and white tights with the same black shoes.  ( a fashion "style when I was a young woman, traditionally called "patrician"-because so many wealthy women were so badly dressed according to the reigning artists) 

The "golden mean" as the proportion ratio is called, has been  an artistic visual value since ancient times and is prevalent in all art forms.  (gleaned from six years of art classes as a young woman)  This rule holds true to color proportion, size proportion, etc.  Simply put, if you are wearing a long jacket, it usually looks better over a short skirt; if you are wearing a short jacket, it looks better over a long skirt.  HOWEVER, another one of the big howevers, the color of your hose, if the same as the color of your skirt, extends the proportion, as does the color of a neck scarf,  your hair if worn around the face etc. to the top garment. 

Now, stylinistas, although fashion design and styling is an art, you are perfectly aware that all these design elements can be, and one or more is usually mangled almost any given season.  The garments or "looks" that mangle the designs are the ones that are "fads" and become dated before you can get your moneys worth out of them. (do you really think the "deconstructed" shirts are going to be worn for very long?) Unless it is Tim Gunn, critiquing  an upcoming designer, most person's who discuss fashion rarely mention proportion at all. 

Almost every high fashion designer dresses models in examples that clearly ignore the "golden mean".  What this means for you is to judge your styling accordingly for what is a trend and what is a lasting combination for purchase.  An ensemble that is truly proportional, in its shapes (no extra wide collars, sleeves, etc.) usually only needs updated accessories to become updated in a quietly conservative way.  You can truly buy a very expensive garment that will last you as long as you are the same size. You can truly judge what is a "classic"; it is not always what the salesperson says. 

The pictures to your left demonstrate this principle.  Even at first glance the ensembles are more cohesive in the bottom two.  In the first two pictures, the ensembles are meant to be worn with cardigan sweaters or jackets if a business occasion.  the plaid skirt and sweater will be worn with black tights and a black 3/4 length leather jacket or a heavy cashmere below the hip cardigan; the grey slacks and pink sweater is (was) worn with a men's length grey v-necked ribbed cardigan or a grey wool jacket that is the same length as the pink sweater. The accessories were grey boots and a gray snakeskin handbag. In both cases, you can see the results would become exactly the same as the bottom two examples.  Timeless, classic, yet modern, sophisticated, and youthful, and suitable for my age and lifestyle.

This post concludes the five major design elements, color, line, scale, texture, and proportion; there are a few other design considerations, but if these are mastered and you have the right fit, and choose garments suitable to your body type, every ensemble you create is guaranteed to make you happy with the results.  

When I complete the posts on body type, we will again address the garments in your closet.  If you recall, when we did the closet inventory, one of the first suggestions was to get rid of anything that did not fit or would be made to fit , should go, no matter how much you like it. In a few weeks, I will be releasing my posts on the spring 2016 collections.  We can re-address the items in our closets in order to assess what we need to get rid of based on the suitablility of those design elements.  Does the color flatter you? are the lines (silhouette and inside lines) of the garment flattering? if patterned, does the pattern scale overwhelm your body size or shape?, is the texture flattering or disguising?  Most of those questions fall under the heading "does it flatter your body type". Notice I left out proportion from this assessment because that will be attended to by how you wear the garments or if the proportions are outlandish, the fad will soon out run its course and you will get rid of it when it passes.

Its the little things:

Although you will hopefully curate your closet before the spring season, you may wish to get a head start at the beginning of the new year.  Now that you fully understand or are reminded of what you should be looking for, you might want to get rid of them sooner.   (just in writing this blog, I have had to part with a few things I really wished were more flattering or versatile).  We can get a head start on what might need to be added or replaced.

Happy Styling.............Geneva.............Rockmyages@aol.com

Mature Fashion: Body Shape; the Inverted Triangle

Good Morning, Fashionistas & Stylinistas;

Today we are discussing the body shape of an inverted triangle; a woman who has a larger shoulder area than hips.  This person frequently wears a smaller size on a bottom garment than the size she will wear on the top.  It is considered by many stylists to be very desirable because it usually gives an appearance of power and strength.  It also allows many design details to be attractively displayed on the lower half of the body.  This is the woman who can often wear bright colored pants with attention drawing buttons, zippers, pockets, etc.  She also usually looks great in wide legged pants, especially if she has long legs. If she has short legs, it is usually wise to use monochrome dressing in her footwear. (matching hem, hose, and shoes as much as possible).  

Broad shoulders can be a fashion asset; clothing flows from wide shoulders and can make some pretty dramatic statements.  Once it was a styling no-no to bare large shoulders; today we are more sensible.  Women with wide shoulders bare them all the time and look wonderful.  This season's "cut-outs" are a case in point. If you have wide shoulders that you believe are attractive, flaunt them; that is a part of the unique YOU.

One would think that the goal to achieve ideal proportions, one would want to make hips look as wide as the shoulder area; this works only if one has a smaller and more defined waist.  If a woman has a thick rib cage and waist size that is nearly the same size as shoulders, the woman could succeed in looking wide all over; (I know, that is one of my figure challenges-The only reason balancing the hips with color works in this display is because of the wide stripes and where they fall on this particular garment. In the appellations of fruits, etc., I call myself a "fat carrot") The display demonstrates why it is important to try on garments that may be against the "rules".  I have used color to create balance to my shape.

In general, note: I say in general, this body type would wish to minimize neckline, shoulder and upper body details and bring focus to the lower body. Usually, wearing narrow lapels on jackets, v shaped necklines are flattering because they draw the eye to the center of the body rather than the wide horizontal line of the shoulders. The same logic applies in reverse;  no puffed sleeves or details that broaden the shoulder.  Raglan sleeves usually flatter this body type as it gives the illusion of sloping shoulders. Too much detail on top, especially if worn with high heels can make a woman look "top heavy", and give an illusion she could topple.

Remember, all of the above are guidelines only!!  You must look at your own unique body to see how these details all fit together and how they apply to YOU!!  

One example I can use on my own body (unfortunately, I no longer have the blazer, so I can't show it).  Usually, epaulets are never suggested for the wide shouldered gal. I have a wide shoulder AREA, the actual shoulder caps are unusually small (causing two rotator cuff surgeries).  This distortion makes my medium sized upper arm look larger than it should; I also have a rather thick neck and a broad back.  When I extended my shoulder just a bit with the epaulettes,in the same color as the jacket, I had the illusion of the same wide shoulder, but my upper arms, etc. looked much slimmer.  Of course, the correct shoulder pad works also.  Unfortunately, any blazer I purchase with shoulder pads must be altered because the pads are not positioned correctly for my shoulder caps.  As I continuously state, every body is different and you must identify the "rules" that apply to you, and ignore those that do not.

Inverted triangles, especially tall ones, can really rock the fashion stage.  If you are this style shape, check to make sure you are taking advantage of your trendy fashion options.

Happy Styling.........................Geneva

Mature Fashion: More about Color

A favored gray "uniform" for home role (Monochrome Color Scheme)

Greetings, fellow Fashionistas and Stylinistas;

I planned the next post I would write would be on the design element, "line".  However, I realized as soon as I saw the blog in print there was just too much left unsaid about "color" before we could realistically move on. I could elaborate on other ways color can be used to draw the eye in the direction we want, or to camouflage areas we wish to be overlooked, etc., but the subject that I neglected and  needs attention is in the psychological arena.

My first realization of the importance of first impressions and their effect on employment was when my aunt (a stewardess with Pan American Airlines) gave me a booklet written by someone in their employment division about the importance of the first interview and how significant the first impression would be. (I believe this book was the seed planted to sprout my lifelong interest in industrial and organizational psychology.)  The color of the uniforms was well thought out by all of the airlines. Deep blue, after all, suggests expertise, competence, and trust

All of this history ingrained in me the importance of a person's appearance in interfacing with the outside world.  These early examples ripened me for  pursuit of a degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology with an emphasis on Gerontology when I was required to return to college to keep my position at Lockheed. (I focused on Gerontology because I knew that more and more older women would be entering or remaining in the work world.)

Appearance counts; not just in getting a job, it matters every day and with every person you interface with during the day.  Color is one of the most important tools you have in setting an intended "first impression".  All colors provoke unconscious insights into your personality and project and image of who you really are.  Color sets a mood, a powerful tool of expression. You can intentionally create  a desired impression simply by choosing the right color to promote an emotional response. After all, because you will initiate some response by the color you are wearing, you might as well make it the one you want! Remember Reese Witherspoon in "Legally Blonde"?)

There are several color stylists that will assist a woman in choosing her appropriate "colors"; most of these are based on complexion, hair color, eyes, or some combination.  If a mature woman wishes to use color to her greatest advantage, she should consider wearing specific colors in her palette to send subliminal messages when in specific roles. I have included in this post broad generalizations of the messages each color usually projects:

Red-An energizing color; usually associated with excitement. It is also a very powerful color to wear in certain business circumstances.  It should also be well thought out; it can react negatively because of its sexual reference.

Orange-An "in your face" color that says notice "me".  Worn, it attracts immediate attention, even more than red.

Pink-Soft, feminine, romantic.  Use accordingly

Purple-So rare in nature that for centuries it could only be worn by royalty.  Few people do not look good in some shade of this color, yet it is not commonly worn by many.  This makes it an ideal color for one who wishes to look sophisticated, elegant, and out of the common way.

Blue-The most commonly chosen favorite color.  Some shade of blue looks wonderful on everyone.  This color inspires trust and honesty in almost everyone.

Yellow-the hardest color to wear.  Many skin tones cannot wear it at all. It does inspire happy emotions in most people, but it is difficult for our physical eye to process.

Green-The most common color in nature; it is soothing and pleasant to the eye; suggests good health.  Unfortunately, many people cannot wear most shades of green.  If you can, find a shade that flatter you and wear it; it promotes pleasant interaction with others.

Black-known for its enduring sophistication; used with pastels, it denotes a pleasing elegance, used with bright colors, usually denotes creativity and drama. Used with white, a most uptown elegance; make sure the combination does not overpower.

Brown-A color of nature; best used when wanting to project a dependable and trustworthy image.  It can also be difficult for some people to wear certain shades.  It is also one of the best colors to demonstrate creativity because of the infinite variety of combination. (any opposite colors on the color wheel will produce a shade of brown. (except grey, which is a combination of black and white)

White-The color of purity and perfection. It can also suggest coldness and technology. Best used carefully when making an impression.

Grey-The color of concrete, distance, and remoteness.  In its darker shades it can also portray dullness.  It also portrays dignity, neutrality, stability, intelligence, and wisdom.  It's use portrays to me the highest level of potential sophistication, especially when blended with the more silvery tones.  It is unequivocally my favorite neutral

Well, this post will conclude my thoughts on why delving into the importance of the colors in our wardrobes is worth two posts.  I hope the information was helpful to those of you who have not considered the importance of color in the clothing you are now wearing.  For those of you who know even more about it than me, I hope it will serve as a useful reminder.

Happy Styling...........Geneva  

Mature Fashion: Design Element,Color

Hello, Stylinistas;

Although all of the design elements are important in using illusion to project your body with the image you want, strategic use of color is probably the most important weapon in your  styling arsenal.Today we are going to discuss the use of color in much greater detail.

Color attracts the eye; it is the first thing the eye registers; Color pulls the eye , color is what people notice first. Even the most clueless male will make a comment on how "nice", or "pretty"  a woman looks when she wears a super flattering color. Women, of course, will more specifically compliment you on the color choice.

Shiny and bright colors command immediate attention; dull and smokey colors fade into a background; hence our use of words "pop a bit of color"; or a color is a "neutral"; (a color that is not particularly noticeable on its own, and that will fade into the backgrounds). even white; white has to be very bright before it attracts the eye-hence "winter white" being the neutral.

The use of a monochromatic color (any color) scheme usually makes a woman look more slender, more polished, taller, etc., When used thoughtfully, it will usually flatter any body type. However, you do need to understand the effects and the prevailing guide lines for color mixing, and potential negative effects that you might have to overcome.  Fortunately, most of them can be easily remedied.

Monochrome can be boring; you have the danger of looking like you were dipped in a dye vat; You don't see it much anymore, however, most of us older stylinistas can remember when many women dressed head to to in one color that had to match exactly.  Often, the only color in an outfit would be the gold of jewelry worn with stones the same color of the outfit; even the eye shadow was in the same shade! (I must admit I was one of these for some time, and I still prefer monochromatic dressing as it suits my body type and aesthetic in so many ways). 

Monochromatic dressing can look  like a "uniform" , One does have to use other artistic considerations to pump up one color outfits.  In the pictures above, I show you some of the tools I use.  1.) break up the shade of the color; I like to always use the same tone, but I do use light and dark values to relieve a bit of the monotony. If I use one shade on top and a different shade on the bottom, I try as much as possible to match my shoe to the tone of the top.  This keeps the line of color long. Sometimes I will wear a shirt with a 'pop' collar of entirely different colors (a seasonal trend this year for fall).  I broke the continuous line at my hip line by showing the blouse hem. (my hips are very narrow and I want the eye to skim over my thicker waist.)

Other interesting things one can do to minimize the negatives of dye vat dressing is to mix up your textures and fabrics.  No one need adhere to perfectly matched materials. Move out of the conventional comfort zone (tastefully, of course); a bit of leather with lace, high grade polyester is now worn with everything, even wool and cashmere; the most exclusive designers are using all forms of man made materials and mixing them up in their collections. Any change in texture or tone will relieve any feeling of "old fashioned" or the monotony.

Using a broad base of one color and using small colorful accents to "pop" attention to your figure assets in another way to really use color to your advantage.  Accessories are wonderful for this, or tops and bottoms broken by an undergarment such as a shell or tank break up the monotony of only one color.  There is so much you can do just by experimenting. Monochromatic dressing is usually defined as a color scheme that is approximately 75-80% or less the same color.  You can do a lot with just a bit of accent color and accessories. Remember, prints that are significantly prominent in the color of your chosen solid also can be qualified as monochromatic, especially if you use the classic solid jacket (sweater), and lower garment, and use a top with the print.

Basic design principles of color are really quite simple; darker and dull colors tend to make an area of the body appear smaller and can be used to make an area of the body appear smaller; lighter or brighter colors can be used to emphasize your best assets. Color changes should be strategically evaluated as to where they occur on the body as  that part of the body will be emphasized.  Strategic use of color can be used to advantage to boost or downplay inside lines of a garment. (more on this when we discuss the design element, lines.

The greatest problems occur when one chooses the wrong colors.  Although any color has most of the same principles ,(the same color will produce different illusions depending upon what colors are used together) it is vastly important that you choose the right colors for YOU, That does not mean what some arbitrary pamphlet of color of your "season", or whatever new diet of color is in fashion tells you to use.  The incorrect use of color is especially devastating on the mature women because our skin color changes as we age, and we simply fail to take note of the need for a re-evaluation.  The wrong color choice is also more devastating on older skin. 

I firmly believe in color analysis; the theory of choosing the right colors for you is very sound. Some women absolutely glow when they wear certain colors, some look drained, tired, sallow in certain colors.  The danger comes from inadequate understanding of color, often by a 'colorist' who really has little or no understanding themselves and use blanket "rules" that simply do not apply to everyone.  Most colorists have a "four size fits all approach" based on skin tone, (warm or cool), hair color (brunette, redhead, blond, grey), and eye color (blue, brown, hazel).  Right away, you see just with those combinations (basic, mind you) you would need a minimum of 120 swatches of a specific color just to align to the "season" approach.  I have never seen 120 swatches of blue offered to help me choose my best shade.  Even with all that, generalizations occur.  One of my former managers was a slave to her color chart; a conventional "fall", with reddish hair, brown eyes, and a warm brown skin tone.  Unfortunately, she missed many opportunities for "rocking her age" because she would not even try on newer shades of color than was in her swatches.  I also had a co-worker during those same years who looked marvelous in all her suggested winter colors except the suggested shade of fuscha she was given.  The color accentuated the veining in her cheeks and neck that was simply unattractive.  One other important note: colors a chosen for each season far ahead of time.  Different "committees" determine the shades of colors and how much of it you will see.  Those colors rarely match the swatches given by the color stylists.  Trying those colors next to your own skin is the only way to be certain, and gaining a certain amount of knowledge of color theory (color wheel) will give you the ammunition you need to plan ahead for appropriate color mixing.

Through trial and error I have discovered that most of the colors suggested for "summer" actually work better for me. Just like other fashion rules, your best choice of colors are individual, and do not necessarily "fit a box".  One of the best markers (beside your mirror, of course) is the unsolicited admiration of others.  If you wear a garment of a certain color and you get "raves" all day, you can be pretty certain the color looks good on you.  As we age, we do need to evaluate if last years color choices are still the best for us now. I will be re-evaluating many of garments in my closet because of the significant change in the color of my hair.

In all of the above pictures, you can see the influences of monochrome dressing I use in my own day to day clothing choices. ( It is not that I am so vain that I want to keep myself in pictures, but using them in pictures of me in my daily wear illustrate my results from using the design elements).  Of course, most of these are casual, but that is my usual "role". 

As the new fashion season emerges, now might be the time you consider taking a closer look at the colors of your garments.  Are they your personal best?  I believe of all the elements, if I had to choose one and only one as being the most important, it would be color.

Happy styling................Geneva

Mature Fashion: Design Elements

Color and inside lines

Blogging, sewing, errands

Hello Stylinistas;

Today we are going to discuss how design elements can be used to affect the balance of a certain type of shape; The more you know about your body and how the design elements of the clothes you choose affect them, the more you will be able to choose the most flattering garments to wear. 

We discussed the five basic body types, triangle,(pear) inverted triangle, circle (apple), rectangle and inverted triangle over triangle (hourglass).  There are also five design elements that can be used to "fool the eye" by illusion.  The five elements are line, color, texture, scale and proportion.  

Eyes follow lines, there a two categories of lines; inside lines such as seams, decorative items such as a row of buttons, or the patterns on the fabrics (stripes, etc.) These lines can have different shapes that will affect the illusion you wish to project; they may be curves, asymmetrical and of course, vertical or horizontal. Outside lines indicate the general shape of the garment, often called  the silhouette. (a-line skirt, column dress, etc.). 

Eyes are attracted to color; the brighter the color, the more the eye is attracted and , of course, the reverse is true. Strategic use of color, its values, tones, etc. just by itself can effectively be used to flatter any type of figure or any body part.

Fuzzy or shiny textures appear bulky, smooth dull textures appear smaller.  The choice of fabrics for specific garments can and do create illusions of a slender or heavy body part.

Small design detail (collars, buttons, cuffs, etc.-not the print of the fabric) make the body look larger, while large design detail make it look smaller.  Design can be used to strategically call attention to our best asset.  This particular tool is especially friendly to those of us over forty who may still have a part of their body that is especially attractive.  I have a friend who has arms a 20+ woman would envy; obviously, it is to her advantage to wear clothing that bares her arms. Many mature women prefer to disguise (me included) our heavy or not so attractive upper arms!

The last design element, proportion is somewhat counter intuitive; equal proportions are not desirable in a garment;(one reason that so many people cannot just wear any white blouse with any ol' black skirt and look great!-we will discuss this in a later posting) Uneven proportion; a long top with a short skirt, a short top with a long skirt, etc. are usually the most flattering on your body.  For those of you who were art students, you may remember that as long ago as Greek and Italian craftsmen ruled the art world, proportion was an element of pleasing design. The generally recognized balance of proportions for overall pleasure to the eye was 1/3 to 2/3. This art principle still holds true today. (This is one of those accepted "rules"; remember, it is situational, circumstances could exist where you deliberately make a choice to ignore it!) 

In the above pictures, you will notice how the strong vertical stripes on the sweater elongate the waist.  I wanted to wear boots in the same color tone to add length to the legs. In the picture to the right, the texture of the sweater is slightly fuzzy and somewhat loose fitting. Notice how much heavier I look around the waist.  I have somewhat negated that illusion by
wearing the muti-colored very bright patterned blouse under the sweater and showing the collar.  I also let the hem of the blouse peep out to just above the hip line (I have very narrow hips) to focus attention away from my (thicker than I would like) waistline.

Future posts will explain how one uses the above design elements to create desired results on different/all body types.  I emphasize ,  the information will  provide information on how to create the illusion, not whether that illusion is valid.  I had a young friend recently tell me how she wished to emphasize the size of her butt. (J.Lo and Kim have a lot to answer for!) Each stylinista needs to determine which body parts she wishes to accent and which she wishes to disguise within her own body type. She may be a slave to the "rules", but she will lose some opportunities to "Rock Her Role".

Hopefully, you have determined your body type; now you need to determine which body parts you want to accent and which you definitely do not.  You can then use these art principles to create your own masterpiece-YOU!...Happy Styling.......Geneva

Mature Fashion; What Shape are You?

Errands, Lunch, Appointment

Hello Stylinistas:

One of the oldest (and still most reliable)  statements that have been made regarding fashionistas and stylinistas is to remember that fashion, trends, styles, whatever you want to call them exist for you, not you for the fashion.  Everything about what you wear should be a bit about the way a fashion (whether you like it our not) adds to the uniqueness of you and to what "flatters your body type, and "you" specifically; but first you have to identify what is"you". A particular set of design elements may make you look thinner, or taller, or longer legs, etc., but, you may dislike that style.  You may love a certain style but it does not look the same on you as it did on the model, or the mannequin in the window, etc. You may try on dozens of garments and not be happy with any of them, or worse yet, buy the garment and it hangs in your closet, unworn, until you finally get rid of it.

Every hair stylist in the world is familiar with the customer who brings in a picture of a style they have seen in the magazine and says "I want this hairstyle", then is unhappy when they do not look the same as the model in the picture. It is up to us, if we don't already know, our body types and the types of design detail that will best flatter our figure and features. It is important to know and understand the rules so you know how to break them.  As you must know by now, based on my posts, that most rules are really meant to be broken based on your individuality.  You must also learn the difference between an arbitrary fashion "rule" and a design principle.  T

There are basically five diffferent body types; they may be defined as fruits, flowers, or other terms, but they all come down to a geometric shape: an inverted triangle over a triangle (usually called an hour glass), a circle (usually called an apple), a rectangle, a triangle, or an inverted triangle.  Most people can usually identify their basic shape from these terms.

An hourglass, or the inverted triangle over a triangle simply means the shoulders and the hip line are somewhat equal and they have a narrow waist. A circle means the waistline is bigger than the shoulders and the hips, which are usually about equal, A rectangle means the shoulders, waistline, and hips are all about equal, a triangle means hips are significantly larger than shoulders, and an inverted triangle means shoulders are significantly larger than the hips.

The problems arise when stylists attempt to invent concrete rules based on the above definitions;  every woman's body is different.  Some women will fit comfortably with design principles and these ordained rules based on the principles. For example, a triangle (pear shape) body type usually  has rather heavy legs to go with her larger hips; what happens when she has beautifully shaped legs?  In our discussions, we must always remember that each person is an individual and you will break rules when they do not fit your individuality.

The important difference between a design principle and an arbitrary fashion rule is based on artistic illusion that is factual; arbitrary "rules" such as "a person with a large top half of the body should never wear horizontal stripes'" is based on opinion. In general, you would always be "safe" following the arbitrary rule, but you could certainly lose out on a lot of fashion opportunities to show yourself to advantage; one of the reasons is people who rigidly follow these rules often have a wardrobe that can be somewhat boring, and is always what is expected. Almost all major fashion changes are brought about by individuals who confidently break these arbitrary rules.  It was not all that long ago when major assumptions were made about a woman if she wore a red dress, or wearing navy and black or brown and black together was a fashion no-no.  Today we look at those restrictions as silly, and rightfully so.

Consider the above fashion rule about stripes and an inverted triangle body type: What happens when you have a horizontal stripe with a diagonally printed design that actually appears to slim a waistline or you have a body where you may have large shoulders and bustline, but a narrow midriff, and the stripe design would call attention to this very flattering midriff? These arbitrary fashion rules based on body type do not allow for individual variety of the individual. (we will talk more about stripes as a design element later).

In this post I have identified the five body types.  You may have one or more indivuals roles in which you are cast, however the "costumes" we will need (or choose) to wear should be fashioned in such a way as to flatter our own bodies and style of dressing.  Each body type is described in more detail on RockMyStyling.blogspot.com

in our next posting, we will examine the design elements that you can use to assist in balancing any body type.  For now, all you need to do is determine your Basic body type; it may have changed over the years. (I have underscored "basic" because the guidelines (rules, if you will) may be adjusted for your own body.  You are a unique individual, and your styling will be customized for you.

Until next time, Happy styling............Geneva

Mature Fashion: More About Compliments

Hello Stylinistas:

Over the years I have known many women who are simply not confident in their own fashion judgement (s).  All too often they rely upon a friend or relative to go shopping with  them.  Unless you absolutely trust their judgement FOR YOUR BODY and TASTE you may want to rethink the decision.  All too frequently you may be unhappy with the result. 

Often a friend chooses or recommends what is right for herself rather than for the body and aesthetics of the one doing the shopping.  Sometimes the friend does not wish to criticize the tastes or choices of the shopper; sometimes the friend is offended if the shopper does not take her advice.  In any event, you are often much better off to trust your own mirror or heed unsolicited and especially repeated compliments from strangers (not salespeople) as to what flatters and suits you.  If you feel you must have someone with you, you may consider using the services of a stylist or personal shopper.  Should you choose that solution, just make sure they have no stake or profit from either the shops you frequent or the merchandise you select. (remember every salesperson has some investment) 

One last point; family members and long time close friends may actually be intimidated if you significantly change your appearance; especially if it is a drastic change or a really marked improvement.  They may feel intimidated by the "new you" (remember Fried Green Tomatoes?).  Many family members can also feel uncomfortable their life is being disrupted, etc.  Going from "frumpy" to "fantastic" can be especially unsettling for spouses and offspring. Remain resolute; they almost always get used to it and actually come to enjoy it.

The "RockMy..."blogs are all about YOU and your own feelings of confidence and self esteem. Everything about that confidence translates directly to the roles you play in your personal play "lifestyle". I did a post to "RockMyAges.Blogspot.com" regarding the subject of compliments and felt I needed to expand a bit on the subject.

I addressed this subject today because if you wear a specific style, color, collar, haircut, hair color, etc. and you receive multiple compliments from varied people throughout the day, especially strangers, it would be wise to take note of the style detail(s) and incorporate it into your personal style kit.  You will seldom be wrong......

Above, my "costumes" for the early morning household chores and the second, my role of running errands and grocery shopping...........Happy Styling.......Geneva

Mature Fashion: Skincare & Sunlight

First steps: rinse face, apply brows,
lip color, comb hair, mascara, etc.

Good Day, Stylinistas:

I have been asked why I did not mention sunscreen when I posted the basic "musts" for skin preparation for the day.  I did not include application of sunscreen because there is still a lot of controversy as to problems with side effects of their use. 

There is no doubt based on all literature or research I could find that sunscreens of all kind reduce the risks of skin cancers when used regularly and as directed.  Where controversy lies is in the side effects; many of us break out when using most sunscreens, other research shows other negative effects, some which arguably can also cause cancer. Consult your dermatologist or other health professional for a better explanation. 

I also hesitated to add the application of sun screen to a the basic program (which includes no cosmetics on the skin except lipstick and eyebrow pencil) because if one does choose to a sunscreen, it would be in another styling step. The key to this basic routine is a bare bones approach that all stylinistas can and have time to do upon arising in the mornings. One overlooked procedure when using sunscreen is the necessity to re-apply every two hours.  Most people apply the sunscreen and forget about it for the rest of the day unless they happen to be swimming or at the beach.  

Additionally, I always recommend the wearing of a sun hat and sunglasses when going into the sun.  I am more conscious of applying sunscreen to hands and arms and neck when I venture out. For the purposes of styling application, I recommend applying the sunscreen, if any, just before applying a base or primer.  There are many good websites that can assist in these steps.

 I have been using Faces by Coppertone, but occasionally, I still have some problems with skin irritations.  I am going to try a product , also called Faces (I think) by Nutrogena.  I have been hearing some good things about it, but, as I always say, each person's experience can be different, and experimentation is necessary to find the best for you. I have found, for me, that try, try, again is the best route for eventual sucess!!

Happy Styling!...........Geneva