It's not easy to be able to look in the mirror and just know you look good that day. But there are plenty of things to keep in mind to help you know better.
Color: Know what colors look good on you. For example, blonds should avoid yellow, but peach is a great color. When dressing, always keep a color scheme in mind and do not stray from it. Use color for emphasis in neutral schemed outfits. Don't forget to keep colors close to the same intensity. Going crazy with color can translate to making you look crazy as well.
Shape: The shape of your clothing greatly affects how your shape is perceived. The best way to look your best is by dressing to fit your shape. Wear things that naturally enhance your silhouette. It's best to not wear things that take up a lot of space, because then you end up looking the same way.
It's important to keep in mind that you don't want too many things competing for attention. Emphasis should be on one thing only. Accessories are a great way to add emphasis in a little way. Another thing to remember is that store lighting is not always optimal. Make sure to take into consideration what the garment will look like under different lighting.
If you do most all of these things then you will find that you and the mirror will have a much better relationship.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
What Accessories Can Do for You
What's the best and cheapest way to mix up your look? Accessories! In these days money is sometimes tight, which means your closet doesn't get the makeover you might want. There's still a way to give your a boost each season without going on a shopping spree.
Accessories, accessories, accessories. They provide an infinite number of ways to create new outfits. The best way to decide what accessories are right for you is to examine your closet. Decide what colors will go best with what you have. If you seem to have a particular color you wear a lot then plan on buying accessories that compliment it. Always keep neutrals in your closet as well. A solid neutral bag or shoe is extremely flexible and can be thrown with any outfit.
Always consider buying a few pieces that are fun. A few statement pieces of jewelry, or a wild color shoe can add trendy fun to an outfit. Also the novelty of it will make you feel good and instantly boost your perception of what you see in the mirror. Invest in a few of these statement pieces to make your wardrobe more fun.
You can also use accessories to improve a look overall. A simple black dress or suit needs some complexity. Adding accessories adds emphasis to the ensemble and boosts the look overall. Keep in mind though not to go over the top, especially when dressing professionally. A great way to add shape and create an hourglass silhouette is by adding a belt at the waistline. Belts create the hourglass silhouette by pulling the clothing in and can make some garments even more flattering. A pointed toe shoe also helps elongate your legs. The eye will follow the line down and keeps following the line of the pointed toe, creating that illusion.
If you're tight for money, but you feel like you have nothing to wear, use accessories. In today's retail environment they are everywhere. When buying trendy pieces don't pay too much for them, but feel free to pay a little extra for things you will use hundreds of times.
Let accessories mix up your style and you will definitely like what you see in the mirror.
Accessories, accessories, accessories. They provide an infinite number of ways to create new outfits. The best way to decide what accessories are right for you is to examine your closet. Decide what colors will go best with what you have. If you seem to have a particular color you wear a lot then plan on buying accessories that compliment it. Always keep neutrals in your closet as well. A solid neutral bag or shoe is extremely flexible and can be thrown with any outfit.
Always consider buying a few pieces that are fun. A few statement pieces of jewelry, or a wild color shoe can add trendy fun to an outfit. Also the novelty of it will make you feel good and instantly boost your perception of what you see in the mirror. Invest in a few of these statement pieces to make your wardrobe more fun.
You can also use accessories to improve a look overall. A simple black dress or suit needs some complexity. Adding accessories adds emphasis to the ensemble and boosts the look overall. Keep in mind though not to go over the top, especially when dressing professionally. A great way to add shape and create an hourglass silhouette is by adding a belt at the waistline. Belts create the hourglass silhouette by pulling the clothing in and can make some garments even more flattering. A pointed toe shoe also helps elongate your legs. The eye will follow the line down and keeps following the line of the pointed toe, creating that illusion.
If you're tight for money, but you feel like you have nothing to wear, use accessories. In today's retail environment they are everywhere. When buying trendy pieces don't pay too much for them, but feel free to pay a little extra for things you will use hundreds of times.
Let accessories mix up your style and you will definitely like what you see in the mirror.
What TO Wear
As seen in the earlier post Heather displayed on What Not to Wear exactly the wrong thing to wear. But of course, as always, Stacy and Clinton worked their magic and Heather miraculously was wearing things that were flattering to her.
This is a way to make friends with the mirror. You can see that Heather got an excellent makeover with clothes that make her look fabulous. The lines of this garment pull the eye inward now and make her look thinner. The colors in this ensemble also blend together much better than that of her other choices. The achromatic color scheme creates much more flattering scheme than that of the two very different intensity colors. There is an actual shape to this outfit as well. It gives her more of an hour glass figure. It also shows off her best feature, her legs.
This outfit is a complete turn around from her original style. This outfit actually utilizes the elements of design to flatter her.
Heather learned how to dress, and now I'm sure the mirror loves giving her her reflection.
This is a way to make friends with the mirror. You can see that Heather got an excellent makeover with clothes that make her look fabulous. The lines of this garment pull the eye inward now and make her look thinner. The colors in this ensemble also blend together much better than that of her other choices. The achromatic color scheme creates much more flattering scheme than that of the two very different intensity colors. There is an actual shape to this outfit as well. It gives her more of an hour glass figure. It also shows off her best feature, her legs.
This outfit is a complete turn around from her original style. This outfit actually utilizes the elements of design to flatter her.
Heather learned how to dress, and now I'm sure the mirror loves giving her her reflection.
Definitely What Not to Wear
One of my favorite shows, and one I suggest anyone who is confused on how to dress watch, is What Not to Wear. Stacy and Clinton take what I would consider the fashion impossible and turn women into style mavens. These women give great examples of how the mirror and you could hate each other.
One of my favorites was Heather. She's a mother and a professional, but was dressing more like she was hitting up a night club. Below is just one example of the mistakes Heather was making.
There are a lot of elements of design gone wrong here. This outfit clearly is an example of the wrong way to dress.
First of all we have two very different color intensities. The black tights and the very bright top compete too much. The eye is a little overwhelmed with the difference in intensity. A good rule to follow is to keep your colors of the same intensity. Another problem is the line of the garment. The lines on top are horizontal, which is a bad idea. Horizontal lines make things look wider. A great way to look skinnier is by wearing vertical lines. The eye follows the lines down, and creates this illusion. The shape of the garments doesn't do her any good as well. There really isn't any general shape to the top, which makes her look the same way. The tights then change to a very slim line fit. The two great differences in shape make the look unflattering.
The outfit as a whole fails to use any of the design elements to make it flattering. Heather might have known better if she would have known about them. Part of the key to making a flattering outfit is using color, line, shape, texture, etc. to create unity.
Before you walk out in what you may think is a good clothing choice, just think about a few of those things. You don't want to be the next What Not to Wear ambush.
One of my favorites was Heather. She's a mother and a professional, but was dressing more like she was hitting up a night club. Below is just one example of the mistakes Heather was making.
There are a lot of elements of design gone wrong here. This outfit clearly is an example of the wrong way to dress.
First of all we have two very different color intensities. The black tights and the very bright top compete too much. The eye is a little overwhelmed with the difference in intensity. A good rule to follow is to keep your colors of the same intensity. Another problem is the line of the garment. The lines on top are horizontal, which is a bad idea. Horizontal lines make things look wider. A great way to look skinnier is by wearing vertical lines. The eye follows the lines down, and creates this illusion. The shape of the garments doesn't do her any good as well. There really isn't any general shape to the top, which makes her look the same way. The tights then change to a very slim line fit. The two great differences in shape make the look unflattering.
The outfit as a whole fails to use any of the design elements to make it flattering. Heather might have known better if she would have known about them. Part of the key to making a flattering outfit is using color, line, shape, texture, etc. to create unity.
Before you walk out in what you may think is a good clothing choice, just think about a few of those things. You don't want to be the next What Not to Wear ambush.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
The Ultimate Brand Representative
Nowadays brands are putting more and more emphasis on the people that people associate with them. You see commercials everywhere with one person who sums up the brand. You might think of the brunette with the pink dress for T-Mobile. But what you might not realize is that even the sales associates in stores represent the brand.
The ultimate example of this is at Hollister Co. The store itself is a huge part of the brand identity. You immediately think of the dim lighting, loud music, and overpowering scent. One other part of the brand identity too is the people working there. Hollister sales associates are known as models. Just to be asked to be one means that you could potentially represent the brand.
There are rules to what a Hollister model can wear. Vans or flip flops are the only accepted footwear. It's also expected that you have a personality that reflects the laid back nature of California. Hollister wants the models be a living version of the company.
Brand identity is a huge thing in today's retail industry. Sales associates help tie together exactly what it is that a brand wants to say. They can put up tons of pictures of models, and create advertisements that put the messages in bold letters, but it's another thing to put a real person as the identity of a brand.
Companies are putting every last detail into branding. Everything from the clothing to the people represents a brand.
The ultimate example of this is at Hollister Co. The store itself is a huge part of the brand identity. You immediately think of the dim lighting, loud music, and overpowering scent. One other part of the brand identity too is the people working there. Hollister sales associates are known as models. Just to be asked to be one means that you could potentially represent the brand.
There are rules to what a Hollister model can wear. Vans or flip flops are the only accepted footwear. It's also expected that you have a personality that reflects the laid back nature of California. Hollister wants the models be a living version of the company.
Brand identity is a huge thing in today's retail industry. Sales associates help tie together exactly what it is that a brand wants to say. They can put up tons of pictures of models, and create advertisements that put the messages in bold letters, but it's another thing to put a real person as the identity of a brand.
Companies are putting every last detail into branding. Everything from the clothing to the people represents a brand.
Lights, Dressing Room, Action.
Why is it that retailers neglect the most important part of the store when it comes to lighting? The dressing room is another place where the mirror determines a lot. When you look into the mirror of a dressing room you decide exactly whether or not you're going to buy that new piece of clothing.
The lighting in dressing rooms at major retailers should be the most important spot. Accent lighting hardly compares to the impact of sales as the lighting in dressing rooms do. How many times have you stood in front of a mirror at a store and thought one thing of a garment and then completely changed your mind when you got home?
The problem is the lighting! If there was a store with excellent dressing room lighting I would personally shop there all the time. Lighting can completely change a person's mind about how they look in a garment. Not only that, but lighting can increase the perceived quality. Poor lighting can result in confusion about the real color of the garment too. And when a person has a bad experience with a store caused by poor lighting then they'll be less likely to come back. Bad experiences are connected with the brand and it could result in the loss of a customer.
If stores really want to boost their sales, they should really consider changing the lighting in the place that matters the most. Make the mirror a friend and suddenly women will be flocking to the store.
The lighting in dressing rooms at major retailers should be the most important spot. Accent lighting hardly compares to the impact of sales as the lighting in dressing rooms do. How many times have you stood in front of a mirror at a store and thought one thing of a garment and then completely changed your mind when you got home?
The problem is the lighting! If there was a store with excellent dressing room lighting I would personally shop there all the time. Lighting can completely change a person's mind about how they look in a garment. Not only that, but lighting can increase the perceived quality. Poor lighting can result in confusion about the real color of the garment too. And when a person has a bad experience with a store caused by poor lighting then they'll be less likely to come back. Bad experiences are connected with the brand and it could result in the loss of a customer.
If stores really want to boost their sales, they should really consider changing the lighting in the place that matters the most. Make the mirror a friend and suddenly women will be flocking to the store.
Shape Up
The easiest way to make sure you look good in your clothes is simply by making sure the shape flatters your body type. This isn't going to be about embracing your shape. This is about understanding your natural body shape and knowing how to work it with clothing. The silhouette or shape of your clothing can greatly affect how others perceive you. By not dressing for your body type you can be making yourself look worse than you might think.
Let's look at the straight body shape first.
It's important to remember to dress proportionally when you have this body shape. You can easily make yourself look top or bottom heavy if you have this body shape. Pick pieces that highlight your natural silhouette. Adding volume a little on top or using a belt at the waste can help create curves. Your legs are probably your best asset, so don't be afraid to wear something that shows them off!
If you have a pear shape body your hips are larger than your bust but you have a good waistline. Anything hourglass silhouette will make you look great. The trick is being able to add volume on top and give emphasis to your waist. Any garment with an hourglass silhouette will enhance your natural body shape and give you the right look.
One other body shape is the spoon shape. Your hips are wider than your bust as well but your waist is your slimmest part. It is important to bring more emphasis to the upper portion of your body because it draws attention away from the lower half of your body. This will create the illusion of more of an hourglass shape.
This is just a simple and quick guide to dressing your body shape well. Shape is very important because it helps the eye determine the true boundaries of an object. If you don't dress for your shape then you might be adding visual weight where you don't want to.
I used shopyourshape.com to get all the pictures and information. This website offers create advice on how to find out which shape you are and even shows examples of pieces that would work well. They also have fashion finds for the body shapes as well.
Remember to dress for your body shape and suddenly you could look ten pounds lighter, and the mirror is one step closer to being your best friend.
Let's look at the straight body shape first.
It's important to remember to dress proportionally when you have this body shape. You can easily make yourself look top or bottom heavy if you have this body shape. Pick pieces that highlight your natural silhouette. Adding volume a little on top or using a belt at the waste can help create curves. Your legs are probably your best asset, so don't be afraid to wear something that shows them off!
If you have a pear shape body your hips are larger than your bust but you have a good waistline. Anything hourglass silhouette will make you look great. The trick is being able to add volume on top and give emphasis to your waist. Any garment with an hourglass silhouette will enhance your natural body shape and give you the right look.
One other body shape is the spoon shape. Your hips are wider than your bust as well but your waist is your slimmest part. It is important to bring more emphasis to the upper portion of your body because it draws attention away from the lower half of your body. This will create the illusion of more of an hourglass shape.
This is just a simple and quick guide to dressing your body shape well. Shape is very important because it helps the eye determine the true boundaries of an object. If you don't dress for your shape then you might be adding visual weight where you don't want to.
I used shopyourshape.com to get all the pictures and information. This website offers create advice on how to find out which shape you are and even shows examples of pieces that would work well. They also have fashion finds for the body shapes as well.
Remember to dress for your body shape and suddenly you could look ten pounds lighter, and the mirror is one step closer to being your best friend.
Who Wears it Better?..and Why?
It's the classic celebrity face off. Who wore it better? In today's fashion world stars compete to have the best style. But when two celebs wear the same thing it suddenly becomes a face off of who truly wore it best.
Here we have Selma Blair and Jessica Alba following the cape trend for this fall season. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion of who wore it better but looking at it from a design principles point of view, I would say Alba did.
Jessica Alba uses the shape of the garment to flatter hers. By closing it the silhouette is much more flattering than Selma Blair's The space that the cape is taking up on Selma's makes her look much larger. Jessica Alba has balance in her look with the leather detailing of the cape repeated in the boots. This pulls the look together without being too much. Selma on the other hand does reuse to idea in the pants, but the leather pants are way too much for the look. They're also a much too different texture from the cape and causes the look to be awkward.
Alba let's there be emphasis on one thing only. The cape is the statement trend of the entire look. This is another reason why she wears it better. Selma on the other hand has a lot of pieces that are competing for emphasis. Competition for emphasis makes the look too complicated and less pleasing.
It's proof that while dressing fashionably, it is also important to keep in mind the design principles.
It might determine who wears it better.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Break It Down
Forever 21 Shop By Outfit
Let's take this outfit for an introduction to the different aesthetic qualities.
As I mentioned earlier there are formal, expressive, and symbolic qualities. Formal qualities are ones that you perceive, such a color, line, etc. Expressive qualities are qualities that evoke some sort of emotion and symbolic qualities evoke an idea about the world.
When you look at the picture what's some of the first things you notice? Let's start in on our formal qualities. We notice that the skirt is a rather bright yellow, the blazer black, and the shirt is white with stripes. What else? There is a tubular silhouette, and even though the jacket is longer it still has a good proportion with the length of the skirt.
Are there any emotions you might feel when wearing this outfit? When looking at it I might feel like I'm having fun in that outfit. The high intensity color of the skirt might evoke happiness because of the color yellow. The blazer might also make you feel more in control when wearing it because it gives off a sense of professionalism. The way an outfit fits your body also effects the expressive qualities. Of course if an outfit looks good you feel almost ecstatic, but you might feel sad or irritated in a poorly fit garment.
What could any of the pieces symbolize? I first think of the jacket and the bright color of the skirt to give an 80s vibe. I think it symbolic of that era. Also when looking at the skirt you might think of the sun, or when the t-shirt is by itself you might think of something nautical. These are some examples of what the symbolic qualities of clothing can be.
All of these aspects effect how you purchase your clothing. How many of you feel a piece of clothing before you grab it to take to the dressing room? When it feels soft and pretty you're going to be more likely to grab it off the rack. This formal quality of texture has impacted you. Next time you're in a store you can break down all of these elements and you will begin to realize just how many of your purchases are made based off these qualities. This is just a basic introduction to them.
Within the next few weeks I will be sharing real life situations of some people's favorite outfits including all of these qualities. You will be able to see different ladies and their favorite outfits and why they like them so much. Check back within next week to see these things discussed in action!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Mirror Mirror
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?
It's the popular quote from the classic fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but truly, how many times do you look into the mirror hoping it will give you the response 'The fairest maiden in the land is you.' Of course we all know that the mirror isn't literally going to tell us anything, but yet when we look at our reflections we either get the feeling that we're beautiful or not. What is it that makes us think to ourselves 'I look good today' or just look in the mirror and say 'ew'. Sure there are factors like how our hair looks or if we lost those few pounds we said we would, but what about our clothes?
I have that one outfit that I know I'll love how I look in it no matter what. I slip into my dark wash skinny jeans and a shirt that hangs just so on my body and all I can do is smile at the mirror like it's my best friend. Usually I wouldn't think about what qualities of those clothes make me feel that way, but recently my mind has been opened up to the intricate details of aesthetics.
Every piece of clothing has qualities of formal, expressive, and symbolic nature. In my blog I will continuously show a variety of outfits and explain what the various aesthetic qualities are and why clothes make us feel the way we do. In addition I hope to supply information on how to dress for particular body type, appropriate for the setting, and of course, has style!
Hopefully while following my blog, you will be able to realize exactly how the mirror can appear to be your friend or your enemy.
It's the popular quote from the classic fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but truly, how many times do you look into the mirror hoping it will give you the response 'The fairest maiden in the land is you.' Of course we all know that the mirror isn't literally going to tell us anything, but yet when we look at our reflections we either get the feeling that we're beautiful or not. What is it that makes us think to ourselves 'I look good today' or just look in the mirror and say 'ew'. Sure there are factors like how our hair looks or if we lost those few pounds we said we would, but what about our clothes?
I have that one outfit that I know I'll love how I look in it no matter what. I slip into my dark wash skinny jeans and a shirt that hangs just so on my body and all I can do is smile at the mirror like it's my best friend. Usually I wouldn't think about what qualities of those clothes make me feel that way, but recently my mind has been opened up to the intricate details of aesthetics.
Every piece of clothing has qualities of formal, expressive, and symbolic nature. In my blog I will continuously show a variety of outfits and explain what the various aesthetic qualities are and why clothes make us feel the way we do. In addition I hope to supply information on how to dress for particular body type, appropriate for the setting, and of course, has style!
Hopefully while following my blog, you will be able to realize exactly how the mirror can appear to be your friend or your enemy.
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