Smart-Casual Outfit for Rectangle Body Shapes

Smart-Casual Outfit for Rectangle Body Shapes by Isabel de Felice featuring nude heels

I'm out to do some personal shopping today for a client who loves neutral colours. Her favourites are browns and beiges, so I've put together this outfit for a smart-casual daytime occasion. This outfit is particularly suited to a lady with a straight or rectangle body shape. I've chosen pieces with simple, straight cuts which are both slimming and lengthening. Starting with a fabulous pair of tailored trousers by Stella McCartney, I've added a striped Tee as a nod to one of this season's key trends: 'stripes.' Over the top, a gorgeous kimono sleeved jumper from Fenn Wright Manson with a V neck and simple tie waist which should be worn loose and at a diagonal on a straight body shape. Accessories complete the look. I've added a pair of stunning platform courts from Carvela to lengthen the legs, a long chain and pearl beaded necklace to slim the body, and a leather and suede satchel bag. Simple. Stylish. Chic. Perfect for any daytime occasion. Hope you like it! Isabel x

Valentine's Outfit for Romantics

Valentine's Outfit for Romantics by Isabel de Felice featuring leather handbags

Valentine's Outfit for Romantics

Valentine's Outfit for Romantics by Isabel de Felice featuring paisley dresses

Beautiful Belts & Cinched Waists...

Isabel de Felice
Colour, Style, Image & Beauty Consultant
Tel: 01932 227531
Email: isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk

Belted and Beautiful -
How to wear the cinched waist...

You can be sure that your image is in safe hands with the very best advice from colourmebeautiful’s Award Winning consultant

Whether it’s big and bold or small and neat, the belt is this
season’s must have accessory. The stylish, womanly look is
back for Autumn and Winter, so make sure you’re ready to
belt in and look beautiful!

What a Waist!
The trick with belts is, knowing how to wear them. Many women tend to hide their waist under loose, shapeless tops. Don’t be shy! Try the new season’s look and get ready to show off what could be your best asset.

A belt can often be a rounded tummy’s best friend as it detracts the attention from the tummy to the waist. Knowing what size and style belt to wear is the key here.

When we think of belts we tend to think of leather, but leather can be hard and rigid or it can be soft and supple. Belts also come in soft fabrics, beads, ribbon etc. Finding the one which is right for you will depend on your preferences as well as your body shape, proportions and scale. So, get down to the high street, have a play with the styles you fancy and find out which ones work best for you!

The Hourglass Body Shape:
If you have a neat hourglass figure with all your curves in proportion you will be able to wear most belt styles; cinching-in your waist will show-off your figure even more. However, you do need to think about where your waist is; if you are high or shortwaisted, for example, a wide belt will end up sitting under your bust where it shouldn’t be!

Petite Body Shapes:
Petite sizes with a fine bone structure should stay away from big belts as they will completely swamp them, as will large buckles. They should stick to narrow and lightweight belts to complement their figure. You might consider a pretty chain-belt.

Tall Body Shapes:
Belts are great for tall women allowing them to ‘break-up’ the long look. If you have a long torso, wide belts are perfect; if you are short in the torso then try wearing your belt low slung to elongate the body.

Lean Column or Rectangle Body Shapes:
If you have a rectangular body shape or boyish ‘lean column’, you don’t want to advertise the fact that you don’t have a defined waist. Avoid wide and stiff belts as they will emphasise your ‘column’ shape and instead opt for a more subtle belt style such as cardigans or jackets with ribbon ties. These will give you a little definition and softness around the middle.

If you are a rectangle and have a neat bust and no waist you could wear a belt that sits under the bust; more detail on the top half or on the hips will give the illusion of a waist.

Buckle-up!

An embellished buckle will draw attention to your waist and show your creativity, drama or romanticism, just like the colour me beautiful style personalities! If you’re not quite sure which belts work for you then book a style consultation to find out how you should wear yours.

Did you know?
If you buy a skirt or trousers with belt loops this means that they are meant to be worn with belts, so please do!

Now is the perfect time to book your Seasonal Fashion Update consultation and find out which of this season's trends will work for you!

If you'd like to find out more about body shapes and accessories, why not contact me to find out more about a Personal Style & Body Shape consultation?

Simply phone 01932 227531 or email me at isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk

To find out more about colour, style, image or fashion, drop me an email or give me a call and I'll be happy to help...?

It is my job to make shopping and fashion easier for you....

Contact me:

Email: isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk

Phone: 01932 227531

Follow me: http://twitter.com/isabeldefelice

Your Colourful Holiday Capsule Wardrobe

Isabel de Felice
Colour, Style, Image & Beauty Consultant
Tel: 01932 227531
Email: isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk

Travel Light, Travel Bright: your colourful capsule holiday wardrobe

You can be sure that your image is in safe hands with the very best advice from colourmebeautiful’s Award Winning consultant

Tip Number 1: On The Case

For most events in life a little planning can go a long way and that goes for your holiday packing too. The last thing you want as you anticipate your well-earned break is a stressful week of packing...then unpacking, then re-packing! So, before you even dig out your suitcase you need to draw up a basic list. Write a column for every day of your trip and for each day write down what you might be doing (sightseeing, sporting activity or just relaxing). In each column write roughly what you are likely to wear. This will quickly show you that you can wear the same pair of trousers or skirt, for example, at least twice and that you can pack lighter than you think.

Tip Number 2: Begin With The Basics

Your basics are those items that you will wear more than once such as a pair of trousers, a skirt and a jacket. Use your list to pick out these basic pieces and lay them out on your bed. You may want most of these basics to be neutral or a mix of neutral and colours, depending on your preferences. When your selection is laid out on the bed you can work out different outfit combinations and therefore you will see which items will be the most versatile. Along with the basics you should have a couple of cotton tops for daytime and two that you can wear day or night which should be something a little more 'special', perhaps with a little extra detail, that you can dress up or down. You most definitely want a couple of dresses in two different, fabulous colours.

Tip Number 3: Capitalise On Colour

Holidays are the perfect opportunity to really enjoy wearing colours as they always look more fabulous in sunnier weather and we're not limited by work dress codes. Don't feel you have to be 'matchy, matchy', clashing colours can look fabulous. Some great colour combinations this season are orange and pink or purple with green or turquoise. If clashing your clothes is a little too much for your taste just bring strong colours in to your accessories. A great pair of green shoes and matching handbag and a chunky orange bangle will set off a neutral outfit beautifully. White can be a super neutral against a tan, but check whether you suit a bright bluish white or a softer creamy white against your skin. To get your colours right it's important to select the right 'shade' or 'tone' in each of your best colours so that they really complement your colouring.
Seek expert colour advice by booking a personal colour analysis consultation and you will look fabulous in your best colours this holiday and every holiday.

The One Week Beach Holiday List

Here is a basic packing guide to make your planning easier. Assuming laundry is not available you will need the following:

*1 pair of jeans
*1 pair of cropped or soft palazzo trousers
*1 pair of shorts (neutral)
*1 skirt (neutral)
*2 dresses (2 different colours)
*1 kaftan (colour-for beach or over trousers during the day)
*2 daytime cotton tops/t-shirts (different colours)
*2 smarter tops/t-shirts (different colours)
*1 cotton strappy top (white or colour)
*1 summer cardigan OR pashmina (either can be a neutral or a colour)
*1 light summer jacket (neutral)
*1 pair of flip flops (colour)*1 pair of comfortable shoes (e.g. stylish trainer or ballet pumps in a good colour or a neutral)
*1 pair of pretty sandals (neutral or a strong colour that matches or clashes well)
*1 pair of heels (neutral or metallic or bold colour)
*3 bathing suits/bikinis (in most flattering colours)
*1 hat (good colour or neutral)*4 days of underwear (you'll do a wash every other day) Take at least one colour set and one neutral; include a strapless bra)
*1 town/evening bag (matching/clashing well with colour shoes or neutral)
*1 travel bag which can double up as a beach bag

Enjoy your holiday!

To find out more about colour, style, image or fashion, why not book a consultation or workshop?

It is my job to make life easier for you....

Contact me:

Email: isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk

Phone: 01932 227531

Follow me: http://twitter.com/isabeldefelice

The Do's and Don'ts of Dressing Up

Isabel de Felice
Colour, Style & Image Consultant
Tel: 01932 227531
Email: isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk

What fun! You have been invited to a wedding / christening / posh do. After the initial euphoria, panic sets in. Too late, you have accepted, and Cinderella will have to go to the ball.

Panic over, as Isabel de Felice, award winning image consultant with colour me beautiful, “every woman’s trusted source”,(Lisa Armstrong, The Times) is here to help you decide how to go about it.

Style Tip Number 1:

Consider the occasion carefully and do your research before you let the credit card fly in all directions.

Is it:

Indoor / outdoor?
Sitting / standing up?
Daytime / evening?
Glam / relaxed?
Show-off / play down?

Style Tip Number 2:

Under no circumstance should you walk into a boutique / department store and announce that you are looking for an outfit to go to a wedding. If you do, you’ll end up in coral head-to-toe ! Even if it is in your palette (for the warms) head-to-toe coral (other known alternatives are periwinkle and aqua) is not a good look, particularly if it comes with matching accessories.

Style Tip Number 3:

Be yourself.

Don’t become all frivolous and flowery if, at the best of times, you feel better in a neat suit (i.e. you are a classic). Or don’t put yourself in that well co-ordinated suit if you feel more comfortable in trousers and a top (you might well then be a natural). Dressing according to your personality will help you have more fun in the process. If you have not consulted it yet, Chapter 4 of Colour Me Confident (Hamlyn) deals with the issues of Style Personalities. Once you know and understand your Style Personality, putting your everyday and “special event” wardrobes together will become second nature.

Style Tip Number 4:

Ignore fashion.

Just because it's “in” it doesn't mean that the garment you are considering is going to be right for you. As well as colour and the price you need to check things like scale of the pattern, where the waist is, the length of the dress/skirt and whether these are right - or wrong - for you. The baby-doll look is popular now, but do you want to look pregnant? I always advise that you should wear clothes that are comfortable - a little looser is a lot more flattering than a little too tight.

Style Tip Number 5:

Standing or sitting?

If you are going to be standing up for the whole occasion, you MUST wear shoes you have worn before which have been put through the test. If the occasion takes you into a garden, choose a stack heel or wedge which are unlikely to sink into the ground as you step on the lawn. Stack heels are big this season, and the choice of style and colour is yours for the taking.
Warning: Linen is a fabulously cool fabric to wear in spring and summertime, but if you are going to spend a fair amount of time sitting down, you may want to consider its crease factor.

Style Tip Number 6:

Plain or patterned?

You need to consider whether what you are buying is going to be a one-off or something you’ll want to wear again and again. With so much pattern around you’ll have a field day choosing
yours. Make sure the size is in proportion with your scale. Patterns can be great to “hide” bits you don’t want to show off: a patterned top or dress can help disguise round tummies. If you are wearing a pattern, keep the accessories plain; i.e. with a patterned dress, choose a plain coloured bag and shoes. Think about the costume jewellery too. Of course if you are a creative, you will ignore all this and do what you fancy on the day ! A plain coloured outfit will be more versatile as you can change your look simply by swapping accessories.

And Finally:

Buying clothes should not be a chore. It is about having fun!

Once you know what suits you and what colours and styles you should go for, shopping will be
that much easier. It might be worth taking an afternoon off work mid-week (less people around) and go to a high street / mall where you can enjoy a more leisurely experience than at the week-end. If you still feel it is all too much for you and the stress of finding what will make you the belle of the ball drives you insane, why not book a colour and/or style consultation with me?

It is my job to make life easier for you.

Contact me:

Email: isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk
Phone: 01932 227531
Follow me: http://twitter.com/isabeldefelice

Isabel's Colour, Image, Style & Make-up Advice

The Art of Clever Packing...

Some key points to remember when selecting your beach holiday wardrobe:

Your body will swell a little in the heat so go for looser, natural fibre fabrics that allow your skin to breathe. By all means take your jeans or a favourite slinky dress for the evenings so long as you know they are comfortable.
Shoes should also allow for the heat - open toes and sling backs are best. Alternatively, choose something made of cotton, canvas or very soft leather (avoid anythingman-made which doesn’t allow your tootsies to breathe).
Even in the warmest climates evenings can get cooler,so always pack something for the later hours of the day.A light jacket or pashmina is ideal for this.
Sun hats are not just for children, grown-ups feel the sun’s glare too. There are some fabulous styles and colours to choose from so find one that suits you and keep it on!
Folding. It may seem to take some of the excitement out of going away, but folding all your items properly will make all the difference. If you haven’t done it before, try rolling your clothes rather than folding them, this way you will avoidfold creases and the ensuing ironing episode.

Packing for a seven night beach holiday? Try the following...

tops:

1 casual/smart jacket for travelling, 1 cardigan (could be a shrug), 2 t-shirts, 3 summer tops

bottoms:

1 cropped trousers, 1 soft fabric trousers (for travelling), 1 shorts, 1 cotton skirt

dresses:

2 for evening, 1 sundress

shoes:

1 pair of comfortable flats, 1 pair of flip flops, 1 pair of sandals (or comfortable low heel or fun flats), 1 pair of wedges

accessories:

1 sun hat (foldable), 1 sarong, 1 swimsuit cover-up, 1 colour me beautiful pashminetta in your best colour

swimwear:

2 pieces (could be 2 bikinis, or 1 bikini and 1 one-piece; or indeed 2 x 1 piece. Don’t forget the forgiving tankini)

Now you know how many items to take, you just need to decide which pieces! The best way to do this is to take your favourite two or three tops, bottoms, etc., lay them out on your bed and pick the ones that are most easily interchangeable taking note of colours, patterns and lengths.If you feel confused by the colours that match or styles that go together, why not contact me for a colour or style consultation before your trip and get the most out of your holiday wardrobe.

Hope to meet you soon and wishing you a lovely holiday