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