Fashion Archives - Page 8 of 10

Wearing White After Labor Day: Old Fashioned Fashion Rules Women are Shattering to Pieces

July 7, 2017 by Mandy

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Fashion dos and don’ts have long been a staple of fashion magazines, setting arbitrary guidelines for dressing that stuck around in spite of ever-changing trends.

It’s 2017 and sticking to the old guard’s ideas of getting really limits outfit possibilities, leaving a gal with a rather boring look, if you ask us.

The modern woman shouldn’t be confined by any rules, many of which have been in place since before her grandmother came of age.

In the spirit of fashion independence, here are some fashion rules well worth breaking.

Boots are a Winter Thing Only

You’re missing out if you think boots belong squarely in the winter months. For one, nothing looks cooler and more effortless than a pair of ankle boots or Chelsea boots with a skirt or shorts. They elevate your summer outfits beyond the expected sandal or flip flop.

They’re great for the transitional months, too. A slightly taller boot can help warm up your spring or fall wardrobe—add some boot socks or BCS Boutique leg warmers to the mix to keep things cozy.

Wearing White (or Pastels) After Labor Day

It’s in the title, after all. The old no white after labor day rule is outdated and completely silly of you ask us. At this point, many fashion people have dismissed the September cut off on all things white as passé, and even its origin story feels arbitrary.

Ever heard of winter white? It’s about texture, not so much color. Sure, you’ll want to put away those linen pants and sundresses when it starts to feel a little frosty, but white jeans or a real decadent white sweater can keep you warm while decked out in your whitest whites.

No Visible Bra Straps

Beautiful bras are having a serious moment these days. With the colorful lacy undergarments—from dainty bralettes to fancy takes on the sports bra, there’s no reason they should always remain under wraps. Pair your favorite bralette with a sheer top or a tank with oversized armholes for some low-key sex appeal.

Never Wear Navy and Black Together

A long time rule of thumb passed down by our foremothers, the old navy clashes with black wisdom is simply false. Once you get over this one, you’ll open yourself up to a world of possibilities. Black tights with a navy dress is an easy way to up the style factor in an effortless way, as is wearing your navy slacks with a black top.

Letting Your Size Dictate Your Fashion Choices

Yeah, yeah, slender people get lost in dark colors, while larger people should cool it with the yellow floral get-up. Ugh—forget it!

Here’s the thing—well-fitted clothing looks good. It doesn’t matter if you’re a small person wearing an oversized pants silhouette or if you’re a full-figured gal who loves a good Breton stripe. Sure, a petite gal may get lost in the wrong maxi skirt, but a piece that fits correctly is sure to be a hit.

Or For That Matter, Your Shape

So often we’re told to dress for our shape—so-called pear shaped people are advised to wear A-line dresses, while athletic bodies are constantly told to create a “feminine” shape. If you feel good in something, wear it.

The best look for 2017? Confidence, hands down. Barring wearing an inappropriate outfit to work, weddings or funerals, we say, anything goes.

Finding High Quality Children’s Clothes at an Affordable Price

July 4, 2017 by Mandy

Mothers are instantly propelled into becoming retail buyers the minute their children are born. They start looking for where to go to shop at prices that have excellent price points. Some even become so savvy that they think about the ability to resell their children’s clothes once they outgrow them, calculating how much profit they could make. Some mothers, and particularly those lucky few who don’t have to think about what they spend, will purchase the very latest in designer clothes. But most mothers, however, would be far better served finding designer kids clothes for sale online, which is both affordable and of high quality.

Shopping for Quality without the Money

The reality is that if you only want your child to wear brand names, you will have to have a substantial shopping budget. Luckily, however, there are things you can do to have those types of labels, without that type of price. Here are a few tips:

Shop towards the end of the season, when things are on sale, even if that means buying next year’s clothes.
Consider buying high quality items and selling them once your child has outgrown them. You can then use that money to buy new clothes.
Be selective with what you buy. Does your child really need 10 individual outfits? You can make far more combinations if you purchase one pair of trousers, one skirt, and five different tops, for instance.
Always shop online. Online stores are always cheaper because they do not have the overhead costs that other stores have to deal with.
Sign up for newsletters with online stores. Doing so means that you will be sent special offers and discount codes before anybody else.
Consider shopping together with a friend, particularly if you receive a discount or free postage if you spend over a certain amount.
If you must shop in physical stores, make sure that you only go to outlet malls.

Clearly, shopping online is the way forward, as is being a savvy shopper. However, there are a few dangers associated with shopping online as well. The first is that you have to be weary of some online stores. Make sure that you can find an address for them, and that they can be contacted in ways other than online. It is all too easy to accidentally buy counterfeit goods from a website that is actually located in China, for instance.

The second thing is that you should only purchase from stores with an excellent returns policy. Because your child cannot first try the clothes on, there is a chance that they don’t fit or even simply don’t suit them. You have to be sure that you can return the items easily if and when that happens. Do also make sure that you understand the rules of returns, such as how the label has to be presented on return, and where the items have to be sent to.

Bonmarche Reveals Top 10 Celebrity Fashion Icons

June 27, 2017 by Mandy

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For UK fashion retailer Bonmarche, the target demographic is the woman over the age of 45. To determine which women inspire their customers, they have conducted their own study into celebrity fashion icons. In so doing, they have set themselves apart from the many other studies, which look exclusively at younger women. They can now reveal that, consistently across the United Kingdom and all age groups over 45, the top four women (in no particular order) are Meryl Streep, Joanna Lumley, Helen Mirren, and Jennifer Anniston.

Numerous studies are conducted every year into celebrity fashion styles and how these influence consumer behavior. However, these studies look almost exclusively at younger women, with celebrities such as Katy Perry and Lilly Allen always scoring high. These women, however, are unlikely to be inspirations for women over the age of 45, which is the target demographic for UK retailer Bonmarche.

To address this, Bonmarche has recently completed its own study into the top celebrity fashion inspirations for their consumers. They looked at three age categories (45 to 54, 55 to 64, and 65 and over), across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The study revealed some interesting results, which are now helping to drive the new Bonmarche collections.

Looking firstly at the age category of 45 to 54, Bonmarche found full consistency across all four of the geographical areas, with women listing the same top 10. The overall top 10, therefore, became

For women aged 45 to 54, the top 10 celebrity style icons were revealed to be:

Helen Mirren, with 19.2% of the votes.
Jennifer Anniston, with 16.3% of the votes.
Meryl Streep, with 14.5% of the votes.
Joanna Lumley, with 13.5% of the votes.
Nicole Kidman, with 10.3% of the votes.
Elle McPherson, with 10% of the votes.
Julie Walters, with 8.1% of the votes.
Jane McDonald, with 5.9% of the votes.
Salma Hayek, with 5.4% of the votes.
Ruth Langsford, with 4.8% of the votes.

They then looked at the age category of 55 to 64, and found the same top 10 women, in the same order. What did change, however, was that a larger proportion of women looked up to Helen Mirren, who received 20% of the votes, but a smaller proportion of women looked up to Jennifer Anniston, who received 15.5% of the votes. Meryl Streep stayed in third place, and Joanna Lumley stayed in fourth. Again, there were no differences related to geographical location.

Looking lastly at the category of women aged 65 and over, there were some notable differences. This category was the first in which the order of the top four changed, and where there was a difference between England, Wales, and Northern Ireland on one side, and Scotland on the other. For the countries except Scotland, Helen Mirren stayed in first place, receiving 28.4% of the votes. Jennifer Anniston, meanwhile, dropped to fourth position. In Scotland, by contrast, it was Jennifer Anniston who climbed to first position, receiving 27.8% of the votes.

The company also asked what it was that inspired their clientele so much about the top four women. Consistently, they loved the sophistication in Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, and Joanna Lumley. Jennifer Anniston, meanwhile, was seen as inspiration for her glossy hair, glowing tan, and commitment to healthy living. This suggest that, once a woman turns 45, she cares not just about outer beauty but also inner beauty.

“As women grow older, their tastes and influences change, but one thing remains constant: a desire to look great,” says Bonmarche’s online marketing manager.

The Perfect Diamond Necklace for Your Significant Other

June 15, 2017 by Mandy

For many people, getting the right kind of gift for a loved one sometimes poses a challenge. Will they like it? How much will it cost? Does it look too tacky? Most men will have these thoughts when picking out a piece of jewelry for their significant other. This is especially true when it comes to necklaces.

Such a large piece of jewelry is designed to be showed off. Diamonds and other precious stones are often set into it, or they come in the form of pendants. Whatever the case may be, all you need to do is have a look at the varieties out there and perhaps invest a little time in diamond education. This will help you to know what you’re looking for!

Formal or Casual?

If you’re going to buy a diamond necklace as a gift, you may want to decide whether it is for formal or casual wear. In this case, consider what your wife or girlfriend wears the most. Does she work in a high-powered job where she’s required to attend formal business events, dinners or galas? In this case, a beautiful pear diamond necklace will go well with any formal dress.

If you do want to be on the safe side, jewelry fitting for more casual styles is probably your best bet. Many necklaces that are good for casual wear can also work well for formal wear. Should you feel that it may be a little too much, you can always take it back and perhaps try out another one.

The Four Cs – Really, Know Your Stuff!

The “Four Cs” refer to cut, color, clarity and carat weight. These are the factors that jewelers use in order to value diamonds. By taking a little time to learn about them (essentially, what makes a diamond truly sparkle), you’ll be closer to getting a diamond that’s worth the money. A piece of advice: don’t confuse diamond carat weight with “karat” which is a unit used to measure the purity of gold.

There are plenty of tutorials on the Internet that’ll help you get to know your way around a diamond. So, use the information and resources that are at your fingertips! If you really want, you can also shop around and compare using your new-found knowledge.

Don’t Get Stiffed

Jewelers are essentially there to sell their wares – though they are also more than happy to dole out advice. However, take what they say with a pinch of salt when it comes to how a diamond or necklace will look. After all, you know your partner and therefore should have an idea of what sort of taste they have when it comes to jewelry! Don’t let a jeweler trick you into buying the most expensive piece just because.

These handy tips can help you to steer clear of any trouble if you’re looking for the perfect present. There is a stereotype that men have no idea when it comes to gifts – well, it’s time to prove it wrong!

Curves Are In This Year So Embrace Yours

February 26, 2017 by Mandy

Over the last few years, the body positive movement has been gaining traction. Ashley Graham, the plus size model who rose to fame in 2016 as the cover model on the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, has said that curvy women have been ignored for far too long in the fashion industry, but says that plus size fashion is no longer being ignored.

The average American woman now wears a size 14. In most stores, that size and up is relegated to the “plus size” department where the styles and colors are limited and often matronly, and in the past, few designers were interested in making clothes in larger sizes that were fashion forward and fun to wear. Over the past few years, however, that seems to be changing as more designers are designing for real women and recognizing that you don’t need to be a size two to look fashionable.

The most challenging clothing to design for larger sizes is the swim suit. It is also the most difficult for curvy women to buy. Selections in traditional retail stores are still limited, prompting many customers to try to find swimwear deals online. Knowing what style of suit will be most flattering for a particular body type helps the customer choose a suit without trying it on.

In order to address the shortfall, Ashley Graham has even designed her own line of swim suits available online, and her custom line of swim suits from swimsuitsforall.com emphasizes comfort but doesn’t fall short on trendy styles. Curvier women should look for tummy control panels, underwire bras and other slimming features. Clever design can also work to make a suit flattering, and the popular tankinican be a great option for some women. The pieces can be mixed and matched. The top can be fitted or loose and flowing. The bottom can be high cut or boy short or anything in between. This allows the buyer to address individual issues while still sporting a fashionable style deserving of any Sports Illustrated cover.

Surprisingly, the traditional bikini can also be a good option, especially if the bottom is high waisted. It also gives the customer the ability to custom fit the top, often a problem area for women.One piece suits continue to be the style of choice for full figured women and there are flattering design elements that can make this traditional style slimming as well as fashionable. High-cut bottoms can make the legs look longer and slimmer just as a V-neckline elongates the lines of the upper body. The swim dress has gained popularity from women of all sizes because not only is it flattering, it doubles as sportswear away from the beach. Follow Ashley Graham’s lead and embrace the body positive movement by finding swimwear that actually fits. To find swimwear deals online, visit swimsuitsforall.com where curvy women are the norm.