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  French women inherently know how to pull stylish outfits together. They have mastered the art of mixing their wardrobe up and have been doing it for years. Their secret? They don’t care what everyone else is wearing! They know their own shape, style and preferences, and wear only what works for them.
  
  The newer way of dressing is fresh and age appropriate, groomed but not perfect, and sensual but not skanky.
  When we put our clothes together in a way that isn’t too polished or too perfect we achieve a more youthful look.
  For instance a pair of great black bootleg pants, a white knitted top, a taupe hip length jacket worn open, a pair of black leather stack-heeled shoes, leather and metal cuff and a huge soft patent slouch bag elicits trés dégagé.
  Be careful though. A white t-shirt tucked into a pair of black waist-gathered pants, an unzipped fawn rain jacket; a pair of tan moccasins, a thin metal neck chain and a scuffed black leather tote doesn’t evoke quite the same feeling of laid-back chic.
  Mixing it up:
  We’ve all seen a well turned out woman dressed from tip to toe in what is obviously a designer outfit, complete with matching accessories. And we’ve known that while the woman looks good, there’s just something about her outfit, (and you can’t always quite put your finger on what it is!) that prevents her from looking great. She looks pulled together and polished, but she doesn’t look youthful. Someone has dressed her!
  We can’t wear expensive designer clothes all together and still look youthful. Something inexpensive needs to be added to the mix to deconstruct the look. It could be a lacy camisole worn beneath an amazing designer jacket or a pair of edgy jade earrings teamed with a classy LBD. No one is ever going to guess the camisole came off a mass retailer’s sales rack at the end of last season or the earrings cost a few dollars from Diva. What they’re going to see is an elegant and sophisticated woman because the whole package is stylishly presented, but not too polished.
  Shift the mix around and take it up or down a level. Opt for laid-back elegance by introducing a relaxed item into a luxe outfit or make an impact by mixing a dressy element into a casual look.
  Replace the lacy camisole with a square necked jewel coloured tank top and pull on a pair of dark denim jeans with the amazing designer jacket, or dress down the classy LBD with a couple of studded metal bangles and a brightly patterned thin-knit cardigan to bring energy and light to your face.
  Ten Hot Ways to switch your look from up to down:
  1. Small to medium sized round hoop earrings instead of long drop or chandelier earrings.
  2. Thin woven leather belt instead of a wide belt with a bling buckle.
  3. Flat shoes instead of heeled boots.
  4. Plain jewel coloured T shirt instead of a frilly fabric blouse.
  5. Dark blue denim jeans instead of black pants.
  6. Fat hobo bag instead of a small clutch.
  7. Thin silk scarf instead of a cashmere pashmina.
  8. Wedge sandals instead of stiletto heels.
  9. Long line cardigan instead of a tailored jacket.
  10. Beanie and sneakers instead of a large brimmed hat and heels.
  
  Of course the above also works in reverse to switch from down to up!

Style to suit you
Wouldn’t dressing be simple if every style enhanced every shape imaginable? Sadly, fashion doesn’t work that way.
Fit is the most important element of style. Ideally a garment should not gape, pull, ride up, tuck, gather, crease, fold or show any signs of stress when it’s worn.
A style that suits your shape but doesn’t fit well will never be flattering, so take the time to have alterations done - hems realigned, waistband adjusted or sleeves shortened.
Body IQ - discover your shape
Are you dressing to look the best you possibly can?
Most of us want to appear taller and slimmer, defined and youthful. Regardless of our height and weight, once we establish and understand our body shape there are lots of strategies we can use to create a gorgeous and balanced silhouette.
This is not the part where you spread a newspaper on the floor, lie on top of it and contort around yourself trying to draw your own outline! However, you will need a full-length mirror.
Honesty is the best policy when answering the following questions!

Is the bottom half of your torso noticeably larger or bulkier than the top half?Do you have a heavy butt or large hips, a small waist and narrow shoulders?
This shape is Triangle or Pear, and it’s the most common female body shape. Typically women in this category have full thighs, a broad beam and a relatively small bust.
Your main strategy to create balance is to visually broaden and draw attention to the upper body. You can do this by wearing:
Horizontal striped tops, the wider the stripe the more broadening effect it will have. Medium width stripes are the place to start.
An interesting neckline - a boat neck or wide straps on a sleeveless tank top will visually broaden and balance your upper body.
Shoulder pads – yes, really! These treasures balance and widen the shoulders and visually correct sloping shoulders if they are another of your issues. We’re not talking those old 1980’s power pads, just nice little soft, modern lifting shoulder pads.
A high placed focal point such as a necklace, scarf, eye-catching earrings or a broach brings attention to the upper body.
Garments shaped at the waist.
Straight pants, bootleg pants or bootleg jeans in medium weight fabrics.
Straight skirts.
Avoid wearing:
· Stiff, boxy fabrics.
· Boxy, shapeless, waistless styles.
· Hems cutting across and emphasizing the widest point of your body (hips and butt).
· A-Line, open pleated and full skirts.
· Tapered pants.

Is the top half of your torso heavier than your bottom half?
Do you have a full bust and narrow hips? You might have quite a flat butt, a small waist and thighs and you probably have shapely legs. You may refer to yourself as “top heavy”!
This shape is an upside-down or Inverted Triangle.
Strategies to visually balance your shape and to create the impression of a wider lower body are:
Well fitted bras.
Set-in sleeves that visually narrow the shoulder area.
Garments with side shaping (fitted knitwear, Basque jackets etc.).
Vertical interest above the waist such as striped shirts and tops, a deep ‘V’ neckline, long necklace or straight earrings.
Flared or bootleg pants in medium weight fabrics.
Knife pleated skirts.
Horizontal interest below the waist such as tiered or flounced skirts.
Avoid wearing
Stiff boxy fabrics.
Raglan sleeves
Garments that emphasise the waist if your bust is really full (unless you bought/ love your boobage - then go for it!).
Tapered pants.
Short sleeves with hems that finish in line with your bust.
Big splashy collars.

Do your bust, waist and hips all seem to have a similar circumference?
Do your hips tend to be square-ish, your butt flat-ish and your arms and legs slim?
Yours is one of the most common shapes found in women –it’s a Rectangle shape.
Many of us become rectangular with age; it’s because the mid-torso thickens as a result of the backbone compressing and creating less body length and less space to distribute weight.
The aim is to elongate the body. We can visually broaden the shoulders and define the waist. Here’s how:
· Wear garments that emphasise the shoulder line such as crossover or shawl tops and wide scoop necklines.
· Wear garments that flow through the waistline. Princess line, shirtmaker and wrap dresses will flatter the rectangle silhouette.
· Straight and semi fitted jackets skim the mid torso and elongate the body.
· Straight pants and bootleg pants balance the rectangle shape.
· Wear high placed focal points to draw the eye up – a stunning neckpiece, unusual earrings, big, fat flower broach etc.
· Straight skirts in medium weight fabrics.
Avoid wearing
· Stiff, bulky, clingy or thin knit fabrics.
· Fitted garments.
· Baggy palazzo pants and harem pants
· Oversize, loose or baggy tops. Cinch them in at the waist with a wide belt.
· Batwing sleeves.

Are you well proportioned with a well balanced upper and lower torso and a nicely defined waist?
Do excess kilos distribute themselves evenly over your body without changing your silhouette when you gain weight?
Your shape is the Hourglass and it is the most coveted female figure shape! For you dressing is seldom difficult; your challenge may well be deciding what to wear as most styles suit you!
The following flatter and show off your figure:
Shapely garments, especially those that enhance your waist.
Soft fluid fabrics that fall and drape over the body.
Any style that emphasises your curves.
Straight and bootleg pants.
Pencil skirts.
Avoid wearing
Stiff fabrics.
Baggy palazzo and harem pants (Yes, they are currently the height of fashion but frankly no one who has left their teens should wear them, not even you!).
Skirts with thigh stitched pleats.
Narrow straight jeans or very tapered pants.

Are you carrying a little excess weight that gives your torso an oval appearance when you stand side on to the mirror?
Has your waist disappeared, does your tummy lie low and do your hips lurk beneath a couple of love handles?
This curvy shape is that of a Goddess! And like the goddesses of abundance worshipped by the ancients, your hips are likely to be broad and your waist circumference is possibly larger than your bust and hip measurements.
Slimming and trimming strategies can create length in your torso, flatter your silhouette and draw attention away from the middle area and upwards toward your head and shoulders.
You can achieve this by wearing:
· Well fitting uplifting bras and body support garments for the torso.
· Semi fitted, boxy or soft silhouettes.
· Tops, shirts and blouses worn out.
· Vertical stripes from top to bottom or any vertical design influence such as front zips and buttons, long scarves, creases ironed into pants, etc.
· Straight pants with a flat front in a soft or medium fabric (no front pleats please, they gape unflatteringly when you sit down!).
· Pants zip in the front or the back – not running at the side where it can sabotage the hip line.
· Low necklines and long necklaces.
· Garments and outfits in monochromatic colours.
· Straight skirts or skirts with subtle flare and movement such as 4 gore or 6 gore skirts.
· Flowing dresses that just skim the mid-torso.
· Focal points placed high on the torso to draw the eye upward.
Avoid wearing:
High rounded (jewel) necklines – wear a scarf for warmth instead.
Fussy frills, lace and flounces.
Garments with voluminous amounts of fabric.
Anything with pleats.
Anything that emphasizes the waist.
Tops tucked in.
Large lapels on jackets.
Batwing sleeves or wide full sleeves.

Do you have an undefined waist, a high tummy and a tendency towards love handles? Are your hips broad, your upper thighs generous, are you carrying a little excess weight around your midriff and when you stand side on to the mirror is your silhouette the shape of a diamond?
Then that’s what you are, a voluptuous Diamond! Like a true diamond you’ll sparkle when your curves are visually elongated and attention is drawn upwards to your head and shoulder area.
To flatter your curves:
Wear a well fitted uplifting bra and body support garments.
Semi fitted, boxy and soft outlines.
Low necklines, long necklaces and long scarves.
Un-tuck blouses, shirts and tops and wear them out.
Wear solid single-coloured garments top and bottom.
Wear loose fitting garments and dresses that flow loosely through the waistline.
Vertical lines from top to bottom such as a loose button-through dress.
Flat front straight leg pants and jeans with a centre zip (front or back).
Straight skirts and skirts with subtle flares and strong vertical seams such as 4 gored and 6 gored skirts.
Focal points placed high such as a stunning broach or flower, or an unusual necklace. Or a hat!
Avoid wearing
Anything that emphasizes the waist.
High jewel necklines – wear a scarf for warmth and keep the neckline flatteringly lower.
Any garment with pleats especially skirts.
Too much embellishment – flounces, frills and lace collars are not for you.
Garments with voluminous amounts of fabric.
Full wide sleeves and batwing sleeves.
Tops tucked in and belts.
Large lapels.

These shapes do not address any other aspect of your body whether it is weight, height, vertical proportions, prominent features or any other figure challenges you may have.
A meeting with a trained professional style and image consultant will determine styles, line and design elements, accessories and garment lengths to personally suit you.


Make the most of your shape.
For all shapes:
Heels that match your skin give the illusion of long legs. Look for stilettos, sandals and wedges in gold or nude if your skin is light; and bronze, copper or tan if your skin is a deeper colour.
Coordinated shades of one colour such as a moleskin grey dress topped with a charcoal cardigan visually narrow a fuller figure.
Avoid bulky knits in the winter and opt for thinner fabrics (such as fine wool) that skim the body and layer up well with other thin fabrics.
Tailored garments with well defined waists complement curves.
Fabrics that glide over the torso such as lightweight wool, cotton knits and silks enhance and flatter fuller curves without over-emphasising them.
If a dress comes without a waistline and looks sloppy, add a wide belt and wear it at the natural waistline.

Some elements of style flatter every woman and assist in the apparent slimming of body shapes.
Here’s what, and why:
‘V’ neckline
This is the most powerful vertical design line we can bring close to the face. Our eyes are attracted to dominant lines on the body or garment and they naturally follow the lines (or features) in the direction they seem to move. The ‘V’ neckline visually moves up and cups out to encompass the face. The most flattering ‘V’ is one with a depth roughly equal to the length of your face.
The convertible collar
This is a soft turn-down collar with a collar stand (the band of fabric that connects the turn-over part of the collar to the garment) found on most female shirts. The collar is most flattering when it’s worn open to expose a ‘V’ neckline.
Angled flutter sleeves
These stylish sleeves can be worn by every woman, no matter what her body shape is. Flutter sleeves disguise full upper arms or conceal thin upper arms while maintaining a feminine and elegant look.
Three-quarter length sleeves
Tapered three quarter length sleeves allow you to showcase jewellery such as a great watch, cuff or bracelet and keep your arms warm and the upper arm concealed. Three quarter length sleeves are more elegant, slimming and youthful than longer, wrist-length sleeves which tend to look dated and daggy. Push up your long sleeves and see for yourself.
4 and 6 gored skirts
These are skirts made from panels that are stitched together vertically. The seam lines encourage the eye to move upwards and are visually slimming. Gored skirts without a waistband can be even more flattering. The most youthful looking gored skirts are made from modern solid coloured soft fabrics – no denim or patchwork please, they scream ‘elderly’!
Skirts with more than 6 gores tend to look fussy unless they are extremely well designed (and usually expensive!). The gored skirt is one skirt style that benefits from being worn a little longer.
Wrap and sarong skirts
Skirts crossing the torso and fastening on one side flatter everyone because the vertical line three-quarters inside the body of the skirt is usually straight, allowing the eye to travel up and down. Wrap skirts and sarong skirts are among the most comfortable and versatile skirts to wear, they are tied or fastened to fit without compromising the design and can be styled up or down to any occasion.
Straight skirts
The ultimate in classic skirts! The obvious reason is that both the vertical style and the hemline are straight without any distracting elements. Straight skirts are versatile in length and fabric.
Shirtmaker dress
The shirtmaker (or shirt) dress has been around forever. Design tweaks and modern fabrics save it each season from becoming a relic. This is the waisted button-through dress with a collar. Double stitched seams create sturdy-looking upward-leading lines. The shirt-dress is easy to wear, looks youthful and depending on the fabric weight and pattern, is appropriate for almost every occasion.
The wrap dress
With its ‘V’ neckline and gentle drapes and folds across the body to disguise and hide a multitude of figure issues, there’s nothing to dislike about the wrap dress. A feature can be made (or not!) of the side fastening, the style works at most lengths (finishing around the knee is always chic) and it flatters all shapes, heights and body sizes because it’s easily adjusted to fit.
The lapel-less jacket or coat
Clean and simple lines with a little contour, a single button but otherwise unembellished, the lapel-less solid coloured coat or jacket made from simple medium weight fabric that skims your curves is the most slimming, flattering, youthful (and useful) outer garment you can own.
Flat front pants
The simpler the better, in a solid colour and with the zip in either the front (preferably) or the back centre seams.
Bootleg pants or pants with a slight flare at the bottom are the most flattering to all body shapes. If they come with the pockets sewn up, leave ‘em sewn up!
Skirts
Separates are the most versatile garments in our wardrobes and most of us own several skirts. And most of us are wearing our skirts in dated styles and in long, dowdy, lengths! Longer skirts show less leg and visually decrease height, making the wearer appear frumpy. The mid calf is the least flattering part of the leg. Any hemline ending there visually enlarges the calves and chops the legs off.
Short skirts reveal more leg of course, but too short can be inappropriate. The tiny mini skirts that look young and kicky on shop manikins rarely translate well when worn by the woman in her summer years.
So what is the perfect length?
When it comes to skirt length every centimetre makes a difference. The perfect length that is always flattering and always stylish is the spot where the hemline skims the top of the kneecap.
If you go to the back of the knee it’s the spot where the upper and lower legs join, the place where the leg curves. This length shows the entire lower leg and gives an elongated look.
Skirts and dresses that skim the kneecap, regardless of your weight, height or body shape, make you look as though you are swimming in the stream of all things current.
If you’re a little more conservative have the length of skirts and dresses come to the middle of your knee – still sexy and sophisticated.
Lower leg concerns can be addressed by hosiery in subtle shades to blend with the skirt and minimise attention.

When you have fine-tuned the length of your skirt to your satisfaction (and comfort zone) make an appraisal of the width.
The two basic shapes that nearly all other skirt shapes are derived from are the straight skirt and the A-line skirt.
Here’s the thing: while an A-line skirt flaring slightly from the waistband to the hem is universally flattering, the style is matronly. And daggy!
Straight skirts add height and slimness to the silhouette.
A straight skirt that shows off your curves and fits well always looks fresh and classy.
Altering a classic A-line skirt to make it into a wearable straight skirt is relatively easy. Just have the sides tapered by an alteration service or stitch them yourself.
If your shape is up for it wear a pencil skirt which is sleeker and more fitted than a straight skirt - even more sophisticated, and super-sexy!

There are a few skirt shapes the woman in her summer years should never wear no matter what length they are:
Full or circle skirt: Girlish and flirty, this voluminous look was a favourite in the 1950’s and evokes memories of Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon romping around singing about Mickey Mouse. Leave this style to winsome teenage girls with ponytails.
Dirndl skirt and the modified dirndl skirt: Another voluminous shape (the modified dirndl isn’t quite as full) that does the mature woman absolutely no favours whatsoever! It’s a ‘folk dancing’ skirt; there is too much puffiness around the waist. A 4 or 6 gored skirt is a more flattering alternative.
Denim skirt: These are tricky. A denim skirt with straight lines, that fits well and ends at the perfect length skimming the top of your kneecap, is usually okay. Be careful though, often the cheaper denim skirts are too casual, too young, too dumpy, too stiff or too western to be flattering. The absolute no-no for anybody our age is the mid-calf length, 4, 6 or 8 gored denim skirt of the 1980’s. This is the most dated skirt there is, we waddle and sway and totally betray our age when one of these skirts is wrapped around the backside! Enough!
Slit skirt: A front slit is neither flattering nor practical. Sitting down is hopeless, you end up flashing the thighs and exposing flesh that’s better left unseen. A front slit skirt always seems to be tugged and pulled at to adjust the slit. It’s too awkward. A more comfortable alternative is a straight skirt with a back inverted pleat that makes walking easier and shows a flattering flash of leg.
Pleated skirt: Pleated skirts perennially make the fashion rounds. Knife pleats, hip stitched pleats and open box pleats belong on high school uniforms and high school girls. The only pleated skirt worth wearing is one that has the pleats sewn from the waist to the mid-thigh, and that should be worn for warmth only when you’re living alone on top of a mountain!
Peasant skirt: This category includes flounced and tiered skirts which can look like folk-dancing wedding cakes. Subtract 5cm off your height for each horizontal seam or line in a tiered skirt.
If the skirt is svelte, made from fine crushed cotton, if it is seamless and teamed with a small top it can look summery and fresh without making you look as though you should be outside hand-tilling the fields.
Pants
So, there’s no way in this world or the next that you’re going to wear a knee-length skirt? Ok! Find the best fitting pants you possibly can – you owe yourself that. .
Pants with side zips have the ability to cause the hips to look bulky. A front or back zip is more flattering and easier to wear.
Stitched up side pockets give a smooth side-line so if you’ve bought pants with the pockets sewn up don’t unpick them and you won’t be tempted to stuff the pockets with junk (tissues, keys, shopping lists etc.). Most side pockets gape once they’ve been unpicked.
Pants with front pleats comfortably accommodate a larger tummy, but they bulge in the very place we feel most self conscious about when we sit down. To be honest, no woman’s appearance really benefits from pleats in the front of her pants. If you really must wear front pleated pants then make sure you cover the pleats with a long modern top.
Flat fronts are far more flattering and easier to cover with a top worn un-tucked and out.
Tailored pants in a matt-weave smooth fabric that skims the hips and reaches the back of the heel visually lengthens the legs. If the pants have an ironed centre crease and are worn with stiletto (or high) heels in a similar colour to the pants the legs are visually slimmed and lengthened even more.
Unstructured slouchy pants, peg-leg pants, harem, Baluchi, skirt-pants, genie and any other unstructured slouchy pants do not flatter any body shape regardless of what the fashionistas tell us. Leave them in the shop.
High waisted pants with a flat front and a wide waistband flatten the tummy when they fit properly.
Capri pants shorten the legs. Counteract this and add height with footwear; heels give a fresh spin on Capri’s, and wedge heels look best. Slim leg cropped pants are more flattering than wide legged pants.
Cargo pants are an indicator you’ve reached middle age. Count how many stylish females under 35 years old you see wearing cargo pants next time you are out and about! The feature pockets of cargo pants visually drag the fabric downwards and the pleats, tucks, studs and buttons are seldom placed in flattering positions. Neutral colours and thick fabric make cargo pants look masculine, realistically the style is more suited to the male physique. Cargo pants worn by women have no redeeming qualities, they are always too wide and too short (and don’t even think about wearing cargo shorts!). Wear a pair of slim-fitting leg-flattering Capri or cropped pants instead.
The perfect structured jacket
You’ll know when you’ve found your perfect structured jacket.
It feels fabulous the moment you put it on. It’s the jacket with the perfect button placement – three buttons that sit in an oh-so-slimming vertical line whether they are fastened or left open. One of the buttons sits exactly at the waist. The shape skims fluidly over the waist and hips, balancing height and weight and camouflaging goddess and diamond figure challenges. The precision cut allows you to move with ease and you can wear a garment other than lingerie comfortably underneath. This is the jacket that coordinates, slims, understates, and takes you anywhere, anytime.
These faultlessly crafted garments don’t have to cost a fortune. Many designers offer modern classics in today’s styles and fabrics at reasonable price points.
If you find this elusive garment and it’s a little pricey reassure yourself the style is classic, one you can wear for a few seasons. The most versatile length for this piece of perfection is where the hemline hits knuckle length. This length balances all body shapes, hides the butt if necessary and coordinates with everything happening below the waist – straight and pencil skirt lengths, pants styles and all heel heights.
This goes with that
Proportion is the key to pulling together a separates outfit. Make a feature of either your top half or your bottom half and maintain balance between the two.
It’s easy: A fuller skirt works best with a fitted top and visa versa – a fuller blousy top looks best with a slim fitted bottom. However, a voluminous top and voluminous skirt don’t work together and they don’t hide any mass beneath.
So many women in their summer years just don’t get this and cover themselves in bulky layers that actually increase their apparent size. Whatever top you choose, don’t tuck it in – you’ll look matronly. A top worn out over the bottom garment is chic and fresh.
On the other hand, if both the top and bottom pieces are too tight they’ll look tacky – no matter what they cost to buy!
Think ‘eclectic’ and buy new pieces with a nod to current colour and styles that coordinate with items you already possess.
If you’re wondering what to do about shoes there’s a simple formula that transcends all age groups:
The shorter the skirt, the lower the heel.
Straight skirts worn at your perfect kneecap-skimming length look their ultimate best when they are worn with a medium high heel.

Back to basics
The secret to a well functioning wardrobe is to have a collection of basic, classic garments to seamlessly take you from day to night and from one occasion to another.
Classic garments are perfectly designed timeless styles that transcend the seasons and decades. They are neutral and unimposing, with a perfect shape, little or no embellishment and clean, uncluttered lines. They are usually the foundation pieces in your wardrobe that have cost more than your seasonal of-the-moment garments. Truly classic garments have a shape, style and design that simply cannot be bettered. They are the stylish woman’s lifeline and her key to looking great and feeling confident.
Classic clothes can be dressed up or down to suit the time of day and the occasion. They coordinate well with each other, and work independently when they are teamed with hot fashion-forward items. Natural fibres – wool, cotton, linen, silk, leather and suede are quality fabrics with longevity.
Wear classics that are youthful and modern with clean shapes. Avoid excessive detail or volume that links a garment to a particular year or season. The newer way with classics is to create an edge.
· Think “elegant”
· Find a contrast
· Invest in a surprise
· Consider the overall line – long and lean, not full and flouncy
· Combine unexpected textures; for example a leather jacket over a floaty chiffon dress is a blend of elegance and cool.
· Fuse together styles such as rocker and hipster. Push up the sleeves of a leather jacket worn over dark denim jeans, a pair of statement sandals and a slouchy bag. Add flair with a long bright coloured tank top, bracelets and fun rings, and a long scarf for warmth.

Refresh older, classic pieces by teaming them with newer pieces:
Wear a sequined jacket with your dark denim jeans. If the jacket is dark, add a pop of colour such as a bright tee shirt or tank top, a leather belt or a clutch bag (or all three!).
Work the reverse if the jacket is light-coloured by wearing it over a dark jewel coloured top.
Layer a classic spring dress with vest, cardigan, belt and boots. The flattering line of the classic dress will give a feminine edge and fashion forward style.

Style staples
Thomas Burberry and Sons created the waterproof gabardine coat in 1895 to keep British officers dry during the Boer War. Later it was adapted and worn by the soldiers in the trenches during World War One.
A fitted, well-cut, trench coat with no stand out details will serve you through many seasons. Wear it the newer way in a vivid shade of patent leather, or consider a shower-proof trench coat made from animal printed gabardine or in a solid jewel colour. Newer trench coats come in all lengths from mid calf (not flattering to anyone) to hip-skimming knuckle length and are worn stylishly over everything from business suits and heels to jeans and jandals.
Never, ever buckle the belt in front. Knot it!
If the belt isn’t long enough to knot or if you prefer not to emphasise your waist, then double the belt over itself behind you and buckle it behind your back.

An oversized white shirt makes a bold statement worn un-tucked and out over a pair of dark blue denim jeans. Find a crisp white shirt with the perfect neckline; white illuminates the face and a ‘V’ neckline works for everyone. Wear a voluminous white shirt above a narrow fitting garment - slim fit or bootleg jeans or a pencil skirt. Roll the shirt sleeves up to ¾ lengths, add interesting and classic accessories; tuck the jeans into ankle boots for the ultimate of chic. Don’t be tempted to wear a man’s white shirt; the collar circumference on men’s shirts is too big and bulky for women.
A classic striped shirt emanates buckets of cool when it’s worn with a long-line structured jacket and edgy patent accessories. Team it with a straight skirt or slim pants.
Ditch the all-encompassing-good-old-standby cardigan for newer knits that are cropped to the waist or dropped to the hips and fastened with juicy beaded buttons or shimmery silvery domes.
Do you have a long-line jacket made from brocade, damask or lush velvet? Move on from the traditional partnership of subtle black pants and switch it down a couple of notches with dark blue denim bootleg jeans and a coordinating jewel coloured tank top. Accessorize with a long neckpiece –necklace or scarf for effortless sophistication.
Re-connections
Do you have garments in your wardrobe that you love and that fit you, but you no longer wear? We all have a piece or two (or more!) that we just can’t bear to part with, maybe because it cost the earth, or the garment evokes a special memory, or it could simply be the occasion to wear it hasn’t presented itself.
Think outside the square, there are ways to reinvent your clothes.
Business suits and shirts are the garments most commonly sitting unworn in the wardrobe. They aren’t needed anymore but they still fit, the colours are good and the thrifty side of you won’t allow you to throw them out while there’s still plenty of wear left in them!
Streamline retired corporate separates with casual, everyday wear to create a welter of outfits. Here’s how:
The Hamptons or preppy look is age appropriate, fashion-forward, classy, classic and chic. All those things! A traditional Hamptons shirt has white collar and cuffs contrasted with a coloured or striped body. It’s an enduring corporate shirt favoured by both women and men. Go bold and classically nautical in your preppy retired corporate striped shirt with a pair of light coloured tailored pants, light cotton espadrilles and a big bright hobo bag or large clutch. Accessorize with sunnies and an oversized metal cuff.
Team a striped shirt with knee length shorts, wedge heels, an interesting clutch bag and a statement belt during summer months. If you are not a shorts wearer work the striped shirt with a pair of great long-length cotton pants and leave it open over a sleeveless tank top or tee shirt just as you’d wear a summer jacket. In cooler months switch the light cotton pants with dark blue denim jeans and throw a sleeveless jacket over the shirt.
Update a retired corporate jacket with patent accessories. Pull on a pair of long-line dark pants or dark denim bootleg jeans, patent flats, a brightly coloured patent belt and a shiny bag. Jacket sleeves rolled or pushed up to just below the elbows give a modern edge.
Put a subtle patterned top or tee shirt under the corporate jacket, add a pair of light coloured cotton-blend pants, wedge shoes (or open toed boots or a pair of shoeboots!) and tie the outfit together with a woven matte leather belt.
A Lurex metallic top brings lustrous shine and an edgy surprise when it’s worn in the evening beneath a dark long-line business jacket. Pull on your great dark denim jeans, high heeled shoeboots or strappy high heeled sandals, and a pair of medium sized hooped earrings for style and glamour.
Toughen up a striped business shirt with leather and metal hardware. Wear the shirt with a leather skirt or long-line dark pants, add a wide belt, a metal cuff, studded footwear and a structured bag with a metal stud details for cool attitude.
Shorten the dark coloured corporate skirt to knee length, straighten the side seams and wear it with textured pantyhose, closed toe wedge shoes and a gorgeous coloured hip hugging sweater in the winter. In warm weather team the skirt with a cap-sleeved tee-shirt, a light sleeveless vest in a bright colour, a really interesting necklace and a pair of great sandals.
The fashion heads up:

• Do not own or wear anything with writing on it.


• Wearing a tee-shirt with a slogan, words or a brand name emblazoned across the front (even if it is depicted in gold letters and glittering diamantes!) provides the manufacturer with free advertising.


• Clever witticisms on tee-shirts are best worn by children and young men.


• Puff sleeves are best worn by children and octogenarians!


• Ageing and seriously matronly-looking (and much worse than a garment splattered with writing) is the tote bag with pictures of the grandchildren photo-printed on the sides.


• Some of us wear our classics in such a jaded way that we’ve become fashion tragic! It might seem jaunty to step out in navy and white striped top and white pants but you won’t see anyone under the age of thirty five wearing such a cliché.


• Ask yourself can anything (the garment, style, colour, etc) be read by others as desperation?


• Follow your intuition. If someone convinces you to wear something you don’t really feel comfortable in it will look wrong. Establish what suits you and stick with it. Do style your own way.


• If you are not into colourful garments wear solid coloured neutrals. Textured fabrics give visual interest.


• Any garment that needs to be pinned, pulled, taped or tucked to be worn well will look uncomfortable because you’ll be continually fiddling with it. If it looks good but it isn’t comfortable reassess it to see if it’s really worth wearing.


• Vintage means you won’t see anyone else wearing the same outfit.


• If your chest is out and your shoulders are back any outfit will look better.


• Play with your clothes. Add a belt. Push sleeves up. Change the buttons to give a different look.


• Dress for yourself. There comes a certain point in life when we need to ignore what others say and step up to our own style.

Cougar on the prowl!
On average women outlive men by eight years so there’s a great likelihood of being left in our summer years, single, healthy and available to partner younger men. We absolutely do not want to look like their mothers!
The eye of the tiger!
A dash of animal print goes a long way. Faux skins, hides or animal prints work best in a colour natural to the pattern –have you ever seen a purple leopard? So if you must have this season’s stylish red and cream zebra print jacket, don’t spend a lot of money on it! Wear just one animal printed garment for sophisticated chic:
Leopard print dress with two-tone shoes, not animal skin shoes.
Animal printed coat over solid coloured garments. Wear solid coloured accessories such as scarf, wrap, clutch, tote, top or shoes.
While we are discussing animals – any pants or shorts so tight they give you camel toe should be immediately removed and discarded!

So, there you are, now you should be able to define your style! If you have any questions or comments I’m contactable on Facebook and I’d love to help.
Next time we are discussing Awesome Accessories – those little pick-me-ups that are designed to invigorate that which has become drab and predictable! We have fun with it all - from eyewear to footwear (and everything in between!). Accesssories are great fun so do join me. Kisses, Dawn xx

Retail details and magic products
Trench coat
David Lawrence shower proof, full length, fully lined trench coat in a range of colours $269, David Jones or www.davidlawrence.com.au
White Shirts
Ben Sherman label has a fabulous selection of white shirts and interesting, reasonably priced striped and business shirts. Jackets, jeans and tee shirts are youthful and trendy-looking and very wearable. www.bensherman.com
If yours is a curvy goddess or diamond figure, try Mirrors (plus sizes) $130 for a classic white linen shirt.
Knickers
Jeanious from Berlei, dipped front and back, perfect for wearing under jeans.
www.berlei.com.au
Pants
The most comfortable, well cut, uncomplicated and stylish pants are those made by Andiamo. They are made in Australia and designed specifically for the 35 plus age group. There are at least 11 different styles, a choice of lengths, sensible colours and a wide spectrum of sizes in the range. They are a brilliant fit, and made from easy care fabrics (requiring minimal ironing) that contain as many stretch fibres as the manufacturer can find!
Available from boutiques in Australia and New Zealand, but not department stores. Expect to pay around $140 plus per pair, they’re worth it! www.andiamo.com.au

Day 11, Define Your Style

Dressing is easy; it’s looking good that’s hard!
By now in these, our summer years, we’re pretty much aware of what suits us. We know what feels comfortable, what we like to be seen in and what we wouldn’t put on our bodies in a pink fit!
But many of us have become complacent about our attire. Now is the perfect time to reinvigorate the image and switch the clothes up a notch or two; take the chance and liberate your look!
There are probably dozens of outfits in your closet that you haven’t imagined putting together; it’s just a matter of reviewing your wardrobe and perhaps eradicating some of the old fashion rules from your memory.
And while we’re on the subject, we sometimes read or hear that there are no rules in fashion anymore, that anything goes. Well actually, that isn’t true, not anything goes, and there are rules. Personal style is about being smart and unique. It’s chic to develop the knack of mixing high street basics and classics with a touch of luxe.
So, think outside the square, raise the bar and work up a modern eclectic wardrobe that celebrates you.
First things first:
Have you ever seen someone wearing a bizarre blend of garments and wondered if the person even owns a mirror?
Your own appraisal of your appearance is the vital first step to gorgeous. This can only be achieved by an honest assessment of your reflection in a full length mirror. There’s no way you can properly evaluate your appearance by looking down on your body. So, invest in a full length mirror, it doesn’t have to be expensive, and stick it to the back of your wardrobe door or bedroom door, and no, your reflection in the lounge room window won’t do in the meantime! You need a proper, full length mirror that you can twirl around in front of, look at over your shoulder and examine every stylish detail in before you set foot outside!
Jeans Genius
“I’d like to say, we’ll do ok, forever in blue jeans”. Neil Diamond.
There is absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be forever in blue jeans - as long as they’re the perfect pair! This is crucial. Jeans have replaced the LBD (little black dress) as the newer “must have” wardrobe essential. Have you stopped wearing jeans? Once you start wearing them again you’ll wonder how on earth you lived without them! A pair of head turning jeans says “Young, cool and hip”.
It’s worth spending a little extra on the perfect pair and it all comes down to one thing: fit.
Most baby boomers have worn their fair share of jeans - from wide bell bottomed hipsters through a monumental assortment of embroidered, buttoned, sequined, pleated, ripped, tie-dyed, faded, stove pipes, keppers and stone washed jeans.
What were we thinking? Take a look at old photographs and there we are, grinning at the camera with every denim fad bravely wrapped around our butts!
Women today own an average of five pairs of jeans and there’s an overwhelming choice of labels. The biggest age group of jeans-wearing females is between 35 and 55. However, the fastest age-growth demographic of women purchasing jeans is fifty plus. That’s an enormous market; and with manufacturers starting to meet our quality and style demands you will have a choice and you will find a pair to fit and flatter you.
Purchasing jeans is like buying swim wear; you need great dollops of fortitude, patience and perseverance.
Be prepared to spend time looking for the perfect jeans and then be prepared to spend a reasonable number of dollars once you find them. Many designers construct jeans to be flattering, sophisticated and to fit the mature figure but these jeans usually come at extra cost. Young people with great bodies can look amazing in inexpensive jeans, but the majority of us do not. Our jeans should be made from reasonable fabric and designed with decent shape and the pockets in the right place. We need jeans to be appropriate and flattering.
Just because you manage to find a pair of cheap jeans that fit over your body, if the fabric is stiff and unbending, if the shape doesn’t enhance your curves or if your legs, thighs or butt look enormous, then the jeans are not flattering and you are wasting your money. If you do look great in them – you go girl!
Dark blue (indigo) is by far the most versatile colour; remember that dark colours recede, so if you are buying just one pair to start your jeans collection, look for dark blue. Avoid attention seeking pre-faded patches and blotches that emphasize the thighs or the butt, and stay away from jeans with faded little whiskery lines radiating around the crotch that draw attention to the nether regions or those other horrors that are currently in vogue – the baluchi jeans with the low slung crotch.
The plainer the better. Forego statement jeans with holes, rips, tears, glitter, rhinestones, studs, embroidery, inserts, patchwork (absolutely never!) or anything else that’s weird, grungy, faded or distressed.
Take lots of pairs into the dressing room with you as it’s unlikely you will find the perfect jeans immediately. Try on and try on. Shop for jeans at a quiet time when sales staff have the time to be helpful. Don’t be fobbed of with a pair of jeans in a lighter colour, or with a very low rise, or with the wrong shape for your figure.
Sales assistants may tell you that denim stretches and suggest you try on a pair of smaller jeans. Some jeans stretch and some shrink, take a pair in the suggested size and a pair in your usual size into the fitting room. Bend, straighten, sit and squat in the jeans to determine fit and comfort. If you can’t move properly don’t buy them!
The perfect pair of jeans has the power to make you look ten years younger and five kilograms lighter.
The rise
Find the jeans with the correct rise for your shape. The rise is the distance between the crotch seam and the top of the waistband. Curvy goddess and diamond body shapes may benefit from a comfortable elasticized waistband. If that’s you, ensure you wear a modern-looking top that’s long enough to cover any pleating or gathering in the waistband.
Low rise (hipster) jeans are for teenagers with flat stomachs and tiny butts. These jeans sit really low on the hips, skim the pubic area, expose your love handles (you might not have even known they were there!) and create a muffin top. No, no, no!
High rise jeans need careful selection as they have a tendency to look mumsy. These are the denim numbers with the waistband above the belly button, enclosing the tum, hips, thighs and butt in a Christmas pudding-ish sort of pouf. Perfect high rise jeans give a contemporary look, create a lean silhouette and make your legs look longer, so do try on high rise jeans, but be discerning and only select perfection!
By far the most flattering, sexy and youthful jeans are those with a mid-low rise.
Mid-low rise is 20cm to 23cm from the crotch seam (where it crosses the leg seam to the top of the waist band in the front). The mid-low rise sits just below the belly button, low enough to be current and trendy, but not so low as to let any flabby bits escape.
Take a tape measure to measure the rise, or fold the jeans in half leg to leg and establish how low the top of the front zip is (no button-up jeans puhleese!) in relation to the middle of the back of the jeans.
Some manufacturers make jeans that ride significantly higher in the back which is fantastic news!
The cut
The only cuts worth considering are bootleg and straight cut jeans.
Of the two, bootleg is the most flattering because the slight flare at the hem balances the torso. A great bootleg will have about a 24cm measurement (from side seam to the other side seam) opening at the bottom. That’s a circumference of 48cm.
Straight leg jeans have an opening of around 15cm to 16cm (from one side seam to the other side seam) at the hem line. If you have slim thighs and slim calves straight leg jeans will make your legs look long and lean.
Beware of skinny leg jeans. They are usually too tight, too young and too unflattering because they look like leggings.
Baggy jeans are old fashioned, never flattering and associated with clowns. Leave them on the shop shelf!
Fabric
Denim fabric has come a long way from the unflattering rigid workman-like jeans we wore with the confidence of youth.
Newer denim fabric is mixed with a percentage of Lycra that gives just enough stretch to hug curves and allow movement without pulling, but not so much stretch that the jeans look like leggings. The most comfortable mix is 2-3 percent Lycra with the remaining percentage of the fabric being cotton. Summer jeans are made from lighter weight fabric than winter jeans.
Pocket details
The back pockets have the ability to visibly reduce the size of your bottom, or exaggerate it. Every stitch, stud and seam placed on the pocket can maximize the design’s figure-flattering power, but sadly not every body shape is flattered. The ideal pocket occupies the area from 5cm to 6 cm below the back waistband to the edge of your bottom. If the pockets are too small your butt will look bigger because the pockets don’t cover enough space and therefore emphasize a generous area. Bigger pockets set lower in the butt and slightly angled upwards will visually lift the butt.
Another little trick some clever manufacturers employ is to stitch curves around the outer edges of pockets to draw the eye in from the hip silhouette, creating the illusion of slimmer hips.
A good length
Launder new jeans prior to making alterations. Wash, dry and iron them the way you intend to care for them from now on. Manufacturers often claim the fabric is pre-shrunk, but most jeans still shrink a little on the first wash. Try them on again after they’ve been laundered, they might shrink to the correct length – if you’re lucky!
Men have been able to buy their pants according to their height for years, it’s finally dawned on a few enlightened manufacturers that women come in different heights too and some brands are offering jeans in short, regular and tall lengths! Interestingly mass retailer stores are leading the way.
Wear the footwear you intend to wear with your jeans when the hems are being measured for alterations.
If the jeans have straight legs wear the heels you plan to wear with them when the hem is being pinned. Make sure both hems are pinned up; sometimes we’re not actually aware that we have one leg shorter than the other (especially if the difference is slight). If you wear flats with the same straight legged jeans the fabric will scrunch down around the shoes and still look youthful.
This does not apply to boot leg jeans. These really do look best when they are tailored to the exact length for the heels you intend to wear with them.
A good length for jeans to be worn with flat shoes is half a centimetre from the ground at the back of the heel. Heeled shoes or boots should show one to one and a half centimetres of the heel at the back.
If you are planning to wear boot leg jeans with flat shoes and with heeled shoes then consider purchasing two pairs and have them hemmed accordingly.
Too-short jeans look mumsy; if they’re too long and dragging on the ground they look sloppy.
Rolled up hems make the legs look squat. It really is worth the effort to ensure the hems are at the correct and most flattering length for you.
Hand stitched invisible hems are dated. The newer way is to retain the contemporary look by repeating the machine stitching in the same coloured thread with the same turn up width as the original hem.
Well grounded
Not all shoes look good with jeans. The easiest way to work out complementary footwear is to let the width of the leg opening determine the best shoes to wear.
Narrow, straight leg jeans look great with delicate, feminine footwear such as pointy toe boots, peep toe heels or leather flats that have a small rise to the heel.
Team sturdier footwear such as thicker heeled boots, open toe wedge sandals or stack-heeled peep toes with boot leg jeans.
Gym shoes and sports sneakers worn with jeans are not chic or hip. They are middle aged Matronville! Opt for ballet flats with a rise to the heel, moccasins or casual slip-ons if you wear flat shoes and jeans.
High heeled court shoes or pumps (closed heel, closed toe) never look good with jeans (but they’re okay with regular pants).


What lies beneath?
There are some things the world doesn’t need to see, female butt cleavage and exposed underwear are two of them. Unattractive at every age!
To minimize V.P.L. (visible panty line) opt for knickers or thongs with a dip in the middle of the waistline at the back. If thongs aren’t your thing go with loose boy leg knickers, or those with a high cut leg and minimal elastic or French knickers with a loose leg.
Laundering
You don’t need to be told how to wash clothes; so, just a couple of reminders:
Wash jeans inside out and check the pockets for tissues (don’t you just hate it when a tissue shreds in the wash?).
Use the cold cycle to help retain the strong denim colour. Hot water encourages colour to bleed from fabric (and infect the rest of the washing load!) Line dry jeans, the heat of a dryer can break down the stretchy elastic fibres in the fabric.
Dry cleaning (although pricey) prevents fading and may be worth considering for dressy jeans. Ask the dry cleaner to press them flat. A crease line running up the centre of jeans’ legs is not cool.
Here’s the heads up:
The most flattering jeans are made from dark blue denim fabric containing about 2% spandex or Lycra.
A great pair of boot leg jeans is a wardrobe essential.
Dress them up with a pair of high heeled open-toed shoes, sandals or boots. Stiletto court shoes (with closed heels and toes) are too ‘try hard’.
Wear a couple of strands of creamy pearls in long and short lengths, a fabulous top and a soft scarf and you’re good to go.
Dress jeans down with a pair of leather flats or boots and a white tee shirt. Throw on a loose dark coloured vee neck knit over the top and you have a versatile casual outfit.
Remember that dark colours visually recede and slim the body.
Denim is a colour that coordinates with everything. It is a universal colour that can be worn by everyone and it’s also considered a neutral colour.

Five ways with a denim jacket:
A well fitted, well cut denim jacket is a timeless garment that will take you through the seasons for several years.
Partner a denim jacket with a white shirt or a light coloured tee shirt and black pants worn over black medium heeled boots. Add a colourful scarf, or a metal necklace or pearls to polish the look.
Pin a cluster of sparkly broaches on the lapel and wear your denim jacket to add zing to a summer dress. Stylish and warm!
Never wear the same shade of denim on the top and bottom. A medium blue denim jacket worn with medium blue denim jeans won’t work unless you’re a cowboy. No-no matchy-matchy!
Mix light denim with a darker denim for cool style, for example a light denim jacket or vest with your dark denim jeans. Break up the look with a plain tee-shirt or shirt.
Twin denim in light and dark shades is okay, triple denim is not!

Day 10, Colour Your World!

Day 10. Colour Your World
Every woman understands the difference between beige, ecru, cream, ivory, off white and eggshell!
Uncover your colours
We’re all born with an intrinsic inclination towards particular colours so the chances are that at least 50% of your clothes are in the most flattering colours for you. You’ll know which garments they are; they’re the clothes you feel attractive and confident in and they’re probably the pieces you receive compliments on when you wear them.

Wearing your best colours empowers you with self confidence that’s revealed by the radiance on your face and the spring in your step!
As the clock ticks, our natural colouring changes - hair goes grey, eyes become paler and lose their intensity and skin can often have a muted looking surface. We need to adjust the colours we wear, take them down a notch or two in strength, especially when brighter colours have been preferred.

Everyone has a unique skin tone. When you’ve established your skin tone and then wear the colours that complement it you are more than half-way to gorgeous!
Although we can tinker with our eye colour by wearing tinted contact lenses and we can play with the colour of our hair, we can’t do much about our skin because skin colouring is genetic. We’re stuck with what we’ve got!
Skin tone is derived from three pigments, carotene (yellow), hemoglobin (red) and melanin (brown). The proportions of these three pigments beneath the skin’s surface determine the undertone. It doesn’t matter what ethnic background or ancestry you have, there are just two skin undertones. There’s warm and there’s cool. Yours will be one or the other.
Warm toned skin has a golden undertone.
Cool toned skin has a blue or blue-pink undertone.
When you’ve established whether you are cool or warm toned you’ll find it easy to determine your most flattering shades - blue based colours or yellow based colours.

Try these tests to work out your skin tone.
The Metal Detector
Put a gold bracelet on one wrist and a silver bracelet on the other wrist.
Which looks best?
If the gold bracelet looks better against your skin then you are warm toned.
If the silver bracelet looks best, then you are cool toned.
Blue Blood?
The veins on the inside of your wrist are a good indicator of whether your skin tone is cool or warm.
Place your hand, fingernails side down, on a piece of white paper with your palm and inner wrist facing you.
Look at the veins in your wrist.
If they are blue or blue-pink then your skin tone is cool.
If they have a greenish tinge then you’re warm.
If you have freckles, do they look golden brown (warm) or are they more charcoal brown (cool)?
The Top Test.
Pull on a solid white tee shirt and stand in front of the mirror. Drape a cream coloured garment over the top of your tee shirt.
Focus solely on the light reflecting on your facial skin and not the garment.
Drape the cream garment on top of the white tee shirt. Quickly whip it off the white tee shirt. (You will probably need to do this a couple of times).
Which colour softens your features, outlines your lips and clears and smoothes your complexion?
Does the white do it for you? Then you’re cool.
If the cream most enhances your skin then you are warm.
The Towel Test
Drape a piece of orange fabric (towel, scarf, etc.) across your chest right up to the base of your neck so the orange colour reflects on your face.
Looking at your face and not watching the fabric, quickly replace the orange fabric with a pink fabric.
One colour will accentuate the lines and wrinkles on your face, emphasize shadows below the eyes or harden your features.
The other colour will add radiance to your complexion, diminish deep wrinkles and make your teeth and the whites of your eyes appear brighter.
If the pink does you the most favours then your skin tone is cool.
If the orange colour makes your skin look best, then you’re warm skin toned

Here’s what to look for when you hold colour to your face:
The right colour:

• Smoothes and clears your complexion


• Minimizes facial lines and wrinkles


• Reduces shadows


• Diminishes circles


• Brings colour and radiance to your face


• Brings attention to you, making your face pop and pushing the colour to the background

The incorrect colour:

• Makes your complexion pale, sallow, muddy or sickly


• Deepens lines and shadows


• Accentuates circles


• Emphasizes blotches


• Can look stronger or weaker than it really is


• Brings attention to the colour making it pop and pushing your face to the background
  

There will always be shades and tones within each and every colour family (red, violet, blue, green, yellow, etc.) to suit you. It is just a matter of working them out.
If your skin tone is warm your most flattering colours are those that are gold or yellow-based. When you select clothing think of the glorious colours of the setting sun - ivory, teal blue, orange, apricot and the peaches, salmon and all the caramels. Golden sunset hues such as rich browns, creamy beiges and the orange-reds will all be good for you.
Aqua, light royal blue and the periwinkles look good on you. Interestingly, people with warm skin tone usually don’t have very many blue coloured garments in their wardrobe.
Avoid wearing clear cold colours near your face. Steer away from frosty colours - icy yellow, icy pink, icy blue, taupe, the blue-based pinks such as hot pink, and black.

If your skin tone is cool your most flattering colours are the blue-based colours of a painterly sunrise. Think of the sun’s cool morning rays as they touch a brand new day. Most pinks and blues will suit you. You’ll look great in blue-greens, blue-grey, icy lemon, plum and crimson, plus all the greys and frosty silvers. Your worst colours are those in the really warm colour range – orange, scarlet, pumpkin, and clear citrus colours such as lime green etc.
Most people manage their colours without getting too lost once they know their skin tone. A personal colour analysis professionally done by a trained consultant will establish your skin tone and identify the exact colours to enhance your appearance.

Here’s the thing: The colour you wear nearest your face matters the most!
Colour carries light that is reflected onto the face. So it’s important that the colours worn on the upper torso and around the face are in the correct shade for you.
Colours worn below the waist do not reflect light onto the face and therefore do not impact on your skin. But it’s not quite plain sailing – the colours worn below your waist do matter when it comes to style:

• Dark colours diminish size so they are slimming to wear.


• Medium colours have little or no effect on your apparent size.


• Light colours can make you appear bigger.
  

Central colours
The right colours imbue your skin with a healthy glow, your eyes with a lively sparkle and your hair with lustre and depth. Everyone can wear shade and tonal variances within each colour family, but a wardrobe anchored with a few central coloured garments provides maximum flexibility to build in other colours.
You don’t need me to tell you what you already know - the most versatile central colours are in the neutral range.
Basic garments – skirts, pants and jackets in beige, white, grey, navy, camel, mahogany, coffee, or black and chocolate coloured fabrics are the most useful. Accessories and accents from more vibrant palettes will add visual interest to your appearance.

Colour confidence
Colour is a marvellous tool. Used to advantage, it hides flaws and imperfections and can enhance one area while drawing attention away from another area. Utilise colour to create clever illusions.

• Dark colours are the most dominant colours.


• A dark colour worn over an area of the body you consider large will make the area appear smaller.


• When dark colours are worn below the waist (for example black pants) and a light or bright coloured garment is worn above the waist, attention will be attracted upwards, making you appear taller and slimmer.


• If you want to appear shorter and heavier (well, some women do!) then reverse the above and wear light pants beneath a dark top to attract attention downwards. This strategy can be used to deflect attention from the bust or midriff.


• Light colours worn over an area you consider small will make that area appear larger. For example wear a light colour to visually enlarge a small bust. If a light colour is silhouetted against a dark background the area will appear even more dominant and bigger.

Six quick ways to use colour to appear taller and slimmer:

1. Wear just one dark colour right through your body


2. Wear a dark-coloured outfit in a smooth fabric.


3. Blend pantyhose with your skirt hemline and footwear.


4. Flow one dark colour up the centre of your body.


5. Wear a bright colour or a light colour on the top half of your body.


6. Attract attention as far up as possible with eye-catching necklaces, earrings, neckwear, eyewear, lipstick and hair colour.

Six ways to appear shorter and heavier:

1. Break your height with horizontal bands of colour.


2. Wear a dark colour above your waist and a light colour below.


3. Wear light colours and bright colours all over.


4. Wear large bright patterns.


5. Wear a brighter colour below the waist.


6. Attract attention downward with borders on skirts and details on footwear.
   

Universal Colours
Universal colours are colours that contain equal amounts of cool and warm elements.
They flatter everyone. There are dozens of universal colours and they’re found in the stores every season.

The most common universal colours are denim blue, aqua, chocolate, warm pink, watermelon red, silk white, medium charcoal, plum and teal blue.

Aqua is by far the most useful universal colour for those of us in our summer years. (Well, no one wants to be in their autumn years do they?)
Aqua is perceived as youthful, it’s the best friend we have on the colour wheel! It’s the colour that suits all skin tones and complexions; it complements and coordinates with most other colours and it tones with everything else. Aqua looks amazing when teamed with russet or chocolate and makes a zingy and youthful statement when it is teamed with orange accessories. Aqua evokes feelings of freshness and vigour, and when we wear aqua we actually feel vital and healthy.
Wear aqua with white, amethyst or mint for a soft and refreshing affect.

Don’t confuse aqua and turquoise, aqua is bluey/green (more blue than green), turquoise is green/blue (70% green, 30% blue) and tends to give off elderly vibes!
In corporate or professional situations tone down aqua a notch or two by using neutral colours such as stone, cream or chocolate to complement it and thus enabling you to still wear it successfully.

Menopausal colours
They are Doomsday aren’t they? But how do we recognise them? It’s easy actually - menopausal colours are dusty and greyed colours. They have names like dusty rose, soft lilac and eau de nil, colour names we traditionally associate with elderly women. Every season they make the rounds and can present themselves as the bain of our lives.
However, musty and dusty colours can be useful, so don’t disregard them all together. They can be successfully used to soften and tone down colours that have become too bright for mature complexions. When combined in a pattern with other clearer colours, provided it is not the dominant colour, the menopausal colour is often barely noticeable. If it is solid, and in a very trendy, not too young, not too old, current style (a big ask!) a muted, dusty or greyed menopausal colour can be very wearable. Having said that, in the interests of our youthful persona it’s better to steer away from these stereotypical colours when given the choice!
Some of us gravitate naturally toward muted colours because these are the colours that suit us best. If this is you, that’s fine, wear the muted colours in current styles with confidence and panache. There is a difference between muted colours and dusty/greyed colours.
Try teaming muted colours with strong, clear accent colours for a youthful look.
Here’s how:
Wear a stone coloured jacket (muted colour) over a watermelon coloured top (accent colour) with a pair of rich chocolate pants (universal basic colour) and accessorize with a multi-toned scarf in stone, chocolate and watermelon (stronger, accent colours) to blend all the shades together.
Or take the same stone coloured jacket, throw it over a gorgeous classic periwinkle blue sweater, pull on a pair of dark pants (black, charcoal or dark blue denim) and add a funky, chunky metallic necklace. Youthful and polished!
In the navy
How often do we read in the fashion magazines that “Navy is the new black”? Well, I have to tell you that navy is not the new black! And it won’t be for a long time. Navy is the new menopausal colour. Yes, navy! That old faithful dark blue garment we trot out when we’re in doubt what to wear is actually on the top of the menopausal colour list! Younger people perceive navy as old fashioned and dated; it’s the colour they associate with their parents, grandparents, teachers and the elderly.

There was a column in The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper written by journalist Lisa Pryor who had observed an altercation on a bus. While the nature of the encounter was trivial – someone made calls on his mobile phone thereby irritating another passenger - the stereotypical descriptions are interesting:
“One of the nattering women, in navy cardigan and reading glasses, looked at the guy and started berating him.”
And there we have it, a triple menopausal whammy! The navy colour, the cardigan and the reading glasses all place the protagonist in the mature age group. We know what was happening! And it definitely was not youthful!

Dark blue (navy) denim jeans are seen as timeless, which is just as well as dark blue denim is the most flattering coloured jeans we can put on!
Apart from being a strong universal colour and suiting most people, navy coordinates with most other colours and this is the reason that universally it is the most prevalent uniform colour.
Update the navy garments kicking around in your wardrobe and wear them in a modern way.

Here’s some ideas:

• Navy works well with other dark colours.


• Uplift and intensify a navy skirt with a pair of burgundy coloured boots or highlight a navy summer dress with a pair of blue sandals in a bright shade.


• Avoid the cliché of navy and white unless you are a sailor.


• Avoid the next cliché of navy, white and red unless you are a French sailor!


• Could you slip a slim tan coloured woven leather belt around the waistband of a navy skirt?


• A gorgeous garnet coloured top gives navy pants understated, low contrast elegance and a new lease on life.


• How about wearing a shiny emerald shirt beneath a classic navy jacket? If the old rhyme ‘Blue and green should never be seen, except upon a fairy queen’ rings true for you, then remember you are The Fairy Queen!

Black Magic
Black is the most misused, misunderstood colour of all. It is not considered to be a universal colour nor is it known as a menopausal colour. In fact black is not actually a colour, like white, it is the absence of colour!
Black makes us feel slimmer, taller and more chic, but as we mature black also has the power to drain our faces of colour and throw cruel shadows that emphasize our lines. This is because black reflects little, if any light.
Black is proclaimed to be the king of the fashion industry. It is a perennial favourite and seen everywhere every fashion season. Black does not suit everybody, and it does few favours to women over 35.
Black has made us lazy; we throw on a black garment when we can’t decide what to wear. We’ve fallen into the habit of considering black to be a ‘safe option’. It’s not.
Black is not our friend, and it should not be treated lightly.
If you must wear black there are some strategies to help you pull it off successfully:

• Any garment worn below the waistline does not reflect its colour onto your face and will therefore be ok. That’s good news when you consider how slimming a pair of black pants is compared with a pair of light coloured pants!


• The lower the neck line, the less impact black will have on your face. Showing some décolletage and baring your arms detracts from the harshness of black. The more body shrouded in black, the more scary the appearance.


• A soft shade worn near your face counteracts black’s severe effect. Wear a necklace, a metal chain, pearls, a coloured scarf or wear a collared shirt in a light colour beneath a black Vee-neck pullover.


• Introduce a strong vertical line. Team a pair of black pants with a black camisole that skims your bust, and then add a great jacket in a colour that flatters your skin tone. Leave the jacket open. Stylists use this trick over and over again to visually slim female and male clients.


• Take fabric into consideration. Choose garments made from fabric with a fibre, texture, weave and surface that you know suits you. Soft draping fabrics such as medium woven knits, smooth fine silks or matte crepe wool suit most people.


• Brighten your lips. Ramp up your lipstick colour a notch or two more than you’d normally wear (pink of course!) or slick pink lip gloss over your usual lipstick when you are wearing black clothes.


• Wear a scarf or a wrap in colours that enhance your skin tone.

Laundering black garments
To get longevity from black clothes (or any dark coloured clothing) turn the garment inside out and wash in liquid fabric softener instead of soap powder or soap liquid.
Peg them inside out to dry in the shade and iron them inside out too.

Colour strategies
Pink is the colour most associated with youth and beauty; it flatters the mature complexion and looks great with black. The exception is baby pink – it’s just too pale for most mature women and looks best on soft little babies and soft little old ladies. If your skin tone is cool wear hues from the sunrise spectrum of infinite pinks – pastel pink, pale cameo, lolly pink and deep rose pink. If your skin tone is warm then the golden sunset pinks are for you – coral, warm pink, pale peach and light salmon pink.
White is subtly sexy. If all else fails throw on something white – a shirt, tee shirt or a white top and blast up the colour with a bright scarf or necklace.
Team colours that you haven’t worn together before. Chocolate and black convey a feeling of understated elegance. Wear aqua and orange with white accessories for a fashion-forward and youthful appearance, or try putting together a warm and earthy red and russet combination.
Black and navy are another subtle, low contrast combination that is great for casual wear.
Recharge navy and ramp it up a couple of notches with purple. This works even better when there is a high percentage of blue in the purple.
There is no rule that says you can’t wear black in the summer, keep it below the waist for a sophisticated look.
Wear white in the winter. Why shouldn’t you be a snow queen or an ice princess? Mix and blend ivory, cream and white with patterns and textures.
Mixing patterns works best when the patterns contain similar, the same or have related colours. The easiest combination to pull off is two patterns- for example a thin stripe and a delicate paisley, mixed with a third, solid unifying colour. Alternatively mix two solid colours with one pattern containing the two solid colours. Bring textures into play as patterns.
Colour Impact
Colour associations influence our feelings, moods, impressions and well being. Each colour family contains a range of temperature elements and a spectrum of shades from light to dark. For example if we take orange we can start at the light end of the spectrum with pale, icy orange which has a cool temperature and a light shade. When we travel the gamut to the other end of the spectrum we find deep pumpkin with a warm temperature and dark shade.
There will be a colour in each family that you like and look good in.
Yellow
It’s the colour of sunshine and always associated with youth and happiness!
Yellow garments look best when they are made from natural fibres – cotton, linen and silk. Yellow man-made fabrics tend to look cheap – the exception is the universally popular bright yellow plastic mackintosh!
The most flattering yellows are pale and slightly muted – maize, butter, and banana, and when these yellows are teamed with aqua and ivory, or soft apricot and pale pink they have a shimmery gelato effect.
Choice of shade is important when it comes to yellow; it works really well as a companion colour when it is coordinated with lilac, black, taupe, white, orange or grey. Yellow is a great casual colour.
Stronger yellows – gold and buttercup demand hot intense coordinates such as tobacco, burnt orange or lipstick red.
Yellow and black are by far the strongest attention attracting combination you can wear, but if you wear yellow and black stripes you’ll look like a bumble bee!
Green
Considered to be a healing colour, green is the colour that is easiest on the eye. We instinctively turn to green if we are stressed or suffering from emotional trauma,
It is the colour known to ground (or anchor) our feelings and emotions.
Green elicits feelings of youthfulness, relaxation and balance.
The most attractive green garments are made from natural fibres – wool, cotton, linen and silk.
Dark green garments can successfully replace black garments in your wardrobe.
Try switching up your wardrobe and wearing some unusual combinations for a change– dark racing green with sea green, purple and mustard, or go for big impact and team emerald green with lime, turquoise and purple! Looks fabulous, and why not?
Blue
The most loved and most worn of all the colours, versatile blue flits effortlessly from day to night and from casual to formal.
Think of the colours of the sea when you are coordinating several blues. Recall images of a warm tropical lagoon - turquoise, periwinkle, sky blue and navy, to the chilly waters of Antarctica – dove grey, white, pewter and ice blue.
Blue is the colour of loyalty, faithfulness, top prizes (blue ribbon), and love; which is why the traditional bride carries ‘something blue’ on her wedding day.
Blues look clean and fresh when they are coordinated with white; they look rich when they are combined with cream.
Pale to mid blues do not look as good when they are teamed with black.
Purple
Purple is the colour we associate with people we consider to be sexy, powerful, passionate, wealthy, sophisticated and spiritual.
Purple is the regal colour of bishops and kings.
Find the purple that is yours and work it into your wardrobe.
Purple is more rare and royal than navy although the two colours together form an elegant alliance. It has great feminine appeal when it’s coordinated with garments in the pink family.
Purple takes on a mystical air when it is teamed with neutral, conservative colours such as stone.
Purple stands alone well – a solid purple dress for example looks fantastic on its own. Carefully chosen accessories in olive, burgundy or deep green bring an earthy sexiness to this most royal of colours.
A dash of black, or green-turquoise, grey or khaki dresses purple up.
Fuchsia, orange and strong pinks add zing.
Brown
Bringing warmth to every colour it is combined with, brown relies on fabulous fabrics and textures to reveal its beauty; otherwise it can be bland and boring.
Use dark brown (chocolate) to replace black in your wardrobe.
Brown has a more casual and more comfortable feel than black, and it is kinder to the mature complexion.
Brown and black are a subtle combination. Brown coordinates and pulls together all the earthy colours, plus the orangey autumn colours, and purple, raspberry and beige.
When it’s mixed with green, grey or tomato red brown takes on a smart appearance.
Red
Red is the strongest, most radiant and dynamic of all the colours, a little red in clothing can go a long way. It is considered the most energetic colour; red demands attention.
Not surprisingly red is the preferred colour of the economically stable, the secure and the risk takers!
Red harmonizes surprisingly beautifully with light pink and light yellow and it adds a touch of sophistication to pink and grey combinations.
Wear it at full blast with pink, orange, tobacco and fuchsia.
Pink
Universally symbolizing love and beauty, pink elicits feelings of calm, relaxation, kindness, consideration, acceptance and contentment.
Pink is used as an appetite suppressant in diet therapy.
Navy and brown garments take on a sophisticated edge when they are teamed with pink.
A combination of pink and magenta, fuchsia or aqua looks fantastic; pink can be overpowering when it is worn alone, but when pink is teamed with orange-red and watermelon it fires hot and sexy!
Orange
Orange is always considered a young colour, and is usually associated with youth, energy and fun.
If your skin tone is cool and you love orange try the tamarillo shades, or wear pale apricot or peach accessories to add orangey hints to your outfit.
If your skin is warm toned, if you are olive or sun-bronzed, any orange will totally be your colour so go for it!

That's it for colour! Coming next is Day 11. Define Your Style. There is a lengthy piece on Jeans Genius - how to identify the perfect pair of jeans and five suggestions to wear a denim jacket. We look at mixing styles up - it's so easy to be stylishly presented when you know what to put with what (and what not to!), how not to look too polished and 10 hot ways to switch your look from up to down.
I hope you've enjoyed colour, if you have any comments or questions I'll try to answer them, I'd love to hear from you. Kisses, Dawn

Day 9, Fit and Fabulous

Day 9. Fit and Fabulous
“Take care of your body; it’s the only place you have to live” Jim Rohn, US motivational speaker.

Our movements reveal volumes about our vitality, youthfulness and enthusiasm.
When we plod around from place to place, one foot in front of the other without a spring in our step, it’s a given that others will perceive us as elderly; aged people are expected to move slowly without energy or direction.
Youthful people step out with purpose, confidence, energy and excitement. They know where they’re going and how they are getting there!
Perhaps the most difficult thing about exercising is summoning up the motivation to begin! Then the second most difficult thing is sticking with an exercise regime once you have started! The trick is to do something you enjoy. It’s pointless accompanying an enthusiastic friend to the swimming pool every morning if you aren’t in the least bit excited about getting your hair wet. Your interest will quickly wane and you’ll be looking for excuses not to accompany your friend!
If you haven’t exercised to a while the secret is to start gently and build up gradually. The great thing about walking is that it costs nothing except the dollars for a decent pair of shoes (good walking shoes are essential). Studies have shown the best time to exercise is early morning when the body is fresh, we feel more energetic and the temperatures are cooler. If we put off exercising until the afternoon or evening we are more likely to find excuses not to do it.
The same experts tell us our bodies become accustomed to repeating the same regular exercise and that we should mix it up a bit.
While you might not be up for alternatively running, jogging, skipping, walking or hopping your way around your neighbourhood streets you could consider switching around your circuit and walking in the opposite direction every alternative day. Apart from it being free, walking provides us with precious time to ourselves. We can stride off frustration, mull over problems, solve the current world crisis (wouldn’t it be a better place with us in charge?) plan your dinner menu or decide what to wear that day.
And while we’re discussing apparel – for goodness sake ditch the daggy old trakkie daks and the paint-splattered tee shirt! You’ll exercise with more heart, vigour and confidence when you’re wearing clothes that you look and feel good in. Step out in style – a colourful tee shirt and a slick of lipstick do wonders for the self esteem!
Mass retailers always have stocks of current, reasonably priced exercise-wear.
Try on lots of different styles and take a selection of sizes into the changing room.
Dark coloured exercise pants will make you look and feel slimmer.
Exercise pants or shorts with pockets to hold your door key and mobile phone are more useful than sleek Lycra numbers without pockets.
A bum bag containing your paraphernalia bouncing and flapping around your butt is unattractive!

Are you tightening your belt?
Have you noticed you haven’t been able to tighten your belt lately? If you’ve found you’ve had to let it out a notch or two you’re not alone. We’re not talking about the housekeeping budget here; another ageing issue is that when our estrogen levels drop our bodies redistribute the fat stores and usually this involves thickening of the waist.
According to the Australian Better Health Initiative, a waistline measurement of over 80cm for most women increases the risk of chronic diseases such as some cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Of course does not only pertain to Aussie women!
The risk rises as the measurement increases, so isn’t it worth doing all we can to maintain a healthy body? It’s the only one we’ve got!
Body shape is largely genetic, take a look at photographs of your female family members; it’s likely they share a common shape and pattern of fat storage.
It’s worth knowing that even though there might be a family tendency towards love handles and muffin tops, you don’t necessarily have to follow suit; a healthy lifestyle can overrule genetic tendencies. All the experts tell us that while menopause can cause a change in body shape, regular exercise can help maintain muscle, boost metabolism and prevent weight gain.
We are so influenced by the media and fashion’s quest to show the latest creations on slim bodies that we forget that not every body is made to wear single figure sized clothing. Our genetics dictate the size of our bone structure and body frames.

There is such a thing as bone scale - being big boned or small boned. Our goal really should be to maintain body weight within the healthy range.
Sometimes a mid-life woman who diligently works out at the gym finds that although she is not eating any differently and she’s exercising more, her clothes don’t fit as well as they used to. Sit-ups, crunches and ab-exercises will improve the muscle tone but the only way to lose body fat in the long term is to eat fewer kilojoules and burn off the fat with exercise.
Of course, it’s sod’s law that the bits of our bodies that we really would like to thicken - eyelashes, hair and lips - all go in the opposite direction and get thinner!
The soles of our feet also lose some of the fatty cushioning that protects the balls of the feet. Every step we take puts pressure on the feet – have you ever wondered why you find it uncomfortable to stay on your feet all day? Now you know, your soles are probably thinning.
Good walking shoes are essential for exercise. Look for a pair with great underfoot cushioning and padding. A pair of decent walking shoes can be expensive but they’re worth investing a little bit more in.
I’ve worn the same Nike walking shoes to go “waddling around the docks” as my son so eloquently puts it, for 40 – 50 minutes nearly every day for the last four years. Although the shoes are starting to look a bit ordinary, they’re still in good walking nick. I bought them for around AUD$146 which is less than 1c per day – not bad!

Incidental exercise is extra everyday exercise and every single step helps towards overall fitness.

• Lose the remote and get up off your butt to change the television channel.


• Walk upstairs each time you need to put something away instead of leaving it all to accumulate at the bottom of the stairs for one big upward haul in the evening.


• I have a friend who never uses a long handled broom to sweep her kitchen floor. Instead she gets down on her knees to clean it, or she bends over and sweeps up fallen debris with a dustpan and brush. Excessive perhaps, but she does have an enviable waistline!


• Peg the washing onto the line instead of bunging it into the dryer.


• Stop buying stuff on eBay and get out to the shops.


• Walk to the local shops instead of driving.


• Park your car as far as possible away from the lifts or pedestrian exit in car parks and walk.


• Return the supermarket trolley to the trolley bay instead of leaving it tucked between cars.


• Take the stairs instead of lifts or escalators.
  Once you put your mind to it you’ll be surprised how many ways you can incorporate a little extra incidental exercise into your day, so up off the gluteus maximus and out you go!

A Weighty Problem
There are some things that only women can understand: cat’s facial expressions, fat clothes, why bean sprouts aren’t weeds, and the inaccuracy of every bathroom scale that has ever been manufactured!
There are hundreds of weight loss programmes available to us and it’s a difficult task to sift through them all to find The One to suit our needs.Food supplement sachets, protein powders, fat dissolving tablets, pre-assembled diet meals that are delivered to the home, a bewildering choice of frozen diet food in the supermarket freezers and pages and pages of fad diets accompanied by glowing testimonials, are all there waiting to tempt us and extract copious dollars from our pockets.
Weight loss is a trillion dollar business world wide, and weight loss companies have generous marketing budgets to promote their products. It’s easy to succumb to extravagant advertisements for regimes that don’t actually fit our individual needs, our lifestyle or our pockets.
The key is to establish a programme to suit you and your lifestyle.
If you know that your proposed regime is sustainable before you embark on it, you’ll have a better chance of following the programme right through to your goal weight and then maintaining your new weight.
Some programmes offer minimal education about healthy eating. Participants can end up with severe headaches, death-breath and minimal weight loss. These quick-fix programmes produce results if you follow the instructions to the letter. Often the weight that was lost whilst on these ‘all fluff and no substance’ regimes is regained within weeks of finishing the programme simply because information on wise food choices, kilojoule intake and good health guidelines were not offered.
A great weight loss programme is one that provides you with the knowledge to develop the skills to lose weight safely and effectively, and keep it off.
Look for a system that provides a maintenance programme once you’ve reached your ideal weight to help you retain it. Many people find that losing weight in a supportive group environment is a major key to success. The other participants in group situations are interested in your weight loss and are happy to share their successes and the pitfalls they’ve encountered. Most people lose weight more steadily with group encouragement. Commercial weight loss companies such as Weight Watchers offer sustainable scientifically backed programmes and realistic goals at a reasonable cost.
If you have medical issues it is worth approaching an accredited practicing dietician to tailor a weight loss programme to your medical history and your lifestyle. Surf the internet to find a dietician near you.
Aim to lose your weight in 5 kilogram blocks! This is less daunting than setting a weight loss goal that when you start the programme seems very far away and almost unachievable. Every five kilos you lose will take you down about one dress size.
The way to really burn kilojoules is to be generally active and doing regular, planned exercise. Walking is the easiest fat-burning exercise, and it’s the exercise most recommended by experts and let’s face it - walking at a reasonable pace four or five times a week for thirty five minutes is a small price to pay for a healthy body
Every gram you lose is a step closer to a healthier, slimmer, gorgeous you!

My Magic Diet
My family calls this “The Dynamite Diet” because it blasts away the kilos. Movie stars and celebrities will often go on a similar plan when they need to quickly shift a kilo or two to look their best at public appearances.
This diet is sometimes known as “The Cardiac Diet”. Occasionally doctors place obese cardiac patients on it for two weeks prior to cardiac surgery to encourage weight loss.
My doctor gave me the diet when I wanted to kick-start a weight loss regime. She advised that I do it for two weeks. I figured this wasn’t a long time out of my life so I followed the diet to the letter. At the end of two weeks I was so over vegetable soup, but I had dropped a dress size! I then went on the Weight Watchers maintenance programme to sustain my weight loss.

I share the diet with you, exactly as my doctor gave it to me.
Vegetable Soup
3 x tomatoes, peeled
2 x 500ml tetra packs of Campbell’s Beef Consommé
2 x 800ml cans crushed tomatoes
2 x cups water
1 packet Continental Spring Vegetable dry soup powder
1 bunch spring onions
1 bunch celery
300g fresh or frozen green beans
2 red peppers
3 carrots
4 zucchini
2 corn cobs
2 chicken stock cubes
Wash, peel and chop all the vegetables into small pieces. Combine all the ingredients in a very large stock pot. Add some cracked black pepper and stir well. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes, reduce the heat and simmer until all the vegetables are tender. Add more water if you want a thinner soup.
This soup can be eaten any time you are hungry. Eat as much as you want whenever you want. The soup contains minimal kilojoules. The more you eat the more weight you’ll lose. Fill a thermos with the soup if you are going out or to work during the day.
For drinks use unsweetened fruit juices, tea or coffee without milk or sugar, cranberry juice and water.
Day 1
Eat any fruit (except bananas) and soup today.
Rockmelon and watermelon are lower in kilojoules than most other fruit.
Eat only soup and fruit (as much as you want) today.
Day 2
Eat vegetables and soup today (eat as many fresh, raw, frozen or canned vegetables as you like). Eat the vegetables with the soup.
At dinner time reward yourself with a jacket potato and butter.
Don’t eat any fruit today.
Day 3
Eat all the soup, vegetables and fruit you like today.
Don’t have the jacket potato today.
If you have eaten as above for three days and not cheated you should have lost between 2.5 and 3.5 kilos.
Day 4
Eat bananas, skim milk and soup today
Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much milk as you can today
Eat as much soup as you want
Bananas are high in kilojoules and carbohydrates but you will need the potassium. You will need the calcium from the milk.
Day 5
Eat, beef, tomatoes and soup today
You may have half a kilo of beef today (or skinless chicken if you prefer). Cut all the fat off the beef, don’t eat it. Grill or BBQ the meat without oil or fat.
Eat as many as six tomatoes
Eat the soup at least once today
Day 6
Eat beef, tomatoes and soup today
Eat to your heart’s content –lean beef and vegetables only. You may even have 2 -3 steaks if you wish, with leafy green vegetables. Grill or BBQ the meat without oil.
No potato today
Be sure to eat soup at least once today.
Day 7
Eat brown rice, vegetables, fruit juice and soup today.
Be sure to eat as much rice and vegetables as you like, and eat as much soup as you can.

By the end of the seventh day if you have not cheated on the diet you should have lost 5 to 8 kilos – depending on your activity/exercise level. If you lose more than 5.5 kilos stay off the diet for 2 days. Then start day 1 again.
The recipe makes enough soup to feed one person for at least 3 days. Store it in the refrigerator.
The soup freezes well. Divide it into 2 cup portions and freeze each portion separately.
Adapt mainstream recipes to suit the diet – fat-free chicken san choy bow, stir-fried vegetables, handfuls of herbs into the soup, minced steak to make beef kebabs on rosemary skewers with smoky eggplant puree and on the 7th day a fat-free pumpkin and vegetable risotto… but this is not a cook book!
I went on the diet because I’d quit smoking and gained fifteen kilograms. With all the will in the world there was no way I could have continued for longer than the maximum two weeks without cheating!
Whenever your scales begin to tip towards the top of the radar you can always revisit the diet again for a few days.

Dieticians advocate that steady weight loss on a healthy eating programme is more sustainable than weight lost on fad diets (such as my diet!).
When we first embark on a weight loss programme we’re enthusiastic and motivated. We want fast results. Many schemes recognize this and introduce an austere eating plan for the first week to encourage good results.

• We all have “OMG-I’ll-never-do-it-so-I-might-as-well-have-some-chocolate-and-be-done-with-it” moments!


• If you succumb to a binge - chocolate or anything else, don’t beat yourself up about it. Put the binge behind you and jump right back onto your programme. The worst case scenario is that it could take a few more days to get your weight to where you want it.


• Plan your meals and eat them at regular times.


• Plan snacks ahead – carrot and cucumber sticks in the fridge are clichéd and boring but they do work for mindless snacking - i.e. when you poke your head into the fridge in the vague hope that some fabulous treat has wafted itself in there without your knowledge and you find it hasn’t but a carrot or cucumber stick will do.


• A crisp snack will make you feel as though you’ve had something to eat. An apple cut into a zillion (or at least 40) slices works, and so do mini rice cakes impregnated with vegemite/marmite flavours (or vegemite/marmite spread on top).


• Drink plenty of water to ensure you’re getting enough fluid. Water is kilojoule-free and a glass of water can help to quell hunger pangs.


• Introduce extra flavour to meals with good quality balsamic vinegar, fresh herbs and interesting spices all of which you would need to eat truckloads of before any difference is made to your kilojoule intake.


• Sit down to eat.


• Weigh yourself just once a week, on the same day, on the same scales and at the same time.


• Eat more slowly. Put your cutlery down while you chew each mouthful. This gives the brain a chance to assess how full you are feeling and it does make a difference.


• 
  Portion size control will help to keep weight under control. Weighing food is not neurotic; it is all about health measures. If scales aren’t available Weight Watchers suggest simple household items as a guide to evaluate healthy portion sizes:
  A small skinless (140g) chicken breast fillet, an 80g bunch of grapes, or one medium sized (125g) potato are all about the size of a computer mouse.
  A medium portion of dry spaghetti (60g) stands vertically on a 5c coin.
  A medium portion of uncooked rice is ¼ cup which swells to ½ cup when it is cooked – about the size of a medium can of tuna
  A single scoop of ice cream is about the size of a lime
  A medium portion of fat-reduced cheese (30g) is the size of a small matchbox.
  
  Excess weight didn’t go on overnight; (it probably took you quite a long time to put it on) and it won’t fall off overnight. It will take time to shift. Be patient and persevere.


• If you’ve a bad day and blown your diet; it’s not the end of the world! Forgive yourself, put the day behind you and continue with your programme the next day.


• It’s a very bad idea to go shopping for clothes when you’ve just started a weight loss programme or are just a few weeks into one. If you have to buy clothes for an occasion, purchase garments in simple classic shapes and in solid colours. These are the clothes that can probably be taken in by an alteration expert when you have lost your weight. A better idea is to shop for stunning accessories that will boost your self esteem while you are losing weight, and still be very wearable once you have reached your goal.


• Simple measures for better health include at least 2 serves of fruit and at least 5 serves of vegetables every day, limiting “treats” such as unhealthy snacks, takeaways and alcohol, varied activity and at least 30 minutes of physical exercise.

“Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels!” Kate Moss. Don't believe everything you read or hear - skinny isn't all that fabulous! Dawn Short!

Pelvic Floor Exercises
Regular pelvic floor exercises are vitally important to us as we mature. The exercises can be done any time, anywhere and they are so secret that no one even knows you are doing them! Simply, they strengthen the pelvic floor and help prevent the nuisance and embarrassment of a prolapsed uterus and a leaky bladder.
Basically all you do is this:
Use your internal muscles to squeeze your front passage as tightly as you can.
Hold for 5 – 10 seconds, then release.
Repeat 10 times.
Do this as often as you can, whenever you think of it. If you can’t isolate the front passage (urinal tract) then just clench the lot!

Cellulite
There’s no ultimate cure for that long term un-budging enemy called cellulite. It is often attributed to stress, lack of exercise or a build up of fluids. In reality cellulite is actually fat. Nothing else! Sorry!
Some foods are known to contribute towards cellulite – caffeine, fizzy drinks, buttery pastries and croissants – but we know they contribute to weight gain anyway; we don’t need clever scientists to tell us.
Cellulite has its enemies – water and good circulation. Drink plenty of water (side benefits are that water keeps skin hydrated from the inside and can hold hunger pangs at bay). Get your body going under the morning shower with a stimulating body brush to increase the circulation and you are halfway there!
Use a medium bristle body brush on your dry body, brushing from your fingers and toes towards your heart. Jump into the shower and continue brushing, use a body scrub containing menthol. If you have the discipline to do this daily and if caffeine, soda drinks and buttery pastries never pass your lips again you will have some success in shifting cellulite.

The Model’s Roll
Have you seen women walking around with their shoulders hunched over? How old do they look?
Poor posture is not youthful and it’s easily corrected.
‘The Model’s Roll’ was shown to me by Caroline Byrne, a beautiful young model who taught catwalk modelling at the June Dally-Watkins Model School in Sydney.
The model’s roll instantly relieves those knots in the shoulders that come from crunching over a keyboard, or from physical and emotional stress (often associated with irksome family members!), from poor posture or from too many years of toting a heavy bag around on your shoulder. It can also temporarily ease muscle-induced pain in the neck and upper torso.

Stand up with arms dangling your sides, hands empty and relaxed. If your palms are facing behind you and your thumbs are brushing your body, your posture is hunched and you need to carry out the model’s roll posture realignment.
Keep your arms by your sides and roll your shoulders backwards in large circles a couple of times, the more exaggerated the better.
Now circle your shoulders forward. You should feel your palms naturally turn to face your sides and your thumbs face the front as the hunches dissipate and your shoulders drop.
That’s it! Simple! If you remember to do this whenever your palms are turning inwards or you feel your thumbs brush your sides you will retrain your body back into a relaxed and normal posture.

Retail details and magic products
Exercise clothes
Mass retailers such as Target, Big W, K-Mart and M&S carry a good choice of exercise gear all year round at reasonable prices. They tend to be on the small side so you may find you need to go up a size. Rip the size tag out when you get home!
Aches and pains
Nurofen Adhesive Heat Packs $10 for a pack of 2, from Supermarkets and pharmacies
Dietician
To find an expert dietician near you by either locality of specialty go to www.daa.asn.au
Try Weight Watchers, there are meetings world wide or you can make an individual appointment for a one on one consultation at Myer. www.weightwatchers.com.au

Next time we're going to uncover your own personal colours! My simple foolproof formula will allow you to determine your skin tone and then you'll find clothes shopping will be a breeze. When you are confident of your skin tone there'll be no more agonising over colour choices, you'll know what does and doesn't suit you! We'll also discuss colours that have the power to make us appear taller and slimmer (and those that make us look shorter and wider), menopausal colours, how to look fantastic in black, the impact colour has on personality and self esteem and how your favourite colours work best for you. Did you know that every person can wear a shade or hue from every colour family (green, red, purple, yellow etc)? It is personal preference that makes us hesitate, I'll show you how to choose colour and get it right every time! Until then, kisses, Dawn