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

Day 8. Love your Lingerie
Underwear is the foundation upon which we build our appearance. Great underwear has the power to radically change the body shape, to improve posture and make an off-the-rack dress appear worthy of the red carpet! Poorly fitting, mediocre underwear has the power to sabotage and wreck an outfit!
Underwear, because it is worn beneath outer garments (and not seen in the same way that outer garments are seen) gets pushed down to the end of the chain when we consider style relevance.
Well, actually, underwear can often be seen (or at least glimpsed) through outer fabrics which is why there should be just two undergarment colours in your wardrobe – nude and black.
Apart from (and perhaps worse than underwear being seen through fabric), are the dents and bulges, the muffin tops, the spillage and the depressions that poorly fitting underwear make on the body. These absolutely do impact on our outer garments.
There is no reason why underwear cannot be both sexy and supportive at the same time. We don’t have to choose between one and the other to obtain excellence in undergarments, but as we age we do start to demand more from our underwear.

We expect support and shape in all areas southbound. Underwear has to upholster us and it has to work hard. Our undergarments should lift, smooth, shape, mould, minimize and slim away the kilos.
Some of us need miracles and they are there, a lucky dip ready and waiting for us in the lingerie and hosiery shops and departments of our favourite stores! Anything is possible when the correct undergarments are worn. You can wear the dress that you thought you’d never zip up again, and you can re-visit some styles (but not all!) that you haven’t worn for years.

Shapewear - or witches britches?
There’s recently been a marketing push to get every female into shapewear which is the newer name for the old-fashioned foundation garments such as corsets and girdles. However, today’s shapewear is not the stuff of stiff fabric, a zillion tiny flesh coloured hooks and eyes and thin plastic boning that our mothers wore in their heyday. Modern shapewear is an engineering marvel of seamless criss-crossing panels, stretchy pleats and firming geometrics designed to fold, tuck, diminish, compress, disguise and otherwise create a sexy silhouette.
Shapewear is the underwear of the stars. Celebrities wear all kinds of different shapewear to eliminate bumps and control any little wobbly bits threatening to bulge through the gorgeous designer numbers they walk the red carpet in.
There is shapewear available to address every issue we can think of from the neck down to the knees. There are all-in-ones, half tops, tank tops, bike shorts, elongated bottoms, slips, bands and sleeves, all melting with promise and waiting to leap from their folds, hangers or boxes onto your body to work their magic.
But shapewear comes at a price. If you go the shapewear route:

• Seek professional help from a shapewear specialist. There’s a mind-blowing collection of shapewear incarnations to whittle the waist, slim the hips, hide the butt, enhance the bust, disguise a Buddha belly and conceal saddle-bag thighs. A specialist will advise the correct shapewear to manage your personal body issues without creating a mono-boob or a bubble butt.


• Buy shapewear in nude colours for greatest wearing flexibility.


• Go shapewear shopping alone, in cool weather and allow at least two hours in the changing room.


• Cut, file and buff your fingernails very short (about 2mm) before you go shapewear shopping. Tugging and pulling the garments over hips, thighs and the upper torso requires dexterity and strength (you haven’t a hope if your fingers are arthritic). It’s easy to snap a nail, or worse, poke your finger through the fabric of a garment you don’t want to purchase. You could consider wearing a pair of cotton gloves!

I hurled myself around a lot of dressing room floors attempting to test-drive shapewear for this book. Every garment was tight and hot (unfortunately not in a good way!). Those I did manage to shoehorn myself into magically produced extra muffin tops and bubble-over bulges in addition to those I already possess! Some brands were never going to fit me in a million years and others were very snug, to have persevered would have taken more fortitude than I could muster! An information tag on one garment even suggested the wearer take a size increase! I jumped four sizes and it still wouldn’t go near me! Another label incredibly claimed that one size fits all. All what?
You might prefer to celebrate your curves (as I have decided) rather than put yourself through that hell!

Medium priced department stores and chain stores are good places to start a shapewear search. Allow yourself plenty of time and be prepared to go up several sizes.

Pantyhose
Pantyhose present a comfortable and practical option to shapewear. Newer pantyhose offer the choice of control briefs, thigh shaping or butt tucking contours (or a combination of all three) and are available from the hosiery departments of department stores and mass retailers.
A control brief extending above the waistline to just below the bra line provides moderate tummy control, mid torso support and will help create a smooth line beneath outer garments. The size guide on the back of a packet of pantyhose is only a guide, and it varies from brand to brand. If you are a goddess shape or even just a little curvaceous, buy at least the next size up from your usual size. Too small pantyhose don’t allow the crotch to reach its destination and it will end up swinging sling-like at mid thigh –unattractive!
Although bare legs look fabulous and are the of-the-moment style statement, they aren’t always appropriate, and not everyone feels comfortable exposing them. If you prefer not to reveal your bare gams have a browse in your local hosiery department. There’s an awesome choice of pattern, textures and shades available:
Sheers
Sheer pantyhose with a little shimmer, a little sheen or a little gloss in a fine denier will hold any moderately wobbly bits in, and help disguise cellulite while providing warmth and camouflage! Pantyhose with a lot of shimmer can highlight less than perfect legs, so if you don’t want to draw attention to your legs look for pantyhose containing just a hint of sheen.
Sheer black pantyhose are the obvious choice for an overall slimming effect.
Nude coloured pantyhose must be sheer to look youthful and elegant! Any nude coloured pantyhose thicker than 15 deniers scream “Old Lady!”
Generally the higher the heel and the more open the shoe is, the sheerer the pantyhose should be.
Don’t even think about wearing nude pantyhose with a reinforced toe with open toe footwear. Hosiery counters stock beautiful lustrous pantyhose that are sheer, silky and toeless.

Toeless pantyhose are constructed with double openings at the toes. The smaller opening loops around the big toe and the slighter larger opening goes around your other toes, exposing all the toes. Toeless pantyhose are comfortable, strong and lightweight with perfect skin tone colours for sensational ‘summer legs’ all year round. Have a pedicure before you wear them so your feet look their absolute best!
Fishnets
Fishnets are always in style; a small net in basic black or midnight gives the illusion of hazy, sensual legs. Nude fishnets give subtle texture to the legs. Choose a small net and leave wide holes and lurid colours for the teenagers. Wide diamond fishnets allow surplus flesh to bulge through the holes whereas small diamonds hold flesh challenges in. Look for fishnets with a smooth control brief where the net stops at the top of the thigh so you don’t end up with a grid on your butt.
Colours and Opaques
Pantyhose should blend with your hemline and footwear, while helping your legs to look long, lean, subtle and sophisticated. A big ask! Opaque tights or pantyhose fall at the dense end of the denier gauge (sheer pantyhose are at the other end) so there’s a danger of buying a pair that are too thick, adding unnecessary bulk to the legs. Look for semi-opaque pantyhose around the 30 denier mark, in solid colours for the autumn and winter seasons, but nothing too weird. Brown, black, midnight and grey are all fashion staples. You might want to go a bit out there with red, plum or burgundy. Yellow or green make the legs look like trees, white coloured opaque tights are reminiscent of 1960’s nursing sisters. Opaque pantyhose look too thick in spring and summer, go sheer instead.
Prints, patterns and textures
So many gorgeous patterns, so little opportunity to wear them! Actually, most patterns are not flattering. If you really fancy wearing patterned tights go for a small, all-over pattern in the same colour as the background colour.
Stripes are distorted by the natural curve of the calf, all-over dots can make the legs appear spotty, wide lacy patterns make the leg look as though spiders are crawling over it and a designer logo near the inner ankle can look like a tattoo. On top of all this, there is nothing redeeming about tartans, checks, plaids or bouquets of flowers creeping up the legs!
Seams:
Plain back seams (or those stitched with shiny metallic thread if the pantyhose are black, sheer and being worn in the evening) look really sexy disappearing up the back of the calves, provided the pantyhose have been put on straight and are teamed with elegant heeled shoes.
Spray on tan
Are you concerned about your bare legs looking like a couple of white sausages at the beginning of summer? Try one of the excellent, reasonably priced tanning products formulated especially for legs. First exfoliate and de-fuzz the legs so you get the best look you possibly can from the tanning product. Rub a fine film of body lotion over the legs to help the tanning lotion distribute evenly. Apply the solution, starting at the ankle and working towards the knees, massaging it in as you go.
Spray on stockings
Once upon a time there was no such thing as leg make-up. The more intrepid amongst us experimented with pan-stick face make-up or thick foundation to cover up prominent leg veins, often with messy results. The make-up leeched off the legs and onto any surface we sat upon (including our clothes) and we had no confidence that our legs looked any better anyway.
Now leg shines, sprays and polishes are available to cover imperfections. The products stay on, giving the legs a flawless, bare and polished appearance without smudging everywhere. They are readily available from department stores, some pharmacies and some mass retailers, reasonably priced and easy to apply. Well worth considering!
For you to know: If purple patches of spidery veins around the backs of the knees, thighs or inner ankles are an issue, try rubbing a topical bruise cream such as Lasonil or Hirudoid over them. While the cream is not a permanent solution, it will help the bruised colour diminish or disappear for a short time.

Finally, three pantyhose points:
· It is okay to wear pantyhose with closed-toe footwear
· It is okay not to wear pantyhose with closed-toe footwear
· It is never, ever, ever okay to wear closed-toe pantyhose with open-toed footwear!

Contour Couture
In our younger years some of us, in our quest for emancipation, burnt our bras and blithely wafted with an occasional nod to decorum by sticking on nipple-concealing bandaids. The more brazen of us totally discarded our underwear, and endured a few draughty commando years until we reassessed our wisdom! What were we thinking?
Now, as our summer years loom most of us prefer to be comfortably upholstered in a bra.
And most of us (70% of women according to a leading bra manufacturer) are sabotaging our appearance by wearing the wrong bra in the wrong size! That’s an astonishing percentage of women walking around in a bra that is too big or too small. Experts suggest we are fitted for a new bra annually – perhaps that is a little excessive!
It is worthwhile being expertly fitted for a bra if you are:

• Switching styles (cut and cup sizes are rarely constant even within the same brand).


• If you’ve had a 2kg – 3kg weight gain or loss, breast surgery including reduction, mastectomy, implants or lift.


• Or if your breast size has altered as a result of exercise and diet. (Or lack of it!).

When we are young our breasts are firm because they are made up of more glandular tissue than fat. Loss of estrogen comes with menopause and the balance tips in the opposite direction; our glandular tissue diminishes and fat increases. This makes the breasts softer, more pendulous, sometimes a bit bigger and sensitive to weight changes. Most of us can no longer rely on cute little lacy numbers to make our breasts sit pert and pretty, we need something stronger to hoist ‘em up, to separate or inflate, lift or squeeze them!
The right bra can make us look ten years younger and five kilos trimmer. Money forked out for excellent underwear is well spent - even if the garments are never seen by anyone.
Nude coloured underwear is really the only colour to have in the lingerie drawer, supplemented with a smattering of black pieces. White is the most popular bra colour, but nude actually looks better beneath pale coloured tops because it fades to insignificance. White can be quite ‘out there’.
However, if a nude bra is worn beneath an even slightly see-through dark top it can show through the fabric and look quite nasty. A black bra blends and disappears to give a much more youthful and elegant look!
The average bra size in Australasia and Europe is 14D. Most of us are wearing bras that do not provide proper uplift. The correct bra gives an instant breast-lift, allowing you to wear and look good in clothes you haven’t worn for years. A bra is the most important underwear item we wear, when we get it right our outer garments look terrific instead of just ok. The right bra pushes the breasts forward and upward giving the torso a leaner, shapely look and a long-lost waistline could even make a guest appearance!
So, where are your girls? With today’s newer bras there is absolutely no excuse for your breasts to be jiggling long and low around the elastic of your knickers, or harnessed into a monoboob, or disappearing into your chest cavity.
Take the southbound breast-test:
Put on your bra and stand in front of the mirror. Measure the distance from the top of your shoulder to the inside crease of your elbow using a metal ruler (or any rigid ruler). Calculate half way between the two and make a tiny dot on your inner arm with a pen. Now place the ruler on the tiny dot and angle it horizontally across your bust. Where is your nipple? If it is residing in the correct place (in line with your halfway mark) the ruler should brush it. If the ruler doesn’t brush it, (your nipple is likely to be lower, beneath the ruler) you are in the wrong bra.
There are dozens of tables available to help determine bra size, but they aren’t particularly accurate. Plus there’s always that bit of self doubt in how accurate we are when we measure ourselves; and physically it can be quite difficult.

• It is well worth consulting a professionally trained bra specialist to get the correct bra. Go to the store in the morning early in the week rather than later, make sure the sales aren’t on, take a white or pale coloured, medium to tight fitting tee shirt with you, go solo and allow yourself plenty of time.


• Bra fitting is not a task to be rushed. You really do not need a companion huffing and puffing and carrying on outside the fitting room because you are taking too long. You want to get this right, so take time, especially if this is your first serious visit.


• Bear in mind there really is no stock-standard size. With so many brands out there offering so many shapes and styles it is almost impossible to gauge across the board sizing. For example you could find a 34C fits you in one style and 36D in another. Buy the bra that fits and if you don’t like the size tag, cut it off when you get it home.


• There is not one brand to suit every body; our shapes are all so different. Expect to do a lot of trying on before you find the correct bra. It’s worth it!


• Most lingerie consultants in the department stores are at least partially employed by brand manufacturers who award the consultants bonuses, pay them commission on sales, or pay their wages in conjunction with the department store. Consequently the consultants are loyal to the brand in which they are trained and will steer you towards that brand.


• It is unusual for a bra specialist to physically measure you. Generally the most you can expect is an ‘eyeball’ measurement once you have put a new bra on, and suggestions of alternatives in regard to size, cup size and styles that could suit you.


• Take at least six different styles into the fitting rooms. The white tee shirt will help test drive each bra. Put the bra on and pull the tee shirt over the top. Look in the mirror from all angles. If the bra doesn’t give you a nice rounded shape, if the straps dig in and allow flesh spillage or back cleavage and it all shows when the tee shirt is pulled on, then that bra style or size is not the one for you. Try on the next one.

When a bra fits correctly it should not be uncomfortable or painful. Here’s the heads up on bra fitting:

• The centre of the bra should lie flat against your breastbone and not gape.


• The cups should not bulge, crease or pucker. Your breasts should be enclosed within each cup and not spilling out the sides, over the top or from underneath.


• The shoulder straps should sit firmly over your shoulders but not dig in.


• The band should fit snugly and run horizontally around your body. It shouldn’t ride up your back.


• The underwires should sit flat against your body without digging in. They should contain your breasts without resting on any breast tissue.


• There are three areas in the bra’s construction to support your breasts while lifting them away from your diaphragm – the cup, the band and the straps.

The cup:
Does it house your entire breast? Is there any flesh spilling over the top, oozing out the sides or hanging under the band? Your breasts should look smooth and youthful when the tee shirt is worn. If there are a couple of fleshy pockets on top of the bra making you look as though you have sprouted four breasts, or if your two breasts seem to have morphed into a monoboob then try a bigger cup size. Most of us compress our too-large breasts into too-shallow cups. There is nothing wrong with going up a cup size or two to get the correct fit. The cup should encase and lie flat against the breast without the fabric puckering. The breasts should look shapely and rounded; if they are on the larger side the cup should pull them off the ribcage. Many women have uneven sized breasts – one larger then the other. Fit the larger breast and fill the smaller cup with a silicone pad if necessary.
The band:
Does it feel snug? Where does it sit on your back? It’s the band, not the bra’s straps, that does most of the breast lifting. The band should fasten comfortably on the middle or loosest hooks and sit level across the small of the back beneath the shoulder blades. The band shouldn’t be so tight it digs into the flesh creating back cleavage.
The straps:
Does your bra stay up without the straps or are you constantly hoisting your bra straps to lift up your breasts? The bra straps are designed to do only 20 percent of the lifting; the band is designed to do the rest. If you seem to be always lifting and adjusting, you’re in the wrong bra. If you are pulling up the straps at the back and anchoring them with a safety pin (how unattractive and un-youthful is that?) or finish the day with huge red trenches on your shoulders where the straps have dug in you are definitely in the wrong bra.


Finding the right bra:
Bras are available to correct every breast issue known to woman. Bras are also available that will enhance and draw attention to any delightful features you want to highlight.
Do you have big boobs?
Most women in possession of large breasts (that they haven’t bought) will agree that it is not all it’s cracked up to be. Heavy breasts contribute to neck, shoulder and back problems, they make elegant dressing difficult as they tend to distort style lines, and contrary to popular belief most women with naturally big boobs do not feel sexy - most think they look fat.
Your ideal bra is nude coloured with full cups in a smooth fabric with underwiring. Avoid tizzy bras with lace and bows and bits and bobs. Smooth fabric broadens the bra’s versatility enabling you to wear it beneath most clothes, the full cup prevents spillage and underwiring gives forward and upward thrust! Thicker padded straps help stop red indentations on the shoulders. Minimizer bras are worth trying as they reduce bust size down a cup size or two.
Do you have small boobs?
If you are flat-chested or pigeon-chested you don’t have to resort to the bra with the most padding you can find.
Stick with nude colours, smooth fabric and underwiring to give the best definition. If you tend to be pigeon-chested (where the breasts point outwards leaving a raised bone in the centre) try a bra with silicon filling (commonly known as “chicken fillets”) in the side sections to bring the breasts nicely back to the middle. If your breasts are deflated; a bra providing side and underneath support to lift and shift everything back to the centre will be the one for you. The most worn and universally acclaimed bra for those who are challenged in the boobs department is the Wonderbra. It provides the ability to insert internal padding (chicken fillets) and create cleavage with a central tightening device.
Do you have baggy boobs?
You need a bra to cup, up and separate your breasts into two beautiful round slightly sloping orbs.
Look for a full cup underwired balcony bra, it’s the ideal bra to elevate and harness the bosom. Be wary of sales consultants who tell you a balcony bra is any half cup or ¾ cup bra. A true balcony bra has a full cup designed to lift the breasts off the diaphragm, and then shape and separate them. Most of us do not look good in anything less than a full sized cup encasing, lifting and enhancing each breast.
Do you have back cleavage?
Back cleavage comes from a poorly fitted bra that digs in so much that the flesh on the back wells up and spills over the band. Forget thin or spaghetti-fine bra straps that slice into your flesh because they aren’t broad enough. Look for a nude bra with wide, padded adjustable straps that distribute the pulling power over a decent area.
Do you need a sports bra?
A properly fitted sports bra minimises damage to the Cooper’s ligaments that give our breasts shape. During high impact exercise an unsupported 12B bust can bounce up to 8cm, and a 16DD bust can bounce up to a whopping 19cm. A well fitted sports bra can reduce breast bounce by up to 50%, so it is essential to wear a sports bra to maintain breast health. The Australian Institute of Sport has tested, used and approved the Berlei ‘Electrify’ underwired sports bra, so if you are an exercise girl it’s worth trying.

Have you had breast surgery?
At last high quality breast forms that allow constant absorption and release of warmth to maintain a comfortable body temperature are available. Specialist companies have developed lingerie, swimwear and loungewear to restore a positive body image, and revive self esteem and self confidence following mastectomy, breast reconstruction or breast conserving surgery. Amoena bras are attractive, non detectable and come in smooth or lacy styles and in nude, black and white colours so they are worth trying. Some department stores have fitting specialists available by appointment.
Have you had breast enhancements?
You are probably having the time of your life and enjoying every moment of your boobage! For beautiful cleavage try a plunge bra - ¾ cup or a balconnet bra which is also ¾ cup. You go girl!
Bra-vado!
Many of us don’t put on our bra properly even though we’ve been wearing one since high school! Perhaps the blame lies in communal changing rooms where we hooked the white cotton trainer bra in front, twisted it around to the back and squirmed our arms between the straps, all the time hoping like hell that none of our classmates would notice us!
Hooking the bra in the front and then twisting it to the back causes the band to stretch and reduces the life of the bra.
Put on your bra with the hook at the back. Fiddle around and clasp the hooks and eyes together. It takes a little practice and perseverance but connecting your bra at the back will seriously extend its longevity.
Lean over and scoop your breast into each cup, centre the nipple so it sits in the foremost cap of the bra facing forwards and slightly upwards. Adjust each breast so it is separated from the other and ensure the tops look full and blooming! The uniboob is so uncool!
A bra will last longer if it is not worn two days in a row. Body warmth relaxes the fibres in the fabric; constant wear reduces the bra’s firmness, allow a day between wearing for the fabric to bounce back.
We no longer have to put up with nipple freeze (nor do we need to jam the bra full of make-up remover pads to disguise it!). Someone has invented little silicon nude gel petals with scalloped edges that stick smoothly to the nipples and can be worn many times. Fabulous! Bras with built-in petals are available for those of us who are continually plagued by nipple-freeze or you could purchase a set of individual fabric petals to stitch into a bra yourself. Disposable nipple concealers come in packs of 5 pairs and are perfect anytime you need to quickly de-perkify. Disposable discretion in a box!
An errant bra strap slipping down the upper arm looks sloppy, not sexy. A bra strap showing outside a skimpy-shouldered top is not sensual. Banish slippage with a padded elastic band that ties the straps together at the back. Or pin the bra straps to the shoulder seams of your top, or buy bra strap carriers that attach to the shoulder seam of your top with a safety pin and hook around your bra strap.
If you want to hide bra straps when you wear a strapless top, tuck the straps into your bra and attach clear stretchy straps. Or cut off the original straps instead of tucking them in and stitch clear straps onto your bra where the original straps have been – but that’s a bit extreme! It is more youthful to wear a great strapless bra. The days of the strapless bra creeping its way down to meet your knickers are gone. Newer strapless bras have comfortable stretchy rubber edges that stick to the skin and keep the bra where it’s supposed to be. If slippage is still an issue, use double sided body tape to secure the bra in place.
A bra converting clip made by Hollywood Fashion Tape Inc. is perfect to convert any bra to a cross over style. The clip slips under the loosened bra straps and pulls them together so the straps form a cross over look at the back.
Inserts enhance, correct and flatter the breasts. They lift, squeeze, and separate and come in different materials – a silicon pad gives a realistic appearance, but foam and padded inserts are equally effective. If you are concerned about an insert moving around secure it in place with double sided body tape or fabric tape. Don’t forget inserts when you are buying swimwear, many inserts are waterproof and some swimwear cups have insert pockets.
Launder underwear inside out. Obviously the inside of a garment lies closest to the skin and this is where it picks up most soil.
Place underwired bras in a nylon net laundry bag when underwear is being machine washed. The laundry bag will contain the underwire if it works its way out of its channel and prevent it from getting caught and damaging the drum of your washing machine. Nylon net laundry bags are inexpensive and are often to be found on clip strips in supermarket aisles. Use cool water to help elastic retain stretchiness, and a delicate soap such as Lux Flakes to hand-wash your lingerie. Rinse well to remove soap residue.
Purge the underwear drawer!
It’s hard to say goodbye to old lingerie friends, but the bikini briefs that came in a pack of three, the odd-coloured lace bra, the faithful old cottontails that have gone grey, anything embellished with ribbon roses and the granny bloomers have gotta go! You are going to be so youthful and so gorgeous from now on!
This plan takes the best part of an afternoon, depending on the quantity of underwear you possess, and how easily you can let go of the old stuff.
Here’s the plan:
Take your underwear drawer from the bureau and dump the entire contents on the bed.
Sort it into categories – bras, knickers, camisoles, slips, shapers etc.
Some of the garments will be obvious “keepers”. You’ll know which pieces these are, they fit well, they feel fabulous and you wear them on a day when you want to look effortlessly chic. Put these pieces back into the drawer.
The Toss Test
Old fashioned girdles, corsets (God forbid!) bike shorts, petticoats, body stockings, witches britches and leotards are antiquated relics of a bygone era when we subjected ourselves to torture in pursuit of glorious thinness. They are dated and have to go.
Throw any obvious discards (basically any piece of underwear regardless of the cost, that hasn’t been on your body for years) onto a pile to go out as rubbish. If you have difficulty parting with the discards put them into a plastic container or bag, seal it, and label it with the date. Stow it away where you don’t have easy access to it – beneath a bed or high in a cupboard. If, after a year from the date on the label, you haven’t raided the contents or sought out any pieces, toss the lot out. You haven’t worn them, you don’t need them.
Try on the garments that you can’t decide whether to toss or not. Saying farewell to old friends is easier when you know why they must be moved on.
Start with garments intended for the torso. Put each garment on beneath a pair of white pants (the tighter the better for this test!) and look at your reflection from all sides.· Did you have to squirm, heave and struggle to get into the under-garment?

• Now that you’ve got it on can you breathe normally?


• How’s the wear and tear? Are there hooks missing or bits sticking out?


• What about the stretch? Is there any left? How much?


• Does your skin ooze over the bands?


• Is the fabric so thick that it’s adding visual weight?


• Do the seams show through the pants?


• Are bands cutting off your circulation making you feel like a sausage?


• Does the garment have lots of irritating bits and pieces – embellishments, hooks, ties, zips, buttons, bows or ribbon roses?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions it’s time to toss!
Now try on the questionable bras. Put a white tee shirt or pale coloured tee shirt over each one and be honest about the shape the bra gives you.

• Is the bra tired, grey or shabby?


• Has the shape stretched beyond recognition?


• Do you spill out over the top or the sides or slip out underneath?


• Is it too tight? Does it give you a monoboob?


• Do the cups pucker?


• Does lace or other embellishment show through the tee shirt?


• Is the underwire stabbing you? Is it poking out somewhere? Is the underwire still there?


• Is the fabric so fine that it shows your nipples?


• Do you still hang low when the straps are tightened?


• Would a teenager wear it?


• Would your mother or grandmother wear it?


• What colour is it?


• Would you be embarrassed to be seen wearing it in the fitting rooms, locker room or the changing room at the pool?

Bikini briefs, cami-knickers, cotton tails and full sized granny pants have to go; even if you are a granny you don’t have to dress like one. Any big bloomers that cover not only your bum but also your tum and most of your lower torso must be purged from your drawer and your life. Make a vow to yourself that from now on all your lingerie will be youthful, nude coloured or black!
Try on all other pairs of knickers and do a twirl in front of a full length mirror to check the rear view. To help assess VPL (visible panty line) pull a pair of white pants over each pair of knickers when you try them on.

• Do they look shabby? Have they gone grey? Are they old and tired?


• Have they lost their stretch? Are they patchy? Has the elastic shirred?


• Do the leg bands dig into your thigh flesh or anywhere else? Does the waistband dig in so much that you end up with a muffin top or love handles?


• Has the seat lost its elasticity? Did the fabric have elasticity in the first place? Is the gusset stained?


• Does it give you VPL? Anywhere?
  Are there embellishments – words, arrows, cutie animals, hearts, bows, fruit, embroidery, lace, etc?


• What colour is it? Does the colour show through the white pants?


• Would a stripper perform in it?


• Would you be mortified if the team from Young Doctors (or the equivalent) saw you in it?
  

Start wearing thongs! If you haven’t previously worn a thong expect to test drive it a few times before you get used to it. Thongs should be the axis of your youthful knickers collection and the automatic no-brainer choice of underwear beneath jeans or pants. Thongs totally eliminate VPL which is VOL (Very Old Lady!). The best are those that dip with a V-waist in the front and in the back, preventing exposure.
Can’t bear the thought of a thong or G-string? That’s okay, but do wear knickers with a soft flat finish to ensure invisibility beneath your clothes. Embellishments such as lacy leg elastic are likely to show through and detract from the outer garment lines. High waisted knickers are perfect under dresses, knickers with a dipped waistline front and back are perfect under jeans.

The last word is on petticoats – and most of us have an old petticoat or two languishing at the back of the underwear drawer. It has probably been quite a decorative number in its day - embellished with lace or embroidery at the bust line and around the hem, there may be a teeny flower or two stitched onto the straps, it’s likely to be shell pink or perfect peach, and more often than not it requires repairs. Realistically it’s a relic that’s overdue for replacement! Out it must go!
An exception is the sexy vintage underwear-as-outerwear petticoat. But will you really wear it? If you won’t, do you know someone who will?

Newer petticoats are called ‘body slips’. A body slip is a comfortable all over body hugger, simple in shape, without embellishment, with adjustable straps in fabric so sleek and finely woven that you feel as though you have nothing on. Buy nude, or black, or both!

Retail details and magic products
Shapewear
Ambra ‘Killer Figure’ shapewear: Killer boyleg briefs $22, Waist Killer full brief $20, Waist killer butt shaping shorts $25 from Myer.
Nancy Ganz Body: full slip dress $150, hi Waist Belly Buster Briefs $60 (in sizes 20-24).
Pantyhose:
Ambra Better than Bare ‘no toes’ pantyhose, 8 denier appearance with the strength of 15 deniers, in 3 colourways from Myer Department stores. About $8 – often on special or on sale. To find your nearest stockist www.ambra.net.au
Kaiser Platinum Bare Toeless Pantyhose – sensuous and ultra sheer, 8 denier appearance with 10 denier strength, around $8 on special – Myer Department Stores or to find your nearest stockist call 1800 810449 Kaiser customer service line.
Levante Class regular brief pantyhose, gloss leg look, made in Italy, 12 denier appearance, around $15, Myer Department stores
Voodoo shine sheer to waist pantyhose, 15 denier ultra sheer around $11 from Myer Department stores or try www.kolotex.com.au/voodoo to find the stockist nearest you.
Leg Make-up
Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, David Jones, 3 colourways, $15
Specialist Bras:
Amoena for breast forms and specialist lingerie following breast surgery; call Amoena Customer Care line 1800 773 285 for stockists.
Pleasure State My Fit from Myer, Plunge Bra DD to G cups $60, Balconnet DD to G $60.
Berlei underwire sports bra ‘Electrify’ with mesh detail, $50 tested and approved by the Australian Institute of Sport.
Miscellaneous
Hollywood No-Shows - Disposable Nipple Concealers $20 for a pack of 5 pairs from Priceline www.priceline.com.au
Hollywood Hook-ups Clear Bra Converting Clip $10, from Priceline.
Hollywood Tape 36 strips in a pack $20 from Priceline
Hollywood Tape original $20

Knickers
Berlei Barely There briefs, G-String, Jeanious (to wear beneath mid-low rise jeans) and Full Brief knickers. www.berlei.com.au