Fashion world gone mad?

Fashion World Gone Mad?

I have long bemoaned the fact that most designers seem to have a fictional woman (except on the catwalk) in mind when they come up with their latest new trends – a 6ft, stick thin beanpole with no curves!  The problem has always been that the fashion world is run by gay men who seem to have little appreciation for real womens bodies and secretly want to design clothes for boys! Well, now I have my proof!  One recent catwalk show ended, as is custom, with a wedding dress. The model used was a 19 year old boy! He also appeared wearing a blonde wig and dressed as a vamp.  Is it any wonder we struggle to look good in high fashion?!

Summer Make-up and How to Wear Red Lipstick

If you’re preparing to go on holiday, now is the perfect time to have a clear out of your make-up bag.  As you decide what you can’t live without for 2 weeks, have a think about what you really need.  It’s the same as your clothes – you don’t need nearly as much as you think.  I bet there are only about 4 or 5 items that you use everyday when you’re at home, so how much will you need on holiday?

Make-up does have a shelf-life, so chuck out those gunky old mascaras and lipsticks that have been lurking at the bottom of your bag for a year or more! Are you really ever going to wear that bright metallic eye-shadow that came free with a magazine? What about the blusher that has dried out and disintegrated?

These days I usually just take a tinted moisturiser, mascara, lipstick and gloss and one  trio of eye-shadow. As you tan, you can wear stronger coloured lipstick, so now’s the  time to go for something a little bolder. Red is still the story for lipstick in 2010 – its a question of finding the right type of red and knowing how to apply it for the best results.  Jane Fardon of Jane Fardon Cosmetics has some great advice and answers to both questions:

www.janefardoncosmetics

Have a great holiday!

Judith

www.judithbrady.co.uk

Does it have to be Mutton or Mumsy?

What a choice!  For women aged 40 plus and/or size 16 plus the High Street really doesn’t make it easy. It makes me so mad that middle-aged and larger ladies are ignored so much by the main retailers. In fact, lets face it middle-aged women are just ignored FULL STOP. Its hard enough coping with everything else that middle-age throws at you – kids that can’t afford to leave home, approaching menopause, a body that takes more and more maintenance and a partner who seems to be auditioning for ‘Grumpy Old Men’! We really don’t need to be made to feel even worse by the uninspiring choice of clothes that are modern, stylish, affordable and age-appropriate.

Mutton?

As an Image Consultant I see so many ladies who have hit middle-age or a certain size and have just, well, lost the plot really.  Some rely on the advice of their teenage daughters – beware, this is a very risky move! Teenage daughters seem to fall in to 2 camps, those who want their Mum to dress like they do, in all the latest trends and those that want their Mum to ‘look like a Mum should’ – translation, boring and dowdy and invisible.  One thing both camps have in common is the believe that whatever Mum wears will be embarassing! Teenage girls know all about what clothes are a must for teenage girls, not middle-aged women. There is nothing worse (actually there is, more later!) than seeing a woman dressed in a more or less identical way to her daughter – all it does is emphasize the age difference; if its right for the daughter, chances are it won’t be right for Mum.

An even worse scenario is a middle-aged woman who gives up and starts dressing like her own mother (although in my case that wouldn’t be a problem as I have a very stylish 81 year old Mum!). I know, far too many of the clothes shops are designed for the teenage and twenty-something market and if you have a dread of looking like ‘mutton dressed as lamb’ then you do have to be very careful in these shops, but that is no excuse for looking dowdy.

There is a middle ground, it is possible to look modern and stylish at any age, without looking like mutton. Equally you can look modern and stylish whatever your size.  The secret is confidence –  in what suits you and makes you feel good about yourself. One of the blessings of middle-age should be that you don’t feel the need to be the same as everyone else. Wear what suits you not the latest trends that are designed for very tall, unhealthily thin, teenagers.

Mary Portas has started a campaign to pressure the High St to provide more clothes for stylish 40+ women and her next series will be devoted to this subject.  See http://www.maryportas.co.uk   Janet Street-Porter has also challenged designers to provide more clothes in Size 16 plus.  As she so aptly puts it ‘Real women have legs that are thicker at the top. We have bums that stick out. And we have busts.’  The attitude seems to be that if you are Size 16 or above, you are happy to live in stretchy elasticated-waist trousers and baggy t-shirts, you couldn’t be interested in a fabulous dress.  Its all a bit hard to fathom as the average size in Britain is 16, aren’t they all missing out on a huge market? She was specifically targetting designers, but even on the High St there are few stylish shops selling Size 16 and above.  You have to credit M & S here who have several different ranges to suit lots of tastes in a wide range of sizes. Zara, so great for finding some well-designed pieces that are very modern with it, only go up to a size 14 (this is what they call XL).

On the positive side, I think things will begin to change, if nothing else then for commercial reasons – there is a huge untapped market here. There are an increasing number of influential women who are middle-aged and curvy who are making a noise about this.  There are also more and more networks of middle-aged women eg www.fabafterfifty.co.uk piling on the pressure.   Lets hope someone starts listening soon – this middle-aged woman refuses to be mumsy or mutton and I make sure none of my clients are either!

Judith

www.judithbrady.co.uk

Swimwear for your Shape and Style

If you are like so many people and only start thinking about your swimwear a week or so before your annual holiday and that time is now,  don’t panic! There is still lots of choice in the shops even though their Autumn collections ar already starting to appear.

To help you decide on the best cut of bikini or swimsuit to suit your shape, here are a few pointers:

Pear Shaped

Keep attention on your smaller top half by having any pattern or detail on the top of the swimsuit or bikini. You can balance your narrower shoulders with your hips by choosing narrower straps and halter necks which tend to widen shoulders.  Medium to higher cut styles will lengthen your legs and minimise thighs.Avoid bikini bottoms with ties at the side at all costs as they widen your thighs.  A sarong will be your best friend as it covers up wider hips and thighs and looks sexy when tied low to one side!

Top Heavy

If you are lucky enough to have big boobs, there are lots of styles around which are designed to give more support.  Look for bra style tops with underwiring and wider straps to keep you pert! Wrap over styles are particularly flattering to larger busts. Go for detail on the bottom half to balance your shape.

Miracle Suit

Apple Shaped

To disguise extra weight around the middle, look for swimsuits with built in shaping.  Lots of ladies swear by the new miracle suits which claim to make you look a size smaller – try one and see what you think.  Many apple shapes have fantastic legs, in which case consider using a khaftan to give some coverage to your tummy and show off your assets!

Boyish Figure

Straight up and down figures really suit  shorts style bikini bottoms or bikinis with lots of detail and ties at the side to add curves.

Per Una, M & S

Remember:

• Stick to your colour palette to ensure that your cossie is flattering to your skin tone and general colouring it makes a huge difference to how good you look when you start to tan (or turn pink!)
• Don’t assume that a plain black suit or bikini is automatically the most slimming – the cut and style is much more important, if you get one that fits well, suits your shape and is in one of your colours, you will look much slimmer, younger and more tanned!
• Lots of  bikini tops and bottoms are sold separately so that you can not only get the sizing right but you can also mix up colours and styles to suit your shape and colouring.  eg  If you are pear shaped, find a bikini bottom in the right style for you in your best dark colour and then choose a brighter, patterned top in toning colours with more detail.  You don’t have to stick to one brand or even one shop – it opens up a whole world of choice for you.
• Use accessories to draw attention where you want it.  There are loads of fantastic accessories around to suit all budgets, tastes and colourings. Great earrings, bangles, beach bags and jewelled flip flops can totally change the look of a poolside outfit.
• Sarongs and kaftans are a godsend for anyone with body hang-ups.  Make sure that they are in material that hangs well and are the right length for you.
• Having a tan always helps you feel more confident on those first few days – why not try one of the subtle tanning moisturisers (remember to exfoliate first and wash your hands afterwards).

Have a wonderful holiday and if you want any help sorting out your holiday wardrobe, have a look at my website or give me a call on 01271 328034.

Judith

Changing handbags made easy!

The right handbag can really add some style to an outfit but so many ladies use  the same one every day. I have several clients who have an ‘old faithful’, usually black, that is worn with everything.  The only time they change is if they are going to a fancy do when they use an evening bag, also black!

The main complaint seems to be that no one has time in the morning to change all their essential ‘stuff’ from one bag to another (or have tried it in the past, only to find when they get to work that they have left something essential behind). As a bit of a handbag queen myself, I had to find an answer to this problem!

Handbag organiser - FlyDragonFly

Well, there is a very simple solution – a handbag organiser.  They come in different shapes and sizes – rigid or flexible – and in a variety of great colours.  You can store all your handbag contents in an organiser, which has numerous pockets, phone store, key ring, pen holder, lipstick store etc.  Whenever you want to change bags you simply lift the organiser out of one bag and into the other. Takes no time and ensures that you never forget anything.

Summer outfits really don’t look right with that black leather ‘old faithful’, so make the most of all the lovely, colourful handbags around and use an organiser to make changing bags pain-free.

Handbag organiser - Baggitz

As they are available  in such lovely colours they can add a modern twist to handbags by adding a colourful lining and I know some people who even use them as a bag themselves sometimes.

They are also work equally well in gym bags, backpacks and briefcases – all those times when you don’t want to carry a handbag as well.

So, your only problem now is to decide which colour to get ……

Notes – Handbag organisers available on-line from flydragonfly and BAGGITZ

www.judithbrady.co.uk

Travelling Light – Holiday Packing Tips

Looking forward to your holiday in the sun this summer? If you are flying off somewhere, packing can be a bit of a nightmare especially given the airlines increasingly strict weight allowances. On a recent trip we had a row with Ryannair who wanted to charge us 20 Euros because one of our bags was 1kg over their miserly 15kg weight allowance! This experience encouraged me to have a really good look at holiday packing and how you can streamline what you take.  Here are my top tips:

Take travel sized toiletries

Available from most supermarkets and chemists this will save you several kilos.  If you just have to have your particular shampoo or conditioner, decant some into little bottles (available from Boots/Sainsburys).  Always double wrap in ziplock bags/plastic carriers in case of a leak.

I wait and buy mine in Duty Free and put them in my hand luggage.

Use your hand luggage weight allowance

The hand luggage allowance is quite generous – Ryannair allowed 10kg (check your airline) – make the most of it.  I use it for my supply of holiday reading, travel sized toiletries bought at the airport and even shoes.

Use your beach bag as your flight bag  – choose one that is light but strong and is within the hand luggage size restrictions.  There are loads of colourful ones around that will fit the bill.

Wear your heaviest clothes for travelling in

Dress in layers to travel. If you think you may need a cardigan or jacket for the evenings, wear it together with a couple of t-shirts and roll-up trousers or cutoffs with your heaviest shoes/trainers.  Put a pair of flip-flops in your hand luggage and  just before you land, take off a couple of layers and change shoes to arrive cool, calm and collected.

Colour coordinate your clothes

This will allow you to drastically reduce the amount of clothes and accessories that you need. Choose one item to build your clothes around.  I used a necklace that was in my colours – lime green, warm purple and brown as my starting point.  All my clothes were in these colours together with some light neutrals.  Of course this is the secret to coordinating your whole wardrobe as well, leading to ‘less clothes but more outfits’. Finding out your true colours is a lifelong investment.

You don’t need as much as you think!

Do you ever bring back clothes that you have never worn? If you plan and co-ordinate your packing, you really don’t need that many clothes. In theory you only need 12 items to create over 60 outfits –  it’s a good starting point and you can add one or two extras to add variety if, like me, you prefer to have a bit more choice:

• 1 dress
• 2 pairs shorts/cutoffs
• 1 pair lightweight trousers                                                   
• 2 skirts
• 5 tops
• 1 beach cover-up

PLUS

• 1 pair of comfortable flip-flops
• 1 pair of dressy sandals to suit colours (gold or silver go with everything)
• 3 swimsuits/bikinis
• Colourful bangles, necklaces

You can change things around to suit your personal style and how you spend your time on holiday. If you live in shorts then take 2 more pairs and drop the skirts; if you hate shorts, take an extra skirt and dress. I actually find dresses and skirts more comfortable than shorts when it’s really hot.

You also have all the clothes and shoes you travelled in which will give you a good selection of stylish outfits without worrying about weight or having a pile of washing and ironing when you get home – even if you don’t wear something it always seems to need washing and ironing!

Happy holidays!

Cancelled holiday and nearly 50 – but its not all bad!

I am fast approaching my 50th birthday – this Friday in fact and had been looking forward to escaping to Prague today to see a new place and to try and not think too much about my advancing age.  Of course, like many thousands of others, our plans have been ruined by the cancellation of flights following the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

This has meant that I have been free to do a lot of thinking about becoming 50, in between trying to get refunds from the airline and travel insurers and finding an alternative destination that we can drive to.  We have settled on a couple of nights in the New Forest in a fabulous hotel with its own spa.  Maybe not Prague, but a new, beautiful place to explore and some relaxing  pampering at the spa.

Thinking about it, I am so lucky – I live in a beautiful part of the world, the sun has been shining for the last 3 weeks (yes, really!) and having started a new career and business about 18 months ago, I am getting more out of my work and life than I ever did when I was slogging away in the City when I was younger.  I was in my forties when I finally found what I wanted to be when I grew up, but it really is true that its never too late!

Being an Image Consultant gives me such a buzz – I love seeing clients blossom as they discover just how good they can look.  Even better, once they are feeling more confident, there is a wonderful knock-on effect in other areas of their lives as they start to recognise their own potential.  I have male and female clients of a wide range of ages, but I must admit that I have a particular soft spot for the middle-aged women who I see because I have been there myself.

Too many ‘ladies of a certain age’ (what an awful expression) feel a little lost and down on themselves and are terribly self-critical and I am on a bit of a crusade to try and help them to see how much they can achieve and how much they have to offer. I will be joined by two amazing women to facilitate a one day workshop for women of any age who want to unlock their potential and put together an action plan for making some changes in their lives. Click on the link below for more details:

http://www.judithbrady.co.uk/live/Workshops20100420025023.html

Again, I am very lucky.  I have found my ‘passionate purpose’ in life, I love it and I want to help others to find the same.  Looking good and feeling great about yourself inside is very powerful and can have a very positive effect on your life, whatever your age – it is never too late to make some changes.  So I may have swapped Prague for the New Forest but I think my birthday may be a good day after all!

Judith

www.judithbrady.co.uk

Do you suffer for your principles?

Principles are wonderful things to have – they make you feel good about yourself and sometimes, dare I say it, enable you to take the moral high ground.  That is until you have to live up to those principles and prove that you are not a hypocrite – then it can get painful, literally!

A local personal trainer, Marc Kent, runs a Boot Camp Fitness Programme which promises amazing results if you put the work in and eat healthily.  He is offering a competition challenging people to join the programme for 12weeks with the chance of winning £1,000 cash and a complete makeover.  (For more info see Marc’s website http://www.marckent.com) This is where I got involved.  As an image consultant I have offered to give the winner a colour and style consultation before their photo shoot and prize giving dinner.  What has this got to do with principles?  Well, I am always saying that I will not recommend anything that I have not tried out myself …..  you’ve got it, I now have to go through this torture sorry training, myself,  in order to be able to recommend it to clients who are looking for ways of losing fat and getting fitter.

I had my first session last week and was feeling quite confident as I already do some regular  exercise.  The one hour class is basically interval training going round a circuit of exercises which are each done for 1 minute and then straight on to the next. I was fine to start with but after about the first 20 mins I started to realise just how tough this type of training is – there are no real breaks!  Anyway I survived (just) after Marc had told me that I need to have a bigger breakfast in order to avoid feeling light-headed again.  I was quite proud of myself as I could actually walk the next morning (several people have trouble apparently!) and went back again 2 days later.  This time there was a different set of exercises to make sure you don’t get bored or your body get used to it.  Again, I really struggled about half way through but somehow with Marc’s encouragement, you keep going.

My third session was this morning and after having a bowl of porridge with nuts and fruit I felt ready to go. More new exercises and this time a session of mat exercises as well as weights, running on the spot  BUT on a padded mat so its like running in thick soft sand and a killer! As an ex-Marine you would expect Marc to be shouting at you all the time, but in fact he is surprisingly soft-spoken – you still don’t want to stop when he tells you to keep going though!

Will it all be worth it?? I will give regular updates on my progress and if the level of pain is anything to go by, I should be the fittest person in Devon.  Eventually I may even be grateful that my principles forced me to get fit!

Judith Brady

Image Consultant