My Image Expert

Darting the Issue

The magical world of darts. It’s likely you’ve heard the word and possibly know what one is, but what exactly do they do? Darts are those lovely seams near the bust or waist line that either bring in extra fabric or let out fabric to make your garments fit properly to your curves. Here are a few examples of darts and how they can make or break an outfit.

French Darts: Oo La la, the French Dart. I have a love/ hate relationship with this dart. On one hand it gives your garment a beautiful retro feel, a flashback to the 50’s in a modern way. On the other hand there are so many things that can go wrong with this dart if not tailored properly. It is the dart that begins at the waistline side seam and runs diagonally to the apex of the bust. The main problem that occurs with these darts is that they seem to run straight up to the apex instead of falling slightly lower than the apex (½ inch to an inch.) This in turn creates what we will call the Madonna effect, making the bust slightly pointier then we’d like. So when trying on a garment with French darts make sure they are properly fitted.

Side and Waist Dart: These darts can make for a wonderful sheath dress when elongated into the lower portion. This can be a timeless dress to add to your wardrobe. Because there are both side and waist darts it will be extra fitted in the torso area leaving it open to either a pencil skirt bottom or an A-line bottom. These dresses are great for hourglass figures because it accentuates the curves, most importantly the smallest part of the body, the waist.

Gathered Shoulder Darts: Gathered Should Darts tend to add attention directly in that area so it stands to reason that if you have broad shoulders and wish to diminish them, shirts and dresses of this style should be avoided. In the contrary, if you have slight shoulders this tailoring will add some balance to this area.

There is your designer tip for the week, and remember, don’t be afraid to have your store bought garments tailored. No one has the same exact body so why would we all fit into the same exact dress? Now you can go into your tailor with a little more knowledge and a little less fear!

By: Brooke Brazil, assistant New York Image Consultant for My Image Expert

Do Denim Right!

JEANS!

Was that enough to scare you clear across the room? Don’t worry, me too. Women tend to shy away from denim shopping because it is  never a good experience. Why? Because you don’t know what you are looking for and when you don’t know what you are looking for you spend 90% of your time trying on things that don’t fit properly and make you look awkward. Even though we tell ourselves, it’s the pants and not the body, it still doesn’t feel great to try on things that don’t fit. As an image consultant I see women day in and day out trying on styles that are “trendy” instead of garments that are right  for their individual body type. Trust me when I tell you, wearing a bottom that fits right will communicate effective body language as opposed to wearing what’s in fashion. That being said, here are a few examples of denim styles and which body types to wear them with in this upcoming fall season:

• Pear Shape: For a pear shape,(you hold most of your weight in your bottom half, mainly in your thighs) try a straight leg/ boot cut jean. The side of the pant should come straight down from the width of the hips to the ground. It will help portion out your lower half. Remember that everything should be in proportion to each other. Wear your jeans slightly above your hips and not directly on them which will draw attention to that area. Darker denim is the prime choice for slimming over accentuated hips and thighs.
• Apple Shape: Apple shaped bodies store weight in the midsection (usually in the waist and stomach) so the goal is to even out the proportions and balance your midsection and hips. Apple shapes also tend to have skinner legs and  flat bottoms so flared bottom/ boot cut jeans should do the trick. Wearing jeans that have a lighter wash and pockets in the back can give a little more volume to those who have a flatter backside.
• Ruler Shape: Ruler shapes lack curves that would otherwise define the waist and create an hourglass shape. The trick is to wear things that accentuate the curves that they do have which can usually be found in the legs or thighs. Skinny jeans or a narrow boot cut style will do the trick. Avoid anything too tight around the ankles.
• Hour Glass: Hour glass firgures have the luxury of looking good in almost any style. Be it trouser fit, skinny jean, or boot cut, just make sure to wear your jeans slightly above the hips and not directly on them. Like the Pear shaped bodies, a darker and clean cut jean can deaccntuate a wider hip.

Happy fall shopping!  For more information or articles related to body structure and fashion tips you can visit our Featured article section at www.MyImageExpert.com

By: Brooke Brazil, assistant New York Personal Stylist for My Image Expert

Bountiful Braids

From Princess Leah to Little Annie Oakly braids have always been around but it was just that, they were particular to movies and childhood memories. Now however, they’ve become a hot commodity. They’re no longer tied with pigtails in the play yard but can now be worn as a chic and sophisticated up-do. Here are a few ways to achieve these twisted wonders and a few variations to keep things up in the air:

1. A simple and always easy style is the double braids on top. To achieve this look part your hair in the center (or off to the side if you prefer the asymmetrical look). Take about an inch of hair from the very front of your head, on each side of your part and braid it back regularly. Not a French braid but a regular. This allows you to play with the form of the braid a bit more. When finished braiding, pin both braids in the back of your head with bobby pins. Crossing them in an X shape is always a classy alternative. Allow the braids to droop just a little bit to give them some natural form. Afterwards give your hair a soft curl or light tousle with a curling iron and you’re good to go!

2. Not only did they give us wonderful fries and yummy bread, but the French also gave us braids. Or their version anyway. A French braid is a very classy version of the American braid and it tends to stay in place much better. You’re less likely to have fly away hairs. You begin with three pieces of hair a little lower than the very top of your head. Start braiding like a regular braid and as you move down keep adding hair to the outside piece before you pull it into the center. By the time you get to the nape of the neck you will have used up all of the hair and you can braid the rest regularly.

3. The fish bone braid can be slightly tricky if you’ve never done it before but when you master it, it is oh so worth it! Begin by splitting your hair into right and left portions. Those portions will then be split into two pieces, leaving you with for equal pieces.  The outside right piece will come in the middle of the two left pieces and then the outside left piece will come in between the two new right pieces. Continue this until you are at the end of the rope. Then tie it up, throw it to the side and roughen it up a bit if you want more of a bed head look.

4. Thus far we’ve gone from easy to difficult on the braid scale. So let’s end it off with an easier twist to the braid. An actual twist! Part your hair on the top, down the middle. Split your hair into right, left and back portions. Throw your back portion into a loose and messy bun. On each side of the part grab about an inch of hair and start twisting it. As you go along add a little bit of hair into the twist. When you eventually run out of hair to add just keep twisting it to the end. Cross the two twists above the bun, wrap it under the bun and pin it.

Whether your hair is long, short, or in between you should find something on this list that works for you! And yes, you can wear it at any age.

By: Brooke Brazil Assistant NYC Personal Stylist for My Image Expert

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Image Consultant says, Lace at any Age is OK

Let’s face it, lace makes us feel sexy. It’s delicate and feminine and whether or not you adhere to that mantra in your everyday life, every once in a while it’s fun to play a little dress up, whether it’s outside or in the bedroom. So the image experts are to help you find a few ways to wear lace age-appropriately:

1. Lace Tights: The lace tights are back and bigger than ever.  Another flashback to the eighties with a few upgrades. As you all know, I’m not the biggest fan of eighties fashion but with every fashion faux pas comes a silver lining. The proper lace tights can be an amazing statement piece but it should stay as that, a statement piece.  Pair it with a solid color dress and solid color shoes. It’s a lot of pattern on a large amount of your body; you don’t want to overpower your viewers with too much. One of the first things you learn in art school is to help the viewer follow a line of direction, ending in the focal point. In this case that would be your legs. So they better be prepared for all that attention. Because it’s a much edgier and sexier look I would leave these dames to the twenty year olds. And make sure to watch the patterns you choose because too intricate can make you look like you have a disease on your leg.

1. Lace Undergarments: Lace undergarments are something that can be worn at any age as well. Let me rephrase that…lace undergarments are something that can be worn at any age, if worn under the proper clothing.  Sometimes its nice to feel a little sexy knowing your wearing a black lace bra underneath your top, but the rest of your co-workers do not need to know the same. NO black lace under white, or low cut tops.  It’s very unprofessional and could highly affect your working environment in a negative way. Now for that special someone feel free to wear that white top…..or not.

1. Lace Dress: The lace dress only really works as a mini to knee length dress, because the moment you lengthen it, you begin to attract 17^th century roll players, which of course is completely suitable if that is what your in to. If not, I would suggest keeping a very modern cut. I would also suggest minimal accessories because the dress is bold enough as it is and right smack dab in the middle of your body. Black lace will be a very, very sexy choice of dress; if you’re not quite ready for that I would suggest more of a baby doll look with a cream or white colored dress depending on your skin tone.

1. Lace Bolero Jacket: Aaahh. The lace jacket. This is such a sexy sophisticated garment. It’s the perfect thing to amp up a drab outfit. It transcends age and screams class. A nice thin tank and a pair of skinny jeans and you should be off and ready to go! My only suggestion with the Lace Jacket is to wear your hair down or in a pony tail/ braid because the moment you fully put it up you’ll be referencing the 17^th century damsels. I would recommend this to all age groups from eighteen to eighty-eight.

1. Lace Bag: Lace bags are something that I generally avoid for the mere fact that it’s an object that is very hard to modernize. They generally come in a hippie knitted lace or a flower girls white and beaded box bag.  No and no. There are a few exceptions including the Valentino duffle but it’ll cost you! If you do happen to find a nice and delicate clutch it’s a piece that can stand the test of closet time.

By: Brooke Brazil Assistant NYC Personal Stylist for My Image Expert

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Do Denim Right

With the recent surge of denim back into our closets I though it only fit to explore the many ways in which to do denim right:

The denim dress. The nature of this garment is southern because of the material, it’s best to style the garment in different ways. Throw in a little edge, and to clarify, frill does not read as edgy. Pair frill and denim and you’ll have Laura Ingalls knocking at your front door asking for her clothes back. Stick with a fitted, possibly corseted top and a flowy bottom or if you really want to make some noise, try a full-fledged denim pencil dress.

The denim vest. I may be a little biased with this one because vests are one of my favorite pieces of clothing. So it stands to reason that I would put this on the list. The fun thing about vests is that it is a masculine garment. It’s sort of empowering to be able to pull something off like that and make it your own by adding feminine style! It shows you’re not scared to take ownership of your style and make it look good in the process. And if you join a biker gang in the meanwhile, more power to you! Only kidding, please don’t join any biker gangs and while we are the subject; avoid black leather vests.

The denim jacket.  Two words. Staple piece. Make sure it’s tailored properly for your body. Two darts in the back tend to be the best fit to show of your womanly curves.

The denim pants. The reason I chose to do pants instead of shorts is because denim shorts, immediately casualize an outfit. I completely understand that it’s something that most of us have in our closet; I myself have a few pair. But when thinking about putting together a chic and sophisticated look, jean shorts should never be put into the equation. Most importantly, NEVER where shorts and heels at the same time. It looks trashy. Denim pants can be a beautiful thing because if you get the right pair for your body type, which let’s face it, can take some effort, it can hold you in, in all the right places. I’m a big fan of Levi’s. I’ve had a thick and sturdy pair for four or five years now and they’re still going strong. Whether you’re in Texas riding a horse or in New York, out on the town, they work for every occasion. (See “Jegging” rant below)

The denim shoe. This is a little bit of a different take on denim. Again, because the material itself is meant to be more casual, when choosing a denim shoe it should be a dress shoe. No denim flats or sandals, unless of course you are a twelve years old going to the beach for the day, in which case, make sure to wear your life vest!

Denim Leggings: “Jeggings”: If you take nothing else away from this please remember to never ever wear “jeggings.” They’re not flattering and they remind me of the 80’s, one of the few decades who clothes I can truly say “changed” me. Feel free to interchange the words ‘change’ and ‘traumatize’ as you will.

Enjoy your denim but do it right!

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A Shoe for Every Size

Here we go ladies! The answer to all of your fabulous shoe doubts. Meet Miss Jessica Pritchett. Having worked in the music industry for the past decade, Jessica found that the music world just wasn’t cutting it for all of her creative needs. She found that finding a pair of fabulous shoes in her natural size 12W was near to impossible. The shoes in anything above a ten became matronly and boring, lacking any form of personal style. To fix this, she dreamt up a line of incredible shoes based off of the New Wave Era and the inspiration of films in 70’s.  As a self proclaimed Pop Culture junkie, Pritchett named each shoe after a Pop Culture Icon that defined her era with style and class. The shoe collection also includes sizes for the small-footed gals. The shoe collection will be available in sizes 6-13 an of course includes wide sizes.

As a New York Image Consultant, I have the lovely job of discovering brands that can stand the test of time but have relevant style to today’s culture. All of Pritchett’s shoes are made out of Northern Portugal, boasting a 400-year-old legacy. They are made from Buffalo patent leather and calf insoles. Just like many legendary shoe designer before her, Pritchett defines her individual shoes with a unique pink sole. The heels are stacked and wooden giving us a nice departure from the usual stiletto heel.

My personal favorite is the Edie Pump($125.00), named after the famous, or shall we say infamous style icon Edie Sedgwick of Andy Warhol’s Factory. It is a beautiful wine red in a muted metallic (a trend she runs throughout this collection) and comes in the simplest form of a sexy shoe. It is mod in both the vintage and fashion forward sense and still manages to do something new.  /the collection ranges from $125.00 – $300.00 and you can easily keep this style for years upon end.

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White Summer

White has made a huge comeback this season! In both men and women’s fashion trends we’re seeing so many clothing pieces in such a snowy color. For years it has been a tabooed occurrence to wear such things but finally we are freeing this lovely color from its trendy imprisonment. A plus side to wearing white is that it deflects the sun, unlike black which absorbs the heat. It’s a youthful color full of nostalgic summer moments and eternal summer love.

As an image consultant, I have to research trends. In menswear we are seeing a lot of white slacks being paired with navy blue blazers, not appealing if your living in a place experiencing a heat wave like the one on the east coast. Luckily for us women, we have many more options when it comes to color picking. Here are five wonderful ways to wear white this season:

1. The white bathing suit: With all of this ‘Mad Men’ phenomena going on, the vintage white bathing suit seems to be making quite a comeback. Though we may no longer pin curl our hair and slap on the red lipstick before running to the beach, a well-lined white suit paired with a nice tan can do just the trick to give you that sun paralleled burst of energy!

2. The white bermuda shorts: The bermuda short is very reminiscent of a day on the yacht with Mr. Ralph Lauren himself. Sipping Pina Colada’s and feeling the soft breeze in your hair as you contemplate the wonders of the world. I’m sorry, what were we talking about?…

3. The all white ensemble: More and more I’m seeing women pairing slim fit white bottoms with a white tunic, embracing a very indulgent italian look. It’s quite breathtaking when done properly. It gives almost a look of relaxed royalty.

4. The white blazer: This comes in hand for both a night on the town and a day at work recovering from said night. It’s chic, classy and gives a nice new summer spin on the dreary black blazer.

5. The white dress: This is a classic. You can do it in a flattering wrap dress, a formal sweetheart strapless or even a free flowing cotton dress. I know many women worry about white making them look bigger than they are which isn’t the case. If you get a well tailored dress that is right for your body this white wonder should make you look slimmer than ever!

By: Brooke Brazil Assistant NYC personal stylist for My Image Expert

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Timeless Trinket

The famed Sartorialist, Scott Schuman once said that there is a “great difference between fashion and style” and in order to notice the difference, one must master the ‘refinement of detail.’”  For instance, if you work in a corporate office and have to  wear a pant suit every day – think about what makes it different from all of the other people wearing pant suits in the building?  What can you do to add a slight hint of authenticity?

I recently went to see the new movie “Inception”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In the movie, the characters must keep with them a totem or trinket of some sort to remind them what is dream and what is reality. In a dream, the trinket would never fall, yet in reality, gravity would require it to fall. Wouldn’t it be great to have a trinket that would allow your wardrobe a taste of realistic style?  Jewelry pieces work great to add signature style elements to any outfit. It can be a locket,  a bracelet and even a trinket.  A great place to start looking are vintage and/or thrift stores. Your more likely to find something that is one of a kind, just like you. So whenever your having a mundane day (which we all have),  you can look down at a little piece of individuality. It’s a good reminder that you choose what defines you. If the piece you choose to wear is not “work-appropriate” consider a necklace with a long chain so you can drop it behind your blouse only showing what needs to be shown.

By: Brooke Brazil – Assistant Image Consultant for My Image Expert, fashion and image consulting firm.

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My Image Expert: Bathing Suits for your Body Type

If you’re like me, and grew up in a place where Brazilian Bikini’s were the only acceptable form of swimwear, than you know how hard it can be to find a bathing suit that flatters your body type!  As a fashion consultant and personal stylist, I can’t stress how important it is to feel comfortable in your body and wearing next to nothing isn’t something most of us would call their comfort zone. I recently went to see the Metropolitan’s Museum of Arts new exhibit entitled, “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.” The premise of the exhibit shows the progression of what we now see as the ultimate American beauty: athletic, strong, lean, and tall. The reality is, this isn’t the ultimate beauty and is only a small percentage of our populace. Most women do have curves and those curves come in  all different shapes and sizes.  So here is a basic layout of good bathing suits for your body type:

High-waisted bottoms: This is a life saver for those of us who have a little more love in the bottom half of our body like the apple and pear shaped body types.

Boy shorts: This style tends to flatter a mass majority of body types. It has the most coverage while still allowing you to get a nice summer glow.

Hip Hugging bottoms: This is a great choice for those who have the much envied hourglass shape. It both smoothes and accentuates those natural slopes.

Halters: These tend to give women the most support up top and is generally a good choice. Especially for those who have wider shoulders; because the line of the bathing suit points in, instead of out, de-accentuating the wider shoulders.

Bra top: This is one of my all time favorites because it works just like a good bra, with wire and all, but made in fun and flirty swimsuit materials!

The Tankini: This tends to be a favorite for apple shaped bodies who hold most of their weight in the midsection. Tankini’s are a definite plus, if you happened to start your summer workout regimen a little late; but remember that a tankini can be well fitted and tailored just like a top. Sometimes the loose, flowy tankinis can make you look larger than you actually are.

Bandeau: These should be reserved for those who don’t need much to any support on top and I would keep it as a purely stylistic choice, not if you’re thinking of running and jumping in the water.

String Bikini: These, like the bandeau tops, work well on ruler shaped bodies and fit  hourglass shapes. But again, the not the best for beach volleyball or other summer beach sports.

Monokini: This has become popular in the recent summer seasons and I’m not quite sure why. Who wants a white strip running down their stomach?

One-peice: Don’t count these out! They are definitely not out of date and can be one of the most flattering bathing suits. Keep in mind that a one piece will have different cuts on the bottom and top just like a two piece. For some ideas on how great a one piece can look, take a gander at a brand called Lover Swimwear.

By: Brooke Brazil, assistant fashion consultant and image consultant for My image Expert.com

My Image Expert: Summmer Hairstyles

The change of seasons will directly affect how your hair looks. Whether it is summer humidity or the brisk breeze in the fall; with the change of season, should come a much needed change of hairstyle. Throwing something new into the groove can give your life that added twist of fun that it’s been lacking. It doesn’t have to be extreme! Just a simple decision to wear bangs or not, can make a world of difference. As much as I love bangs because of the immediate focus it adds to the face, summer time may not be the best season to wear this particular statement style. Remember the hot, sticky yesterdays of, well…yesterday? Who wants to deal with a big mop of hair on your forehead while out on the town or at the beach? This is certainly not an attractive or comfortable style in the least. Summer is the perfect time to have grown out bangs. Ideally, spring is when the growing process should begin, giving you ample time to take advantage of a side swept bang. A longer bang style tends to be the easiest to handle during the growing process and if they get too irritating, a small simple bobby pin should do the trick. By the time summer rolls around you’ll have something to pull back and out of your face! Fall is a great time to try heavier bangs like a blunt bang. The air is cooler and after a hot summer, this style is easier to maintain. Winter can be your wild card! Have fun with it and when spring comes around you’ll know what to do!

By: Brooke Brazil, assistant fashion consultant for My Image Expert New York

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