Dress right for your body shape

Our bodies, like bank accounts, are not all born equal. Regardless of your body shape you can still have style and be a beautifully dressed woman. It’s not your body shape that matters. It’s how you choose to dress it that determines if you flatter it.

As Coco Chanel once said… “Style stays while fashion fades”…

Your facial features, height, body size, body proportions and skeletal structure all influence the elements of your style and the way you select each garment to contribute to your ideal wardrobe. Read the rest of this entry »

Top Health Tips

Shake your body – Use the stairs rather than an escalator or elevator.  Walk your dog (or a neighbours’ dog it you don’t have one!), chase your kids, play ball with friends, mow the lawn.  Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it’s a stress buster.  Think “move” in small increments of time.  It doesn’t have to be an hour in the gym or a 45 minute cardiovascular class or body pump or kickboxing.  Move more and feel better!

Cut the Fat – Don’t eat the obvious fat in your diet such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats.  Eat dairy products like cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream in low fat versions.  Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts and even then in their low fat versions.  Most are available in lower fat versions.

Reduce Stress – Stress busters come in many forms.  Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts.  Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like (i.e., go back to number one above!, exercise is a great stress reducer, Soak in a hot tub: walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie.  Get a  massage, a facial or a haircut.  Meditate.  Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated.  Avoid difficult people when possible.

Stop Smoking! – All the experts agree on this one.  Ever since 1960 when it was announced that smoking was harmful to your health, people have been reducing their use of tobacco products.  Just recently, we’ve seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens.  Warn your children of the false romance or “Tough Guy” image of smokers.

Click Clack Front and Back every Trip – Statistics show that the wearing of seat belts adds to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes.

Don’t Drink too much Alcohol – Whilst it may be true that a glass of red wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more alcohol than that, or binge drinking on a night out, can cause other serious health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer.

Floss your Teeth – Harvard Medical School studied longevity and found one of the most important contributing factors was daily flossing!  Flossing and brushing your teeth daily can make your Real Age as much as 6.4 years younger.  These studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing.  Nobody knows exactly why.  Perhaps it’s because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don’t? 8.

Maintain a Positive Mental Outlook – There’s a definitive connection between living well and healthily and having a cheerful outlook on life.  Yes, keep on smiling and laughing!

The Perfect Hairstyle

Are you looking for that perfect hairstyle?  Many of us have tried the newest trendiest haircut only to be disappointed with the result.  What makes one look great on you and another miss the mark entirely?  The perfect style should bring out your best features, while camouflaging those that are not so attractive.  The question is how do you know what  is the right style for you, before committing to a haircut?

There are certain guidelines to follow which will help you avoid months of agony in growing out an unflattering cut.  These guidelines deal with your face shape and the visual effect created by the hairstyle. Read the rest of this entry »

Helpful Fashion Hints

Fashion is as much about keeping your wardrobe in good order as it is about acquiring the fight garments and accessories.

Bare-Look Bra
Invest in a nude-coloured fabric bra for wearing under tight tops and t-shirts. It is guaranteed to give a smooth, clean look.

Day to Night Style
To get the most out of an outfit, choose a simple, classic style in a versatile colour. Just change the shoes and other accessories to take it right through from day to night.

Disguise a thick waist
To hide a thick waist, wear loose-fitting garments that come to the hips, and avoid tucking anything bulky into pants or skirts. If your legs are good, make a feature of them.

Essential Accessories
Think of accessories as essentials – not as added extras – as they can make or break an outfit. Choose good quality pieces that will pass the test of time and fashion.

Fashion Pitfalls
Follow extreme fashion trends with caution. Fads could end up being costly when you never get the maximum wear out of them.

Glamour necklines
To give the illusion of a long elegant neck, choose tops with v-necks and low plunging necklines. For best results, choose darker colours which highlight skin tones.

Invisible Panty Line
Avoid ugly “VPL” (visible panty line) in slim-fitting trousers, skirts and dresses. For a clean look, try wearing comfortable stretch cotton g-strings or figure-hugging control briefs or hosiery.

Ladders in Pantyhose
Put a stop to ladders in pantyhose by dabbing a small amount of clear nail polish onto each end of the run.

Lingerie Care
Treat your underwear with care and increase wearability by washing and tumble drying all bras, pants, pantyhose and delicate items in cloth lingerie bags.

Look Taller
Look taller instantly by wearing one colour from head to toe. Choose a close-fitting shape, rather than a full one, and avoid anything like a contrasting belt that breaks the vertical line.

Slimming Colours
Darker colours like black, navy and chocolate brown are generally the most slimming colours. Make sure you wear the one colour from top to toe for best results.

The Mirror Tells All
Every woman should own a full-length mirror. You can limit your mistakes by seeing how you really look from top to toe and from front to back.

Update a Suit
A classic tailored suit is a great investment but, over a period of time, may need a little updating. Search for new button shapes and colours to replace the original ones and give your suit a fresh new look.

Wardrobe Check
Go through your wardrobe at least once a year. Throw out or give away anything you haven’t worn in the past 18 months. If it hasn’t seen the light of day in that time, the odds are it won’t!

Jet-setting tips to arrive looking radiant

The main cause for arriving at your destination after a long flight looking a little haggard is dehydration. It may sound obvious, but drinking as much water as possible and walking up and down the aisles can do wonders for your skin that is drying out with the altitude.

On your next flight, opt for water and herbal tea to keep your skin hydrated and avoid the alcohol, caffeine and soft drinks. Also, keep a good quality moisturiser on hand and prepare your skin before the flight. We recommend you use Grace Cosmetics Aloe Vera based skincare as the Aloe Vera will continue to penetrate your skin, adding moisture and helping the nourishing ingredients keep your skin looking and feeling supple.