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FASHION FOR HER

 

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Scripted yet Independent style

Scripted yet Independent Style

The impending end of winter and the imminent arrival of spring is my favourite time of every year.
On this occasion two of my great passions; film and fashion, come together to celebrate the most talented in both industries on and off the red carpets.   It started with last week's Golden Globe and Screen Actor Guild awards, continue with the relaxed Sundance film festival, upcoming Bafta, and closing the season in March is of course the highly anticipated Oscars night.

More than ever before, these two highly stylized art forms are linked, and inspiration that once originated from catwalks alone can now equally be found on screen; principally the small screen.

Contemporary TV drama has never looked so good. While the scripts attract powerful film directors like Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg into the producers' seat, the fashion is lead by renown costume designers Janie Bryant, Jenny Miles, BBC's Sue Thomson and others like BBC production designer Anna Higginson.  With their sumptuous fashion in sight , design talent and the use of rich, opulent colour and accessories they manage to captivates the viewer's imagination. 
In my professional opinion, the more sophisticated and accessible the images become, the easier it will be for individuals who search for personal signature style to identify their needs, while no longer depending solely on the catwalk phenomenon.   Here is how to use the screen as your own personal fashion guide:

The sexy or demure 60's both styles portrayed to perfection by Christina Hendricks and January Jones in AMC "Mad Men"
Florals, colourful, fitted geometric, full skirts, strong colours and a bit of sheer are all in this spring.

The fashionable, glossy, up to trend professional Shelley Con as Jessica in BBC “Mistresses”

The urban professional; there are so many...
Emilia Fox in BBC “Silent Witness”, Julianna Margulies's in CBS" The good wife", Lisa Edelstein as Dr Caddy in FOX “House” and Sandra Bullock in "The Proposal"  and Hermione Norris in BBC “Spooks”-  Ladies, it is possible to be feminine yet corporate. The heels look a killer though so find your own comfort zone.

The day2day look or what I call "the forever forty women" as seen by Meryl Streep and girlfriends in the film "It’s Complicated".

The working mum style - if one can call it that - as seen by Julia-Louis Dreyfus in CBS "The new adventures of Old Christine". I know some of you have seen it for real and fully understand her.

Cross Decade fashion brilliantly executed by Tony Collette's various looks of her multi personality characters in TV "United states of Tara", whereby in twenty five minutes she transforms from a prim, hot red lipped 40's / 50's housewife - like in John Galliano's show - to an 80's rock chick teen, a modern mother and a very seasonal her in a boyfriend look. 

I am happy to see that my motto of “dress your way while considering your lifestyle and work milieu”, is alive and well at least on screen. It gives creative freedom to the audience to recreate those styles in real life, and with the help of professionals like me, one's desired look is now more achievable than ever.

The list of good looking media personalities is long, but the ones with real staying power are those who manage to maintain their sense of individualism throughout their career.  What sets them apart is not what they wear, but how they choose the garments to reflect who they are as artists. 

There is still far to go, especially in Britain, but when I look at young media newcomers like Kirsten Stewart , Natalie Portman and closer to home, Don Gilet, Romola Garai, Holly Fulton and others, they project the feeling that they are here to stay.

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The cooler days

 

The Cooler Days

Black & Red
Black is never really gone and this season it is everywhere as a lovely host to a wide range of bright colours such as lime, orange, and emerald /turquoise. 

Red is hotter than ever this season, stand alone or teamed with black it is an extremely timeless and sexy combination. However, choose the occasion wisely as it is the colour of love, passion and blood and might be too fiery for the boardroom.

Teal, violet & traffic light green
Key shades for winter 2009 but make sure they are right for your complexion.

Tailored & monochrome 
Clean lines in subtle shades are key in order to create the strong and sophisticated look of the working city girl. Add sheer sleeves, pussy bows, lined tights and buckled shoeboots to transfer you back in time into the world of Coco Chanel's timeless elegance.

80's return
Defined shoulders and glitter bring us back to the 80's  - take small steps though as it might be overwhelming.

Velvet, tweed, lace, military & fur
Correctly styled, these are  never really out in my mind. Please remember: you CAN mix fabrics for a fun / fashionista effect but if you are not sure then less is very much more in this category.  Invest cleverly in timeless garments to use as a luxurious addition to your casual collection.

Leather: now suitable for some business environments
Soft supple and colourful leather dresses and coats will revive any collection and it is the hottest addition to your wardrobe this autumn.

Over the knee boots
Not for the faint hearted - this season's boot is all about dramatically enhancing the legs in low or high heels and soft colourful leather.

Handbags
Must be soft, must be colourful and hura, can be big or small, so keep to your desired proportions and enjoy choosing.

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Dressing Down

Dressing Down

Dressing for a casual day at the office might prove to be a difficulty. Replacing the suit is suddenly a challenge and the question is: How to “dress down” and maintain your professional look?

Here are some tips that will apply to the dress code policy of most companies:

  • Use common sense; do not confuse casual dress with the “day in the park” look. Your clothes need to be clean, in good repair and wrinkle free.
  • Combine pieces from your business and casual wardrobes, e.g.: replace your suit jacket with a twin set, denim or good quality plain T-shirt, and aim for a collected, neat and pulled together look.
  • Avoid leggings, large print T-shirts and open toe sandals.
  • Avoid tight fitting and revealing garments.

These general guidelines will hopefully assist you when the time comes to make the transition. Examine your personality and your office setting, than draw your conclusions accordingly.