Shy Arms Continued

Two things you thought you could never wear - halter tops and strapless dresses. They with their nakedness, pointing fingers at your insecurities. When paired with proper companions there is no need to fear.

A simple cardi can take a halter from summer picnics to autumn offices.


And a basic blouse under a strapless dress stylishly asserts that it has nothing to hide, even if it is quietly covering both excess underarm and back fleshies.

Don't forget to enter the Shade Shy Arms Giveaway!

Shy Arms Giveaway

The arms of a lady: greased to the elbows with activities and occasionally wobbly with wear. Perhaps you care not to bear your embracers. Whether your shyness to skin is value, cellulite, or climate-based, your needs warrant the security of fashionable coverage.

Of course you can always add shirt-sleeves with your standby cardigan, but what if your desire to cover the details of your triceps conflicts with your desire to showcase your blouse embroidery and dress embellishments? Rather than an over-cloak you need an underpinning.

Might I suggest a Scoopneck 3/4 Sleeve with Cuff from Shade Clothing? I happen to know it personally and I can tell you all about it.


1. Fabric. It transforms effortlessly from mellow to prim and the modal/spandex blend makes it deliciously snugly. This ensures you are not only comfortable, but any upper arm wigglies are thoroughly contained.


2. Weight: These tees are slightly heavier than tissue thin, making them a dreamy layering basic (ie worn under something). If you do wear it as a stand a-lone, make sure your bra matches and do a few crunches to prepare.


3. Sleeve Length: The new best friend of upper and middle figures since it so kindly creates interest at their comparatively slim hips. If you're an hourglass or lower figure, nudge that sleeve line up to your elbow to create an equally delightful line of interest at your narrow waist.


4. Torso Length: Praises to the Shade Ladies and Gentleman for designing away excess information gaps between blouses and trousers. (But should you be a lower figure or hourglass with buxom hips, please refrain from leaving this one untucked. Indelicately squeezing anything around your triple threat (hips, thighs and seat) will only create an unfair visual comparison between the width of your waist and your hip. Trust me, just tuck it in.)

Indeed, this piece follows suit with everything by Shade Clothing: superior materials, exceptionally well fitted, and delightfully demure.

So "how do I get my own" you ask?

You can click-it over to Shade Clothing and get 15% off the Scoopneck 3/4 Sleeve with Cuff or anything else you fancy (see the action print below)

Online Code: modestywk
Offer good from Sept 28-Oct 3
15% off online only, (not valid on gift card purchases or Team Shade Premium Membership fees)


Or you can enter up to two times for a chance to win the Scoopneck 3/4 Sleeve with Cuff.

Chance Un: Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter and leave a separate comment with your Tweet URL on this post.

Chance Deux: Become a follower of Cardigan Empire and post a confirming comment on this post with your name and contact details.

The winner of Shy Arms New Bestie will be selected on Friday, October 2nd. The winner gets to select a Scoopneck 3/4 Sleeve with Cuff in her size and color of choice.

Shy Fashion

Triceps, knees, decolletage, ankles ... whatever your shy body part, Cardigan Empire will be teaching you how to prettily conceal it. There will be reviews, there will be giveaways, there will be an alluring lack of skin.

Come back for a daily dose of this Cardigan Empire Exclusive.

Fall Shoesies: Linear Figure

If a linear lady's lower limbs mimic the lines of her core figure, her stilts could appear spindly in a platform pump.

To avoid any illusion to gangly, she should opt for a pretty embellished flat, which by reducing the length of the line, will maximize the breadth of her leg contours.

1 hundred 98 cents = your own linear figured fashion look book cheat sheet.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own linear figure rules of conduct and much more.

Fall Shoesies: Upper Figure

Envy inspiring upper figures, with fortuitous inches of endless legs, let us frivolously spend a few inches on the charming details of a t-strap, ankle-strap, or bootie.

Unlike the abbreviated pedials of your body type counterparts, you have a widest variety of shoe options. There's really nothing you can't try, but may I suggest you experiment with ankle straps and other dainty details which highlight your delicate ankles?

1 hundred 98 cents = your own upper figured fashion look book cheat sheet.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own hourglass figure rules of conduct and much more.

Fall Shoesies: Hourglass

Cinderella Hourglass, may I please request leave to sleeve your well-turned calves in sumptuous leather? For there are few pretties I like better on a curvy figure than: Knee High Boots.

Like your figure, knee high boots are magic. The boot hides the flesh of the leg, but it retains the shape and length of the shin. For full enchantment, ensure that the boot ne'er considers seceding until it reaches the break of the knee. This will ensure that you're not creating an unnecessary fissure in your figure length.

Frye's are slightly more sophisticated, but Miz Mooz makes a much more affordable option should you desire it.

1 hundred 98 cents = your own hourglass fashion look book cheat sheet.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own hourglass figure rules of conduct and much more.

Fall Shoesies: Lower Figure

On to the next garden variety bottom line of the Lower Figure. While the stems of a lower figure may not belong to the most slender division, these pedials can definitely compete in the most shapely category. And they deserve an equally shapely Fall recommendation: Conicals & Commas.


Conical and comma heels accomplish two tasks for a lower figure. First, they have the visual clout to match a lower figure's strong stems. Second, they have the contours to compare to the curves of a lower figure's thighs, knees, and calves. As our Lower Figure selects a proper shoe, she should pause before strapping anything around her ankle, or in any way reducing the line of her leg-line by even a fraction of an inch. The stereotypically shorter stems of a lower figure must strive for uninterrupted streaks from calf to ankle.

1 hundred 98 cents = your own lower figured fashion look book cheat sheet.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own lower figure rules of conduct and much more.

Fall Shoesies: Middle Figure

Shoes are the roots from which your entire ensemble blooms. They store riches of fashion nutrients: color, texture, shape. All while cradling the stems of your legs, giving structure and balance to your entire figure.

And just as a water lily grows differently than a daffodil grows differently than alyssum, so do the blossoms of our bodies benefit from different roots. Let us commence with the flower of the Middle Figure. It's featured Fall choice: the Wedge.

The acute angle of the wedge heel provides height, allowing a dainty ankle to appear ever so much more dainty, while maintaining substance, ne'er looking overwhelmed by a full center. Proportional in lush diversity. Just ensure the wedge tapers narrowly towards the back. If left unshapen in a thick platform mass, it will visually swell your ankle stalks.

1 hundred 98 cents = your own middle figured fashion look book cheat sheet.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own lower figure rules of conduct and much more.

Fitting Room Friday: Personal Branding

Fitting Room Friday: Personal Branding on Howcast

Nominate someone you know with a unique blend of fabulous. Submit their Sartorial details so we may recognize them on Future Friday of Empirical Fashion:

Your Name:
Your Email Address:
Nomination's Name:
Nomination's Email Address:
Nomination's Blog or Web Address:
Pithy Title for nomination's Signature Style:
Brief Narrative on your Friend's Personal Fashion Brand:
Visual of the Vision (if you have one, send me a simple snapshot which represents your nomination's personal style)

Personal Branding: Versatility

Illustrious Aileen returns, effortlessly flaunting the adaptability possible through Sartorial Branding. For mother consistency bears a dear little dividend in versatility.

Radically diverse species of styles can not procreate ensembles. Sure a horse and donkey can produce a lovechild, but do you really want to wear a mule? A closet which reliably issues the same brand of style can be easily rearranged in multitudinous fashion genetics.

Now some heterogeneous diversity does yield robust results. If your wardrobe only holds tulle skirts and wrap sweaters, you might as well bread weakly cousins. Feel free to mix opposites, just be sure they share similar core foundations.
















If executed appropriately you, like Aileen, can take a single piece from dinner reservations to bambino chasing.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own rules of personal branding and much more.

Personal Branding: Consistency

This is Mrs. Aileen. She is a Laid-back Bombshell, but you already knew that. You could see it in the sharp silhouette of her color-blocked dress, juxtaposed against the soft ruffles of her open cardigan. Aileen is a laid-back bombshell Monday through Sunday. There are no bohemian ponchos on Thursday or modern career jackets on Wednesday casting doubts on who exactly this diva is. Aileen is unmistakeably, undeniably Aileen 365 days of the year.
















Now think of your most favorite icy cold, bubbly fresh soda. Imagine its pretty little can or bottle. What if each time you purchased your treatie-treat, it wore a new color, a new typeset, a new name. How would you know which of those cans held your signature nectar. How could you fail to doubt that they weren't adjusting the magic formula as well?

Sartorial branding delivers a similar function. While I don't suggest a strict uniform for individuals (other than those who have an Einsteinian schedule and a detestation for clothing selection), I do suggest personal consistency.

Consistency doesn't necessarily come from wearing the same twinset and chinos everyday. You can be consistently offering the same message while switching between hues and textures.

Soder-pops consistently change their advertising, they even have special holiday addition packaging, but you never doubt that they're the same delicious internally.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own treatise on personal branding and much more.

Personal Branding

Stone-washed Levi’s 501s, black mock turtleneck, gray New Balance trainers, and no belt. It's more than a uniform, it's a personal brand, and Steve Jobs has been loyally enforcing his hallmark for handfuls of decades. The ensemble says simple, easy to use, a dedication to only making additions and decisions which prosper your master goal.



Now who is this computer guy in the suit? This first revision of Steve Jobs looks kind of fancy and complicated. With all those buttons, one might fall off. His computers probably have lots of buttons too. What do all those buttons do?

Clothing does more than aid your feeling of personal prettiness, nay clothing places you in society. Perhaps not in the clean little class boxes that it did when only Aztec royalty could wear cotton, but certainly it speaks to what you believe in, what you're rebelling against, and whom you care to share tea with.

In the last month Cardigan Empire has executed some sartorial branding itself. First, we (that would be in the royal sense as Cardigan Empire is a community of one) outfitted a greenish (environmentally friendly hue, not inexperienced cast) high tech company tailored towards the young techno-savvy demographic. In preparation for filming their commercial, they needed ensembles that said, "Shalom, not only do I plan to shield the earth through the power of my technology-savvy conscious, but I also intend to squirrel away a few bucks in the process."



Then there is the creatively successful CEO straddling both ancient societal wisdom and emerging media revolution. She needed outfits that said, "Yes, I am clever and creative and commanding and certainly more than a little bit fabulous."

Houndstooth Shift
Kate Spade Gladly Pump

Boucle Cape
Nevera Pants
Farylrobin Colette Peep Toe Pump

Brands are not just for dr. professional multinationals. No, a brand is for your exclusive introduction into the world's drawing room as well.

This week on Cardigan Empire we will be reviewing the benefits of a personal brand, and demonstrating how to put one together yourself.

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own signature style treatise and much more.

Color Analysis: Warm and Fresh

Veronica Lake


Certainly not frigidly cool nor feverishly warm, the variegated climate of Warm and Fresh has an alloyed charm. These assorted coquettes possesses both warm and cool blossoms in their complexions. Their warm, sunny skin may bear roses (rather than peaches). Or there may be an occasional ashen shimmer alongside the majority of honey highlights in their braids. And the sunburst of colors in their iris may display both warm and cool casts.

Despite the amalgamation, the majority of features still leans warm. But because of the hybridization, this color class can wear perhaps the widest variety of colors. And the colors kindest to these charms are sharp, lively, mid-tone colors. Nothing too deep, too soft, too cool, or too warm.

Hooray	Booh
Flame Red	Deep Crimson Red
Coral/Salmon	Neon Orange
Daffodil Yellow	Electric Yellow
Cobalt Blue	Midnight Navy
Parrot Green	Hunter Green
Pansy Purple	Indigo Violet
Ivory	Bright White

1 hundred 98 cents = your own Color Type fashion look book cheat sheet

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book includes your own color theory rules of conduct and much more.