How to Wear Belts

The duct tape of fashion, belts are there when a blouse begins to billow, when a waistline begins to sag. This practical and aesthetic panacea dexterously accents hips or waist depending on your figure contours. Belts are a friend to all, except the middle figure. Sorry my dears, but belts squeeze out your soft delicious centers. For the rest of you, follow the girdling guide below to heal your adornment disease.

How To Choose the Best Belt For an Outfit on Howcast

Romantic hourglasses will benefit from the fancy, sweet styling and proportionally substantial waist accent.

Petite divas can have dazzle on the delicate scale.

Traditional upper figures can accent their constantly coveted hip-line.

A bit of warmly hued leather will draw a bohemian eye up to the waistline of a lower figure.

Modern Linear can create curves with clean circles.

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

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own guide to accessories and much more.

Accessories: CrystalB Giveaway Winner

FarmerJo, has harvested her own CJane Bohemian Chic Earrings from CrystalB.

Count your blessings lovely you are a winner!

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

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own guide to accessories and much more.

How to Prepare a Thanksgiving Outfit

Definitive dates call for a gourmet ensemble. Something layered with interest, infused with style, peppered with the unexpected.

Such a day is Thanksgiving, a day in which my ridiculously ample blessings require generous gratitude from my person. And in order to convey my bountiful internal thanks, I need to make full use of articulate outer fittings. Below is a step by step recipe should you have appreciation to express as well.


Ingredient 1: Simple, sophisticated basics
Like butter and salt, a fine underpinning and a clean-lined knee length skirt are necessities for every sartorial pantry. Appropriate foundaions for every age, occasion, and season.

Procurement Point:
ModBod Perfect Capsleeve
ModBod Pencil Skirt

These ModBod basics are priced affordably enough that one can procure them in multiple colors. The stretch in both ensure a flattering fit and keep shy body ranges (shoulders & knees) out of view.

Ingredient 2: An ambrosial blouse
Something that speaks of nutmeg and cinnamon. Earthy, warm, and redolent. I chose a delicate tie-neck silk, just enough to add interest but not so much that it overwhelms. Procurement Point:
(This illustrated model is no longer available, but these alternatives are)
ModBod Anna Ruffle Neck Top
Victoria's Secret Silk Georgette Tie-Front Floral Blouse


Step 3: A textured jacket
With a feminine nod at Sherlock Holmes, this nubby wool cape makes cozy chic.
Step 4: Apply Accessories
You can see a small smattering of my accessory choices photographed above, but my full dream list is available at Sensibly Styled.

Here is another application in cranberry & licorice.

Procurement Points:
ModBod's Belle Skirt
Anthropologie Fizzy Floribunda Blouse.

Felicitous Wishes for a Jubilant Thanksgiving!

How to Tie a Scarf

Some things are better demonstrated than talked about. Gracious thanks to the makers of these cozy videos on scarf tying.

Long Scarves





Short Scarves

How To Tie a Scarf Into a Ladies Ascot on Howcast

How To Tie a Scarf With a French Twist on Howcast

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

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own guide to accessories and much more.

Don't forget to enter the CrystalB Jewelry Giveaway.

Accessories: CrystalB Giveaway

Jewelry is elegantly unessential. It's aim is not to insulate your loins from injury nor shield your tenders from the elements. Baubles exist solely to express and to ornament.

With the pretty assistance of jeweler CrystalB, we shall examine and demonstrate how to best appropriate jewelry to its frivolous purpose.

Criteria One: Face Shape
When selecting jewelry shapes, opposites offer complementary completion. For golden results, avoid items that mirror the curve of your countenance.

Face Shape
	Definition	Yes of course, just try it	Hush, No please avoid
Round	Polished circle with equivalent width & length	Square, angular, or long & narrow earrings	Hoops or other circular earrings, tiny round posts and studs.
Oval	Perfectly proportioned visage greatest width at cheek bones, tapering towards forehead and a slightly slimmer chin.	Almost anything	Exceptionally long styles that overextend the length of your visage
Square	A strong, powerfully set jaw line parallel to an angular forehead with an equivalent width.	Hoops and round edges. Opt for length over width.	Face in echos in square, rectangular or harsh angles
Heart	Divinity in a wide forehead, stunning cheekbones and a tiny cherubic chin	Chandelier and teardrop earrings, that broaden as they descend thereby balancing the narrow chin line	Pretties that come to a point at the bottom

Round hoops soften a square face

Angled length contours a round face

Criteria two: Body Frame
Covered more extensively earlier in our accessories focus, pair petite frames with delicate adornments such as gossamer chain necklaces, sweet & slight bangles, and candy-sized studs.


Fuller forms can carry larger jewelry statements, such as luxuriously thick cuff, deliciously chunky bib necklaces, and gorgeously gaudy cocktail rings:



Criteria three: Body Type
In a nutshell, add interest and volume to your smallest areas. Case in point, should an upper or middle figures, blessed with a diminutive lower half, wish to highlight her slender hips, she might extend interest with a bracelet shimmering around her wrist just at thigh height.




Criteria four: Signature Style
If you desire to venture into a more defined style but do so with trepidation, accessories are a safe entry gate. Rather than donning a full bohemian embroidered romper, you can confidently experiment with exotic wood dangling from your ear or an organic feather at your bosom. Following are additional ideas.

Precisely calibrated modern glamour

Romantic whimsy on a gilded string

Traditional noblesse, cultivated simplicity

Primitive Bohemian euphoria

Dramatic Diva Dazzle

Giveaway Details:

To Win: Go to CrystalB's Etsy Shop, inspect her adorned glory, and leave a comment on your lobe's fancy.

The winner of the CrystalB Giveaway will be selected on the blackest of retail Fridays, November 27th. The winner may select a set of her own CrystalB earrings.

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

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own guide to accessories and much more.

Belts, scarves, and other fashion mysteries solved tomorrow.

Accessories: AcademyJ Giveaway Winner

Missy Meg, spontaneously selected #14, may redeem her lucky wish for an AcademyJ Clara Double. Felicitations my dear!

If accessories are the icing on the pastry, join me next week and we'll eat all the frosting off of cupcakes. Flavors include: jewelry, scarves, millinery, and more.

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

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own guide to accessories and much more.

How to Pick a Handbag

Since the Egyptians girded jems to their loins, purses have been an essential accessory. While a lady no longer requires a reticule for every occasion complete with visiting cards and smelling salts, an ensemble and life are better for the proper handbag.

But how to select said handbag, following is criteria to ensure that your essentials are always fashionably stowed.

Criteria One: Frame & Proportion
Measure the circumference of your wrist and compare it to the chart below.

Female Wrist Measurements
	Height less than 5' 2" (Less than 155cms)	Height 5' 2" - 5' 5" (155cms - 163cms)	Height more than 5' 5" (More than 163cms)
Small	Less than 5.5" (140mm)	Less than 6.0" (152mm)	Less than 6.25" (159mm)
Medium	5.5" - 5.75" (140 - 146mm)	6" - 6.25" (152 - 159mms)	6.25" - 6.5" (159 - 165mm)
Large	More than 5.75" (146mm)	More than 6.25" (159mm)	More than 6.5" (165mm)

Should your frame run sturdy, you require a substantial bag which will not fall lost in your statue. If your frame slants small, you will need a more delicate bag. Petites should ensure that they avoid bags with a width wider than the length of their forearm. Criteria two: Signature Style
Accessories can be a safe genesis for the expression of signature style, while we'll be covering this topic extensively later, below is a sample of handbag romantic bohemian and hangbag traditional with a tiny diva twist. While many plain sided soles will tell you an everyday bag has to be a neutral hue, I say, a many-hued pattern can be just as versatile and a pop of color never hurt an outfit.

Criteria three: Body Type
Create your fashion zen by looking for yin for every yang (and vice-versa)

Linear ladies, soften your angles and add substance to your slim frame with an oversized, softly slouchy bag, with appropriate touches of feminine detailing.

Round, middle figures, can create contrast with an angled, square shape.



For robust, upper figures, a purse hung on a longer strap will bring attention to your slim stems.


The hourglass figures may accent her dainty waist by carrying a bag in the crook of your elbow.

Lower figures, will benefit from shoulder straps that are short enough to hang a bag above the hip-line.

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

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own guide to accessories and much more.

Don't forget to enter the AcademyJ Hair Pretty Giveaway.

Accessories: Academy J Giveaway

Returning to the empire hearth with the most charming little addition of all has inspired a set of posts on accessories.

And what finer way to initiate the series, than with a giveaway. Let me introduce AcademyJ: Handcrafted Hair Accessories, offering the coziest crocheted fall frills.

You can win your own AcademyJ Headband & Clip, here's how:

Either: Go to AcademyJ, inspect their hair couture, and leave a comment on what you would select should lady luck smile upon your tresses.

And/Or: Become an AcademyJ fan and leave a confirming comment on this Cardigan Empire post.

The winner of the AcademyJ Giveaway will be selected on Friday, November 20th. The winner gets to select an AcademyJ Headband & Clip of her choice.

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

Procure your own empire constitution. Your personalized fashion look book can include your own guide to accessories and much more.

Come back for detailed instructions on the proper application of handbags, jewelry, and more.

Guest Brand: A Cat of Impossible Colour

Our grand finale guest brand is: A Cat of Impossible Colour

Name: Andrea

Age: 24

City of Residence: Christchurch, New Zealand

Pithy Title for your hybrid of Signature Style
Erm ... cute and colourful vintage chic?

Brief Narrative on your Personal Brand of Sartorial Fashion:
I love colour and prints - particularly plaid, polka-dots and gingham. I am inspired by 40s and 50s looks most of all. I hardly ever wear black, and I hardly ever wear trousers. I see fashion as a way of injecting colour, creativity and joy into everyday life. Oh, and I usually only buy second-hand or vintage clothes!

How old were you when you figured out your sense of style?
It has been an ongoing process. I have always dressed 'weirdly.' In high school this meant bell-bottoms, ponchos and headscarves. In university, this meant long leather jackets, lace gloves and corsets. I feel very comfortable with the style I have now, however. I started wearing a lot of vintage in 2008, when I was 22, and I learned quickly that 1950s styles suited my personality and body shape very well. And I haven't looked back! I feel very comfortable with my style now.

Who is your style icon?
There are a few. Piksi from wardrobe_remix is definitely a big inspiration for me, as are many more of the lovely bloggers whose blogs I follow. I am inspired more by real people than by celebrities - although, having said that, I do love Zooey Deschanel, Audrey Hepburn and the character of Chuck from Pushing Daisies. I know, I'm a walking cliche!

What's your best piece of fashion advice for women?
Wear what makes you happy!

Where do you shop when you want a bargain?
There are lots of wonderful op-shops (thrift stores) around, and I buy the vast majority of my clothes from these places. So I suppose everything I buy is a bargain, really! I actually feel terribly guilty when I buy a new garment at full price, and nearly always regret it. I like to hunt for treasures in thrift stores, and I also like to know exactly to whom my money is going - not always possible when buying from a 'first-hand' store.

Where are your top 5 places to shop overall?

1. Tete a Tete Vintage, Hereford St, Christchurch
2. Two Squirrels, Cashel St, Christchurch
3. Savemart, Battersea St, Sydenham, Christchurch
4. The Great Opportunity Shop, Riccarton Road, Christchurch
5. Toffs Recycled Clothing, Gloucester St, Christchurch

What body issue do you dress around, and how?
I'm a bit self-conscious about my bum and thighs, which is where I carry my weight. I wear a lot of dresses and skirts and I always emphasis my waist, which draws attention away from the problem area to a slimmer part of my body. I feel terribly frumpy if I don't accentuate my waist in some way - I guess if I had a rule, that would be it.

Of course, on my more confident days I also like to accentuate these curvier parts with a pencil skirt. I guess it just depends on how I'm feeling.!

Blue Lily & Coco

In response to queries of, "How is Coco?" See for yourself.


As captured by the expert eye of Wendy Whitacre of Blue Lily Photo, who has the prettiest red hair and sweetest demeanor you've ever met. She's also a virtuoso with the camera. And she owns the same thrifted couch as the Bagley's, I think that makes us bosom antique shopping companions.