Body ♥ Love Challenge Day 7: Embrace Your Body Type

Body adoration begins with body education.  Below is a 4 step primer.

Step 1: Measure
directions here.

Step 2: The Math
I even made you this nerdy spreadsheet to assist. (Click the edit button in the upper right then enter your measurements in the "YOU" column.

Step 3: Declare

Step 4: Embrace

source

Day 7 Challenge: Determine your body type and dress to flaunt it this weekend.  

Post your body type declaration and/or fashion embracing results in the comments,  feel free to link to blogs, instagram, pinterest, flicker, or other sources

Shoes for your Body Type: 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.

Find women's pumps that are elegant and body conscious at Macy's. 

Macy's Shoes

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.

Tasteful Trend: How to Wear a Belt

Your belt's resume extends beyond the ability to secure the vertical positioning of your trousers, Specifically, your belt boasts three singular skills:

1) Outlining your narrowest point
2) Defining your silhouette both horizontally and vertically

3) Adding visual interest to your ensemble

Belt Recommendations

Body Type	Narrowest Point	Other Concerns	Ideal Example
Upper Figure	Hipline	Short Legs	Thin Hip Belt
		Long Legs	Wide Hip Belt
Middle Figure	Under the Bust	Average Chest Size	Thin to Mid-Width Empire Belt
		Below or Above Average Chest	Mid to Wide Hip Slung Belt (blouse the top above the buckle to disguise any insecurities)
Hour- glass/ Lower	Natural Waist	Short Torso	Thin to Mid-Width Waist Belt
		Long Torso	Mid to Wide Width Waist Belt
Linear	Anywhere	Select a Belt in Proportion to Frame	Cinched, Volume Inducing Belt

Add either give or take to your belt with a Notch Puncher or streamline the loose belt tail with something more permanent than double sided tape, a Belt Loopy.

First consider proportions when selecting a belt.  If you want something to appear shorter, divide it with a wider belt, alternatively a thinner belt will maintain visual length.  Also be sure that your belt mirrors your frame,  sturdy frames should avoid overly dainty belts.  And delicate frames should stray from thick corsets.

Next not all belts are cut to the same straight line.  A belt that is contoured or cut on the curve (smiling when laid down) will have an automatic narrowing effect.  If you love the look of thick belts but fear their truncating effects, try a riding belt that narrows in at the center.

Finally, account for fibers.  Thick elastic materials can offer comfort and can even girdle soft centers.  Robust leathers will secure thick woolen wears or contrast more delicate gossamers.  If you are insecure about your personal details being squished above or below a belt when you sit, favor structured woven materials over stretchy knits for the layer under your belt.

Drawing Attention

Less Definition	More Definition
Matte textuers similar to the background create less definition	Glossy, patent, or other high shine textures and metallic details that contrast strongly with the background create more definition
Layering a belt under a jacket or sweater creates visual interest while maintaing a cloud of mystery about the midsection	Layering a belt over a jacket or sweater creates visual interest and amplifies waist definition

Lastly, avoid the most deadly of belt sins and never over constrict.  If in doubt, move it back a notch.   You don't want abdominal details squishing out above or below your belt line.

More Asos...

downloadable cheat sheet

Let Cardigan Empire fashion you in tasteful trends.  A complete Fashion Package: combines a theoretical look book & a practical virtual shopping session

Dress Empress: Can I Wear a Maxi Dress?

Dear Empress,
 

I am dying to try the Maxi Dress trend, but am hesitant. I am 5'4" with an hourglass figure, not heavy but quite curvy. Can I pull this off? which style would suit me best?

Missus Melissa
(Recipes)

length

Make sure your diurnal gown is cut to the appropriate height.  Most maxis are designed to skim the ankles.  Therefore, if the hem trails your terrain, add some espadrilles or hem it.  Conversely if it's shin grazing, replace it on its hanger home.

prints 

Patterns need to be in proportionate to your posture.  A delicate ditsy print on a full figured amazon appears puerile.  While an electric, over sized print on a pocket person may lead others to assume a dress devouring disaster.   

shape

Upper Figures

Dorothy Perkins Blue Ikat Print Dress
A v-neck cuts into the volume of a full bust while thick straps ensure coverage of a supportive lady egg nest.  Paneled volume billows from below the ribcage, balancing the lower half, while elongating the leggers.

Middle Figures

Shop Ruche Twilight Grace Maxi Dress
Draping from an empire waistline hides any areas of insecurity while a solid monochromatic color maximizes the length of the figure.

Linear Figures

ModCloth Good To Be Tier Dress
Layers of volume add flirtatious dimension ensuring straight silhouettes are neither boxy nor waifish.

Hourglass Figure

Debenhams White Striped Rope Maxi Dress
If you don't want the eye to measure it don't stripe it. But if you intend to dramatize a differentiation, stripes are strategic.  As an hourglass you can amplify your narrows by drawing lines and cinching belts around them. 

Lower Figures

Warehouse Shield Print Maxi Dress
Clean minimal pleats create a tidy space for the hips without adding unnecessary volume, while a high halter neckline maximizes the upper half.

Don't let children go naked this Easter.  Enter the Babies Everywhere Giveaway. Do it for the babies.

Fitting Room Friday: Petite Lower Figure Body Type

With the recent close of 2011's New York Fashion Week, fellow stylist Sarah Hosman joined Cardigan Empire to refresh her spring wardrobe with some freshy fresh pretties. 

(More tips and tactics to be revealed on specific Spring 2011 trends next week.)

Diagnosis: Petite (4 ft 10 inches) Lower Figured, Romantic Traditional, Cool & Brilliant

What Failed:

Lady Hosman knew her body type well and didn't fuss with many of the trends currently proliferating, knowing they would either draw a box around her top half or swallow her petite (under 5 foot) proportions. 

Below are examples of some of the items she walked promptly past (click the image to view her comments in larger dimensions):

What Sailed:

Pulling It Together Sweater: A pink puffy heart for this cardigan.  The fit closely hugs Sarah's narrow torso and ends before unnecessarily stretching across her wider bottom half.
Sing Sweetly Party Dress: Flattery from neckline to hem.  The pleated bodice adds volume to her subtle bust, the mint sash highlights her tiny waist, and the a-line skirt skims cleanly over her upper gams.

AG Angelina Petite: AG's famously soft fabric flexes beautifully into a derriere balancing bootcut.
Primula Corset Top: A proper peplum perfectly flaring from her mini midsection to her fertile southern hemisphere.

Eastpoint Garden Top: A ladylike neck tie and ruffled collar bring attention to her diminutive north.
Washi Wrap Skirt: Normally Sarah would have passed this skirt up because of the bright color, pleating, and pockets.  But the fit turned out to be quite flattering, the pleats pointed in the right direction, and the pockets didn't poke.  And we agreed color should always be a secondary consideration. (But it does fit small, so size up).

Gathering Blossoms Top: Sarah's favorite top.  The ruching draws eyes to a visually narrowed center and then flares to the perfect thigh skimming length.  Breaking up her flanks without truncating her already sparse leg inches.

Let Cardigan Empire fashion you for Spring.  Freshen up with a complete Fashion Package: combining a theoretical look book & a practical virtual shopping session

Dear Empress Giveaway: Can Lower Figures wear Colorful Skirts?

Dear Empress,

"...Can I still wear colorful skirts even though my bust/waist/hip measurements designate me as a lower figure?..."

Perfectly Pear (aka Edith of See the Songers)
-----------------------------------

Response Sponsored by:

Lady Edith,

Even the juiciest of pears can tastefully wear a colorful skirt. Color is but the final consideration in the garment evaluation quartet. Thus, lower figures are certainly not destined to a life of black below the belt. Color can help to compensate for violations of higher rules, but it's not cardinal cannon unto itself.

Following is the
Garment Evaluation Tetrad

(While our example centers on lower figure and skirts, this same theory may be applied to all body types and garments)

one. Cut
The shape of the garment trumps every other determinant. Does it taper against your flare, ruffle along your round? The shape should highlight your narrowest features and balance your fullest. Imagine the garment as a minimalist ink outline, then evaluate whether the shape complements your own figure.

two. Cloth
For your area of concern, look for flat, structured fabrics that drape rather than cling. While you don't want bulky wool sweater kilts adding inches to your hipline, you also want to avoid the dimple prone vulnerabilities of a cotton jersey pull-on skirt. Look for fabrics that will hold a clean line without excessive volume or transparencies. And opt for matte over shine, our strongest curves need only to be outlined not amplified.

three. Composition
Properly applied patterns, textures, and prints are camouflage to body insecurities. In fact a bright pattern is often more effective than a neutral solid since it has a little something to offer distraction.

four. Color
Lastly we consider color. Certainly some colors are less flamboyant than others. But if the garment excels in cut, cloth, and composition you don't have to follow color minimizing rules fanatically.





Take for example the Still Life Skirt from Downeast Baics.

Cut - A-line
Ne'er hugging a single curve of the thigh
Cloth - Cotton broadcloth
Flat smooth, and able to hold its own starch
Composition - Playful
The wood block inspired floral will keep all eyes moving
Color - Light & Bright
While the color isn't a textbook ideal, it certainly follows enough more important rules to get a complimentary ruling.



Pair it with this equally bright and playful Frosted Flowers Cardigan and you'll achieve a stunning balance.

Care for your own DownEast Basics Skirt?

Either: Go to DownEast Basics, inspect their skirt offerings, and leave a comment on this post identifying your preferred skirt of choice.

And/Or: Become a Cardigan Empire Follower so you can be privy to future offers and giveaways. Leave a confirming comment on this Cardigan Empire post.

The winner of the Colorful Skirt Giveaway will be selected on Monday, February 22nd.

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.