Shopping my wardrobe and using my Intimo half slip

I was taking some photos today ready for my blog post, Shopping my wardrobe, and I thought I would post the photos on my friends Facebook page as well as they are all incorporating the Intimo black half slip that she sells and some of the tops that I haven’t worn for a while as I have lost weight were using my Maggies magnets (available from Ruth, the Irish Bra Lady in Australia) to pull them in and create a nice fitted waistline.

I now have 3 black half slips and 1 honey one and I just absolutely love them.

I used to wear tunics to create a longer hem underneath my shorter tops, but they wrinkle when you wash them and the creases don’t drop out for several days if they drop out at all and quite often they loose their shape, and the Intimo  half slip just falls nicely every time.

http://www.intimo.com.au/everyday-half-slip-blk-10_1001427/

I haven’t worn a lot of these tops for years as they are too short to wear over leggings without a tunic and I don’t particularly like them over trousers and I don’t wear skirts very often, so the mini slip has certainly added back a whole pile of outfits that I wouldn’t normally have worn.

I can’t believe how many more outfits I have created by shopping my wardrobe and adding my black half slip over leggings.

 

 

Origins of the term capsule wardrobe

Origins of the term capsule wardrobe

The term “Capsule Wardrobe” was created by Susie Faux, she was the owner of the West End boutique “Wardrobe” in the 1970s.

A capsule wardrobe refers to a collection of essential items of clothing that would not go out of fashion and could be worn for multiple seasons and can all be worn together by mixing and matching.

The aim was to update the collection with seasonal pieces, eg, jackets, scarves, etc in order to have something to wear for any occasion without buying many new items of clothing.

Susie suggested that a basic woman’s capsule wardrobe should contain at least “2 pairs of bottoms / trousers, a dress or skirt, a jacket, a coat, a knit (jumper or tunic top), two pairs of shoes and two bags”.

The concept of a capsule wardrobe was made popular by American designer Donna Karan in 1985, when she released her “7 Easy Pieces” collection.

Her aim was to fill what she referred to as “a void in the marketplace” for a stylish and practical wardrobe designed with working women in mind.

When the collection debuted, she showed eight models dressed only in bodysuits and black tights

The models then added items separates, (clothing such as wrap-skirts, trousers, and dresses) to demonstrate her interchangeable style of dressing.

As a term, “capsule wardrobe” is widely used in the fashion media.

The concept, capsule wardrobe, was made more popular by several television programmes, including Trinny and Susannah’s ‘What Not to Wear’, that showed on the BBC 2001–2007, and Gok’s Fashion Fix that showed on Channel Four from 2008 onward. Presenter and stylist Gok Wan emphasises that a capsule wardrobe is an especially vital tool in a recession because it helps people to look good on a small budget.

This is perhaps part of the reason that the idea has been sustained since its conception in the 1970’s.

General guidelines

Below are some general guidelines that are widely given for creating a capsule wardrobe.

• Choose a colour scheme that suits both your lifestyle and your colouring.
• Choose one or two base or neutral colours that can be comfortably worn with everything, such as black, white, cream, brown, grey, or navy, these are considered your core colours.
• Items such as trousers, handbags or coats would be best in shades of these colours, so that they can be worn with everything else in the wardrobe.
• After choosing your base colours, choose one or two accent colours, which are brighter than your base colours, and co-ordinate with each other.
• These would typically be tops, dresses, or accessories.
• Once a colour scheme is established, all the items in a wardrobe should be interchangeable, (able to be worn with each and every item) as the colour of the pieces will always complement each other.
• Consider your body shape.
• Some designs, colours and cuts of clothing are more flattering than others, as such, If the clothing is flattering in both style and colour, you are more likely to want to keep them in your wardrobe.
• Choose classic shapes, patterns colours and fabrics, while some cuts, patterns colour and fabric of clothing go in and out of fashion, there are others that are considered ‘classic’ because they don’t date.
• It is wise to choose classic pieces for a capsule wardrobe, as they are intended to be kept for a number of years.
• Choose good quality fabric, as the idea of a capsule wardrobe is to own a few items of that can be worn in a number of different ways, individual pieces will get lots of wear, therefore, it is a good idea to choose well made clothing that will continue to look good despite the heavy and or constant wear.

Below are examples of a typical capsule wardrobe.

Sample women’s wardrobe	Sample men’s wardrobe
A belted trench coat	A suit
Bootleg jeans	A pair of jeans
A white shirt	A pea coat or pilot jacket
A black blazer or jacket	T-shirts
An LBD (little black dress)	Cotton shirts
A pair of tailored trousers	A jacket or blazer
A pencil skirt	A pair of slacks
T-shirts and camisole tops	A pair of smart shoes
A jumper or sweater	A pair of casual shoes
A sundress	A pair of  joggers or boat shoes
A pair of flats or sandals	A watch
A pair of long boots	A jacket
A tote bag
A clutch bag
A silk scarf
Sunglasses
A pair of high heels

 

Long weekend sample capsule wardrobe

Creating a Capsule Wardrobe that works for all areas of your life makes outfit creation a pleasure, whatever the occasion.

If you get an impromptu invitation for a long weekend away, you won’t have any last minute shopping dilemmas or what to wear problems, because you will already know what to wear and what to pack, because you have created a capsule wardrobe,

Of course there will be the odd occasion when you need to add something a little more specific but if the basics and the majority of your regular events are covered by your capsule wardrobe, you can pack for a long weekend away quickly and easily without any great thought.

I’ve created an example of a capsule wardrobe for a city long weekend break.

Here are the pieces to wear for work on Friday and to pack for your long weekend away

Friday at work is smart but not formal, and you leave straight from work with your bag packed

On arrival at the hotel swap your trousers for your jeans, give your feet a rest from heels and pop on your black flats, ready to go to a casual dinner on Friday evening.

Saturday, you have plans for pottering around the city and a little site seeing, it’s still a little cool, so add a light jumper with your vest and add some animal print flats and an animal print bag, and you have completely changed your look, if you’re still a little cool, add a scarf.

before heading out to a more formal evening dinner, add a sleeveless top with a choker, a skirt and heels that you wore to work and you could go anywhere.

Sunday – spend a relaxing day, breakfast with friends and a pub for a counter meal, put a light weight black jumper with scarf and add your animal print shoes and bag.

Meet up with friends for drinks before dinner, swap your jeans for your black work trousers, change your shoes and bag, add a long statement necklace, and again a completely different outfit.

Breakfast with friends before a walk around the city and lunch in town before heading home, you will need comfortable clothing and shoes

And if you stay longer you could put the following outfits together to create an ever larger capsule wardrobe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am sick of winter already – Electric hot water bottles and scarves to keep warm

I’m sick of the cold weather all ready, we are only in the first week of July and already I’m sick of it, it has been cold and miserable and I’m finding it hard to get warm

My saving grace, if you will, my favourite possession this winter is my electric hot water bottle.

I did a little research before posting and some electric hot water bottles have been recalled, but not mine, and not in WA.

I follow the instructions and I absolutely love it, I am not a big fan of air conditioning and having the heat on my face, so the hot water bottle sitting in my lap when I’m cold helps warm me up.

I heat it up before bed and it keeps me warm all night, we don’t have electric blankets or fleecy sheets, I heat it up before we get in the car so that I am kept warm on our hour drive into the office, and plug it back in again when I get there and it keeps me warm all day.

I also have one on the boat, because they stay warm for hours, I don’t need to use electricity to heat it up often and only when we turn the generator on do I plug it in again and warm it up.

I am a big lover of scarves, and have lots of them, however, I don’t like the big bulky ones around my neck, I find that they give me a neck ache, so I have made my own this winter.

I needed a white embellishment of some sort to put on my black scarf, and found a lovely flower scarf clip in Spotlight, but it was $7.50, and after looking at it, I thought to myself, I can do this, so I set to googling on YouTube for making fabric flowers.  Well I found the best video showing a no sew technique for making flowers, so I used the technique to not only make flowers as scarf clips, but scarves as well.  After creating the first couple I got so excited that I now have at least 1 flower and 1 scarf in each colour fabric that I had.

Its time for a funny – I just can’t stress this enough, Do not wash wool in hot water.

I saw this photo on Facebook the other day, I shared it and now it is going viral. A cold water wash is obviously best, and I do believe she didn’t check herself out in her mirror before she left her home.

I just can’t stress this enough, Do not wash wool in hot water.

One thing always do before I leave the house that I’m sure a lot of people out there don’t do and that is look at my entire outfit in the mirror.

When I look at my outfit before I leave the house, I check all views INCLUDING my rear end.

I look at my outfit as though I am looking from someone else’s perspective, for example, is it too short, too tight, does it ride up my backside, is it too see through, do my boobs bulge, etc.

I bend over slightly if it is a short dress or top  and if you can see my underwear, I get changed, if my bust is popping out, the top is too small, I change it.

The one piece of advice I can offer all women, please, please look in the mirror before you leave the house, and don’t just look, act if it looks like you wouldn’t like your daughter or you mother going out looking like that.

 

 

Brooches, and scarf clips

In the past, brooches have a bad reputation for being old-fashioned and matronly.

If you associate brooches as something worn only by grandmothers, then it is time to think again.

Brooches have been making a comeback, and are now a much coveted fashion accessory. To get some ideas on how to wear brooches keep reading.

Brooches have long been neglected as a fashion accessory and were seen as something that is worn only by old ladies.

But it is time to get those brooches out of your jewellery box and have them  cleaned, polished and ready to wear.

This season, brooches have made a definitive comeback and they are flaunted as one of the hottest fashion accessories.

With such a large variety of brooches available, from ornate vintage ones, beaded, floral, textured and very basic ones, you will be completely spoilt for choice.

They can be worn so many different ways, and one of the best ways to wear them is by attaching them on dresses or tops.

The right brooch can spruce up even the simplest and drabbest of any outfit.

And the best part?

They are ideal for camouflaging an outfit that is torn or has a stain on it.

The secret is to find a brooch is big enough to cover the spot and your dress will look as good as new.

Here are a few of my tips on how to rock the brooch trend.

How to Wear Brooches with Dresses

A jewel or crystal brooch in eye-catching colours can transform even the most boring outfit to something dramatic, and the best thing about wearing brooches with dresses is that you can pin them anywhere on your outfit to create dimension and that wow factor.

It is a great way to attract attention to your most flattering features.

Traditionally, a brooch was worn on the lapel of a coat or jacket but you can pin a brooch to a dress or top to dress it up.

❄ Shoulder – If you have a plain shift dress or tunic and want to smarten it up for evening wear, then pin a cluster of brooches on the shoulder of your dress.

It is one of the best ways to glam up a simple dress.

Look for a mix of quirky, bright and dimensional looking brooches on soft feminine dresses to make a statement.

❄ Back – One of the sexiest way to wear a brooch is by pinning in at the back of your dress. If you are wearing a dress with a plunging back, then attach the brooch at the lowest point on your back.

Alternatively, pin a ceramic or crystal brooch between the back straps of the dress.

If you have a bohemian dress that is very flowy overly large and simply not flattering to wear, a chunky brooch can be used to gather the dress at the back or under the bust to create a more fitted and modern effect at the bust area.

❄ Bodice – If you are wearing a cocktail dress that has a plunging neckline, just wear the brooch at the centre of the neckline. This will accentuate the neckline and give your dress some more glamour. Large antique brooches with a subtle sparkle works very well. You can also opt for brooches with a nature-based design to up the style quotient.

❄ Side – One of the best ways to wear a brooch is by attaching it to the side of your waist. You can pin the brooch on one side of your dress if it has lots of folds and pleat the best brooch should be a large one so that it is eye-catching or it will get lost in the folds and not serve its purpose.

An large hanging crystal brooch will  look best with a solid coloured or plain dress.

❄ Waist – You can also wear an antique brooch pinned to a ribbon or sash and then tie the ribbon at the waist. You can align the brooch either at the centre to help cover a slight bulge or slightly to the side.

This idea works well for floral dresses or vintage dresses.

Brooches that are very traditional and are encrusted with diamonds, pearls or crystals can be worn with wedding dresses.

Diamond encrusted brooch will compliment a white wedding dress beautifully, especially with lace trimmings and beading.

A great way to jazz or dress up a dress for evening wear is to wear a dramatic cluster of jewelled brooches in eye popping colours like electric blue, neon pink and fuchsia.

Pair this with a sleek up do and you will instantly look very formal and dressy.

Another way to use a brooch as a fashion accessory, is as a hair pin in your bun.

You can also pin two brooches on your flats or heels or use a brooch to pin your scarf.

Organising your wardrobe and avoid dressing indecision with the following tips.

Organising your wardrobe and avoid dressing indecision with the following tips.

 Photo Courtesy Stocksy

I read an article today that said that a recent study found that women spend 17 minutes out of 24 hours deciding on what to wear and getting dressed each day.

If you are pressed for time, 17 minutes can be a long time, I get dressed in a few minutes and am happy with my outfit for the day.

I don’t have issues with my outfit not suiting my day, the clothes not fitting well or them being creased and not able to wear them.

The keywords are preparation and organisation.

I admit I am not the neatest person, my husband would say that is an understatement, but when it comes to my clothing, accessories, shoes and a completed outfit for any day, I am super organised.

I sort my clothing into type and then colour, for example, I have all of my long trousers, jeans and evening pants hanging together, my dresses and longer tops together, long and ¾ sleeve tops and then my short sleeve tops and jackets hanging in separate sections, then each section is colour sorted.

Having my clothing sorted this way makes it so much easier to find something when I am looking for it.

I hang all my scarves on coat hangers and then on an over the door hanger so that I can just flip through to find the right colour, my costume jewellery (necklaces and bangles) are stored in mesh bags, depending on the size of the item and then my earrings are kept in a sewing storage box in different colours, so that when I find the necklace I am going to wear, I can quickly and easily find the earrings to go with the scarf or necklace and bangle.

I don’t buy any clothes that need ironing, personally, I find myself time poor (I only want to do things that I want to do now, and unfortunately ironing is not one of them) and I’m too lazy to do ironing after many years of spending my weekends ironing school uniforms, business shirts and trousers and my work outfits, I decided that I have more important things to do and with all of the fabrics that clothing is made out of nowadays, there is no need to buy clothing that needs ironing.

I also don’t buy anything that must be dry cleaned, if it can’t go in my front loader washing machine, I don’t buy it. I however do gentle washes in lingerie bags for some special items.

I get up at 4am to go to work, so I need to be organised when I get up, so before I go to bed each night, I decide on what I am going to wear the next day, in fact I even sort out my outfit for weekends.

Firstly, I check my diary to see what is organised for the day and evening then I decide what to wear, if I am going to work and then out for dinner, I will need something that is going to wear well for the day so that I can dress it up for evening and not have to get changed, alternatively, if I need a more formal outfit in the evening, I then decide on 2 separate outfits saving me time, and before I make my decision on what I am going to wear tomorrow, I also check the weather, if it’s going to rain and be windy and cold, I’m not going to wear a short sleeve dress or top and shorts.

I never try on several outfits in a mad panic before I have to leave the house because I know my outfits WILL fit and wear well, if I am not sure of the fit, I will try it on the evening before, as I said before, I am up early, I don’t have time to mess around.

I sort my top or dress first, then leggings, or trousers and shoes then my accessories last of all.

When I am feeling super organised on a Sunday afternoon, I sometimes sort my outfits for the week with a few spare in case I change my mind, the weather is not what I was expecting or something comes up and I need to have a couple of changes for the day.

When I have sorted my outfits, I put them together as an outfit, I hang the top or dress, put the pants or trousers on a hanger next to the top or dress, if I am going to wear leggings, I put them on the same hanger as the top, I put the shoes next to my bed, and the accessories, be it necklace, scarf, bangle or earrings in a mesh bag and hang it on the coat hanger with the dress or top, undies, bra and stockings (if winter, I wear stocking socks as my feet get cold) are all put on the shelf in our robe ready for the next morning.

By doing this I certainly spend considerably less than 17 minutes each day sorting my outfit for the day.

Ageing can be Graceful – here are some of my tips

 Mature Age Dressing

A gracefully ageing woman is incredibly beautiful and the experience she has, makes her beauty shine.

As we grow older we are still beautiful, it’s just a different beauty than when we are in our twenties and thirties.

We understand that beauty in a child is different than a teenager, however once we reach our twenties, thirties and beyond, we don’t realise that we have a different beauty, when we learn to accept the changes in our appearance through ageing, we can start to be happy with ourselves when we look in the mirror.

A gracefully ageing woman can be beautiful, and her experiences in life will make her beauty shine, however, she needs to be re- educated on what is complementary to her new beauty.

We don’t want to look like grannies nor mutton dressed as lamb.

The same principles that we had as younger women, using colours, body proportion, camouflaging or illusion dressing and dressing to suit your personality and lifestyle need to be addressed.

There are other things that we need to be aware as we age, and at ReDress Your Life we show you how do dress , wear your hair and apply make-up, in the most flattering way, that  you will love and feel confident in.

I would love to share with some of my top points of what NOT to do to age gracefully

• Have a glasses chain attached to your glasses or granny half glasses. (An exception, of course if you are on a boat and are likely to lose your glasses or sunnies over the side, having a chain is a darn sight cheaper than replacing your glasses) 

• Long straight hair parted down the middle, with a fringe and roots needing a long overdue touch up

• Boobs hanging too low, and not wearing a properly fitted supportive bra, did you know that wearing a properly fitted bra can drop you a full dress size?

• Grey hair showing through your eyebrows or not shaping them,

• Wearing your foundation either too thick, the wrong colour or foundation lines half way down your neck

• Wearing pants that are wider at the top of the leg than at the ankle.

• Not looking after your hands and nails

• Wearing comfortable shoes that are without style, nanna shoes. (you can have comfort and style)

• If your lips are narrow, wearing dark lipstick that bleeds everywhere, try some LipSense by SeneGence lipstick that stays on without bleeding for 4 – 18 hours (PS! Yes I sell this product, and I love it, not to be a sales pitch, but if you want to try it, send me a message and I will get in touch to see if I can help you with this, once you try it, you will want to buy it,)
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Bra-blems (Problems with bras) Part 11 – Falling Bra Straps

Bra-blems (Problems with bras) Part 11 – Falling Bra Straps

Bra straps that constantly fall off your shoulders are an annoying and common bra problem for a lot of women.

While it might be obvious, many women don’t adjust their bra straps or if they do, they don’t adjust them correctly.

Both of your bra straps don’t need to be the same length, because most women will have one breast larger than the other, you might have to adjust one strap longer to make the straps comfortably snug.

Straps Still Falling?

If you’re not able to adjust your bra straps to the right length, there are a couple of possible reasons.

The first is that your bra may be too old.

Over time, the elastic in most bra straps will stretch.

To extend the life of your bra, ensure you never put them in the dryer, as it will destroy the elastic over time.

Even the best quality bras won’t last more than a year when worn regularly, so don’t torture yourself in a bra that’s past its prime!

The Best Styles for You

If you are s with a new bra, still experiencing strap falling then the bra is most likely not the right style for you.

Many bras are designed with straps that are wide-set, or far apart from each other, while this is fashionable, it’s not for everyone!

Petite, or women with sloped shoulders should ensure they buy bras that have close-set, and fully adjustable straps. Another solution is to purchase a racer back bra or a bra that the straps can criss-cross in the back as they will not fall off during the day.

Bra-blems (Problems with bras) Part 10 Bras for Sagging Breasts

Bra-blems (Problems with bras) Part 10 Bras for Sagging Breasts

Wearing a properly fitted bra, should make your breasts look lifted, upright or perky no matter your age. If a bra sags and doesn’t give you an upright or perky look, it’s time to buy a new bra!
While sagging breasts are a natural part of the aging process, you can’t escape gravity, if you are wearing the right bra it can lift your breasts and give you a much more flattering look.

How can you tell if your bra is giving you the support you need?

Check your profile in the mirror.

If you are wearing the right size bra, your nipple will be halfway between your shoulder and your elbow. If your bust is lower than this point, you can be sure, your bra is not fully supporting your breasts, and it’s definitely time to buy a new bra.

Finding The Perfect Band Size For Your Bra

Firstly, check to ensure you are wearing the correct band size.

Almost all of support a bra offers should come from the bra band.

If your band is too loose, the band will rise towards your neck and the weight of your breasts will pull down the front of your bra, not offering support or lift.

If you can fit more than two fingers under your bra band, the band size is too big.

Try going down one band size and up one cup size. For example, if you are sagging in a size 36C bra, try 34D instead.

For more help with bra sizing, visit http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-fitting-calculator

Proper Bra Care And Maintenance

Are you still saggy in a properly-fitted bra?

Chances are, your bra is “dead”, they don’t last forever!
Bras will only last from six to nine months – and that also depends on the size of your breasts and how you wash and store them. Besides wearing the wrong size bra in the first place, the most common bra mistake that women make is wearing their bras too long. Bras are under a lot of pressure and will stretch and weaken in time. You have to replace your bras regularly if you want to keep your breasts supported and not saggy.
One hint to get the most out of your bras is to buy bras that fit on the loosest hook. As your bra stretches, you can go down to the tighter hooks to prolong the life of the garment. Also remember, you should never put a bra in the dryer! Heat damages the elastic band and causes the bra to lose its support.

https://www.thirdlove.com/collections/bras

http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-school