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Showing posts with label Femininity. Show all posts

Modest Alterations 101

Audrey Hepburn :)

Eventually, everyone will come across that utterly *gorgeous* dress (or whatever it actually is/was ;) that was just shy of making your standards of modesty. Sobbing hysterically, you place that piece of pure delight back on the shelf and face the appalling truth: nothing can be done. Or can it? Personally, I have come across that situation far too often. :P However, in reality, many amazing modifications for modesty have been found, and they are saving outfits daily! {yes, I am being melodramatic} Obviously, I am not going to bore you with the history of people altering outfits to make them more modest. You will not yawn during this post! Well, at least I hope not. ;) Please read on! (The links below the images are for copyright purposes)
~My dress/skirt is just a little too short.....

Add a pair of leggings! :)
(dillards.com)

~Hate leggings? Just....

Add a slip to lengthen the skirt/dress. :) It really does lengthen it by a
few inches! (Here is a link to the copyright of this photo, and a great slip shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/aslipshop They have some pretty adorable slips :)

~My neckline is too low and my shirt is rather sheer....

Wear a tank top under your shirt
and viola! Nordstrom.com

~My shirt/dress shows too much of my shoulders....

Add a cute bolero/shrug :)
bhldn.com

~My jeans are too tight at the back....

Wear it with a mini-dress and problem solved!

~My dress/shirt is a wee bit too tight....

Add cute cardigan :)
http://themodestusfilia.blogspot.com/

~My shirt gapes open when I lean over....

Scotch tape to the rescue! :)

~I work with little kids, and they keep pulling my skirt down....

Just wear a pair of shorts under your skirt!

~My skirt is sheer.... Wear a slip under it :) {not going to use an image for that}

~My shirt is too sheer and has a low neck-line, and my pants are too low-rise :P Is there something that can fix that all at once?

A leotard will fix those problems :)
From good ol' walmart!

~My formal dress shows too much shoulder... is there a way to make it more modest with something a step above a bolero?

Gloves and a fur wrap/shawl will do beautifully.

Any tips you have for altering clothing? Please share! :) Just thought I would let you know, you all are amazing and wonderful. Thank you so much for your sweet comments and everything else you do... I am so blessed by you all. :)

Have a lovely day, and God bless!

Ladylike Elegance: Sitting Down

Bonjour! :) Yet again, I am starting another series, this time on etiquette. (Yes, I am still continuing my other ones... ;) The topic for today will be about sitting down in a ladylike, graceful manner. You may wonder, 'Er, why is this important? I understand you're into ladylikeness, style, grace, elegance, fashion, poise, class, and glamour... but is it truly necessary to devote a whole post to the art of sitting?!' Constantly, I see women {and men} sitting in a completely vulgar way, and frankly, it looks awful and it is truly disgusting to watch. Etiquette isn't about personal comfort; it is about respect for yourself and those around you. You will feel like a lady when you sit in a classy way, and people will treat you like one. Don't wave aside this topic, no matter how idiotic and tedious this may seem, as it will truly benefit you in the long run! =)

~NEVER......

Slouch. Sit up straight, even when you have
to sit for two hours.... determination is a virtue!

~When crossing your legs....

Angle the supporting leg to the side
and keep your ankles as close as
possible! {see above example}

Right above, we have an incredible example of Vivien Leigh looking classy while crossing her legs in a skirt. However, unless you have posture and poise to match her, please refrain from crossing your legs in a skirt.... it ruins the feminine loveliness of your dignity. =) This is my opinion, and if you feel elegant while crossing you legs in a skirt, I will not say a word. ;)
~When sitting down......

You can fold your hands, palms facing up, like this
lovely example :)

~When wearing a skirt.....

Tuck one foot under the other :) It
looks ladylike, feminine and lovely!

~When wearing pants....

You have license to cross your legs. Even though I don't
like it ;) So if you must, *feel* free.... =)

~When wearing a skirt....

Don't cross your legs. =) Why? Crossing your
legs is a "male" position, and frankly, it looks
strange when you have a skirt on. And yes, I
am anti-feminist. Were you wondering? ;)

~Never.....

Sit with your feet apart. =)

~When wearing pants, preferably....

Tuck one foot under the other, as the
beautiful Grace Kelly demonstrates :)

~In public, pants or not, NEVER....

Sit like this.... or lounge about, sticking
your feet up in the air.... enough said.

~You may.....

Fold your hands and place them in your lap, and it will look gorgeous :)

~If you hate all this complexity, just think, "Knees together, and ankles together. :) No stress!" There is absolutely no hassle in that!
How is tucking one foot under the other going? If you find it difficult, you are NOT alone! Here is a funny video from Princess Diaries about her experiences with this pose.... ;)

It was so fun writing this post. ;) I must improve in my elegance and poise.... =)
God bless!
~Southern Belle

Middle-Figure Essentials

I admit that I have been procrastinating... :P But I finally compiled a list of all the essentials for the Middle-Figure body shape. :) If you have utterly no idea what I am talking about, please click on this link, and you will be directed to a post about the why's and what's of body shape! But for those of you who do know what I am talking about, please read on! =)

The commandments for middle-figures: (Much of this information was adapted from cardiganempire.com, one of THE most fantastic Christian fashion websites ever. Period. Please check it out! :)

~Never accent your fullest asset with belts, tucking in your shirt, cinched waists, elastic waistbands, or anything that draws a line across your midsection. Yes, ladies. No horizontal stripes! ;)

Monochromatic colors are
colors in the same section.

~Draw attention to your lovely face! {yes, this is true for everyone, but especially this body shape} Leave your necklines open with v-necks, scoop necklines, or sweetheart as they frame your face. Stay away from anything which covers all of your skin on top. (no turtlenecks! :) Use your jewelry to draw attention upwards, and try not to cover your arms! (think: cap sleeves) ~Wear monochromatic clothes. No, I don't mean you have to wear matching tops and bottoms, but wearing colors in the same color family is very important. You don't want a huge color contrast that cuts your figure in half, but colors in the same family will streamline your figure. :) For example, don't wear a blue shirt with a pink skirt. Stick within the same color family.

Those are the principles to live by, but really, don't be legalistic. :) But, here are some practical examples:

Peasant Blouses look great on this body
shape because they skim over your midsection.
Try to get one like this example with an empire
waistline a a wide neckline. :) The cap sleeves
look gorgeous too! =)
galtech.org

Layered Ruffle shirt. :) Again, empire waist
always looks best on you. :D
http://image.yesstyle.com/assets/15/892/l_p1014289215.jpg

Any top that flows over your body
will look lovely. A rounded neckline
or a v-neck line look best. :) A dropped
waist (A waist that narrows at your hips)
will work very well for your body shape =)
cardiganempire.com

Bottoms:
~Try to opt for a lighter color on the bottom, as you can appear rather top heavy. The lighter color will draw more attention downwards.
The rise is very important in whatever pants you wear. The rise is the specific place a pair of pants sits on your body. Study the picture below. (Sorry about the bare midriffs!) The photo is from Nordstrom.com which has amazing videos about fitting jeans, by the way. ;)

The middle figure should embrace the mid rise at all cost. The high rise can create that mom jeans look, and the low rise can create those marks of love: love handles. So love those mid rise trousers/pants! :) When you get jeans/trousers, stay away from skinny jeans at all costs! :) {If you don't wear them anyway, just bear with me} Why? Since you may be somewhat top heavy, your slim legs will magnify that, and you could appear toppled. A good rule of thumb for the apple figure is don't go tight on the bottom! However, if you are a slim apple, you could probably go for the straight leg cut for your jeans/trousers. But the best options for apples are definitely bootcut and flare. Confused? ;) Here are a few photos explaining it all the options for the cut of your jeans/trousers:

A bootcut fit is not quite flared, but it
does not stay the same size from the knee
downwards like a straight cut. Think of
it as in between a flare and straight cut.
Technically, the thigh fit for this example is
quite tight. In reality, the fit would not be
this form fitting. (Same for the example below)
Nordstrom.com (Citizens of Humanity)

A flare cut is generally looser in the thighs
and flares much more than a bootcut. Choose
either cut, according to your preferences! :)
J brand, Nordstrom.com

If you are a slim middle-figure, you can go for
the straight cut style, which is the same width
from your knees downward. :)
Citizens of Humanity, Nordstrom.com

Skirts:

An A-line skirt hitting as high as you deem
modest looks wonderful on your figure. Low
hemlines on this figure aren't very flattering, so
go for knee length, right below the knee, or
calf length. :)
Nordstrom.com

Another flared skirt :) This is a good time
to mention that tucking your shirt in should
be avoided at ALL COSTS!

Oh, this is cute. :)

Chiffon and silk are great fabrics for your skirts. The golden rule for bottoms is: don't go tight! :)
Now to move on to dresses! (The thing all you feminine girls have been looking forward to... ;)

This dress with the V-neckline and the
empire waistline would look GORGEOUS
on you. I am SO jealous. (It is on sale at
Chadwicks.com for 29.99!!!) Just had to
say that. ;)

Open necklines and empire waistline is
the way to go. From the waistline, just let
the skirt flare out (again, Chadwicks.com
29.99!!)

Did I mention Chadwicks is having a HUGE sale? :D I am very, very happy!!!

A gorgeous formal dress... *swoon* Just make
sure the waistline is not on your actual waist
but the empire waistline! :) Chadwicks.com
120 dollars only!!!!

A gorgeous empire waistline wedding dress :)

Now onto the shoes. :) You're probably thinking, "Shoes?!? There are right and wrong shoes to wear?"
The answer is yes! Please read on. =)

Wedges are absolutely the best shoe for you as they balance
your upper body. These lovely espadrilles are perfect for casual
wear. They feel like flats and are SO comfortable!
shoes-pedia.blogspot.com

I admit, this wedge is over the top. Uber-much.
But for those of you who find wedges rather boring,
I hope this has blown that misconception away. ;)
Jessica Simpson Wedge

Some more ADORABLE wedges. :)

The last category is your outerwear, or coats. :) I have one suggestion for you in this section:

The first button on your coat should
ideally button right below your bust.
A V-neck looks gorgeous on you! :)
Think fitted, but not tight.
http://www.bodyshapefashionadvice.com/
(A great website which I get a ton of
inspiration from. :)

I hope this post has helped all of you middle-figured ladies to learn to dress well for your shape! :) If you would like more information, I urge you to visit cardiganempire.com, run by a Christian personal stylist. She is so fashionable, and she does personal style sessions. =)
The next shape I will be writing the essentials for is the "Hourglass Figure"! Stay tuned and God bless, my dear readers!
~Southern Belle

Outfit of the Day

Hello, ladies! :) Today I have an outfit to share with you all. (Yay!!!) Since I do not post photos of myself on my blog, this will be my "Outfit of the Day" post instead. ;) Enjoy!

God bless,

Southern Belle