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Blazer from Hopetown's Summer 09 collecction - Source: Hopetown -
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It isn't easy dressing someone that is only seen sitting
down!
We have tall, beautiful women like Wendy Petrie and Ali Mau to
dress so you'd think it would be easy but not when they spend their
time sitting down. The other factor complicating things is that
what's hot right now is big and loose.
Voluminous and floaty looks are coming through the stores (and also what our homegrown designers are producing).
This looks great when you are moving around with a wine glass in hand being loud and fabulous but it can easily look quite sack-like on anyone sitting in one spot for hours on end. Who wants an extra paunch created by excess fabric added to their figure?
The solution to this dilemma is the high waisted pencil skirt! (As seen on Ali on Breakfast this week)
By tucking a floaty top into your skirt, you can be all blousy and modern up top and yet still retain the perfect amount of shape for the rest of your body!
Check out the pic above as an example of a Voluminous
top balanced by a fitting high waisted pencil skirt
Style Blog loves: Thigh high black boots
Hot off the runways of Europe and currently swathing many a
fashionista's legs over there is the thigh high black boot.
The big question is whether it is a look that can work if you're not a model/fashionista/celebrity or a combination of all three?
The thigh high boot certainly needs to be done right and when it is, it looks hot! However, there is a fine line between sophisticated and tasteful high-end fashion and trashy K'Rd "lady-boy" streetwalker.
As we mentioned in our last blog the "80's are baaaack!", but the reality is that no one should be strutting around a la Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman.
The key is to (obviously) make the legs the feature in your look
and then cover the rest of the body.
If you want some skin exposed, then show only some arms, a bit of
neck or maybe a hint of back. Remember the mantra: too much skin on
show = trashy & tacky. Think of a cast member from "Rock
of Love" and you'll understand what we mean!
Naturally, the thigh high boot or "boot legs" as they're being called overseas (since they resemble a legging) certainly won't work for everyone.
It is quite a fashion-forward look and not for the faint hearted and the truth is that you really need to think about your body shape first! If your legs aren't your best asset please don't go there!
So what are your other boot options?
An alternative would be a really well-made "just to the knee" boot which is flattering on all women.
While flat boots are comfy, adding height with a decent heel
elongates and flatters the shape of the leg. This is always a good
thing.
Go for a sturdy heel for day (Country Road boot below left) and
spice it up with a thinner heel for nights out (ankle boot below
right). A great way to do the look - below right :
Dress from Zambesi, Boots from Mi Piaci
NZ label Hopetown
From following what's happening overseas to what's happening here
in Godzone, Style Blog always loves to support Kiwi labels and we
recently attended the debut collection of emerging label
Hopetown.
Designed by the talented Ruth Ellison & Aria Campbell, Hopetown certainly looks like one to watch.
Style Blog was impressed by the clean design lines and fluidity of their first Summer '09 collection.
There was an easy, relaxed feel to the garments, which mixed feminine and masculine tailoring cleverly together.
Pretty much all the looks were interchangeable,thanks to the soft, muted monochromatic palette of creams, slates and charcoals given a bit of colour with flashes of green and coral. We really loved the use of soft, natural fabrics set against structured details. Overall the whole collection was really wearable.
Stand out pieces were the putty coloured blazer and the cute
jumpsuit (see below).
Check them out on
www.hopetown.co.nz Or through Process PR
www.process.net.nz
Check out this week's style pictures in our full
photogallery
