Getting Dressed

Emotionally tied to your clothing size? Why not? It feels good to drop sizes when we are working to loose weight. When it becomes a bad thing that our size changes we need to take a second look.

Knowing what size we are in the brands that flatter our body shape is more important than what the size is.

To help illustrate, I’ll use myself as an example. I wear mostly Ann Taylor and Jones New York with other brands occasionally (and I’ll talk more about that later).

• At Ann Taylor (and LOFT) I am a size 6-8 in bottoms and 8-10 in tops.
• At Jones New York I’m luck to fit in a size 8 in bottoms and am consistently 10-12 in the tops.

And just this last week I was shopping at discount stores (bargain hunting doesn’t sound appealing very often to me) and found a fantastic corduroy jacket, and the size that fit me: 14!

If I was hung up on the size not only would I have missed huge sale find, I would not have one of my all time favorite jackets.

Finding the Right Size

This is not a one-woman job. At the same time it is not a job for a lot of friends either. Plan a shopping date with a friend that you trust that will help you with your mission of finding clothing brands that flatter your body shape.

Be prepared to spend several hours shopping different stores. Try on different types of pants/skirts in different sizes as well as tops/blazers in different sizes to find what fits correctly. A few tips to know a correct fit:

• There are no stressed seams.
• Jackets, blazers and shirts close without pulling buttons and the shoulders do not pucker.
• The length of the pants will compliment the shoes you tend to wear most (either flat, short heeled, or heeled).
• Skirts end in a length that maintains the shape of your leg and ankle.

Make some notes and then move on to another store. There may be huge disappointments in store for you, as there were for me. No matter what I tried on Bebe and Banana Republic clothing just didn’t fit, and if it did it wasn’t the correct shape to flatter my body shape.

Now Go Shopping

The hardest part about the sizing part is that no actual purchasing happens. It is totally a fact finding mission. The benefits are humongous though… you can shop with confidence in the stores and brands that you know will look good on you.

While getting used to this new shopping style, you will see some drastic changes in your overall attitude and success in shopping. Having regular success finding clothing that makes you look amazing does great things for our confidence.

Ultimately Save Time

Knowing what fits and the size you are in each brand allows you to speed up shopping trips in general. Need a pair of pants, run to the store browse to find what you need in the size you are at that store, purchase them and you are then on to your other tasks.

For those of you that HATE, I mean really HATE shopping… (and I know you are out there!) this will decrease the overall time you need to spend shopping. It can also increase your ability to shop online, in the correct size, and not have to worry about return policies.

The perks are many using this type of approach: save time, save energy, etc… the one we didn’t touch on yet: wearing clothing that fit correctly make whatever the outfit look polished and put together.

While I found a great jacket in a size 14 that I love, I must admit I’ve never been lucky enough to find a 0 or 2. Just my luck? Nope, it’s just not my size.

“The chance to build a new movie studio with Leslie at CBS is just about the only thing that could pry me away from the colleagues and projects I love at Sony,” said Baer.

Her creative production development and supervision talents are associated with several movies:

• The Mask of Zorro
• My Best Friend’s Wedding
• Stepmom

and many others!

‘The Queen of England is reported to have told Prince Charles, “Dress gives one the outward sign from which people can judge the inward state of mind.”’

Having been in the working world for a decade and encountering many different business situations, it is becoming more unclear over time what business dress means.

First, what we do for a living will play a part in what we wear to work. Some positions require specific clothing - such a a retail store using employees to model the selection because consumers see what the clothing looks like off the shelf and on a person or a position where everyone wears the same thing.

Second, where we live will affect the types of clothing we wear. Living in northern Maine will mean wearing heavier clothes than if living in southern California. In areas with 3-4 (most of the central US) distinct seasons will create very different wardrobes for women than areas where there are only 1 or 2 (areas like Hawaii or Alaska).

Third, what the people you interact with each day expect you to wear matters. If you stay in the office the office dress code (specific or implied) will be determined by the culture there. If you work across different offices for your company or visit many client’s offices you will be dressing according to what they expect.

All three of these points relate to external perceptions based on specific factors. While we may want people to judge us based on our knowledge, experience, and expertise that often is not the case.

Business Dress Demystified

A business environment is very conservative and more formal. All of the business dress attire lists focus on minimizing distraction:

• Having the same material and pattern on pants/skirt and jacket.
• Wearing a suit jacket.
• Wearing hose with skirts.
• Wearing lighter colored shirts/blouses.
• Keeping accessories to a minimum.

The clothes that fall into this category will never go out of style because they can be worn with anything. Having the timeless aspect for business attire means that quality pieces may be an investment however they will be able to be worn for many years when maintained.

Accessories will include scarves and jewelry. Scarves are a great way to bring in additional colors and spice up a business outfit. Jewelry when used to draw attention to toward the face provides additional ways to personalize.

In general, the purpose of business attire is to set the stage for whatever the objectives are. The philosophy is that the less distraction from clothing the better so the focus stays on one’s face - helping improve eye contact.

Business Casual

Business dress can quickly become business casual by personalizing too much. Fancy ruffles or a tailored black skirt with a solid color matching suit jacket bring in personalization that makes an outfit become business casual.

The thing is - business casual has so many meanings that there is no one definition. It’s easier to talk about what business casual dress is not. It is not jeans, t-shirts, sleeveless, casual sandals, sport clothing, and worn clothing.

Most business casual are polo type shirts and chinos styled pants. Most formal business casual would be a skirt suit where the top and bottom pieces coordinate and they aren’t the exact same pattern.

Even though there is quite a large range from the top to the bottom of what is covered in business casual, this is where your personal style combined with your work objectives comes in. Bringing the inner you out and using your wardrobe as your canvas is a great way to help people learn about you and determine how to interact with you.

Balance your personal style items with what your job requires and how your peers dress. If you are less formal than your peers, you will benefit from changing your outfits to their level. If you are more formal than your colleagues that is fine - especially if you function well and feel comfortable. Depending on how much more formal you are, you may benefit from working in a more casual item now and again.

There is Common Ground

Make sure that no matter what outfits you wear that the pieces:

• Are wrinkle free.
• Allow you to full mobility.
• Are comfortable.
• Coordinate with matching comfortable shoes.

If this isn’t confusing enough enough for you I found that there are even definitions for executive casual and boardroom attire!

“Only a small percentage wears formal business clothes, such as a suit or business dress. Women are more likely than men, and higher income workers are more likely than lower income workers, to say the usually wear more professional business clothes to work.”

Information about this topic crossed my path in several different ways this week. When entering “lead in makeup” Sunday, Monday, and again today the search results change. Snopes.com provided the best explanation and investigation of the recent reports.

I first heard about lipstick containing lead from my favorite Seattle morning radio show hosted by Bob Rivers even though according to Snopes.com this is not the first time this scare has made the news.

Previously I wrote about the ingredients of the products we use. Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database provides a very easy and convenient way to check out the cosmetics you use to see how they rate. There is a lot of information here about what each rating means.

Lucky, or unlucky, for us by buying the products we do we condone the business practices and ingredients used.

Each part of our body that we adorn with clothing or accessories has specific measurements. Depending on brand and our body measurements we can range several sizes and departments (petite, misses, or womens).

Taking the focus off of a specific size allows us to prepare our body for any occasion with elegance and grace. Oh, and I almost forgot… with ease.

Once we know basic measurements (insert link to shapely) we can determine what tips will help us create the look to support the image we want to portray.

Hourglass
	Measurement Characteristics Hips and shoulders are similar, waist is different. Defined waist, straight shoulders, curvy not overly voluptuous behind.	Create Balance and Polish By Emphasize figure-8, try flowing and simple patterned fabrics to accentuate curves. Belts and wraps will show off waist. Flowing materials add shape without adding bulk.
Straight
	Measurement Characteristics All three measurements very similar, maybe identical. Almost flat behind, average to no waistline	Create Balance and Polish By Create curves with clothing to create a waist line. Busy patterns take away from overall look. V-neck and belts add definition, so do ruffles and flowing material.
Marquise
	Measurement Characteristics Waist measurement is the largest of the three, hips and shoulders are similar. Full waist, potentially short waist, mass is around the middle.	Create Balance and Polish By Work to elongate body and deemphasize waist. Longer top pieces keep attention away from waist. Straight lines, vertical ones, create length. Work with lose cuts that do not hug mid-section.
Pear
	Measurement Characteristics Hips and waist similar measurement, shoulders much smaller. Full round hips and large thighs.	Create Balance and Polish By Balance upper body by adding width to shoulders. Try boat necks, cowl necks, ruffles, etc. Fitted pieces should not end anywhere on hips or thighs - tops should end at widest part of hip or mid-thigh. Simple patterned bottom pieces minimize width to balance shoulders.
Heart
	Measurement Characteristics Shoulders the largest measurement, hips and waist smaller and similar. Narrow hips and potentially thin legs.	Create Balance and Polish By Visually balance hips with heavier materials and patterns. Textures and layering of bottom pieces add width. Keep all top pieces simple.

This is a starting point for you. As you dress each day observe how much you own that does or does not flatter your natural shape.

A recommendation is to slowly remove anything that does not flatter you and help you create the balanced and polished look you want.

Updating pieces may take some time, however since we regularly update our wardrobe with an item or two each season and as stuff wears out make a pact with yourself to only buy replacements that flatter you and bring attention to the beautiful body you have today.

Time, energy, passion and experience brings this woman to the forefront in branding and creating company image.

‘ What Pentagram did “was to show the value of a consistent identity — that you had much more to gain from a consistent, effective design than you did from the occasional piece that would come up once every two or three years and blow people away.” ‘

First you may have to realize you won’t be 120 lbs again (or insert your own ideal weight). Then realize that time, gravity, choice and life circumstances affect our
weight and fitness level. Unless we’re affected by a medical condition that
changes the way we look, we keep our same body shape throughout life. Add
20 pounds or lose 15 pounds, the relationship between your shoulders,
natural waist, and hips stays consistent.

Great news, eh? Sure unless we happen to be round, or pear shaped, right?
At some level we all want to meet aspects social standards of beauty.
Whether we’re already comfortable with our body or if we’re still trying to
make peace with the body we were given, this info may help you.

Know Your Shape

Why? If we know the shape of our body we understand the proportions and the available clothing styles that will flatter the body we have. This information will help you understand how to minimize the areas you are self-conscious about and play up your best assets.

We need to know a few basic measurements. There
are some processes much more involved than what I’m going to describe. I
want you to be able to easily measure yourself and be able to decipher the
results quickly. You need a cloth tape measure, pencil and paper, and
another person. With the help of your friend:

1. Measure your shoulders and note the measurement on your piece of paper.
2. Measure your natural waist (this is around your bellybutton, not necessarily where you wear your pants) and jot down the measurement.
3. Measure your hips and make a note of the measurements.

To interpret the values, take a look at the differences between the numbers.Using different sources, you’ll find different values, I use 4 inches as a benchmark.
Of the three, are they all the same or is one measurement a lot larger or smaller than the others? Use these visuals to help you determine your body shape.

Hourglass
	Measurement Characteristics Hips and shoulders are similar, waist is different. Defined waist, straight shoulders, curvy not overly voluptuous behind.
Straight
	Measurement Characteristics All three measurements very similar, maybe identical. Almost flat behind, average to no waistline
Marquise
	Measurement Characteristics Waist measurement is the largest of the three, hips and shoulders are similar. Full waist, potentially short waist, mass is around the middle.
Pear
	Measurement Characteristics Hips and waist similar measurement, shoulders much smaller. Full round hips and large thighs.
Heart
	Measurement Characteristics Shoulders the largest measurement, hips and waist smaller and similar. Narrow hips and potentially thin legs.

“If it does stand out [my clothing], then I guess it’s a compliment, but I just wear whatever feels comfortable.”

There are many websites out there that provide information on how to measure our feet and then convert that information into a size and width. Here’s just one.

Wouldn’t it be nice if it were really that easy! Just like clothes, shoe manufacturers use different models (meaning different sizes) as their standard. For us that can mean OUCH if we aren’t careful. If you really want to see what shoes that don’t fit do to feet, go to your favorite web browser, choose to browse pictures/images, and type toes.

I don’t know about you, but I’d like my feet to support me and keep me mobile until the end of my life. That means buy quality shoes… and sometimes, especially when times are tight, it may seem like an investment. Investment? Isn’t that what we have a 401k – to be able to retire? Well, yes, and investment for this topic means making sure to keep our feet healthy. The thing is, comfortable shoes don’t have to be expensive, the do however need to be well made.

Some feet maladies are hereditary, others we can prevent by taking care of ourselves. What can you do? Don’t sacrifice comfort for style. Ensure you have comfortable shoes that are stylish.

Keep the point! Pointed toes work for all occasion outfits. Feet complain when toes are scrunched and squished together. A lot of manufacturers crop the toe box when building pointy shoes so our feet look shorter. Square toed shoes also on occasion have the toe box cropped.

Insole-ate your feet! There are inexpensive insoles that can be purchased at any drug store to help your feet stay happy. Whole feet, ½ foot from the arch to heel, extra padding for the ball of the foot, and that is just the tip of the insole-burg. Remove insoles after each wearing so the shoe and the insole air out and can rest.

Whether buying shoes in a store or online know the return policy. It is difficult to wear shoes for 5 minutes and know how they feel. Show your patronage to shoe stores that allow you to return shoes that have not been worn out of the house. Wear shoes when folding laundry (testing the stand factor) or vacuuming (moderate exertion of the body and have the chance to walk in the shoes for a little while) are two activities that won’t deem shoes un-returnable and you can test drive how they will work for you. Return shoes that do not fit.

Life changes our bodies – this includes our feet! From pregnancy to aging. As shoes start to feel like they don’t fit, save your feet and have your feet re-measured and explore the addition of insoles to support your body.