Issue 44

City Fashion - Men's

Calling all men... hot tips for Spring/Summer 2010!

Be a winner at the races this season,stand out from the crowd as a firm favourite and dress to impress!

Calling all men! Never has the phrase “the clothes make the man” been more important than when dressing to impress. And I don’t care if it’s a first date, a job interview or a special occasion, I’ll help you put together the right outfit.

What to wear, or should I say what not to wear, for those all important occasions is such a stress factor. Today men have a bigger role to play in the fashion stakes and it’s not as difficult as you may think. You don’t have to rely purely on designer brands to ensure you get the ‘look’- high street fashion for men is amazing, if not better as it doesn’t carry a huge price tag! Highly fashionable and on trend stores like Reiss preview the latest in fashion with all the design flair.

Every occasion is an opportunity to experiment with your look to dress for your personality, so why go into autopilot? For example, a day at the races is great fun, but race-goers worry about what to wear, this being the hot topic for the ladies, but what about the men? No longer is it just ladies day but men too want to look fabulous and be noticed.

With image taking centre stage reaching for one of your dull work suits or dusting off your old wedding suit just won’t suffice anymore, much more is now expected. With sexy, stylish and on trend male examples like David Beckham out there, giving the ladies a run for their money.

Whilst race-goers spend their day sipping on countless glasses of champagne pointing out the worst dressed women, crazy hats and self tan that has gone wrong, don’t be misguided that you guys have been forgotten. The women have just as much fun picking out your loud and dated ties and suits that don’t fit with half mast trousers and unflattering boxed jackets.

To create your winning look for the races stay on-trend and go for a tailored cotton suit, in striking pastel colours, cool shades of grey, sky blue, urban beige and the catwalk classic monochrome combination. Not every guy needs a cotton suit, but it’s such a great piece to have for summer. As well as the races, wear it to work, weddings or just
out on the town with retro trainers and a tee. It is one of my top picks for a Spring/Summer ensemble.

Spring/Summer is a good time to refresh your shirt and tie duo - it’s a fun and casual way to incorporate this seasonal must in your work/lifestyle wardrobe. Pink is such a spring statement and also a very flattering colour for most skin tones. If pink is not for you then I personally think you can’t beat a crisp white shirt, looks sexy against a summer tan! Keep ties simple in plain natural metallic tones or bold marine stripe for the wow factor.

Keep your look free and easy yet impeccable, the races tend to be formal attire but you can allow your personality to shine through in a stylish fashion of course.

Brogue wingtips are becoming very popular again, but this traditional British shoe has become less traditional in its new life, shown on the catwalk with tailored and casual trousers, look out for them. Male grooming is vital, take time to rid yourself of those unwanted facial hairs, get a hair cut and to finish your look invest in a superior pair of sunglasses. Good luck!

Lisa Crampton x
The Style Company

City Fashion - Women's

It would appear that we are edging ever closer to race season and the past few weekends have already seen the Grand National and the annual ladies’ day at Cheltenham and Aintree. Each occasion always promises to be eventful in the fashion stakes - if only you could have a flutter on the worst dressed...

Whilst everybody loves to marvel at the many “ensembles” chosen by the women in attendance it is often events such as a day at the races which cause women problems in the fashion department. However, it is much easier than you may think to create a sophisticated races look...it may be your only guaranteed winner that day!

Most important is to remember that the races are formal occasions and, although it may be York or Wetherby rather than Royal Ascot, only occasion dresses are appropriate. Many racecourses have a strict dress code which they tend to impose, so it would probably be worthwhile checking to see what the dress code is to ensure that you are dressed appropriately.

Whether you choose to go for an on-trend monochrome combination, a striking maxi or a colour block dress, select one dramatic piece and play down the other elements - it’s not a circus!

Although many women wear hats to the races, it’s not compulsory. A fascinator looks just as nice (in many instances, more-so) or even a simple hair band will do. If you go for a bright dress or a loud print, keep the hat simple. Making too many statements in your outfit is how to be noticed for all the wrong reasons. Team your outfit with a neutral cropped jacket and nude or brown heels; wedges are a good idea if you don’t want to sink into the grass.

Remember, decorum is everything. That means no bra straps on show, no ugly tan lines, and nothing too low-cut or too short. Racing gives you the perfect opportunity to put together an ensemble that will ensure you have an outright winner.

Issue 43

Stylish yet still sexy

As women grow older they can still follow fashion trends and show off their bodies to their best advantage, look at Michelle Pfeiffer, Goldie Hawn or Meryl Streep. Clinging to youth is not a good look unless a woman is genetically gifted. Learning how to show some skin in a stylish, more elegant way helps to minimize any mutton-dressed-as-lamb moments. When a woman waves goodbye to her 40s, the question is how low or high should she go, and how much skin should be on show?

One fail-safe rule of fashion is not to reveal too much flesh. Stylish yet still sexy, showing some shoulder is a way to keep on trend. Asymmetric dresses have ruled the runways for four seasons now and 2010 is no exception. Whether aged 50 or 70, any woman can look elegant in a stylish one-shouldered dress, particularly one with draping. (A well-fitting strapless bra and a more demure hemline is essential though!) A woman can avoid looking like she’s trying too hard to be young by making sure her figure appears in proportion. When wearing an outfit with a revealing neckline, it’s advisable to balance out the rest of the body’s silhouette - do this by covering up on the bottom-half with a longer hemline or vice-versa, with a shorter hemline make sure your top-half is not too revealing.

When it comes to hemlines remember, skirts or dresses which finish half way down the calf can be unflattering and ageing, as the hemline finishes at the fattest part of the lower leg.

If there is one part of the body that a woman can draw attention to with confidence, it’s her “décolletage”. Go for elegant necklines which show off some cleavage, such as a scoop or square neckline ... bigger busts should go for a v-neck to avoid the ‘uniboob’ look. For women who don’t feel comfortable revealing their cleavage, try a draped low-back as an alternative.

And finally ... when it comes to bingo wings ... cover them up!
Three-quarter length sleeves cover a multitude of sins and make arms look slimmer, or sleeves in sheer fabrics like chiffon will give the effect of baring flesh without being unsightly.

So with this in mind, enjoy any family weddings this summer, without the fear of looking back at the photographs in discomfort ... they will be passed down through generations!

www.jamessteward.co.uk
For any fashion questions or queries contact:
email: james@city-dweller.co.uk

Issue 42:

So, Christmas has been and gone once again, and now we’re in the beginning of not just another year, but another decade...so happy new decade!

If, like me, the thought of hitting the sales on Boxing day, before the turkey and stuffing had been given the chance to digest, put the fear of God into you... fear not! Why is it that a sequin mini dress after the New Year becomes so unattractive?

Let’s face it, what you’re really missing out on is buying up the rubbish that is already “sooo last season”, that nobody else wanted when it was on trend! You’ll be glad you held on to your money!

So you may have missed out on a designer label at a knockdown price, but Topshop will be your saviour with its new London Fashion Week designer collaborations this season.

Last year, the Christopher Kane collection was an instant sell out. This year, if you can hold onto your stash of Christmas cash for a little bit longer, you can have the pick of Ann-Sofie Back or Jonathan Saunders by the end of January, or Ashish’s Rhianna-inspired collection in early February.

• Look out for the slashed jumper dresses from Ann-Sofie Back and the panelled denim pieces from Jonathan Saunders, but you might want to start queuing for the Ashish leather jacket with studded shoulders...this will be the one on Ebay for three times the price!

Issue 41:

City Fashion

Every couple of months the fashion world assess the collections and dissects the trends of the season. Sometimes the hottest trends on the catwalk can be a disaster in real life!

Here’s a few pointers for Winter to stop you making a fashion Faux pas...

Less is more!

The looks you see on the catwalk are not always meant to be thrown on by the average woman and worn to work or the supermarket. Collections that seem outrageous are often meant to be! It’s how the designer gets his point across without room for confusion. When trying out these trends, less is more, fashion crimes are committed when an entire outfit is made of pieces all screaming the same trend. 

Unless your circle of friends are the young fashion elite, it’s generally best to use the looks on the runway for inspiration, not blatant imitation. Lets face it, who really wants to look like Lady Gaga?

Play it Safe... & Stylish

For example: Rather than wearing an entire ‘80s ensemble (a common trend for winter) and look like you’re going to a bad taste party, mix and match the ‘80s pieces with modern ones. Pair an oversized blazer with modern skinny jeans. Or if the designer’s vision is motorbike chic, rather than covering yourself in black leather and studs, pick up a simple biker jacket and wear it over something a bit softer.

With a little creativity and self-restraint, even the most challenging trends can transition from the catwalk into your wardrobe. Keep these tips in mind to avoid a fashion disaster.

Issue 40:

The Rise of the Rock chick

It’s time to pack away the summer dresses and sandals as autumn is upon us. Along with the crisp weather comes the edgy Fall/Winter 2009-2010 trends. Last time, I mentioned the rise of the rock chick...well check out my next fashion forecast!

Our wartime female ancestors would never have imagined this day; where laddered stockings are not only acceptable, but fashionable! The ripped stocking trend is a close cousin of the ripped denim trend, a step towards a new era of neo-Grunge.The most defining trend of the 1990s was undoubtedly grunge. And since the 80s revival has reached its peak and is on the steady decline, it’s the 90s that are next in turn - grunge naturally included.

The first time I noticed it was on Alexander Wang’s A/W 2008 runway, in which beanies, boots and ripped tights made up a look that was rock chic meets neo-grunge. Since then, it’s taken quickly to the streets - featuring in many a street-style blog across the web.

How to wear it?
With conviction! Wearing a crisp, corporate skirt-suit and a pair of stockings with a little ladder or two just looks like an unfortunate run-in with a sharp fingernail. On the other hand, shredded tights with studded boots and a black mini screams fashion-forwards neo-grunge chic.

Issue 39:

Stay Hot this Winter

For so long, the perfectly manicured, coiffed and designer-dressed ‘pop princesses’ have preened, pouted and posed for the paparazzi as icons of ‘doll-like’ perfection. Girls Aloud, The Saturdays and The Sugababes are just too good to be true. But now the average girl on the street has a whole army of rebellious role models to be inspired by, led by none other than the ‘secret’ rock star, Kate Moss, whose love of skinny jeans, studded belts and bedroom hair, has caused a revolution in both the fashion world and the music world, and the rock chick is fast approaching a high street near you!

The key piece for autumn / winter 2009 is the bold shouldered jacket. Hip French fashion house Balmain wowed fashionistas again, with punky jackets with stiff, peaked shoulders thrown over drapey harem pants or skinny jeans and single handedly triggered the hottest trend of the year!

As much as we look back at the 80’s fashion and ridicule the shoulder pads of the Dynasty era, it’s time to re-evaluate! Come September, strong shoulders will be abound on the high street, having dominated the autumn / winter 2009 runways. Though unlike Dynasty, the key with this trend is to keep the waist defined.

Ensure your striking jacket remains the centrepiece by keeping the rest of your outfit simple and your colour palette neutral.

www.jamessteward.co.uk
For any fashion questions or queries contact:
email: james@city-dweller.co.uk

Issue 38:

The right style on the big day!

With this season’s diverse women’s fashions, deciding on a wedding outfit is relatively easy. However, as a guest, what to wear at a wedding is always a dilemma, and I’m sure all City Dweller readers will have at least one wedding this year to go to.

Take some inspiration from the fashion trends of the season with bright berry colours or chic black and white two-tone prints. Gone are the days when black (or white) was inappropriate for a wedding, the only unbreakable rule when it comes to fashion is, don’t upstage the bride!

For some general guidelines, remember to go for non-slutty and unaggressive styles. Perhaps check with the bride first to see how she feels about certain colours, or if she has a certain colour theme for the wedding. Most women want to invest in an outfit that will serve them again, so consider the longevity of a monochrome print dress, currently favoured by so many designers.

Alternatively, there’s a trend for all things bright and bold this summer, combined with a hippy influence, so if length is your thing, the good news is that floor-skimming styles are in. Chic and stylish, a black and white print will serve you well by adding some bright colour co-ordinating accessories.

Remember, print dresses will minimise the need for accessories, whilst single-colour blocks cry out for them. Try fuchsia, red, purple or green. All will give you that extra style kick.

With bold accessories, no-one’s going grey and understated once the warmer weather hits!

www.jamessteward.co.uk
For any fashion questions or queries contact:
email: james@city-dweller.co.uk

If there is one key item to add to your wardrobe this season it is the full-length dress. Versatile and trendy, find one to suit your shape.

Whether willowy or wide, skinny or short; no matter what your frame, with careful selection of styles and fashion accessories, every woman can feel feminine and glamorous in a versatile maxi dress.

Here’s some DO’s and DON’Ts to get you started:

DO buy a style with the right length for your height. Overly long hemlines can take inches off your height so make sure you get the right length to flatter your figure.

DO choose heels which will give you enough height to make you look feminine and glamorous not lumpy and large. Patent platforms and wedge heels are great for this season.

DO team with this season’s oversized bags, large shades and a headscarf for a real celebrity look.

DO consider an empire line if you are conscious about your stomach. The focus is on the breasts with the fabric falling from just beneath them. The flowing skirt acts as a tent without hiding your entire figure.

DON’T over accessorise a flowing maxi with a belt as it will ruin the line of the dress

DON’T wear small floral patterns if you are curvy. Opt for block-colours or larger prints.

DON’T choose a light colour if you want to hide your lumps and bumps. Darker colours disguise flab and are more sophisticated for the forty-somethings.

DON’T team your maxi with cowboy boots, thats just wrong!.

DON’T layer your clothes. A simple shrug or cropped cardigan will do the trick. Alternatively choose a short fitted jacket.

DON’T be afraid of volume but choose the cut wisely. An empire line with a flowing skirt flatters the narrowest part of the body and doesn’t swamp your frame.

DON’T be afraid to wear it casually - walking the dog or a shopping expedition. The maxi is no longer just for ‘dressing up’ in the evenings..

www.jamessteward.co.uk
For any fashion questions or queries contact:
email: james@city-dweller.co.uk