Mail Bag: Warm Weather Hourglass

Guest blogger Fashion Lady (aka Londyn) of Blog Fashion helps me out with some reader mail:

i just came across your blog yesterday.. i think u have a great sense of dressing and your colour coordination is just fantastic. i'm a uni student and am on a budget when it comes to shopping.. also.. i'm really short (1.5m) and have an hourglass shape... i live in Australia and summer time's coming soon (december).. i was wondering if you have any ideas on how i can dress in the summer because i'm a fan of layering and come summer, i'm going to struggle getting dressed everyday.. i hope you can give me some dressing tips. oh and i'm in my early twenties =) thanks Kasmira.. a make up artist once told me that my skin falls in the "autumn towards winter" colour pallette. do you have any idea what that means? i hope you can answer my questions.. your blog rocks!

-Anonymous

Wow, lots of good questions and good specifics! First point of note – Yes, Kasmira’s blog rocks! I am honored to be her first guest writer, so hopefully, I do her and her fabulous blog justice.

Next, let’s sum up your specifics for everyone:
Short, hourglass figured woman in her 20s with autumn/winter coloring who is looking for fun, colorful, summer wardrobe ideas that incorporate layering and keep her on a budget.

What a fun request! I love summer weather, but also find it a challenge to dress weather-appropriate while still keeping outfits interesting and unique. Let’s tackle your coloring first, and then get down to some outfit options.

1) Coloring: When people refer to you by season, they are referring to a beauty technique that categorizes each person’s skin, hair, and overall coloring into one of the 4 seasons. Once you know what “season” you are, you can figure out what colors are most flattering for you. If you are somewhere between autumn and winter, I am assuming you have naturally honey beige or olive skin with a rich deep warm tones of brown hair. Am I right? The typical color suggestions would be to stick with blue undertones, instead of yellow. The same description I used for your hair would work for your color choices: rich, warm, deep tones. Ideal colors would be: Wine, Reds, Deep or Bright Blues, Olive or Emerald Green, etc. While it is a good idea to work with your most flattering colors, don’t think you have to use this color technique as a strict policy. If pale pink isn’t flattering to your face, but you love it none the less, work in pale pink accessories such as shoes or a purse, or layer a pale pink tank under a emerald green tee so that the pink is still showing, but isn’t so close to your face.

2) Fit & Cut: Congrats on the hourglass figure! Next, is learning how to dress those curves. A-line skirts (skirts that flow away from the body) and wrap dresses would be easy and very flattering options for you. Just remember, for skirts and dresses, keep the cut just above the knee to elongate your leg lines. Anything at knee length or below will shorten your leg line dramatically. Also, cute ballet flats or skinny stilettos will look fab on you. Chunkier heels and wedges are trendy right now, but if you want to keep your look light instead of weighed down, I would keep them from becoming a regular part of your wardrobe. Unless you are seriously endowed, you can play around a little with different shirt cuts. The only things I would stay away from would be anything that is too loose and boxy, anything with a super high neck line (v-necks will be better for you as they will also help to elongate the figure), and anything that falls below your waist. Make sure to find fun cuts and details that enhance your curves such as a nice seamed jacket, empire waists, high belts, and accent rusching.

3) Summer Fun: Keep things interesting throughout summer by using color, mixing patterns, accessorizing, and light layering:
Layering is not only for winter – layer tank tops with different textures, colors, or patterns over each other (or with a tee shirt or dress) for a fun look.
Add bold accessories that make an outfit stand out.
Don’t be afraid of color, textures, or patterns – experiment!
Go out of your comfort zone. If you never wear dresses, buy one! If you haven’t tried the cropped knee length short – it’s time to try!

I have included some pics of outfit pieces that would work well for you. Each of these items would layer really well. Add a colorful cami, some funky jewelry, and some fabulous heels – you are good to go!


4) Budget: FYI Budget Diva – all the dresses are from Target.com, so they are very inexpensive! The other items are from Zappos.com and they are not quite as affordable, but they will at least give you an idea of what things would work well on you.

Browse through the “clearance” sections both at online store sites as well as department and mall stores. Make sure to factor in the shipping expense if you do go the online route as that expense does add up – also, if you need to make a return, you will most likely lose that money for good.

If you are crafty, you may be able to update some clothing you already have – add a lace hemline to an old skirt, dye your washed out jeans black, or sew on some detailing to a plain jean jacket. Another idea is to start thrifting or look into an online wardrobe swap shop. Good deals are all over the place if you are willing to take the time to search them out – red-line items here we come!

I hope all of my tips and tricks were helpful! Happy Shopping!

-Londyn