How to dress this Summer

With weather warming and Summer's sizzling ,start thinking about how you're going to have some pizzazz this season.

What's hot, and how are you going to look up to date, smart, crisp and chic?

Linen is lovely

Europe sets the trend, and this season Linen is runaway style, not only for it's casual comfort but also for it's coolness factor and that lovely chic and effortless effect.

What you'll find is linen carries all the colours, that a well informed colour fan will be searching for on the shelves or online.

Begin with those casual sun dresses. So cool and friendly and just a delight to wear on those scorching days with a gorgeous raffia hat and sandals or summer espadrilles, which feature again. I guess it's because they are so easy to wear, light, comfy and great with shorts, dresses, pants or 3/4 pants.

For mature women, the straight shift is such a flattering style, because it  bypasses the belly, which is a consideration for many mature ladies. Go anywhere by including a small heel and a light jacket. 

Many designers are making styles like this up to a size 20, so keep your eye out online for these great staples if you are looking for those sizes.

Neutrals go with neutrals

Build your look with your neutrals first. Gain the colour knowledge from your colour consultant and always start with a professional colour analysis.

Colour is the key. There are so many stunning neutrals for you to choose from in your colour palette, so be informed about the sort of neutrals you should be wearing.

Add some colour

As a colour consultant, my motto is "when you look great, you're wearing your colours", simple as that. So after you have a professional colour analysis then explore the amazing world of colour and brighten your wardrobe with an array of magnificent shades.

With over 2.6 million shades or more, colour is a skill to learn , and a tool to use, when it comes to fashion and style, so gain as much knowledge as you can about the right colours for you to wear.

Yellow, green, red and many other colours dominate the season, so be sure you get these colours right. Wearing the wrong tones in these colours, will create a very drab and aging look.

Those night's out

Fortunately, for those hot evenings, smart casual can just about take you anywhere. There are so many lovely flowey dressy looks, that are light and cool and look fabulous.

Long dresses are fashionable for Summer 2019 and there are a lot of beautiful styles around, so shop around or check online for your options.

If you prefer mid length dresses, choose a style that flatters your body shape by highlighting the smallest part of your body. Eg. If you have a slimmer waist select garments that cinch in at the waist. If you have smaller hips, select items that are more fitted to the hip. Often higher waists are flattering to the curveless figure.

Hope this gives you some inspiration, to have fun with your Summer wardrobe.

Remember - have your colour analysis first.

Cull your existing wardrobe

Shop your wardrobe and then make a planned inventory on what you need to inject when you go shopping with your colour swatch

For more information contact your colours and style

How to dress for success everytime

Want to know the keys to successful styling every time?

Here are the 4 top elements I have discovered work wonders. By adopting these easy principles you'll be looking 10 years younger and top to toe chic instantly.

Lets use the C A P S principal. C Dress your Colour. A Dress your age. P Dress your personality and S Dress your style or shape.

C-Dress your colour

As a colour consultant, I can't get away from the powerful influence of colour. Not just any colour, but your colours.

Simply put, wearing your colours makes you look your best. Always when you're wearing the colours that suit you, you look younger, more attractive and more vibrant.

Why don't women wear the right colours if this is the case?

Because  there are over 2.6 million colours or indeed an infinite number, the only way to determine the right colours, is to have an accurate analysis.

A-Dress your age

We've all heard that expression, "mutton dressed up as lamb" .

Here's a good example of wearing inappropriate colours and style in the before shot and although I would still make changes to the after shot with hair colour and hair style, you have to agree that the after shot is a great improvement.

To avoid that look the best thing to do is to make an assessment every decade.

We can't look like our 35 year old daughters no matter how hard we try.

As we mature, things change. Our body is different, our skin is different and our hair isn't as glossy and luxurious as a young woman's.

The best thing to do is to cover up more and to avoid things that highlight our less than perfect features. Be more subtle in our choices draws the right sort of attention.

Things like shimmers and shines draw attention to our flaws. 

Avoid too much detail and buckles and bling. And certainly look at the length of skirts and the depth of necklines.

P-Dress your personality

Chic and very stylish

I could be styling 2 women of exactly the same age and shape and colours but I would dress them completely differently according to their personality type.

Some women have bolder personalities and some have a more shy demeanor. Obviously I am not going to style the shy lady in bold styles, she just wouldn't be comfortable making such a bold announcement.

Even though there are many style genres, classic, chic, elegant, bold, boho, soft and feminine etc. you don't have to stick to one style. You will find there are many style types you can very comfortably wear. All this can be discussed at the time of your consultation to explore the style personalities that you feel very happy wearing. 

S-Dress your shape

Here's another classic example of what not to wear. Unflattering shapes are just that, very unflattering.

So how do we dress for success and how do we know what shapes or styles suit us?

I find this is the easiest way to determine the shapes that suit you.

Imagine yourself as a rectangle. You may be a triangle with broad shoulders and smaller hips or you may be an inverted triangle with small shoulders and wider hips like the image above. How are you going to balance out this look?

Think of broadening the narrow parts of your body and narrowing the broader parts.

So to broaden shoulders go for wider collars and padded shoulders. Draw attention to the top half of the body with featured jewellery and colourful scarves, or patterned tops as long as they're in your colour palette

Slim down hips by wearing sleek close fitting tops with no detail and pants with no features on the hips. Slimline skirts are flattering.

For more details on colour and style tips contact your colours and style.

TOP TO TOE STYLE FOR 40UPS.

Are you a 40 plus woman that feels like she's lost the proverbial fashion plot?

With a wardrobe full of drab, boring, black and depressing clothes.

Do you hate shopping? Feel you look yuk most of the time and really are quiet discouraged about the way you look?

Take heart my darling, you are not alone, if that makes you feel any better.

How many other 40 plus women do you see in the same sinking boat?

Who looks good

Really take a look around and who can you find that looks good?

If you're looking for your ques from your friends perhaps you're looking in the wrong place.

Have you noticed even the rich, famous, slim and beautiful women can have those bad days as well. Where their hair, make up and dress sense seems to have gone totally awry.

So don't take your ques from the stars either. They too can get it wrong.

My 3 courses for top to toe style.

Here are my 3 courses that will answer all your style, colour, image questions.

No 1 How to build a functional and stylish wardrobe.

Gets you fixed with colour and the right styles that look awesome on you

Class no 2. Youthful make up at any age.

Learn the top tips for a more youthful and attractive appearance in this hands on class

Introducing class no 3

So because these 2 classes have been so popular and transforming, I thought I would top it off with this class to put it all together.

Here is a little more information and I hope you can follow the link if you are anywhere near Jannali and book into these classes.

Or you may want to attend a class at my home in Ramsgate or have a group of your own .

Class outline

Many women say they have lost the plot when it comes to their fashion and style once they reach 40.

If there isn't a class to suit you, please

Step by step wardobe cull

A successful wardrobe cull in your colours is the key to your Image Success.

Cull your wardobe with your colours and style for a more stylish "you"

How to plan your perfect winter wardrobe.

Colour, culling and planning are all needed when planning the perfect Winter wardrobe. Shop smarter and have the best Winter wardrobe ever

The right foundation colour for mature skin

Choosing a foundation that's right for your skin colour is a problem many women face.

There are 1000's of shades of foundation on the market and lots of different brands and formulas. How are you going to choose the right one? 

Is there a foundation that can make you look younger and more glamorous without looking like a made up doll?

And what can you do to avoid making the make up mistakes that are so common?

Colour is the main thing.

How many times have you purchased a foundation and not been happy with it?

Have you EVER been happy with your foundation?

Do you feel you look younger, fresher and attractive in your foundation?

Here are a few key tips that will ensure you make the best choice for make up confidence.

5 top tips for choosing the right colour foundation

1. Colour is the key. Foundation needs to match your “under” skin tone to look natural. Make up artists and colour consultants use different techniques to determine what colours are best for you. But when it comes to foundation for mature women, my 13 years of experience tells me that beige, neutral and pink tones are more flattering to older women.

 Flattering foundation

2. Choose a foundation you cannot see on the skin. This sounds counter intuitive but a lustrous skin look is gained with a foundation that isn’t detectable on the face.

3. Apply a sheer layer of make up. Foundation looks more natural if it’s applied very thinly and not like a mask

4. Don’t go to light. To avoid a wishy washy look that makes you look tired and lacklustre don’t choose a foundation shade that is too light or white

 Make up is too light and white

5. Don’t choose a colour that’s too dark or orange.

 Many make up manufacturers use a base that is very yellow or orange. Young women seem to like this look, but it gives a heavy coverage and a dark, heavy and aged look

 Make up too orangey and dark

 YCS Foundations

Foundations for mature skin in the right colours.

YCS Foundations are amazing for mature women.

The creamy textures work well with drier skins particularly.

The wonderful thing about YCS Foundation is 3-4 shades will suit almost every woman, relieving all the stress of going through hundreds of colours to choose the right one for you.

Most mature women will need an oil based foundation for a dewy finish. Very few woman over the age of 40 have an oily skin. If you do, you can easily choose an oil free formula.

Here is how to get the right shade

01 is for light skin tone

02 is for medium skin tone

03 is for deep skin tone

04 is for dark skin tone.

The 3 formulas above FH Hydrating formula, Cover all foundation and wet and dry foundation can be used on it’s own or as a light dusting powder.

So choose the formula you like.

Eg. Hydrating formula. If you are light you will be FH01, Medium FH02, Deep FH03 very dark FH32.

Cover all foundation

Light #201

Medium #202

Dark #203

Deep #204

Wet and dry

Light #31

Medium #32

Dark #45

You also can have your colour matched over the phone.

All products are 100% Money back guarantee or you can change your colour for the next shade.

For further information

Contact Your Colours and style

How to look younger in your make up

Are you over 40 and would like to know how to have a make up look that's youthful as well as relevant?

Are you tired of the make up looks in the magazines that relate only to young women?

Have you had many make up disasters and would love to know how to fix them?

Have you had your make up done and couldn't wait to take it off?

These are the problems that plague so many mature women.

We are no longer considered "young", but we don't want to feel old and frumpy either. We certainly still want to look attractive and well groomed.

Over many years Your Colours and style has encountered  hundreds of women that struggle with their make up.

After working with countless older women, longing to be stylish, I have discovered the top industry secrets to a more youthful look.

Most mature women want fresh and natural make up

When I ask mature women, "what's the one word to describe how you want your make up to look?" The top answer is NATURAL. Now that can be a far cry from the sort of make up looks we see in the magazines today.

Older women can not wear the same make up as younger women!!!!!!!

When we age our skin changes, that's no surprise. Lines and wrinkles appear. The skin becomes less plump and hydrated. Dark circles, dark lines, pigmentation and redness are all something that most women experience as they age. So how do you combat the imperfections, without wearing a mask?

Youthful skin, youthful make up

Before you consider applying any make up, my recommendation is to tend to the skin first. Moist, hydrated well cared for skin, will always look better in the right make up, so invest in good skin care even before your make up.

My recommendation is Ciencia skin care products.

Here is my before and after image after using this product for 9 years. 2008-2017

The key to youthful make up is colour

The top tip for wearing make up that looks more youthful is to wear make up that matches your underskin tone and is in your seasonal colours.

Do not go to an inexperienced make up artist that checks your skin tone by looking at your veins. This is not the way to match your make up. You will also need to find products that are in the right colours as well.

As a colour consultant, what I will do is match the make up colours and right toned formulas to my clients skin. Youthful make up will blend in with your skin tone, not sit on top, or compete with your natural colour.

My 14 top steps to youthful make up

1. Brow. Create a brow that is soft and natural and inkeeping with your face shape, with a gentle undulation. If brows are too thin, a soft brow pencil will create a beautiful shape. I like to use Cougar Brow wax as well as the soft brow powder with a very thin angle brush and use small hair strokes to create a beautiful brow.

2. Concealer. YCS Concealer No 104 will be a good colour for most women.

Apply under brow, above brow, all over eye lid, in the corner of the eye where the skin is dark, under the eye lid, in the dark part of the eye bag and around and under nostrils.

3. Your Colour eyeshadows. 2-3 shades is fine. The lightest shade all over the eyeball and if you want a larger eye go a little further. You may put shade 2 in the crease, in the corner of the eye or part crease. The dark shade will go along the lashline with a very fine angle brush on it's own or over the kohl pencil.

4. Tight line with a kohl pencil under the bottom lashes, for eye definition.

5. Using a very thin wet angle brush do a very thin line along the top lashes, can be over a very thin kohl line.

6. Lashings of Brown mascara only. Black is too harsh,.

7. Mix a tiny amount of YCS Foundation in your exact shade with a clear primer over face and blend into the concealer under eyes.

8. Optional powder, very lightly with translucent powder or a light dust with YCS Wet and dry powder

If you still show redness across cheeks or chin for example you can repeat steps 7 and 8.

9. Highlight cheeks with YCS Rose Gold Bronzer/Highlighter.

10. Punch a touch of blush onto cheek bones. Blend.

11. "Plump" the lip shape with a lip pencil lightly colour in,

12. Apply a full amount of lipstick.

13. Lip gloss is optional in the full part of the lips.

14. Spray with Motives 10 years younger setting spray

For more details or demonstrations contact Your Colours and style