BE YOUR OWN MUSE ...

"NOTHING MAKES A WOMAN MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN BELIEF THAT SHE IS BEAUTIFUL." SOPHIA LOREN

How you present yourself to the world is important:

A woman's confidence is captivating, it is powerful and does not fade and that is endlessly more interesting than beauty. She may not be the most stunningly gorgeous women I have ever seen, but she has a way about her that can make her one of the most intriguing. I will watch as she moves with poise and self-possession. She is not usually the one in the plain black dress. She is the one in the interesting shirt and the vintage skirt, and I  immediately want to know where she got them.

The first and most important step is developing style that projects this kind of confidence. The kind of confidence that tells others you respect yourself, love yourself and dress up for yourself and nobody-else.  ‘You are your own muse ‘. Style comes from knowing who you are and who you want to be in the world .It does not come from wanting to be somebody else or wanting to be thinner, shorter, taller, prettier. Many of the most stylish women in the world have not been great beauties, but they have all drawn from an enormous amount of self –confidence. They made us think they were beautiful simply by believing it themselves. They did not let anyone else define them: they defined themselves. When a woman embraces her “imperfections”, they can become her greatest strengths ,definers of her character and spirit . When she plays up her weaknesses and draws you to her flaws, she makes them special, attractive and even enviable.

Your beauty should be fueled from something inside of you ,that doesn’t mean you don't care about your looks but it shows you comfortable in your skin  and who  you are .Think Lauren Hutton and her gap toothed smile .Think Frida Kahlo and her unibrow. Think Barbra Streisand and her  Grecian nose .  Noni Gasa known for her freckles on her face .These women are an example of imperfection turned to her greatest strength .

                                                                    Lauren Hutton 

Frida Kahlo 

                                                                                                                                                                              Barbra Streisand

Noni Gasa 

What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language. - Miucca Prada

The instant language is much smarter than it gets credit for at times .They are just clothes, shoes, and bags, you could say. And people do say it, day after day. But I think they are more than just clothes, shoes and bags .They are a large part of a woman’s character and tell us a bit of her story without saying a word.

I personally have always found women with amazing style are powerful ,intriguing and yes even intelligent . They know who they are and what they want to project upon the world . These women understand that what they put on in the morning is the first thing people notice about them . It tells the world a bit of their story. And ,more important, their clothes affect how they feel about themselves throughout the day .When you choose according to you inner muse, you will project an aura of confidence and self – assuredness that nobody else can touch .

I was not ugly .I might never be anything for men to lose their heads about ,but I need never again be  ugly. If you were healthy ,fit and well dressed ,you could be attractive .

Strive to be your own Muse …

#TheMissShortieCampaign

WARDROBE PLANNING :

The keys to having the ideal wardrobe is to have a thorough understanding of your lifestyle, some planning and editing and learning how to maintain it. It’s  not necessary to have a large quantity of clothes to be well dressed, as long as you have acquired the skill of mixing and matching elegantly.

I’ve always been envious of those who have a clear vision of their personal (clothing) style and the appropriate edited wardrobe , at  any one time I will have a couple of different sizes of clothing and if not plentiful styles, more than one. Every time I think of having a huge clean out I think ‘ what if I change my mind’.

And I’m constantly thinking of ways I can streamline my wardrobe into its most perfect and purest form, without actually getting rid of anything.

I enjoyed Euro Chic’s post recently where she went through her wardrobe, listing under the bottoms which tops go. This seems a good place to start, and shoes too I think. Different shoes go with different bottoms.

How do you know if your wardrobe works for you?

Do You Often Feel like You've Got Nothing to Wear?

A wardrobe does not work if you find yourself often in these situations: guide to a basic wardrobe

Taking a long time to get dressed (past forty five minutes).

In a constant state of "I don't have anything to wear".

After you get dressed, you leave the house feeling insecure and don't feel good about yourself.

You wish you were wearing something else but it was in the wash.

You wonder what your friend will think of you because you are wearing the same outfit the last time you met her.

You find it hard to match your clothes, bags and accessories.

You have a random pair of shoes/bags/pair of earrings that never get worn because they never go with anything you have.

You find yourself shopping for a new outfit whenever you have to go to an event.

You don't feel appropriately dressed (because you have nothing else).

You have a feeling that what you are wearing are too worn out and should not seen outside the house.

Analyzing your wardrobe

As you look at what you have, you may find you have too many of something, for example, a pair of stilettos when you only wear them once a week for cocktails, and not enough of linen pants for your elegant casual weekend. You may want to further categorize your clothes into categories, 'Work Wardrobe', 'Weekend Wardrobe', 'Cocktails/Dates Wardrobe' etc.

The purpose of this 'Guide to a basic wardrobe' exercise is to know what you have.

E.g.

·        

·      Career/Work Wardrobe

           Daytime Wardrobe

·         Evening Cocktails, Elegant Gowns

·         Sportswear

·         Housedress (what you wear at home)

·         Negligees (what you wear to bed)

Mapping Out your wardrobe:

The guide to a basic wardrobe is to map out your wardrobe.

If you work five days a week, you could have possibly 5 to 15 outfits. (Note that outfits refer to combinations, so actual pieces of clothing could be less, though not necessarily.)

Your weekend wardrobe can range from having 8 to 12 outfits. A different outfit for every weekend for about two months!

If work from home, you can wear a few 'uniform' pieces, white blouses, skirts, capris or sleeveless dresses making 5 outfits.

These wardrobe guidelines are not absolute, but you may wish to map out your own guidelines and structure your wardrobe.

After mapping things out, compare them to your current wardrobe and fill in the blanks. Once that is done

Organizing Your Basic Wardrobe:

Separating them into sections for different activities help you get dressed better and quicker.

Some ideas:

Have different drawers for different categories of clothes.

Buy five pink satin hangers and use them to separate your clothes into sections

Make a Lookbook

Some of you are extremely creative and as long as you have sufficient options, you can whip out a fabulous new outfit. Others, you may not have the time in the morning to do trial-and-error in front of your mirror. Whether or not you are creative, a look book is effective. It enables you to 'see' the outfit before trying it on. It minimizes efforts to 'put things back'.

A few different ways to create look books

Take a snapshot of yourself whenever you are wearing an outfit you feel good in.

Take a snapshot of everything you own and put them into categories. When you are mixing and matching, flip the look book, take out those photos and 'match' them together.

What actually made me think about my wardrobe as a concise collection was planning what to wear when I go away on a trip. When I traveled to my cousin’s wedding I flew there, so I had to take only what I would definitely be wearing (as opposed to driving there, when you can pack everything including the kitchen sink).This necessitates a plan, what am I doing for each day and what should I wear, right down to accessories. My plan now is to do this for my everyday wardrobe, which will be a little bigger, granted, but a cohesive look that I want to portray to the world.

# Coletterie

#Wardrobe Architect

#MissShortieCampaign .. 

HOW TO LOOK EXPENSIVE

I love thinking about the concept of dressing yourself in a way that conveys wealth and class in an old-fashioned sense.  Of course even money is no guarantee you will look good.  As we all know, extremely rich people can still look cheap.  There are plenty of walking testimonies, celebrity or otherwise, that you can look tacky even having spent plenty.  And there are those without much money but an innate sense of their own style who can look fabulously upmarket.

So what are the elements that make someone look quietly expensive?  Just for fun, here are my favorite ideas, gathered from internet searches over time, and also my own notes on when I feel good.  I have a few posts planned on this topic, with this first one focusing on our personal style.

Firstly, I think color plays a big part.  To me, ‘expensive’ colors are neutrals, worn together.  Think a whole outfit in tones of caramel and cream.  Black and off-white or black and caramel are very stylish too.  In general black, navy, winter white, beige or caramel and red, and adding soft, muted tones of blush pink, sea-foam green, Tiffany blue and other such shades depending on what suits your coloring.  Colors I do not think are luxurious and wealthy are the lurid brights – neon pink, bright purple, yellow, orange.  Especially when paired with black.  I remember Trinny and Susannah saying once that putting black with a bright colour makes both look cheap.

Fabric-wise, I always think woven, or structured knits look more expensive.  Going the other way are floppy t-shirt knits or floaty boho type clothing.  Again, this is my personal taste in clothing coming out, but I always feel more pulled together in a pressed shirt and dark fitted jeans or a semi-fitted dress with simple lines.Wearing classic styles, I consider to whisper money.  Luckily I love the classics and never feel more at home in a pair of well-cut jeans and a white shirt (to me, the Hamptons look), or in tailored black pants and a tuxedo front shirt or flattering black top with high heels if dressing up.Shoe-wise, I love the classics too – the black leather ballet flat, white or navy canvas Converse sneakers.  A perfectly pointed stiletto heel never goes out of fashion.  I always think chunky heels make a leg look chunky, even on skinny starlets.  Wedges ditto but there are some very cute wedges out there that are a bit finer, not so extreme that look pretty and well-bred.

Consider where you are going.  When I visit a dear friend in an old money part of town, I love dressing up in my most classic outfits, clothing I imagine I might wear if I lived there.  Without fail I always feel richest in my classic clothing.Take notes on what others are wearing when you visit wealthy areas.  There is nothing I love more than (after dressing up) than taking a stroll around the shops, maybe try on some clothing or just have a look through the stores in fancy areas.  I notice the outfits and details others are wearing on the streets.  Funnily enough I am more interested in what the older ladies are wearing, I don’t know what’s up with that.  There is a different vibe in wealthy areas.  I like to absorb it and take it home with me.

Wearing big sunglasses I think imparts an air of mystery and glamour.  I have gotten out of the habit over winter but need to polish my favorite ones and start wearing them every day.  Plus they protect your eyes from the sun, which is important for both the eyes themselves, and also preventing wrinkles.  I adore aviators too, they look very luxe to me.

Attending to grooming is très important.  Even when at home by myself, and especially when out.  I have been perfecting my grooming regime over time, and by making myself do it even when I couldn’t be bothered it’s now become a habit. I always wear perfume, even on a home day!  I wear it for me, so I am never without it.  Currently I enjoy having a variety to choose from , you can mix and you will come up with a great smell. For makeup, the wealthy look is less or  no makeup look, with not too much around the eyes.  A polished, natural glow, and a bit of bronze.  Being so fair, I always look too orange with bronzer (even pale ones), which is a shame as I love the look on others.  So I go the peaches and cream route with a tiny amount of foundation and concealer, a dusting of translucent powder, pinky blush and glossy lips.  Groomed brows and a little eyeliner and mascara completes my look.As I said before, even when I am at home I wear perfume and a little makeup (less than if I’m going to work).  Somehow it affects the way I act and how efficient I am throughout the day.  Even though I can’t see myself unless I pass a mirror, I feel like less of a slob!

Lastly is jewelry.  Keeping my real jewelry very clean ensures its sparkle and therefore the wealthy look.  If you don’t have jewelry cleaner, dish-washing liquid and a clean toothbrush will make it look beautiful.  Use on gold and all precious stones except for emeralds.  I squirt a tiny amount of dish wash on the toothbrush, clean my ring or necklace (including the chain) carefully and then rinse in warm water and dry.  You will be amazed how good they look.  Pearls just need a polish with a soft cloth and plenty of wear, as the oils in your skin keep them nice.Actually, clean is probably is one of the biggest things in looking expensive.  Think pristine light colored clothing, just-washed bouncy hair, sparkling jewelry and polished, clean shoes.

So what i'm saying its not always about the label ,grooming is important first and be smart about your shopping :

1.       Get everything tailored. And while you're shopping, keep in mind that the simpler the garment, the easier (and cheaper) it is to tailor.

2. Only wear pieces in "like new" condition.

If you see a stain and you can't get it out yourself, immediately take it to a dry cleaner to see what they can do. If nothing can be done, donate it. If you see a loose thread or button, or a ripped seam, just deal with it. If you notice it, other people will too.

3. Stop washing your stuff so much!

You want to keep everything clean, but washing it is not the answer. Washing clothes wears down the fabrics and fades the colours, making them look old and cheap. If you get a mark on a piece of clothing, spot clean it with a sponge or toothbrush. If something starts to smell, stick it in the freezer for the night. Yes, the freezer thing really does work. Try it, already!

4. Keep it simple.

Start by buying simpler stuff on the cheap end — no jeweled embellishments or pleated tops or distressed and whiskered denim, since details like these are really hard to do well on a budget. Beyond that, you may want to consider streamlining your look as a whole. For example, don't stack three cheap little bracelets to try to make them more impact. Just wear one bracelet that is the thickness you actually want. Before you leave the house, ask yourself: "How can I make this outfit sleeker?"

5. Invest in expensive statement pieces and trend items, and save on basic, versatile pieces and "timeless classics."

High-low is all the rage, but most people are doing it wrong. Don't spend R3000 on a pair of black leather pumps that you could get for cheaper . The fact is, both shoes are going to wear out before you are done with them and it is doubtful that anyone, including you, would be able to tell the difference between the cheap shoes and the expensive ones anyway.

Save your money for the attention-grabbing trend items that will become the focus of your outfit anyway.

6. Choose black over brown.

Browns and other warm, earthy colors like mauve and olive often end up looking dingy and sad when they are used in prints and low-quality materials, like the kinds cheap clothes are often made of. Instead, focus on black and white and really saturated colors that feel bright and crisp, like bold pastels and deep, rich jewel tones.

7. Create a smooth silhouette under your clothes.

Bra lines and visible panty lines are distracting and make your clothes look flimsy and ill-fitting. The problem is, most cheap clothes are flimsy and ill-fitting, but a well-fitted bra, a slip, or a little lightweight shape wear can minimize those bumps and distractions, and make your clothes look instantly more luxe.

What else would you add to this list?

#MissShortieCampaign .

THE MISS SHORTIE CAMPAIGN ...

SHE IS BACK >>>

This campaign is going to illustrate her journey and experiences in the fashion world and her lifestyle. She has been in the industry for over 7 years and throughout the years, she has learnt a lot about style and being fashion forward.

“I also learnt that it’s not about following trends but it’s about being aware of your body type and what will work well for you. The mistake most women make is looking at their favorite idols and wanting to be like them instead of embracing who they are and what will work for them”

Every individual is different and she believes that style is about discovering it for yourself and not letting someone else determine it for you.

When it comes to fashion, Miss Shortie’s key words are: style, elegance and class. “That’s what appeals to me about a woman, I'm not taken by looks but your confidence and how you carry yourself is important. Being comfortable in your own skin is key.”

Her biggest fashion idols? Coco Chanel, Victoria Beckham and Jada Pinkett Smith. These are diverse, unique women who are not afraid to break the rules in order to define themselves. They carry themselves with strength and dignity that is inspiring.

To kick of the campaign, Miss Shortie simply says, “nothing makes a woman more beautiful than belief that she is indeed beautiful,be your own muse”

A big shout out and thank you to the man begin the campaign, Mr. Motlatsi Maomela.

Be sure to check out http://shortie-wwwmissshortie.blogspot.com/ as exciting things will be happening!!

Let the journey begin

Photography: Motlatsi Maomela 

Make Up: Chele Sidambe 

Features Writer: Malebo Moloto 

#MissShortieCampaign