Sunday 24 February 2013

Style advice from Jo Allen




 At Artichoke we meet lots women who exude confidence and are very comfortable in their skin whatever their shape or size. 

We also meet lots who have in some way lost their sparkle and this is when we turn to Jo Allen our local 'style guru' for advice. We are thrilled that Jo has agreed to offer some of her practical, down to earth style advice to our readers in a series of occasional posts. Advice that we can all understand and if we choose to follow.....



DON’T SLOB OUT:  Fitted, shaped clothes are always preferable to oversize tents.  Baggy clothes do nothing to define your good points – and we all have at least one good asset!  If you are curvy, wear clothes that celebrate this, not hide it.  Badly fitting clothes can add years and pounds!  Know your body shape and dress to it.  

      Do you have a defined waist?  If so, you must wear clothes that are shaped in at the waist!

·         If you have very little waist definition, don’t go for belted styles that highlight this – better to put the emphasis somewhere else – say neckline or bottom line.

·         Are you someone who is wider on the hips/bottom?  If so, keep this area plain – add lots of detailing above the waist.  

·         If you are top heavy/big-busted, try a loose open cardi over fitted tops to break up the area.

·         If you have a tummy you’d like to camouflage and want to disguise middle-age spread:-  
o   Try a jacket or overblouse, or bypass with tunic styles that hang from the shoulder. 
o   Avoid double-breasted jackets which make you look wider – opt for single-breasted
o   Divert the attention elsewhere – with necklaces.
o   Look for flat-fronted trousers which avoid adding bulk to a fuller tummy
o   Try longer skirts lengths (below the knee or to mid calf) to visually elongate the body and thus disguise fullness around the tummy and hips.
o   Try a long scarf or perhaps a tie front or waterfall cardi – this will draw the eye up and down and away from what’s hiding underneath.


 You see it is so obvious when you know how!
 You can find out more about Jo either by following her on Facebook or visiting her website

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