Sweaters and jumpers are one of the most easy-to-purchase garments for most of us. Every season there are new appealing styles and colors on display in windows, which is very helpful as it allows you to always find your perfect piece. Though, this endless choice can also be backfiring, as an unwise purchase can cut down your style in minutes. In this post, we will cover together some useful tips to make the most appropriate choice, boosting your style and flattering your figure. . In particular, it’s essential to pay some attention when buying inexpensive clothes as – when the quality of the fabric is not a top one – it’s important to make a wise choice to achieve an impeccable appearance at no cost. Here are some simple tricks: When possible, give preference to low necklines. Not only is a low neckline more flattering for most figures, helping to slenderize the silhouette, it also makes a poor quality blend less perceptible, thanks to the fact that the fabric remains far from your face. . When buying inexpensive knits, opt for neutral shades: cheap, bold-colored jumpers seldom look chic, whereas if you pick out the same sweater in an ageless hue (be it blue, black, gray, or white), this will […]

As encountered in the previous post, a fun and useful way to achieve an interesting and stylish look is swapping the purchase of unnecessary garments with making something new out of an article you already own and don’t use anymore. In this post, I will show you some easy and quick makeovers I myself did to some garments. You can be inspired and do something similar, or go ahead and make something even more creative – it’s up to you! To begin with, I’ll show you one of my most successful makeovers: the renovation of a jersey dress that I had never worn. This garment, I must admit it, was quite an unwise purchase, also due to the fact that I bought this summer dress in January, which made it impossible to realize not only that the color and print were not the most appropriate for summer, but also that the style was totally unflattering. . As you can see in the picture on the left (before makeover), the neckline style enlarges my bust and my whole figure, and the same did the small sleeves. It was enough to cut a lower neckline and remove the sleeves to achieve a totally different outcome! Sure, the color still remains not exactly “summer-like” […]

Buying something new is always very appealing for most woman, and I have to admit that I’m no exception – I love the thrill of the chase of lovely, flattering items. Though, as I’m perfectly aware that regularly purchasing new pieces (even if well-made and low-priced) can quickly turn into a chocked-full closet, most of the times I have to slow down my hunting instinct, which is not always that easy. Therefore, recently I’ve come up with a very effective and fun way to turn my “I-need-something-new” mood into a more profitable mindset, and in this post, I’m going to share it with you. The trick mainly lies in swapping your shopping fever with making something new out of an old garment you already own – and that you don’t wear anymore because of its style/color/size. . You surely have in your closet lots of unworn, unloved items. Articles you bought because they were the latest fad (that was over after a couple of months) / the salesman told you looked so slim in it / you were hit on your head the previous day and didn’t realize what you were doing. Well, from now on, you can make the most of your unworn garments in a useful and fun way. […]

Whimsical accessories (bags in particular) are a perfect option if you want to look stylish and chic at the same time. Garments with too-fancy styles can be quite difficult to match in a faultless way. Conversely, accessories allow you to have fun with whimsical colors and designs in a totally safe way as they can easily be used to dress up your baseline staples. A popping bag can liven up a monochromatic, dark ensemble, and the same goes for accessories in some fancy designs. . These pieces can also be purchased in budget-friendly stores, and for this reason, they are one of the most easy-to-purchase items for most of us. Though, some doubt may arise when it comes to storing all of your fancy bags. As we don’t carry them on a daily basis, they frequently end relegated to the bottom of our closet only to wind up being forgotten—even though they might be just the thing we’re looking for a special evening. . Also, if you didn’t properly store them, they can easily be damaged – which means that when you can find your missing bag, you only end up with a slouchy item that is only suitable for the bin. Here is where some interior design tricks can help. . Surprisingly […]

Fall is almost here, with its warm shades and soft textures. Vibrant colors slightly turn to more subdued tones, and we start fine-tuning our mood to the new season. In the past days, taking advantage of the lovely weather, I’ve had a walk around to browse what’s on display in stores, and the good news is that this season, there are many lovely styles that are trendy while remaining timeless. I’m talking about both designs and colors that happen to be “in style” this year – pieces that are stylish and classic at the same time. So take advantage of it, as they will always look good on you no matter the trends – instead of only winding up with some trendy-but-not-so-tasty hue of the latest fad. Deep green, for instance, is back in fashion, and this is a very good thing because this classic and versatile tonality lends itself to countless pairings and is suitable for many skin types. . Deep, dark-neutral colors and textured fabrics as well are totally fashionable, offering an interesting alternative to hum-drum smooth black – plus, they offer a bigger choice when it comes to picking out the tonality most suitable for your skin tone. . On the other hand, it’s better to avoid pastel colors (unless your […]

Here we go! We’ve been working hard during summer months, and now we’re glad to welcome you back from holidays with our brand-new book, “101 Ways to Look Expensive on a Budget” – a manual that, as the title promises, will allow you to become the most sophisticated version of yourself with the help of lots of inexpensive hints and tricks. (and it’s already No.1 on Amazon.com in “New releases in Style and Clothing”! Thank you, my chic friends!!!) As I frequently point out in my posts, looking expensive and glamorous is not a matter of money. Neither is looking expensive a matter of time. Time and money alone could, in fact, totally backfire. If you have lots of time (and money) to spend, but no plan at all, you can easily wind up with tons of useless stuff that’s just adding clutter to your closet—which is just the opposite of chic. Looking expensive and sophisticated while still remaining on-budget is a skill, and—like any other skill—it can be learned. . I’ve learned this from personal experience as, for many years, I was lucky enough to have my self-run architectural office based in one of the most ancient buildings in the middle of the historic center of Florence. The palace […]

Platforms, frequently used by most of us in order to get some extra inches in height (or just because they’re more comfortable than classic heels), are indeed quite tricky if you want to get a flattering outcome. Not only they are not chic, but they can have a totally counterproductive effect on your figure (as you can clearly see in the picture below), making you look more robust despite the fact that they are usually worn to look taller and thus, hopefully, slimmer. . Even if this may sound surprising (and totally unfair!), instead of adding some inches in height, most platforms add them in width and are therefore only suitable for those of us who are already very tall (and not all of them, either), as height decreases heel-to-leg disproportion and camouflages the platform, making it look lower. If you have an average height, a thick platform just weighs down your legs. This is particularly true when talking about dark shoes, and about winter footwear. In summer, though, things can be different, as, when wearing sandals that leave the foo partially uncovered, the backfiring effect of the platform is less perceptible, and this is especially true when picking out colors similar to your skin tone. . Though, pay attention […]

This summer one of the main fashion trends are straw accessories, which is a very good thing as these lovely items not only can be entirely flattering, but they also can be bought for just a few bucks still delivering an impeccable and chic outcome. For all these reasons, straw accessories are perfect pieces to stock up on when shopping summer sales, thanks to the fact that they can be easily worn (and paired) even when they are not the latest trend. Furthermore, when you pick out straw articles in a color similar to your skin tone, they can also have the extra perk of making you look thinner, which makes them a timeless classic. . You can find straw articles in any range of price, from very cheap items to expensive ones. Talking from personal experience, I think that, as straw is a totally inexpensive material, it’s really not worth spending a high amount on these pieces. Also, consider that straw is quite susceptible to being damaged whatever its price, so it’s better to keep it on a budget. Conversely, choosing the proper design is essential if you want to get a polished and sophisticated outcome – and not just some average-trendy look. . As usual, it’s preferable to […]

Shorts, as seen in the previous post, in summer are suitable for all ages and body types and can be appropriate on several occasions. Plus, as every season there are new, appealing styles on display in stores, the choice in colors, designs, and patterns is practically limitless. . Though, in order to avoid being caught in the “fashion trap” only ending up with something totally unsuitable for your body type, some precaution is necessary, as well as a certain awareness of which styles are flattering, and which ones have quite an unsightly outcome. . If you want to look slimmer and thinner while enhancing the shape of your legs, an useful help comes from choosing the correct length of your shorts and Bermuda shorts. A mid-thigh length is usually the worst choice, as this does not help to make the legs looking longer. As you can clearly see in the pictures below, the mid-thigh pattern (on the left) can make your thighs look fuller while highlighting your knees, and your hips and legs look larger than they really are. . Conversely, with the “really short shorts” (on the right), the leg looks longer and the figure looks slimmer. The knee, even if uncovered, is not highlighted, and any imperfections can […]