Shop With Style

A girl might think that the most important article of clothing she could wear is a fancy shirt, or a pricey pair of jeans, or even a killer pair of shoes. But a woman will tell you that the most important article of clothing in your wardrobe is unequivocally a really well-fitting bra. In fact, wearing the wrong bra can actually make you look fat! But worry no more…we’re here to explain how the wrong bra can be effecting you, and what you can do to fix it.

How does your bra make you look fat?

• Your boobs are hiding your waist – When your bra is ill-fitting or sagging, your boobs will sag. Since the smallest part of your torso is the area just below your chest and just above your bellybutton, how is anyone supposed to see it with your boobs hanging in the way?
• Your too–small bra is creating the appearance of extra fat rolls – A bra that is too small around the band will dig into your back. No matter how skinny you are, trust us, that too-small band will create fat rolls on either side of it. And if your cups are too small, your boobs will be pushed out above, below, and out the sides, again creating rolls of fat.
• Your bra is causing your clothes look too tight – You know how frustrating it is to try on a shirt, only to face the mirror and see gaps and gaping? You try on a larger size, only to face the mirror and now see the shirt looking sloppy on you. 9 times out of 10, it’s not the shirt…it’s the bra.

So how can you fix the bra conundrum?

• STOP…FIXATING…ON…SIZE – So what if you wore a perfect 34C in high school. Does the rest of you still look the same as you did in high school? So why would you think your bra size would still be a perfect 34C? The main reason why women wear the wrong bra size is because they have a stigma in their head about going up a size or two. Stop thinking in terms of a “bra size” and start thinking in terms of “a bra that fits, size-schmize”!
• Get properly sized – You might be thinking…”I can’t afford to get sized.” But guess what? You’re wrong. Many lingerie departments in department stores have trained their sales people to size bras properly. You can also get free sizing in some stores, like Victoria’s Secret. So be sure to ask to be sized when out bra shopping! It’s one of the most important factors in looking better in your clothes!
• Take a deep breath, and make the investment – Aside from the size-stigma, the second biggest reason why women cling to their life-long bra mistakes is that they don’t want to spend the money for a really good, really well-fitting bra. Stop thinking your bra is unimportant just because it’s unseen! Again, this is where you need to shift your priorities. Your bra needs to be on par with your outerwear, or with any other purchase in fact, clothing or not, in terms of you forking out money. A good bra fits and holds up better because it is a better made bra. It is an investment. One you will never regret!

You have never been afraid of trying new styles and trends. After all, you know better than to judge any outfit from how it looks on the hanger. The only problem is, once you’ve tried on that fierce top and you’ve fallen in love with it, how do you know what type of jewelry will compliment it, not distract from it? Matching a necklace to a neckline is all about creating a visually similar line. Fashion is a balancing act, with all the little individual pieces coming together to bring out the best in you, so let’s take a look at winning top/jewelry combos that will be guaranteed to hit all the right notes!

First, consider the occasion. You need to figure out if your chosen jewelry is not only appropriate for the neckline of your top, but also for where you plan on going. You may find that your great Grandma’s pearl and diamond necklace looks amazing with that top…but is it really practical for a weekend trip to the zoo with your 3 year old nephew who loves to grab things and pull them until they break? Probably not.

Once you decide the occasion, you can move on to the fun stuff…accessorizing!

Type of top: Turtleneck

Perfect jewelry for it: A longer chain or pendant, or layers of those

Reason: If you wear a shorter necklace it will tend to make your neck look shorter and thicker.

Type of top: Crew

Perfect jewelry for it: Bib or collar necklace

Reason: The length will hit right at the neckline of the shirt and mimic its shape, making it look aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Type of top: Scoop

Perfect jewelry for it: Shorter chains and pendants with some bulk and width to them, like a chandelier bib necklace

Reason: The scoop will expose a little more skin, providing a blank canvas for your necklace. A necklace with more bulk to it will also help to keep you from appearing over exposed.

Type of top: Strapless

Perfect jewelry for it: Choker or short pendant

Reason: Adds visual interest and splits the attention so all the focus won’t be on your cleavage.

Type of top: One shoulder/Asymmetrical

Perfect jewelry for it: There are two camps of opinions here. Some say avoid a necklace altogether and go with long, dangling earrings, while some say wear a necklace that is asymmetrical in design itself.

Reason: Most tend to let the top speak for itself and opt for earrings.  Reason being, the neckline of an asymmetrical top is visually interesting enough, and not overly revealing, so it can stand on its own.

Type of top: Collard button-up

Perfect jewelry for it: Short pendant

Reason: If you keep the necklace above the area where the buttons meet, you can avoid a messy look. The shorter, dangling pendant can still be seen, and mimics the shape created by the top, which is visually appealing.

Type of top: V-neck

Perfect jewelry for it: V-shaped dangling pendants or chandelier necklaces

Reason: You can safely add a v-shaped necklace that falls about an inch above the neckline of the top. This will mimic the shape of the neckline and elongate the look of your torso.

Type of top: Square

Perfect jewelry for it: Square or angular pendants

Reason: The straight lines of angular pendants will compliment the neckline of the top, adding even more visual interest.

Type of top: Cowl

Perfect jewelry for it: A short pendant or opt for earrings instead

Reason: A cowl neckline already has a lot going on with the folds of material, so a necklace might make it look too messy. It’s safer to stick with longer earrings.

Type of top: Sweetheart

Perfect jewelry for it: Longer drop pendant, Y-shape, lariat, or delicate v-shaped bib

Reason: The sweetheart neckline is one of the most popular shapes for wedding dresses. While you can pull off a shorter, simple necklace (like a single strand of pearls), you might instead want a necklace with a drop pendant…something to mimic the downward point of the neckline.

It’s easy to get into a rut with wearing jewelry. Day in, day out, it’s sometimes just easier to keep the same pieces on…or off… whichever the case may be. Either way, your style can begin to suffer, and you can quickly get bored with accessorizing. That’s the last thing we want to happen! You’ve got so much fabulousness inside you ready to come out…and these suggestions will help to get your creative ideas flowing again!

• Geometric – Geometric shapes are huge right now, and there are lots of options out there. Triangles, pyramids, even a chunky plain band can look modern and geometrical. You can also arrange the rings by thinking geometrically, by keeping the larger rings to your pointer, thumb, and pinky finger, while wearing thinner rings on your middle and ring fingers. Think symmetry and balance.
• Colored stones – Not necessarily working off of colors in your outfit (although that would look fierce too) another fresh way to wear rings is to pile on the color. Think gemstones, pearls, even turquoise (which is another massive trend right now). Different sizes and shapes and hues of the same color. Talk about a statement!
• One color metal – This is one of the fastest and easiest ways to make an impact with your accessories…but we’re not talking just one or two rings. No way! For this trick to wow you’ve got to wear multiple pieces, varying sizes and shapes, but all one color metal. Yellow gold, rose gold, copper, silver…your choice. And if you want to double up on the stylishness, pair yellow and rose gold or copper with clothes in warm, Fall hues (brown, rust, tan)…and pair cooler colored clothes (black, grey, white) with silver, gunmetal, or black tungsten or titanium.
• Mixed metal – In a similar idea as the above, this look involves mixing rings of varying shapes and sizes in differing finishes… shiny and brushed, silver, yellow and rose gold hues. Make sure you incorporate both thick and thin rings so that the difference in texture and finish can really stand out!
• Mad for midis – Yes, another definite trend are midi rings. Most midis are quite thin, but there are so many shapes and sizes, some open, some connected to another ring worn further up the finger. Layer them together, wear them on every finger, or every other finger. The more you wear, the bigger the statement.
• Stacked – Another one of the most flattering and fashionable ways to accessorize with rings is to stack them. You can even mix bold and modern with delicate and feminine designs. Also, wearing multiples of thin rings stacked together is a fab way to layer interest into your look without it being overpowering.