FlatterFashion

This journal hasn't been updated in over a year! Wow! I hope that we can get this place to look a bit more lively.

I'm a college student who was accepted into a program to work in Washington, DC, as a reporter for a news paper (we're still feuding over which one - exciting times none the less!)

I am going to start compiling pictures/details of clothes that I purchase for this new position. I'm going to go for classy professional - but not too girly because it is a Big Dog world out there. No yappy puppies invited.

So what are some thoughts as to what this might look like?

happy halloween!
in a couple of days i will post a picture or two of the costume that kept me away.

in the meantime, you know those sleeveless shirts where the neckline goes under your arm on one side, and over your shoulder on the other? diagonal-like. i don't really understand them. i've seen my sisters wear them (relatively similar body types), but when i've tried they make me feel like a football player. they somehow seem to both broaden my shoulders and thicken my waist. i'm wondering if the effect would be the same in a dress, if the neckline was more drape-y. any ideas?

I am running around frantically trying to put my Halloween costume together. i am actually making my shoes, which is perhaps a bit too ambitious.

i wanted to briefly post this link: (open in new window)
i think it's the best article i've come across so far. i especially like the neckline styles section, because it shows the different types of necklines on the same form, so you can see the different effects for yourself.

i think i'm actually going to try doing this myself- but in more detail. for example, how do subtle changes in the neckline affect the look? anyhow, that'll be a project.
now back to my shoes!

I came across an article about aging beauty and fashion. it struck me, because it reminded me of someone i knew.


I had a boss, relatively recently, who was one of those middle-aged powerful types; i've always had a theory about that generation in business- often the female owners take on this powerful bitch persona, i'm assuming because they come from a time when women just didn't make it high up in the business world. compensating, in other words. she was 50 something, beautiful, short, nice figure; she'd had some kind of work done definitely (boobs and botox, i think). she took herself very seriously, and was terrifying for some of the employees. fortunately i'd had a boss before her, of a similar but less extreme type, so i didn't cower in her presence.
she wore trendy clothing (trendy in the mass pop culture way- ie, she was a designer handbag knockoff freak), but her look was far too youthful. she always wore a miniskirt. micro mini, sometimes.
the thing was, it was sad to watch. she wanted dignity, but it eluded her. she would set herself up so high, and then she'd accidentally showcase her underwear at the staff party, or have a tremendous fall at a large function in front of business associates, largely due to her ultra-high heels. or get too drunk and sloppy. she desperately wanted class, youth, and respect- but it was so transparent. she was scary enough that nobody would dare laugh at her embarassments, but that made it even more obvious.

while she was a drag to work for, and i didn't much care for her constant attempts at intimidation, i kind of liked her. but mainly because i could see her humanity behind the facade. i mean, the structure of the company seemed to be based around her insecurities.


anyways, back to the article.
in Clothing and Fashion for Older Women, it points out just that: dressing too youthfully is transparent. it just highlights your age. The article also quotes a British saying that i liked, "mutton dressed as lamb." a bit catty, but fair point.
i'm not saying that at 50 we have to go to high-waisted, pleated, tapered pants, but class is probably a better aspiration than 'young and sexy'. older women can look incredibly sexy (and in a way us young gals could never acheive- the sexiness that comes with experience), but it has to be dignified. there's nothing i admire more than an older women who is rock solid in who she is and where she's at- for me, the epitomy of class. it makes me look forward to getting older.

in buttery goodness, lindsoriah made some great points about how fading and seamlines can create shape. i would love to see more of this.

generally speaking, princess and diagonal seams are more slimming, while curved seams can add shape (where and how they're curved affects what shape they add).

any veterans who can add some seam tips?

I think there's something we need to establish, as it's so integral to the point of this community.

how do we want to look?

i mean, there's a million answers- and they don't all have to be 'tall and skinny'.
whether or not we prefer a skinny, boyish figure, or an hourglass figure, or a fuller figure, etc- depends on the current trends, our personal preferences, and what our own bodies look like (there seems to be a divide between people who prefer their own body type, and people who prefer any body type but their own).
i would tend to assume that we would like to make the most of the bodies we were born with. there's no point lamenting about having big/small hips, if nothing short of a hip replacement will change that. i find all sorts of different features attractive, especially if they're displayed with confidence and grace (i don't mean grace in terms of graceful, but rather, as in living in grace).

i guess i want to say that we will always disagree on some things. i, personally, don't care for humongous boobs- but they are the most worshipped body part of our popular culture- see, already a disagreement. i just want to express that for me, this is not about a judgement, and more about helping each other acheive the look we like, within realistic perameters. i think a big reason why i don't like humongous boobs is because a lot of women don't know how to wear them well- and there's not a lot of clothes out there catered to women with big boobs who don't want to look like they just got off shift at hooters. again, a personal preference- i don't like the hooters look.

but then there'll always be features we want to enhance and minimize. if i love my collarbone, i'm going to like the way i look in things that draw attention to it. if i feel less thrilled about my pudgy tummy, then i will enjoy styles and seam lines that draw attention away from it. if i'm a designer, i'd like to know how to address such common concerns, and incorporate that knowledge into my designs. and these objectives are what i hope to acheive from this project.

oh, and by the way, i don't want to exclude men either, though it might be inevitable. i would love to see stuff about men's fashion. men are so neglected!

love, me.

I'm so excited about the interest we've received so far- which confirms for me that this is a resource we need. Not to mention I've been searching the internet for tips beyond the cliche (for example, pinstripes make you look taller) and there just isn't a lot out there.

I found this one this morning: to make your legs look longer, wear high heels with flared jeans that completely cover them.
I'm not sure what I think about this one. I mean, I love the jeans with heels look, but are we just getting silly? heck, why not buy ultra-long flared jeans and some platform drag queen heels... so long as your hem is dragging on the sidewalk, everyone will think your legs are 8 inches longer.

i'm going to drafting theory class tonight, and i can't wait to quiz my prof for something a bit more practical. speaking of which, i spent my homework day (yesterday) setting this up instead of, well, doing my homework... so i've got to go... RIGHT NOW. =)

by the way, thanks for all the great response and kind words!