Impact Queens offers digital online styling services for women all over the world. We also offer master classes on women’s style issues, especially for business and for women experiencing a mid-life style crisis.
I am your blogger, Tuija K. I am a clothing style consultant, a coach and a speaker. I have been running my styling company for over 12 years in Finland. I Love my job, I put all my passion into it and I love you, my clients.
I will be writing blogs, sometimes vlogs, twice a month, and all the topics will be about current and seasonal issues for women’s clothing, what’s on and what’s new.
Our first blog is about HOW TO CHOOSE A DRESS?
I am located in Finland, in Scandinavia, and spring season is ahead of us. Right now all the stores are full of beautiful dresses for us women. They come with all shapes, colors, patterns and sizes. I do co-operation with Finland’s most famous department store Stockmann and can borrow from there all items for my photoshootings. For this first blog I decided to do the modelling myself and with my kind of Y-shape bodytype, I posed a challenge to Stockmann’s dress selection up front. Here’s some images nevertheless.
MODEL: Tuija K herself, PHOTOS: Samuel Ashraff, her son, PLACE: UMA Workspace
An appropriate length of the hemline is crucial, if you wish to stay credible in business, even if your legs below and above your knees have remained fabulous and slim. Obviously some cultural differences apply, but generally speaking we do not want any mid-life hemline causing any crisis and wish to keep the line close to the knee. Mind you, though, a five centimeter too long of a hemline adds five more years to the wearer. Let’s just be vigilant with the length of the hemline.
There are plenty of choices for tunics nowadays and they are comfortable choices to hide all the mid-life extras around the navel area. However, these tunics cause major problems because their length is somewhere between a blouse and a dress. I typically do not recommend the use of leggings, but sometimes the leggings are a good choice with a longer tunic. A far safer option is to use slim-fit trousers instead.
The style of the dress should follow your personal style genre e.g. classic, romantic, city chic etc., and secondly the use of it, the reason why you are buying it. If you are purchasing a new dress for business purposes, do not make compromises on its quality and looks. In business you act as a walking business card and thus your image and style should represent the business you are in. Do not underestimate the power of looks but don’t over-do it either.
Materials play a vital role in how the dress drapes down and in the dress’s style itself. Best materials are breathable and wrinkle-free made of natural fibres like high quality wool, or made of polyamide that uses man-made fibre, but the knit is of natural form. Polyamide is the material for business dresses, tops and blouses. Try to avoid polyester and viscose as the former is pure plastic and lets no steam vent out, and the latter is all natural fibres, but often looks wrinkled and cheap. High quality cotton is a great material, especially for shirt dresses, but tend to get wrinkled as well.
When choosing a dress, make sure it brings out all the beautiful qualities in your body. If you have a true X-body type, let it enhance your waistline. If your legs are to be celebrated, let them show in an appropriate way with the right kind of heel height and shoe type (avoid the granny type pumps at all cost). Always choose a dress that has a neckline to counterbalance your facial features and your chest.
In the photo below there are presented dresses for other bodytypes. The first one from the left is of RED VALENTIONO spring collection named Stones and it would look great on a ’petit’ lady. Next to it is UHANA Delight -dress made of 100% silk and it would suit a very feminine A-bodytype. The bright peach mono-color dress is from the famous Finnish brand, ANDIATA, and this Julitta dress would look fabulous on a slim and tall lady. This spring shirt dresses are in fashion and they are very versatile as you can use them as long jackets with trousers as well. The one in the picture is of RUE DE FEMME collection called Betina.
All the dresses available at www.stockmann.com.
If you are wearing a tight-fitting dress, it is particularly important to wear body control shapers even if you have a very well trimmed body. Bras should always give great support and lift, and the coloring should go along the colors of the dress itself so that dark colors won’t show through light color dress.
Hosiery should be of high quality that comes evident in the knit. Also the tights, or stay-ups, should be nice to wear, their size just right for you and the tight’s waistline should be soft and comfortable. You will need to pay a little extra for these quality features, but it is well worth it.
SUMMASUMMARUM
1. Choose a dress to match your style and budget.
2. Choose colors that make you look radiant warmth and light.
3. Make sure the dress brings out your feminine beauty.
4. Remember the appropriate length of the hemline.
5. Read the care instructions for the garment.
6. Buy a couple of pairs of good quality tights or stay-ups of your choice.
7. Make sure you have well-fitting lingerie to support your looks.
8. Pay attention to the accessories to match your outfit.
Ladies, now it is time to cheer yourself up with wearing a fabulous dress!
Do it with style! Tuija K
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