Lots to Love: Dressing for your body-type

A huge component of dressing well is knowing what looks good on you. And I'm not talking about colors here. I'm talking about styles. This is something that I have had to learn over the years as my fashion-sense has grown and matured.
Now, there are some fortunate women who look great in anything they put on. They have a body type that lends itself to any outfit. Such are the women we sigh over and wish we resembled. But if God created us and created our particular body-type, then I know that He wants us to do our best to dress that body-type in the clothes that suit it. I myself am what I've termed a "Robust Hourglass." I have a waist and hips and they are defined enough, but certainly not what you'd call willow-y. :)

So let's pretend to dress up a young woman with ample curves who could even possibly stand to lose some weight. (I am one of them, so this is a lesson from my personal experience. :)

Take Example A:

She is standing kinda funny anyway, but these skinny-jeans definitely accentuate the fact that Model A is a plump person. Plus, wide-stripes running across her middle aren't that flattering. She's going for the slim look of wearing dark-bottoms, but she forgot to take into account the style of pants she ought to wear. If you have toothpick legs, by all means, wear straight-leg jeans but if you've got some to spare, try taking notes from Example B:

Haha! Look--They're standing the same way too--bonus points! {Is that the same model? Nah..don't think so.}This model, like Model A is wearing horizontal stripes. But Model B did something neat and broke up the stripes with another garment, thus directing the eyes away from the side-to-side view. I love the combination of patterns and the colors. Model B chose a really good pair of jeans for her build too. Bell-bottom, boot-cut, and flare jeans are all the best choices for a robust hour-glass figure or a pear-shape because they balance the effect of the hips by flaring out at the bottoms themselves, resulting a slimmer, more proportionate look.

Now that we've covered jeans/slacks, let's move on to skirts and dresses! Quite frankly this...

...is just not real flattering. 

It's a sheath dress and sheath dresses are generally formatted for tall, slim girls. Not the hippies. (Pun intended. ;)

I don't like short dresses anyway, but especially not on a heftier frame. I mean, honestly. It just kinda points out all the places you aren't looking your best. (And goodness--I know I keep using the same model, but she's just got every example I'm looking for, so sorry. :P) Instead, if you've got curves you ought to stick to what actually looks good on your type:

A pretty, classy skirt and blouse with a belt. Definitely flattering.

 I mean, she looks beautiful in this dress!

Maxi dresses, peasant gowns, princess dresses, Greek-inspired gowns, like the one above, longer shirt-dresses...these are made for women with our body types! Stop trying to squeeze into the teeny-tiny things that only make you feel like a sausage in a casing, and start buying things that suit your figure! I promise you that wearing something that actually fits in the right places will automatically make you feel more confident and pretty.

There are so many beautiful pieces of clothing that you can wear and that will actually be flattering...not fattening. Here are just some of my favorites I've pinned onto my Fabulous Wearables Pinterest Board. :) Pairing items of clothing like a blouse with a sweater or belt is another trick to break up the figure and draw attention away from your "problem" areas like a not-so-thin waist or plumpish arms. ;)

I absolutely love the style of this gown, though I'd personally choose a brighter color!

So, dear girls, let's all try to learn our body type and think before we wear something that just wasn't made the way we were. Each and every style of body is a beautiful creation of God and it's a responsibility of ours to present ourselves beautifully each day. Whether you were blessed to be able to wear every single style or whether you're better off choosing carefully, pick things that fit you and your type--not that the world says you ought to wear. 

We Have Our Winner! :)

I have already told you I am an old-fashioned sort of person. That means no Random.org for me when I picked the winner for the giveaway. I wrote your names down on slips of paper, one for each entry, then folded them all precisely, mixed them up in my brother's hat, and drew one. That one is the winner of this lovely necklace in Turquoise:

And you all know her as ...

........

.........

.........

Lissy-Lou!

Congratulations, dear! Just send me your contact information so I can send it to Samantha and she can send you your prize! Thanks to everyone who entered. I know I had fun hosting this blog's first giveaway, and I hope all of Feminine Fashion Week was a blast for you as it was for me! :) ~Rachel

Feminine Fashion Week: Day 7: Sugar-Plum Fairy

Wow! I simply cannot believe it's the last day of Feminine Fashion Week! I hope you have enjoyed reading the posts, seeing ideas for modest, feminine styles, reading the interviews, and entering the giveaway. [And on that note, remember that the giveaway ends tonight at midnight so you'd better hurry and enter!] I know it's been a challenge for me to put together a stylish outfit every morning and make myself look Blog-Worthy. ;) But it's been a great reminder of how a little effort can pay off big-time. :)

So without further ado I give you the last outfit in this series:

Sugar-Plum Fairy

(No, you have no idea I was sweating in this coat--it's about 70 degrees right now. :P)

I was very pleased with how my hair turned out this morning. :) I literally just took strands of my hair and rolled them on my fingers, then pinned them in place. So elegant, but rather easy, if your arms are strong enough to take the time. ;) I made the hair-flower on the spur of the moment by sticking a hairpin up the center of the flower and splaying it's points out like a brad, and then sliding a bobby-pin through the looped end of the hair-pin. :)

My lovely earrings--another Black Friday Belk find. :)

 

 The total picture. :)

(And I do apologize for always being on the porch during these shots--we have a shocking lack of picturesque places in our yard. :P)

Brown Corduroy Jacket: Thrift-store

Plum-colored v-neck shirt: Frequently Pilfered from Mama's drawer ;)

Brown woolen skirt: Thrift-store

Earrings: Belk $5.00 or so

Hair-flower: hand-made

Day Six: Feminine Fashion Week

Hey Girls. Wednesday is our huge baking day for Coastal Farms, and so I was not about to wear nice clothes. However, it would do no good for me to miss another day of Feminine Fashion Week so here you get to see me at my casual point. You girls gotta know that I don't like most pictures of myself. I am not photogenic, and I do not like most angles of me. That being said, I will show you myself. ;)

(And do pardon the lighting--it's grey as goosefeathers today.)

This shirt is not one of my favorites, but the color is pretty and I love the tiny hearts all over the collar. 

I love this skirt--it's super comfortable and so cute! :)

As you can see, I'm an infamous bare-footer. Oh well. :D

 

My earrings were a pair I bought at Walmart that were much too long for me, so I converted them and shortened them and ever since they've been some of my favorites. :)

Don't forget to enter the Giveaway girls! It closes tomorrow at Midnight, so there's not much time! :) ~Rachel

Feminine Fashion Week: Interview with Rebecca Jane :)

 I had absolutely no time at all to take pictures of today's outfit. We had our annual caroling-ministry event with our choir group where we go around to elderly friends and then a nursing home and carol to them. Then we hosted a Christmas party at our house, and thus I am picture-less. Oh well! You guys have seen quite enough of me, I'm sure. :P

Today's interview is with the lovely Rebecca of Sewing in the Past. I found her blog through another blog and since then I've enjoyed rambling through her posts. She's got such a cheerful, hopeful outlook on life! She reminds of the "cock-eyed optimist" in the song. ;) So without further ado, I give you Rebecca! :)

Rebecca Jane at the Jane Austen Convention in October. :)

1. What first inspired you to be fashionable as well as modest? It has always been a given in my family that modesty was a very important issue. It was never debated. However, it has only been in the last few years I discovered how much fun it is to dress up everyday. Not necessarily dress up in the sense of fancy clothes, but to wear something other than jeans and a t shirt. It became sort of an unspoken challenge to myself. I am constantly being inspired by fashion bloggers and outfits I see on pinterest. Trying to create fashionable outfits everyday has become a fun game for me.

2. What is your purpose in dressing modestly? I believe that dressing fashionably doesn't require short skirts and low necklines. Modesty goes hand-in-hand with fashionable clothing if you go about it the right way. Modesty is something I've been taught all my life and is something that I believe can define the person you are on the inside by the way you dress. 

3. Where do you get most of your clothes? I'm one of THE most frugal people in the world, so I have trouble spending big bucks for clothing, One of my favorite hobbies is looking for fashionable clothing in thrift stores. It's like a treasure hunt! I LOVE spending $1.50 on a sweater that would easily have been $25 in a retail store. You never know if you'll find anything, but the rewards are great when you do. I also like finding vintage dresses in antique stores.

4. What's the single biggest tip you have for girls who desire modesty and fashion in their attire? My advice for girls who desire modesty AND fashion in their attire is: "Don't give up!" I know how seemingly impossible it might feel when searching for modest clothing in today's fashions. One of my tricks is layering: undershirts under low neck-lined blouses/dresses, tights under shorts, shorts under short dresses/skirts. Not only does it add variety to your outfit...it helps you keep on top of modern trends without having to compromise your modesty.

5. How do you define modesty? I believe that modesty is to honor you body by dressing without revealing certain parts of your body that should be reserved...keeping it secret and sacred for that "special someone."

6. Do you agree with wearing make-up? (If not, do tell us a bit more about your thoughts on it!) I personally wear makeup...but not much (eyeliner, under-eye, powder, and blush). I have no problem with wearing make-up, but I definitely believe it is a choice that each person should make individually.

7. Do you believe it is important for a woman to dress well? I absolutely believe it is important for a woman to dress well. It's hard to admit, but before anyone actually meets us, we are judged by our looks, more specifically, our clothes. I love colors and patterns and like to wear as many as possible (without looking completely silly)...thus, I am usually labeled as "artsy" before anyone gets to know me (which is perfectly accurate). I also believe you should stay true to who you are when getting choosing outfits. Our clothing tells other people who we are through a single glance, be sure it's telling them about who you truly are.

8. How has dressing modestly and femininely impacted your life? Dressing modestly and femininely has definitely impacted my life. I believe that dressing in a way that pleases God is evident to the people around you. I truly believe my modest and feminine wardrobe distinguishes me from the crowd, which I believe has been a great advantage in many different situations.

 ***Bonus Round!***

A. What color-group looks good on you? Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall? Hmm...probably winter or fall.

B. What is your favorite item in your closet? My favorite items in my closet are my navy blue sailor dress I found on ebay and my new gray and white striped seater i found at goodwill for $2 (SCORE!).

C. Fashion-wise, which season is your favorite? 

My favorite season fashion-wise AND weather-wise is fall! It's cool enough for as many layers as you choose, but warm enough so you don't have to cover up cute outfits with bulky coats (even though I DO have a few amazing coats). 

D. Tell us something random about yourself!  I am absolutely obsessed with making lists. I even make lists about making lists. :)

REBECCA JANE

http://www.sewinginthepast.com/

I'm a writer. A singer. A ukulele-er. A seamstress. A blogger. A photographer. A designer. A dreamer.

But most important...a Christ follower.

Day Five: Feminine Fashion Week: "Catholic School-girl" ;)

All right. I don't like these pictures of me, but the camera battery was dying quickly and I had to take what happened with grace, even if I look terrible in these pictures. :P

So meet the outfit my aunt has termed "The Catholic School-girl"

I love my plaid. :)

Uggggg.

Moving on...

My boots. Despite my recent discovery that walking 3 miles in them is *not* comfortable, on a general day of about-town walking, they are splendid.

My vintage apple-seed necklace. I saw one of these at our county fair and was enthralled by it, having never seen such a thing in all my life. The next week or so Sarah went to a thrift store and found one for me! :)

Today's hairstyle...something rather quick and random. :)

I got this cute head-band from a hole-in-the-wall shop owned by a little Asian lady.

Blue turtle-neck sweater: Thrift store

Plaid skirt: Thrift store

Boots: Thrift store

Rhinestone headband: ^

Appleseed necklace: Thrift-store

Gracious. I seem to be the owner of only thrift-store clothes! ;) Oh well. There's nothing wrong with that! 

Remember to enter the giveaway, girls! ~Rachel

Day Four: Feminine Fashion Week

Hey Girls! Before I start today's post I wanted to remind you that the Giveaway closes Dec. 22 at 11:59 P.M. :) (I edited the post announcing it so that the info will all be on one post. :)

 Magenta Magic. ;)

 

It was finally December-ish out, and I was able to wear my cozy stuff. :D Between the hat and the top and sweater, it kept me quite warm enough.

This was taken in an attempt (I think) to show my earring. Oh well. You get a nice view of my eye. :P

Right. So that was today's outfit. Sorry I didn't have time to take any others pictures--church and all that kept me busy. :) And you don't see any shoes today because in this picture I had nothing on my feet but my brown argyle tights. :D I am infamous for going bare-foot in all seasons.

Pink Turtle-neck: Thrift-store

Gray Sweater-vest-thing: Thrift-store

Skirt: Same as yesterday

Hat: Hand-made by me, then given to Sarah, then borrowed by me.

Tights: Walmart. :)

Earrings: (not shown, but made for me by my younger brother! He has rather good taste. :)

Emariecreations Giveaway and Interview!!!

All right girls. It's the moment you've all been waiting for. It's the moment I've been waiting for.The official declaration that Emariecreations is sponsoring a giveaway for my Feminine Fashion Week.
I'm all excited and befluttered over the idea that such an illustrious personage has patronized this little ol' corner of blogdom! :D

Yes, Samantha, of the lovely shop, Emariecreations, has kindly consented to donating a lovely gift for my giveaway, and to being interviewed!  
Get ready for a double-dose of amazingness! :) 

 

 

 

Only some of the amazing things in the Emariecreations shop!

I have long admired Samantha's taste in her jewelry making. After all, have you ever seen anything cuter than these earrings?

So I was tinkled pink when she agreed to be involved with my Feminine Fashion Week! :) So get ready, y'all! Because Emariecreations has donated a gorgeous Mum Flower Necklace just like this one....

 ....only in turquoise! :) 

I know you all will want a chance to win the necklace, so here's the scoop!

Please complete the mandatory entry in one comment. Then for each bonus entry, please leave a separate comment, according to how many bonus entries you complete. (i.e. 4 entries, 4 comments)

It's not that complicated! :D

>>Mandatory Entry<<

Visit Samantha's shop and heart it, then leave a comment below telling me you did. :)

>>Extra<<

Follow this blog publicly

(4 entries! [and make sure you leave a comment for each one, please.] :)

Visit Emariecreations on Etsy.com and choose your favorite item. Then come back and leave a comment telling me which one it was!

(2 entries)

Blog about Feminine Fashion Week and this giveaway on your own blog

(4 entries. :)

Giveaway closes Dec. 22 , 2011 at 11:59 P.M.

Go ahead, girls! Let the entries begin! :) This necklace will be the perfect gift for you or a friend. :)

Now for Samantha's interview! :)

1. What first inspired you to be fashionable as well as modest?

 I fist became "inspired" to dress modestly when I was around young ladies and women who were dressing not only modestly, but beautifully as well. While I am not opposed to wearing jeans ( I wear them myself!), nothing can make you look more beautiful than a modest, yet fashionable, flowy and feminine dress or skirt. I am most definitely a lady at heart, and wearing clothes that are modest and fashionable helps me to feel refined and lovely.

2. What is your purpose in dressing modestly? I desire to dress modestly because (1) it honors God, and (2) I want to be a Christ-like example to other young ladies and my brothers in Christ. I would hate to think that the way I dressed adversely affected someone's walk with Christ.

That being said, modesty is not just something you do with your clothing. Modesty also involves the heart. You can dress modestly and still have a flirtatious, ungodly, and other worldly traits.

As young ladies we should strive to not only dress modestly, but act modestly as well.

3. Where do you get most of your clothes? I am short (5'0), so finding clothes is really hard! I actually find many of my outfits through local thrift shops.

I will most times come across an outfit that fits really well and it will be an expensive brand, but because I found it at a thrift shop it is quite affordable.

4. What's the single biggest tip you have for girls who desire modesty and fashion in their attire?

Dressing modestly does not mean that you have to wear drab clothes! If you put just a little thought into your outfits you will find that you can add beautiful and fashionably touches to any outfit. Simple pieces of pretty jewelry, scarves, feminine hair accessories and cute shoes all add a fashionable, cute touch to your outfits.

5. How do you define modesty? For me, modesty is not just about the clothes you wear. While that is a big factor, the way you act is also important.You may be outwardly wearing clothes that are modest, but if you are flirtatious, loud, etc. in your manner you won't come across as very modest. On the other hand, you can also wear immodest clothing and be respectful, thoughtful, etc. It is important to find out ways that you can be modest in both clothing and character.

6. Do you agree with wearing make-up? I personally wear makeup, though I try to keep it as minimal as possible. I think makeup is okay for a girl as long as she only uses it as a way to enhance her natural beauty. If makeup is used as a way to "cover up" the natural beauty God has given you, then it isn't being used in a right way.

7. Do you believe it is important for a woman to dress well? Certainly! Woman can dress modestly and attractively while still honoring God. Dressing modestly doesn't mean you have to "hide" behind shapeless, boring clothes. There are many beautiful and modest clothing options available that will not only make you look nice, but also be honoring to God and your brothers in Christ.

 ***Bonus Round!***

A. What color-group looks good on you? Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall?

I am a mix of Winter, Summer and Fall! Deep jewel tones (plum, turquoise, etc.), ivory, burnt orange and dark green are a few of my favorite colors that also look very nice on me.

B. What is your favorite item in your closet? Scarves! They dress up boring t-shirts and add a cute, feminine look.

C. Fashion-wise, which season is your favorite? Probably Fall or Winter. I love the deep, rich colors of those seasons.

Thanks a million, Samantha--I really enjoyed reading all of your answers! And now, girls, to the comment box! :D ~Rachel

Day Three: Feminine Fashion Week: Purple Peacock

 

Hi girls! It's day three of the Feminine Fashion Week here on A Butcher, A Baker, A Candlestick-maker. :) Today I went casual and comfortable, as I was cleaning our home for hosting church tomorrow. :)

Meet: Purple Peacock. :)

 

I happen to love purple. :)

I believe this style of shirt is properly called "baby-doll" and I think it's a fitting name...the shirt fits like those little baby-dresses with no sign of a waist-line at all! :D But I think it's a cute shirt. :)

My lovely pea-cock feather earrings. A friend who has a jewelry-making business did these as a custom order for me, since it had long been a dream of mine to have such a pair. Thanks, Josie! :)

 My favorite blue-grey denim skirt. Sadly, it has one of those invisible-zippers-that-never work and so I now am resigned to the fate of having to safety-pin it closed. *weeps and wails*. It is such a cute skirt!

And so swing-able! I would love to dance with that skirt on!

 

I thought I'd show you how I wear my make-up. :) I go by the rule that it should enhance your beauty, not cover up flaws, and it should look natural. Granted, I put on my lightest colors of eye-shadow today, but I don't like using a lot of eye-liner and heavy mascara---you don't want to be mistaken for a raccoon and shot! :D

And here is a picture of my fabulous thrift-store find earlier this week! These are the cutest vintage-style heels! I couldn't help humming ♫ "The best things happen while you're dancing..."♫ as I walked around in them. They are so Ginger Rogers, and only cost $2.98! :)

 Purple Top: Hand-me-down from Joanna
Skirt: Thrift-store
Shoes: (same as yesterday)
Earrings: from a friend

And last but not least, I wanted to share a cool website with you girls. It'll help you determine which colors look best with your skin-tone, hair, and eye-color so you can look vibrant and beautiful! :) As far as I can tell, I'm a strange mash of Winter/Summer. My skin tone is not as olive as some of my sisters, and has rather pink undertones, [and I look good in jewel-tones, silver jewelry, etc.) but I am told I look good in some traditional summery colors like bright orange. Who'd have thought? :D  Anyway, check it out and tell me what colors look good on you. :) What colors look good on me? 

~Rachel

Day Two: Feminine Fashion Week

Day Two of the Feminine Fashion Week: 

You are seeing the continued efforts of a self-portrait-er. Sorry if the angles are a little funny sometimes, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! :D

 

My younger sister, Abigail took this picture of me. My usual photographer was at work with Dad. ;) [Thus my concentrated expression and the awkwardness of the pose. Oh well. Beggars can't be choosers. :D]

 

Earrings are another Black Friday find, and the necklace was bought at our county fair in September.

 

I thought I'd show you what I did with my hair. I love random coiling and twisting. It looks so amazing but it's so easy!

 

And my shoes. These have got to go down in history as some of the most comfortable shoes [that look this cute] that I've ever worn. Sing ho for dark-blue suede! :)

Raspberry-colored sweater: Thrift-store

Black cami: Thrift-store

Skirt: Unknown

Shoes: Thrift-store

Earrings: Belk ($4)

Necklace: County Fair ($?)

Please keep sharing about this Feminine Fashion Week on your blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and wherever else you lurk. :) And a big thank-you to all of you who have shared the button around, including Joanna and Miss Georgiana Darcy! :) There will be a giveaway this week. It is now official! Further information will be coming up soon! :) ~Rachel