RED CARPET INSPIRATION

As the awards season arrives ateliers around the world are making their final touches and finishing flourishes to the gowns which will appear on the red carpet. This opportunity for designers to showcase their couture dresses to a world wide audience brings their creativity and styling to new heights. So, if you have an upcoming event to dress for you could draw inspiration and direction from la crème de la crème of couture gowns.Knowing where to start can be daunting….so we’ve put together a few guidelines to follow when seeking inspiration from celebrities. CONSIDER YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE....Firstly, Who are some of your fashion heroes? Is there someone who epitomises your style or a certain celebrity who inspires your choices?

Are you the Grace Kelly type….do you love classic elegance and timeless glamour? Grace Kelly was undoubtedly a cool beauty and her impeccable good taste made her stand apart. Women the world over tried to emulate her sophisticated style.

Would a sensuous Marilyn Monroe silhouette show off your devastating curves? Although barely 5'6" and 35", 22", 35", Marilyn's curvaceous figure and huge on screen persona have made her an iconic figure.

Do you identify better with Tilda Swinton’s quietly quirky style? Are you eclectic in your choices and unique in your look? At 5'11" Tilda has a lean frame and long limbs, the perfect canvas on which to drape fabric. Seen here wearing a stunning two tone silk satin dress with front cowl, she stands apart and has a self assured style all her own.

CONSIDER YOUR BODY SHAPE

Are you dressing to flatter your frame? Look for celebrities that have a similar body shape… Not necessarily size but overall shape. Are they apple, hourglass or pear shape?

If you see a celebrity wearing a beautiful Marilyn Monroe inspired dress but you have an androgynous figure it stands to reason that the dress will look completely different on you and may not work as well. It’s also a good idea to pick out a celebrity or two whose body shape is similar that you identify with and whose style you admire.... and keep an eye on them when they make appearances. You may not want to be going to their designer or splashing out in the same way but it won’t be long before adaptations of celebrity dresses appear in the store are readily available for you to try on. Further explanation of different types can be found in this article by sizecharter http://www.sizecharter.com/fashion-and-style-tips/find-your-body-shape

COLOURING

Don't make the mistake of copy-cat colouring. Just because you favourite celebrity looks amazing in canary yellow, it doesn't mean that colour is going to work wonders for you! The right colour can lift you and make you glow - but equally, the wrong colour can wash you out . Don't assume that just because it's the right style and shape of dress, colour is insignificant. The right dress in the wrong colour can be a huge mistake. You can read more about this subject and how to get it right by following this linkwww.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/style/wearing-right-colours-can-make-look-younger/

ACCESSORIES And finally a word on accessories....they're as important as the dress you're wearing.Consider what works best for you...is less more? Sometimes a dramatic neckline or asymmetric bodice can be a stronger statement when left alone. However, if you have a simple garment it can be transformed by a dramatic statement piece of jewellery. The right accessories can really dress up a garment...... a dress can be transformed from simple daywear to elegant occasion wear by the right amount of jewellery. Stunning crystal chokers, colourful semi precious necklaces and boho clusters of pearls can really set off a classic dress and revive it for a glamorous occasion. Amongst some of our favourites are the exquisite unique pieces from Japanese designer Kotomi. You can see her creations come to life in this short video http://www.kotomicreations.com/making-of-video and we have an eclectic selection available at our Richmond boutique.