FLATTERING OFFICE WEAR

For a long time there wasn't much that a plus-size woman could do, to look smart and competitive with other women in the corporate world.   She wore clothes that fitted, but didn't make much of a statement to the world that she was a force to be reckoned with.   That she not only had intelligence but she also had "class".

That is until recent years, when a number of our clothing suppliers realised that corporate wear was yet another expression of how a generously endowed woman could not only take her place in the corporate world but that she could make a difference to how the corporate world saw her as a potential policy maker and trend setter.

Igigi in the USA always comes up trumps when it comes to flattering, stylish and colourful fashion and some of these latest offerings fit the bill for any corporate woman, no matter what age, size or shape.

MAKING AN IMPRESSION - WHY DON'T WE?

Do you shy away from the camera?

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s high time we (the amply endowed women of the world) got out from behind our blinkers and our protective fortresses and tried some new things.

A lot of us haven’t yet come to terms with a camera.  With what a camera sees when it looks at us.  When we see a photograph that’s been taken, our eyes are immediately drawn to:  our double chins; our fat tummy; our drooping boobs;  our hair that could do with a trim;  our face that could probably do with some sort of improvement, and one of our favourite garments that has seen better days.  We look at the photo critically and with no sense of reality.    We’re intimidated with what  we “assume” the camera has seen within and about us.  And we’re uncomfortable!   And the more uncomfortable we get, the more often we’ll refuse to have our photo taken.  

You and I both know of women who have refused to have their photo taken for 20, 30, 40 and more years!   Are you one of them?

Missing out on incredible experiences and in turn memories because we’re scared off by cameras is a great pity.   It’s almost as though we want to be invisible.   There’s certainly a small amount of shame in the decision.  Why?

We’re unique individuals, and we should be proud of who we are, and dare I say it, but we should be proud of what we look like.   We’re all different, but we belong to the family of “women”.  We belong to our own personal family, with all its inherited genes and characteristics, and it’s not only our current families but even those who are to come who will ask about us, and how better to show them than by photographs.  Photographs that show us in our different age seasons.  Photographs that show us in life situations - celebrations, family/friend get-togethers, birthdays, weddings and the like.  Miss the opportunity and they miss out, as well as us.

WHEN IN DOUBT WEAR RED!

Isn't it true?    When you're feeling as though you need to brighten up your life, there's nothing like a dose of RED!

Even the Queen sparkles when she wears bright colours.    So here's a Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth greeting from all of us here at the NoteBook.

LAYERING

Layering is great at any time of the year - summer, winter, spring or autumn.   Unfortunately many women don't understand how easy it is, or how it can extend the look of even a limited wardrobe.

In the cooler weather, which we are experiencing at the moment here in Australia, layering offers many possibilities, and especially being able to wear lighter fabric garments, but knowing that you are still warm because you can still wear your thermal underwear underneath and no one is the wiser.

Experiment, whether in the same colors, or contrast colors as far as pants and tops are concerned.  Have fun with fashion, whatever the season!

QUEEN FOR A DAY, OR A LONG WEEKEND, OR EVERY DAY?

There's no two ways about it - the opportunity to "dress up" every day of the week is becoming more available as more and more stores go on-line.   The majority of these stores that have taken up the challenge of selling their garments this way have built up very high reputations and it augers well for the purchaser.

By the same token, and I don't know how many other readers find this, but I quite often will see something on-line from local outlets, yet will go into their actual stories just to see what the garment is like and more importantly the quality of the fabric and the sewmanship before I buy from a salesperson - in other words I do like face to face purchasing.   I realise this is not possible when buying offshore.

But let's get down to tintacks.   It's just about the Queen's Birthday weekend here in Australia (and of course we know that it's not actually her real birthday, but we celebrate it anyway and there is a historical reason for this.)  

So I figured that it doesn't matter if you're in Australia in Winter or Europe in Summer, you can still be a Queen whether for a day, a weekend or every day of the year.

Here are some examples I found this morning - and that's not even counting the accessories or jewellery!!