The NoteBook July 2014

As with countless other business woman over recent years have done, I've reinvented myself a number of times.  Now I think the time has come again, as the Walrus said, "to speak of many things".  I'd like to add a rider, that the things I speak of will be nice and happy things. 

For those readers in warmer climes, please think of us here in the southern states of Australia experiencing a very cold, if not freezing, winter.   It has to be said (and thousands are saying it) but the weather patterns are definitely changing, and yet reading archival newspapers it seems that with each season there've been articles over the past 150 years at least, saying the same thing.    Perhaps we are heading for another Ice Age!  That's not to say that when we are experiencing the excessive heat of our summers that we don't think we're heading into a Heat Age!   

Of course weather patterns have a big bearing on what we wear.   For the generously endowed woman, we are persuaded that the clothes being presented to us each season, take into account not only our needs but also give us many options in being able to buy clothes that are imaginative and flattering.   I said earlier that I intended to make my comments nice and happy.  Here I am already contradicting myself!  In a nutshell, the majority of clothing stores for the more curvaceous woman have fallen into a habit of giving us clothing that looks as though it is being made from one pattern and one pattern only.   It's all very well having a comfortable tunic style garment to be worn over tights or leggings but most of us would like to have more options to choose from.  More stylish garments;  I know I would.    I'll give you some examples of what I mean by stylish and flattering.

I've included the first picture because its from way back in the 1950s - Jane Russell is wearing a swing jacket that is completely lined in satin.  Oh, yes, I remember this type of garment so well!   The pictures following are from the modern era - Monif C, Love Your Peaches, Kita Ku and Igigi.   All these garments make a statement - and we need garments like this to make us feel proud, feminine and attractive.  In fact we should by this time be demanding our suppliers to cater to what we need and want, rather than allowing them to "persuade" us that what they want to give us is what we should be grateful for!

  

Another thing too.  I do like shopping for myself.   Being able to walk into a store, wander around and choose something that really takes my eye.   Being able to see the true colour, the feel of the fabric and how it looks on me when I try it on.   How I feel about myself when I have it on!  

Now here are some from the latest seasonal offerings, for the larger woman no less.  

Do we really want to dress like teenagers?  To dress as our daughters, or for women like me, to dress like our grand-daughters?   Should I consider myself a grumpy old woman - never satisfied with what the market is offering me?   I'm beginning to think that maybe I have the right to say what I'd like to wear, and to persuade manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers that I deserve to be pampered.   I have made the grade, and earned my Degree!  

I'd be so interested to hear your thoughts.  Write in and voice your views and opinions.  

'til next time

Fondest regards

Rosemary    

DEFYING SOCIETY'S VIEW ON AGING

This is a great video of feisty women of a "certain age" - whatever that age is!

Because whether they (society) want to believe it or not, we have an innate knowledge of what we want and how we want to dress.

Watch this and you'll come away feeling more confident.  Put into practice what these women say about themselves, and you'll feel much happier about yourself and you'll also become healthier.

Strut your Style!

It's nice to see the return of femininity in some of our clothing from overseas.   I'm not sure whether Australian garment manufactures/suppliers/retailers will go so far in their designs, but at the very least they should do some homework and come up with more creative ideas than are evident in our stores at the moment.  No matter where you look everything looks the same!

To give you an idea of some of the overseas garments that have taken my eye recently, here's Strut Fashion http://strutfashion.ca/abouttheshoppe.php   

Corsetta Top $62.00

Not for the faint at heart!  A funky piece which is styled like a corset over a blouse - all in one!   This top has a sweetheart neckline with faux hook and eye closure.  Flounce on full length sleeves and at the hem.  Spaghetti ties in the back for custom fit.  Made in the USA.

Renaissance Dress $79.00

This dress is in ravishing deep sea paisley print.  It has lace trim on the sleeves, neckline and underlying the bodice.  This dress is knee length and has a square neckline, flare style sleeves, an a-line skirt, corset style ties on the bodice.  This garment is made in the USA.   Sizes 1X - 5X (up to bust 55 inches).

Photos - copyright Strut Fashion

a TOUCH of WHIMSY!

If you're like me, then you love little items of accessories to enhance our lives that are "different" to what you see in most of the stores.

Tamsin Cooper has a special Labour Weekend Sale.   It's only for Sunday and Monday (27th and 28th October), so get in early.

The colours are simply gorgeous!   Satins, velvets, embroidery, appliques.

Visit Tamsin Cooper's website and view her marvellous coats, as well.

SIZE ACCEPTANCE

Any woman with curves can look beautiful.   Stunning.    She can make a "statement".

It's all got to do with the confidence to stand up and be counted as someone who knows who she is and is willing to express her personality through what she wears.

I hope you enjoy this small video of women with curves, wearing lovely fashion.

BEAUTIFUL GARMENTS for BEAUTIFUL GIRLS!

If you haven't heard of Monif C then make it a point to visit their website, and view their fashion.

At the moment Monif C has a great Sale going on, and here are a couple of items that have taken my eye.

The "Dominique Magenta" frock is a special at the moment at $68

The "Marilyn" Short Red frock is a special at the moment at $78

Both these garments will suit a woman of any age, and be a wonderful addition to anybody's wardrobe.

SOME COMPARISONS!

Yesterday my post dealt with the latest "fashion" for both the Spring/Summer (Southern Hemisphere) and Autumn/Winter (Northern Hemisphere) with a special focus on the "look" as well as the models displaying the "look".

Now I'd like to present a couple of photos from Igigi.  Do you agree with me that these garments have "style" in that they've been designed for a woman with curves and there's no suggestion of being thrown together hot-potch!

It's nice to see the combination of a base colour with a contrast either in the top or the skirt - the garments enhance special points;  particularly when it comes to the neckline.  Vnecks are always attractive as is the squareline (which isn't used much these days, so it's good to see its return!).

LATEST "FASHION"?

Is there something wrong with my perceptions of a beautiful woman wearing beautiful clothes, or what?   I observe women walking down the street or through the shopping malls every day of the week.   I take an interest in looking at how corporate women dress, how they look and how they move - confidently and very aware of their own presence.  I am very partial to the opinion that there are "power" colours and styles, as I have seen how a woman's self image can change with a particular colour or dress code.

Some of the women I observe look smart, some look comfortable, some look as though they're experimenting with fashion, while there are those also who look as though they didn't really care what they put on that morning (which of course is their choice and who am I to question?)

What I do see however is plain for everyone to see.  The women who we pass every day are of differing heights, and differing sizes.  There are petite, average, large and plus size.   They all make up the whole.   Good clothing can make a woman look good and feel good about herself.

Yet it is when I see "fashion" as depicted in our national and international women's magazines, the websites of those organisations and catwalk (now called runway) presentations on the internet, that I can't help myself from shuddering.   Take for instance a couple of photos from Vogue Australia showing our spring/summer collections.  It's not only the clothing that I can't quite perceive as being "fashion", it's the choice of models.   Young models today seem to come from the one mould - they look the same (except for being blonde as opposed to brunette); they walk the same - they look like little schoolgirls, and they pout the same.

But it is the "fashion" that eludes me - if you can call it "fashion".  I always seem to be complaining about the stance and walk of models these days - (I admit I'm oldfashioned but ...) Am I being too critical in suggesting that this model could look better if she had bought some outfits from the local Salvation Army Thrift Shop?    (Visit some of the excellent Pre-Loved stores and also recycle websites and you'll see what I mean).  The second photo makes me think the clothes were thrown onto the model and she was sent out to the runway looking stunned and slightly un-dressed!  Do they EVER look in the mirror before heading off down the runway?  Let's face it - what do you think of the stockings?  Reminds me of attending college when stockings were always sliding down to the ankles - now it's seen as "fashion"?

When it comes to "fashion" though, look at any teenager down the street and in a lot of cases they'll be wearing clothes that look better than the latest runway fashion.  Yet because of the influence of the national and international magazines, they take notice of treating their clothing as old rags.  And they pay plenty of money for those old rags.

So I thought I'd visit Vogue UK to see what they are promoting for the Northern Hemisphere Winter - here are two examples.  Please tell me though, is this really "fashion" or just a set of clothes put together?

Another thing are our models getting even thinner than ever?    Is there any flesh on the body at all?

THE BEAUTY OF BLACK

As everyone who knows me knows ..... I love the colour black.   While it's become almost the "uniform" of today's young corporate woman and mother, it's a basic colour that proves again and again how versatile it can be, for ANY woman of ANY age and ANY shape.    I accept that many people don't see, or won't agree, that black is a colour, but that doesn't faze me - I call it a colour and for me that's just what it is.

Tamsin Cooper of New Zealand is an extraordinary young woman who creates the most beautiful clothbing and accessories, and I'm highlighting a couple of things from her most recent selections.  For those of us who unfortunately can't "fit" into much of her clothing - (her sizing doesn't cater for us, but who knows ..... in the future?), her accessories are dazzling.

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!!

 

LATEST STYLE STATEMENT!

Give credit where it's due - is an old saying, that is as true today as back when.    And all credit to Monif C of the USA.

Monif C comes up with some great designs and the Fiona Dress is a dress that says to the world - look at me.  

Monif C's writeup for this dress states it has just arrived for spring!  Well, we're in Autumn over here, but this dress would do fine for any occasion in our season and would be as much a hit here as in the USA.

What I love about this dress is its "return to the 50's" look in the front zip, but Monif C has combined another look from that era, by adding a peplum.  So feminine, so flirty.

The fabric in this dress is luxe ottoman which Monif C claims "glides over your curves".  Wow!

Look chic, tailored and sexy in this new design.

CONTRASTS!

A large percentage of plus-sizers prefer to wear black;  it is of course now accepted as a "colour", which certainly makes sense to me. The explanation that scientifically, black is not a colour as it absorbs all the colours of the visible spectrum and reflects none of them, doesn't quite gell with lots of people. The black clothes in my wardrobe act as a magnet and enhancer of colours when mixed and matched, and I'd hate to think that when I wear black everything else is absorbed! Think about it. So therefore in my eyes black is a colour.

But let's get down to tintacks. While I love black and white (and I've frequently written about wearing white), it's nice to see this season that designers have taken up the idea of combining black with red. Even Bill Blass, Fashion Designer has gone down in history as saying:  "When in doubt, wear red."

The combination of black and red, used wisely, flatters and slims.   See if you agree with me.

A LOCAL SUPPLIER

I love being surprised.  Promoting plus size clothing from here in Australia has been my aim since I first began the NoteBook.   With the advent of online shopping, the marketplace has blown out of all proportion, and I'm still learning of new local stores.

The website Kivalin (based in Queensland) says they have been selling online since 2001, although I've just discovered it.   It pays to keep your eyes and ears open!   Their sizes go from 16 through to 24-26 (3XL)

Visit their website and see what you think.  The clothes are "designed in Australia" and go up to 24-26 (Size 3XL).

(Editor's note:   While this website claims to be Australian, the feel and look of the site itself seems to be an American one.   I only say this because I've found so many on-line stores claiming to be Australian but not so.  If any readers find this to be so with sites they visit, then please let's know so we can share this information.)

THE KAFTAN "GROWS UP"!

In fashion, what goes around usually comes around!

That can be said for caftans, or as Anna Scholz calls her latest creation, "Kaftans", but whatever the name, the garment itself is one that we can all identify with.   Those of us who are a little older have fond memories of our caftans of years gone by.

Anna has lengthened her Kaftan so that it is now a Maxi dress.   It's a "wear anywhere" dress and this Kaftan's appeal is in its patchwork look of Summery colours.   It has slits at the sides, a slit neckline and belted sleeves.   95% silk, 5% elastane.  Anna's sizes go up to UK 28. 

MIXING 'N MATCHING!

As Autumn starts to make its appearance felt, there are time when an added jacket or top will set off a smart pair of pants or a slinky.   Mixing and matching is the name of the game, and it can be fun.

Layering is something that becomes not only interesting but necessary as the cooler early mornings and then evenings close in on us.  

Big Time Clothing is an Australian online store/supplier and has attractive tops and jackets that will take you from home to work and from work to dinner.   The great thing about Big Time Clothing is that their range goes from 20 to 50 (yes, that's right!).  Big Time Clothing is now fully internet based, so visit their website and contact them via email on their "Contact Us" Page.