Coleen’s Real Style

Coleen’s Real Style Coleen Rooney What Coleen Rooney doesn't know about style and shopping isn't worth knowing, and she is a fashion inspiration to girls everywhere. Now she's put together a glossy, gorgeous style guide that contains everything you could EVER want to know about high-street fashion, beauty, hair and makeup, body care and style. Coleen's style guide is bursting with fashion and beauty tips to inspire and inform, showing you how to achieve a stylish, high-fashion look without spending a fortune or stepping out of the high street. Glossy and gorgeous, accessible and fun, Coleen's Real Style is your ideal high-street shopping partner: chatty, friendly, honest and open, and highly knowledgeable about fashion. It also includes fabulous 'splurge or steal' features in which Coleen shows you how to recreate a designer look on a high-street budget and is crammed with stunning photographs of Coleen’s outfits and looks you can easily create yourself. Contents includes: Creating your perfect wardrobe: must-have pieces every girl should own. Coleen shows you how to create a perfect wardrobe to enable you to build up tons of different looks without spending a fortune, including how to find that perfect pair of jeans and how to make the most of your accessories. How to work your wardrobe: now you have the essential pieces, let Coleen show you how to make them work for you. Demonstrating how easy it is to create different looks for loads of different occasions, from beach babe and party glamour puss to festival chic chick and sexy sporty girl! Final touches: you've created a gorgeous look, now it's time to add the finishing touches! Tying it all together, this last section shows you how to apply the finishing touches and includes chapters on hair and skin care with DIY face masks and manicures, choosing the right perfume and creating dramatic new looks with your makeup. A must for all real women out there! Coleen’s Real Style Coleen Rooney Dedication (#ulink_fd8fd406-93d1-5aa8-9421-8c91c0911482) To my mum and dad. Thanks for putting up with me for all these years and coping with my love of clothes! I appreciate everything you have done for me and for going out of your way to give me all you can (the expensive Christmas coats, ha ha). And mum, thanks for introducing me to all the girly things in life. To my Wayne. Thanks for all your support in everything I do. I love you. And yes, I do need all those bags and shoes…because I love them! Coleen x Contents Title Page (#u89f083b8-949d-5f52-879d-7477fa23f6cd) Dedication (#u4aa2f190-7c7e-5b55-b9a4-4ed16d99c1c2) What Is Real Style? (#u3639663e-7ebe-5d0b-9743-e52bc42efb41) Dresses (#u98a81c09-232a-539c-a960-715f4b1ca09a) Jeans (#u8b978abc-d4af-5af5-bd76-7a3d0064d339) Tops (#ud35644ca-7ed2-59d7-b8e5-148d9cc92a99) Daywear (#litres_trial_promo) Lingerie (#litres_trial_promo) Accessories (#litres_trial_promo) Smart dressing (#litres_trial_promo) Summer (#litres_trial_promo) Gymwear (#litres_trial_promo) Travel (#litres_trial_promo) Winter (#litres_trial_promo) Parties (#litres_trial_promo) Skincare (#litres_trial_promo) Hair & Make-up (#litres_trial_promo) Real shopping notes (#litres_trial_promo) Real Style File (#litres_trial_promo) Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo) Copyright (#litres_trial_promo) About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo) What Is Real Style? (#ulink_a2bbbbbf-5b96-51e7-930a-f5476ee705d4) Experimenting and finding the styles that best suit your look. Everyone who knows me knows that I love fashion, and by that I don’t mean going out and hitting the shops and spending until I drop, no matter what the papers say. It’s just that, like most girls I know, I simply enjoy clothes and love trying out new looks and styles. I’ve never really been into full-on fashion-y looks, though. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing all the new styles from the catwalks every summer and winter and trying some of them out, but at the end of the day I’m a real girl with a real shape. And that means that no matter how much I love all the things I see, there are plenty of styles that are just never, ever going to do it for me. Photograph © WireImage/Getty Images. I love all the catwalk looks, but I’m a real girl with a real shape. And that’s where my Real Style guide comes in. It’s not about telling you the latest designer clothes to buy or just pointing out what’s in fashion now, it’s about me sharing my experiences with you and showing you some great ways to help you look and feel your best. Because whether you like to dress up in the latest designer gear, or love high street faves like Topshop (and who doesn’t?), to me, real style does not come from copying someone else’s look or wearing a designer name from top to toe. At the end of the day, whatever you decide to wear the only name that should be all over your look is yours. Handbag, La Redoute. My top five So let’s get started: I think the best way to do this is to take you through my idea of what makes a great, easy-to-wear set of clothes and styles – or ‘capsule wardrobe’. That’s what this section of the book is all about. I’ll come back to certain things in the following chapters, like tops and bottoms and dresses. Oh, and don’t worry, I’ve dedicated a whole chapter to jeans, so we’ll look at these in loads more detail later on. But don’t flick through to that bit just yet; we’re going back to basics first. This is how I do it: when I’m deciding what to wear, I ask myself five key questions when I look at my outfit in the mirror: Top, Yves Saint Laurent; skirt, Joseph. Style Tip It’s OK if a shaped jacket won’t button around the waist but fits well at the shoulders. buttoned up can look too office-like anyway, so just wear it loose the nipped-in cut of it will still highlight one of your best bits your waist. 1 Is this the right size? Whether you’re a real boho-chic girl or love the sexy, fitted look, the bottom line is that whatever you wear, you want to feel comfortable. You don’t want to look too comfortable, though – I love chilling out and pottering about the house in my Juicy trackies, but they really won’t do for a big night out! No, what I mean is making sure that your clothes fit well, because this is really the first step to not just looking good but feeling good too. Think of the times you’ve gone out wearing something that is too tight, only to spend the whole time trying to hold your tummy in and looking like you’re sucking a lemon. Or, if you feel your skirt is too short, you end up spending the evening pulling the hem, trying to wriggle it down all the time. So it really is best to always wear clothes that fit well; that are the right size and in shapes that make the most of your figure – day and night. After all, why would you want to let anything get in the way of shopping, having fun or dancing the night away? 2 Which are my best bits? It really helps to get to grips with the shape of your body, as this will give you a head start in finding the basic clothes shapes that suit you. Most of us go up and down in weight a bit but, generally, whether we are having a ‘fat’ or a ‘thin’ day, our basic shape stays the same. Mine is classic British pear: I’ve got quite a round bum (Wayne’s really cheeky and says it looks big when I wear my Juicy tracksuits). I don’t mind my shape and it’s not likely to change that much, so I always dress to make the most of it. Jacket, French Connection; shoes, George at Asda;belt, Mexx. I think my best bit is my waist, though, as it’s quite petite. This gives my body good proportion and balances out my shape, so I mostly go for clothes that highlight it. Big belts are brilliant for this. Also, as you can see, I’m definitely not the tall, leggy type, so I always have to take my height – and short legs – into consideration when buying new clothes. (Now you know why I love my heels.) I have to be honest, though, understanding how your own body shape fits with the styles you like is one of the hardest things to get right, and it’s taken me ages to figure it out. But when you have you’ll realize that getting the balance right makes a huge difference. Because I know what shape I am, it makes it so much easier to pick styles that fit. So I always love things that come in at the waist and that highlight my shoulders – like a Grecian-style dress, or skinny jeans and a floaty top. And, of course, my Christian Louboutin stilettoes. Real Style Note If you’re having a ‘fat’ day, wear clothes that are looser but not too baggy, as you don’t want to look shapeless. Again, it’s about highlighting your good bits. Jeans can also feel a bit pinchy in places, so if you’re not feeling your best, go for an outfit that flows a bit more, like a nice silky shirt and skirt, or softer, tailored jeans (7 For All Mankind do good ones). Wear something that you always feel good in, even if it is a bit dressy. A little extra glamour can go a long, long way. 3 Does this style really suit me? Most of the time, you slip on a new top with a pair of your favourite jeans and you feel great. But sometimes, I have to admit, it’s not that easy. You look in the mirror and think ‘hmm?’ before realizing that sometimes the look that really works for your mate, or that looked good on the girl in the shop, doesn’t quite have the same effect on you. I know the feeling. I mean, I love to look good, but, like most fashion-lovers, I’ve had my fair share of fashion disasters. And there are sure to be many more ‘What was I thinking?’ moments to come… Top and skirt, Balenciaga. Photograph © Nils Jorgensen/Rex Features. Sometimes, if you take a chance, you can be really surprised at the results. But of course we can’t all be perfect, and that’s just fine, because I really don’t think that’s what looking good is all about. In fact, over the past few years, I’ve come to the conclusion that none of us, no matter how fashionable or famous, ever gets it 100 per cent right. The only way I can work out what suits me best is by trying on the things I like. I’ve even taught myself to stop walking past things that I don’t think are my style as I’ve realized that, sometimes, if you take a chance, you can be really surprised at the results. One of my favourite ever outfits was a little Balenciaga miniskirt and silk blouse that I wore to the Closer Young Heroes 2006 awards. I have never been a lover of minis, as I didn’t think they would flatter my legs, but Justine at Cricket, my favourite designer boutique, encouraged me to try this one out. I think it was because the skirt flared out a little at the bottom, in an A-line shape, that it felt a bit different. I decided to wear it with opaque black tights. My legs didn’t feel too big after all. That was a real result. But I really am comfortable with the fact that I won’t always get it right. I think it would take all the fun out of fashion for me if I did. Real Style Note Challenging your usual style can be a real confidence booster and can make you look at your body shape in a more positive way. If you live in jeans and T-shirts, the Boho, or ‘new hippy’ look might be a good one for you. Try wearing jeans and 1970s-style blouses with floaty sleeves, and add some necklaces and pendants. (Freedom at Topshop and Accessorize are brilliant for jewellery with a little more edge.) If you think that certain shapes are not your thing, just try loads of different brands on? from high-street styles to more expensive looks. It takes some effort, but keep searching and trying stuff on, you will be surprised at what you find. 4 Is it time to get a second opinion? We all have these moments when we realize that something we’ve just bought is not quite right or that it doesn’t really look the way you saw it in your head. So, if no matter how many times you look in the mirror you just don’t feel sure about it, it’s time to get a second opinion. This can be a little bit tricky, because if you ask your close friends if something that you’re not sure of looks good on you, the chances are that they might not want to hurt your feelings by saying what they really think. At this point I call in the expert: my mum. I’ll often get ready to go out at my mum’s in Liverpool, as I go out a lot there with my mates. My mum’s really good at telling me if something’s not quite right, and I trust her opinion. She’ll just say ‘not sure’ if she doesn’t think it looks good. Real Style Nate Remember that if you ask for an opinion you might not get the response you had hoped for. So try to take it on the chin and don’t take it out on the person you asked. If someone asks for your opinion, it’s always better to be honest, but at the same time to be a little gentle with the truth. Be as encouraging as you can and make any suggestions based on that person’s usual style. I don’t always agree with what they say, though, so I’ll maybe just go with my first choice anyway. Some of my mates will ask their big sisters for help. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all just hit the shops and bring back one of those? Style tip It’s best not to wear skirts too short – for obvious reasons but if you like wearing minis, then styles that sit just above the knees are a good bet. Try wearing them with thick, black tights or leggings in winter. The bare-leg look is not one that many people can carry off. Especially in cold weather! But, if you have the legs for minis, why not! Dress, Lanvin. 5 How should I do my hair and make-up? Getting your hair and make-up right is another one of those things that takes years to work out. I’ve never really been one for much make-up: I usually just put gloss on my lips and often I don’t even bother with mascara. But while that suits me fine during the day, I always put a little more thought into how I look for going out at night. I loved the way Kate Moss had a star painted in gold eyeshadow across one eye on the night of her 34th birthday party. But that’s Kate’s real style and it just wouldn’t be me to go for something like that. So, while I would never suggest that you hit the eyeshadow palette with a paintbrush, there’s no doubt that if you’re glamming up for a night, just keeping it natural can make you look too washed out. The way I do it is simply to make my daytime look a little stronger. So, I’ll put on some black mascara, brush on some bronzer and maybe wear a darker lip gloss. Top, Hennes; ring, vintage. Real Style Note If you don’t like wearing make-up, look after your skin, as a fresh complexion always looks good. I always carry a little pot of Vaseline in my bag: it’s a great natural lip gloss. Use a teensy amount on your eyelashes and eyebrows to lift them a little. Don’t overdo it, though, as you don’t want to look too shiny. Groomed hair always looks smart, although tousled, rougher styles can look lovely at night. Of course, like most girls, I could go on forever about my hair. But my general rule is to pull it into a ponytail for day, and to wear it soft and loose or sleek and straight at night. If you’ve got short hair, add some glossing product and make it a little sleeker – spiky hairdos can look a little fierce. If your hair’s curly, add some moisturizing anti-frizz spray for healthy-looking locks and tease your curls out a little at night – and if it’s short, pull and lift the waves back from your face. But don’t be afraid to experiment: I did just that when I went to Victoria and David Beckham’s Full Length and Fabulous party in 2006, and my hairdresser pulled my hair up into a top bun. I’m not sure if I’d go for that look again but, like Kate Moss, I had fun trying it out. Brushes, The Body Shop. I like to stick to a natural make-up look and soft, neutral colours. Top, DKNY; skirt, DKNY. Style Tip If your shirt buttons gape around the bust, wear a pretty camisole underneath. It’s smart and will add a little extra something to your look. Shaping up: Styles to suit your body shape. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been lucky to get loads of advice from the style professionals I’ve met on photo shoots (and I’m passing on lots of their tips, so ‘thanks’ to all of you). But the main reason I wanted to do my Real Style guide was to share my love of fashion with you, and to let you know how I’ve worked out the best ways of making the most of my own style. I think real style is about constantly developing and changing your ideas. Like most normal girls, it took me a while to get the confidence to develop my own tastes in clothes. And I’ve mostly done that just by trusting what I see in the mirror. I’ve still got lots to learn, but then to me that’s what real style is all about: mine is constantly developing and we all change our ideas about what we like as we get older. There are some things, though, that I would never change: having the confidence to make your own choices, feeling good about the way you look, and, most of all, just being true to yourself. Which shape are you? SUPER LADYLIKE Then you’ll tend to have a curvy bust and bum or thighs, and a nice, neat waist. Dress, Marks & Spencer. Styles to suit your shape:: Try simple, lower-cut necklines: anything too fussy can make you look square. Longer-length tops pulled in with a big wide belt will make your body look longer (I love tan-coloured leather ones as they go with everything. Try Reiss for a selection); nipped-in jackets show off the waist, shoulders and all your nice curvy bits to their best advantage. Try wearing skinny jeans with a longer floaty top to cover the bottom – this is one of my favourite looks for going out. Make sure that your trousers are not too short, as this can make you look a little square or stocky; A-line, just-below-the-knee skirts can really balance your shape out; and pencil skirts look fab worn with that lovely big belt. GORGEOUSLY CURVY Then you might have more of a tummy, and nice, shapely legs, too. Styles to suit your shape: Try pretty necklines detailed with pleating, bows or ruching, as they will draw attention away from your middle – I think See by Chlo? and Topshop do really good tops and T-shirts like this. Or try V-necks, as these will highlight your bust more and give the impression of narrowing the top of your body. Hipster belts will make the best of slim hips, and nipped-in jackets are also good for making you appear to have more of a waist. I would also try slim-cut trousers or jeans. TALL AND LEGGY Your lovely, slim frame means you’ll look really good in simple outfits like jeans and a T-shirt. Styles to suit your shape: Try plain tops in fresh colours such as white or powdery blue and coral pink, and dress them up with long necklaces and accessories. I think Elle Macpherson carries this style off so well. She sometimes even does her casual look when you see pictures of her on evenings out and she still looks fantastic. Another good idea is plain shirts – I got a blue-and-white striped one from the Kate Moss Topshop range, which looks really smart during the day. Bigger blouse styles can also look great when going out. Slim trousers or ‘boyfriend’ styles (Gap is brilliant for these) will look really stylish. And you’ll be able to wear long, ruffle skirts and full-length maxi dresses. That’s a look I love for summer. Real Style Quiz Now it’ time to check your Real Style factor. If you agree with any of the following, tick the boxes next to them: I love choosing new clothes I love shopping with my mates I love getting dressed up I love looking good I love feeling good If you answered YES to all of the above, you’re totally in tune with your Real Style. If you answered YES to three of the above, you might need a little fine-tuning. If you answered NO to more than three of the above, you’ve got a Real Style journey ahead. Dresses (#ulink_cb3536d3-b90c-59fb-9585-3aff79b24a49) Dress, Warehouse; shoes, Moschino. From pretty prom styles to everyday shirt dresses, here’s my guide to the key styles. Dress, Balenciaga. Photograph © Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images. I think dresses are more fashionable now than they have ever been; and for a girly girl like me, this is great news, as I absolutely love wearing dresses. For anyone who thinks that dresses are not their thing, now, with so many looks to choose from, you can be sure to find one that will make you look and feel gorgeous. I find dresses so easy to wear; a one-stop route to looking good – I just pull one on, add a pair of earrings or a belt, and I’m ready to go. However, some people see dresses as a bit of a frumpy choice, or a fashion ‘no-no’. Dress, Boohoo.com. Dresses are a one-stop route to looking good. I just pull one on and I’m ready to go. The way to prevent a fuddy-duddy look, though, is to just go for a style that doesn’t look too much like something your nan might wear. (But having said that, my nan always looks great.) No, what I mean is, be careful not to go for something that might make you look old before your time. Again, the best trick of all is picking clothes to suit your body shape. Once you’ve got that sorted, there’ll be no stopping your girly side taking over. The thing I love most about wearing dresses is the fact that they always look so pretty and feminine; and that is exactly how I feel when I wear one. All the big designers create loads of lovely new dresses for their summer and winter collections these days and there’s always something for everyone and every occasion – from draped, Grecian styles to crisp, cotton shifts and show-stopping diva numbers. So this chapter is about revealing some of the best dress looks of the moment – from day dresses to party dresses, including those classic shapes to suit any style. Here I’m going to help you discover which dresses might be best for you; some looks you might want to try, and some great little styling tips that I’ve picked up along the way. Five classic dress styles Whether you like feeling girly as can be or prefer to keep things nice and simple, there’s a dress to suit your shape. Here are five of my favourite styles: THE PROM Perfect for real girly girls All the glossies talk about how fashion has become ultra-feminine over the past few years, and looking at the prom styles by the likes of Chanel, Luella and Beyond Retro, I can see what they mean. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Sex and the City’s Carrie pulls off the look so well. I just love when Carrie steps out of the door of her New York apartment in a big-skirted vintage dress, with her coat or jacket hanging casually over her shoulders. There’s a real edginess to this look. Getting the fit right Prom dresses are all about the waist, so really, as long as the middle part of your dress is clasped in with a big belt or structured band, it’s a look that will suit most figures. The reason that prom dresses are so girly is that the shape focuses on all the feminine parts of our bodies: the waist, neck, shoulders and lower legs. It’s a particularly good look for curvy shapes. If you are not too confident about your upper arms, do what I do and use a scarf as a pretty wrap across your shoulders. Fitting the prom dress into your style The prom dress look can be a little over the top, so if you don’t want to go too far with it, I’d choose a fullish skirt that doesn’t have any bouncy layers of netting, and wear a little cardi on top. You can create a more nipped-in look at the waist with a big, wide belt, and definitely wear heels – well, I always do – as you need the extra lift to balance out the volume of the skirt. If you keep your legs bare (with a hint of colour), it looks more elegant, but matt tights will do for winter. If you want to accessorize, I’d pick something that’s not too fussy, as the dress is a statement in itself. Go for classic jewellery: drop earrings will make your neck look longer, especially if you don’t wear a necklace. And ask your nan if you can have a good rummage through her jewellery box. Dress, Beyond Retro. Prom dresses are so girly because they are such a feminine shape THE SHIFT Perfect for keeping it simple I find the straight-up-and-down style of shift dresses really easy to wear, and there are so many variations around that you can create lots of different looks. Lindsay Lohan looks brilliant in those Sixties-style mini-shifts, and I bought a fantastic patterned one by Milly, which I got from Cricket (but it’s also stocked on Net-a-porter.com). I paired it with flat thong sandals and big sunglasses and wore it when we were filming Coleen’s Real Women in Ibiza. It was a great summer look for me. Longer, fresh cotton styles worn with a big, tan-coloured, leather belt are also a look that I like, while silky shifts are great for evening. One of the nicest ones I saw was at Warehouse: it was cream with a lovely blue and red Paisley pattern on it. It must have been popular with everyone else, too, as I had to go online to get it! I also think that French Connection are really good for shift dresses. A white cotton shift looks lovely and fresh in summer. Dress it up at night with a pair of glamorous jewel-coloured sandals Getting the fit right Shifts are great for those people whose figures might be slightly thicker round the middle and for anyone who has slim hips and legs. Wearing a big belt around the hips will add style – and shape – to your body, and stop your shift dress looking like a coal sack (a look I’m quite sure you will not be trying to achieve!). Fuller figures might want to try whipping out that big belt to pull the shift in at the waist – again, this gives definition and shape – while those with petite figures might choose a style that is shorter in length and that skims the body. Dress, Temperley London; shoes, Jimmy Choo. Fitting the shift into your style Mini-shifts look fantastic with bare, tanned legs, and while flat shoes are generally the best bet when wearing mini styles, wedges look great with them, too. Opaque black tights and platform shoes can look quite funky if you want to wear mini-shifts in winter. I’d also say that printed styles speak for themselves and probably don’t need any extras. My favourite way to wear mini-shifts is in plain cream or white, which I accessorize with loads of gold necklaces and nothing else. You can also wear this kind of dress at night and do the same thing. If it’s in more of a party style, though, with lots of detail at the neck or something, I wouldn’t overload it because, really, the detail’s in the dress. I had a beautiful cream and black shift with sequined flowers around the top half of the dress – it just looked so lovely as it was. My brother’s girlfriend got a similar one from ASOS.com. Both showed me exactly why dresses are a one-stop style fix. Photograph © Dave M. Benett/Getty Images. Wearing platforms with a shift gives it a more on-trend look. Shoes, Yves Saint Laurent. THE GODDESS Perfect for grown-up glamour Grecian-style dresses always seem to be in fashion and this draped dress look is really one of my all-time favourites. Jennifer Lopez seems to like it a lot as well, and I love looking at those beautiful, long gowns she wears when she is photographed on the red carpet. Dress, ASOS. I think it’s the soft caramel and blush colours these dresses come in that also makes me like them – they’re just so classic and simple-looking. No wonder they are called Goddess dresses: the way the draped fabric moves so nicely on your body; the way your shoulders are on show, and the fact that they seem to highlight all your best bits, can certainly make you feel like a goddess! Topshop have a few variations on this style, and I saw a great goddess dress by Love Label in the Littlewoods Direct catalogue (where Amanda Wakeley also does a line). All Saints do ones that can be dressed up or down, and I’d also try ASOS. Getting the fit right Draped dresses look great on tall, petite or straight-up-and-down figures. All the folds of fabric and gathering that are the basis of these designs can make a curvier figure look fuller, but if the dress has a plunging neckline and good structure at the bust it can look really nice and sexy. Someone like Beyonc? carries it off brilliantly. Anyone with a small waist and fuller hips can also wear this look well. The goddess dress is maybe not the one I’d pull on if I was having a ‘sticky-out-stomach’ day, but I really wouldn’t be put off, as that’s not to say that if you don’t have a straight shape and you see one you like that you shouldn’t try it on (think of how great J Lo, with her famously curvy bum, looks in them); I’m just pointing out the pitfalls. So do try it on in different styles: you’ll know yourself whether it’s a look you feel comfortable wearing. Fitting the goddess dress into your look I think that this is a lovely, classic look that’s great for summer. During the day I’d wear a shorter, on-the-knee style in a neutral colour – like grey, coral or sand – and dress it up with some gold jewellery. Or I might wear a gold arm cuff studded with coloured stones, like jade or turquoise. I’d probably wear flat sandals with a fine thong in gold or natural leather, and a belt to match. During the day I’d wear a short, draped style in a soft tone like coral or sand. If I was wearing this look at night, I’d definitely go for a longer, maxi style, as I like full-length dresses and I think they work well for formal occasions. In fact, the Temperley London dress that I wore to the Beckhams’ Full Length and Fabulous party had elements of this look. I wore heels to add height, and I’d say that if you do the same it’s important that the dress is long enough so that only your toes show when you are walking. If it’s too short, the dress will take on a whole new look of its own and lose the classic, draped effect. The aqua-marine colour of my Temperley London dress was perfect for evening, and Boodles lent me a stunning jewelled necklace that night, which, I thought, was just the right side of bling. I had my hair pulled up in a classic bun shape, but I think long, loose waves look good, too. Dress, Amanda Wakeley. THE SHIRTDRESS Perfect for everyday chic Shirtdresses give you that classic ‘effortless chic’ look – someone like Claudia Schiffer might wear one with just a pair of great sunglasses and a smart structured handbag. Shirtdresses are brilliant for those days when you want to be smart but a little casual, too, and styles that sit just above the knee are definitely the most elegant. A shirtdress can look classically sexy, making it a good day-to-night outfit: I’d just add wedges or a nice round-toe court shoe in tan or some flat sandals and a wide belt to dress it up. Or I’d go for a thinner patent belt with gold detail on it. Getting the fit right The main thing with a shirtdress is not to wear it too tight or too baggy. If it’s too tight the buttons will pull open and you don’t want to expose more than you bargained for; if it’s too loose, it can swamp your shape. If shirt shapes tend to fit you round the back but pull at the bust, wear a lace-trimmed camisole or vest underneath. If you’ve got a leaner, straight-up-and-down body shape you’ll look great in a shirtdress: try hoisting it up at the hips slightly with a hipster belt. Fitting the shirtdress into your look Because you can button it up or button it down, you can make the dress work for winter or summer. I’d maybe wear a nice khaki-coloured one with a big brown belt and some brown leather wedges in warmer months. Or if I was to do a fresh, mini look for day, I’d only wear flats. Try Gap and Principles for classic styles that you can dress up year after year and which won’t date. GET SHIRTY Dress, Hennes; belt, Sport Max; bangle, Topshop; clutch, Hennes; sandals, Gap. THE FLORAL DRESS Perfect for real romantics A few years ago I didn’t have any floral dresses in my wardrobe. Now they are a big theme in the designer collections every spring and summer, and now I’ve got quite a few! And I must say, I do think all these pretty pinks, purples and citrus shades that you see on the catwalks always look so Boho and lovely. But it’s with the softer, smaller, spriggy tea-dress styles that I could easily get into ‘nan-dress’ territory, so I have to be careful with the dress shape I choose. I’d probably go for bigger, more graphic prints, like a Marc by Marc Jacobs white mini-shift with giant flowers on it. Gucci have also done some good flower designs, and Temperley London always do something a little different with floral prints that I like, too. The Balenciaga one that I wore for the races was quite a bold look and I felt great in it. Real Style Note Floral dresses need a bit more edginess to stop them looking the wrong side of old-fashioned. Some people like to wear them with leggings and flats. Most of the high-street stores do floral dresses every spring. Oasis are particularly good as they do some nice strapless ones with bold prints that have a more stylish and less frumpy look. You can find some pretty vintage dresses if you look around charity shops – it only takes a wide belt to make them look fresh and modern. Most dresses look great when worn with wedges and slingbacks – but I’d steer clear of black shoes with summer styles as they’ll look too heavy against light colours and floral prints. Getting the fit right Mini-shifts with bold prints are a great look for anyone with good legs. The ones I’ve worn even felt fine with my shorter legs. If you’re tall, you can get away with longer, floaty styles. But if you’re curvy or short, traditional tea-dress shapes – buttoned up, in at the waist and out at the hip – might make you look a bit like a dinner lady. Just don’t add overalls! Fitting the floral dress into your style Wearing tea dresses can be a hard look to pull off, and if I was going to wear one, I’d probably do it in a Boho kind of way – longer, buttoned down, with loads of accessories. Big chunky belts, flat sandals and lots of necklaces and bangles would pep the look up, too. Other ways to cut out the frump factor is to buy one with thin, Seventies-style tie straps. Dress, Warehouse. Jeans (#ulink_03f5f472-748c-515d-92c9-1cd8a74dde26) Top, Marlene Birger; jeans,Earnest Sewn; shoes, Christian Louboutin. Skinnies, flares, high-waisted or boyfriend – which styles are best for you? With so many styles, colours and fits to choose from, is it just me, or has shopping for a pair of jeans become a bit of a challenge? To be honest, I’ve always found it hard to get jeans that are a good fit, and I’ve spent a long time trying to find the perfect pair. I’m still not sure that they exist but after trying on skinny, high-waisted, boy-cut and umpteen other shapes, sizes and colours, it’s fair to say I’ve got a good idea of what’s out there now. So what kind of jeans shape will suit you best? That’s up to you. I say, if you feel good in skinnies, wear them; or if you fancy giving high-waisters a go, just do it – that’s what I do. The main thing with jeans is to just try loads of pairs on: you’ll know yourself what works and what doesn’t. Here are my top tips on what’s out there and how to wear them. MODERN CLASSIC If you don’t like skinnies, try straight leg instead. Wear with a pair of cool wedges. Top, Gap; jeans, River Island; wedges, River Island. My jeans rulebook 1 Dress the Part When you’re getting ready to go out shopping for jeans, be sure to put on the kind of top or tops that you intend to wear with them; I’d also take a good belt, too. If I’m wearing flats, I’ll shove a pair of heels in my bag, or vice versa. I like a big bag for daytime, so carrying shoes around is not usually a problem for me! Take whatever you think you’ll wear your jeans with most, basically. It may sound like a hassle, but honestly, a little bit of planning works wonders, and I just think that jeans are such a big part of your wardrobe that it’s worth putting the effort in. Jeans, Boohoo.com. Jeans are such a major part of our wardrobes that it’s worth buying different styles for different occasions. 2 Don’t think ‘size’, think ‘shape’ The trick is to find a pair of jeans that highlight your best bits: you can always cover up your not-so-good parts. And remember, the sizing from one brand to the next can be completely different; so don’t think size, think shape. I have some Balenciaga jeans which I love because they are really thin and stretchy and make my legs look much longer, but they are a little less flattering around my bum, as they make it look a bit long too – and with my short legs, my bum isn’t long! But they do look nice with a floaty blouse that covers my bum, and I wear them all the time. So, the trick is to think about balance and to use a few styling tricks. If you find a pair of jeans that make your bum and legs look great but that are a little loose around the waist, spend a little more on a good belt: it will pull them in and add extra style. The only definite no-no for me is when jeans are too tight at the waist, as this can give that wobbly spare tyre – or ‘muffin’ – look. I’d definitely go a size up in the jeans if this is the case: you wouldn’t believe how much more flattering they can turn out to be. And don’t be put off by magazine articles that say a certain shape is not for you. If you like skinnies, wear them – you’ll soon find your own ways of making them work; whether it’s by wearing heels to add height, or pairing them with a jacket length that covers your bum and hips. Just do what I do: try, try, and keep trying until you find a pair that makes you feel good. Style Tip It’s always worth remembering that department stores offer alteration services, so ask to have your jeans altered to fit when you buy them. 3 How do I get the length right? I think that one of the most important things to get right with jeans is the length. Most of us wear high-heeled shoes with jeans now, and if your jeans are just a tiny bit short it can have a major effect on the rest of your look: if you’re tall, it can make you look gangly, and if you’re shorter, it can make you look stumpy. So when you’re wearing classic straight or bootcut shapes, you don’t really want to see too much of the heel of your shoe. This is when taking a pair of heels with you when you go shopping is really helpful, but also take a couple of pins, too, to help you get the right length and see if the leg shape is right for you. I’ll spend ages getting the hem right: I like to wear my jeans with the back of the hem just a millimetre or two off the ground – almost skimming the ground but not quite. I apply the same rule if I’m wearing flats, too. Skinnies don’t look so bad with the hem ruched up at the bottom and worn with some flats (even though my brother says I look like a stump like that). 4 Mix and match I think it’s a really good idea to have different pairs of jeans for different occasions: I’ll wear some pairs going to my mum’s for Sunday lunch, or for going out shopping; or I’ll dress others up with a nice top if I’m meeting my mates for a drink at night. I keep my ‘going out’ jeans for night-time only, because if I don’t wear them that often, the colour doesn’t fade and they always look smart. I’ve also got pairs with hems a little bit longer for wearing with heels or wedges and others that are hemmed just right for wearing with flats. If you’re lucky enough to have found some jeans that do it all for you, I’d be tempted to buy a few pairs of the same style in different colours. I found a pair of dark blue J Brand ones that I liked, so I went back and bought the black ones and I also ended up getting them in a lighter blue, too. They’ve all got a different look and I can dress them up or down to suit wherever I’m going, but because I always feel great in them, at least if they decide not to do the same jeans next season, I’m sorted with my favourite fit. Blouse, Boohoo.com. Polka-dot tops always look great with jeans. Style Tip Department stores tend to have a good selection of designer or top denim brand styles, but if your nearest one doesn’t, go online. (See my Real Style File on page 265 for the best sites for up-to-the-minute styles.) 5 Is it worth splashing out on expensive jeans? I do wear a lot of high-street-brand jeans – Topshop skinny blacks are a great fit and they do some great bootcut ones in dark denim – but I also have pairs in my wardrobe that I have spent a little bit more on. I know that some jeans are a ridiculous price now, and I wouldn’t recommend that anyone run out and buy them at the drop of a hat, but if you are really into your jeans and you can afford to splash out occasionally, go for a quality or a designer pair. These jeans have more structure and will fit your body better, which means you’ll feel amazing in them. Plus they should wash well and will last you. Jeans, high heels and a pretty blouse make one of my all-time favourite outfits. So, just occasionally, I’d say it’s worth investing in the best. The brands I would look out for are 18th Amendment, J Brand, Sass & Bide, Made in Heaven (MiH) and True Religion. Then there is 7 For All Mankind, which do some of the most flattering bootcuts around. shoes, Christian Louboutin. Top, Marlene Birger; jeans, Earnest Sewn; shoes, Christian Louboutin. Style Tip Take a chance: try a style that you wouldn’t normally go for – you might be pleasantly surprised at how much different styles suit you. Jeans: the style lowdown Here’s my round-up of some of the key denim styles around at the moment. Read on and find the best pair for you! STRAIGHT Because of their straight-up-and-down classic shape, I’d say this cut is a good bet for anyone who likes a slim-leg look but who feels that skinny jeans are too edgy for them. A good fit for: most shapes – try different labels and brands to see which suit you best. Straights make legs look longer, but only if the hem length is right. Wear with: high, square heels or wedges, a great tan and a brown leather belt. Brands to try: Zara, Gap, UNIQLO, Chlo?, Howies, Diesel, Wrangler. SKINNY I love the skinny jeans look, especially ones with zips on the sides. Stella McCartney does them, and I think they are very good for people like me who have short legs. My skinny Balenciaga ones are so fine that I can wear them almost like leggings – tucked easily into boots in winter or with a big white shirt on top in warmer months. They are just the right length for wearing with a flat shoe, reaching slightly above the ankle. I like them because they’re a little dressier than normal jeans. Jeans, Republic. A good fit for: those who want to draw attention to their legs or make their legs look longer. But again, try different top combinations to make sure that they fit in with your style. Wear with: a blouse or a floaty top can look great with skinnies. Ballet pumps or flats work for day – although they can cut you off a bit if you’re short like me, in which case wear them with wedges or high-heeled sandals. At night, wear high, high heels for a super-glam – and super-leggy – look. Brands to try: Miss Sixty, Topshop, Juicy Couture, J Brand, New Look, Diesel, Sass & Bide, Superfine. BOYFRIEND This loose-cut, straight style is great for those who don’t like the idea of skinnies but who like a lean cut that fits around the bum and waist. These jeans have a casual look, which makes them great for just pulling on at the weekend. Top, ASOS. A peasant-style floral top adds feminity to boyfriend jean styles. A good fit for: those who want to show off their bums. They can really flatter slim-hipped figures, too. Wear with: a loose white cotton shirt or a vest and a great tan belt; or add prettiness with a loose chiffon, floral blouse. Wear plimsolls or Converse trainers, sandals or wedges. Brands to try: ASOS, Gap, French Connection, UNIQLO, Diesel, Miss Sixty. Mango do nice ones as well. HIGH-WAISTED I’ve got a few pairs of high-waisted, wide-leg jeans. Admittedly, getting the right fit was tricky: I had to make sure that the balance between the shape at the waist and the wideness of the leg was just right. I finally found a pair of 18th Amendment ones. They were such a nice fit that I’ve worn them loads and I’ve even bought them in another colour. A good fit for: pear-shaped or curvier figures. If you have a straight up-and-down figure and smaller hips, you’re better off trying the flared style. I think high-waisters are one of the hardest fashions to pull off, though, so you’ll have to decide whether to persevere with them. Wear with: a blouse or vest tucked in at the waist; this is my favourite look. Wedges look great with high-waisters, too. Brands to try: Sass & Bide, UNIQLO and Topshop for skinny high-risers; Cavalli, Chlo?, Superfine, Gap, Topshop, French Connection, Hudson, J Brand, Radcliffe, Oasis, Mango and 18th Amendment. Wedge shoe, Faith. BOOTCUT I’d say most people have a favourite pair of bootcut jeans in their wardrobes. Darker washes are, I think, the most flattering, and I would steer clear of a bleach-front detail as these can make your thighs look big. A good fit for: most shapes, but keep the hem long and wear them with heels. If your bum is not your favourite bit, though, I’d suggest you give bootcuts a miss and instead go for straight or trouser-shaped jeans. Or, give your figure good balance by choosing a more subtle flare. Wear with: blouses, or plain vests and nipped-in jackets. Some sort of heel is a good idea, as the flared hem shape of bootcuts can make you look shorter if you are wearing flats. Converse and round-toe boots will look great with these, though. Brands to try: Topshop, 7 For All Mankind, Gap, Diesel, J Brand, Citizens of Humanity, Next, DVB. CROPPED Cropped styles are brilliant for summer, or for taking on holiday, especially in white or black. Vest top, Republic. Cropped jeans look great with a stripy vest top and pumps in summer. A good fit for: anyone – I’m sure there’s a style out there to suit your shape. Just remember rule number 2 in my jeans rule book: try on different styles and find a fit that’s right for you. Wear with: just about anything – blouses, T-shirts, vests. Flats and elegant heels will look great with these jeans: I’d maybe wear a classic pump, or my Lanvin flats. Brands to try: True Religion, Topshop, Gap, Oasis, Mango, Dorothy Perkins, Next, UNIQLO, Juicy Couture, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Rock & Republic. COLOURED I think coloured jeans sit on the fine line between good taste and bad, but if you like a different look, you can make this work. Fearne Cotton does the coloured-jeans look really well: she’s got that funky take on it. A good fit for: anyone who wants to highlight their legs and hips. Skinny coloured jeans are easier to carry off than straight or bootleg, which can look mumsy in coloured cotton. Those in a finer material, like the Balenciaga ones with ankle-zip that I wear (they come in blue, red and white) are a bit more dressy. Wear with: pumps with a metallic finish. Accessorize the look with stacked thin bangles, or wear a blazer and a loosely wrapped scarf for a rock-chick look. Brands to try: Topshop, UNIQLO, True Religion, See by Chlo?, Balenciaga, Chlo?. Tops (#ulink_c8c3eb8c-e62d-583e-8580-4e280806671a) Blouse, Marlene Birger. A seriously pretty top can create a great look in an instant. Whether it’s a fresh, cotton blouse, a sparkly vest or a stripy sweater, a well-chosen top can completely change your look. There’s such a brilliant selection of tops out there right now that none of us has to rely on just our favourite T-shirts any more. I admit, nothing looks fresher than a white vest and jeans in summer, but I think there are so many good reasons not to just reach for your favourite tee or sweater every day. One of the handiest styling tips that I’ve learned lately is that creating a great look on your top half is all down to detail. But, again, I would say that the best tops for you are the ones that suit your shape, and that you feel most comfortable in. So, plain or patterned, simple or smart, in this chapter I’ll suggest many ways to dress your tops up or down to suit your style, and explain how to create a practical but pretty collection of classic tops – including some great jackets – to wear with your jeans, skirts and trousers. Top, Dorothy Perkins. Everyday favourites T-shirts, vests and racer-backs SIMPLY GORGEOUS When choosing T-shirts, I go for finer, looser styles that you can shape with a belt, or close-fitting designs like a simple vest. I love vests with shorts and skirts. If my skin’s nicely tanned, I might wear a brightly coloured vest, or if I’m wearing a simple white one I’ll drape some fine gold chains around my neck. Photograph © Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images. A little extra detail on a vest top adds extra style. JEAN GENIUS Tanks and racer-backs can look great with jeans. I’ve seen Scarlett Johansson do this look in a simple, stylish way; with some three-quarter-length denim capri pants and a plain white, cotton vest. Her gorgeous curvy figure brought a real old-fashioned sexiness to the look that made me think of the Pink Ladies in Grease. EXTRA PRETTY If you can do that Fifties kind of thing, it can look really cute, but I’d say you have to be careful with vests as they can easily slip into ‘builder’ territory, and if they don’t suit your shape, the effect can be a little too masculine. Layering a fine cotton shirt on top of a vest will help avoid this. Remember, too, to go for nude-coloured bras under white vests, so that they don’t show through. It’s nicer not to have bra straps showing, so go for tank-shaped vests, which should cover them. SUPER SMART Another thing I look for in a T-shirt is good-quality fabric: silk or fine cotton adds a smartness that stops a tee feeling too loose and casual, while a little more detail will look dressier. It’s just the kind of thing that Joseph, See by Chlo? and Topshop Unique do really well – they take a great basic T-shirt shape and make it in a luxurious or silky material. I often spend a little extra on smart T-shirts, and I find that those are the ones that last longer and wash up really well. ALL IN THE NAME I’m not as keen as I used to be about logos on clothes. Small ones are fine, but you have to be careful with large logos. Saying that, I remember about 13 years ago I had a pair of red Moschino jeans with ‘Moschino’ written all over them. I thought they were fab at the time! Real Style Note If you’re curvy, go for fitted tops that show off your shape. If you’re worried about your tummy, pick a looser style with sleeve detail and a low-cut or buttoned neckline to draw attention away from it. If you’re tall, choose a vest to highlight your waist and wear it with a fitted jacket of the same length. Elle Macpherson looks great in this combination. If you like to cover your bum, choose a tee with sleeve and neck detail – like a ruffle- to draw attention away from the bits you feel conscious of. I’d also try wearing longer styles that skim your hips. Blouse, Wallis. All-time classic The white shirt White shirts never go out of fashion – whether you wear one to the office every day or buy one every summer, there are not many people I know who don’t wear one at some point. The good news is that they don’t just come in straight ‘office’ styles anymore. Stores like Gap, Marks & Spencer and Hennes do several versions of classic white shirts now, as do most of the big designers. Chanel always do quite special ones, but I like the Chlo? shirts, as they always have something more going on – like pleats around the neckline – and this stops them looking and feeling too stiff. I’d tend to stick to this type of shirt for during the day, but really, the brilliant thing about a white shirt is that it goes with almost anything. The key is to keep it as pristine and as white as you can; once it loses its sharpness you’ll need to buy a new one. Style Tip Choose a crisp, fitted white blouse for a polished look or a looser, softer, hippy style for casual days. Pull your shirt in at the waist with a wide tan or black belt for a sleeker look. Blouse, Marlene Birger. Dressing the part Beautiful blouses I love silky or chiffon blouses. I might go for a chiffon one that’ nicely fitted around the body but that has big, full or puffy sleeves. This can look just as lovely and glamorous with a pencil skirt or some high-waisted jeans as it would with classic trousers or a skirt. Smock styles with jewels and stones around the neckline can also work during the day, and short-sleeved blouses tend to look better in daytime, too. NIGHT BRIGHTS For night, choose loose, wide-neck blouses that sit slightly off the shoulder, as they can look just the right side of sexy – as can pussy-bow necklines and ruffle-front styles. I’d say that a plain blouse in a lush fabric and a bright or block colour doesn’t need anything extra with it, as the brightness speaks for itself. I’d also stick to the same rule of ‘don’t accessorize’ when it comes to printed styles. IN THE MIX Another good look to bear in mind is combining the two and wearing an evening-style top with jeans in the day. I got a fantastic silver-sequined, T-shirt-style blouse with a bow at the neck that I wore in the first series of Coleen’s Real Women. It was from Topshop and I think it looked kind of trendy and not too blingy. I wear it with my skinny denims and high shoes. For me, this worked because I let the top do the talking and I didn’t wear any accessories. I got loads of compliments on it. A sheer, silk blouse with ruffle-front detail is just the right side of sexy. The soft touch Easy knits Knitted tops can be quite hard to wear: they tend to be what we reach for in between seasons when it starts to get a little colder. But in changeable weather, jumpers can feel too bulky and fine-knit tops can feel too thin. My advice is: try layering. THE WARM UP In winter, layer a chunky-knit cardigan over your favourite long-sleeved T-shirt or polo neck. Big knitted cardigans have more shape than jumpers, which not only look better on all figures, but they give you the chance to turn the heat up or down by taking your cardi off when you’re indoors. PLAIN SAILING In spring or summer, layer fine cotton-knit tops. Try soft colours like grey and powder-pink in cashmere or merino wool: they can look great over a plain vest. Varying the lengths of your tops worn together also gives a flattering, layered look. GET UP AND GO I love sweater dresses but I’m not that into big, bulky jumpers, as they can look quite shapeless, so unless I’m just nipping out or walking the dog in winter, I tend not to wear them. But plain wool V-necks and turtlenecks always have a classic smart look, and they’re great for those days when you don’t have much time to get ready. Top, George at Asda. A striped, sleeveless knitted top is a great option for late summer days. Top, Boohoo.com. Real Style Note Short, knitted cardigans can do funny things to your shape, making you look wider if you’re short and longer if you’re tall. Try on a few until you get it right. Wear a big leather belt with a chunky knit and a thinner one with a fine-knit this adds a classically chic touch to practical styles. TAKE COVER Striped sweaters, in classic navy and cream or navy and red, can look smart with jeans in spring. I’d also invest in a nice cashmere cardi for summer nights, or a cardi-coat for autumn. Pringle and Missoni do some great knits and all the high-street faves seem to have a much wider pick of knitted tops from season to season. Topshop do some great sleeve shapes: from short, ruffle styles to wide tunic shapes; and French Connection do some great Eighties- style knitted tops in bold colours and prints. I like Joseph knits, and always try Gap for some fine cotton-mix sweaters in summer, Choose soft, muted colours – they look lovely at this time of year. Конец ознакомительного фрагмента. Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес». Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию (https://www.litres.ru/coleen-rooney/coleen-s-real-style/?lfrom=688855901) на ЛитРес. 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