I am excited about this weeks topic “Pick the Right Pattern” as I often hear my Clients say they are not sure what pattern or print works for them.
Just to be clear, when I refer to patterns I am talking about the print or the design on a garment such as dots, stripes, florals, shapes and clusters of colour and not the sewing instructions on how to make it like you would find at Spotlight
I often hear Clients say they prefer plain tops instead of a patterned top and when we do try the right patterns, they are often blown away by how slim, healthy and vibrant they look.
Patterns have a great ability to hide your natural curves by giving the mind of the person looking at you so much to process.
If the pattern is not only great in size, perfect for your colouring and the garment is a fantastic style for your body shape; you have hit the jackpot!
THE PATTERN CHECKLIST
So let’s delve a little deeper into all the elements that make up a perfect pattern.
I will use examples of current styles in store or online from popular brands such as JacquiE, Diana Ferrari, Ezibuy, Sportscraft and Blue Illusion.
I have a created a Pinterest Board with current styles and comments on pattern, style and what body shape it would be most suitable for. Simple click on the image below to follow this board.
Let’s look at Pattern Checklist in more detail:
✔︎ Do you love the pattern?
✔︎ What is the size of the pattern?
✔︎ Are the colours right for you?
✔︎ What is the line and design of the pattern?
Do you love the pattern?
It is really a simple question with a YES or NO answer. If the answer is NO then move on. Patterns have a tendency to bring up emotions so trust those instincts when you initially look at the item. There is a reason why this question is before any of the others. Your reaction in your mind to the question “Do I love this pattern” can be triggered by whether it brings up good or bad emotions or perhaps emotions triggered by memories. The pattern may remind you of what your Mum likes to wear, what your school uniform looked like or what you associate the pattern with.
I will give you a few examples of the strongest feelings I witness when I go through the pattern selection with a Client:
Florals; Often the Client is very keen to look fresh and elegant and to them florals often give a sense of “old lady” or “daggy”. In my experience, not every floral is the same and simply trust your intuition when you look at the garment. I personally own many floral patterned dresses and skirts, I love wearing them and I get plenty of positive comments.
Stripes; They also have a really bad reputation of “making you look bigger” and Clients often dismiss any stripe instantly. Your body shape needs balancing and stripes can be a fantastic way of accentuating a certain part of your body. Some stripes have instant slimming results and others don’t. More on stripes in the section “size of the pattern” and “line and design” section.
Dots; Dots have the most divided fan base. You either love them or hate them. So that makes it easy. If you love the Dot I strongly suggest you take a note of the tips in the section “size of the pattern”.
What is the size of the pattern?
Let’s start with what size works best for you and then put the actual pattern to the test. This is not a case of good or bad but what looks most harmoniously on your proportions.
Pick your height column and match it with your dress size row.
I will explain the size of the pattern by showing you a variety of images.
Here are some simple rules you can follow when it comes to stripe size. The size of the actual stripe is and the distance between the stripes determine the size of the pattern. You can see that on the first image below the stripe itself is quite large and the distance is really large, Tara Moss (the Ambassador for JacquiE) is really tall and quite large in her features like her face, hands and feet so it works for her. It will not work on every shape!
The second and third image will suit most women’s size, the distance between the stripes is medium to small and the size of the stripe is medium to small.
When you shop for your husband’s business shirt or knit, the same rules apply and knowing that guys have a tendency of putting on weight around their stomachs it is an important rule to apply.
Large size stripe Medium size Small and Medium combined
Here are some more examples of pattern sizes from the current Sportscraft and Diana Ferrari collection. If you want to see if this suits your shape simply click on the image.
Large Pattern size Large to Medium size Medium size
Medium Pattern size Medium size Medium size
Medium Pattern size Large to Medium size Small size
Small Pattern size Large to Medium size Large to Medium size
Are the colours right for you?
In Part 3, I address the topic of colours and I mentioned a whole set of universal colours that look great on everyone. You may be super keen to get your colours done and I would love to help you as there is nothing more joyous than having a colour swatch with 60 of your best colours. Just click on the image below to book in.
What is the line and design of the pattern?
How the pattern runs on your body is a really important part of how amazing (and slim) you look.
Understanding what part of your body needs balancing out starts with knowing your body shape and understanding what works and what does not which I covered in Part 2.
Here are a few visuals from the Ezibuy website. The first floral has the florals lined up in a vertical position which is flattering. The middle dress has a flattering black outline which is what I call an “instant weighloss program”. It recedes the outer edges of your body. The last dress is a lot harder to work, big blocks, no real waist and big pattern size.
BUSTING A FEW PATTERN MYTHS
“Rounds adds Pounds” ➜ Yes and No to this one. If the Round is huge than yes it will make you looking bigger and if it a small to medium size it can make an outfit and body look amazing.
“Blue and Green are not to be seen” ➜ No! Blue and green in the same family of colours look amazing togethe
“Stripes will make me look bigger” ➜ No! Hopefully you will open your mind and mindfully picking the stripes that work for you.
TO TUCK OR NOT TO TUCK… that is the question!
Learning to tuck in your tops regardless of your stomach size is a must in making your outfit look slim.
What I see most women do is to simply leave the top over a pants, skirt or jeans. Especially when you do this over a skirt, it will make you look boxy and very likely extra long in the upper body and short in the legs.
Tailoring your outfit in whatever way possible is crucial so you appear slimmer. Tucking in and blousing over, at least in skirts, is a great way to disguise stomach rolls and back fat. Leaving a top simply hanging down will show every lump and bump and you will create a horizontal line in a wider part of your hip section.
Here are some examples from the JacquiE website:
✘ ✔︎
✘ ✔︎
✘ ✔︎
YOUR NEXT PART IS ONLY A CLICK AWAY!
Part 9 – Check the Perfect Fit
A really important part of creating a wardrobe that you love, is to go through all the elements of your potential new purchase while you are trying the pieces in the change room.
Settling for less in this moment can cost you lots of money and disappointment. In fact, it is the moment that will decide if you are adding an item that you love wearing to your collection or that the item will gather dust in your wardrobe.
This part will take you through each item of clothing what you need to look for. From tops to bottoms, from bras to shape wear!
Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Quick Links
Did you miss the last few weeks of articles here are quick links:
|
Book a Styling
If all the above seems way too hard and you feel you need my help to select the right pieces for your body shape, please press here to book your Style Session most suited to you (and your budget! 😉).
ABOUT ANGELA BARBAGALLO
Angela Barbagallo is one of the brightest minds in personal styling and confidence coaching today.
Angela has educated her many clients in making great style choices, which translates into increased feelings of well-being and a positive attitude in life.
Angela is a body shape and colour expert and a best selling author on Amazon of two style books “8 Ways to Look Fabulous, Taller and Slimmer” and “The Real Woman’s Guide to Hair”.
Angela is the NSW Independent Style Consultant for Diana Ferrari since 2011 as part of their Fusion Reward Program.
Angela also collaborates with Corporate Clients such as Bank of America, Jetstar and Bupa with her “Dress for Success” program.
Follow Angela Barbagallo’s blog posts: https://styleangel.com/blog/
Join the 21 Day Style Challenge: https://styleangel.com/stylechallenge/
Follow Angela Barbagallo on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/styleangel3
Follow Angela Barbagallo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/styleangel3
Follow Angela Barbagallo on Instagram: https://instagram.com/angela_styleangel/
Follow Angela Barbagallo on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/styleangel3/
Purchase Angela Barbagallo’s Books: https://amazon.com/author/styleangel