Dress to Drill…Looking good at the gym…

Dress to Drill – Workout Style Tips

Sportswear from NEXT Spring 2011

After the excess of the holidays, January often finds us feeling sluggish and in need of redressing our overindulgences.The best way to approach getting back on form is to set yourself realistic goals and ease into a regular fitness routine.

The key to getting started is motivation, and what better way to get you in the mood for exercising than to invest in some colourful, stylish sportswear.

 

Essentials – Get a good bra!

Figleaves Sports Bra Spring 2011

Whatever fitness routine you decide to take-up you first need to make sure that you invest in good sports bra. You need a good, comfortable fit and proper support in all the right places. The important thing for ladies to remember when exercising is that you will need even more support for your bust than you do in your regular bra. You also want to feel good in your workout clothes so make sure you choose your best and most energising colours and styles that flatter your figure.

The gym – What to wear?

The mistake we often make with exercising is that we think it doesn’t matter what we wear as long as it’s comfortable. We frequently opt for the baggy t-shirt as it covers a multitude of sins and then wonder why we feel dreadful when we see ourselves in the mirror down the gym. If you wear something that flatters your body shape in an uplifting colour you will already feel better about the way you look which will motivate you to keep up the exercise.

Pretty Coloured Sports Top from M&S Spring 2011

Tips for Tops:

Look for tops in the brightest colours within your colour palette. Reds and pinks are great energising shades, just make sure they are the right reds and pinks for you. Greens and yellows can be uplifting too.

Don’t wear a strappy top if you hate your upper arms, wear a t-shirt or three-quarter length sleeves instead.

Make sure you wear a top that fits well and doesn’t look like you’re hiding in a tent!

Tips for Bottoms:

Find styles that complement your figure and don’t attract attention to your ‘problem’ areas. Draw focus away from the thighs or bottom by wearing a darker colour on your bottom half and keep the lighter and brighter colours for your top.

Outdoor workout – Style Advice:

Feminine Charcoal Jacket by Sweaty Betty Spring 2011 collection

Exercising outdoors means you need to prepare for the cold and layering is the key here. To avoid feeling like the Michelin woman, invest in some lightweight sports clothes that are designed to keep you warm without weighing you down. It’s worth finding a good quality lightweight waterproof jacket that keeps out the wind and wet. Remember to look for colours and styles that you feel good in; Lycra leggings don’t look good on most of us, jogging bottoms are more cosy and comfortable to exercise in and come in a range of stylish designs.

Tips for outdoor clothes:

Layers should be lightweight and your top layer should be something you can unzip easily, you can then take it off and tie it around your waist if you get too warm.

Sleeveless jackets give an extra layer of warmth without adding a lot of bulk.

For really cold days wear a fun hat and gloves as numb fingers and painful ears will take the pleasure out of your run/walk.

Final thoughts…

Colourful Sweatshirt from Littlewoods Spring 2011 collection

It’s worth spending more money on your sportswear to get a flattering fit and the right support you need and it will last longer. If you need guidance on the right styles for you then why not contact me about a Colour Analysis or Personal Styling & Body Shapes Consultation and I’ll solve your dressing dilemmas – forever!

You can contact me by phone on 01932 224302 or by email at isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk

Enjoy your workouts!

All the best…Isabel xx

 

Isabel de Felice is an award winning image consultant, stylist and personal shopper with Colour me Beautiful

 

Feel Good in 2011..

New Year…New Confident YOU!

Get back your feel good factor…

Time for a change?

You spent December rushing around thinking about everyone else, now it’s time to focus on you. There is no better time to reassess your style and your wardrobe than at the beginning of a brand new year so get ready to kick-start your feel-good factor in 2011 with a positive and confident new you.

Feel Good Make-up Tips…

Our face is the first thing people see when they greet us so you want to make sure it’s looking its best. At this time of year your skin needs a lot of care and a little cosmetic help to get some brightness back in to your complexion.

Must have basics:

Skin Adjuster – to help keep redness caused by the cold wind at bay

Morning Light Foundation – to give a balanced complexion and all over protection

Concealer – to help tone down dark circles and blemishes

Keep your eyes looking bright…

After the Christmas excesses your eyes may feel a bit dull so keep drinking plenty of water and invest in some eye drops.

For make-up, wear a lighter shadow and keep the darker shades for just a little definition as they will emphasise any tiredness around the eyes. Colours with a bit of shimmer or in lighter shades applied in the centre of the lid will lift and brighten the eye.

For shimmer choose from:
Gold Whisper, Indian Ocean or Khaki.

For light shades choose from:
Melon, Peppermint, Lavender Bliss or Pearl.

Gorgeous lips…

Dry lips pale out our complexion so keep them regularly moisturised and wear a fabulous colour lipstick to lift your spirits in these dark days.

Feel Good Styling & Wardrobe Tips…

 

Time for a de-clutter?

How many feel good outfits do you own?

In reality most women have only about 3 or 4 outfits that they really enjoy wearing. Why?  Mainly because they believe that looking good costs money or they get into style ruts and make bad shopping choices. When you open your wardrobe you should feel happy with everything you see and know that you will look good every day, not just on the ‘good outfit’ days.

‘Casual’ doesn’t mean ‘Can’t be bothered’

Casual doesn’t have to mean baggy old t-shirts over badly fitting trousers!  You should still feel good about yourself in your dress down clothes. Making your casual wear more stylish doesn’t need to be expensive either…it just needs a bit of thought. Your jeans should always be a good fit and flatter your shape. Wear a top with a bit of interest; it might just be in a fabulous colour or in a cut that looks great on you. Even adding a key accessory can up the ante in your casual style stakes.

A pair of leggings and jumper dress or tunic can look stylish and still be comfy at the same time. Just make sure you get a good quality pair of leggings and that the tunic is an appropriate length and suits your shape. Just a little effort will make all the difference to how you feel, even on the dress down days.

Your size doesn’t matter…you shape does!

Though you may not feel your best post-Christmas, remember, you don’t have to be a size 8 to look good. Women are meant to have curves, it is natural, it is sexy and it is feminine. Fashion has recently returned to more womanly shapes and being ultra-feminine, so celebrate your fabulous curves, learn how to dress them and enjoy making yourself look fabulous.

Five top tips for a ‘Feel Good’ wardrobe…

Feel good in your clothes...

First of all a wardrobe weed is essential. Throw away items with the ‘ugh’ factor. Any items that get the ‘ugh’ reaction must be assigned to charity, friends who look good in them or recycling!

– Pick out the items in your wardrobe that you do like and think about why you enjoy wearing them and what it is about them that suits you.

– Consider your personal style, what do you like your clothes to say about you?

– Learn to understand your body shape and find cuts and fabrics that work with your body-lines.

– When you have done a bit of self-assessment you can start doing some research into finding the right clothes for you. Pick out the retailers with ranges that appeal to you and have the right cuts and fabrics that suit you.

Start your New Year taking care of you and get some valuable style advice.  Contact me for more details about a Personal Style & Body Shape Consultation, Personal Shopping Trips or my Wardrobe Weeding & De-Cluttering service.

Contact details:

Tel: 01932 224302

Email: isabel.defelice@cmb.co.uk

Have a feel good New Year…All the best…

Isabelx

Expert advice from Colour me Beautiful's award winning consultant - Isabel de Felice