Cherchez La Femme!

Bonjour à toutes!

Listen up everyone! We are all beautiful! I ask you to always remember this even if you take nothing else on board from this column.

We all have some great features as well as having a few not-so-great features. And as you’ve heard from me before, there are as many ways to accent the areas you love and as there are to mask the ones you are not so fond of.

If you’re a model, putting on two pounds is a definite no-no.  In real life, however, our weight fluctuates within a couple of pounds and that is just a reality. That said, there is a plateau that we should strive to never cross. It’s your choice and thus your responsibility to set the bar to a realistic level that is easy to attain and maintain.

Of course we must eat healthily and exercise daily but we can also let our wardrobe do a little of the hard work for us. We already know that colors and fit can accentuate our best features and/or help conceal our flaws. Since dark colors are slimming, why not use navy, black, brown and charcoal to camouflage our not-so-great features?

Fortunately, slimming undergarments today are not what they used to be. Slimmers and shapers now are comfortable to wear and will mask our pesky bumps and bulges. There are even tops and dresses lined with hidden power-mesh control panels that instantly smooth and sculpt the body.

Avoid shiny and highly textured fabrics, as they make one look bulky. Also avoid tight clothes. As I have preached many times before, clothes must fit properly. Unfortunately women panic about the number on their garments. Would you buy shoes a size smaller just to suit your vanity? Of course not! If you are a bit round, the good news is that plus-size clothing has become chic and trendy as the average American woman now wears a size 14.  The bad news is that haute couture houses like Chanel don’t design clothes over size 12. But if you can afford the price tag of such high-flying designers, then why not consider custom-made pieces that would be unique, flattering and suit your body perfectly?
If you are a little wide in the thighs, don’t worry. Just balance your silhouette by accentuating your shoulders. Go for a dress that is fitted through the waist while skimming over your less loved lower half. If your shoulders are narrower than your hips opt for a boat-neck top as this will balance out the shoulders and the hips.  A small shoulder pad would not hurt either.

If you are among the women who have broad shoulders, I consider you very fortunate, as I believe they are extremely attractive. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise! Focus on those beautiful shoulders by wearing asymmetrical necklines. However, you must stay away from shoulder pads or puffy sleeves. And if you also have great firm upper arms, halter-tops should be at the top of your list for summer, as well as V-necks or wrap-style dresses.
If you have a smaller bust, chances are that most trends look great on you already. But there are those of us who could use a little extra volume in that area. There are many ways to enhance un petit buste by cheating just a little. Visit a lingerie specialist in any department store or better yet, support your local lingerie retailer. Embellishments, pleats or ruffles in the bust area are your best friends. Accentuate your waist by wearing a belt. This will not only emphasize a small waist but also highlight the added details at the top of the garment. And if you are long-waisted, wear wide belts.

Even with a daily regimen of biceps and triceps toning, beautiful youthful upper arms are rare once we get older. The good thing is that we can at least hide those floppy upper arms–one of my clients calls them “Kimono Arms” which I find very funny and descriptive–unlike our hands or face that we can’t exactly cover up. I can hear you say: “But Michele, look at those gorgeous sleeveless dresses all around us.” You’re right. But my answer to this is, “Wear them with a lovely light cardigan or a cropped jacket. And when in the privacy of your own space flaunt the sleeveless dress, but remember to grab that cardigan when in company.” Don’t think you can’t be sexy if you cover your upper arms. Look for ballet tops with three-quarter sleeves and a low décolleté in the back.
 
A la prochaine!

Michèle

*Work with Michèle*

You can work with Michèle on-line or face-to-face. 

Call or email for an appointment. 

You’ll be thrilled with the results.
415.956.3025
michele@mbenza.com

Spring 2010! BLUE. NUDE. TRIBAL. BANGLES and More!

I confess. I have a serious crush on spring.  A minute past midnight December 21, when the long dark nights begin to shrink, I start getting tingles. And when the first daffodils begin to bloom and I can fill all the vases I can put my hands on with their cheerful sunny color, spring fever hits in full force.

And of course, best of all, is shedding the heavy layers of winter clothing. When I slip into that first spring dress and sling on a pair of heeled sandals, I immediately feel transformed within and without and my spirits soar.  As I said, I have a very serious crush on spring!

I’m happy to report that April is shaping up in the stores with many fresh-looking spring and summer collections and they’re all about color and femininity.

Transparency
Almost weightless, transparent fabrics are being worn in layers with visible lingerie underneath. It is a misconception to believe that layers are only applicable during the fall and winter months. On the contrary, fashion has given us many ways to overlay our apparel at any time of the year. How often do we complain of freezing from the air conditioning blowing on our shoulders inside only to be hit by a blast of warm air and bright sunshine when we go outside? Isn’t this then the perfect time to layer ourselves with lightweight scarves, vests and cropped jackets?
Just as designers turned their spring/summer shows into playful fairytales we should do the same with our wardrobes.  Spring is a time to be lighthearted and have fun! I urge you to play with the many hues of blue, tribal fabrics, bangles and bracelets and heeled sandals.
Blue, inspired by sky and water is this season's most important color. Just a single item will suffice to update previous seasons’ outfits.

Nude and Pale Pastels are all on this spring’s color chart as well. Barely-there tones were very present on the red carpets and runways. Be warned though--those light shades are not for everyone as they may not enhance your skin tone. If that is the case for you, avoid the washed-out look by choosing to wear nude accessories instead. Nude shoes in particular are fantastic, as they help elongate the leg beautifully.

Urban Safari - In Paris, one color that invaded the ‘festival’ collections was khaki. This new trend was presented more like the new ‘black’ as seen in this Celine dress that is so urban and chic at the same time. 

Bangles - for centuries, in many cultures, they have been worn to define the wearer’s social status. In our society, bangles are a fun fashion accessory only. However, they can add stylish pizzazz to your look. Wrap your wrist with a dazzling cuff, or go for the eclectic and arm your forearms with colorful bangles and bracelets. Mix them all together, from skinny to wide.

Jeans – I love/hate them. It saddens me that they are worn all the time and at every occasion by young and not-so-young people alike--with tears and holes, discolorations in the wrong spots and details in the wrong areas. And what’s up with the back pockets? They’re now placed so low on the butt that no matter how great one’s butt is, it looks as if it’s sagging! Worst of all for me, is the denim-on-denim look. However, I must be fair and tell you that an allover denim look is in this spring, but I still hate it. There! I’ve said it.
I much prefer Stella McCartney’s overall dress that can be worn with colorful heels or gladiator sandals, with or without a tee underneath. (Layers again.)

Décolleté -  It must be worn plongeant (plunging), preferably in a V shape that elongates all silhouettes. Beware of a décolleté plongeant with a mini-skirt, as it could easily look vulgar! Please avoid!

Lingerie - ah yes, this is sure to please our Monsieur friends! Lingerie is no longer worn as undergarments only. I strongly discourage creating a total lingerie look. This very feminine tendance should be worn in a sensual manner, just enough to wake up the opposite sex’s attention, and not be a spectacle. Think more of pairing opposites such as a bustier under a boyfriend double-breast blazer, a jupon (slip or petticoat) with an army style jacket.

Perfect pieces have infinite possibilities. A common misconception in figuring out one's outfit is to think that we have to look like the model on a magazine cover. Wrong!  Don't forget that trends can be used to inspire your style.  They're not intended to be mimicked.
I wish you all a joyous, lighthearted spring!

A la prochaine!

Michèle

COST PER WEAR

COST-PER–WEAR

(Again!)

By Michèle Benza

We have a tradition in our family. We go to a movie every day during the holiday season from December 25th right through to New Year’s Day. It’s a fun tradition that I always look forward to.

Last December, one of my favorite movies was “Up in the Air.” George Clooney plays the main character, an executive, who travels around the country to fire people. He has no life to speak of. He carries all he needs in one wheel-away suitcase.

This movie provided an ah-ha moment for me. What if I were to empty my dressing room and throw all my clothes–accessories, coats et al– on my bed and contemplate their value? The first thing question that came to mind was, ‘do I really need all these clothes?’ Looking at the pile, I could not help but wonder how much money I’d spent for each item. Was it worth it? Was it a good investment? I started to add the numbers in my mind. Oh boy! How many hours had I worked to pay for all that? Scary? You bet!

I decided to create a spreadsheet and to calculate an approximate cost-per-wear (CPW) for each item. It gave me a good idea of how skilled I am at investing in clothes.

For those of you who are not familiar with CPW, it’s a concept that rationalizes the expense of a garment by dividing each time you wear it into the original cost. Cost-per-wear means spending money on a piece of clothing that you will wear continually, making it a good investment. The more you wear it, the better the returns on your initial purchase. It does not matter whether the item is an expensive pair of Christian Louboutin shoes or an H&M skirt or, whether you spent $2,000 or $100 on an item, just as long as you get your money’s worth.

According to some of my colleagues, the ideal CPW should be $2. I disagree with that number. Achieving that goal poses a real challenge for those who have ‘a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear’ don’t you think?

In my opinion, the CPW should certainly not exceed your hourly income. By the way, this applies for your lunches too. Have you ever calculated how much you have to work just to buy your daily lunch?

The worst CPW comes with items that result from impulse shopping. It's been a long time since I've shopped during a moment of weakness without any plan in mind. But believe me, I can attest that the very worst CPW results from those spontaneous purchases.

I am pleased to report that my average CPW on my entire wardrobe is less than $5.00.

Now, I challenge you to examine YOUR pile of clothes. Which items were your best investments?

A la prochaine
Michèle

What's New With Michele Benza?

Bonjour a tous!

I trust this email finds you well. Just want to give you an update on what’s happening at Michele Benza, Image Consulting & Posture.

Public Speaking - This year I decided to challenge myself even more by accepting speaking engagements. I found a formula that works great for me and that is fun and engaging for the audience. I was recently invited to participate in an Education Day for Interior Decorators. This Q&A presentation was followed by a one-on-one image consulting session for the participants. Attendees were very happy and I received many complimentary remarks. This one event has precipitated more invitations to speak at events.

Articles - My articles have received nice reviews and are now published on www.50fabulous.com, www.bawj.com, www.sfgate.com, and www.marin.com. More and more readers are signing up to receive my columns directly in their in-boxes. I am also proud to announce that I have co-authored an e-book about image and etiquette. As soon as it is released, which I expect to happen in about four weeks, I will send you an email.

Spring/summer – Right now I am busy exploring the stores and discovering the trends for spring and summer. I particularly like the ‘nude’ color that has appeared on the scene as well as the various shades of blue. Fabrics are all about structure and so is hair. Tribal has made its appearance with beautiful colored printed fabrics, and for those who shy away from bangles, I urge you to wear lots of them!

Paris! – A trip is in the prep stage. This May, I will be window shopping to bring you the latest trends as well as shopping with clients in my favorite fashion capital. If you would like to join me in Paris and spend some time shopping, let me know so I can reserve some time for you.

Lastly– Now that spring has made its entrance in most of the stores, I am working with clients to help them build their spring/summer wardrobe, so if you need assistance, remember I am just a phone call away.

Best wishes.
A bientôt!

Michèle

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Looking Back and Looking Forward

By
Michele Benza

Wishing You All You Wish For Yourself

And Those You Love

in

2010!

2009 was a great year! Thanks to so many of you. I am so grateful that I had the privilege to meet with some of you online and even face-to-face.

If 2009 had some bumps in the road I saw those as positive experiences as they made me wiser and stronger and brought me back to reality. As my younger son, Greg, said to me one day: “Mom, when I have obstacles I think of a river full of boulders. The river flows around the rocks and just keeps going.”

During 2009, I addressed quite a few subjects in my columns – from “Style on a budget” to high heels and hats! And very importantly, “Beauty From The Inside Out”. I had a lot of fun writing these newsletters for you. The most fun was “Hats are Back, Hats are Hot!” The day I wrote that was very busy and I was late with my column. Between two clients, I ran to “Hats on Post” in San Francisco and told Peg Purcell, the owner, about the column. In fifteen minutes, with my cell phone as our only camera, we documented the article. It was fast and it was fun!

“Style on a Budget,” the newsletter published early 2009, especially received many positive comments. I was still in shock about the financial collapse and was wondering what would happen next. Naturally, I wondered if my small enterprise could survive. I’m happy to report, not only did it survive; it thrived! I’m especially happy to have helped so many men and women who came to see me because they did not know what to wear for a job interview, or because they were feeling lost or in a rut. With a little tweaking of their image, a reevaluation of their wardrobe, they felt refreshed, inspired and managed to regain their self-confidence. And thanks to technology I’ve been able to help many people in small towns across the USA and across the oceans east and west.

So what’s up for 2010? I’ll keep contributing to 50fabulous.com and Bay Area Women’s Journal. I’ll work hard to bring you relevant and interesting topics.

As I’ve said many times before, fashion happens on the sidewalks–no longer on the runways–for everyday people like you and me. As for the magazines, they’re fun to read but remember all those beautiful men and women perfectly coiffed and dressed, are there to seduce you into spending money. Those beautiful people on paper do not exist in our everyday workplaces and communities. Don’t let them bring down your self-esteem! These days’ photographs are altered so rapidly and so dramatically that the models always appear to be ‘perfect.’

Since January is a time when we often make New Year’s resolutions, I have a good suggestion for you: start your own style notebook. Be your own model and your own fashion reporter.

My wish for 2010 is that natural beauty prevails and becomes the new standard.

Bonne Année à tous,
Michèle

P.S. If there are any topics you’d like me to write about, please let me know.



*Work with Michele*
You can work with Michele on-line or face-to-face.
Call or email for a private appointment with Michele
You’ll be thrilled with the results.
415.956.3025 michele@mbenza.com