Beauty & Fashion Tips - Rags & Rouges Style Tips

The temps are a-climbing…WHEEE! This means of course that we will be showing more skin, and soon! And if you are trying to figure out what to wear this spring and summer that is flattering, start with your neckline. There is no body type that can not work with this very delicate feature. Show it off girls, this is the one part of the body that men will actually shy away from saying they love. But you know they all do….What clothes are going to flatter what features for YOU?

1. V Neck when all else fails. The V Neck will flatter ANY figure. For the thinner girls, this draws the eyes down and away from narrow shoulders and bony collarbones. For the heavier girls, same thing, but the eye is drawing down instead of across. The beauty of the V neck is that it elongates the body for the heavier girl, and also creates the illusion of curves for the slimmer girl. The V Neck is great for framing that pretty face of yours as well. And no, not too cold here. Pair with some jeans and throw a sweater or coat over top.

2. And then we have the Boat Neck. And this year you want to look for boat necks with cute little cowls like you see dipping in the front here. The girls with no shoulders will like this as it will elongate your shoulder line, but yet the heavier girls will like this one too because it minimizes your waist in a HUGE way. Ideal cut for pear shapes, petites, and anyone without curves. If you are heavy in the bust, opt out here or you will be going overboard on the volume.

3. And let’s not forget strapless shall we? There is no prettier way to show off that neckline than with a strapless number. And this can be worn by anyone, with a little caution. If you are bottom heavy and top tiny (or medium), this will look great on you. If you are pencil shaped, stay away from pencil dresses or you will go on the scary skinny list fast. A pretty strapless top with a skirt that flares will flatter just about anyone however, as it will maximize your top, and draw attention away from the bottom. And it’s not true that the heavier busted girls can’t pull this off. You need more control up top, yes, do wear a strapless bra, and draw attention to your neckline, and not your bust, by throwing on a pretty necklace.

We all know how MAY JAH the LBD is. It is the most timeless piece in any woman’s wardrobe. And yes, you should have at least one. This post is not going to tell you anything different. But sometimes having a pop of color doesn’t hurt either. If you have had a bad week, tossing on an LBD can be a little well, morbid. So having a staple like one of these in your closet is going to be just the perfect pick me up. And these little numbers, are classic in themselves. Not too trendy, not too dated, just like your LBD. Lasting forever.

This one I love, I love, I love. You can’t help but fall in love with this flattering knotted detail that makes this little dress SO interesting. I love the waisted draping that will flatter any figure, and this one shoulder cap sleeve. And being sleeveless you can take this out in higher temps, but it’s made of wool, so throw a cover over it and you’ve got a very pretty winter cocktail dress. There is nothing not to love about this gorgeous dress from Active Endeavors.

Another great twist to the LBD is one in a deep purple. Here you have the
Pencey Trapeze Dress
. You will not be able to resist the swingy style of this well-tailored trapeze dress. Mid-weight stretch-cotton dress with banding and cutout detail at wide neckline On-seam pockets at hip and 3″ slit at cuffs and pretty elbow-length sleeves. Tailored and sexy all at the same time.

How ‘bout a bright blue as a colored alternative to the LBD. This
Dessous by Sophie Simmons Vivianne Dress
exudes feminine elegance with a decidedly modern vibe. You will adore the satin bodice and satin banding at bottom hem. Pleating at front and back and keyhole at back. Tie at keyhole with adjustable straps as well so that you aren’t tugging all night long. Satin is just one fabric that will never go out of style, and hey, it feels so lush, you deserve it, go for it.

Are these too short for you? Some women just can’t do the mini-mini. A pair of cropped tights will look great with any of these. Or how bout making these a tunic dress and go a little casual. Some dark straight legged jeans and heels will pull these looks out beautifully.

We had been talking about wearing the right lingerie for your figure. We all want to wear pretty things underneath, even if we are too shy to or lack the confidence, it doesn’t mean we don’t WANT to. There are days when EVERY woman just doesn’t feel her personal best in a pretty lingerie set. But, and this may sound harsh, get over it! I can promise you that the second you don a pretty bra and panty set, your whole outlook for the day will feel different. Don’t believe me? Try it. Just once. And get back to me….

We were looking at some fuller figured choices the other day, so let’s move on to choices for the girl that is well, not so well endowed.

For the girls with a smaller chest….

The two things you want if you have a smaller chest is an underwire, and look for triangle shaped cups like this pretty Simone Perele Eliza Triangle Plunge BraYou can get full coverage here with still some excellent push-up potential. You also may want to go with something with a little plunge like this piece. The triangle shape is going to lend some fullness for you. So pretty, you will look great AND believe me when I say, you will NOT be feeling less endowed in this number.

To elongate your legs….

If you want to make your legs appear longer, you can go with a high cut bikini with a low rise. What this means is that the legs are high cut, but the waist is low rise, this draw attention to the length of your legs. With a minimal waistline like this Marie Jo Spaghetti Bikini Panty you are also drawing attention away from your hips. This works well whether you have too many hips, or if you have nothing to show for in the hips department. Get those nice high cuts and show off your pretty legs.

To maximize OR minimize the booty…..

Boyshorts are the way to go if you have ANY concerns about your behind. The very reason boyshorts are so popular is that they flatter just about any figure, and they are so CUTE. Men love ‘em because they are sexy in that ‘she’s wearing my stuff’ kind of way but oh so feminine at the same time. Boyshorts are great as they WILL hug you where you need to be hugged, they will minimize that booty if you want them to. And if you want to show it off, just about any cut of boyshort will curve you exactly where you want to. These also minimize the hips by drawing the eyes away. I love this DKNY Lavish Lace Boyshorts Panty. This one is pretty, sexy, and it features all the parts you want it to without going overboard. Pair this one up with a pretty lacey camisole and sleep in late on Sunday. Trust me, he won’t be even thinking about flaws!

Did I miss anything? Got a question about what kind of lingerie to grab for a specific body concern that I didn’t cover? Drop me a line at Contact Us, or leave me a note here and I will see what I can do to help you find something!

It’s no secret that we women love pretty things, and when it comes to pretty things for me, lingerie is at the top of the list. Oh no, I will not forsake a perfectly leathered handbag or the right heeled pump for a pair of panties mind you, but this does not mean that I forget the importance of the right underthings when it comes to personal style. Why? Because personal style has more to do with confidence than it does with what you are wearing. And if you are a fellow lingerie girl, then you know how much confidence you can get just from wearing the right bra, or simply by putting something pretty on underneath. But the catch is that a lot of women lack the confidence to just get there in the first place to the point of wearing lingerie. Why? Because our self-image and body issues weigh us down, no pun intended. And trust me, everyone has body image issues, yes, even the skinny girls. So if you are finding yourself in this predicament, perhaps I can help you out with some choices that will help you overcome those body issues, so that you too, can wear pretty things and feel great all day, and all night. And why shouldn’t you? You totally deserve it. And believing that is your first step.

Today we will have a look at some lingerie for the fuller figured girl.

You know, we all have tummy issues. Even the thinnest women get little days of bloat here and there and just don’t want anyone to see that extra weight. If you want to wear something sexy for your man and have this problem, try a babydoll. These are just so pretty and glide right over that trouble spot, and at the same time skim your hips as well if you want it to. Have the confidence to do it, because trust me girls, you put one of these babies on, he will NOT be thinking about your stomach. I love this Flora Nikrooz Together Forever Babydoll Sleepwear. Technically it falls under bridal wear, but hell, its only $24 bucks right now and hello, this is 2008. You don’t need a ring to show your man how you feel. I love the double layered hem, with the sheer underlay that shows *just enough* of what is on underneath. Target areas? Hips AND stomach. BONUS!

If you have tummy issues, my suggestion for panties would be something in the “hi cut brief” department like these pretty Olga Secret Hug Nylon Scoop Hipster Plus Panty These are great as they are high enough to offer some tummy coverage, but the nylon shapers in these babies also offer some great tummy, hip, and butt control as well. And see, you don’t need to wear granny panties when you are controlling that tummy. Grab some with some lace trimming to give you that extra feminine edge all day long.

The fuller figured girl has upper body issues that some just don’t. What you want in a bra for the fuller figure is wide straps, and an underwire. You definitely need the underwire for obvious support reasons, but when it comes to looking pretty, the underwire is going to lift and separate so that you don’t get that smushed together look that we know many women are SO fond of. I love this Lunaire Brussels Embroidered Underwire Bra. Wow this has pretty and practical all rolled into one. This one has beautiful coverage with just enough room to flirt, and the wide band will really make you feel comfy all over. The back band is also 3-rowed and closure and this is another thing you want to look for in a fuller figured bra. Another tip if you really want to dare a little, go for a little plunge in your bra like this one has. You can still wear revealing tops without looking like a…well, a tramp. This one underneath anything will ensure that what you wear over it, will fit you beautifully.

And if you dare, this bra also has to match the Lunaire Brussels Hi-Cut Brief Panty. Again, as mentioned above, the high cut will really provide the coverage you need in all the right places.

Check this out! Here is a screenshot of something really funky I ran across today. Ran across this on another blog this morning and wanted to show it to you all. Are you one of those girls that spends hours each day agonizing what to wear? Please. This is the 21st century, who has time for that anymore? Whether we have the time or not however is pretty much a moot point, isn’t it? We still need to choose ensembles, and we still want them to look good. You may be in luck now as a company called Polyvore has come up with a way to download your closet, or your wish list, to your computer. The software uses a plug-in that grabs articles of clothing off websites which are then saved to your editor. From the editor you can drag and drop clothes, layer them, create outfits, build styles, you get the idea. You can also access other outfits that other girls are doing at the same time, who knows, maybe someone else will inspire you. Click here to check it out!