How to Wear leggings

Today’s Stylemma comes from a Style by Caroline Facebook subscriber who has asked me to cover the topic of leggings. ‘Cover’ being the operative word, as the coverage provided by leggings – or lack thereof – can be a source of contention, confusion and condemnation!

Leggings – Style Sense or Style Menace?

When worn correctly, leggings are a brilliant wardrobe staple, especially approaching the cold Winter months. For instance, I love mine tucked into a pair of cozy boots. They can be worn by women of all ages; however, as you mature, I recommend that you steer towards plain, high-quality styles.

Can I Wear Leggings?

Almost everyone can wear leggings. The trick is to know HOW to wear them.

How to Wear Leggings?

• Coverage: Leggings are tricky to wear under regular-length tops, as they can make normal-sized and broad-sized legs look chunky, and skinny legs look sparrow-like! In my opinion, leggings generally look best worn under a dress, tunic or long top. Make sure that the hem of your top finishes at a flattering point on the leg. (For example, if you are pear-shaped, avoid lengths that finish right at the hips / widest part of the thigh. Instead, bring the hem down a few inches to a slimmer part of the leg.)

• Colour: Dark colours are slimming; so, if you are looking for leaner legs, I suggest that you choose darker shades such as black, navy, grey etc. If you have slender legs, then have fun with brighter colours.

• Pattern: I think that patterned / textured / distressed leggings are best suited to young or legs. It’s also worth bearing in mind that pattern will draw attention and may make your legs appear broader.

• Fabric: One of the major benefits of leggings is that they can be extremely comfortable to wear. Choose a fabric with stretch in it, which will offer plenty of ‘give’ as well as support. Avoid fabrics that are tight or inflexible. Similarly, avoid ‘wet look’ or shiny fabrics if you are over a certain age, or if your legs are in any way broad.

• Waistline: I favour high-waisted styles, as they are very comfortable, unlikely to slip and they ‘flatten out’ the lower tummy.

• Length: Make sure that the leggings finish at a slim point on your leg. Often, just under the knee or just under the calf are narrow points. To make your legs look longer, pair them with a matching colour shoe or boot.

• Footwear: The good news is that you can pretty much wear any footwear with leggings. Heels will obviously make your legs look longer and leaner but equally a pair of flat pumps can look delicate and chic. Experiment and have fun with a few different styles.

Vero Moda Denim Leggings (Asos.com, €14)

Humanoid Winter Wool Leggings (Asos.com, €33)

Bebaroque Luxury Embroidered Leggings (Asos.com, £109)

Falke Prisca Leggings (Asos.com, £11)

Yours in style,
Caroline

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or via RSS.

Information contained in this blog post may not be copied or reproduced without permission from Style By Caroline.

Review: Doo-lally.com

Earlier this week I wrote a post about the And Mary range of jewellery that I discovered on Doo-lally.com. In fact, I loved the range so much that I proceeded to order 2 of their necklaces, which Mr. Postman delivered to me this morning.

As expected, the necklaces are gorgeous – but that’s not the point of this blog post. No, the purpose of this post is to give a well-deserved pat on the back to Doo-lally.com.

As it’s a relatively new website, you may not already be aware of them. Indeed, this was the first time that I’ve used the site myself and I’ve got to say that the whole experience was excellent.

• Range: Clothes, bags, shoes and accessories with a young and fun feel.
• Navigation: The website is well-laid out and easy to navigate.
• Payment: Simple! All major cards are accepted and you also have the option of PayPal.
• Delivery: I received my order within 48 hours, by courier no less! AND there was no extra charge for delivery.
• Packaging: The items were exceptionally well packaged.
• Goods: The goods were exactly as the pictures and descriptions on the website depicted. If anything, they’re nicer in real life.
• Returns: Though I have no intention of returning my beautiful new necklaces, Doo-lally.com provided me with a return form, just in case.
• Best of all: It’s a 100% Irish website, which is something that I’m always pleased and proud to support.

Value for money: 10/10

Yours in style,
Caroline

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or via RSS.

Information contained in this blog post may not be copied or reproduced without permission from Style By Caroline.

Web Awards Nominee

Great news! Style By Caroline has been nominated in two categories in the upcoming 2010 Irish Web Awards! We’re nominated in the best Small Business / SME Website and best Facebook page. Thanks to all who recommended us, and of course, to the Irish Web Awards for featuring us in their nominations list.

Packing a Suitcase

Today’s blog post is prompted by a great question from a Style By Caroline Facebook subscriber; how to pack lightly and efficiently for your holidays.

I learned the art of packing in 2006, whilst on a 2-month adventure holiday which took me to far-flung destinations ranging in temperature from -10 ^oC to +35^oC. As you can imagine, packing was a challenge, especially with only one rucksack and a 20kg airline luggage restriction! Nonetheless, thanks to pre-planning and artful organisation, I succeeded in living out of this rucksack for 2 months, whilst dressing appropriately for all weathers. How? Here’s how I started:

PRE-PACKING PLANNING

• Climate: Know what to expect. Check the weather forecast at your holiday destination on-line. It’s worthwhile looking at the typical seasonal climate trends also.
• Luggage restrictions: Check whether your airline has luggage restrictions. Some airlines are particularly generous with their luggage allowance, others are Ryanair. Be sure to take note also of the airline’s restricted or banned items.
• Type of holiday: What activities have you planned? Will you be doing lots of walking, sports, leisure activities, or do you plan on being barefoot and in a bikini for the duration of your holiday?

WHAT TO BRING

• Clothes: Only bring clothes with you that match the criteria above. You do not need a spare change of clothes for every day. Instead, plan your holiday wardrobe carefully and consider clothes that mix and match together well. Also, be careful that you choose fabrics that are travel-friendly (linen, for example, would be a curse to maintain on holidays as it wrinkles easily).
• Thin layers: Don’t pack thick, chunky garments, even if you do expect the weather to be cool. Instead, bring lots of thin layers with you, which you can add and remove as necessary according to the weather conditions.
• Undies: Unless you know that you will have access to laundry facilities, bring enough underwear to last you for the duration of the holiday.
• Tights: Given the time of year, the weather can be changeable; hence I suggest that you pack plenty of tights. These can be worn under dresses, or even jeans and trousers for extra warmth.
• Shoes: You will never need more than 3 pairs of shoes (that includes the pair that you’re wearing while travelling). I bring 1 x trainers (for sport and activities), 1 x smart-casual (for day-wear / shopping etc.) and 1 x glam pair (in a neutral colour to suit all outfits) for evening. If I’m travelling to a warm climate, I’ll substitute the smart-casual pair for flat comfy sandals.
• Bags: You do not need 10 handbags! Limit yourself to 2 – one day-time and one small night-time bag. Bring your day-time bag with you as you travel, and use your night-time bag to store your jewellery.
• Jewellery: Again, less is more. Bring a selected range with you that will mix and match well with your holiday wardrobe.

HOW TO PACK

• Suitcase: Buy the lightest suitcase/rucksack that you can find. This gives you more leeway for packing. Dunnes Stores offer a great range of suitcases (including ones that are small enough to use as carry-on luggage), starting from just €15. If you have room in your suitcase/rucksack, I suggest that you squeeze in a small knapsack or backpack, which is very useful if you plan on going on daytrips, excursions, picnics etc. whilst on your holidays.
• Roll your clothes: If you roll up your clothes tightly, you’ll notice that they’ll take up far less space in your luggage than folding them.
• Socks in shoes: Stuff your socks into your spare shoes. They’re only storing air otherwise!
• Travel-sized items: Don’t bring full-sized items if travel-sized alternatives are available e.g. travel towels, travel-sized cosmetics, travel-sized hair-straightener etc.
• Toiletries: Store your toiletries in a clear, plastic, leak-proof case.
• Plastic bags: Great for storing dirty clothes, storing cosmetics and carrying bits and pieces on your holidays.
• Jewellery: Store each piece of jewellery in individual sandwich bags – that way they won’t get tangled up.

Finally, I suggest that you wear the heaviest and bulkiest of your holiday wardrobe while traveling (e.g. trainers, coat etc.). This will save some room in your suitcase.

I’ll do a ‘capsule wardrobe’ post soon.

Yours in style,
Caroline

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or via RSS.

Information contained in this blog post may not be copied or reproduced without permission from Style By Caroline.

SBC on Chiconomics.ie

All Style By Caroline blog posts are now featured in the ‘Chic Scoops’ section of Chiconomics.ie.

'And Mary' Jewellery

Whilst having a little browse through Doo-lally.com today, whereupon I stumbled across the And Mary jewellery line in their ‘new arrivals’ section. I think these vintage-inspired necklaces are gorgeous!

‘And Mary’ Glasses Necklace (€9.99)

‘And Mary’ Pink Teacup Necklace (16.99)

‘And Mary’ Turquoise Teapot Necklace (16.99)

‘And Mary’ Birdcage Necklace (€14.99)

‘And Mary’ Lady Cameo Necklace (€17.99)

Yours in style,
Caroline

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or via RSS.

Information contained in this blog post may not be copied or reproduced without permission from Style By Caroline.

Jewellery Care

The following article is taken from Style by Caroline’s August 2010 e-newsletter. To subscribe to our monthly enewsletters, simply complete the subscription form at the bottom of this page.

Jewellery Care Advice from Ryan’s Jewelers:

• Pearls: Never spray perfume near Pearls as it can discolour them. If you need to get them re-strung, request that the knots be put in between each pearl so if the string ever breaks, you won’t lose any pearls!
• Stiff Necklets: Store them carefully – preferably in their original box – as if they get too curved they may break.
• Diamonds: To get that sparkle back, use nice warm soapy water and a baby toothbrush to clean away any dirt.
• Gold and Silver Jewellery: You can get a silver and gold polishing cloth that will bring back the sparkle onto your jewellery, but, don’t rub too harshly and never put silver into any liquid that isn’t made for cleaning silver (as some have acids that will strip the metal completely).
• Cleaning of Precious Stones: Emeralds are a soft porous stone; do not immerse them in water over a period time as they may well crack! Sapphires and Rubies are harder wearing, but, equally, it’s not ideal to leave in water over time.
• Gold / White Gold / Platinum and Palladium: Gold’s natural base is yellow and always will be, so white-based metals are mixed together to make white gold and a coating of a white rhodium plating is put over it to give it that ’shiny’ white look. It is this rhodium plating that wears over time (especially in a ring); however, the industry standard of rhodium plating is getting better! Platinum on the other hand, is a metal where nothing extra needs to be added to it – it is up to 10 times rarer than gold but is a very hard wearing metal and very suitable for setting diamonds. A new metal called Palladium which has just gained its industry standard hallmark, is a lighter metal than platinum but it is of the Platinum family so it remains white with wear and is also suitable for setting diamonds and excellent for Gents Wedding Bands.

Ryan’s Jewellers

44 Roches Street, Limerick.
Tel: 061-417828 | Web: www.ryansjewellers.ie | Facebook: Click here to follow

New Store Opening

Ryan’s Jewelers’ officially opened their newly-renovated store on Friday, 27th August 2010.

Yours in style,
Caroline

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or via RSS.

Information contained in this blog post may not be copied or reproduced without permission from Style By Caroline.