04.27.09
Posted in Dance Fashion Dish at 7:14 pm by roxie
On TLC’s What Not To Wear, fashion experts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly offer new rules and suggestions for fashion misfits in dire need of wardrobe changes. During these entertaining makeovers, with wit and poise, Stacey often suggests a “pop of color” here, and a “pop of color” there. She’ll encourage sprucing up neutral, denim, and black basics with a fresh turquoise blouse peeking out beneath a vest or jacket, a bright orange belt, or an unexpected red patent-leather shoe.
Knowing how to use color is key to having good personal style. So why are so many women afraid to do it, or worried they can’t pull it off? Okay, okay, we get it - black is slimming, and it can be sophisticated. But too many dull shades can also equal “safe” and “boring.” It’s Spring! It’s time to liven things up with bright colors, from classic reds and hot pinks to fresh greens and yellows (thank you, Michelle Obama).
No one said you had to become a head-to-toe rainbow, but a “pop of color” here and there is a great way to inject color into your wardrobe. How do you do it? Here are three suggestions:
One key accessory amid neutrals – Neutral colors include brown, beige, tan, gray, navy blue, white and black. They go well with everything, other colors and other neutrals. (Common advice about not mixing black and brown or navy and black is wrong. Blending neutrals can create a soft and sophisticated look.) Dressing from head to toe in neutral colors like khaki and white leaves plenty of room for a pink belt, purple scarf, colorful jewelry, blue shoes, or a bright clutch.
Complementing your skin (under)tone – A little simple biology and color theory explains how this works: Your unique skin color comes from melanocytes, or pigment cells, that produce dermal melanin. Believe it or not, all skin has some degree of brown to it. So, in terms of fashion, skin tone literally is a neutral. In color theory, neutral colors are “unsaturated,” and are easily modified by adjacently placed, more saturated colors. When a neutral is surrounded by another, more saturated color (like red), it will appear to look closer to the hue that is complementary to the saturated color (like green). Example: The complementary color to red is green, so a red sofa next to a gray wall will make the gray wall appear greenish. Color theory also says that complementary colors look good together - red and green seem brighter and more visually appealing when paired.
The color wheel. Complementary colors (red and green, violet and yellow, and blue and orange) are located directly across from each other. Analogous colors, also compatible shades that you can blend well together, are neighbors on the color wheel (i.e. red, red-orange, and orange are analogous).
All skin tones have an undertone, and undertones can range from blue to green to yellow. The complementary color to blue is orange, the complementary color to green is red, and the complementary color to yellow is purple. So, if you have cool blue undertones in your skin (and eye) color, a great way to create a harmonious color pairing is with orange pops of color – wear an orange headband, orange jewelry, or an orange bag or belt in a shade that works for you. If you have olive skin with green undertones, consider fire-engine red pumps or kitten heels, a bright red bag or belt, and maybe retro red lips. And of course, to bring out and complement the yellow, or gold, in your skin tone (and perhaps gold flecks in hazel eyes), you can wear bright blues or blue-greens.
Note: This tip is about using complementary colors. But, you can also wear shades closer to your actual undertones – blue with blue, green with green, and yellow with yellow. Chances are, you’ll look good.
All black and a little bold – A head-to-toe black ensemble or LBD (little black dress) can turn from bland to bold with a little color. Bright, unexpected shoes, a belt in a bold color, a hot pink clutch, a bright top (or lace cami) peeking out at the neckline, or colorful jewelry can liven things up. But be careful – if you’re unsure, it’s better to coordinate the pop of color somehow to avoid just looking mismatched. A pink clutch with black studs or embellishments, some red jewelry with the red shoes, or a blue eye shadow and belt with the blue bag – all of these color layering tricks throughout your outfit will offer some balance.
Now, if you’re wary of using bright colors, or fear you’ll look silly, you can start slowly. Work it into your makeup, and take it easy with small accessories. You can even go with bright fingernails, a la Rihanna if that’s your thing.
In these economic times, when we do buy clothes, many of us are looking for standout pieces. You can spruce things up and further express your personal style with color, brightening your mood – and the moods of curious onlookers - as the seasons change. Shop e.K. Clothing for LBD basics and more, and never be afraid to use color as a powerful tool of personal style.
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04.12.09
Posted in Dance Fashion Dish at 11:59 pm by roxie
Most of us know that we have to dress in a way that flatters our unique shape. More educated fashionistas know that dressing well for your body type is, in fact, of primary importance. After all, without a good sense of proportion, then color, texture, accessories, hair, and makeup matter little.
Fit, conditioned bodies have unique fashion advantages and challenges. Cardio workouts, clean eating, and lifting weights add a little extra muscle to a female frame. But, while healthy living does a body good, fit chicks know that certain clothing styles don’t.
What works well to show off (or soften up) a fit physique is individual - it varies from woman to woman. Where are the women who know all about fitting fit looks? At the Arnold Sports Festival - the nation’s largest fitness expo - of course. I spoke with some of them, including well-known competitors and spokeswomen, about fashionably dressing a more fit body.
Monica Brant-Peckham, an icon of the fitness world, shows off her figure in a sexy photo shoot.
“Monica Brant Peckham.” That’s one of the most well-known names in fitness. A prominent and successful competitor since 1991 (she’s now 38), her body has adapted to the demands of her profession - nowadays she says she only trains shoulders, back, and legs (high-rep, for conditioning, “just because I enjoy circuit training for my legs”). When I asked her about personal style, she said that she prefers variety: “I wear all different styles, I don’t have one particular style that I wear more than others, it just depends on my mood and what I’m interested in wearing, I guess.” What kind of a dress might she wear on a night out? “Well I would wear a dress if I felt like I wanted to wear a dress, first of all, I don’t necessarily always want to show off a physique, sometimes I like to be more covered and conservative and sometimes I like to maybe show a little more skin.”
Halter tops can be flattering for women with nicely developed shoulders. Monica’s take? As long as they don’t hurt your neck with an uncomfortable tie at the back, they work. “It depends on the dress, but those are nice, those are flattering,” she said. We recommend our Scalloped Rhinestone Dress, or our Crystal Band Halter Top, to show off nicely defined shoulders.
Monica added: “If I wear a skirt, then… probably mid-thigh.” If you have legs that toned, a mid-thigh-length skirt offers the perfect opportunity to show them off. (Our Ruffle Mini Skirt, or the shorter and slightly more daring Ruffle Mini Mini Skirt will certainly show off great gams! Couple any skirt with a matching dance panty for convenient, worry-free style).
Does she like to show off her incredible body everywhere she goes? “Absolutely not,” she laughed. “I like to cover up just like everyone else, I like to be conservative and I do not like to show off my physique every where I go.” (We understand, there’s no need to constantly be on display.)
Tracy Grogg, a surgical tech and part-time personal trainer, worked the vendor booth this year for The Fitness Factory in Columbus, Ohio. She’s a married 36-year-old mother of six, but you’d never know looking at her. Tracy lifts five days a week and does cardio five to six days a week (and she competed in Figure for the first time in April 2008). “I guess my arms are the most noticeable, I tend to wear arm shirts, dresses that show off my arms,” she says. (And nice arms they are. If you’re in the mood to show off your toned arms, a la Michelle Obama with a signature sleeveless look, we might suggest one of our tank tops.)
Tracy also likes skirts above the knee, because at 5, 2,” they make her legs look a little longer. In general, though, she says: ”I don’t show off too much off… I don’t want to look too over-muscular, so I watch what I wear, nothing too skimpy.” As a closing point, she added: ”I still like to wear a little loose, a little baggy, comfortable clothes, I don’t tend to wear tight things. I’m more comfortable that way, less self-conscious about how I look.”
Timea Majorova models a toned body for Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine issue.
Timea Majorova, 34, is a famous spokeswoman, international model, and former professional fitness competitor of eight years. At 5, 9″ and about 130 lbs, she looks gorgeously lean and shapely. “I love fashion, and I love dressing up sexy,” she says, in her lovely European accent. “I like… showing my body. But I [also] love fashion, I like the combination of extravagant, and athletic, and elegant.”
“You like to show off when you go out?” I asked her. “Oh yeah, definitely.”
Timea is unafraid to take risks in her search for athletic yet elegant fashion. For an athletic type with such a forward fashionable attitude, we might suggest a look with a long, sexy slit on the bottom - check Classic Flare Pant, or our Cleopatra Skirt (visit the pants and skirts pages to see full looks on our models.) Be a little daring by wearing one of our sequined bras beneath a blazer, or seek a body-hugging top with feminine details (perhaps something like this or this.)
Zivile Raudoniene takes the stage in top form at the 2009 Arnold Classic, where she took the top title in the Figure division.
And finally, I spoke with Zivile Raudoniene, 27, who has been competing for 11 years, and won the 2009 Arnold Classic Figure International competition (and now appears prominently on the Arnold Classic homepage). She works out five to six days a week, and is incredibly fit and beautiful in person. “I like like classy, sexy style,” she says, in a light, pretty accent. She likes short dresses - they show off her legs, which she works very hard (”Why not?” she asks). She also says she likes her abs, but probably wouldn’t wear something to show them off going out. (But if she wanted to, we might suggest our Draped Cut Out Dress, Fringe Halter Top, or Short Coined Halter Top. Our Sheer Sleeve Dot Long Sleeve Top is another subtle option to show off what you’ve got.)
Talking to these women, it was clear that, a) while they enjoy dressing well, they don’t overdo it simply because they can (read: simply because they have amazing bodies that allow them certain fashion freedoms). They also demonstrate that b) fitness - looking and feeling great - has no age limit. And finally, they remind us that c) if you have a fit physique, you should celebrate it - but express your body confidence your way, through your personal style choices.
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04.02.09
Posted in Direct From the Dancefloor at 9:51 pm by roxie
Every March, a metropolitan college town in the middle of Ohio is transformed when the Arnold Sports Festival (aka the “Arnold Fitness Weekend”) takes over the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Originated by Arnold Schwarzenegger, it includes the largest fitness expo in the world, with about 700 vendor booths. An estimated 165,000 visitors and 17,000 athletes attend viewing and participating in many sports, from archery to cheerleading. And, of course (with Arnold’s bodybuilding legacy), there is the professional and amateur men’s and women’s bodybuilding, and women’s fitness and figure competitions.
At the Arnold Juvenile, Junior, Youth, and Collegiate Dance Sport Classic, visitors can also enjoy watching impressive youth dance sport competitors. At this year’s Arnold Classic, I spoke to youth competitors, parents and coaches about what’s appropriate and expected for youth dance attire. (We’ve recently introduced a kidswear section at e.K. Clothing so it’s only fitting that we bring you this relevant content).
Alexandra Gutkovich, 9 (but turning 10 this month), and John Gaylan, 13, are a compact pair at about 4, 4″ and 4, 9″. However, their size means little - they dance with incredible power and precision that rivals their longer-limbed competitors. As winners of the J4 Latin 3-Dance, and the J4 Latin 5-Dance, they looked coordinated and smooth in earth tones of green and brown. Halina Gutkovich, Alexandra’s mother, said that her little girl should wear for practice “something comfortable” that “still looks beautiful.” She added “It’s a beautiful sport, and presentation and beauty [are] a big part of the sport, and practicing is also a big part of the sport, so she has to look beautiful all the time.”
Alexandra said that she prefers a “fit” look. Her young partner agreed; although he is extremely adept at guiding her around the floor, he added: “I wouldn’t really want her to wear… like, a very loose, baggy kinda thing, it would be harder.” He did say that it depends on the fabric, but generally prefers that it be “stretchy and light.” And, rather than Alexandra showing movement through loose cuts, “usually, I’ll wear either fringes or ruffles,” she said.
After a special showcase performance for event founder and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arnold Youth DanceSport competitors Alexandra Gutkovich and John Gaylan, ages 9 and 13, are greeted by the man himself at the 2009 Arnold Classic
Benito Garcia is one of three coaches for the fantastically talented competitive team. He mentioned a preference for the couple to wear “mainly dark gear, black, so they can see the line much better close, as well as at a distance. It’s mostly about the line… They’re being judged, so they need to be able to present the line at a distance. Appropriate practice gear is a big part of that.”
He values a “covered & simple” look, especially for the youth. Simple… understated. You know, keep it very classy. That’s one of the great things about this sport - it teaches elegance, class, honor, respect.” And, of course, as a knowledgeable coach, he reminded that “comfort is very important because if they’re not comfortable, they’re going to show it in their expression.”
That’s right, parents - keep it simple, classy, and appropriate for the age and dance-level. For great youth options, check back for more of our girls designs. And, keep the little ones dancing, as they build the confidence in how they move, and in how they look.
Next week: Fit women, including top fitness and figure competitors at the Arnold Classic, talk about dressing a more toned physique, and their everyday personal style.
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