Alex Moore: “I’m my greatest challenge as a stylist”

Alex Moore is a freelance fashion stylist and a stylist at Styling Up. Her style has an 80s feel and she defines herself as a “shoe fiend”.

She decided it was a time for a change in her life, and being a fashion lover, she took a course in styling and started working as a freelance stylist in 2012. She just launched her very own personal website, so do take a look.

Check out the full interview with this stylist and find out more about her style, favourite designers and her very own tips for several body shapes. You can also take a look at her stylist page and contact her with your style questions.

How and when did you start being a fashion stylist? Tell us your story.

I only qualified this year in being a stylist, but have always loved fashion and always seemed to be the ‘go to’ person when friends and family wanted advice on new outfits. I decided that whilst I’m still young enough to change my career that I would look into taking on a course in personal styling and from there I am gradually building up my business.

What are you currently working on?

I focus on personal styling for women, from complete wardrobe overhauls to quick lunchtime sessions for specific outfits. The main thing I love about personal styling is working with and meeting so many different people.  It’s liberating to make someone feel good about themselves, especially if they’re apprehensive about the experience or have lost their way with fashion.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion intrigues me. The way it’s evolved over the years to where we are now and where it’s going to go. I was never a confident person growing up, but fashion is something I've always been interested in.  It took me a long time to find a style that I was comfortable with and now I have, I enjoy finding new ways of experimenting with current trends and incorporating them into old. 

What are your favourite brands & designers?

I love the more slightly off the wall designers, Miu Miu, D&G, Stella McCartney.  Alexander McQueen has to be my favourite.  His clothes were amazing, almost like pieces of art in their own right. The ideas of his designs always amazed me and the way he tested the boundaries of normality at fashion week.

How would you define your personal style?

I generally plan my outfits around my shoes. I have a relaxed but smart style and have been told many times my outfits have a bit of an 80s feel to them.  I can spend ages standing in front of my wardrobe deciding what to wear, but like to look like I’ve just put something on and off I go.

One of the outfits recommended by Alex. Panda Print Jumper, from French Connection; Black Shorts, from French Connection; Fuchsia Strap Sandals, from Dorothy Perkins; Disco Leopard Clutch, from French Connection.

If you could pick 3 fashion must-haves that every woman should own, what would they be?

I would say you can’t go wrong with a good pair of jeans.  Jeans are a good staple wardrobe item that can be dressed up or down for various occasions – if you feel comfortable in those, you can always push your comfort zone and experiment with different tops.  Be prepared to pay a bit more for a good pair, but trust me, you won’t regret it.

Being a bit of a shoe fiend, I would feel like a traitor to the shoe world by not suggesting making a purchase of a beautiful pair of designer shoes.  Granted, you could be paying a lot more money than usual, however, if you went for a classic black court Louboutin for example, like the jeans, you can team them with anything and wear them anywhere.  With your new pair of jeans for example and they will make you feel amazing.

Personally I can’t go anywhere without my leather jacket.  I’ve worn it through the winter with chunky jumpers through to cooler nights in the summer with little dresses or shorts, I wear it to work, to the shops, everywhere.  I would definitely feel lost without it.

What was your greatest challenge as a fashion stylist, and how did you solve it?

I find that I’m my greatest challenge as a stylist – I can get nervous before a session because I so want my clients to have a great day and get the most out of it that my mind goes blank with all the research I've put into ensuring this happens.  

I worry that the shops we go in aren't going to have their size or I haven’t understood their scope properly, but as soon as we hit those shops I relax into it and am able to ensure it is the perfect day for my clients and that they come away with exactly what they wanted and have learnt something about themselves too.

Women have several body shapes. What’s the biggest tip you can give to women with different shapes?

Firstly, the best tip I can give women whatever their body shape, is please, please take the time to try clothes on and put them on properly, even if as you’re putting it on you decide you don’t like it.  Once it’s on and you've dressed it properly, it will look completely different.

Pear Shape: Your top half is amazing, don’t be afraid to show it off and show a bit of cleavage.  If you wear jackets, opt for ones that sit above your hips.

Straight Shape: Being a straight myself, we’re lucky enough to be able to carry pretty much anything off.  Don’t let this fool you though, still try everything on.

Hourglass Shape: The ‘perfect’ figure – emphasize that tiny waist with shift dresses or pencil skirts with tucked in blouses.  Think 1950s.

Diamond Shape: Balance out your shoulders and hips by adding definition to your waist.  Lengthen those legs by wearing high waisted straight leg trousers and show off those arms.

Oval Shape: The trick here is to add curve to your shape – try a peplum top with a slim fitting skirt.  Chances are your legs are amazing, so show them off.

Inverted Triangle Shape: Emphasize your hips by wearing tulip skirts or harem pants – anything that adds bulk to your hips to balance out your shoulders.

Of the outfits you recommend in Stylingup.com, which one is your favourite?

This (below) is definitely my favourite outfit that I have styled to date. I love the feminine style of the dress and its simplicity.  You can never go wrong with a LBD (Little Black Dress), it will take you through season after season, trend after trend.  I teamed it with nude shoes to let the dress do the talking in the outfit and stand out, but incorporated the pink bag as a pop of colour.  I thought the necklace would sit nicely in the neckline of the dress, without being over powering.

"This is definitely my favourite outfit that I have styled to date"
Ribbon Trim Prom Dress, from Glamour; Nude Strappy Heels, from AX Paris;
Pink Beaded Clutch, from Accessorize; Heart Necklace, from Accessorize. 

Do you usually check out fashion blogs and magazines?

I use twitter – I like the snappy one liner pieces of information it gives you about fashion news.  Some of the people I follow are bloggers and so if I have the time to read them I can, otherwise, I get a snapshot of what’s trending (literally) each season and keep up to date with Fashion Weeks.

I’m a Vogue girl and buy it religiously every month.  It’s not just a magazine, it’s a collectors item.  I could never throw mine out.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Please check me out on twitter and facebook. If you’re interested in booking a session with me, then you can find all the information you need on my website. You can also contact me through my email.

Louise Blaize: “You’re never fully dressed without a smile”

Louise Blaize has a degree in Fashion from the University for the Creative Arts and currently she’s a stylist at Styling Up and a buyer for a premium high street chain.

Louise is starting her styling career and this is the first chapter. She believes that everyone has the right to look and feel good in their clothing and, to her, there’s nothing more important in an outfit than a smile: “If you’re not happy in your clothes, it shows”.

Read the full interview with this stylist and find out more about her style, her love for prints, favourite designers and blogs and some tips for several body shapes. You can also check out her personal stylist page to see some of her recommendations.

How and when did you start being a fashion stylist? Tell us your story.

Probably ever since I was a kid. I used to style my family, friends and of course my Barbie dolls. I’d say my professional career as a stylist starts right here right now, so you are reading Chapter 1. Right now, I’m building up my portfolio as a stylist through Stylingup.com, that way I get to know my client in depth, I get to understand their body and know what works and what doesn’t.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion is right but oh so wrong,

Fashion is a statement but it fade.

Fashion is luxury but often budget,

Fashion can be a nightmare but turns into a dream.

Above all fashion truly is passion, you either have it or you don’t.

What are your favourite brands & designers?

I love Peter Pilotto for the outstanding prints, I can look at his prints for hours and Christopher De Vos brings life to those prints with hs amazing silouettes.

Christopher Kane burst onto the scene and shook up the fashion world in 2007 with his neon collection,but one of my favourite collections is his Resort 2011 collection where he uses space images as prints for his clothing. I like Marc Jacobs not only for his crazy personality but the silhouette’s he creates and the fabric manipulation.

I really love everything about Tom Ford from his tailoring right the way through to his looks.

How would you define your personal style?

I love colour and I love prints, sometimes they marry together in an explosion that would be classed as crazy, unique, garish. I see it as having fun and letting my personality show through my clothing.

"I love this outfit because every piece is bold in its own right but put together makes such a
striking powerful outfit, everyone will notice and the wearer will feel so good in it.
Plus it has flat shoes so you could wear this outfit all day"

If you could pick 3 fashion must-haves that every woman should own, what would they be?

The most important item in your entire wardrobe is underwear, that covers bras, knickers, support, the lot. If you aren’t supported underneath you might as well consider yourself half dressed. The importance of a good bra is totally understated these days.

Another must have has got to be a LBD. No matter where you’re going or what you are doing there is always an occasion for a little black dress. It can be styled up differently each time to give you a different look but it’s always the safety net on those days when you think you have nothing to wear.

And finally you’re never fully dressed without a smile. This can make or break your outfit, if you’re not happy in your clothes it shows.

Looking back… what was your biggest fashion “mistake”?

I don’t trust anyone that says they never make mistakes with fashion, everyone makes mistakes. (Like me wearing bright green Adidas trainers and I mean bright green with pretty much every single item of clothing in my wardrobe. I loved them but looking back at the pictures that will never see the light of day, I think to myself, I’m sure I owned a mirror so what happened?) People think mistakes are bad, I think that if you don’t make them you’re not adventurous and fashion is an adventure so have fun.

What was your greatest challenge as a fashion stylist, and how did you solve it?

I was asked once to take a girl shopping who was a tom boy but wanted to change. It was hard because just getting her to try on something with colour or shape let alone a dress was proving near impossible. That’s when I realized I had to talk to her and find out why she wanted to change. Styling someone can also be a form of therapy, it’s a chance for the client to look inside themselves and find out why they want to change or why they want to stay the same.  It was then I also realized how important clothing could be in some people’s lives.

One of the outfits Louise recommended, based on a Cheetah Print Tunic from Praslin, Print Palazzo Trousers from Simply Be, Red Contrast Heels from AX Paris, Red Tote Bag from ASH, and a Bead Choker from French Connection

What’s the biggest tip you can give to women with different shapes?

Pear Shape: I say embrace your curves; you really do have a good thing. A small waist and a booty, which is there to entice, what could be better?  But if you really aren’t a fan of your shape make sure when wearing tops or jackets that they cut off above the hip line and show off your shoulders and waist to distract the eye.

Straight Shape: You need to create shape from somewhere and that could be in the form of A line skirts (add a tutu for a real 50’s,volumising silhouette), shoulder pads or epaulettes are a good way to add some structure and draping is an excellent way to add volume, just let the fabric do all the work.

Hourglass Shape: You ladies have the best of everything so be proud of it. I know fashion stores don’t easily cater for curvy women, hopefully one day they will catch on but in the meantime. You can wear any skirt you please but nothing suits you better than a pencil, your clothes can be figure hugging but don’t go overboard I’m not saying go out dressed as Jessica Rabbit. Consider going up a size especially for tops with buttons, you do not want to keep buttoning your blouse because the buttons keep popping out.

Diamond Shape: You need to create a waist so a belt or clothes that incorporate a belt or some kind of paneling will be your best friend. You can wear V neck tops or thin straps to show off your shoulders and cleavage (make sure the strap isn’t too thin that it shows off your bra straps). Make sure when wearing trousers or jeans that they are straight, no flares for you and besides the 70’s are over.

Oval Shape: A wrap dress is perfect for you, it shows of your bust, drapes to create a waist and also disguises your mid section whilst skimming over your hips. Patterns that elongate your body are the ticket to looking good as an oval shape.

Inverted Triangle Shape: This can be a very desirable shape, your waist is slim and you have hips as well. You can go wild with asymmetric cuts on tops and dresses. If you want to create volume in your lower half try harem pants, a long pleated maxi skirt or tulip dress. As for the top half anything that will draw the eye downwards and away from your shoulders will help so wrap tops are ideal and nothing beats a waterfall neckline.

Do you usually check out fashion blogs and magazines?

Style Bubble - For fantastic close up images of the latest trends, great front row and backstage images of fashion shows and Susie’s writing is engaging and sometimes amusing.

Fifi Lapin - I just love Fifi she’s really cute.

The Online Stylist -  A great way to see fashion looks easily and access to bloggers websites from around the world.

Dazed and Confused Magazine – Best Articles

Vogue – One of the top UK fashion magazines, what else is there to say?

Schön! Magazine – This magazine covers fashion, art, photography, all things I love

Sabrina Woolley: “Fashion is an art movement using expression”

Sabrina Woolley is a freelance fashion stylist and a stylist at Styling Up. She's been in editorial styling for two years and her style is mainly urban and creative chic.

Sabrina studied at the University for the Creative Arts and that's where her love for fashion started to grow further. For this stylist, "fashion is an art movement using expression, where one can express their feelings, emotions and thoughts through fashion". She loves combining two different styles and trends together in the same outfit, while giving a personal twist to it. Her main challenge is to always try to achieve a fun and modern look.

Check out the interview with this stylist and find out more about her style, favourite brands & designers and, of course, a peek into some of her style tips to women of all body shapes. To take a look at some of Sabrina’s recommendations, please check out her personal stylist page (you can also contact her) at stylingup.com

How and when did you start being a fashion stylist? Tell us your story.

I studied at the University for the Creative Arts where I grew a love for fashion styling. I've been in editorial styling for two years where I've created my own style and trends for each shoot so I could experiment with a variety of diverse styles to push my styling much further.

What are you currently working on?

I'm currently starting to become a freelance stylist. I'm looking to get a few more editorial styling and I am currently looking to work very closely with a photographer to push my portfolio to the best that it can be.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion is an art movement using expression. You express your feelings, emotions and thoughts through fashion on a daily basis by choosing what you want to wear. By being a stylist, I channel my emotions and feeling into my work and create simple and happy styles or a much darker and edgier look if something is on my mind around the time of the research of the shoot. My mood defines what style of styling I choose.

Masculine Editorial with a twist of Feminine styled by Sabrina Woolley.
"I added skirts to the shoot so that it wasn't too masculine"

What are your favourite brands and designers?

I really like Jill Sander. The reason for this is because I like how tailored and simple the designs are. There is a minimalistic feel and look to clothes and I use that as a lot of references to my research for minimalistic shoots as they are very striking clothes with not a lot of effort put into them.

Victor & Rolf is the opposite from Jill Sander. Victor & Rolf are much more extreme when it comes to designing clothes. They like to push the boundaries which is why there one of my favourite designers on the catwalk. They have nothing to hold them back and they create some incredible show stopping pieces for the catwalk.

Dior is my favourite elegant and feminine designer. The clothes bring so much sophistication to women that it's every girls dream to have a Dior dress. I look to Dior's collections for ideas when I style elegant looks and make sure that the model has a very feminine look when wearing dresses.

How would you define your personal style?

My personal style is a reflection of my feelings and mood. I try to keep on trend but I dress to make sure I'm comfortable when I'm out and about. I love wearing skater skirts and patterned trousers, these are my favourite summer pieces in my wardrobe currently. I wear bright colours as much as I can as I like to stand out from the crowd and also bring some colour into my life now that it's summer. With shoes, I feel that shoes can either make or break an outfit so I spend a lot of time making sure I wear the right shoes to match the outfit.

Aztec inspired editorial styled by Sabrina Woolley.
"One of the challenges was to show off some patterns that were just coming to season"

If you could pick 3 fashion must-haves that every woman should own, what would they be?

The little black dress is an all time classic that is a women’s must have through all seasons. There is an assortment of different black dresses on the high street and they change in each season so depending on what style you're after, bodycon, skater or maxi get buying your classic party dress.

Maxi skirts have been a hit all summer so it's a must have in your wardrobe ready for winter. You can pair it with a top or blouse depending on what style your comfortable in and you can wear them day or night.

Patterned trousers have been a favourite piece of mine this summer so I would recommend these for your must have that can be worn to work, out for dinner or even on a date. They go with any style top and you can choose what colour you want to work them with to show your statement trousers off.

What was your greatest challenge as a fashion stylist, and how did you solve it?

I find that my biggest challenge as a fashion stylist is how to take a trend and give it a modern, minimal, extravagant or elegant look along with giving it my own personal styling stamp. To solve this I try to combine two trends, styles or looks and then add accessories and shoes that fit into the look. This then gives the style a much more fun and modern look with the new twist of combining two trends.

One of Sabrina's favourite outfits at Styling Up: Print Trousers from Missguided; Cream Tshirt from Boohoo; Chain Detail Sandals from Carvela; Shoulder Bag from New Look; Chain Necklace from Boohoo

Women have several body shapes. What’s the biggest tip you can give to women with different body types?

Straight shape: As you don't have much of a waist, show your legs off either with jeans, trousers or by wearing skirts and dresses. Show those beautiful slim and long legs off.

Pear shape: Define your waist, work the waist!

Hourglass shape: Your body proportion is perfect so try to use this to your advantage when styling yourself.

Inverted Triangle shape: To help make your shoulders look slimmer, wear t-shirts or tank tops. Try and stay away from vest and string tops.

Oval shape: Don't be afraid of clothes, skater skirts and dresses work with your body type.

Diamond shape: Show your legs and arms off as much as you can and be comfortable in what you wear.

Which fashion blogs and magazines do you check out regularly? What do you love about them?

Fashion Gone Rouge is a blog that posts past editorials. I really enjoy looking through to see different styles that other stylist have used and to see what else is out from different countries.

Love and Pop magazine are my two favourite magazines. This is because the styling in both magazine's is unusual and nothing that you would see in Vogue and Elle magazine. Also the editorials push a lot of boundaries and I use this as references with my styling research.

Fashion Toast is a great blog that documents Rumi Neely fashion on a daily basis, showing a variety of cities, places, clothes and shoes to her wide audience. This is great inspiration as she combines designers clothes, shoes and accessories to create her looks.

The Sartorialist is a blog that shoots peoples clothes on the streets all over the world. This is a street photography blog that shows the different styles that women and men are creating using their own styles and clothes. This shows me what women are wearing all over the world and also shows me different styles in each city and how they are portraying the trends that are currently out now.

Spring Summer 14: Wear the Trends (Body Shape Tips)

Even though it’s raining outside I feel warm inside after taking a quick look at the Spring Summer 14 Resort collections where I see prints, colour and short skirts. I can’t wait, can you?

London Fashion Week (LFW) is starting tomorrow, so I gathered information regarding trends and what to expect for the upcoming Spring Summer 14 Season. You can also find a few tips on how to pull off these fashion trends to flatter your body shape.

Whether you're pear, oval, inverted triangle, hourglass, diamond or straight shaped (calculate your shape), below you'll find a few hints on how to choose the best trends for your shape, regarding colour, patterns and stripes.

Trend #1: Club Tropicana (Tropical Prints)

Don’t just think of Florals next spring; bring the tropics to this island in the form of tropical prints.

Prints are great although they can make or break an outfit, here’s how to wear this style according to your body shape.

Prints are always a great trend, but choose them wisely according to your body shape

Straight body ladies – You can wear any print you like, you just need to think about creating shape. Great examples for you are the outfits from Reed Krakoff and Fausto Puglisi. Both fantastic designers and one of the most important elements in their outfits you have to look at is the belt, It creates instant shape.

Pear ladies – Prints can also act as camouflage, take the Kenzo outfit. This print is so striking and bold no one will even notice your hips and if you’re brave enough to wear a crop top this is also a trend for SS14.

Hourglass lovelies – You don’t want to lose your shape under a load of palm trees, with you less is more.  You can be bold with your prints and colours but try to keep them on the top half of your body. The trick is to mix and match with plain staples so you won’t look like an Hawaiian tourist.

Inverted triangles - Don’t think that you have to miss out on this trend, you can wear the boldest patterns with the brightest colours, the only rule you have to abide by is only wear them on your bottom half.

Oval lasses – Patterns are your friend so this trend should be too. Be careful though and opt for a darker print especially around your mid section so you don’t highlight this area. Try wearing an empire line or belt to create a waistline.

Diamond women – Go for smaller prints, large prints will overwhelm you. If you can try and keep darker patterns around your waist and go for bold colours around your neckline and lower body creating an hourglass illusion.

Trend #2: Smooth Suede (Fabric Trend)

Suede comes in all shapes, sizes and colours, and that’s the most important aspect of this fabric trend, colour. Any body shape can pull off this trend; just make sure you compliment your figure. If you want to be bold you don’t have to stick to a suede jacket, see Emilio Pucci’s purple suede shorts, for all you inverted triangles out there.

Suede is the Spring Summer 14 fabric trend to have

Trend #3: The ship hasn’t sailed (Nautical Stripes)

As always the nautical trend is back but unlike previous years you don’t have to be too garish, just a little blue, red and white stripe here and there and that’s really all that’s required. Now some of you ladies are afraid of stripes but don’t be.

Nautical  Blue Stripes will be back on the next Spring

Straight shapes can wear horizontal stripes, if you can try and get irregular striped clothing, this serves as an illusion which if positioned in the right place can create shape.

Pear ladies must avoid horizontal stripes around the hips because it will only widen them. Keep stripes on your top half and stick to thin stripes.

Hourglass women have to make sure you don’t hide your curves, vertical stripes are the best for you because they won’t widen your body.

Inverted triangles should wear stripes on your their bottom half. Nice pin stripe trousers will make a really nice outfit, flares are good for you so you might want to stick to the nautical colours and if you want to be bolder choose a horizontal striped skirt.

Oval shapes would be great in vertical stripes of any thickness because they draw the eye up and down and not side to side.

Diamond ladies don’t think that stripes should be a no go, even vertical ones if used correctly could make you look like a million pounds. If you wear stripes of varying widths and use the colours of this trend to your advantage by keeping navy and black stripes around your mid section, no white here ladies that will have the opposite effect to what you want. Vary the size of the stripes the further you get from your waist and you can introduce white and red too. If that just sounds too scary try stripes that go in multiple directions again with varying colours.

Trend #4: Lighter side of denim (Light Denim)

Denim comes in all colours but in SS14 the only shade you need worry about is light. And don’t just think that denim is only for the weekends, see Altuzarra taking the tone of denim and using it for this smart skirt and blazer combo.

Anyone can wear this trend, even if you don’t want to be head to toe in light denim mix darker tones and different textures to really spice up your outfit.

Light Denim is a major trend for Spring Summer 14

Trend #5: The Only Way is Up (Mini Skirts)

Your skirts hemline that is, be prepared to show off your legs in SS14. After a blistery winter it’s only natural we want to get our pins out so they can breathe a little.

This trend is for everyone, the trick is not to go too high or you might head into dangerous/unflattering territory. For those with a bit or a lot of hips make sure you wear fabric that has a bit of give in it or vents so your skirt doesn’t start looking like a stretched elastic band.

The trend isn’t about frilly or flared skirts, think simplicity not milk maid.

Show off your legs with Mini Skirts

Now do tell us... which trends are you dying to wear?

This post was written by Louise Blaize. Louise is a fashion stylist at stylingup.com. Her style is mainly colourful and edgy and she loves art, travelling, food and cocktails.

Perfect dress for your body type [INFOGRAPHIC]

You asked us and we heard you. After we published a post about the perfect dress for your body shape, some of you asked us for an infographic version of it.

So... here it is!! We compiled all the stylists tips for all body shapes (pear, straight, hourglass, inverted triangle, oval and diamond) in one only infographic image for you to share away as you'd like. You can find the image here.

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Best shorts for all body shapes

As summer is slowly going, it's time to buy your last pair of shorts to enjoy the last few days of sun. Here are six different types of shorts for all six body shapes: Straight, Pear, Hourglass, Inverted Triangle, Oval and Diamond. See which type of shorts you like and start shopping!!

Note: If you don’t know your body type, use this online shape calculator (insert your bust, waist and hip measurements in inches or cm)

Straight body shape

Hotpants from Missguided

The best feature on a straight body shape are your legs. To enhance this feature, wearing hot pant shorts will help give your legs length so you look taller. There are a variety of different types of hot pants that the straight body type can pull off. You have denim hot pants, disco hot pants or high waist hot pants. Denim hot pants are the most popular so I'm going to tell you a few styles with denim hot pants. With denim you can style it with anything you like, crop tops, blouses, t-shirts, baggy t-shirts and even jumpers if there's a chill in the evening. For the straight body shape, a crop top would look great with a pair of denim hot pants, paired with either boots if you want to look more of a urban or masculine feel or wear a pair of gladiator sandals if your hitting the beach or shops for the day.

Pear body shape

Denim Shorts from Missguided

There are so many denim shorts that are being sold in high street stores so why not go for something unusual that will go with anything. Acid wash denim shorts are a great statement that can be worn by the pear body shape with any coloured top or blouse. Add a pair of trainers and you have a casual sports look. If you don't fancy acid wash how about some print shorts, floral, block colour or even just a pair of bright coloured shorts to make your statement. No-one could miss you in the crowd with bright yellow, green, pink, blue, purple or orange shorts matched with a plain crop top and some gladiator sandals. Two great summer styles for denim shorts.

Hourglass body shape

Leather Shorts from Missguided

Even though summer is hot, a pair of leather shorts with a nice white crop top or blouse would create a great urban look for the hourglass body shape. It's an amazing look but it is all the range. Even when summer is over, leather shorts could be worn in the winter when you're heading out and about in the evening. Match your leather shorts with white to give you a monochrome style this summer. If you fancy something more rock chic, add boots, a baggy t-shirt and a hat to give you a diverse look.

Inverted Triangle body shape

High waist shorts from Missguided

High waisted shorts have been in fashion for years and this summer is no exception. For the inverted triangle body shape this will help to define your waist more and take your eyes off your broad shoulders. By matching the shorts with sleeveless tops and tank tops this will help to reduce your broad shoulders and focus more on your waist. There’s a variety of different types of high waisted denim shorts in different colours and patterns so team your shorts with your favour tops and shoes to create a great summer look.

Oval body shape

Floral Shorts from Missguided

For the oval body shape, flappy or loose shorts can help hide the lumps and bumps you don't like and bring out your confidence. These shorts are very comfortable as they are lose on your body so they won't hug your body too much except the waist band. The waistband can help to enhance your waist, add a belt and you can make your waist the main feature of your look. With the shorts add a fitted yet comfortable blouse that can be tucked into the shorts to complete the look. This look is ready for summer, day or night.

Diamond body shape

Denim short Dungarees from Missguided

As a diamond body shape your best features are your arms. We all remember wearing dungarees back in the 90's but now they have made a massive comeback and are more fashionable than ever. Dungarees can have a childish look to them but with the right style and look you can make it look casual chic. Short dungarees are a much better look than the long style dungarees. With the short style, pair it with a tank top or a sleeveless blouse to show off your best feature which is your arms. Add colour to the outfit by wearing a bright coloured tank top with the dungarees along with some flip flops or sandals so you can hit the beach or go out for the day. If you feel that you want to cover up more, pair the dungarees with a t-shirt that makes you feel more comfortable along with a statement necklace and some flats so that you don't look too childish in the dungarees but much more casual chic.

This post was written by Sabrina Woolley. Sabrina is a fashion stylist at Styling Up. She’s been working in editorial styling for 2 years and her style is mainly urban and creative chic.

Shop for the perfect dress for your body shape

Bodycon, Skater, Peplum, Maxi, Midi and Mini. Dresses come in so many shapes and sizes that shopping for a dress that fits perfectly can be really time consuming and a real pain.

Frequently the search for the perfect dress ends in just wasting time, pure frustration or even worse a poor fit dress that will only walk around in the daylight once. Meaning that besides the whole frustration of getting that dress, you also wasted your money on something that doesn’t flatter you. Know the feeling?

Image credits: Wonderlane - Flickr

Whether you’re looking in several retail stores or searching online, this task can be really hard to get done successfully. However, once you figure out your body shape, finding the perfect dress can be fun and can really take the stress out of your shoulders.

 All women are different. We all have different tastes, styles, sizes, preferences and of course body shapes. If you still don’t know your shape, you can use this online body shape calculator and, through your measurements, you can have an idea on what to look for.

Please keep in mind that there are no good or bad shapes (we never get tired of mentioning this). Body shapes are just categories that aim to help women find the best clothes for them. Every shape is equally beautiful, you just have to figure out what works or doesn’t work for your figure. Embrace your shape and dress it wisely!

Pear body shape

Pear shapes are described as having their hips wider than their bust / shoulders with a really defined waist, which means that this figure naturally carries more weight in the hip zone.

Though this is the most common body type, we often see women struggling in finding dresses for this shape. But, let’s carefully look at this shape again: smaller bust and shoulders and wider hips. In other words, this means that you have to find a dress that shows off your smaller half (in this case the shoulders or bust area) while disguising your lower half, or one that adds volume to your bust/shoulders area while disguising your hips, but always enhancing your defined waist. You don’t want to look like you’re wearing a groceries bag.

The trick is to find a skater dress or a-line dress that disguises the hips without adding too much volume where you naturally already have it. Empire waist dresses will also look great on you. Here are some ideas on what kind of dresses you should be looking for:

Left to Right: French Connection; Fever; Monsoon

Inverted Triangle body shape

This body type is completely the opposite of the Pear shape, as it carries more weight on the upper half. This shape has a wider bust / shoulder area and the hips are generally smaller, meaning that the perfect dress for this shape will have to have more volume on the bottom half, disguising the upper half to visually create the right balance.

If you’re an inverted triangle shape you should be looking for dresses like skater dresses, full or a-line dresses or with details like flat pockets or embellishments on the hip zone. The upper halves of the dresses need to draw the attention away from the bust, defining your waist. To draw the attention away from that area choose narrow v-necklines, for example and darker colours. Please keep in mind that by darker and solid colours.  Wrap style dresses with narrow v-necks are perfect for this body type. Here are some examples:

Left to Right: Boohoo; Dorothy Perkins; Savoir

Straight body shape

Straight shapes are really balanced shapes that have bust and hips practically the same size. Their waist however, though it’s there, it isn’t as defined as the hourglass shape and that’s why they are called straight. Of course, though the name of the shape is straight doesn’t mean that you don’t have a waist… it just means that is not as defined as the hourglass figure shape.

The best way to find the perfect  dress for the straight shape is to look for dresses that emphasize your waist, whether with a belt or dresses with some structure and a defined waist. You can also look for dresses that add a bit volume to the bust/shoulders area and also in the hip zone, but always enhancing the waist. Another tip: You can also wear some shapeless (kind of “boxy”) dresses and pull them off by adding the perfect belt and accessories to it. Some dress ideas below:

Left to Right: French Connection; Koko; Exclusives

Hourglass body shape

Hourglass shapes are the lucky curvaceous ones. They are called hourglass because their shape resembles an hourglass, meaning that the shoulders/bust are as wide as the hips with a tiny waist. This was the shape of the iconic Marilyn Monroe and this is often the shape that most women wish they had. But, we never get tired of saying this, if you’re not an hourglass, don’t worry, there are lots of gorgeous women that don’t have this shape and they also have gorgeous bodies.

Back to the tips… well, there aren’t many tips that we can give to this already curvaceous shape, except that embrace your shape and show it off. Bodycon dresses, wrap style dresses and dresses with pencil skirts are the perfect choice for showing of your curves. Other type of dresses will also look great on you, but keep in mind this tip: when you add volume to your top half, balance it below in your lower half, as this body shape already has the perfect proportions and doesn’t need any visual tricks to add or remove volume.

Remember this: don’t hide your womanly curves behind “baggy” or “boxy” dresses… show them off! Here are some dresses that will look great on you:

Left to Right: So Fabulous; Missguided; French Connection

Oval body shape

Also called “apple” body type, the oval shape has a full tummy and a not so defined waist. The bust is wider than the hip zone and the legs are really slender.

To look stunning on a dress, the oval shaped woman should look for dresses that create a waist and disguise the midsection, while also giving some volume to the hips. Since your legs are slender, you will look great with mini dresses, but you can wear whatever length you feel comfortable with… an advice: for your best, shop for mini or midi dresses.

 Aside from the length of the dress and back to structure: wrap style dresses with a-line skirts or empire waist dresses will look perfect on this body type and will help in disguising the midsection (tummy). Here are some examples of what you should be looking for:

Left to Right: Monsoon; French Connection; French Connection

Diamond body shape

This shape can be really hard to dress up and we understand that women with this shape can have lots of difficulty in finding the perfect dress from them.

The diamond shape has their hips wider than the bust zone and a full midsection (stomach area). Regarding the ratio between bust and hips, this body shape is similar to the pear shape, however the pear shape has a much defined waist and the diamond shape has a full midsection and doesn’t have a defined waist.

The challenge for this shape is to disguise the hip zone as well as creating a waist. The dresses that look best on this body shape are mainly empire waist dresses, with wide necklines (v or u) and details around the shoulders and bust area. You can also look for off the shoulder or one shoulder dresses, also with empire waists or high belted waists. Here are a few ideas on what will look perfect on the diamond body type:

Left to Right: Boohoo; Monsoon; Boohoo

Please note that, though these tips can be very important, these are just guidelines. Sometimes, when a body shape runs near more than one shape (eg: if you’re a pear tending to be hourglass, for example) it’s often that some tips from other shapes can also look good on your body type too. However, once you know the basics, it can really be much easier to find clothes for you.

And finally, remember this: it’s not about the size you wear it’s about the shape of your body.

But do tell us your experience on this. What is your shape and what kind of dresses do you love to wear?

Style Weekend Tips for Straight, Inverted Triangle and Oval shapes

Here are some of my Summer weekend tips for Straight, Inverted Triangle and Oval body types. I go over the type of dresses, shorts / skirts and tops that I think you should be wearing this Summer to make you look and feel your best at the weekends.

Straight Body Shape

Midi Striped Dress from Boohoo. Styled by Sabrina Woolley for stylingup.com.

Dresses: Maxi dresses fit your body well and show your straight figure off. Midi dresses show your legs off beautifully and are the type of style that suit you. Skater style dresses can work for you but with not much of a waist this can sometimes cause problems so midi or skin fitting dresses are a much better look for your figure.

Shorts and Skirts: Bodycon skirts would look really nice on this figure, paired with a loose baggy top to go with this style of skirt. Skater style skirts and maxi skirts also work well with this figure. Denim shorts or high waisted shorts would also work great.

Tops: Loose and baggy tops over trousers, jeans, skirts or shorts is a great look for a Straight figure but straight fitting style blouses and t-shirts makes the straight shape of the body more defined.

Inverted Triangle Body Shape

Afterglow Denim shorts from French Connection. Styled by Sabrina Woolley for stylingup.com.

Dresses: T-shirt style dresses are the perfect dress for you. This style of dress helps keep your shoulders and broad back a slim look. Maxi style dresses do not help your body figure as your shoulders are too broad for this style of dress so look at more long sleeve and short sleeve dresses to help slim your broad shoulders to give a slim effect on your figure.

Shorts and Skirts: Tight skirts can work for this body shape. As your legs and bum are not as wide as your top half this can help pull off this style. A maxi or midi skirt would also work with this style as this will also show off your best asset, your legs. A variety of different shorts can be worn with this style but for Summer the patterned and denim shorts would go best with this figure.

Tops: As an Inverted Triangle has broad shoulders and back, tops can be difficult to make sure that they are suitable for this style. As I previously said in the dresses section, long or short sleeve t-shirts or tops are best for this style. Tank tops, vest tops or string vest tops will not work with this figure, but if you do decided on a tank top or vest top maybe added a cardigan or blazer to help slim down your shoulders but also be able to feel summery.

Oval Body Shape

V-Neck dress from French Connection. Styled by Sabrina Woolley for stylingup.com.

Dresses: Skater style dresses help to hide the lumps and bumps with the flow of the skirt and a loose top for the bust. This will help to disguise your figure in a flattering style so that you are much more comfortable when heading out and about for the weekend. This dress also shows off your legs which is your best asset.

Shorts and Skirts: Skater style skirts are a great style for this figure. This helps to flatter your body and also show off your legs which are your best asset. For shorts, Oval shape can wear denim shorts, patterned shorts and also flappy shorts as this will help to compliment your shape with the right top.

Tops: For Oval shapes, loose and baggy tops are a better look as this will help cover any lumps and bumps that you are not happy with but also make you feel comfortable with the way you look. Oval can also wear loose fitting blouses that can be worn over jeans or shorts.  Tank tops, sleeveless blouses and t-shirts could all work for Oval and can be worn with loose fitting jumpers or with tailored blazers for the evening in summer.

This post was written by Sabrina Woolley. Sabrina is a fashion stylist at Styling Up. She’s been working in editorial styling for 2 years and her style is mainly urban and creative chic. 

Shop for your body shape and size with Stylingup.com

We launched a "how it works" video that explains how you can shop for your body shape and size at stylingup.com. In this video you can see how the website works and how easy is to sign up and start receiving recommendations from our stylists.

So... are you tired of wasting time in several stores looking for clothes that really fit and flatter your body shape? Try Stylingup.com

The perfect casual outfit for this Sunday

Don’t know what to wear this Sunday? Our stylists may help you on that. Here’s a casual outfit based on an emerald everyday A-Line Skirt from Boden.

A-line skirts are a great option for balancing your bust with your hips. They can do wonders for Pear, Diamond, Inverted Triangle and Straight body shapes. For Pear and Diamond body types, the A-line skirt balances the widest part of your hip without adding more volume. For Inverted Triangle and Straight body shapes, it can add just a bit of volume to create a waist.

It’s a great must-have for every closet! And it's emerald... the color of the year :)

Everyday A-line skirt from Boden, £45 ; Notting Hill Knit from Boden, £69 ; Dizzy Weave Satchel from Guess, £185 ; Glitter Ballerina from Graceland, £12.99 ; Gemstone encrusted leather bracelet from Bonprix, £16.99

What's my body type?

Many of you have already asked this question over and over again. And we heard you :) . As you probably already know, Styling Up is a website that provides a free online fashion styling service to all women. After registering in our website, users will only find clothes that fit their size and flatter their body type. So, in our website we already know our users body shape, but we never shared that information with them, so they didn't know their body type.

Now, users and non users may calculate their body shape in our body shape calculator page, just by entering their bust, waist and hip measurements, in inches or cm. After clicking in "calculate my body type" button, you'll be redirected to your body shape.

We consider 6 body shapes: Hourglass, Pear, Inverted Triangle, Diamond, Oval (or Apple) and Straight (or Rectangle). Each body type has its own characteristics and, to dress proportionally and to create the illusion of an hourglass shape (if you don't have it already), you should really know what's your body type.

For example, if your body shape is Inverted Triangle, in other words, that means that your bust and shoulders are broader than your hips. To create the right proportions, tou should look for bottoms that balance your lower haf with your uper half, like full or A-line skirts or wide legs / boot cut trousers. This is just an example of how knowing your body type can really help you feel better about your body and help you embrace your body type and feel more confident about yourself. No matter what size you wear.

Our body shape calculator lets you easily calculate your body type, just by entering your bust, waist and hip measurements

In our body type calculator page (click on the image above) you'll not only be able to find out what's your body shape, but you'll also have access to a tips page especially dedicated to your body shape. You'll find some tops and bottoms recommendations and also some pictures of celebrities that have the same body shape as you. Most importantly, you'll also see some of the clothes recommendations of our fashion stylists, especially for your body type.

So, what are you waiting for? Take your bust, waist and hip measurements and go find out what's your body type, and take a peek at some of the clothes recommended by our stylists.

See you there! x)

Dress an Hourglass body type

As an Hourglass body shape, your bust and hips are a symbol of harmony. They are very well balanced and your waist is very well defined. Your shoulders align beautifully with your hips and you probably have a rounded bottom and shapely legs.

If you're an Hourglass body type, congratulations, you have a Marilyn Monroe body shape, a symbol of harmony and perfection. If you're not sure about what is your body type, please view a description of all body types.

Styling tips for Hourglass

First of all, do show off those killer curves and do not hide yourself behind baggy clothes. You curves are awesome and your body type is the sexiest as there can be! To enhance those killer curves, we advise that you dress proportionally both the top and bottom half of your body, while accentuating your waist.

If you're looking for a more curvaceous look, you can also "play" with proportion, and add a bit of volume to your upper and lower half. Please note that we mean proportionatelly, because your body already has the right proportions naturally, and you should always look for balance.

Tops

Wear tops that will accentuate your waist:

• Form-fitting and wrap-style tops;
• Belted tops;
• Tailored Jackets and shirts.

Bottoms

As an hourglass, you're lucky enough that you can wear most type of bottoms. Just as long as you pair it with a proper top:

• High-waisted pants and pencil skirts;
• Skinny jeans, boot cut and straight leg trousers;
• Flap pocket pants;
• Skirts that show off your shapely legs.

As for some tips and tricks for your body type, we can advise that a good bra, with good support and great fit is key to define your curves. Here are also a few Do's and Don'ts styling tips that can help you style your beautiful Hourglass Body type:

Hourglass body shape Do's:

• Elongate your torso with coats and jackets with a two button fastening just below the bust line;
• Take advantage of your awesome waist with form fitting clothes;
• Round and peep toe shoes can really echo your curves;
• You look awesome with a sexy pencil skirt;
• Choose wide open and V necklines because it will define your bust line.

Hourglass body type Don'ts:

• Don't wear tops and blouses that add volume where it is not needed, except when you balance that with a lower body volume, wearing it with a flowy trouser or skirt;
• Don't add unnecessary bulk with large chunky belts. Again, you don't need it!

If you need additional help to find clothes for your body type, please visit our website: http://stylingup.com, where you can find clothes recommended by our fashion stylists. If you have any question, you can also comment on this post and we'll gladly help.