EMERALD GREEN THE OFFICIAL COLOR FOR

Emerald green is the trending colour for 2013? According to Pantone.  Earlier this month, Pantone, a global authority on colour across multiple design industries, unveiled its 2013 Colour of the Year- Emerald Green. The colour was chosen because it is “Lively. Radiant. Lush … A colour of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well being."  "It's the colour of money, hope, growth, new life."  so you might be seeing green galore this new year..

Emerald works for everyone -- men and women, all ages and skin tones,  The jewel tone is a welcome change of pace from the citrus shades and pastels of last spring.  

Forget lady in red, be the lady in emerald. Liven up your look by mixing various bright colours together with emerald, It’s a cheerful combination.  

Coloured pants are the quickest and easiest way to dress up on a regular day. And when the colour is emerald green, the pants look even hotter. Pair with a detailed blouse in beige or white.  

Still not sure if you can rock this look, go for the tried and tested weapon of fashion – accessories. 

 

  

 

 

 

Layering Clothing Stylishly

Officially, summer has weeks left on the calendar, but retailers have begun the transition from lightweight and lighthearted vacation clothes to the more dressed-up, sophisticated styles that come with fall fashion.  The solution? Lightweight layers in a deeper, more autumnal colour palette.

It’s essential to learn how to properly layer clothing on the body.  Using the proper layering techniques not only provides the necessary body warmth and comfort during the chilly days of the fall, winter and spring seasons; but this fashionable skill also helps to inspire a variety of stylish outfits.  The art of layering doesn’t need to be made into a complicated process, or be performed as a methodical task.  By simply combining a variety of popular staple pieces to create fashion-forward outfits.

• The thinnest garment should be worn closest to your skin, which means that the thickest garment should be towards the top of the layer.  For example, wear a camisole or a fitted cotton T-shirt as the the layer closest to your body.  For the next layer use a lighter cardigan and then wear a heavier jacket or a blazer for the the topmost layer.

• Most fashion advisers would recommend you to stick to a maximum of three layers for the top half of your body else you could end up looking too bulky! As explained in the above point, apparel which are more loose fitting (jackets, blazers, shrugs, trench coats) are worn towards the top to reduce the bulkiness.

• For the bottom half of your body layering is usually done with leggings, skinny fit jeans, shorts and a skirt. Again we follow the same principle as the top half, the fitted and thinner garments become the bottom layers, so these would be your leggings or jeggings whereas skirts, boots and over the knee socks become the top layers.Tucking in your leggings or jeans into your boots looks more fashionable. If you are wearing a short skirt with knee high boots, wear over the knee socks and expose a little bit of your socks to make it look more chic.

• One of the reasons why we want to layer clothes is to show off the contrast between different colours and cuts, so there is no need to be dull and boring and wear a single colour for all your layers. Be bold, layer a white ruffled blouse with bright blue or a purple button down sweater and you will make heads turn while you walk down the street!

• While experimenting with cuts, do not wear two garments with the same style, for example if you are layering a ruffled shirt with a sweater, avoid using a sweater which also has ruffles. Wearing a plain sweater over the ruffles will make your shirt stand out and that's exactly what we want to achieve!  Also mix and match patterns with solids. The whole idea here is to make each of your layers clearly visible for a complete fashion statement

• Other items to add to your layers are scarves, belts and accessories. These pieces work as enhancers to your overall look.  If you are wearing a plain white shirt or a blouse wear a sequined or a colourful scarf along with a long necklace for detail or simply throw in a chunky necklace and a bracelet with contrasting colours.  If you are wearing leggings with a long cardigan, wear a belt over it and also throw over a scarf to give your look an extra lift.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Fashion trend Military army style

Army-inspired styles are a winning strategy.  Inspired by hussars, Russian tsars and Mounties, the catwalk had a strong military presence.  Personally, I am a big fan of this current re-occurring fad.

This 2013 trend is one of the easiest trends to incorporate into your wardrobe.  Think gold and brass-buttons, epaulettes to insignias, heavy boots, military overalls and cargo pants, caps, cropped jackets or full-length, double-breasted coats.  Fitted jackets, emphasized shoulders, bodices and neat, stand-up collars give a romantic feel to the trend.  

 

Autumn's earthy palette lends itself well to the smart military trend or opt for military shades in; army green, black, grey, navy and mustard making up the perfect military colour palette.

 

 

HOT TREND Chevron Pattern

Some consider them a little crooked. Others think that zig-zag is the way to go. What are they? Chevrons! Simply one of the hottest trends in design right now.  It’s a bold and fun trend that you definitely can’t miss.
 
Believe it or not, this pattern has been around since approximately 1800 BC, as seen in recovered pottery designs; but it has never been as popular as it is today.  The Chevron Pattern is a beautiful, bold graphic motif that can be found adorning everything from clothing and dishes to home décor; you name it, it’s out there – in a variety of exciting colour schemes.

EXACTLY WHAT IS THE CHEVRON STRIPE?

The chevron stripe is a zig zag v-shaped pattern. The word is usually used in reference to a badge or insignia used in military or police uniforms. It indicates the rank or length of service. It is also used in heraldry with the chevron design used as the dominant image of the arm. The chevron stripe has been used in architecture, pottery and rock carvings as well.

The Chevron design started becoming extremely popular last year, and it's presence has only escalated since then.  It is a pattern that can immediately make any outfit fun, and it looks great on nearly everyone.  Since chevron stripes are so eye-catching, the pattern makes for strong statement pieces.  Have fun with this pattern and do what you do best – wear it with confidence!