The Secret of Being Well-Dressed

No matter how much or how little money you have to spend, never buy any new clothes before going through your existing wardrobe to see whether you need them or not. But your ward­robe ought to contain certain essentials, and if it does not, you must plan your whole dress budget to include them.

Nearly every woman has to economize these days in order to include in her wardrobe at least some cheaper suits and dress­es. When you buy your clothes, go in for simple, well-cut suits and dresses that will look "right" for almost any occasion. Con­centrate on styles that are not expensive but elegant and remem­ber that the keynote of all good dress-making is simplicity. Don't be led astray by frills, elaborations and passing crazes, unless you have an income suited to them.

A winter coat is a basic need and, although it may be an expensive item, it is not an extravagance, because it should be wearable for several seasons. Fashion in big coats rarely changes more than once in four or five years and even then you can safely lag behind, provided you choose a loose undatable style. Don't invest in a fur coat unless you can afford the best of its kind. Choose a cosy-looking big coat in any material that suits you—the hairy fabrics are the latest, but remember that you'll tire of them more easily than the smoother woollens.

A well-cut suit is another essential. If its lines are plain, it won't go out of fashion for several years, and it will continue to look good to the very end of its days. You can prolong its life by having an extra skirt to divide the wear and tear because jackets always outlast skirts.

An extra dress is a perennial "Must" with women. The short evening dress is a much better buy than the long one for nine out of ten women, and it can look quite as glamorous. The lines that don't date are the simple ones. Don't exaggerate in padding your shoulders.

With colour you can be as daring as you like nowadays; colour combinations are also very much in favour now, but remember that a blue-eyed blonde would look uninteresting in pale blue because her eyes will be lost in the expanse of blue of her dress. Yellow, cardinal red and even black or white would suit her best. Blue is best on a dark-haired girl—especially royal blue.

Gloves. Now that nylon is within reach of everyone it is best to wear nylon gloves as they can be easily washed. Remember that spotless gloves—especially white—look undeniably smar­ter than even the very best suede gloves if these have grown dusty and shiny at the fingertips.

Your hats, too, should be immaculate; better none at all than a shabby-looking one. Flowers and feathers make an enchanting frame for a pretty face but only so long as they remain fresh. After that they have a messy appearance. When you set out to buy a new hat try, if possible, to wear the suit or dress that's intended to partner it. Don't be content with a close-up look of yourself—walk up and down in front of a full-length mirror so that you see yourself from every angle—as other people will see you. Look at the hat in relation to your figure (and most important of all) your hair.

Accessories. Chic is more often lost through shoes and hand­bag than anything else. With many women elegance seems to stop at the knees. Nothing looks more incongruous than the sight of worn shoes emerging from beneath a lovely dress. You may like comfort, but it's a pity to ally that beloved old pair of shoes of yours to your smartest suit. Unless you can afford a great many pairs of shoes, stick to the simple classical type that never goes out of fashion and is so flattering to most feet. Avoid the shoddy shoe that is bound to lose its form immediately. Always try to team up a coat, skirt or dress with a plain but not "dressy" shoe.

A bag is both important and character-revealing. The effect of a beautiful dress will be spoiled by the wrong bag and still worse by an untidy or bulging bag. Never stuff your bag to capa­city. A good bag need not be very expensive, but it should be well-cut and not fussy. Avoid unnecessary buckles, bows and all sorts of fancy work. The plainer the cut of your bag, the longer it will take you to tire of it. If you are plump don't choose a round bag; it may be only a trick of the eye, but such a bag seems to add inches to your silhouette.

The final tip is that when you go to choose clothes—whether it is only a question of a new bag—go alone. If you take even your closest friend with you, you'll probably end by buying what she likes instead of what you like. And it is positively fatal to take two or three friends. By the time you've listened to their conflicting opinions, you'll have lost all confidence in your own judgement. And then when you get your purchase home, you will wonder what on earth made you decide on it!

If you need advice when you are buying clothes, rely on the saleswoman, who is an expert, and then choose whatever appeals to you.

Remember that the clothes in which you feel happy are always the most successful clothes.

Remember that Enemy Number One both to chic and charm is untidiness. You can get away with a dress that is neither new nor expensive (if it is absolutely immaculate) but down-at-heel shoes, grubby-looking gloves, collar or cuffs, a creased skirt completely ruin the effect of a model dress no matter how expen­sive it may be.

Ex.12 Answer the questions:

1. What is so important in buying clothes? 2. What is the keynote of any type of clothes? 3. How should one choose a winter coat? 4. What are the basic features of a good suit? 5. What are the recommendations for buying a dress? 6. How should one choose a colour? 7. How should we choose gloves? 8. What are the common rules of wearing a hat? 9. Why are shoes important? 10. What is the way to choose a bag? 11. How should we choose any article of clothes?

 Ex.13 Fashion:

a) Fill in the blanks with the proper words. There is one odd word here. Use each word only once: among, brand, defining, depressed, described, designer, emphasis, expensive, first, graduating, native, stylish, took, triumph, wear, win.

Calvin Klein is an American fashion (1) ... noted for his womenswear, menswear, cosmetics, bed and bath linens, and other designer collections.

Klein studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and, after (2) ... in 1962, went to work as an apprentice designer for a coat-and-suit manufacturer in the New York garment district. In 1968, when he opened his own company, the fashion industry was in a (3) ... period, with casual hippie-style clothing and the miniskirt (4) ... the range of fashions. The direction Klein (5) ... was to provide simple, understated clothing. Though noted at (6) ... for suits and coats, he gradually placed more (7) ... on sportswear, particularly interchangeable separates.

He was the first designer to (8) ... three consecutive Coty Awards for womenswear (1973-75) and was the youngest designer of ready-to-wear clothes ever elected to the Coty Hall of Fame (1975). Klein (9) ... his design philosophy as the making of "simple, comfortable but (10) ... clothes - but with nothing over scale or extreme". His clothes were relatively (11) ..., classic, elegant, and easy to (12) ..., and they struck a responsive chord (13) ... buyers in the United States and other countries. His achievements were said to represent not only the (14) ... of his particular (15) ... of classical styling but also the maturation of the American fashion industry.

b) Answer the questions: 1. Which of the following items you consider to be fashionable now? old-fashioned? always fashionable?

denim jeans, trousers with turn-ups, faded denim jacket, pin-striped suit, waistcoat, bomber jacket, sheepskin coat, tracksuit, jumpsuit, tailored suit, wide-brimmed hat, beret, flared trousers, leggings, silk stockings, polo-neck sweater, T-shirt, straight skirt, canvas shoes, baggy shirt, baggy jumper, ankle socks, pleated skirt, blazer, dungarees, frayed jeans, pill-box hat, full-length evening gown, duffle-coat, frilly dress, leg warmers, woolly tights, sweatshirt, mini skirt, trainers, stiletto heels.

2. Is there anything omitted that you feel is definitely fashionable at the moment?

3. How fashion-conscious are you? Do you give time and thought to what you wear each day?

4. Do you think that having good taste in clothes is linked with being fashionable?

5. Do you think clothes reveal character?

⇐ Предыдущая1234567Следующая ⇒

Поделиться: