Stylish News

Quite often the transition from one’s winter wardrobe into Spring Summer is a series of tentative steps, through a minefield of lighter fabrics, shorter hemlines and springtime hues.

However it only takes a designer such as Eleonore Emaldi to present her utterly stunning Spring Summer 2011 collection, for the inspirational juices to start flowing again, and for us to tackle the seasonal changes and embrace summer attire head on!

Trousers are the perfect way to begin our transition. As seen, Eleonore has addressed the styles of the season with the tapered cropped length being the epitome of the Smart Casual trend. Perfect for showcasing those gorgeous summer sandals (not forgetting those pedicures) and teamed with a fabulously printed jacket, as a stylish alternative to a simple blazer.

The tailored wide leg trouser has been revived this season, seen in various fabrics including a summer favourite, linen. Eleonore has touched upon the masculine references seen amongst other designers recently but has injected her feminine touch with a palette of soft neutrals, mint green and hints of duck egg blue, creating elegant blouses. Perfectly chic for any occasion.

Whilst Harem style trousers may be slightly more daring, I urge you to give them a whirl! There is nothing more wonderful on a summer’s day as pairing these amazingly comfortable, yet stylish trousers with a relaxed printed top as Eleonore has here. Team with a delicate sandal to complete the feminine touch,and you are ready for the Riviera!

The perfect alternative to trousers, are Eleonore’s skirts. They are guaranteed to flatter and look fantastic on all silhouettes, due to the attention to detail.

A subtle 1950’s reference in the collection is reflected in this particular skirt shape. The sleek cut streamlines the figure, whilst also hugging those curves in all the right places. Style simply with some beautiful earrings and high heels to elongate those legs.

Lightweight fabrics are detailed with a design of graphic and painterly prints also seen in delicate tops. Again colours echo the neutral tones of the season, with complimenting contrasts of red, mint green and soft purple.

Skirts also take on a slight tulip shape, which highlights the waistline, and emphasises that gorgeous hourglass figure! The wonderful use of colour gives the illusion of a dress silhouette which is an instant day to evening ensemble. Team with a tailored jacket and ballet flats for the office then put on a pair of beautiful evening sandals or courts but don’t forget the clutch bag to finish the transformation!

Dresses for the season and as we head into summer remain hugely on trend! The beauty of Eleonore’s dresses, is that they are elegantly designed to suit many occasions.

For me the 50’s inspired white wrap dress is utterly stunning, the full skirt and belted waistline highlights the feminine silhouette. To me it is almost as though this dress has been plucked out of a 1950’s Hollywood movie… the height of timeless glamour!

Other dresses take on vibrant colours seen throughout the collection. The colours perfect for warming those skin tones are incorporated into graphic and painterly prints. The shape is sleek with asymmetric detail seen in the cut of the neckline, waistline and hemline, making this dress fabulously flattering for all female figures.

For Eleonore Emaldi, Spring Summer 2011 produced a collection of quite simply utterly chic Women’s Fashion. Each element can be simply styled for many summer occasions and whilst seasonal trends have been addressed, the simple elegance and versatility of it ensures that it is also timeless and therefore an investment into the perfect summer wardrobe!

The scarf is the perfect way to accessorise and update an ensemble. Highly on trend this season, scarves can be worn in many different ways, whether it is to transform you from daytime into an evening look, or simply to add detail to what may be a sophisticated outfit.

Available from designers in many different sizes, shapes and fabrics it is important to see these items as investments and to understand how to integrate them into your wardrobe.

Many designers are offering silk scarves this season, all chic in their appearance, yet all worn differently. Generally silk scarves are square or quite long and narrow in shape. Seen below is a vintage silk square scarf folded diagonally. In doing this it gives you good length to manipulate the scarf into a knot or shape suited to your style.

Wrapping the scarf once around the neck and loosely knotting it in place whilst softly draping each length of the fabric over either side of the shoulder, creates a sophisticated and very couture inspired way in which to incorporate a scarf into your look. Worn with a tailored jacket or stylish top it opens up the neckline.

A continuation of the previous style would be to take the lengths of fabric, wrap them around the neck again, stopping to knot them a little tighter on the front of the neckline. It is a feminine way in which to wear a scarf and highlights the face. Classically fashionable it conjures up images of Grace Kelly mixed with the height of Parisian chic women. Perfectly worn to accessorise a tailored jacket on smarter occasions, it would also compliment a basic jersey top, skinny jeans and ballet pups, creating a beautiful ensemble.

Alternatively a square scarf can be folded into a slim rectangle, which creates volume when worn around the neckline. This style can be complementary to women, who may feel they need help balancing out their shape. For pear shape women it is ideal as creating more volume around the bust will highlight the narrowest part of their body, the waistline giving the illusion of feminine curves.

This ‘bow effect’ is one of the simplest ways to wear a scarf. Worn over a basic top, maybe a fine knit jumper, a simple black dress or a long sleeve twin set, is an elegant way to add detail and a welcome addition to the soft tailoring. As seen in the image below the lengths of the scarf are loosely knotted at the centre of the neckline, leaving the ends to create a bow like effect. As mentioned previously this creates volume, giving the illusion of a stronger bust line, whilst also serving a practical purpose during these colder months.

Depending on the ensemble you team this with, you can experiment with how you tie your bow. Keep it simple with more casual outfits such as jerseys or possibly create a more defined bow around the neck and wear this with a delicate, collarless blouse as a feminine alternative. This trend, often referred to as the ‘Pussy Bow Blouse’ has come into style again this season, scarves are the perfect way in which to re-create this look.

Shawl style scarves are heavier in weight and are perhaps seen as more of a practical option for the winter season. However this doesn’t mean that they have to be conventional in style, designers have crafted beautifully elegant styles that have been woven using fine yarns, embroidered with delicate patterns and also hand printed with beautiful designs.

It is important to consider the entire ensemble when adding a shawl scarf, as you want it to compliment the outfit rather than over power it. Seen below, the scarf has been wrapped once around the neck, tied and then draped down the front of the body. In doing this, the detail naturally elongates your figure, which again is flattering to all body shapes.

If this feels a little formal, try loosening the scarf, and continue to wrap it around the neck. Another huge trend this season is the ‘Snood’ scarf. Design houses have embraced this form of layering, creating it in different fabric, textures and colours. Particularly stunning with short hairstyles and extremely practical as we head into winter, here we demonstrate a softer version that will still keep you in style for the coming seasons.

Scarves are definitely the accessory to experiment with this season, and are key items to have. Chose colours that suit your style and hues that work well with outfits you already own as a chic way to update your wardrobe.