Secrets in the Dressing Room - Carolina Aubele

Every day when we get up we repeat the ritual of choosing the clothes that will accompany us ”, he says. Caroline Aubel in the first pages of his book Dressing room secrets (Aguilar). His texts try to clear up doubts and answer frequently asked questions in the female universe: how many times do we buy a beautiful garment and later realize that it does not fit us? How many others, in front of a closet full of clothes, we only say: No do I have to wear? Here are some must-see excerpts from the work of Aubele, a designer with her own label who sells her thing in Europe and New York:

“Nothing here, nothing there, say the illusionists, and what they do is divert attention from what they do not want to see and take it the other way, showing something worth looking at.

“Diverting attention does not mean covering up or hiding. When you seek to hide, you achieve exactly the opposite; what is hidden always appears. If a woman with very wide hips and stout legs puts on a gathered skirt or wears curtain-type clothing, she will draw attention to that part of her body; The appropriate thing is to wear clothes that stylize those areas and divert attention elsewhere, a nice neckline, for example, that frames her face well. What we don't like has to be present but without attracting attention. It's about showing what is beautiful and hiding or finding an interesting aspect for what we don't like. Diverting attention means neutralizing: this can be achieved by using neutral colors, fabrics that do not have a lot of shine or large prints or embroidery, and loose-fitting clothes that do not fit but do not have much fabric either. “Corpulent or thick areas can be balanced, highlighting the legs , the shoulders, the neckline (not all together, of course). But, be careful, it is one thing to show off a nice neckline that reveals some skin and frames the face, and quite another to wear clothes that focus on the bust, an inelegant resource that should be avoided. What it is about is finding and accentuating personal strengths and charms. The whole body is potential for this work: hair, eyes, face, hands, arms, shoulders, back, hips, abdomen, legs, knees, ankles, feet.

Tips for very short women

“The short ones should avoid all volume in the lower part of the silhouette, because visually it tends to lower it, and also the full block effect to the floor. As always, it is convenient to pay attention to the posture: a straight posture, upright, stylizes and gives height.

“Ditch the baggy pants, oxford. Avoid full skirts below the knee, and floor-length skirts and dresses. The ideal (unless the label indicates otherwise) are the lengths to the knee or above it, with suitable shoes. The coats, always up to the knee or above it, or frankly short, like jackets or blazers. Studs help, as long as they are comfortable. Platforms are not the ideal way to raise height. They should never exceed two centimeters. If they are large, they remove femininity, destabilize the vertical proportion and produce the sensation that our figure ends before the ground, as if we were standing on a drawer. Vertical stripes help, but are not essential; rather they are part of a myth. Large accessories should be avoided, such as very large purses and bags that disproportionate the figure. As for two-piece swimsuits, the most advisable are plain and simple tones.

Tips for a lot of bust

“If the bust is large, you have to avoid enlarging it even more; Therefore, it is convenient to leave out wide necklines, large collars and all kinds of elements that frame the bust, such as ruffles, feathers, collars, flowers. If the occasion allows it, a good neckline can be used that reveals some skin: that always gives air to the figure and frame the face.

“It's best to avoid closed necklines, t-shirts and button-up shirts: they visually create a big block and add volume to the front of the body.

“It is also convenient to do without embroidery, prints and any adornment at the height of the bust, especially if the garment is to the body; definitely not to use if the prints are cut or stretched on the front, unless we are looking for a Playboy bunny look. If the bust is extremely prominent, neutral and mid-tone colors are preferable to garish or pastel tones. Also keep away from wide stripes and off-the-shoulder garments. For women with large breasts, the soutien is very important. There are excellent reducing bras and houses specialized in making tailored underwear. A good soutien can also help relieve back pain that this type of bust usually causes.

Tips for little bust

“Women who have little breasts have no problem wearing garments with elaborate designs, volumes, ruffles, prints, fine and wide stripes or knots.

“They can wear t-shirts and sweaters as long as they are not extremely tight (unless looking for a flat-bust look, which is also very valid), and wear large and wide collars without resentment. In general, the ones that are best are those with horizontal lines: straight necklines, strapless, boat, that expose skin and shoulders. But low and deep necklines also work well, and asymmetrical ones, with a dropped shoulder, that reveal the shoulder and back. The crossed garments, or cache-coeur, by generating lines in the front and crossing the center of the bust, look very good because they mark it a bit. The muscular ones with the low and dropped armholes are optimal.

“T-shirts or very tight tops show flatness; better avoid them (unless you are looking for that look, of course). In soutiens, one option is the push-up, as long as it is neutral, looks natural and fits well.
For silhouettes with little or no waist

“It is about practicing the art of illusionism by running the gaze from the waist. If the selected garments have a waist, this must not coincide with the real waist; it can be shifted up or down. Or it can be garments with notches outside that area, under the bust, for example, as in the princess size.

“When there is no waist, adjusting or marking it is a mistake: what is in the waist will go up or down, transforming into rolls, a prominent belly or abdomen. Tight, stretchy garments are out; But, of course, it is not about covering everything with a sheet: the idea is not to add volume.

“Straight garments are not recommended; those that fall straight with a slight notch are preferable. The shirts must accompany the silhouette, and the T-shirts, the muscular ones or the tops, have the notch at the height of the bust (but chubby women and without waist should definitely avoid those that come down gathered from below the bust).

“With regard to dresses, the cut should be similar to that of T-shirts, shirts or tops. Wrap front dresses, like typical Diane von Furstenberg dresses, work well as long as the waist of the dress is higher than the real thing. By seeking that height, attention is drawn from the waist and the legs are visually lengthened.

“Between the bags, the lengths work well; never those that are at the waist, and less those that define the silhouette with a button at the waist. “Regarding colors, neutral or undefined tones, blacks and grays are good; pastel or strident colors should be left aside. Also skip the large prints with striking color contrasts, and the thick and defined stripes. The finite stripes, on the other hand, or the vertical tailored chalk, with their more separated stripes, can work on neutral tones.
Low waist and belly

“If you add a little belly to the low waist, pants and skirts at the waist cannot be adjusted in any way, but they do have to be fair. The same goes for upper garments, which should have a certain looseness and never leave the belly in the foreground. You have to avoid anything that adds volume and skip the belts. Nothing should mark the waist or overflow the belly.

“Jeans should not be thick: it is advisable to choose thin and light fabrics, with washes that soften the garment, and with seams, closures or buttons that are as flat as possible.

“If the indicated jean size is very tight at the waist, it is preferable to buy a larger and more comfortable one at the waist, and then adjust the legs. Changing and enlarging the waist is very difficult and it never looks good.

“A set that is always suitable for these characteristics is a bias top garment with plain trousers that mark the legs without adjusting them.

“Long dresses should be avoided (except on vacation), as well as tables and pleats, which widen the figure. On the other hand, light tunics, black or of neutral colors, straight and with the right fluency, can be used, without abusing the fabric unfolds.
Wide hips and voluminous tail

“For wide hips, the best are plain skirts or pants, without pockets, or gathers or cutouts: smooth.

“The idea is also to soften the contrast between the waist (especially if it is thin), wide hips and thin legs. You have to harmonize without adding volume. That is why bias dresses are ideal, which mark the figure, but do not accentuate the contrast. Or dresses with a low waist.

“Regarding the cuts, they can be worn at the waist and then open towards the hips without going back in (the full skirt, for example), but without exaggerating the volume at the bottom: straight pants in fabrics that fall, skirts on the bias, straight skirts in lightweight fabrics. Contrary to popular belief, oversized pants with dropped pockets are not the best option - they make the tail even longer and lower, and they shorten the legs.

"As it is a matter of not highlighting the hips in particular, it is necessary to avoid horizontal lines that mark the area where the figure widens, such as T-shirts that reach the widest part of the hips, pants or skirts with belts at that height, garments with very low waists. Ideally, shirts, T-shirts or tops are longer than the hips or shorter and with something neutral underneath. It all depends on what accompanies a wide hip: flat or prominent belly? A marked waist or not? Legs?

“What matters is the harmony of the total silhouette. You have to consider, for example, what the torso is like: if it is small and the hips are wide, it is not advisable that the upper garment be very tight, but it should not be enlarged with much volume.

“If stripes are used, they should be vertical and subtle. If a long jacket or jacket is used, they must be fitted at the waist; those that are too straight and masculine should be avoided.

“Women with extremely large hips and bottoms should stay away from gathered skirts and pants (especially those with an elastic waistband or pajama-style drawstrings) and large, flashy prints.

“The hips related to a Latin body or with curves are displayed with pencil-type skirts, skirts or wide dresses with a marked waist, dresses crossed in the front with a tie to tie.

The length of skirts and dresses

“The classic Coco Chanel ruler, at the knee, is the most comfortable and elegant.

“However, it is good to study the leg to define the right length. If the thighs are generous, they should be covered to reveal the knees: if they are pretty, the length above the knee does not fail; if they are not that long, the length can be in the middle or below.

“If the calves are beautiful, you have to expose them; below the knee, the benefit of the length is strictly subject to the total height of the body and the proportion of the figure.

“In this sense, we must be careful of the effect that the lengths of the garments have on height: two centimeters of difference can make us look much shorter than we are.

“For those who have rather short legs and a long torso, those garments that fit above the waist are comfortable and thus manage to visually stretch the legs upwards, falsifying their beginning, like dresses and covered with the waist a little higher. than usual.

“With a tall and slender figure, miniskirts or short skirts can be worn without problems, playing freely with the lengths of the garments. In the legs with generous calves but stylized knees, a knee length aided by dark stockings is convenient if it is winter, but skirts below the knee should be avoided because they highlight what you want to hide.

“If long skirts are used, it is important that they define the body: it is preferable that they mark the hips and, towards the end of the train, fall. The voluminous ballroom skirts of the XNUMXs are suitable for tall women with a slim and proportionate waist and torso.

Texts: Caroline Aubel

Vía:LN