Aurora Fashion Agency - Lorna Boryski

E-Fashion

Tip of the Week - #123

Can we work like men and still look like girls?

YOU BET WE CAN!!!

            Summer on the farm finds me in many a strange place….up on a roof applying tin, up to my knees in dirt & mud hooking a chain up to a Spray Coupe or tractor…at the top of a 10 foot ladder stretching a bird net over the fruit & berry trees so we can enjoy some fruit instead of just having them ‘go to the birds’

Yes – Summer on the Farm in Saskatchewan – where if you can’t do it yourself, it may just never get done.  So – roll up your sleeves and dig in girls, but if the neighbor driving by can’t tell if it is you or your husband in the garden, you are doing something wrong!!

At the beginning of this summer, my fingers increased a ring size just about overnight.  Could have something to do with cutting, hammering, hauling, screwing, all those typical ‘male’ jobs that I was doing!!

Not that I am complaining – I actually enjoy a lot of ‘male typical’ work, and wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t, but – that doesn’t mean that I have to look like a guy!!!!

Guess what ladies – they make really great leather work gloves in ladies sizes too!!!  No need to wear your husbands big old dirty ones!!  And – a fitted button-up shirt works just as well as an ill-fitting flannel thing from the discard pile.   Need a hat?  Well – aside from the short-beaked caps with pompoms on the top (please don’t go there), there are some really cool (feminine) caps out there…or straw hats too!!  Work pants?  Well, let me see – yep – they make jeans that fit women too (and khakis).  It seems that when women were allowed to wear pants or slacks, that we somehow traded in our sense of style for dressing in our husbands/boyfriends/sons clothes.  Back in the days when women always wore dresses, they still managed to walk behind a plow and ride a horse….Since when did dressing for comfort mean dressing like a man?

Another faux pas that we find ourselves in is wearing outdated items that still fit – but look really bad!!  Ladies – throw away those horizontal striped tube tops!!!!  You looked (O.K.?) when you were 10, but the girls have their dignity too – nobody over 14 can pull these off!!!  Mowing the lawn or not – those jeans that come up to the bottom of the tube top that you cut off into shorts need to follow them to the trash can as well.  If you can’t run uptown in an emergency, you shouldn’t be wearing it!!!!  It’s kinda like wearing clean underwear – you never know when you may be in an accident!!!

My Grandfather always had a clean (pressed) pair of coveralls ready to throw over whatever he had on in case he had to run into town for parts, a swipe of the facecloth, his ‘town’ hat and those coveralls had him looking dapper even in the middle of seeding or fixing the combine should he need to run to town.  I guess some of his influence rubbed off on me – and I hope it will rub off on you too.

I’m sure you have something in your closet that fits and looks nice that you can wear and will wash should you get it dirty.  Wear that when you are working hard in the trenches!!!  You’d be surprised what it can do for your productivity, mood, self-worth – and social life too!!!

Until next time…dress nicely, and have fun!!!!

Lorna

Please email me with any feedback or ideas for future Tips.  Your input is always WELCOME!!!

Can’t get enough of Fashion – sign up for my Free E-Fashion Mini Course!!

Want to share this info with a friend – referrals pay!! 

Ask me how!!!  I am as close as your email!!

E-Fashion

Tip of the Week - #122

This week, I am going to share some

‘Not-So-Known’ Laundering Tips.

We were doing a Craft & Trade Show this past weekend and my sister, Cathy was helping me out.  She was chatting with one of our customers and the following laundry tip came up.

If you get (your own) blood on an item of clothing, simply “SPIT” on it.  Your own spit will nutrilize your blood and the item will not stain.  I suppose if you were in a fight and got someone else’s blood on you – you would have to ask him to spit on you to get that stain as apparently it has to be the “Spit” of the “Blood Donor”!!    Thought it was a little bizarre, yet interesting.  Haven’t tried it – but heh! – spit is FREE!!! 

Cathy then suggested that I use it for this weeks tip.  Thank You Cathy for the Tip Idea!!

 That in itself, however, is a little short – so it was ‘back to my books’ for some other ‘different’ tips to include.  Here they are:

Whenever you are blotting a stain, place a folded paper towel, Kleenex, or cloth on the underside and this will take the liquid and the stain away from your garment.  Stuck in the middle of Japan (where they don’t supply the paper towels) on a train?  Use a sanitary napkin!!!!  This was done by my Host Mother when I was a Lion Exchange Student for me in 1980, and it works splendid!!!!   

Use vinegar to remove perspiration, grass and slight scorch stains from clothing.

Boil your white socks (or any other heat tolerant white garment) in water with a slice of lemon to make them sparkling white again.

Rub grass stains with blackboard chalk or toothpaste before laundering.

Another grass stain one is to rub the stain well with molasses, leave overnight, then launder with soap (NOT DETERGENT) and the stain will disappear like magic.

Grease and oil stains can be removed by rubbing lard on the spots and then laundering with liquid detergent.  (This tip says – repeat if necessary)

Greasy work clothes will ash easily if you add a bottle of Cola to the detergent.

To remove ink, spray the stain with hairspray before laundering (this one was told to me by our janitor in my banking days.

Rub cornmeal into grease stains on carpet and upholstery and vacuum it the next day.

Shrunken woolens will loosen and stretch out again if soaked in hair cream rinse.

To tighten streatched out cuffs, dip in hot water and dry with a blow dryer.

I will accept NO RESPONSIBILITY if these remedies do not work and a piece of precious clothing is ruined.  ALWAYS test a garment prior to proceeding with any drastic chemicals, procedures, etc…. to avoid additional accidents!!!

Please email me with any feedback or ideas for future Tips.  Your input is always WELCOME!!!

Can’t get enough of Fashion – sign up for my Free E-Fashion Mini Course!!

Want to share this info with a friend – referrals pay!! 

Ask me how!!!  I am as close as your email!!

Scarves, Belts, Hats…. Let’s have it all!!

Accessories are setting a HUGE trend this Season – you are seeing them EVERYWHERE!!!

So – How do we do them? 

Firstly, don’t over do it!!  One GREAT ACCESSORY can beat 4 SO-SO ones any day.  And HAVE FUN!!!  That’s what they are meant to be!!!

Scarves:

Limitted only by your imagination.  Here are a few ideas:

1. Tie a colorful one to the strap of your handbag.
2. Wear an oversized one as an evening shawl.
3. Tuck a small one in a lapel pocket
4. Fold a large square one in ½ and tie around your hips to camouflage broadness.  This trick works if you have no hips as well as it creates visual interest.  Amazing!!

Belts:

Again – mix these up – wear the bucle to the side, or even the back… Some ideas:

1. Low slung chunky belts work the same as #4 above.
2. Find interesting buckles in consignment stores & create your own using co-ordinating fabrics is fun.  You can make them any width you want!!  And you get a lot of bang for your buck.
3. Thead a scarf or ribbons (1-2-3-you decide) through your beltloops and tie in a knot or bow for a flirty look.  Or – as an empire waist on a dress or top.
4. Remember – if your thick waisted – keep your belt either above or below the thickest area of your tummy.
5. If you have that hour-glass figure – show it off with a distinctive beltat your smallest point!!

Hats:

Your best invention for the BHD (bad hair day).  Also your #1 accessory for making a statement or adding an element of sophistication.  Most people (aside from cowboys & farmers) are afraid of the attention that a hat brings, don’t be afraid – and – have fun!!

1. Don’t be limited with the way they were meant to be worn.  Try it sideways or backward for a fun quirky look!!  Experiment – you’ll be surprised!!
2. You usually have to try many hats to decide which one suits the best – I think the whole ‘get lost in buying a hat’ was what ladies did in the 50’s to correct a bad day.

Which hat is right for me?  I know, we can’t spend all day looking for a hat! 

So - here are a few pointers:

• High foreheads can pull off beanies (and almost any other style of hat)
• Low foreheads have to be a little more careful.  They need higher crowns, so look for those first – anything low creates a bloated look.  Not the look we are going for.
• NEVER wear a low-brimmed hat if you suffer from eye bags, unless you are going as the Grim Reaper.
• Try a well wrapped scarf or even a large of feathery flower  can double as a hat. 
• The wider your forehead, jaw line and/or shoulders, the wider a brim you can pull off.

Above all – remember that Fashion – and Accessories – are meant to be FUN – so make them that way!!!!

Enjoy the moment and feel Great about the selections that you made for the day – for today – they were the right ones!!!

Until next time!!

Lorna

Please email me with any feedback or ideas for future Tips.  Your input is always WELCOME!!!

Can’t get enough of Fashion – sign up for my Free E-Fashion Mini Course!!

Want to share this info with a friend – referrals pay!! 

Ask me how!!!  I am as close as your email!!

Style doesn't end with grey hair

Exciting News!!!

Ted and I have recently learned that we are going to be Grandparents!!  Our son Les & his wife Ashley are going to be remarkable parents, and I can hardly wait to be a Grandma!!!

With the wonderful news, I remembered when my Mom first became Grandma.  My eldest sister (and also the mother of the Grandchild) is a hairdresser.  When the baby was born, she told my Mom that now that she was Grandma, she could stop dying her hair.  Mom did, and has beautiful grey hair.   I have suggested this to a few of my friends who are now Grandma’s as well – but none of them are as brave as my Mom!!!

Myself, I will have to see.  I have been trying to catch up to my Greyer friends for years, and I guess I will come to that bridge when I cross it.  I really hope that I have the same beautiful grey hair as my Mom when it turns, and that I will be brave enough to go ‘au naturel’.  Right now I only have a few glints at the top when the sun hits it right and have only coloured for fun.  Time will tell, but at present – here are my thoughts on the matter.

Style doesn't stop with the arrival of grey hair!!!

Just because you're losing your natural hair colour, it doesn't automatically mean you lose your sense of style as well.

Women with grey hair can still look incredibly chic and stylish.

Some fashion colours and styles actually look better on silver haired ladies than their younger red, brown, blonde and black counterparts.  Therefore – you may find yourself having to re-discover your best colours, and what a great adventure that will be!!!

For example, a black turtleneck combined with a maine of grey hair is arguably the very epitome of sophistication.  One of my customers, while a follower of all of the tan & brown trends, now looks absolutely stunning in the black, grey, blue & red tones with her gorgeous grey hair.

So embrace your silver strands, be brave and use your new hair colour to your advantage.  Save the time and money needed for the dye jobs to start a new hobby and truly enjoy the new you!!!

Until our next meeting!!

Lorna

Please email me with any feedback or ideas for future Tips.  Your input is always WELCOME!!!

Can’t get enough of Fashion – sign up for my Free E-Fashion Mini Course!!

Want to share this info with a friend – referrals pay!! 

Ask me how!!!  I am as close as your email!!

Sorry - but the pictures would not copy onto this article.  For the full article - send me an email.

Swimsuit Buying Tips

The dreaded Summer feat of first finding – and then purchaseing any swimsuit that makes you look and feel great enough to do the actual task of wearing it in public!!!

Hmm…does that exist?  Well, for many of us we feel that this is an elusive dream – but, in fact – if you go to the swimsuit shop fully prepared – you can save hours of trying on and be amazed at your results!!

So - fear not. Whether you're in great shape or just wish you were, there's a swimsuit out there just for you.

Same body disguised into 4 different shapes

1.      2.      3.       4.

These 4 suits (all on the same model) all have tummy control panels, but you can easily identify the difference they make in her shape.   All suits are great, but depending on your taste & comfort zone – some are better than others.

#1 although good (the diagonal features keep the eye moving) – I feel is the least effective in that the lighter color tends to attract your eye                 to her middle.  If the contrasting color was less vibrant I feel this would be a better fit.  If you are heavy chested – watch for                 adequate support in this style, and that it doesn’t create a mono-boob look.  This looks best distraction is that it diverts your eyes                 all over, never stopping at one particular spot, and draws no particular attention to the bustline.

#2.  Rouching (our friend) and the dark color camouflage the middle while the V-neck draws your eye upward, and also splits the expance of             her chest.  This neckline and strap usually has the best support for a fuller chest.   A great classic look that would last for years.                  Like the “Little Black Dress” you could wear this suit for any occasion!!!

#3.  Creates a longer line with the skirt attached, and would be an amazing choice for anyone who is a little more modest as the chest and         the thighs are more covered. It skims over the belly and makes it virtually disappear.  The halter strap still cuts the expance of her                 chest and attracts your eye toward her face and neck bone (some feel this is sexy).  The empire, high contrast, bandeau cinches in             at the smallest part of her body, creating a slimmer look. Careful any petit ladies – this look may drag you down – if it covers too                 much leg.  Also, be careful of this cut creating a mono-boob look if you are heavier in the chest.  This is my favourite suit of these 4              for strolling on the boardwalk or maybe a house boat party.  No need for a cover-up here!!  Not the best for an active swimmer –                 but that is where your own preferences comes into play.

#4.  I feel the deep V and the bandeau under the bust do amazing things here.  The V elongates her torso, making her appear taller, as well         as drawing broader shoulders inward with the use of a halter.  The bandeau is cinching her in again at the narrowest area of her                 body drawing your eye to that area and away from her middle, making her look slimmer.   A great suit both for strolling (w/ a little                 sarong) and wonderful for swimming as well, as you wouldn’t have to worry about the skirt  collecting extra water or wrapping                 around you while swimming.

Tonal and Pattern Distractions

1. 2 . 3. 4 . 5. 6.

Distract the eye through use of contrasting color.

#1.  Bright color on top draws the eye upward toward the face, where the same color creates verticality and slenderizing, in the side stripes.

#2.  Again the brighter contrast draws the eye upward, but notice how the belt attracts your eye to this slender waist as well.  Same idea –                 completely different effect than #1.

3, 4, 5 Same colors with slight variations give you a good look at what color pattern & color can really do.

#3.  The same slight pattern both on the top & bottom.  The pattern does not draw any more attention to the top or the bottom area.

#4.  Has a solid top & same slight pattern on bottom.  Creates interest at hip and therefore distracts away from bust. 

#5.  Does the same as #4, but with a much stronger message.  This bigger breasted gal does not appear any larger than #4 due to the                 vibrant distraction of her diagonal striped bottom.

#6.  The Bright pink dot as well as the ties on the bottoms of this suit would normally attract the eye downward, however, the stark contrast                 of the white – definitely draws your eye toward the bustline.

Get the picture?  I could go on & on – but I’d never get a tan!!

Amazing how we can Fool, Distract, or Camoflage our bodies, tricking the onlookers to think we are all centerfold material!!!

Have Fun & Enjoy the Sun (or shade) no matter what your size or shape!!!

Please email me with any feedback or ideas for future Tips.  Your input is always WELCOME!!!

Can’t get enough of Fashion – sign up for my Free E-Fashion Mini Course!!

Want to share this info with a friend – referrals pay!! 

Ask me how!!!  I am as close as your email!!