Fed up with well meaning articles telling you what you can and can't wear, and the pictures of D-List celebrities looking a mess? Fashion designer Anna
Scholz designs for women who dress well whatever their size, and here she shares her confidence tips...
Be yourself!
So much time and energy is wasted every January on thinking up and trying to stick to completely unobtainable New Year’s resolutions where the only possible benefits are losing a few pounds through the stress of failing once again.
Well ladies - 2008 should be the year where you make just ONE new years resolution…..to be happy making the most of who you are with the people around you.
We all get it so wrong; we set goals every New Year which we consider will make us happy if we achieve them, when in fact if we just concentrated on being happy and making the most of everything we already have then the rest tends to follow.
Gone are the days of setting ourselves up for disappointment …my tips for a fabulous new you for the New Year are all about making the very most of you as you are right now…
Vitality
The most important thing I feel for everyone of every size is to show care, health and vitality in the way you look. Why not have a manicure or try out a new hair style, im sure anyone reading this will know what I mean when I talk about “that feeling” you get when you walk out of the salon all preened and ready to take on the world because your looking utterly fab.
Instead of starting a diet that you're not going to ever be able to stick to, maybe try and have one snack free day a week and commit to increasing the fruit and veg you eat, this can make such a difference to the way you look and feel. You will have brighter eyes, clear skin and silky hair with minimal effort.
A new outfit…need I say more, you don’t need your own personal stylist to look great, I design clothes for shape, not size, and I know that there is something in my collection for everyone. Some things will always suit some shapes better than others, so make an effort to really think about your shape when you’re dressing. Ask a friend to write a description of your shape, your likely to find those fat calves you hate are really the curvy legs your friend is secretly jealous of.
Experiment!
Don’t be scared to experiment, try new colours and styles, you might surprise yourself, if its something you would never dream of trying, just go for it, what’s the worst that can happen?
Take a friend with you when you’re shopping someone who’s opinion you trust and value, and instead of refusing to come out the changing rooms in something you feel doesn’t work let them see you, sometimes the way you imagine you look in a garment even if your standing in front of the mirror is very different to the reality.
You can even try the same things on so you can both look at how the clothes work differently on different people and help each other to make the right choices.
If you wear clothes that give you confidence and make you feel great others will see it too.
You could follow your shopping trip with a massage or even get a group of your girlfriends together and spend a day in a spa away from the cold January weather.
On the other hand embrace the winter elements, wrap up warm and take a walk, a great way to clear the head and take in a little exercise, and of course stopping in a nice local pub for a glass of mulled wine and something yummy to eat is a must.
Treat Yourself...
The one thing to remember is that its ok to spoil yourself, and even if you feel selfish those around wont see it that way, in fact they will probably thank you, as they will get to spend their time with a confident, happy woman who doesn’t turn down dinner and drinks because it goes against new years resolution number 16, a woman that commands respect with her polished natural look, and most of all a woman that can make others happy because she is happy within herself.