Monday 30 September 2013

The Diamond Shape

This shape can be tricky but just remember, you're a diamond! Every girl loves diamonds! Your waist is larger than your bust and hips, so we have to create the illusion that it's smaller by wearing longer dresses, no shorter than the top of your knee and adding plunging neck lines or smocked under the bust styles. Opt for dresses that are tight under your bust and fall straight down to your toes, such as empire lines and try low necklines to draw the eye up. This will shorten your top half and elongate your height.

Diane Von Furstenberg Kimono Mini 


Dave & Johnny Luminous Two-tone Cocktail Frock 

Coast Classic Cocktail Frock Front
Floral Fun Frock


Flower Flirt Me Frock


What dresses suit the Diamond Shape?

  • Empire lines
  • Low cut necklines
  • Shoulder padded frocks
  • Wrap dresses
  • Capped sleeves

Avoid short boxy frocks and pleated or tiered dresses!

How utterly fabulous! You share this shape with the stunning.....Oprah Winfrey, Beth Ditto and Rosie O'Donnell!

Warmest Swishes,
B
London Frock Exchange

Tuesday 24 September 2013

The Hour Glass Shape

You are the exquisite Marilyn! You are blessed with a very sexy shape where your bust and hips are approximately the same size and your waist is well defined, so stay clear of baggy styles or you'll drown that voluptuous shape out! 
Coast Classic Cocktail Frock 
Stick to solid bold colours, dark with vertical patterns and pleats. Opt for soft fabrics with stretch that reduce and prevent any bulkiness. Knits and silk blends with scoop necks, sweethearts and slimming necklines are all your cut! 
Grecian Nights French Connection Cocktail Frock 
Jaeger Strapless Chanel-esque Number 


Ronit Zilkha Cocktail Frock 


Floral Fun Frock 




What dresses to suit my Hour Glass Shape?
  • Well-tailored frocks
  • Scoop-neck frocks
  • Vertical stripes
  • Solid dark colours
  • Sweetheart frocks

And avoid... ruffles and bows and other dimensions that add volume. It's a no go on baggy or oversized frocks unless adding a belt at the waist. Put it back on the rail if you see any wide neck-lines like boat necks and squares since these make you look more top heavy than you actually are! 

You share this shape with....Scarlett Johanson, Salma Hayek, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Hathaway- before Hollywood took her!

Warmest Swishes,


London Frock Exchange

Monday 23 September 2013

The Column Shape

Basically this is a very common shape... Please don't think if you are this one, we're saying you look like a teenager! When I am at my smallest, I am this shape. You learn to love it! It doesn't mean you don't have a bust or lovely waist, it just means your shoulders, bust and hips are approximately the same size straight down (not from the side!). It's the shape where you can basically get away with wearing most styles because there's no main area to minimise.

Stick to over-sized dresses with big waist-belts, or team a shirt-frock buttoned up to the neck with a stylish tie and knee-high leather boots - riding or heeled. You're the lucky ladies that can wear bandeau dresses too, off the shoulder and tight micro-mini dresses.

Define your waist by adding a thick belt, or accentuate your hips so they appear wider with a low-slung sash or belt. Over-sized kimonos like our blue DVF would look fierce on this shape - hitch up the skirt a bit so there's a little overhang on the sash and you're ready to go. Bigger column-shaped ladies, wear these types of dresses loose with no belt added and use bright chunky scarves or jewellery to show-off your figure.

Stick to structured dresses that synch in at the waist to create a curvy effect. With a small bust, you can get away with wearing more tricky and fussy high neck-line dresses. Go for it and also dare to bare your back in low-slung or backless frocks!

Petite Soft Grey Rebecca Taylor Cocktail Frock 

Pink Bow Audrey Number 

Philip Lim LBD
French Connection Foxy Frock         

Reiss Red Rah-Rah Ruffle Frock

What dresses suit my Column Shape?

  • Micro-mini - long sleeved, t-shirt and vest
  • Strapless frocks
  • Puff-ball skirted frocks
  • High-waisted belted frocks - short and long length
  • Over-sized dresses and maxis/ kimonos
  • Racer-back shaped dresses
  • Backless frocks
  • Puff, capped or shoulder-padded dresses
  • Frocks with lots of detail and flare

What to avoid.....sheath and smock dresses!

Some wonderful examples of a column shape would be Jessica Alba, Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mel C, Rachel Hunter, Kate Middleton, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman... They are still athletic and beautiful but without a curve.

Warmest Swishes,
B
London Frock Exchange

Thursday 19 September 2013

What's My Shape?!

Your personal guide to finding out what your body shape is in relation to our sizing settings.

We have created a brilliant measuring system for you so that when you see a frock you like, you can have your measurements pop up right beside the actual measurements of that dress. This way you can see whether it will fit you or not.

There are, though, dresses that look great a little bigger or a little tighter depending on how you want the look to look! If there are any doubts about whether the dress you like will look good on you or suit your shape, that's where I come in. Just ping me a personal email and I can sort those fears or queries straight away:

However, I am going to give you some easy-to-follow steps to what looks good on what shape and how to wear our frocks in lots of different ways. Watch this space...

Your Shape!

Now this is a really delicate subject, believe me I know! So please don't worry if you have no idea, or by the end of my guide, you realise you thought you were one shape, but actually you're a completely different one!

We all have the dreaded moment in the dressing room, or before we go out where we look in the mirror and just loathe what we are seeing. Like bad hair days, they sometimes come more often at some times than others, but with my help, I assure you, they'll get less and less over the coming weeks and by the Christmas break, you'll be feeling confident and sexy every time you look in the mirror.

It's a self-preservation thing us ladies like to do - but we all say, "Oh I couldn't possibly wear that", with the fear that we are too fat or too thin or our boobs aren't big enough. We go safe! But you know the people you are drawn to and just look at on the street or wherever? Well it's usually because they look different. They have gone the extra step and said..."You know what, I will actually wear this, because yes, my boobs do look great", or "This might be a bit tight, but my bum is a real bum and I like it, so therefore I shall show it in this", etc. etc. It's our confidence ladies that we need to work on. You can wear what the devil you want, it will always look great if you feel great in it, from within.

I don't want to get all 'secret' about this because you get the gist, but sometimes we need that little nudge to help us.

So.....shape!!! Big shapes, small shapes, short shape, tall shape, hippy shape, skinny-bean shape, no boobs to big boobs shapes, we are all totally different. However, there are certain criteria (though they can overlap, but I'll help you with that!), which we have in our Size Guide and within that our Body Type Guide. I have stated on each frock what shape it will look best on, so you'll have all the information you need to know what frock is right for you and what frocks to stay clear of.

I have created separate blogs for each of our different body shapes so take a peep and all you need to know will be right in front of you! But, anytime you have a predicament of 'will this dress suit me' just refer back to your particular body shape blog and you'll be ready to go!

Warmest Swishes,

Tuesday 17 September 2013

The Swisher-Swapper-Shopper

'A splendid swishing shop experience at London Frock Exchange!'

Hello Swishers! Now, I must just begin by letting you know that this article is purely to explain what the bejeezers a 'Swisher' is...well everything Swishy really. Sarah and I very assumingly thought that everyone just knew what the word meant, but no! Dictionary definition of a Swisher explained......

What actually is 'Swishing'?

And no it's not the sound our wonderful frocks make strutting down the street this time! But Swishing is basically what you do at London Frock Exchange: 

When you 'Swish' you are effectively swapping. 

When you are 'Swishing', you are in the process of a swap. 

When you have 'Swished', you have swapped a frock and found a new one. 

(We could be really silly now and end the process, 'Swushed' but Sarah and I fancied the swishing word instead, much more appropriate!)

It came about when we were busy one late night (eating choccies and drinking our twentieth cup of tea!) ...

11.30pm...not at our most fabulous!

...Trying to decide our 'sign off signature' for all the lovely email notifications we send you. 

Here at London Frock Exchange, we pride ourselves on our warm and honest customer service. We are just normal ladies like youselves, trying to get on in life, be happy and look fabulous! We thought 'Warmest Swishes' reflected that nature we hope shines through with our communication and website.....  

So beautiful ladies, happy Swishing,

Warmest Swishes,

Thursday 12 September 2013

WE HAVE ARRIVED! LONDON FROCK EXCHANGE IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER!!

WE HAVE ARRIVED!

My darling wonderful friend Sarah and I have been working our little size 5 socks off and re-launching the fabulous London Frock Exchange. Oh the giggles we have had, the stamping of feet in web tech frustration and the hours of late nights drinking minty tea and eating crisps have all paid off. We want to welcome you all to what we feel very proud of. 

A service us lovely ladies didn’t even know we needed, in my opinion.


Fancy getting a whole new wardrobe without spending a fortune? Fancy not having to traipse around the shops for a perfect frock? Look no further than London Frock Exchange. Here we give you a beautiful vast collection of dresses in all shapes, colours, styles and sizes; where your wardrobe is de-cluttered and someone else can enjoy your unwanted frocks; giving you a whole new one to play dress-up in.




The Blog-sense

Like my writing for Last Style Of Defense from LA, I will be bringing you lots of blogs as and when I feel the trend and mood, giving you a perfect and simple insight into our new dresses and what is hot right now (and not so now!).  

I will be showing you how to team our dresses with accessories from your little ballet pumps and waist belts to scarves, jewellery, chunky knits and handbags. Adding in any new make-up trends to suit, whilst working in the mix ‘from the office to night’ or ‘day-time tea party to date night or cocktails with the girls’. 

And if that wasn’t enough…you can always contact me directly for any personal occasions or problems you have with an outfit. A problem shared after all is a problem halved and with my styling expertise we can collaborate together to make you feel confident, beautiful and looking a million dollars!


Send us pics too of you glammed up in your new frock to show off your stunning look! I find it can be such good inspiration to other women hearing stories or seeing visuals of what we do and look like; the ideas and creative differences can teach and show people other ways in wearing things. I’ll be bringing you styling journeys and moments from my clients that might be what you feel or have gone through; the difficulties in what we look like, or what we wear. I like to call it my ‘Secret Pandora’s Box’ which I’d love you to add to! So therapeutic! Get swapping and sharing!



TROTTING HOT

I am loving, absolutely loving this sunshine right now! Having lived in sunny LA for over two years, the transition back to grey wet South coast did get me down but now….Oh the beach fun I have had this Summer, the water sporting and the car roof down seems to make everyone a little bit happier…smiles all round! Who’d have thought! Although it is getting a bit more chilly in the evenings now I'm secretly excited about getting my Auntumn wardrobe ready! 

In our Fabulous 5 categories- Everyday, Classic, Chic, Luxe and Divine, we have a beautiful wide range of dresses with patterns and styles for every different occasion, not forgetting the different trends and fabrics for your beautiful selves!




‘Tea Me Up Scotty!’

Tea dresses and lovely floaty maxi’s showered in floral prints, monochrome and vibrant luminous shades are all trending hot right now even into the Autumn. Make sure to pair long effortlessly elegant drapey numbers with gladiator flip flops or simply a pair of plain Havianas. Add a ‘Cooler than Chelsea’ large felt flopsy hat for that extra edge or slap on some bright rouge lippy and black Ray-Bans for a sexier look.

Tea dress you up, more ‘Lady Grey’ sexy and sophisticated by adding a sultry pair of stilettos or ballet pumps. ‘PG Tips-it-down’ by pairing some classic cork wedges or simple two-strap sandals. If you really want to impress then dare to be different and ‘cupcake-it-fancy’ by teaming girly frilly socks with white plimsolls for a 1950s look.


 Here I took two delightful tea dresses from our collection and created two very different looks. My beautiful sister shone delicately in our Rose Pink Party Frock which I styled with some simple heeled espadrilles and black cardi. Her make-up was soft and pinky with a twisted up do and sweet flower clip to finish. I chose to show off our gorgeous 1940s Style Vintage Flower Frock. Super sexy front can be worn without a bra for smaller busted ladies (a la moi!) which I teamed with some classic Zara stilettos and a tucked bun. Adding classic themed round sunnies and bright red lippy, this outfit rocked the period!

So excited that we have pushed the button and gone live now. We cannot wait to start swapping with you! 

Warmest Swishes
Sarah & Bethany
London Frock Exchange