Saturday 16 April 2011

All dressed up and nowhere to go?

hello lovelies,
just thought I'd drop you all a line as it's been a while! (that's school holidays for you!)

We've just had the most gorgeous week in West Wales on the Pembrokeshire Coast- stunning scenery and beautiful beaches. The most memorable has to be making pancakes for the gang on Tenby beach! (They didn't seem to notice the sand in amongst the golden syrup!)

Sometimes we think of holidays as breaks from normality, to 'vacate your life' as the Holiday quote goes, but I found that as I didn't wear as many dresses as I usually do, I much prefer my normality! Funny that!

Thought I'd leave you with a photo of the famous Tenby Pancakes though- and look, I'm in a dress!

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Dresses to Impress: the A-Z of fabulous frocks and gorgeous gowns...H is for Halterneck Dresses

I originally wrote this piece as a 'Who Can Wear Which Dress Wednesday?' post but it also works in my A-Z as Halter Necks are a must for dresses to impress! Here are some gorgeous Halter neck dresses I have found for you as they are oh so super stylish. Whether it's a tie at the back, a button or a press stud, a halter neck can really give your dress some wow factor without you feeling at all concerned that it might all fall out!!!!

There are actually quite a few different types of halter neck. The first one to be featured is my personal favourite, the 50s style halter neck where the neck straps originate to the side of the dress, almost at the armpit. This style gives you a fab vintage look and can help with support if  larger in the bust area. A typical example of this style of halter neck would be this gorgeous repro dress from Tara Starlet.

The sweetheart neckline on this type of dress creates a structured shape to the bust area and can be flattering on both larger and smaller cupped ladies.

The inverted V shape created by the straps accentuates the shoulder and neck area and can provide balance whether you are small or large or even round shouldered. This style can be worn by most shapes as bust support is provided by the well fitted bodice not solely from the straps themselves.

Other styles of halter neck would include the iconic 'Marilyn' type of dress where the halter neck itself is what encases the bust. The success of this style depends on a larger bust to fill the material pockets, serious dressing to impress here!!!

Many halter neck styles are based on this one and are a favourite for red carpet dresses where I suspect some clever invisible body tape is used discreetly.

A downside to this style of dress is that it can often by backless making it necessary to invest in some clever underwear solutions.

The third style of halterneck is the cowl halter neck. This style is often better for those a little smaller in the cup area and can add some serious wow factor to your summer wardrobe.

Again, often backless, this style uses the cowl shape to give the chest area some volume and is a softer look as it creates a drape effect. This is a good halter neck style for those with a boyish straight up and down shape (see who can wear which dress Wednesday)  It will give you a curvaceous look by creating those curves for you.

A similar style to the cowl drape is the round halter neck where the fabric is taken high up around the neck and fastened tight around the neck in a choker style. This type of halter neck is also a great look for those with a smaller bust or a boyish shape.

So, halterneck dresses take their rightful place under H in the A-Z of Fab Frocks and Gorgeous Gowns!

Finally, what post would be complete without a look at the gorgeous halter neck dresses currently available in Redressing's collection....!

Size 10 H&M summer dress £10

Size 10 Next long dress £20

Size 10 Paisley spaghetti halter neck £15

Size 12 Be Beau cotton summer halter neck £15

Size 14 Marilyn style black halter neck £20

What's your favourite style of halter neck dress? Drop us a line....x