STYLE ICON OF THE WEEK: BEYONCE

When Beyonce took to the stage at Glastonbury earlier this summer - all hips, thighs and swinging hair - she instantly became an icon for all things curvy, voluptuous and alluring. And in a world where the miniscule thighs of lollipop-headed celebrities are so often hailed as the ideal, the sight of Beyonce proudly parading her show stopping Amazonian pins on stage was a certainly a welcome one.

Beyonce's on fire, with a dynamic voice and an image to match. She now leads the pack of women such as Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Tyra Banks who fight against the rail-thin body ideal and decorate their feminine shapes with sexy threads. They place their names on clothing lines, create signature fragrances and model for cosmetic and hair companies, constantly proving to the world that their well- rounded look is to be recognized -- and celebrated.

Her ascension and molding into a superstar comes not only from her talent but also from the way her stylist mother, Tina Knowles, fashioned her. They work together to assemble styles that teeter on the edge of sexiness without being trashy. Form-fitting tops, hip-hugging jeans, sexy heels and feminine dresses make up the "bootylicious" repertoire.Beyonce is shapely, curvy and has a very feminine silhouette. What she does is make people say, 'If she can walk around and show off her shape, so can I.’

 There have been moments when Beyonce's videos and her dancing have been beyond erotic. But she has avoided any meltdowns, scandalous behavior or tawdry fashion moments -- or at least none have been caught by the cameras. She has not married willy-nilly, shaved her head or been hauled off to rehab to be treated for "exhaustion." She goes for a polished head-to-toe look, with a glorious mane, bold earrings and killer heels as style staples. Beyonce is the Tina Turner of our times – a woman with an extraordinary talent and glamorous look to match.



What to steal her style? Here's how…

 
TOP TIPS

1. Wear great-fitting clothes that are in good shape. Spend time with a reliable tailor. No one is a perfect size anything.

2. Work your assets. Look at yourself and figure out what the best parts of your body are. For Beyonce, it's her legs. They are long and shapely, so she wears lots of dresses and skirts to show them off.

3. Step out in high heels and thigh-high boots. When does Beyonce not have on high heels? She even wore them to a New York Knicks game with Jay-Z.

4. Don a bikini top or belly-baring shirt. Every girl needs one in her wardrobe. They look good with low-slung pants.

5. Sport one-shoulder tops to show off arms. Recently, Beyonce wore a one-shoulder dress to a French awards show.

6. Do put on the glitz. A super spangly number will ensure you're in the spotlight.

FIGURE FIXERS: How to dress a large bust

Few women are ever satisfied with their bust. But their frustration often gives way to resignation when childbirth, loss of weight or simply the laws of gravity take their natural toll. As we age our breasts can one of the first areas to really suffer - especially women with full cleavage. If you have more than a handful, you‘ve probably have discovered bynow that fashion is not your friend and not everything in the shops is going to suit you.

Having an ample bust may be seen as a blessing but it can also be tough to find clothes that fit. A lot of women with big boobs have a nightmare finding clothes to flatter their figure. Their regular dress size often results in gaping buttons and pulled seams around the bust and opting for bigger sizes leaves clothes looking too baggy. What to do? Here‘s a guideline for the shapes and styles that will suit you best. 

CASUAL:Look for short dresses that flounce out a bit or have an Empire line. These accentuate your hips and legs, not your cleavage. Wrap dresses are the most becoming shape curvy woman or a smock style where the fabric falls loosely from under the bust. Steer clear of high-neck shift dresses and halter-neck styles, if it is tricky to wear a well fitting, supportive bra underneath. Three-quarter length sleeves are the most flattering as they draw focus away from the cleavage.

BLOUSES AND TOPS :Never hide a big bust in big shirts. If your bust is large, draping it in roomy layers of fabric is not going to flatter; it will only make you appear larger that you are. Avoid high necklines at all costs and always opt for V necks or a low round neck to balance
your proportions.

JACKETS AND COATS :Avoid square and structured jackets with high necklines and double-breasted styles which will make you appear top heavy. Go for a single breasted, fitted, deep V-neck which will separate the bust and lengthen the body. Keep the shape fitted and long. Draw the eye with long tops so that your boobs are a part of your silhouette, not your most stand-out feature.

NECKLINES:Don‘t wear large necklaces or brooches as they‘ll only draw attention to your chest. Avoid high and round necklines on tops and T-shirts which provide no break between your neck and bust, making them appear unified and therefore even bigger. V-necks are wonderfully flattering as they elongate the body and act to separate your cleavage. Low, draw-string-necklines are also fine. Any neck style which provides an expanse of flesh from the neck and chest will give you a sleeker figure.

CURVES.HEAVY women have chests and shoulders bigger than their bottom and hips. Research from Speedo shows 32 per cent of the female population has these proportions, like TV presenter Holly Willoughby. For this shape, make sure you support your bust with a good bra, and balance out your figure with styles that add volume below the waist.  

OCCASIONWEAR:Full busted women need support. Flattering neckline for a full busted figure are v-necks, scoop necks and pushed out/wide-set straps and corset tops. Wide halters that provide good coverage on the sides and have a healthy wide width up around your neck can be flattering if your bust can handle it a little less support. Strapless gown can have a problem since they provide no support pulling up.

 Try spaghetti straps to solve this problem. Avoid skimpy halter widths, low v-necks or v-necks that reach your empire waistline and empire waists for they can make you look top heavy. Ball gown skirts can balance your lower body shape of a full bust. Matte fabrics give flattering highlights on a curvy figure. Long sleeves balance nicely on a full busted figure. Avoid any kind of shiny fabric such as silk, satin or the dreaded lame - or you could end up like a Ferrero Rocher



WHERE TO SHOP: I love Bravissimo, the shop that has a gorgeous range of tailored clothes to fit women with a larger bosom. The stylish collection of shirts, tops, dresses and macs are based on standard sizes 8 to 18 but are cut to accommodate a large chest. In its new Curvy Clothing range, they have created stylish clothes that flatter, rather than flatten, your bust. They also have a great selection of dresses that could also work for the office. Bravissimo(01926 459859, bravissimo.com) At Figleaves (0870 499 9000, figleaves.com) sizes go up toa 56 back width and a JJ cup.

Heavenly Bodice (heavenlybodice.com)has a plus-size category that goes up to a JJ, and 56 back width, in some styles. Also features some swimwear. The Undercover Experience website (020-8293 5995, undercoverexperience.co.uk) may be hard to navigate but it has some deliciously tempting lingerie. Bras go from AAA to L and up to a back width of 52. There‘s a huge range of swimwear, and cunning insert-type things for the less well-endowed. Aphrodisia (01892 523023, aphrodisiauk.com) has bras up to 50FF, and swimwear with underwired cups.

Those in search of boostage should check out Max Cleavage (0870 333 3904, maxcleavage.com) which specialises in bust-enhancing bras and swimwear: it sells plunge bras, Max Pillows (silicone gel bra inserts), variable cleavage bras, the Maxistay-up (a strapless, backless, adhesive silicone bra that sort of sticks to your front), stick-on nipples and maxiflorals (nipple cover-uppers). You really had no idea.

Ultimo (0845 130 3232, ultimodirect.com), as modelled by Rachel Hunter, does the original gel bra and the Miracle Body (cunning body suit that can be worn under very low-cut fronts and backs, so that you still have a bit of support). Stocked by Selfridges, Debenhams and John Lewis. Less Bounce (08000 363840, lessbounce.com) specialises in sports bras from A to H cup, and from 30-53 back width.



 "Where's the man could ease a heart Like a satin gown?"Dorothy Parker.

HOW TO DRESS THINNER....magic tricks to help create a slimmer silhouette

Deception is at the heart of fashion. Enhancing the waist, minimising the hips, and creating a cleavage where none exists are tricks that every designer has up their sleeve. Fashion is, in large part, an art of tromp l‘oeil: it can make people look thinner (head-to-toe black); more powerful (shoulder pads); and more prominent (red).Yet many women remain innocents in the game of deception, subjecting themselves to a succession of diet and exercise regimes and ignoring the easier ways to look good.

 We spend hours in the gym and years counting calories. We endure high-carb, low-fat diets, and low-carb, high-protein diets. All in the pursuit of that perfect toned body. But what if we are putting ourselves through all that for nothing?


No matter how hard we slog with our diet and exercise regimes, there‘s a limit to how much it helps because our weight and shape are in our genes. If you don‘t believe it, stand next to your mum .Scientists have found that body shapes are inherited and you can‘t change your fundamental body type no matter how much you diet. So there‘s no point in trying to starve your way to a Kate Moss body if you‘re built like Beyonce.

And , as much as you may wish, you can‘t simply run out on your body and decide to start a new life somewhere else with a new one, so perhaps it‘s time to start loving the body that you have. Let‘s make a start with your posture. When your mother kept telling you to sit up straight, she did have a point. Sitting up properly not only improves your posture but also helps your internal organs realign, eases back pain and can make you appear instantly thinner.

And remember to walk tall. It is the one statement that says more about us than our clothes, accents or the company we keep. The way we walk is the most powerful first impression we can make: remember Monroe‘s wiggle and John Wayne‘s swagger. Our walk also gives a fascinating insight into our personality, even our sexuality. So walk with your head held high and ooze confidence - even if you have to fake it.

The world is populated by women of all shapes and sizes: from petite to Amazonian, from
androgynous to curvaceous, the variety of voluptuous and feminine forms really is something to celebrate. Why make things difficult for yourself when a wardrobe of carefully chosen clothes can transform the body, making a size 16 figure look like a 12.
 Not only will the right clothing make you look slimmer and more glamorous - it will make you look younger as well.

My favourite trick to disguise a pot belly is to wear a beautiful flowing scarf over, for example, a simple grey or black dress. The long line of the scarf will draw will make you appear taller and slimmer by drawing attention away from the midriff towards the vertical lines created by the scarf. A long pashmina casually falling gently over your tummy can hide a multitude of sins while looking young and Bohemian.

Make sure that your garments fit and flatter.The simple fact of it is that if you wear clothing that is slightly too big for you, you will look as if you‘ve lost weight. If your clothing is a bit small, you are going to look like you‘ve gained. So many women wear clothes that are too tight, honestly, I find it astonishing. You may wish you were a size 10 but if you are not - squeezing into a pair of too tight jeans will only serve to make you look bigger  and, let‘s face it, none of us want that.

Studies into the link between body shape and attractiveness show, perhaps hardly surprisingly, that for men a shapely figure is a far bigger turn-on than a thin, stick-like one so please don‘t beat yourself up if you‘ve put on a few pounds. Just accept your new body shape, learn to adore it, and dress in a way that makes the most of your figure. Keep this in mind and look for styles that flow- rather than cling. Opt for flattering empire line dresses or smock tops as these are the perfect shape to disguise a large tum.

 Also, it‘s important to remember that giant accessories will make you look small, so bin that teeny weenie clutch and opt instead for an oversized bag, because the bigger your handbag the smaller you will appear in comparison. That‘s why Victoria Beckham carries a Birkin bag wider than her waist and Grey‘s Anatomy‘s Katherine Heigl never leaves home without her enormous Valentino hold all.

 The same applies for other accessories; statement necklaces, oversized sunglasses and large earrings are in right now, so take advantage. The same advice also holds true when it comes to footwear. The larger your shoe is the slimmer your leg will appear that‘s why many celebrities, such as Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston and Gwen Stefani are often pictured wearing wedge heels when they are pictures in glossy magazines.

 They are made to create the illusion that you are taller, your legs are longer and your bottom is perter than it really is. And that‘s why I love wedges. Unlike the common old pump (a poor excuse for a shoe); wedges do all of the above and more.  

"Art is not the application of a canon of beauty but what the instinct and the brain can conceive beyond any canon. When we love a woman we don't start measuring her limbs.‟
- Pablo Picasso



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