Your Body, Your Style
Your Body, Your Style
Author: Rani St. Pucchi
Publisher: Koehler Books
Pages: 150
Genre: Nonfiction
Rani St. Pucchi, a trend-setting designer whose designs have been recognized in Entertainment Tonight, Harper’s Bazaar, WWD, Town and Country, Bride’s, Cosmopolitan Bride, Martha Stewart Weddings and The Knot, can help define the style that flatters you most — no matter what age or stage of life you are in or what your body type is.
Women from all over the world have clamored to have a private consultation with Rani so they may benefit from her expertise and regain their self-confidence and shine.
In Your Body, Your Style, Rani shares with you her knowledge of the female form and guides you to find simple solutions to your most pressing body concerns. The focus is on you — and how you can make yourself more confident and appealing in almost every situation — simply by making a few changes and different choices in planning your wardrobe.
Once you embrace your unique attributes and dissolve your bad relationship with your body, you’ll be amazed to find how irresistible you are to others!
This simple and friendly guide reveals:
* What clothes and silhouettes are best for your specific body type
* Simple techniques to determine which colors flatter you most
* Solutions to common lingerie issues and the importance of fit
* The one dress that is a chameleon, and how to transform it into different looks
* How to travel stress free by planning your wardrobe well
* 101 styling secrets, professional tricks and fashion tips
My Review
I enjoyed Rani's expertise on dressing your all body types. So often many designers only design for a small population of women. It is usually from 0-4, maybe 6. I have been lucky as I can wear a 6 but than again it depends on the fit, style, and designer as I have been know to have to wear bigger sizes. In fact, I prefer to wear large sizes then to have something too fitting. Yet, reading this book I am identified as having a pear shape, small bust, and shorter length.
So reading this book, here are the things I should be doing:
DO: Wear clothes that emphasize the upper body, that add to your shoulder and bust area and that make your hips and butt look slimmer. Tops that accentuate shoulders such as the current trendy off-shoulder blouses are perfect. Wear straight-leg pants with heels. Wearing a bra that adds to or enhances your bust is recommended.
DON’T: To minimize the lower half avoid pants or tights that narrow your legs. Flared pants can make your legs look thick, even bow-legged.
Short-Waisted and Short
Select dresses that have vertical seams from under the bust, as they will elongate your figure. Clothes that have no specific waistline are also perfect.
Keep to one color rather than contrasts. If you wear a belt then it should be monotone or at least match your top, not your bottom.
Fitted sleeves help give an illusion of longer arms and longer waistline.
Short Legs
High-waisted dresses and skirts, as well as high-waisted jeans and pants, which make your legs blend in with your upper body are highly recommended.
Skirts that end right at the knee can give the appearance of elongated legs. Avoid anything longer though as they will make your legs look chubby.
Small Bust
The technique is to create a little drama to enhance your bustline. Select styles with lots of detail in the bust area. Ruffled, flared necklines are also perfect. A padded bra always helps.
Looser, relaxed tops are better than a stretch bodysuit.
If your hips are bigger than your bust try adding straight elements in your wardrobe such as a straight skirt to balance your silhouette.
Full sleeves with ruffles, and puffed or Gibson sleeves are all good options and help add fullness to the bodice area.
Here are some fashion tips from Rani:
4. Styles that are slenderizing: long vertical lines and patterns, tops with button-front closings, vertical tucks and V-necklines. Skirts with vertical pressed pleats are also very slimming.
9. To lift your mood wear your favorite color.
43. When shopping for new clothes or shoes bear in mind that comfort should always come before fashion. If you have to keep pulling and adjusting no one will notice how good you look.
46. A large colorful print scarf can serve as a hip wrap or a shawl as well as serve as a brightener under your coat.
77. Cuffed pants make your legs look shorter.
84. A pushed-up or rolled-up sleeve look adds a modern twist to your jacket.
101. Whatever you do, make sure your clothes fit you well and look like they belong to you.
While, I did like this book, I do feel like I have read a lot of these tips before and I didn't really learn too much new advice. However, I will not always give in to the larger size just because it is more comfy as it does not help give me a figure.
My Review
I enjoyed Rani's expertise on dressing your all body types. So often many designers only design for a small population of women. It is usually from 0-4, maybe 6. I have been lucky as I can wear a 6 but than again it depends on the fit, style, and designer as I have been know to have to wear bigger sizes. In fact, I prefer to wear large sizes then to have something too fitting. Yet, reading this book I am identified as having a pear shape, small bust, and shorter length.
So reading this book, here are the things I should be doing:
DO: Wear clothes that emphasize the upper body, that add to your shoulder and bust area and that make your hips and butt look slimmer. Tops that accentuate shoulders such as the current trendy off-shoulder blouses are perfect. Wear straight-leg pants with heels. Wearing a bra that adds to or enhances your bust is recommended.
DON’T: To minimize the lower half avoid pants or tights that narrow your legs. Flared pants can make your legs look thick, even bow-legged.
Short-Waisted and Short
Select dresses that have vertical seams from under the bust, as they will elongate your figure. Clothes that have no specific waistline are also perfect.
Keep to one color rather than contrasts. If you wear a belt then it should be monotone or at least match your top, not your bottom.
Fitted sleeves help give an illusion of longer arms and longer waistline.
Short Legs
High-waisted dresses and skirts, as well as high-waisted jeans and pants, which make your legs blend in with your upper body are highly recommended.
Skirts that end right at the knee can give the appearance of elongated legs. Avoid anything longer though as they will make your legs look chubby.
Small Bust
The technique is to create a little drama to enhance your bustline. Select styles with lots of detail in the bust area. Ruffled, flared necklines are also perfect. A padded bra always helps.
Looser, relaxed tops are better than a stretch bodysuit.
If your hips are bigger than your bust try adding straight elements in your wardrobe such as a straight skirt to balance your silhouette.
Full sleeves with ruffles, and puffed or Gibson sleeves are all good options and help add fullness to the bodice area.
Here are some fashion tips from Rani:
4. Styles that are slenderizing: long vertical lines and patterns, tops with button-front closings, vertical tucks and V-necklines. Skirts with vertical pressed pleats are also very slimming.
9. To lift your mood wear your favorite color.
43. When shopping for new clothes or shoes bear in mind that comfort should always come before fashion. If you have to keep pulling and adjusting no one will notice how good you look.
46. A large colorful print scarf can serve as a hip wrap or a shawl as well as serve as a brightener under your coat.
77. Cuffed pants make your legs look shorter.
84. A pushed-up or rolled-up sleeve look adds a modern twist to your jacket.
101. Whatever you do, make sure your clothes fit you well and look like they belong to you.
While, I did like this book, I do feel like I have read a lot of these tips before and I didn't really learn too much new advice. However, I will not always give in to the larger size just because it is more comfy as it does not help give me a figure.
About the Author
Thirty years ago, Rani St. Pucchi took the bridal world by
storm, despite having no formal training in fashion. She is an award winning
couture fashion designer and founder of the world-renowned bridal house St.
Pucchi. A passionate and dynamic entrepreneur who launched her global empire in
the United States in 1985, Rani’s vision was to create an avant-garde bridal
and evening couture line with modern styling and classic details. That vision
has been realized today.
Renowned for infusing her creations with touches of
magnificently colored jewels, exquisite hand embroidery, delicate beading and
sparkling crystals on the finest silks and laces, these inspired designs with
innovative draping evoke the timeless elegance every woman desires. As one of
the foremost designers to introduce exotic silk fabrics and hand embroidery,
Rani is applauded for being a pioneer in bringing color to the United States
bridal scene, having learned that white does not flatter everyone.
Rani has been recognized and nominated on multiple occasions
for her design talent and won numerous awards as a Style Innovator. In
addition, she has been honored with the Best Bridal Designer Award at the
prestigious Chicago Apparel Center’s DEBI Awards (Distinctive Excellence in
Bridal Industry).
Rani is famous for designing the wedding dress worn by
“Phoebe” as she captured the hearts of millions when she said “I Do” in a
unique St. Pucchi Lilac corset bodice A-line gown on the finale of the hit
television show Friends.
Her range of avant-garde designs are worn by the world’s
most discerning brides, including celebrities and style icons such as New York
Giants’ player Aaron Ross’ wife, Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards; Dallas
Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo’s wife Candice Crawford; Actress Tara Reid;
Jason Priestley’s wife Naomi Lowde; actress Candice Cameron and Grammy Award
winning country music singer Alison Krauss, who donned a specially designed
Chantilly lace and silk gown at the Country Music Awards.
Rani has enjoyed much media attention. Her signature designs
have been recognized in high profile media such as Entertainment Tonight, Harper’s
Bazaar, WWD, Town and Country, Bride’s, Cosmopolitan Brides, Inside Weddings,
Martha Stewart Weddings and The Knot.
Rani’s real passion other than the world of design is to
help women who have suffered abuse and those who are struggling to find
themselves. On her quest to empower women to be their best selves, she is
passionate about helping them find their voice through building their
self-confidence. She believes that confidence must start with a woman’s love
and acceptance of her body.
Renowned for her savvy knowledge of a woman’s form and fit,
Rani is eager to share her knowledge of more than three decades with all women
so they can make better styling choices. In addition to the book you are
reading now, Rani is the author of four upcoming books: The SoulMate Checklist:
Key Questions To help You Choose Your Perfect Partner; Seven Types of Men To
Avoid: Recognizing Relationship Red Flags; Designing with Heart: A to Z Guide
to Bridal Designing; and Unveiling: A Celebrity Fashion Designer’s Story, a
Memoir of her Life Journey.
Born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand, Rani now happily lives
in Los Angeles, California.
Her latest book is Your Body, Your Style: Simple Tips on Dressing to Flatter .
WEB & SOCIAL LINKS:
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