Hourglass Curves.



Marilyn Monroe.

 Marilyn Monroe was and still is the ultimate sex bomb. She is the 1950's ICON that every woman wanted to be and every man wanted. Over and over she is named as the woman whose body every other woman wants to copy. Even though, and get this girls, she was voluptuous !! I know!! It just gets better and better for all us hour glass figured ladies out there........Marilyn was a voluptuous size 12 - 16. Wow!!



Marilyn with husband Arthur Miller.

 I have been an hour glass figure since I developed curves as a young teenager, and as I saw it then they were all in the wrong places. I spent as much time through school hiding those curves as best I could. I was not like the models splayed across fashion magazines. I just couldn't relate to them and the clothes they wore. Not only were, in my humble opinion , the eighties fashions hideous and unfeminine I didn't have any hope in hell of attaining a boyish lean figure that suited them, even when I dropped down to six and a half stone, my curves were still there as prominent as ever. I wasn't tall and I sure as hell wasn't flat chested or minus a waist, and no matter how much weight I lost that fact never changed one jot. Having curves can be a curse until you learn how to use them to your own advantage.

So it was a massive revelation to me when I discovered that Ms Marilyn Monroe was only 5ft 51/2" and ranged in her career it is speculated from a healthy sized 14 -16 to size 10 and to boot she was curvy, and I mean swit swoo (wolf whistle) curvy.......and men loved her, not only men but women too!

When I saw her in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blonde's with Jane Russell - who I also discovered was a buxom babe with a booty, I studied every stitch they wore and how they wore it avidly. Here was the key to me ditching the over sized jumpers and baggy Tees. These two lovely ladies held the answers to how to dress for a much fuller in and out figure and damn it did they look good doing it. How did they manage it?

Firstly they learned to love their body shape and identify what shape they were. It sounds so simple and easy when it's written in a small black and white sentence. Which is why I now have my own Ten Commandments and one of those golden rules is to  "Know thy body shape and love it"  . Time and time again I meet women who dislike who they are and hide their body shape because it's not what their head says it should be. That's the fashion magazines, movie stars and catwalk models talking honey - it ain't real life, that's the first thing you've got to realize. The next thing to do is - find out who you are and what shape you are. Then go from there.

Marilyn is one of the most beautiful, most photographed and most desirable women in the whole world over. You can't get much more fit looking than her! Having curves and being voluptuous is one of women's biggest assets, why would we want to look like a boy? It's crazy when you really think about it. Personally I think the modelling industry and movie world needs to see a lot more real women with real curves.

If a woman has curves these days she's placed instantly in the plus size department. Hello, I'm not over weight,  I have curve issues. And for those of us who do carry a little extra we don't want you labelling us as PLUS SIZED. How rude is that!? THE CURVACEOUS DEPARTMENT sounds much better and describes us more accurately I feel. Curves come in all shapes and sizes. We have curves and we know how to use them. x

One of my favourite stories about Marilyn Monroe is when she was walking along the road with actor Eli Wallach, who noted that no one was taking any notice of her. He said to her , "My God don't these people know who you are?!" Marilyn grinned at him and replied "I'm only recognized when I want to be. Watch this" . She began to swing her hips and walk in a way that was familiar to movie goers and was eventually mobbed by adoring fans.

I know that the average U.K female dress size and body shape is not represented by the catwalks and model shoots in fashion magazines - so why are they still trying to make us believe it is? It leads to women being unhappy about their bodies and wishing they were something they can never be. Some bodies are just not built that way. We are after all each of us unique, it's time we started to dress that way. As Mud Boy tells me constantly "Men like something to squeeze". I rest my case. x

They do say that a vintage size 16 is a modern 10. Remember girls they had some serious girdles and corseting going on back then. Although there is still a massive debate raging about the actual size of Marilyn Monroe's famous hourglass figure. Was she averagee size or was she bigger? First we have the Continental size difference to bridge, a British size 16 is an American size 12.  The thing is like all Hollywood stars of the time her clothes would have been hand made and designed to fit her perfectly. To be honest, I really don't care what size she was - she was damn hot that's what I know and women the world over would love to have her body confidence. Perhaps the most telling is when English actress Elizabeth Hurley spoke to Allure magazine saying "I've always thought Marilyn Monroe looked fabulous, but I'd kill myself if I was that fat.....I went to see her clothes in the exhibition, and I wanted to take a tape measure and measure what her hips were (laughs). She was very big". Really I think that statement says more about Liz Hurley than it does Marilyn, but I'll leave you to decide why.

However Marilyn's dress maker had her sizes down as bust 36D (35-37 inches), waist 22-23 inches (whether this was before or after the fitting of a corset - who knows?), Hips (35-36 inches) and her weight like most women and her measurements fluctuated. We do know from studio records that they had to get a special mold made for her corset and swimwear because she was such an extreme hourglass shape, that they had no off the peg dummies for seamstresses to model on. All that says to me is lucky lady for having someone take so much care and attention in dressing her to perfection! Wish that it were me. x .

The first thing a woman needs to help her keep her curves under control is the right undergarments. How can you lift, tuck , nip and boost if you haven't got support to do so with? Cue the bra.


Marilyn and Jane working it!



Marilyn may have had an hourglass figure that made her a sizzling sensation, but she had a ton of help to make them work for her and not against her. Rule number one: Don't battle against your own body.

Little Ms Monroe wore the 1950's equivalent of the Wonderbra. It lifted and enhanced her cup size and gave her more than an inch. In 2009 Marilyn 1950's wonderbra went up for auction. This magic bra was able to perform it's duty because it was constructed to hold her breasts in with an inside cup and to lift with an outside cup. The ol' lift and squeeze baby, lift an' squeeze. Nowadays us busty girls have the wonderful Bravissimo and Figleaves to shop in. I never shop anywhere else for my undergarments as they know how to treat a bustier girls figure, they have my custom for life. x

Sultry Jane Russell.

Jane Russell wasn't lacking in the curve department either and happily showed all her assets refusing to cover them up. At 5ft 7 " tall she reportedly measured at a 38D-27-37 and while her actual dress size isn't known we do know that she was more volumptious than Marilyn, whose average film career size was a 12.

I'll let you into a little secret I'm a 30 FF in bra size and I know that I can wear either a size 12 or 14 up top depending on the cut, shape and style of the outfit, 10 if it's a very stretchy material. If it has buttons in a 12 forget it - unless I am sewn in. If it's a 14 with buttons it will fit up top but I will have to take the waist in to a 12. There is always a compromise somewhere, which is why for us bustier girls off the rail shopping is so difficult.

 Pepperberry though as their honest slogan says have 'clothes designed with your boobs in mind'. It's true they are one of the only shops I know of that actually take your bust measurment into account on the fitting of a dress, blouse, jumper or coat. It's about time too.



Marilyn looking divine.

 

 Jane Russell became a popular sexpot 1940's second World War pinup along with the curvy Betty Grable.

Here's a girl who certainly didn't let her curves hold her back. Jane was fiesty and fierce, she displayed all she got with a confident stride and wiggle when she meant it. Knowing just when to hold back and when to blow a hot blooded fuse.

How do we define an hourglass figure? Well the official definition is that your bust and hips are about the same proportion and you have a tiny waist. So put that into real and life and there is a wide range of sizes encompassed into the hourglass or figure of eight body shape. Remember no one body type is any better than another. It's all about loving you, for you.

Luckily for me the 1940's and 1950's are all about the hourglass figure. It was for me, as if the clothes had been designed just for moi. They got that my waist needed to be nipped in if I didn't want to look like a sack of lumpy potatoes. They understood that I needed my bust lifted, supported and separated if I didn't want monoboob syndrome and they certainly knew that the best skirts and dresses lengths for me was just below my knees in two oppoiste forms, whether in the full circle skirt or the tight wiggle. Clothes today just don't seem to fit me as well as they do from the past.

The thing we are perhaps yearning for is that these gorgeous girls of the past are at their most womanly, curvaceous and full on sex appeal. The thing that we can't quantify is not weight or body size - it's sheer sex appeal and sexiness. That doesn't come with diets or pills , it comes with loving your own body shape for what and who it is. Love you and the sexiness will ooze from every pore. Gauranteed. That little bit of je ne ce que - that no one can quite put their finger on.

So there we have it, like all normal women out there they wasn't just one size in any one place. We girls know that we can go from one store to another and either gain or loose one sometimes even two dress sizes. Yes it can be either depressing or exhilarating, but remember it's only a label. You can cut it out and no one will ever need to know - all they will see is that you feel and look fabulous in the dress - and that girlfriend is the be all and end all, there is no more that needs to be said.

My Hero - The Wrap Dress.

A heroine among woman -
Diane Von Furstenberg.

Every woman needs at least one in her wardrobe. I have too many to count. It is the ultimate feel good, cinch in your waist, nip and tuck in all the right places, you look amazingly gorgeous in that dress - the world has ever known!
Brought to us by the lovely 'champion of the female curvy shape' Diane Von Furstenberg and known throughout the world for her iconic wrap dress. God bless the ground she walks upon!
A Belgian - American fashion designer who married a German Prince, some time judge on Project Runway and designer of the iconic jersey knit wrap dress in 1972. Yes, just like me next year the wrap will be forty! I am hoping they will bring out some celebratory 'wrap dress' designs for it's fortieth birthday. You can never have too many wraps,...... never. I for one aim to celebrate our birthday by wearing one.


Vintage 1972 Wrap Dress.

Bursting on to the Seventies market in a flood of bright bold prints, new stretchy durable material that fits oh so snugly and is just too comfortable to be allowed by law. The Wrap Dress soon became a woman's popular choice to wear, knowing it gave and fitted in all the right places. Giving a flattering, yet supportive silhouette. The magic of the wrap dress is that it suits a variety of figures and shapes and for each one it gives perfection. Simple, chic, stylish and comfort - all in one package. A miracle in fabric that can come in a variety of cuts and styles. It can have long sleeves, three quarter, short, capped, or none. It can be tie or faux wrap, tunic, maxi, midi or mini, ruffled, polka dot, plain or full on pattern. It can be in any fabric for any season, for any occasion. It can be demure, sexy, smart, casual, sassy, classic, string, feminine, mummsie or blousy. You can dress it up, you can dress it down. Wear it on it's own or with jeans. It goes with any shoe or boot. It is the world's wonderall dress. If ever there was a super hero of clothing - The Wrap Dress is it!

At last a dress for a real woman designed by a woman. x

My Ten Commandments.

Betty Grable.



Audrey Hepburn.



Are you an Audrey or a Betty? I love Audrey Hepburn's style, but I could never have her body. My figure will never, no matter how much I try and loose the weight, ever be boyish or elfish. I am sadly at best a Betty Grable kinda girl. Booty and all!

Some things in life, you just gotta accept. But your mind always seems to want what it can't have. I long to wear clothes that suit the boyish figure, and it took many years of bad buying experiences and frustrated dressing room moments to finally realize that it 'ain't ever gonna happen. EVER! No matter how much weight I lost - even at six and a half stone I was still stuck with lumpy bumpy bits!

So, with this in mind I was flicking through a magazine when I came across an article about someone's ten fashion commandments. Reading them made me think how each woman shoud have her own ten commandments to follow, as we're all very different in shape, size, style and fashion. Why would we all want to be lumped in as one?!
So here's mine.............

one :
Thou shalt know thy shape. 
Every woman should learn their shape and accept it. Other wise there will be tears before bed time, believe me I know! Learn your shape and learn to love it, be you - according to Trinny and Susannah there are - pear, apple, hourglass, vase, bell, coloumn, cello, brick, goblet, cornet, skittle or lollipop! Or if you go the Gok way - Juicy girl, booty babe, petite girl, sexy broad, curvy girl, bellyssimo babe or slim and sexy.
It all boils down to the same thing with three little rules. Know your shape, love it and dress for it.

two:
Thou shalt have a kick-ass wardrobe.
If I can't have my dream walk-in dance about in your underwear and swing several cats tied together sized wardrobe, I make the most of what I've got! Always look after your clothes, shoes and bags and they in turn will keep you looking fabulous for many years to come. Never, not even in the throws of mad all consuming passion disgard them carelessly across the floor to be kicked under the bed and gather dust for eons to come or the dog to pinch. Always follow the care wash labels, never store them scrumpled up in a plastic bag at the bottom of your wardrobe with piles of tat balancing on top of them.
If it's been a while - sort out your wardrobe. Start to make piles of  those clothes that just don't fit, are too worn, have never been worn and you just plain hate! Then either donate to the charity shop, use as rags or re-vamp with sicssors and a sewing machine. I tend to go through my wardrobe every year. Does it still fit, will I make it fit? Are the most important quesions I ask myself - if not it goes.
I have one outfit in my wardrobe, just the one (apart from a few fabric carrots), that doesn't fit me and that I wore many years ago. It's the ultimate fabric carrot. The Holy Grail of clothes - and one day with enough determination - I will wear it again. That is my end of fabric carrot goal.

three:
Thou shalt treat everyday as a red carpet day.
I see no point of having that fabulous expensive dress hanging in the wardrobe that you have never worn or only worn once?  Wear it NOW , I say! It will only sit there year after year and you'll be saying "Have to find somewhere to wear that 'one day'". Girlfriend, 'one day' never comes, unless you make it happen, because by the time that 'one day' has never arrived because you've either had another kiddie, gained a few lbs, lost the confidence, it's out of date or you simply haven't got the nerve and omph to be bothered any more and go for a good old stable comfortable number instead.
Simple fact - dressing up in glam clothes makes us girlies feel special, attractive and sexy! And if we feel all that and a bag of chips, we ooze those feramones that Mr hubby sniffs out! Got it, wink wink. x Otherwise, that gorgeous expensive dress will end up in the charity pile or will stay hanging lonely in the back of the wardrobe, occassionaly brought out and admired only to make us feel guilty for never having had the nerve to wear it. Mr Hubby will then constantly nag about how he/you spent a lot of money on it and he's never seen you wear it. Odds are that if you wear it out, he's more likely to buy you more because you get use out of it, rather than pay for something you'll never wear or it will ever see the light of day again. So book up that fancy meal, theatre tickets or ladies day at Goodwood and wear it!
Unfortunately I am an hour glass figure and for me that means that my shape doesn't do casual dress very well. Infact the hardest thing for me to wear is jeans and a slouchy top. Something I dearly desire to one day strutt with confidence. So I have a lot of evening dresses, that I make sure I wear as day wear!

four:
Thous shalt have style icons.
We all need style icons. People we find irresistable and drawn to. Women we admire and would love to be. It can be anyone or a whole mixed bag. Punk, chic, hip or way out there! As long as they are a sounding board for you to build your wardrobe and own style around - who cares who they are. This could take a while, I have lots of icons that I admire, for lots of different reasons.
My fashion icons are Coco Chanel :  The lady who introduced and designed the LBD (the little black dress). The main stable of any womans wardrobe. I must have about fifty LBD's all different styles, lengths, designs and eras. The little black dress desreves LBS (little black shoes), along with the LBB (you got it, little black bag).
Just hearing Coco's quotes can send a positive shiver down my spine and make me power up when flicking through my dress rail. "A girl should be two things: Classy and fabulous" C.C, or "The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you" C.C, and I love this one "In order to be irresplaceable one must always be different" C.C.

Mary Quant : Wonder woman of the Sixties and inventor of the mini skirt. The woman who brought quirky fun to fashion. Black mini, black tight, flat mary jane ballet pumps and tight bob - what a style. One of my absolute favourites. Cute little flower logo, instantly recognisable as a brand. What a woman. Then there's the daisy collar mini, long sleeved dress, black tights, black boots, pale lips and big black eyes. Always a winner. So iconic. So classic. So cute. Ditzy little block dresses that get revived year after year after year.With classic quotes such as -   "A woman is as young as her knees".    

Clara Bow.

Louise Brooks & Clara Bow : Two women who have influenced me since I was a tiny dot. Long since gone, but their style and images live on to inspire. Clara Bow, she who was the inspiration for the cute, sexy little cartoon character Betty Boop. It's those big eyes. Her make up, is flawless. Tousled wavy hair, but impeccible brows, lips and liner.
She makes the headscarf look sexy. Her style is that of Mary Janes, long skirts, and a fox fur draping over her tiny shoulder. A drawling, lazy style that oozes sex appeal. It's as if she hasn't even tried or noticed. She simply is. I love her quote "Clara Bow is just what life made her, I guess".

Louise Brooks.

Lousie Brooks for her iconic images and sassy attitude. She has a smirk and raised brow that almost dares the viewer to make a snittish comment, before she'd wipe the floor with you and her dry witty comment.
The ultimate fun girl, she has cheeky gall down to a T. Flirtacious and risky, yet her image is flawless. Clean cut lines, even down to her hair. Minimal chic. I couldn't think of anyone more tres chic then her. Her best quote is "A well dressed woman, even though her purse is painfully empty, can conquer the world".

five:
Thou shalt dress to impress.
A woman should always dress for herself, but occassionally it doesn't hurt to dress to impress her man or after several years - you won't have one. It's true - all the oomph will have fizzled out and gone. Every so often wear that slinky number (with or without knickers, the daring part is up to you!). Put on heels and make up and make an effort. Even if you've been married years, the human beast still needs attraction to their mate. Get dollied up, go out together and make him remember exactly why he hunted you down and proposed in the first place.
A very wise woman called Coco once said "As long as you realize men are like children, you know everything there is to know". Meaning, they like a bit of attention every now and then. It may be very sexist of me to say so, but it's true - men like to see a bit of eye candy every now and then. It's just male nature. They can't help it bless 'em. So I make Mr happy once in a while - I just so happen to like dressing as a glamour puss every now and then. x

six:
Thous needeth choice.
Repeat after me ladies - "You can never have too many shoes, bags or coats". Variety is the spice of life so they say and how true that is when it comes to clothes and accessories. Don't get stuck in a rut. Try out as many different fashion styles as you can and rotate with glee. You don't have to be the same person everyday. I LOVE to dress in different periods of clothes. I actually feel more comfortable in them than most of those on todays market. The only problem I have is finding the clothes I desire. I have to hunt them down.
Not only do we women need choice in the outer clothes we wear, but also in the under wear department. You could have on the most gorgeous dress, but if your bra isn't up to the job of support all people will notice is your saggy bristols. Period. You have to lay a good foundation to build on, which means a wide range of bras - balconette, strapless, wonder, lacy, sports, t-shirt - they all do a different job for a different reason. Corsets and body cons are life savers - especially for that special cinched in little number. I'd rather wear a boned strapless corset, which has added scaffolding, than risk it with a small wrap around strapless bra that could ping at any moment as it tries desperately to defy the laws of gravity!

seven:
Thous shalt be worth it.
We are all worth it. That new pair of shoes, that new blusher or lipstick. It's all about honouring yourself. If you believe you are worth the attention, then you are! No one's gonna do it for us better than we can do it for ourselves. If we make the effort and give the time to us, we are the ones who benefit. I alway like to think of Mum as the hub of the home. The sun that all the planets revole around. How many times have you heard the saying - "If Mum's happy than the homes happy" or "If Mum 'aint happy, no one's happy. If Mum's happy everyone's happy". I really believe this is true, we as mother's are involved in everyone's lives, and help run the home smoothly. Our mood affects and sets the tone for the whole household, although we may not realize it. Yes, we Mum's are that important!

eight:
Thous shalt totter on heels.
At least once in a while every woman, I think, should wear minimum four inch heels. It helps posture and makes your calves look fabulous! Plus they make you sashay like no-one's business. I love my heels and regularly mix them with flats throughout the week. I couldn't just wear flats, just as I couldn't just wear heels. I've got to mix them around. The highest heel I feel comfortable in is six inch, and then I have to know my route. How far have I've got to walk in these? Over what terrain - cobbles, up hill, flagstones, polished floor? These things have to be considered if I don't want to end up on my arse, with huge blisters or walking bare footed by the end of the evening - which adds another equation to the list - wearing stockings or not!?

nine:
Thou shalt have a mantra.
Every woman should have a mantra to say to herself inside her head or out loud. I believe all women should have a mantra to cling to even if it's something as simple as "Lipstick, mascara, smile".
Mine is "Less is more". Meaning I do not need a ton of make up plastered on my face, a neck full of bling and a row of knuckle duster rings on display. I am a little person, I need not swamp my frame with nik naks. Either I will wear a necklace or ear-rings, not both together, they fight for attention. A bracelet or ring - never at the same time on the same hand - my wrists, hands and fingers are simply too small to accommodate it all. There is always the old saying of  'if  in doubt, go without'!
I am the same with makeup and skin routine. I use bog standard baby wipes to cleanse and bog standard cocoa butter - all over - as a moisturiser. Head to toe. As for makeup I will never have tarted eyes and blousy lips. It's one or the other. Normally I only wear lipstick, mascara and eye liner. That's it. Once a year, maybe, maybe I will wear a foundation, maybe. The less I put on my face the fresher it feels, otherwise my skin feels like it is suffocating.

ten:
Thou shalt find a signature scent.

The secret of success here is to find a perfume that you feel describes who you are. Your personality, your out look and moods. It took me a long time of trying perfume's to find one that I fell in love with. I'm not very keen on flowery scents, infact most flower scented perfumes will make me sneeze? Nothing that smells like food please - I will be drooling all day and gain 20lbs by the end of the week.
Instead, am drawn to musks. The low base note scents that wafts to the back of your nasal pallette. Those solid smells that evaporate slowly. I only use Obsession by Calvin Klein. It is one of those perfumes that you cannot smell very strongly when you first spray, but it uses the oils and glands in your skin to give a deep rich scent about thirty minutes after application. Which is why I use so little of it and a bottle lasts me a whole year.
The musks are a much darker scent, which I feel suits me. I LOVE the smell, but I am not a light airy person who can waft about on the on the summer breeze. My tonal colouring is much darker, so a low musky scent tone seems to fit me better.