During the Christmas season one of the main things besides shopping for presents and coming up with menus is what to wear for those various functions and parties you may have to attend.
Now most of us are not built like the models you see on the catwalk, and we’d look quite grim in some of the clothes that look so great on them. But that doesn’t mean we can’t look fashionable, intriguing and classy.
The problem for many women is to choose outfits which are suitable for their age, height and waistline, so they can really show themselves off to advantage. We have sometimes seen a friend, I’m sure, wearing an absolutely fabulous dress which just doesn’t suit them. So we asked local designer, Donna Ramsammy-James to give us a few tips on selecting dresses for the season which real people can wear and in which they can look good.
The full-figured, mature
woman – not too tall
Everyone wants to dress appropriately for their age, but at the same time not look fuddy-duddy. Janice Maison models this piece for the hostess who is entertaining at home, and wants to be comfortable but still look classy. Ramsammy-James has created a dress with a single colour and matching headpiece to add a bit of height, while the bold fabric painting provides an element of drama without being fussy. And anyone under five-foot eight and with a waistline over 24 inches should not be wearing fussy clothes. (See pic 1)
The second piece worn by Janice is made from a single colour, jersey material enhanced again with some daring fabric painting – this time in gold. This is intended as a semi-formal outfit for a dinner or a cocktail, and the model wears it with high heels. These are great for giving height, although not all women can wear them. The top of this two-piece extends past the waist for those who might have broad hips. (See pic 2)
The mature woman – short
For the mature, short woman who is pondering what to wear to a party or even Christmas dinner, this dress modelled by Wendy Rudder, made from green cotton gauze decorated with silk ribbon and multi-coloured painting might do the trick. While Ramsammy-James has used this technique to a greater or lesser degree on all the clothes shown here, it is most obvious on Wendy’s outfit – ie asymmetrical, uneven lines to give an impression of height. (See pic 3)
Wendy’s other outfit which is made from red cotton gauze highlighted with gold fabric painting and displaying uneven lines again to give an illusion of height, is worn with heels and a headpiece to add a real inch or two. This is for the staff party perhaps, or the old year’s night shindig. (See pic 4)
The young, short woman
For the younger girls who are not tall, but want to look sophisticated for the holidays, Laura Shortt-Gill displays two pieces. The first one is made from yellow cotton gauze and is suitable either for a Christmas lunch or for going out in the evening. While it is not clear from the photo, this outfit is again designed to create the illusion of height, with the hem of the top cut diagonally. Laura wears real heels, which elongate the silhouette, and give the wearer that dressy finish. (See pic 5)
Laura’s second outfit is made from traditional madras fabric teamed with red linen and highlighted with hand-painted designs. When worn with the jacket, seen here spread on the floor, the outfit is demure, but when the jacket is removed the dress can be worn for a more informal occasion. (See pic 6)
