As the world becomes more and more complex, the sane seek more sanity in simplification. It seems pure shopping pleasure just isn’t there anymore. Is it just because we have no time? Are the choices just too overwhelming? Or do we just detest fitting rooms? While many of us can answer “yes” to at least one of these, the question remains, what do we do about it? We have to wear clothes in most societies and most people have a desire to be attractive in public, polished and well groomed in the office, and comfortable enough not to be thinking about their appearance all day. Let’s face it, spending Saturday at the mall begins to lose it’s appeal sometime after our 25th birthday.

Little has the power to make a person feel more uncomfortable than an ill fitting ensemble. No matter how fabulous it looks on the hanger, if it drapes poorly on your body, it is a mistake. But don’t despair! Just because a particular cut fails to flatter your body, it certainly doesn’t mean you have to abandon the idea all together. A custom clothing professional can re-create something more suitable to your frame in keeping with the style you desire.

Here are a few points to take under consideration as you revamp your wardrobe for the coming season:

1. When you buy career wear, evening wear, or even a good jean “off the rack”, the chances of a perfect fit are rare. If it flatters your body, you feel good in it and it requires simple alterations, it is money well spent to spring for the little added expense of having a trained professional alter the garment to fit your body.

2. Time is money! How many times have you spent an entire day shopping only to come home empty handed or with disappointments? A better use of your time and hard-earned income is to find a professional in your area to make a custom creation for you. It may seem an impressive expense. Certainly, custom clothing is an investment, but done in the finest fabric you can afford and created especially to fit your body, it is a contribution worth making.

3. If a custom clothier is out of your reach, consider employing your local seamstress. Every style imaginable is at your fingertips in the form of a ready-to-sew pattern available at any fabric store. Before choosing your material and haberdashery, enlist the aid of a professional to find the highest quality textiles to suit your budget and flatter the style of the pattern you have chosen. Be sure to have your measurements honestly recorded by a friend or your dressmaker to be sure to obtain a perfect fit.

4. Whether engaging a custom clothier or a seamstress to create a garment for you; don’t hesitate to ask for reference or to see some examples of their work. A qualified professional should welcome the request.

5. When investing in custom clothing, be sure to insist on generous seam allowances. None of us like to imagine the possibility of finding the need to accommodate a few extra pounds, but the expense of a slight alteration will be considerably more welcome than the price of remaking the garment.

If you still aren’t convinced custom clothing are for you due to the rapidly changing world of fashion trends, consider basing your wardrobe on well fitting essentials. The simple little black dress, made to perfectly flatter your frame, will rescue you from many last minute emergencies for years to come. A basic, impeccably tailored pencil skirt or pant in your choice of neutral color will serve as a companion to the trendy new tops you find off the rack. A good, classic overcoat will be your best friend for years to come. You don’t have to be wealthy to invest in good custom pieces. Think of them as a business investment since, let’s face it, image counts for a lot. With well fitting garments, you can look great regardless of your shape or size.

The wrong accessories will spoil your perfectly groomed image. Be sure to choose good quality shoes and handbags which reflect your personal good taste and style. A tattered handbag will spoil any outfit, no matter how beautiful your ensemble, it is the first thing people will notice. After seeing an inappropriate bag, their eyes will drop instinctively to your shoes and your custom clothing expense will be an unnoticed effort.

Consider investing in one good custom piece to add to your wardrobe this season. Try it, and I estimate by next season you will be adding as many pieces as you can afford. You will surely wonder how you ever managed without your custom wardrobe!

Jennifer Marvin is an American born Parisian fashion and accessories designer whose impeccable reputation is supported by international devotees. Her treasured handbags, wedding gowns and made-to-measure pieces are hailed as rare treasures. Her work has been featured in British Vogue, auctioned by Sotheby’s, and sold on the worlds most fashionable streets.

http://www.jennifermarvin.com

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I was fashionably late to tea this afternoon. Lucky for me, my fellow American in Paris understood the difficulties with transportation due to the student demonstrations in Paris on Thursday afternoon. I was relieved to find my guest for tea relaxing comfortably on the overstuffed chair with her sketch pad and pencils jotting last minute ideas following the meeting she had just had with a bride to be. This was not the first time either of us had enjoyed afternoon tea at the Bristol Hotel in Paris, but it was the first time we shared it together, but, I venture to say, probably not the last. Feeling a bit nervous by my tardiness, Ms. Marvin-Letourneux put me immediately at ease with a warm smile and greeted me with air kisses of friends rather than the hand shake of a first meeting.

I was surprised by her little pewter python bag. “Your’s?” I was sure it must have been. “No, no, not at all, it is something I picked up in Italy.” She wore python shoes, presumably from the same maker, beige trousers, a brocade beige and cream jacket stopping just above the knee, a sheer floral blouse with tiger-eye buttons and a organza scarf around her neck not obscuring her signature pearls. She exuded refined elegance in her m

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Who could forget the immortal words of Olympia Ducacas in that wonderful 1980’s tear-jerker Steele Magnolias? The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize. Were truer words ever spoken?

Case in point: just last week I was at a gathering with some other expatriates in my new hometown; Paris, France. In walked one of the local ladies who always seems to be dressed to the nines without ever appearing over the top. Without the gorgeously whimsical necklace she was wearing she would have resembled a lithe panther in her black boot cut trousers and matching turtleneck pullover. Well cut clothes + wonderful accessories = perfect outfit: French women learn the simple equation before they reach primary school, expatriate women learn it as soon as we get here.

Simplification is the key. Everyone should have a few fun things to pull out of the closet for an evening of serendipity, but personally, I find that I reach for the simple things on a daily basis. Investing in a few simple coordinating pieces is money well spent. Have your skirts, jackets and trousers tailored for a perfect fit. A trip to your local department store for bridge quality costume jewelry won’t break the bank and will keep your look fresh and can be a great way to express your personality.

There are two areas one should feel free to splurge on; shoes and bags. You can always trade down in other areas to fund your investment. Go ahead and buy those tee shirts and cardigans at mass produced prices, there’s no need to pay for a name-brand in those areas. Invest in a fabulous floral skirt for summer paired with a simple cotton tee shirt, add an inexpensively expressive necklace, a quality pair of strappy sandals, a go everywhere luxury handbag and you have a great outfit.

If you can’t afford to splurge on the shoes and the bag, my advice would be; go for the bag! A good luxury bag can take you from season to season and will only end up looking better with age. It is true that colors come go. Happily, they always come back around which means keeping that wonderful green purse in its sleeper bag for a few years means that you will have the chance to rediscover it again when pistachio comes back around. It will be just like Christmas!

When selecting your luxury bag, it is best to keep a few things in mind:

1. No matter how beautiful the leather is, if the hardware isn’t of a good quality, your bag will end up looking cheep. It can be difficult to judge the longevity of hardware, if in doubt, opt for a bag with little hardware, apart from feet at the bottom of the bag which will preserve the leather and add decades to its longevity.

2. When spending big bucks for your luxury bag, make sure it is a “Coup de Coeur?” If you don’t absolutely love it and it isn’t screaming “take me home, now!” Perhaps it just isn’t meant to be. Keep in mind, even if it’s the latest it bag, if it doesn’t steal your heart you may end up regretting the purchase.

3. If you are just starting out, black or brown are your best bets. It is best to go ahead and buy one very good black bag than a slew of lesser quality bags in multiple colors. You can add to your luxury handbag collection as the years go by and at least have one piece which expresses quality and sophistication.

4. Many luxury handbag makers have what is known as their “signature collection”. That means that the company may continue to expand its line but will avoid redesigning the entire collection season after season. If you buy a black bag from a luxury signature collection, you can rest assured that your bag will be current for seasons to come. If you take good care of your bag, you will never hear anyone muttering “that is sooooo last season” under her breath!

5. Last, but not least, keep your purchase in its sleeper bag when the season is over and use a good leather conditioner to keep your investment beautiful for years to come.

When shopping for your wardrobe this season, remember to keep it simple and what ever you do, don’t forget to accessorize!

Jennifer Marvin is an American born Parisian fashion and accessories designer whose impeccable reputation is supported by international devotees. Her treasured handbags, wedding gowns and made-to-measure pieces are hailed as rare treasures. Her work has been featured in British Vogue, auctioned by Sotheby’s, and sold on the worlds most fashionable streets.

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