Body Frames: A Balancing Act

The inimitable Coco Chanel said “Fashion is architecture: it’s a matter of proportions,” so while my size (and budget) bars Chanel labels from my closet; Chanel wisdom thrives there. Proportion is about understanding your body frame, leading to my concept of Fade and Focus which will help you pick flattering, fashionable items every time you shop.

Your frame is the basic shape of your body, the size of one body part compared to others, regardless of how much you weigh. Did you know that your body frame can be likened to the shape of a diamond? So, why not call yourself, “a round diamond?” I do.

Pear Shape Diamond

Smaller through the arms, shoulders and breasts, however, has wider hips, tush, thighs and calves.

Balance wide hips by inserting a small shoulder pad your top.

Heart Shape Diamond

Broad and full through the arms, shoulders and ribcage, however, narrows through the hips, thighs, and legs.

Use dark, muted colors on top and bold shades or patterns on the bottom.

Marquise Shape Diamond

Thinner arms, shoulders, hips, tush and legs, however, has a full tummy.

Wear tops that are fitted through the arms and shoulders and fall into an A-line - interesting patterns through the tummy can actually distract from puffiness.

Round Shape Diamond

Round and full through the arms, shoulders, back, tummy, hips and thighs, however, has a noticeable waist and shapely legs. If you’re confused about which diamond shape you are – if you’re curvy but proportionate - and have a waist, this is your frame.

Wear dresses and skirts that hit the bottom of your knee to show off shapely legs.

Emerald Shape Diamond

Wide and full from the shoulders and arms through the hips, thighs and legs and has no appreciable indentation at the waist. If you’re confused about your frame – and you’re proportionate but straight up and down, this is your frame.

Wear items that that have gentle curvy lines embedded through cut or pattern.

Stop hiding behind your clothes. Wear sleeker items where you can to promote a shapely, smart silhouette. Not being aware of your shape causes the biggest mistakes and wastes money. Knowing which diamond you are, however, is the beginning of manufacturing the silhouette you seek, consistently.

If you’re still unsure, Ask Babe…”Am I a marquise or a round shape diamond?”

Send in photos of yourself, which I’ll post on the site to help you and others determine your diamond, and I’ll suggest some styles that will complement too!

Babe

GIVE-AWAY! What I Look For In An Anchor Piece

ULLA POPKEN IS GIVING AWAY ONE OF THE ANCHOR PIECES HIGHLIGHTED BELOW TO THE FIRST 10 LADIES TO RESPOND TO THIS POST!

I love this pink jacket! This jacket is a great example of an anchor piece, it is also what I call a go-to item, and they often overlap.

I look for three things in an anchor piece:

1. It has the muscle to be the backbone of many outfits, and can reach across the different facets of my lifestyle: casual, career and special occasion.
2. It is a go-to item, it flatters every time.
3. Its coloration and fabrication make it easy to identify the right accessories.

Here’s why the Sparkle Stretch Knit Jacket, which I’m wearing in this video, works for me.

1. It has the muscle to work with one of my three signature looks: the long, uninterrupted column of black underneath (tank top and skirt or slacks,) giving me casual, career and dressy options. It will also work with a white lace tank top and jeans.
2. It is cut well and the fabric drapes lean but doesn’t cling: flattering princess seaming, vertical lines of detail (seams and buttons) both of which are emphasized by leaving the jacket partially open.
3. The fabric is shot with a gold metallic thread so I know that gold jewelry will accessorize well and the pink color flows right into the coordinating print floral scarf, which together, polish the outfit.

An anchor piece doesn’t have to be a jacket, but let’s consider these top pieces for now, each one could be a go-to item:

• Shawl Collar Matte Jersey Jacket

• Animal Print Jacket

• Sheer Abstract Color Tunic Duster

• Stone Detail Stretch Top

The GIVE-AWAY!

Ulla Popken is pleased to give away your choice of one of these items to the first ten bloggers to respond to babehope1@gmail.com. All we ask in return, is you review the product and share your review within 30 days. It's that simple. Reviews should be sent to babehope1@gmail.com. We'll post the reviews on Talking It U.P.

In the meantime, we'd love to hear from you. Please post what you look for in an anchor piece or any questions you may have regarding this topic.

Babe

Strategic Black and Other Comfort Zones

Imagine standing in front of your closet still half asleep and instinctively knowing what to reach for, when you need an outfit that will make you feel pretty and confident in a snap. Reach for strategic black: You know this outfit will work every time – that’s what I call a comfort zone!

Strategic Black requires that you know yourself. What part of your body do you want to accentuate and what part do you want to minimize? Strategic Black, using black (or deep muted) coloration in a flat matte jersey (or similar fabrication) to minimize AND bursts of color or interest (within the garment, outfit or accessories) to focus attention. If it’s all black, it may be spectacular, but it’s not “strategic” - every wardrobe has room for both!

Especially after the holidays, life is just easier when you have identified at least two strategic black outfits for each occasion of your lifestyle – casual, career and special occasion. There should never be a time when you feel frustrated because you have “nothing to wear.” Here are a few easy examples of strategic black:

Strategic Black within the Outfit:

• Matte Jersey Straight Leg Pants (Choose the slacks to create a sleeker lower half.)
  

Strategic Black within the Item:

• Water Stripe Stretch Tie-Dye Hoodie Outfit (Choose the hoodie to elongate and trim upper torso.)

• Embroidered Stretch Knit Dress (Choose this dress to emphasize a waist and soften puffy arms and hips.)

• Ikat Colorblock Knit Dress (Choose this dress to create balance between a large bust and arms and a smaller lower half.)

• Moody Blue Batik Tunic (Choose this tunic to draw attention to the neckline and chest and soften a larger tummy, hips and thighs.)

Strategic Black Questions answered here!!

Using Strategic Black is the beginning of understanding your body frame and how to achieve the illusion of balance and harmony. If you have questions about how to make Strategic Black work for you, all you have to do is ask!

Babe

Muzzle the Scale: Empowerment is Not a Number

The title of this week's blog was inspired by the work of Geneen Roth, author of Women Food and God.

"You're sailing along in life, feeling pretty good about everything, even your body. No, it isn't perfect, but it is yours and it's doing what it's supposed to do - mowing the lawn, ironing your skirt, playing baseball with the kids. Then you get on the scale. You weigh more than you thought you did, and within a nanosecond, the scary voice in your mind begins to rant: 'You're fat, you're a failure, you don't deserve to feel good about anything!' Suddenly everything that was right before you stepped on the scale is wrong."

What's wrong with this picture? The number on the scale says how much you weigh but not who you are, where you stand, what you achieve, how you love - or even, how good you look. Perhaps these are the benchmarks that matter. When you think of phenomenal women, I doubt the scale is a relevant tool of assessment at all. I doubt they are putting their life on hold weighting for the scale to reflect a lower number before living their life to the fullest.

What makes some women phenomenal? How do some women manage to get it all done? Anais Nin said, "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."

Ulla Popken is proud to put the spotlight on inspirational women through our new video blog series called Living It U.P. These phenomenal women are role models who help each of us muzzle the scale!

In our first video, The Sky's the Limit, meet model Julie Henderson and our first Living It U.P. phenomenal woman, Yvonne Baldwin. Very inspiring! Thank you, Yvonne!

If you know a special woman, like Yvonne, who is Living It U.P. , please nominate her, by March 14, 2011. Nominations can be made for someone else or yourself. The next selection will be made in April. We will shoot the video in May and post it on this site in June. In the meantime, please share your personal stories of inspiration with us, right here, at Talking It U.P.

Babe

Rockin' the Red Dress

For the last 50 years, the movie industry has been captivated by a woman in red. For good reason: there's something about a red dress, especially on Valentine's Day, that can really rev up your star power.

My secret to rockin' a red dress is threefold:

1. Choose hosiery and heels (even a kitten heel) in the same coloration to lengthen and narrow your silhouette, black with black, nude with silver or gold. If you are a person of color, choose pewter or bronze. You want your shoes to match your skin tone as closely as possible.

2. Select sexy, feminine accessories like an evening bag or bold jewelry. Choose accessories that are bold and significant enough for women of our stature.

3. Wear a firm, full-length slip underneath. The slip should be fitted through the bust and drape snuggly from a high, empire waist, and that will help create a flattering shape, smooth out bumps for an overall toned quality. Did I mention the color? Black. The texture? Satin. And that will take care of the rest of the evening!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Babe

Red Surplice Tieback Stretch Knit Dress
Red Stretch Knit Velvet Surplice Dress
Red Matte Jersey Gathered Maxi Dress
Camel or Black Open Toe Sling-Back
Bronze or Black Sling-Back
Carol for Eva Graham Jet Bead Necklace

New Year's Resolutions: Silence the Hungry Heart

My relationship with food caused the metaphor "didn't fit in" to become my literal truth, pushing me to the outskirts of certain social circles, including fashion circles. Food became my knee-jerk reaction to everything: celebration, sorrow, boredom and friendship. Each new January, for more than I care to count, I would resolve to lose weight...and falter within days (if not hours).

I'm not sure what I was afraid of - life or living it plus size - I thought dieting was the answer to everything. Then life dealt me three awakenings and I learned the only thing I had feared was fear itself.

A diet was not the answer for me. I decided to make fashion fun and to make its accoutrements work for me. I decided to stop the pity party and launch a pretty party. I identified one area in particular that detracted from my overall appearance and turned it into my star-quality signature. I'll reveal that and my three awakenings to you in time, as we get to know each other better.

I've learned that there is no enemy. Today my New Year's resolutions focus on nurturing those I love and me as well.

I'd love to hear your New Year's resolutions especially those that nurture and encourage. Please share them. Girlfriends, the days of starving to fit in are over!

Babe

Talking it U.P.

Join Babe Hope as we launch our new community site - Talking it U.P. Talking it U.P. is more than a blog it's a community of women encouraging each other to be their personal best. We will discuss topics of interest to you. We'll share videos of inspirational women and some great fashion advice. Babe Hope will moderate and she has a passion for fashion with compassion. We'll turn the pity party into a pretty party with fun along the way.

We look forward to you joining us and hearing from you. We know you'll be glad you did.

Who Is Babe Hope?

I'm Babe Hope, the author of Pretty Plus: How To Look Sexy, Sensational and Successful No Matter What You Weigh. I'm also a stylist and personal shopper for women of all ages and shapes. My goal is to help women look their personal best. I love to empower women with tools to help turn their pity party into a pretty party! This is the message of "Talking It U.P." which I am so very happy to assume the helm of today!

A big problem women who wear plus sizes have is that much of the available fashion advice comes from fashion editors who live on tofu and lettuce leaves and therefore can't understand the angst and challenge of being a large woman. I get it because I face the same mirror you do, daily. I am a large, beautiful woman.

It wasn't always that simple for me. I haven't always felt beautiful. I weighed over 200 pounds when I graduated from high school. I've been on every diet. Decades later, I'm disappointed that I invested my energy and resources in diets instead of self-acceptance and in the sheer joy of a plus size pretty party. The opportunity was there, but I couldn't embrace it. Yet it is precisely that journey that led me to where I am today.

I'm excited to start this new year with you and Talking It U.P. Stick with me and I'll share all the secrets I've learned along the way.

A New Year's toast then to us, Girlfriends...The pity party was yesterday. Today we launch the pretty party!

Babe

Let Ulla Dazzle You!

We all know you love Ulla's clothing, now come see a different side of us, our accessories! Now you can pair that little black dress with the perfect necklace, or bracelet. And don't forget, fall and winter are the perfect times to accessorize with fashionable scarves.

Come check out the side of Ulla that sparkles!

Bundle Up!

Fall weather is fast approaching; why not liven up your cool weather wardrobe with a pop of color? A great way to add some fun to any ensemble is to change your normal routine with a bright and colorful coat! We have plenty to choose from here at Ulla Popken, whether you are looking for a dramatic red, or cheereful green we have you covered!

Also, don't forget to check out some of our newest asymmetrical designs. You are sure to find at least a few items you can't live without!

Pictured: Item #05120, Flirty Swing Coat. Color: Sweet Pea

Tell Us What YOU Think!

Have an opinion about our products? We'd love to hear from you! Be the first to REVIEW our products at the NEW UllaPopken.com!

Tell us what you think about our products. Your feedback will allow us to continually improve our designs and offer the quality and consistent fit you expect from Ulla Popken.

Write a REVIEW on our products TODAY!

Everyone Loves A Sale!

Have you gotten a chance to check out our Fall Sale items? Hurry, while supplied last! You dont want to miss this chance to grab your favorite Ulla Popken looks, at a great price. The best part is that you can get some great items at a discount, before the season even begins... talk about a good deal!

Want to share your favorite Fall Ulla item? Let everyone know your picks!

Fall into Great Fashion!

All the signs are there, seeing big yellow school buses on the roads, pools preparing to close, and every once in a while a breeze of cool air comes our way. We all have to admit it; fall is on its way. Living on the east coast, we show a sign of each season, and as much as I love summer, by the time fall rolls around I am ready to welcome it. It is a nice change to wear long sleeve tee's and feel comfortable in pants. The temperature is still warm enough to wear sandals and flip flops, but enough of an evening breeze that you can comfortably wear a light jacket. You also can't help but be interesed in the new clothes that come out for fall, especially if you are the type of person who loves to see new styles and trends!

As we prepare for another change in season, remember, there is a bright-side to the end of summer, you get to go shopping!

Item #05525, Organic Flounce Jacket pictured in Spruce

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

What girl doesn't love shoes? We have worked long and hard to find the perfect shoes and boots to offer our customers. We have taken your comments, throughts and requests into consideration when planning our new line of shoes. Ulla has the best buyer in shoes, Joe, working for you. We think we have a pretty good selection to start you off with, trust us, because Joe knows shoes.

Check them out; we dare you to not love them!

Ahhh, the Sweet Life!

Is it just me or is the weather this year absolutley crazy?! A record number of blizzards this winter, and to top it off a blazing hot summer to say the least! However, we all still have to remember that we are in the middle of one of the best seasons (vastly decided by age, kids love it- parents often dread it) of the year. The carefree days of summer, people seem to be in better moods, due to the great energy we get from the sun, or is it the wonderful creative of Air Conditioning? I know everyone around the country is sizzling with temperatures ranging from 85-95+ degrees but remember to enjoy the days of summer.

When in the sun, don't forget!
+ Reapply sunscreen every two hours to prevent from burning
+ Stay hydrated with water or sports drinks
+ Find an area that has some shade, so you can escape the heat

Want to beat the heat?
+ Got to a matinee movie
+ Take your beach chair to the waters edge and sit with your feet in the water
+ Have a water balloon fight

What are your tips and tricks to keeping cool this summer?

A $500 Shopping Spree on Us!

Meet the lucky winner of our Sweepstakes drawing, Patricia Hunt from Rochester, NY. Her name was drawn from over 5,700 entries last week.

Pat will be well on her way to shopping our catalog and online collection with a $500 shopping spree on Ulla!

We will hold our next drawing in October, enter now for your chance to be our next winner!

Sweepstakes Entry

Ulla's Fall Preview

You may have noticed our newest catalog being delivered to you this week. We are proud to introduce our Fall Preview! I know what you may be thinking, "Fall?!? Summer just started!" Yes, this is true, however, we have been careful to include items that can be worn straight through summer into fall. Take our Crochet Empire Dress, #04237 for example, this is the perfect look for both summer and fall. Pair cute sandals with this dress for those cool summer nights, you will stay comfortable with loose 3/4 length sleeves and A-line fit. By the time fall rolls around you can add leggings and flats and continue wearing this fantasic dress in style!

Pictured: Item #04237, in burgundy

Don't Forget to Cover Up!

So you're heading to the beach, let's review the checklist:

Sunglasses, check!
SPF, check!
Tropical Drink, check!
Magazine, check!

Now the only other thing you need to go great with your fantastic Ulla Popken bathing suit is a perfect cover up. Have you checked out our selection? We have the style for any preference. Need to get out of the sun? Try our Cotton Gauze Caftan, #02291. Do you want to cover up, but still get some sun on your shoulders and arms? You need our Knit Flounce Cover Up, #02598 (pictured). Want to show off a sexy suit? Try our Shimmer Lace Duster, #02454.

Come see Ulla's great selection of beachwear! Now your checklist is finally complete!

Celebrate, With Savings!

Once Memorial Day rolls around we see an increase in outdoor events, cookouts and parties. For some this holiday marks the beginning of summer, and days of leisure. If you haven't already, you may want to break out the shorts and tank tops, and make some fresh lemonade. When you have had your fill of being outside enjoying nice weather (we hope!) and gatherings with friends and family, remember you can snag some great Ulla items without even leaving the comfort of your own home!

We will be available to take calls this coming holiday weekend everyday from 8am-12am EST and of course, you can shop at any time you would like online! We look forward to hearing from you.

Have a great Memorial Day.

Join Us!

If you have not visited our Facebook page yet, come check us out! Discover what many already have, you will see behind the scenes of our photoshoot, have a chance to take part in special promtions and sales as well as talk with other Ulla fans!

Become a fan, click HERE!