Bgshop2 Introduction
'Ursula has an excellent eye for the items that suit my shape. I used to hate packing for work trips or holidays because I was never sure that I had the right things. Now it’s a pleasure!' M. Francis.
Having been trained at the House of Fraser, I went onto work for H&M and then spent a number of years as an account supervisor for the UK-based buying house for Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.
This allowed me tremendous insight into the American market and gave me invaluable experience working with some of the best British fashion, interior and accessory designers around.
I went onto become part of the personal shopping team at Selfridges & Co – gaining a thorough grounding in working on a one-to-one basis with clients looking to change their image, build capsule wardrobes or simply out to find that one special outfit.
This also gave me even more insight as to how women buy clothes, what their sizing needs are and in particular how they are being recognised by the retailers.
This work experience and writing the“What’s in store”articles for www.soesteem.co.uk sparked a great interest for me.
Being large myself I began to monitor the plus-size market very carefully, comparing it in general to the womenswear industry as a whole. My findings show that it is an exciting market and starving for energy to be spent on it. There is a constant demand for more variety and a higher level of design, which is something I am determined to encourage.
Ursula Gross-Hohnacker, Fashion Consultant.
(Pic: Dress from Mica Paris Spring 2010 www.simplybe.co.uk)
A personal shopping service designed just for you!…
How to get started?…
Start by looking at your wardrobe, taking your lifestyle and needs into account. Editing your wardrobe is tough sometimes but necessary. Be ruthless as it will allow you to to have a clearer idea of what needed to start rebuilding.
Take a careful look ahead to the season and what you will need…
Basic wardrobe categorisation:
Casual - All your wardrobe casual needs including jeans, casual trousers sweaters etc.,
Smart casual - Casual items that are a little bit dressy or suitable for work and casual recreation.
Workwear - Basic all round items for your work that can be easily mixed with you smart casual wardrobe.
Smart casual evening - easy wear outfits either good quality separates or a great dress that can take you anywhere.
Special occasion & Black Tie - Formal eveningwear, sometimes the hardest to find on your own as quite a few things have to be taken into consideration before a final choice is made. This is usually an investment buy.
Which applies to you - let's look at it in more detail…
Smart casual and workwear.
Start building from a three-way suit, jacket, skirt and trouser go on to build from that to develop your smart casual by possibly adding another skirt, dress a more casual jacket and trouser or jean. Start from a core colour base and expand it by adding colour and pattern taking inspiration from the season trends.
Highlight by adding the accessories of the season.
Smart Casual evening
It is so easy to concentrate heavily on work and daywear and to forget that part of the wardrobe for dining and casual evenings out. A good capsule collection of pieces that are slightly dressier without being too overpowering, pieces that you are comfortable in and give you confidence. Items that can be easily accessorised without having to think too much and can be automatically reached for in the wardrobe at a moments notice. It is also useful to select pieces that could effortlessly take you from day into evening – items that immediately dress up with the addition of the right accessories
Special Occasion and black tie
A well-organised diary is essential if your lifestyle includes more formal occasions. Sometimes it just takes a good basic black dress or two-piece, a simply styled evening dress and a quality trouser suit and a cupboard full of accessories to get most through a season.
Planning and research for more formal occasions is recommended – what kind of evening it is, when it is, who will be there and what your role is – seems ridiculous but well worth the time!
…contact us - we'd love to hear from you
bgshop2@biggirlsblouselondon.com