68 ^ Cosmopolitan ^ DECEMBER 2016
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Style
Q&A
Cause for concern?
Reach us at
[email protected]Cosmo sl solves all
your fashion
dilemmasQ
i love animal prints, but
they’re a bold
statement. how do i make
them work at the office?
a Do it with footwear—it’s the
best way to sneak the trend in.
The snakeskin kitten heel is
great for work with its neutral
hue and classic design. For
casual Fridays and after-hours
parties, go for high-contrast
wedges or stilettos. Just keep
the rest of your outfit clean and
simple. You’re an animal!Q
i was gifted with a silk
scarf recently, but i
don’t know how to use or
style it. any ideas?
a By simply tying the scarf in
different ways, you can use it as
an accent on your ponytail, a
choker around your neck or a
bracelet wrapped around your
wrist. It also makes for a chic
detail when tied onto the strap
of your favorite tote.Q
i love boyfriend jeans,
but always have trouble
pairing them. help!
a The key to making boyfriend
jeans work is all in the ankle.
Either make sure they’re
already cropped or give ‘em a
roll—it’s very important that
they end at the very slimmestpart of your ankle. The safest
way to wear them is with
stiletto-thin heels (either pumps
or strappy sandals), but we also
love how cool they look when
matched with chunky wedges.If you’ve gone with a girly look
on the bottom, feel free to wear
an oversized boxy tee or
another tomboy variant (tuck it
in for a more polished look) on
top. But if you prefer something
tighter and more feminine, try a
body suit with a kimono or
fringe jacket over it, to balance
out the proportions.What’s great about boyfriend
jeans is that they’re comfy yet
trendy. So, whether you dress
them down with a tee and flats
or up with a sleek blazer and
heels, there’s no doubt that
you’ll look effortlessly cool.Q
how do i keep an
off-the-shoulder top
in place?
a To keep your top, well, off-
the-shoulder, you should first
and foremost purchase the
correct size to ensure it doesn’t
fall down your arm (you know,
laws of gravity and such).
We cannot stress enough how
important this is.
Keeping it from riding up isanother matter entirely. Even
with perfect sizing, you can’t
change the behaviour of elastic.
For a quick fix, all you need
is four medium-sized safety
pins and two rubber bands or
hair ties.
Hook one end of a rubber band
through the head of a pin;
repeat the process for the other
end with another pin. Using the
pins, attach the rubber band to
the front and back of one side of
your top (on the insides),
creating a temporary strap. Do
the same for the other side.When you wear your top, the
straps effectively disappear, but
the measure will keep the
sleeves in place by gripping
onto your upper arm, regardless
of your hand movements.Tip: Fasten discretely
through a seam or elastic to
ensure the pins won’t be
seen from the outside.Q
i noticed that all-nude
outfits are in fashion
right now. how can i try this
trend without looking too, er,
fleshy?
a Nude isn’t just a signature
look for the Kardashians. It is,
in fact, a delightful alternative
to white, a refreshing option to
the all-black look, and muchmore fashion-forward than a
boring beige. The thing about
nude clothing is that it isn’t
limited to one colour. It can
range from soft ivories to deep
browns. Choosing the right
shade and style of clothing is
vital to avoid looking like you
turned up in your birthday suit,
AKA a major fashion disaster.Here’s the most basic
commandment of wearing nude
clothing: Do not, under any
circumstances, wear pieces the
same colour as your skin. The
idea is to wear a shade darker or
lighter than your skin tone to
stir the imagination, while
looking hot AF! It’s simple
really, if you’re pale skinned,
we’d suggest you go with a
darker tone, and if you’re
slightly on the darker side,
give lighter shades a shot.Layering a contrasting colour
over your nude pieces, such as
a jean jacket, can also work
wonders and save you from
looking like a long-sleeved
body stocking.The key is to experiment with
different shades of nude to
check which works well for your
skin tone. If you’re still not
completely comfortable, ease
into the trend with blush
colours for the same
monochromatic feel.