Communicants’ mums glam it for the camera

AS First Holy Communions begin to dominate a lot of little girls’ and boys’ minds, big girls want to look their best too and this year, more than ever, on a budget.

Inagh woman Michelle Foudy opened boutique Mademoiselle last month and she believes mammies want to look fashionable, chic and stylish at First Holy Communion time because, as with numerous other family events, there will no doubt be lots of photographic evidence lasting well into the future.
“Every woman likes to be appreciated and admired. Ladies would like to wear an outfit that can be more conservative for the earlier part of the day in the church but which will be dressier for the latter part of the day. The conservative look can be achieved by wearing a nice tailored coat, cardigan or pashmina during the church service,” Michelle says.
“Don’t overdress, wear something comfortable, stylish and well fitted. Dress appropriately for your body type. If you are wearing an outfit which you have previously worn, accessorising with stylish bags, shoes and colourful jewellery is the way to go. Shop around too. It doesn’t have to cost the earth to look chic and stylish on the day. Enjoy yourself and have fun,” she adds.
According to the business student and fully trained beauty therapist, the biggest style mistake a woman can make on the day is dressing inappropriately for their body shape and size.
“Apple-shaped bodies tend to carry weight around the tummy area, are more top heavy with narrow hips and slimmer legs. Showing off your legs or subtly highlighting cleavage helps to make the most of your figure. Avoid tops which are too tight or too baggy as it can make you look heavier. V-neck and shirt collars are the most flattering necklines. A-line skirts are good for enhancing the waist area while pockets on jeans are excellent to give definition to the bottom area. Shorter skirts, an inch or two above the knee, accentuate nice legs while strapless dresses with a corseted top highlight shoulders,” Michelle advises.
“Pear-shaped bodies have hips which are wider than the shoulder area and have round thighs. Giving definition to the waist area, shoulders and arms are best. Avoid tight-fitting skirts and trousers on the bottom area. A-line skirts which fall around the knee area bring attention away from the hip/thigh area. Jackets can fall above or below, but not on the widest point of your hips. Wear dresses that nip in at the waist and flare out over hips and thigh areas,” she suggests.
According to Michelle, the big trends this season include floral patterns, underwear as outerwear, pastels and denim and as with the past few seasons, military styles remain a heavy influence.
“One of the biggest trends this season is flowers. Floral prints and clothes are flirty and playful and really accentuate a woman’s femininity. Underwear as outerwear is huge too and lace, satin and sheer chiffon are a lingerie inspired trend, for an elegant, sexy look. Pastels, which include angelic blues, beige, grey, pale pink and greens work well with floaty fabrics,” she outlines.
“The new statement shoulder with military style epaulettes are very popular, as are army jackets in olive green. Wearing fitted skirts and jackets is key to keeping the military look looking feminine. Denim is huge this season whether it’s torn, patched or ripped. Double denim is back. Mix denims with white, brights and neutrals,” she continues.
In terms of accessories, jewellery and shoes offer plenty of room to make statements.
“Cage shoes are an update on the gladiator look, decorated with bows, studs or metallic finishes and can be worn flat or high heeled. Dramatic frills and ruffles are very big this season and rainbow coloured beads add a dash of colour to any outfit,” she added.
While some of this season’s big trends may sound a bit tricky to wear, this is not the case according to Michelle.
“The floral and underwear as outerwear trends are two of the easier fashion trends to pull off this season. Ladies can choose to go all out in either of these trends with well-fitted attire or wear an outfit with floral, or satin embellishments. Alternatively, a classic understated piece accessorising with colourful floral or lace trimmed bags and colourful beads can successfully compliment a classic look in today’s fashion trends. Dressing appropriately for your body type will ensure that these looks will look fabulous,” she concludes.