WOMEN’S WORLD
Style.
It’s more than just the latest fashions as seen in Harper’s Bazaar or the red-carpet evening gowns worn by celebs at the Oscars.
“Style is your own look, your visual calling card,” explained Rebeca Maccise, half of a dynamic duo of fashion divas who have just launched a new online fashion boutique called Madein Concept Store (www.madein.com.mx).
“Everybody has a style, and that style can either work for you or against you.”
“Your style — how you dress — tells a lot about you and who you are,” added Maccise’s partner and fellow stylist Monique Navarro, speaking at a trunk show of the concept store’s latest collection.
“Style is the first impression that people get about you, and if your style is positive, it can help open the door to a lot of opportunities in life. Conversely, if your style is not positive, it can close the door to opportunities.”
Maccise pointed out that nearly 90 percent of the information we absorb each day is visual, which means that a person’s appearance can make a major impact as to how they are perceived by their peers and the rest of society.
“Caring about how you look is not vanity,” she said. “It is simple common sense.”
Navarro said that clothes can also help to accentuate a person’s physical assets or detract attention from negative traits.
“Knowing how to dress means basically understanding the concept of optical effects,” said Maccise.
“Vertical lines, for example, tend to elongate your figure, while horizontal lines will make you appear shorter and heavier.”
By the same token, she said, dark colors make you look smaller and light colors and prints will add the appearance of bulk to your figure.
“The secret is to know how to use these optical illusions to your advantage,” said Navarro.
“If you have a large bust and small hips, for example, you might want to use a solid dark blouse with a brightly printed A-line or pleated skirt to balance out your silhouette.”
Is your neck too short? Navarro recommended using a V-neck blouse and long, dangling earrings with vertical lines to make it look longer.
While all these tips may seem confusing at first, Maccise said that once you get to know your own body type and understand how clothing can help you to show it off in the best light, developing a style that is suitable to you and your personal lifestyle is not that complicated.
Also, she noted that Madein Concept Store, which began operations in November of last year, has a built-in styling guide and personal shopper feature that can help customers find garments that are suited to their particular needs.
“All you have to do is answer five questions on line and we will select items that will be geared to your style tastes and will accentuate your personal features to make you look and feel fabulous,” she said.
“It’s like having your own personal stylist online 24/7.”
The online store carries more than 500 items, including exclusive clothing, jewelry and accessories created by more than 25 respected Mexican designers.
Prices range from about 1,000 pesos to 6,000 pesos per item.
Purchases can be sent throughout Mexico or abroad.
More information
You can visit Madein Concept Store at the boutique’s website www.madein.com.mx.
The company can also be reached at its Facebook page MadeInConceptStore or Twitter account at MadeIn_Online.
Rebeca Maccise and Monique Navarro said that they are planning to also open a brick and mortar Madein Concept Store later this year.
