Tips on Style from Victoria Beckham

Of course, you all know that I absolutely adore Victoria Beckham. Apart from keeping a strongly held belief that she should eat more than once a day, I think that she is absolutely fabulous! 3 kids, 1 mega-husband, and a budding fashion line….this woman is definitely on the move. In my daydreams, I am the black Posh—I just need to add one more kid to the repetoire!

Here’s an excerpt from her new book, That Extra Half an Inch. I was a bit surprised, there are actually some really good tips. I shouldn’t have been, though…look at her! You can find the original article here in the LA Times.

A sneak peek from That Extra Half an Inch, Victoria Beckham’s style guide. It was published in Britain last year; a U.S. release is planned soon. But for now, put up your “Party Feet” and listen up.

• Looking effortless is actually fashion code for “this involved lots of thought,” and it’s a tragic truth that this generally is the best strategy.

• However you’re built, be mindful of the rule that if you get your boobs out, put your legs away and vice versa. I guarantee you will look better and feel a lot more confident and comfortable.

• The most useful shoe you can own is a pair of tan high-heeled shoes, with either pointed toe or open toe. Not only do they elongate your leg, because it looks as if you’re not wearing shoes at all, but they will go with pretty much any outfit and dress it up.

• I am a real high-heels girl … The price of wearing high heels is a painful one. But you can now buy Party Feet by Scholl, which act like invisible pillows beneath the balls of your feet.

• Make sure cropped trousers end about three-quarters of the way down your calf, just at the point where it starts to narrow towards your ankle. This is the most flattering cut-off point on your leg: any higher and it ends at the widest part of your calf, and your legs will look like sausages, any lower and it will just look like you shrunk your trousers in the wash.

• I always make sure my jeans have a bit of stretch to them (but not so much that they bag), are narrow around the leg and give shape to the bottom instead of squashing it down. If you’re quite curvy with hips and a bum, Miss Sixty is the label you want. Whereas if you have more of a straight up and down build, go for Habitual, Grass Los Angeles or Acne.

• The most important thing to remember if you’re wearing a dress that won’t let you wear a bra, such as one with a low back or, in particular, a deep-plunge front, is to make sure you have lots of toupee tape to keep everything in place. Don’t bother with nipple tape … go to a proper wig shop and get the real stuff as it’s much tougher, and nothing will go anywhere when you’ve got that on. Word of warning, though: be careful when you take it off that you don’t rip a nipple off too!

• One of the things Geri Halliwell taught me when we were in the Spice Girls was that just before you get out of the shower, you should turn the temperature down and get a blast of freezing-cold water. It makes your skin look really taut and smooth and is great for the circulation, but it is not very pleasant, I have to say.

• Personally, I won’t go anywhere without my hair straighteners, my Mason Pearson hairbrush, my rollers and hairpins, a small makeup bag, toothbrush and toothpaste, Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and eye cream. … If I’m going for a week, I’ll bring three pairs of jeans. Then I try to stick to the formula of bringing something casual (plain T-shirt), something a bit more rock ‘n’ roll (vintage T-shirts and minidresses or miniskirts), something classic (nice V-necks, a pencil skirt and a plain dress) and then something a bit more out there for some fun. For example … a pair of leather chaps that I took to L.A. last year.

Keep it strictly stylish!