How to dress confident and beautiful - a style interview with Stella Carakasi + join a free webcast tomorrow!

Loyal readers of this site know that I'm a big fan of Stella Carakasi clothing. It'south comfy, flattering and timeless clothing however hip and modern. The brand has become an important office of my wardrobe.

Therefore I loved this opportunity to interview the designer herself, Stella Carakasi, and enquire her to share her vision with us. You volition love her many tips and her powerful messages on aging and dazzler.

She will besides tell you more than near a complimentary webcast (now ended, but you can still watch it here) that will requite you lots of tips on how to dress your torso in a mode that makes you feel beautiful, confident and powerful. I call up you lot should all attend!

Now, let'southward hear from the designer herself.

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Tin can you tell us a little bit more than most yourself?

I have been working every bit a designer for the past 25 years, and accept co-owned my company for 22 of them. I have always known that designing was my calling in life e'er since childhood. I am Greek but I was born and raised in Germany, and I came to the United States equally a immature developed to realize my dream of owning my own company and working as a designer.

I grew up watching my mother stitch. She was a classically trained tailor with an enormous noesis of couture techniques. Fabrics, trims and notions were part of my toy array in babyhood. Growing up in Europe has plainly influenced my sense of aesthetics and is always somewhat reflected in my work.

Every bit a point of reference which historic period group practice you belong to or perhaps you are willing to share your age?

I am 49 and bluntly I don't get besides hung up on age since age is just a number.

I feel that too much accent is placed on historic period, especially when it comes to defining women, as if all nosotros have going for ourselves is youth. I am sure that the youth obsessed bulletin coming out of Hollywood has a lot to do with why many women in the United states of america, experience so uneasy about aging. The role that is more concerning is how nosotros as women bought into this wrong bulletin and readily gave upward our own power to merely stand up against it.

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Tin can yous tell usa a scrap more than most your concern Stella Carakasi?

We started out in 1993 every bit Two Star Canis familiaris, and we were the outset company in the United States to launch a full collection of hemp clothing. Information technology was truly revolutionary at that time. We were pushing the political and environmental envelope. 22 years afterwards, environmental consciousness is yet core to our mission equally is creating with hemp and our Natural Lux^TM

The Stella Carakasi drove was born in 2012. My partners wanted my name on the label. It was non something I wanted just I agreed since they felt so strongly about information technology. Looking back, I realize that was a huge shift for me personally. Having my name on the characterization, I started taking my work very personally.

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I know that as a designer, my job is to cater to a specific customer and market, and I realized that I am that customer, I am that women, and I know what she wants. Her body and mindset has changed but she notwithstanding wants to look beautiful, relevant and remain comfortable. Stella Carakasi was built-in to create cute, high-quality clothing for the real, everyday adult female who dares to be a little different and enjoys self-expression.

I feel very strongly that my clothing is not about age or a specific body type only rather well-nigh supporting every woman the way she is, in this nowadays moment, which is perfect and beautiful.

What is unique about your apparel and why is it adept for 40+ women?

In my design process, I focus on the realistic, female person form and how it changes over the years. Women over forty don't want to cede condolement for fashion and uniqueness. We want to feel bang-up in our skin, and nosotros don't want to squeeze our bodies into clothing that doesn't fit properly. Yet, our choices are often clothes that wait too young and don't fit, or clothes that fit simply look too matronly. Nosotros desire to look beautiful and make a argument while nevertheless beingness comfortable and able to express who we uniquely are.

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From the collection: Envelop Yourself coat, Notorious sweater, Finesse skirt

We don't need to resign ourselves to the fact that we had a adept run while we were immature and that the present moment no longer matters.

Information technology does.

Looking smashing and finding unique clothing that fits is possible on a daily basis and information technology does not require a huge effort or huge expense.

I detect that women over forty honey my designs because they are unique but understandable. My work is not most changing women but enhancing what they already own and who they already are. Quite often my clothing brings out that spark in them again – 1 they forgot they had.

What my customers actually beloved, is that they go noticed in a very positive style when they wear my pieces, and they say they feel beautiful, empowered, even transformed.

Wear has a huge transformative issue on the psyche, because if we feel great about the way we prove upward in the world, it affects everything in our lives.

That positive vibration resonates. That is what I work to support in my designs.

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From the collection: Off Duty sweater, Touch Down Tunic, Businesslike Belong

Can you tell us a flake more about your upcoming webcast? What volition women learn and why should they annals for this free online effect?

I'k personally excited about what we are doing, and the entire squad is doing such great work to put on an event that will requite women real information – real advice – on how to bring out what is wonderful and beautiful about themselves!

I design so that women can expect cute and feel comfy and confident, and we know that part of that is understanding some simple style principles. We take seen so many women in our shop become transformed with a few fundamental pieces and the right style advice.

So what better way to empower women to look and feel astonishing than to give them costless access to this style advice – and help them to understand not just our dress, but how all the clothes in their closet can come together into a wardrobe that they love!

Of course, I will be on it, and our pb stylist, Yarra, will be working with three of our customers, not professional models, to highlight a few simple style principles that we know will truly assist women in loving their look more than every 24-hour interval. And I'k and then excited to reach a lot of women to simply tell them that "YES IT IS POSSIBLE to look fabled, unique and remain comfortable, no thing what size, no matter what historic period, no matter what body type!" (at present ended, but you tin still watch it here).

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How would you depict your own personal style?

My manner has evolved over the years and I certainly dress according to mood like most women do. I need practical clothing considering I accept an insanely busy life but I want to look put together. I wear a lot of neutral colors with black being my chief colour.

Blackness is a neutral colour for me. Others believe information technology is a statement color which it can be, but black to me is a colour that neutralizes and absorbs everything. Energetically speaking black is the colour of creation for me, a fertile basis to every possibility.

I love heels and I believe that the right shoe completes an outfit but in recent years, I've started wearing flats quite often to be comfy. I love accessories but personally I discover myself wearing the aforementioned jewelry daily. When I blitz out the house in the morning, the last thing I have time for is to call back about the perfect accessories. My loftier quality pieces piece of work with every outfit, and I am ok with it.

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Me wearing Stella Carakasi clothes: Have Notation Vest (now bachelor in iii cute autumn colours), Making Waves Tunic (3 new winter colors available), Second Nature Capri Leggings

What would you consider the most important components of your style?

Great fitting pants, jeans or skirts, unique tops and groovy jackets that piece of work with the bottoms and that complete the expect. Oftentimes my bottoms are the "supporting actors" for the statement tops. Great shoes are then of import and usually transform the feel of the outfit.

A not bad dress for special occasions is a must have. The famous "trivial black dress" accomplishes and then much for so many occasions and if goose egg else, every woman should ain 1.

Where do yous alive and how does that influence your way?

I alive in Berkeley, California. The Bay Area is such a cosmopolitan identify to be and I know that beingness in an urban environment certainly influences my style. I like styles with an border, I love innovation, I follow the arts, I also travel a lot which further influences my design sensibility and it increases my artistic vocabulary.

Practice you lot feel yous have a signature style?

Yes, about of my styles are architectural with a lot of subtle but interesting surprise details. Various pieces in my collection need to be tried on to be understood and loved because they come to life on the body and that is where the transformation occurs – for the garment but too for the adult female. It is a unique synergy that takes place.

I create many mixed fabrication styles and love mastering fabric manipulation in my creations, draping existence a central focus. My prints are moody when I offer them. My colors are never very bright nor are they muted. I am always keeping wearability in heed. Soft, great quality fabrics with easy care are important to me considering they increment comfort and support my efforts to remain environmentally conscious by offer habiliment that near often is washable.

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What inspires your outfit choices the most?

My mood – every bit I am sure it is the fact for well-nigh women. Aside from mood, the environment and the occasion are key factors also, merely mood comes commencement!

Do yous have things like color profiling or trunk blazon into account when you dress?

I do and I know that this is something that comes naturally to me. I know my torso type and what works well for me in terms of style and colors. Over the years, I became aware that many women struggle with this and need back up in overcoming their own insecurities in order to gain the conviction they need to exist able to exercise this themselves.

Again, it is very empowering to see a woman transform and gain that conviction, leaving her ain self-limiting behavior behind, past trying out new styles and colors that flatter and emphasize who she is. I have personally witnessed many transformations and information technology is beautiful every time it happens. It is i of the reasons that I am so focused on realistic body types and flattering silhouettes when I blueprint.

Has your style changed at all later on turning forty?

It certainly has. Comfort is the virtually important factor in my 24-hour interval-to-24-hour interval dressing as is easy care without sacrificing on manner and looking put together.

Practice you lot believe in dressing 'age appropriately' and what does information technology hateful to you?

Information technology ways nothing to me. I reject the notion of dressing "age appropriately" as much as I reject the youth obsession that women bought into. Personal style and self-expression is advisable at any age and for any body blazon. Be yourself at any age and express the mode you lot feel with your clothing. Give upwardly all preconceived ideas that were imposed onto you. Who decided that anyways?

Would you say that at this stage of your life you are at present more, or less interested in mode, style and the fashion you lot look?

As a consumer, I am a lot more than relaxed nearly information technology. As a designer, I take my work very seriously and I challenge myself daily to design to the best of my ability, offer the nearly creative, high quality styles and brand my customers happy with ongoing innovation.

While I follow mainstream fashion, I oftentimes break the rules and translate trends my own manner, knowing the adult female that I design for. Often the ongoing style trends are ridiculous in mode and color. I am enlightened this is a bold statement to make but I am more interested in seeing the real everyday adult female wait uniquely put together in comfort and in fit than post-obit some trend.

Fashion is timeless and that is what I aim for. Allow a woman's style to evolve to become uniquely hers.

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Me wearing Stella Carakasi dress: left Perfect x Tunic, right white asymmetrical top (no longer bachelor)

Why is the fashion you look important to yous?

Again, for me it is all nearly the vibration and the energy nosotros emit when nosotros show up in our world. If we experience skillful about ourselves, it shows in our actions and how nosotros effect everything around us. Wear is certainly a ways to feel good and that is what I contribute to the bigger discussion of feeling great and why it matters.

Do you follow trends? And if yes, which trends excite you at the moment?

I certainly follow trends because of the business I am in but I don't feel that current trends dictate my work or impact my personal way. I often translate relevant trends in my own way. I "Stellafy" them for my women, I keep their needs in mind. I do push my client's limits with certain styles since I savor the challenge only I will never amerce my customers and I volition always offer enough innovation and newness to go on things exciting for them. Style is timeless and I aim to create way not trends.

Do you have any style and style tips for women over twoscore?

Wear what looks swell on you and what makes you feel beautiful.
Seek out advice.
Exist open up to learn and experiment.
Work with your body type, love information technology, encompass it, adorn it, don't hate it. Let your inner beauty shine.
Bring out your cocky-confidence and support it with all means available to y'all, article of clothing being merely one tool but obviously an important ane.

What are your plans for the Stella Carakasi business concern and how do you lot see it develop over the coming years?

The i thing that volition always stay constant at Stella Carakasi is the focus on empowering women to feel confident and beautiful.

We aim to practise that through our clothing and through reaching more than women with our bulletin. Our upcoming webcast (at present ended, but you tin nonetheless picket it here), which we intend to be just the showtime of many, is a step in that direction.

We want women to know Stella Carakasi as the make that supports their lifestyle, and allows them to find and express their own personal style.

And for me personally, I am constantly developing more natural and organic fabrics, which continues to exist a main focus in my work. We can already exist found in over 300 boutiques beyond the U.s.a. and Canada and are looking to expand into Europe.

Anything further you lot would similar to add?

I would like to thank you for the wonderful opportunity to share my thoughts with you and your readers.

Lastly, I will close with saying that it is our responsibleness as women to challenge and change the currently imposed beauty condition quo that we so readily accepted and suffered nether, just trying to measure upwards to it and constantly declining at it, which further impacts our self-confidence.

It is upward to united states of america to teach our daughters how to grow upwardly every bit cocky-confident, strong and independent women and nosotros besides are responsible for changing the mindset of our sons, and then they can grow up with unlike beliefs of what female person power and beauty actually means.

Thank you once more for all of your support! It has been a real pleasure having this opportunity to express who nosotros are and what we exercise! Truly grateful!

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Very wise words from a beautiful woman! You may similar to check out her dress at Stella Carakasi (Enter the coupon lawmaking 40PLUS15 for an extra 10% off all orders! Valid until 31 December 2015). The webcast has now been aired but y'all are welcome to even so lookout it here).

Which wearing apparel brand you confident and cute?