Diana Ferrari...Apple Queen

Took my fabulous and much loved cousin Glennie B shopping the other day. She is visiting from interstate and we have been counting the days until we hit the stores with mutual gusto. Such was my excitement; I even saved for the occasion. Unbelievable! Glennie B is from the same side of the family as my young cousin Kate only without the Brady Bunch tee-shirt. Glennie B was on the hunt for a frock for a friend’s forth coming wedding and it was my job to not only discover the much-sought after said frock, but also to accessorize. I had a free reign to run the fashion gauntlet in record breaking time. I was in heaven. Glennie B is your classic apple shape; rounded on the top with drop-dead gorgeous long legs and a high small bum. Apple shaped girlie girls are quite possibly the only body shape that look super sensational in anything cut on the bias and usually have the rest of us – particularly the hour-glass and pear shaped varieties gaping in awe, groaning in despair and silently wishing they would sprout horns and a tail because we too want a bum just like that, why don’t we, it’s not fair!! Dressing apple shaped beauties however can be rather difficult. For the most part their bodies are more disproportionate and they often suffer with an undefined waist, short neck, tummy and rounded shoulders. For Glennie B, we needed to look for something that widened her shoulders, lengthened her neck, shortened her torso, created a waist, hid her tummy and evened out her lovely legs. Or put more simply, pop a granny smith into an hourglass and add a pair of heels.

We had just over an hour to accomplish this task and both of us were up for the challenge. Dr Love assumed control of BB1, BB2 and the remote control and we hurried off to indulge in a little bit of late night shopping. We spent a few minutes playing around so I could re-familiarise myself with my muse then got serious. There was only one store I wanted to play in that night and she called herself Diana. Diana Ferrari. I’ve dappled on and off with a little bit of DF in the past and will admit have found her a tad hit and miss for the asking price. When I had my colours done however, I began to appreciate this well-known icon in a different light. Literally. Whilst the majority of main-stream fashion moguls continued to subscribe the well known palette with a dollop of colour on a canvas that drowned in neutrals (Witchery, Jacqui E, Country Road...you know who I mean), Diana embraced the rainbow in all its kaleidoscopic beauty and instead presented a collection of elegantly constructed classics for the modern girl and all her glory in a myriad of lovely and varied colours. There was a dress I particularly wanted to put Glennie B into...a classic knee length silhouette with high empire waist embellished with bling and wide shoulder straps in a striking and rich teal blue (dolce vita dress). The fabric floated off the body in all the right places, and excess fabric pleated at the bodice and over the tummy created a stunning hour-glass shape by filling out the cleavage, creating a high narrow waist and cleverly disguising a problem mid-section. A thoughtful and quick thinking sales assistant handed over a pair of mid-high black satin peep-toes adorned with diamantes and we watched as this girl lost two sizes and grew ten feet in the space of a few minutes. We hit the jackpot and had this budding stylist in tears of delight. One can't help but wonder though...is it good form to upstage the bride on her wedding day??

Milla’s hot tip: If you want to experience superior customer service and be spoiled for choice then you need to slip into your ballet flats and race down to visit Diana Ferrari at Highpoint Shopping Centre, Maribyrnong. It is a shopping delight for any shape, silhouette or occasion. The helpful and friendly sales staff are unobtrusive and all-knowing. They will pop your garments of choice into the French inspired and might I say, well lit change-rooms, hand you a pair of shoes to complete your look without pressuring you to buy, then suggest additions and add-ons that complement your style. I will admit, there is some inclination to accessorize everything with black – black shoes, black boots, black clutch, black coat, black cardi, so think outside the square and experiment with the gorgeous colours on offer – you are spoiled for choice. I put Glenni B in a stunning purple satin pencil dress that spoke volumes of Hollywood glamour and added a knee-length woollen blend frock coat in deep fuchsia (with waist tie – you should see it with jeans). Our excited sales assistant jumped on the band wagon by complementing the look with a pair of muted burgundy satin peep toes, and we added a vibrant clutch covered in violet sequins. Marilyn Monroe anyone?

Check it out: Glennie B left DF that night with the teal dress, black shoes AND the fuchsia coat. I’m talking her into the purple number with the shoes. www.dianaferrari.com.au.