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Jacqueline Quinn
Sashay loves a woman who knows what she wants. Jacqueline Quinn’s (www.jacquelinequinn.com ) eye for how a garment should fall is as sharp as her wit is quick. The Dublin Ireland native has shaken New York City with a new kind of design philosophy—if she’s a woman, she can be gorgeous. For Quinn (who has been the head designer for Perry Ellis and Bill Blass in New York), fashion is so much about a strong, feminine state of mind, because without it, a dress is just fabric, rather than an ensemble with attitude and energy.
Although the couturier showcases high fashion pieces on the runway, her purchasing demographic is primarily for women above a size 6, and her line is not meant to be intimidating. She is very conscious of the phases that the female body goes through. The 20s do not last forever, women have babies and their bodies change--it's part of the beauty of being a woman. Too often, says Quinn, fashion does not account for these changes and shows off voluptuousness in a cheap or tasteless way (she really loves what Dove has been doing with their ad campaigns, however!). A woman who is not rail thin deserves the chance to showcase her own features in a comfortable, classy and sexy manner.
A little about Jacqueline...
Favorite quote: "Style is not the amount of money you spend on a garment; it's how you wear the garment." -Chanel
Fashion advice: If you are having a lot of trouble finding something you feel and look good in, re-assess your undergarments. The key to building an outfit is to first have properly fitting undergarments.
Her secret to making women over 40 look sharp: She pays special attention to how fabric falls around the inner thighs and armpit area. If an outfit is ill-fitting in these areas for the over 40 body, then the shape is not properly accentuated.
Secret to looking good, even on a bad hair or bad outfit day: Demonstrate an ownership of your body.
What the more voluptuous woman has that Skinny Minnie doesn't: Luxuriously soft, even-toned skin. Unfortunately, women with a fuller figure or larger frame are less likely to show off their bodies. But because of this modesty, they aren't getting as much sun exposure as their thinner peers. Hence the healthier, smoother skin.
