Excerpt: Diana Hayden tells YOU how to look GREAT!

In her new book A Beautiful Truth -- The Art of Grooming for Women, former Miss World, Diana Hayden offers simple yet practical tips to make you stand out from the crowd.

Remember the old adage 'Don't judge a book by its cover'? A publisher will be the first one to tell you that of all the books by unknown authors, it's the book with the most striking cover that intrigues and compels a buyer the most.

As much as we'd all like to be accepted and appreciated, desired even, for our intelligence, charm and personality, and not be judged by our outward appearance, it's our outward appearance that first meets their eye, before they actually meet us. Think about this: How often have you come across someone who was badly dressed and thought, 'Now there's someone `I just have to get to know!' Not often, right? So why should anyone else think differently when it comes to you?

As the first impression people form of you is based on what they see, and since almost 80% of you is covered in clothing, its safe to say that what you wear makes up a large percentage to that impression you make.

Know your body shape & how to dress it

Apple Shaped Body

If you have an apple shaped body you'll find you mostly gain weight around your shoulders, arms, chest, back and middle. If you wish to shift the focus away from your top-heaviness, you could dress in a manner that draws attention to the lower half of your body instead.

Dos:

• Darker or muted colours for the upper half would suit you better as the attention is then drawn to the slimmer lower half.
• Look at wearing layered clothing on top, like a loose shirt over a tank top.
• If you have broad shoulders, broad halter necklines or wide shoulder straps ending in a scoop neckline would suit you as they'd breach the visual expanse of your shoulders.
• Empire-line tops and dresses would suit you.
• Pockets or any other kind of detail on your trousers would also suit your body shape.
• Your bras should provide good support and fit well, especially if you're full-busted.

Don'ts:

• Avoid wearing tops that are too busy or have too much embroidery around the chest as they will only draw further attention to your upper body.
• Do not wear heavily padded bras as they will make you look even heavier, unless you wish to seem more full breasted.
• Avoid wearing shoulder pads.

Your Personal Style

• Your choice of style, colour and fit all work as sharp indicators of your personality, taste and social standing. So when choosing what to wear, keep in mind how it makes you feel and how you wish to project yourself.
• What's trendy or currently 'in fashion' is all well and good but there are two very important factors you should always remember.

1. Fashion changes with every season.

2. Does what you're wearing suit you?

• Sometimes we get comfortable in particular styles that don't necessarily suit us. That is when it's hardest to change your dressing style. It's always a good idea to keep an open mind about trying new looks. In the beginning you might immediately reject a new look because it isn't what you're used to, but that's where the opinions of those who are close to you or whose fashion sense you trust, are most valuable.
• When it comes to showing skin, only expose that much skin as you're comfortable showing or you will be self-conscious and probably fidgety, which will end up with you only drawing further attention to it.

Basic Dressing Rules

There are three basic rules when it comes to choosing your clothes:

1. Dress to suit your body shape.

2. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable and confident in or people will notice your discomfort.

3. Always dress to suit the occasion.

Striking a balance between your personal style and what suits you is the first step to creating an arresting image. As much as the first impression isn't always the last impression, it certainly leaves the most lasting impression.

Make-Up

Dating as far back as 4000 BC, Egyptians literally took their make-up with them to their graves, believing it was needed in their afterlife as well.

Cleopatra was known for her beauty and strikingly elaborate make-up. Her lipstick was said to be made of ant eggs, combined with finely crushed carmine beetles for that deep red colour.

Skin Tone and Undertone

Coco Chanel famously said: The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.

(There are quotes used like this through the book)

To determine the colours that suit you best you need to first know the difference between 'skin tone' and 'undertone'. Your skin tone, or overtone, is the shade or colour of your skin which can keep changing, becoming lighter or darker, depending on factors like exposure to the sun, pigmentation problems or medical issues. Your undertone is the hue that gives your skin that faintest pinkish, yellowish or olive tint, which remains constant. Many a time, people use the term skin tone but mean undertone. Have you ever noticed how, when you wear a particular colour your face looks healthier and more even complexioned, earning you compliments like 'that colour suits you' or 'your complexion's looking good'.

On the flip side, you might have noticed that when you wear certain other colours your skin tends to look dull and patchy. This is because colours either compliment or clash with your undertone.

How to Determine Your Undertone

Undertones are divided into three categories: Cool, Neutral and Warm. You'd fall into one of these categories, no matter what your skin colour.

To determine your undertone you need do the foil test. This is an easy five-step process.

Foil Test

1. You need a large mirror, a sheet of gold foil or fabric and a sheet of silver foil or fabric; both sheets the approximate size of your face.

2. Cleanse and wash your face, pat it dry and leave it. Don't apply anything to it.

3. Wait for five minutes then in clear sunlight, with no artificial lighting or strong colours around you, like trees or brightly coloured walls as they'd influence the colour reflection on your face, place the gold foil under your chin and observe your face in the mirror.

4. Now replace it with the silver foil and look in the mirror again.

5. Alternate the gold and silver foils a few times and observe closely which foil, when placed under your chin, lifts and compliments your skin, making your eyes look bright and your skin glow. In contrast, the other foil could make your skin look dull, grey and tired and you might even notice dark shadows under your eyes. Your teeth could also look slightly yellow. If you're lucky you'll find that both foils suit you.

Tips & Tricks -- Glamour and Camera

1. Apply a slightly heavier coat of foundation when facing a camera.

2. Carry powder in your handbag to dab at the oily parts of your face as your face looks shinier on camera because it picks out and magnifies facial oils.

3. Apply extra blush as subtle colours get lost on camera making your whole face look like it's all one shade and washed out.

4. For a magnified pout effect dab a little shimmer on the inner centre of your lips over your lipstick then apply your lipgloss.

5. Add a little foundation or a light shimmer powder to your body moisturiser, blend it well and apply it to those parts of your body that are exposed.

(These are just a few Tips & Tricks)