Blog ~ Academie de Bernadac

Woman Fashion

How to choose your perfect heel height ?

Do you know what should be the correct heel height in regard to body your proportions? In order to make you feel both comfortable and elegant? We invite our deportment teacher based in France, Madame Nina Pico, to answer this question!

It is believed that a woman looks more elegant and attractive when she wears shoes with high heels. The fashion industry comes up with plenty of different types of women’s shoes in order to maximize the attractiveness of the female walk! But not all shoes can promote the development of grace and ease while walking.

For example, shoes with high heels of 12-15 cm look on legs quite provocative and emphasize mostly woman’s sexual aspect. On such heels it is difficult to keep a straight posture, move smoothly and legs quickly get tired.

The Golden Ratio

In order to determine your ideal heel height, there is a special formula of the Golden Ratio : 1,618.

The Eiffel Tower is also constructed on the basis of golden ratio

Let’s try together to calculate the ideal length of high heels, as well as the maximum optimal heel height exactly for you. Thus, we’ll get options for choosing proper and comfortable shoes for daily use and for special occasions.

Your ideal heel height

Measure your height (you can draw a mark on a wall). Then measure distance from the tip of your head (or the mark) to your belly button. Multiply this number by 1,618.

For example: your height is 167cm, and the distance from the belly button to the top of your head is 65 cm.

1. Then:65 cm * 1.618 = 105 cm. 105 cm is the perfect length of the legs, based on Golden ratio.

2. After that,105 cm + 65 cm = 170 cm. 170 cm is the ideal height, based on Golden ratio.

3. And now from your ideal height subtract your real height:170 cm – 167 cm = 3 cm. 3 cm is the perfect heel height in this case!

This heel height perfectly aligns your body proportions and makes you feel very comfortable. It relaxes your spine and whole body, your legs don’t get tired and you are naturally moving your hips. Your walk becomes floating and very graceful!

Correct posture allows your energy to flow evenly throughout the body, and this, in turn, helps restore the correct function of all organs, which directly affects your health. Such heel height would be perfect for every day use!

Your maximum optimal height

We measure the foot and divide the number in half. After that, 1/2 of your foot size is divided by 1.618.

For example: shoe size of 38 = 24.5 cm of foot size.

24.5/ 2 = 12.25 cm
12.25/ 1.618 = 7.5 cm

7.5 cm is the maximum optimal heel height for you. It can be used for special occasions, but not for a daily use.

In conclusion, I would like to say that beauty and elegance are primarily a natural manifestation of female nature. Our beauty depends on the state of our health. Therefore, before chasing the fleeting fashion trends, it would be better to think about what would not only be beautiful for us, but also useful for our health!

Stay beautiful, elegant and healthy!

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Social & Business Manners

Proper postures in a business meeting

Dear ladies and gentlemen, I am sure many of you have been wondering: how to gain the healthy and professional posture when having a meeting? How to place my arms in order tolook decisive? What should I never do with my hands? I propose you to review together the proper postures you can adopt every day.

Proper sitting postures

When sitting at the table we should use your hand’s width to determine how close we should approach to the table. Let’s review now our sitting positions from top to toes.

1. Chin parallel to the floor is the proper head’s position.

2. Your shoulders should always be down and backward.

3. Your back should be straight with your tailbone touching the back of the chair (leaning against the chair).

4. Space between the legs should be the same as our shoulder width. For ladies, crossing legs is also acceptable. During long meetings, you can alternate leg placement.

Arms

Very often we don’t know what to you with arms during a meeting. I propose you several postures according to the aim you want to achieve.

The demonstrating power pose

Place your arms with both elbows on the table, hands up and hand in hand, fingers relaxed. During a meeting, if you want to look decisive and confident when it comes to a certain topic I propose you to have this pose.

The closed pose

For instance, if you want to be left outside of some discussions you can show that by crossing your arms.Be aware that this pose normally signalize as an attempt to put a barrier between you and other persons, so use it wisely.

The open pose

Our forearms are on the table, hands are one in each other, fingers relaxed. With this pose you are present in the discussion but not aggressive.

The relaxed pose

Our arms are under the table,either placed in our lap or next to our body. This pose is also suitable for people who tend to play with pen or can’t remain their hands steady. With placing your hands under the table those problems are not visible.

To avoid

1. Our hands shouldn’t be playing with something on the table (pen, glass, etc…)

2. We shouldn’t, of course, rest our head in our hands.

I propose you to try these poses and find the proper one that will allow you to stand out in your business meetings! Let me know if you have any doubt regarding proper postures in the comments below!

Woman Fashion

How to choose the perfect lipstick?

Dear Ladies (and curious Gentlemen), a woman’s mouth is one of the most expressive part of the face. Thus it is important to know how to embellish it by respecting the features and the skin tone of each woman. I propose to review some obvious rules, but please share your beauty secrets with us!

By colour

If you have a very white skin: you have a large range of choice. Simply be ware of colours that may be too strong and too visible on you. For instance, if you have an intense red be sure not to have shiny earrings or heavy make-up on the eyes.

An intense red be sure not to have shiny earrings or heavy make-up on the eyes

If you have a yellowish skin: your lipstick should have golden / olive tones to match your skin complexion, or you may look sick. A burgundy or brick-red lipstick are good ideas. Be careful, pearly-lustre lipsticks are not compatible with yellowish skin tones.

Cameo brown

Beware, be cautious when choosing an orange-tune lipstick if your teeth are not shiningly white.

In comparison,the teeth seem not shiningly white with orange lipstick

By type

Matte: Generally, it is a kind of dry texture with high saturation, and last long on lips;

Glaze: a lip gloss with liquid texture and last shorter. However new types of lipstick have been created, which perform nice simultaneously on colour, moisture condition and long-lasting.

When choosing different types of lipstick, you should firstly match it with the foundation.

With a matte foundation: then you need to pair it with a matte lipstick, no glaze.

Mate

With a light foundation: you may adjust the glaze on your lips depending on the effect wished

Light fondation with glaze lipstick

If your skin is under bad condition: that is to say, with obvious pores and marks, a shinny lipgloss will make it look the skin look even more rough. Use a matte or satin one instead.

If your lips are so dry that they become flaky, apply lip balm to them 5 minutes before you put on any lipsticks, or simply use a lips mask. But remember to wipe it off before putting on lipsticks, or the colour may not spread nicely. Among all types of lipstick, the “satin”,”cream” ones are the most widely-adapted.

By occasion

Formal occasions: Business, work, elegant events, in these cases you want to attract attention on your personality and intelligence, not on your make-up. Avoid glazing lipstick and too intense colours. Rather pick matte and conventional colours such as red, pink if not shiny etc.

Casual occasions and daily life: Here you have more freedom. Rather pick light and glazing colours during day time, darker and matte during evenings.

Lunch and dinner: If you know you will attend a meeting during which you have to drink at a glass just put a light lipstick, the marks you may leave will not be too visible.

Generally speaking, glossy lips are the symbol of youth, matte of seriousness. Adjust according to the effect you want to give!

Here are a few tips, but I am impatient to read yours. How do you pick your lipstick?

Table Manners

Hot or cold water, which one is the best?

Dear ladies and gentlemen, shall we drink hot or cold water once having dinner? Here in China most people drink hot water, but did you know that many countries are more likely to drink cold, even ice, water when eating, also in winter? Hot or cold, which one do you prefer? One can help to get slimmer!

I remember clearly a moment of my childhood, one of the first time I had to bring water at the dinner table for my family: my mother asked me to fill the carafe again, because the first one I brought was with hot water, and not chill water. Indeed, in many Western countries, it is very common to drink cold water.

So I was very surprised once arriving in China to discover people are mostly drinking hot water here. But it seems I am not the only one: when I try to Google “Why Chinese drink…” it automatically presents me “hot water”.

Even though the Chinese could come up with a million of good things about drinking hot water, many tourists still refuse the hot water served in restaurants. That is why luxury hotels and international restaurants in China would serve cool water if they hear someone come for abroad.

Now, I also drink hot water. Once I was traveling to America, in wintertime, and I received a class filled with cubes of ice! But being used to live in China I had to ask them “room temperature” water. I am becoming Chinese somehow. Did you experience it? Now let’s compare the two options.

Advantages of drinking warm water

Calm down: Warm water helps your central nervous system to calm down, thus enabling more controlled reactions. Moreover, it will help to feel fewer aches, pains and panicked moments throughout the day.

Blood circulation: Warm water helps your organs to carry blood more effectively, decreasing risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Digestion: Warm water helps activating and soothing your digestion: digestive organs are better hydrated and able to eliminate waste. Hot water can dissolve and dissipate things you’ve eaten that your body might have had trouble digesting.

Nasal congestion: The steam of the hot water can help loosen clogged sinuses and even relieve a sinus headache. Since you have mucous membranes throughout your neck and upper torso, drinking hot water can help warm that area and soothe a sore throat.

Advantages of drinking cold water

Weight loss: Cold water will boost your metabolism by 550%, as your body needs to compensate the temperature lost. It will then burn more calories.

Cool down: In summertime, drinking cool water is good for your health. It is definitely the best to balance the heat, it helps your body to regulate its temperature.

What the best to do then?

Finally, it seems to be again the good etiquette rule we often give: it’s all about adaptation. Depending the moment, we should drink warm or cold water.

Warm water: Definitely recommended when eating, when being sick and in winter. It will help the body to preserve its energy by not having to compensate a liquid colder than the body’s temperature.

Cold water: This shall be kept for summertime during heat waves, or after heavy exercises. It would help your body to get back to normal temperature (but don’t drink ice water! It would be too much of a shock!)

So finally, which one do you prefer? Which one is the best according to you? Tell us your opinion!

Woman Fashion

How a lady should properly stand

Dear ladies, I am sure many of you have already been wondering: what is the proper standing posture? How to place my arms and my feet? What can I do when I start to feel pain? I propose you to review together the proper postures you can adopt every day.

Your shoulders

We said it in our previous articles: your shoulders should always, ALWAYS, be down and backward. It’s elegant and healthy for your spine (rounded shoulders would add pressure on your vertebras).

How to reach this position? Again, same exercise: Place your shoulders in front- Up – Back – Down.

Keep your stomach in. You can breathe normally. Your neck must remain straight. It’s healthier and more elegant.

Your arms

The elegant pose

Here place your arms at the belly-button level, put one hand on the other one, fingers relaxed, covering only the two first phalanx. Your rings remain visible.

The confident pose

This pose is simple, but not the one most of people would have thought of: simply let your arms along the body! It makes your body shape longer, and create a space between your arms and your body, giving a slimmer appearance.

This is typically the pose many stars would have when taking photos. You may think you look weird, but actually not at all. This is why I would call it the “confident pose”: you need to be self-confident enough to do it.

Avoid crossing arms

Don’t cross your arms. It will give a bad impression about yourself (closed mind), and will also make your back round.

Your feet

The elegant pose

Place one foot facing straight in front of the other facing towards the side. This gives you a slimmer and taller shape.

When? When you want to look elegant. This pose is also pretty common among stars.

The proper pose

Simply have your feet joined together, against each other. This position is for those who don’t want to catch attention.

When? If you are working in hospitality, service, at a junior position, or if you just want to be discreet.

The confident pose

This is the same as the proper pose, but you don’t have to put your feet together, you could have a little space in between (not larger than the shoulder). It gives a more solid, confident impression.

When? If you are working in an executive position.

How to relieve your pressure

For those of you who must stand for a long time, here is what you can do to relieve the pressure.

Start to put all your weight on your heels when standing.
Once it becomes painful, start to put the weight on your toes. You will bend a bit. It will relieve your heels and hips.
Alternate this slowly, and you will be able to stand for a long time.

But I am sure you also have some standing postures and technics you would like to share with us. Please do it in the comments below!

Table Manners

How to eat fruit formally?

Dear ladies and gentlemen, spring is coming soon which also means more seasonal and fresh fruits. Do you know how to eat certain fruits in high-end restaurants or during a formal dinner? Let’s review together!

I. Cherry

Cherries are a small stoned fruit, how would you eat it? Take one by the stem, put it in your mouth and spit the stone out? Most of you agree that is not an elegant way to eat cherries.

How to eat

1. Use you spoon to take one cherry

2. Place entirely the fruit in your mouth and clean the pit as much as possible

3. Use again your spoon to take out the pit, while you do that, use your free hand to cover your mouth

4. Discard the pit on your plate.

II. Banana

If you have a banana served to you during a formal occasion, how would you eat it? Will grab it with your hands, peel off the skin and put it in your mouth? This behavior, if you were back to the 19th century is considered as “the monkey way”, worth for savages and very impolite.

How to eat

1. Cut off the two ends of the banana

2. Use the fork to press the banana softly, with your knife you will open only the skin from one end to the other

3. Use your fork and knife to peel off the skin to the sides, put the ends of the fruit in the skin

4. Cut and eat in small pieces

III. Watermelon

Do you take one slice of watermelon and bite on it? During any formal occasions, if watermelon is served, it won’t be as a slice but rather cubed or in pieces without the skin.

How to eat

1. Use your fork to cut a bite sized piece

2. Bring it to your mouth. Small bites of watermelon at a time

3. If you want to get rid of the seeds, just use the tines of your fork to pull them out and leave it on the side of your plate

4. Then again if necessary cut a small piece before eating.

IV. Mango

The mango skin is really thick making it inedible. The mango can be presented to you already cubed, in that case just use your fork to take a piece and eat it. If the mango is presented to you as a whole, you can try the checkboard method.

How to eat

1. Start by trimming a small piece from the top part of the fruit so you can keep it steady

2. Then cut two large slices along the pit and cut all the way round

3. To create the checkboard, cut some lines from one side to the other and then some lines equally space going the opposite direction. The slices should be deep but without cutting through the skin

4. To eat the fruit, cut the cubes away from the peel

V. Kiwi fruit

Some people can eat the skin of the kiwi but it can be a little bit irritating. Another simple way to eat kiwi would be to cut the fruit in half and then scoop out the flesh with a spoon, but there is a third method, more elegant to eat it.

How to eat

1. Trim off both ends of the kiwi

2. You can use a pairing knife or a spoon to peel off the skin (insert the spoon under the skin and turn)

3. Slice the kiwi fruit and enjoy

VI. Grapefruit

You are having a grapefruit at the table, how should you eat it? You might want to peel the skin off with your hands but it is thicker than the orange skin. In this case, using a knife is ideal as it will take off most of the pith (the bitter white part) and it is also a more gracious solution.

How to eat

1. Cut the bottom part of the grapefruit to keep it steady

2. Hold the top of the fruit with your fork and with the knife start making a cut on the skin from top to down deep enough so you can peel off the pith easier, 1 cm away from the top piece and repeat the gesture all around the grapefruit

3. Pull the skin away from the flesh using your knife

4. Cut small pieces before eating

Dear all now you are all set to enjoy your next meal! Are there any other fruits you are confused with and don’t know how to eat elegantly? Please share with us!

Table Manners

Table Plans for Social Occasions

Dear ladies and gentlemen: we often have family dinners, or dinners with friends. How to create a proper table plan for this occasion? I propose you to discover here the etiquette rules for social occasions.

What are table plans?

We use table plans to designate who will be seated where at the table. This is not done at random but by precedence: who is more important, more senior, than whom, and who has the right to be seated next to important people. Imagine for instance you have to do a table plan for these people for dinner at your home:

Complicated right? I will give you the answer after a few explanations.

How to create table plans

Step One: People

In our example, squares are men, rounds are women. Square 1 is the most important man, round 1 the most important woman, square 2 the 2nd most important man, round 2 the 2nd most important man etc.

Step Two:How to start?

You start to place the host and hostess at the extremity of the table.

This is the family style. Generally, the host faces the entrance of guests (so that he can guide late comers) and the hostess faces the kitchen door, in order to guide staff serving with eye contact. We use the same approach for round tables.

Step 3: How to place the people ranked 2nd?

Here you have to remember 2 rules:

1. The right is more important than the left.
2. We alternate the genders.

You will note it is actually the same for a round table:

Rules:

1. The most important man (the host)has the 2nd most important womanon his right.
2. Then we place the 3rd most important lady on his left. Same for the hostess.
3. Mrs. 2 has the seniority ranking to receive Mr. 4 on her right.
4. Mr. 2 has the seniority ranking to receive Mrs. 4 on his right. We place the 5 then.

Practice

In reality, there is often not the same amount of ladies and gentlemen, sothen you have to be smart.

Let’s come back to our guests.

1. So, first of all, who will be the host with you? (we consider “you” as a lady, the table plan would be different if “you” is a gentleman). It has to be a man, as there is not your husband / boyfriend here. Then, most important man here, and the only official, is Emmanuel Macron, as President of France.

On your right, the 2nd most important man could be either Ma Yun or Ma Huateng. I consider Ma Yun has been successful and famous before Ma Huateng, so he has the precedence.

Then, who is the 2nd most important lady seating on the right of Macron? Normally it should be Brigitte Macron, but spouses cannot be seated together. So I choose to place Angelina Jolie, as she is an UN embassador.

The 3rd most important man is of course Ma Huateng. On the left of Macron I choose to place Zhang Ziyi, as she has been famous before all the other ladies.

Now we can place Brigitte Macron on the right of Ma Yun. Ma Huateng deserves to have the next most important lady: Gao Yuanyuan (who has been famous before Lady Gaga)

Finally, on the side of Angelina Jolie we should have a man, but we only have women left. Shall we have Lady Gaga of your sister? In table plans, family members are “useful guests”: you can place them at the last rank they should not hate you too much (normally…), and you make feel your second to last guest good to have someone of your family below him/her. That’s why I place Gaga close to Angelina Jolie, and the sister close to Zhang Ziyi.

This was an example of simple complexity. Imagine now how difficult it can be if you have dozens of persons to place, and have to find out who is of higher importance than who! If you want to know more, please let us know!

Woman Fashion

Looking glamourous in the right swimsuit

Dear ladies, summer is already here. I am sure you are looking forward to go to the beach, but do you know your body shape and which swimsuit comes along with it？ Follow me to find your perfect swimsuit for this summer!

Which body type are you？

1. Inverted triangle

Your shoulders are wider than your waistline and hipline? You should be inverted triangle shaped.

Your goal: focus the attention on your legs and hips in order to balance your body shape.

My advices: your ideal swimsuit will have to enhance your legs and hips. Therefore, you can choose a low-leg style bikini in order to broaden your hips or a high-waisted bottom to accentuate your waistline.

If you have beautiful legs, you must definitelygo for a high-cut one-piece. This kind of swimsuit will enhance your legs and create the illusion of hourglass shape.

You may get some inspiration from Naomi Campbell or Cheng Lisha for example.

2. Rectangle morphology

Your shoulders, waistline and hipline are about the same size? Then, you must be rectangle shaped!

Your goal: create the illusion of defined curves and waistline.

My advices: choose a padded bikini because it will enhance your breast and make it look bigger. You can also go for a swimsuit with ties on the bottom part thus to create wider hips and give the illusion of a thinner waistline.

Olivia Wilde, Gwyneth Paltrow or even Nicole Kidman have this type of morphology, therefore you can get inspired by their styles!

3. Hourglass morphology

Your hips and shoulders are about the same size, but your waistline is a lot smaller? You are definitely hourglass shaped!

Your goal: show your feminine curves, lucky you!

My advices: there are so many options offered to you, you can wear any type of swimsuit! Indeed, any type of leg cut or neckline will suit you. You can choose some printed swimsuit for a joyful summer.
If you are more comfortable with a one-piece swimsuit, you should choose one very colorful: it’s summer!

I advise you to avoid large garments, it will accentuate your body shape and it is not very elegant. If you want a better lift and support, you should get a bikini with higher straps.

Sofía Vergara, Zhang Ziyi or even Kim Kardashian have this kind of body shape, you can definitely check their styles!

4. Pear body shape

Are your hips wider than your shoulders and waistline? You are definitely pear shaped then.

Your goal: emphasize your top half and to draw the attention away from your hips.

My advices: to elongate your legs, you should wear a higher cut swimsuit because it will create the illusion of thinner and longer legs.

If you want to draw the attention away from your hips, you should wear dark colors on the bottom.

Finally, if you wish to have a colorful swimsuit, I advise you to wear bright colors on the top part. Indeed, it will create the illusion of an intensified breast.

You can take ideas from Rihanna’s or Cheryl Burke’s style.

5. Apple body shape

Your shoulders and hips are about the same size？ Your waistline is about the same size or wider than your shoulders and hipline? Therefore, you are apple shaped!

Your goal: emphasize your chest and to draw the attention away from your belly.

My advices: choose a swimsuit with vertical line thus will elongate your body shape. I recommend you to not choose a swimsuit with horizontal lines because it can create the illusion of a wider body.

I also recommend you to choose a V-neckline swimsuit because it will enhance your breast and draw the attention away from your belly.

If you are not really confident with your belly, I advise you to wear a long tankini or one-piece bathing suit with over-the-shoulders straps and you should choose solid colors on neutral dark background.

Lisa Rinna and Elizabeth Hurley have also this body shape, you can check their styles!

Dear ladies, I hope this help you to find your next swimsuit. Do you want to know more about beach etiquette？ Let us know!