New Season Fashion Fitness

The Cut-Out Dress
 

The Look:Stella’s polka dot, figure-hugging, cut-out dress is on a lot of people’s wish list, but it requires some serious streamlining exercises for it to look as good on us as it does on Anja Rubik. Here’s how…

The Area to Target: Hip and Waistline

The Exercise:
Lie on your back with your legs in table top position (feet off the floor, knees over your hips, shins parallel to the floor). Set your neutral spine and deeper abdominal muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine.  From here, extend your hands out towards and beyond your hips, palms facing the ceiling and lengthening your fingers away straightening the arms, pulling your shoulders away from your ears.  Then, gently squeeze your abdominals and lift the shoulders off the floor- look just above your knees. Maintaining this position, breathe out and reach as far to your left as you can. Then, breathing in, return to the middle then breathe out and reach across to your right, breathing in to return to the middle.  Repeat this for 60-120 seconds or until fatigue.

The Androgynous Suit
 

The look: This Girl/Boy trend is big news thanks to shows like Chanel , Michael Kors , Yves Saint Laurent and Hermes . The chic, simple, low-key clothing and slim line cuts require a boyish body shape. Don’t have one? Adam shares his exercise shortcut (never thought we’d say those two words in the same sentence!)

The Area to Target: Posture

The Exercise: TenPilates trainer Adam Ridler states: ‘Standing tall and holding a good posture will help us look long lean and graceful when wearing blazers and boy cut suits. The key to good posture is a strong core and low shoulders and back.’
Lying face down, squeeze your shoulders together and down (as if you were trying to crack a walnut with your shoulder blades) with your shoulders and head off the floor - this will strengthen your postural muscles. Keep your head high - slightly tuck your chin under from your usual position, as if you were trying to give yourself a double chin.

The Sleeveless Top

The Look: It’s not unusual for arms to be on show in summer, but a host of designers took a liking to the sleeveless look for autumn/winter too. So, it’s time to ditch the knitwear shopping, and bag some dumbbells instead.
 

The Area to Target: Biceps and triceps

The Exercise: Take some light dumbbells (if you don’t have any, fill two-equal sized- bottles with water), hold these dumbbells in an “L” shape by your sides with your elbows pinned in next to your ribs. Now, drop into a half squat, weight through your heels sit back and down a few inches, (make sure your back hasn’t arched) and squeeze your shoulders back and down.  Maintain this half squat and perform a triceps kickback (without moving you elbows, fully extend your arms straight) followed by a bicep curl (from the straight arm position, keep elbows against your sides and bend arms so hands come all the way up to your shoulders). Repeat this kickback and curl at a slow tempo taking 3-4 seconds to complete.  This will tone the front and back of your arms and make sure you hold a good posture through the shoulders (as a cheeky bonus you will also get a burn in your legs and bum too.).  Repeat this for 60-120 seconds or until fatigue.

The Metallic Trousers

The Look: Skinny metallic trousers are big news for the new season. Sadly, they are not the most figure-flattering material especially for the derriere, but this exercise should get you in shape fast…

The Area to Target: Bum

The Exercise:
Start position: Lying on your side with your bottom arm outstretched, place a folded towel in between your arm and head. Place your knees and feet together with your knees bent to 45 degrees in front of you. Now, straighten your top leg and hold it level with your hip, reaching it away from your body so that there is a gap in between your waist and the floor (this keeps your spine straight). Place your top hand on your hip. You can use this to check that you don’t rotate your hips and back as you perform the exercise.

Breathe in and take your leg out in front of you about 4 - 6 inches. Breathing out return it to the start position. Repeat this slowly and feel your top glute begin to work. Continue for approximately 2 minutes and then hold your leg in the start position, rotating it so that your toes point slightly to the ceiling. Now perform slow circles with your leg for 10 seconds in one direction, followed by 10 seconds in the opposite direction. Stretch and then repeat on the other side. Perform 1–2 times a day and enjoy your pert, leather trouser-ready backside.

See ELLE's pick of the six best metallic trousers...

The Sheer Blouse
 

The Look: A sheer blouse can add a touch of femininity to your winter wardrobe. But wear it over a bra and you may as well be wearing a bikini. In winter. Here’s the exercise you need to do to get your stomach looking toned…

The Area to Target: Abs

The Exercise:
Start position: Holding a folded towel firmly between your knees, lie on your back with your legs in the double tabletop position (feet off the floor, knees sitting just above your hips, shins parallel to the floor). Set your neutral spine and maintain activation of deeper abdominal muscles. Put your hands behind your head, supporting your neck, chin slightly tucked, elbows wide and shoulders drawn back and down away from your ears.

Breathe in to prepare. Breathe out and slowly curl up off the floor and hold for a second, breathing in again as you do. Breathe out as you slowly roll down back to the floor. Breathe in again as your head touches the floor. Keep the towel firmly squeezed between your knees the whole time – this will keep your inner thighs working as well as your abs. Repeat for 2 minutes or until you fatigue.

The Three Quarter Length
 

The Look: The midi length, which has been slowly gaining popularity, has reached its peak this season. Seen at Marc Jacobs , Jonathan Saunders , Victoria Beckham and Marni , to name a few, it is the length du jour.

The Area to Target: Calves

The Exercise: Try performing some split leg squats - take a large stride out, place all your weight through your front heel, lift your back foot onto its toes, bend both knees and lower yourself straight down. Then push back up through your front heel to stand tall again. Repeat on both sides for 15-20 reps.