Naty's funny commandments

The success of Naty Abascal's book, presented last November in Madrid and recently in Seville, is clouded these days by the accusations of plagiarism that hang over the former Duchess of Feria.

And it is that the Naty Abascal manual bears similarities with the one written by the former model Inés de la Fressange, published a year ago by the same publisher. Both have red caps and agree on advice, such as avoiding the "total look" in clothing. "Whatever your bust size, not wearing a bra is always a mistake," says the Frenchwoman. Naty believes that "whatever the size of your chest, not wearing a bra is always a mistake." Coincidence or not, the fact is that the "Abascal" style advances unstoppably.

"The ten commandments to dress smart and not be boring". This is how the Sevillian Naty Abascal -for many, the most glamorous woman in Spain- begins her fashion advice in the 100% Naty manual, written together with the journalist and fashion editor, Vicente Gallard, with a prologue by Oscar de la Renta, edited by Grijalbo . The book by the former Duchess of Feria, Valentino's mannequin and muse, actress with Woody Allen and currently one of the best stylists in the fashion press, is Naty in its purest form. The same provides keys to dressing, as indicated by the way of packing and renewing the wardrobe, when boredom floods you.

Those ten basic tips from Abascal to make all necks turn, are summarized in the following: do not practice the total look; combine sewing with the most urban fashion; follow her own instinct and not the trends to the letter; don't shine too much; choose a detail and take advantage of it; combine unexpected colors; do not abuse jewelry and wear some costume jewelry; wear makeup sparingly and a little boldly; choose a suitable cut and hair color and be faithful to them and take into account the age when dressing, although not stick to it.

Natividad Abascal Romero-Toro, who began in fashion at the age of 18, when she traveled to New York, hand in hand with the dressmaker Elio Berhanyer, with her twin sister, Ana María, was on the cover of Harper's Bazaar magazine and, from From that moment, he began to parade through the most important catwalks in the United States and to pose for recognized brands. Her journey has been long and intense. The book offers the keys to understand why Naty, a seventy-year-old grandmother, with the body of a 30-year-old woman, comes out of complex trances with flying colours. Next, we break down some of Abascal's reflections to be elegant, inside and out, or at least try.

The evening bag, never to match the clothes. Carrying an evening bag is not so easy. Abascal is clear: "Currently there is no celebrity who does not carry a bag in her hand that completes her look at night... sometimes good, sometimes bad." The first rule is not to combine it with the dress, which by the way links to the following...

Nothing to go "hyper combined". Naty Abascal is clear that going combined to the extreme is a blunder. She thus leaves it written in her book. Practicing what has been called "total look" is counterproductive. To understand what the stylist suggests, it is enough to take a look at her photos, Abascal is the queen of the mix, something that she has not achieved even Carolina de Monaco, whose innate elegance, at this point, is beyond any doubt.

Light and assorted suitcases in detail. Naty Abascal travels nonstop, so no one like her to give the keys to the perfect suitcase, the one in which there is everything, without weighing a ton. The first step is to use ultralight suitcases and the second to make a list of basic needs. A good trick for winter is to take a padded jacket and a trench coat, they are not heavy and do not wrinkle during the trip. Abascal also recommends including a white shirt and a V-neck sweater in easy-to-match tones. And of course, accessories such as gloves and belts. Also in that, she leads by example because she wears them regularly.

The lingerie, hidden from view. In her crusade against vulgarity, Naty Abascal does not ignore what she calls "inappropriate use of lingerie." She advises that under pieces of silk or other delicate fabrics, the lingerie should not be marked.

White is not for going to a wedding. The regal bearing of the stylist at the wedding of her son Rafael Medina with Laura Vecino has tried to be copied by some, with uneven results. A good advice for framing is that white is reserved for the bride and the mother of the groom, better with dark tones. The length is reserved only for the night, except in weddings with gala dress. A good example are those of royal families. A wedding is always a good occasion to wear jewelry. "As long as they are sober and do not overwhelm," writes Abascal.

"Short and tight" does not imply being sexier. Abascal points out that a dress below the knee, of good quality and with a simple design, is suitable for a formal cocktail. "Short and tight is not synonymous with sexy," she says. "The chic touch of some special adornment will put the personal stamp on the style," she says.

Informal party, with a blazer and heels. On the other hand, she considers that to go to an informal night party, pants and a blazer with high heels are ideal. If you opt for a dress, it better be short, "to be able to dance freely," says the stylist.

Black, in small doses. For a Sevillian like Naty Abascal, black is too sad. Therefore, she advises trying other colors.

Fashion as therapy. One of the last chapters of the book is dedicated to the convenience of renewing the wardrobe so as not to fall into monotony. For when you don't want to dress up, Abascal recommends purchases, yes, "well planned". Changing the wardrobe to improve the image is "the opposite of blindly throwing yourself into the trends of each season". Nat's word.