The second last strategy for creating your perfect wardrobe (read part 1 which covered all the areas of “fit”and part 2we covered quality issues, currency and personality) is related to the kinaesthetic part of you. 5. How Does it Feel? Do you like how if feels on your body? This is one of the obvious…
Some great tips on why it really doesn’t matter what your clothes “size” is, it’s all about fit (and that will vary from store to store). Sometimes the larger size will make you look slimmer! Want to go to a thrift store but unsure how to find the best bargains? This great guide of 10…
Do you have a wardrobe full of clothes that you wear but don’t love? Do you have a closet full of crappy clothes? Do you love some of your clothes, but many others are just “meh”? Do your clothes make you feel gorgeous, confident and express who you are? Would you like to create the…
We all have favourite garments in our wardrobe, and the problem with favourites is that often we hold onto them for too long. We love them, we don’t want to see them leave our lives, and so we ignore obvious signs that they have done their duty, served their purpose and we have gotten the…
Yesterday I was having a conversation with a woman who mentioned that she finds, due to a medical issue that distorts her body shape, it incredibly difficult to find a pair of trousers that fits when she’s out shopping. What she didn’t realise, is that I think 80% of women or possibly more find if…
Refashioning old garments is something that can be worth doing if you’re a little creative, or if the garment just isn’t quite right anymore. I’m currently attempting to refashion a leather skirt (hopefully it will work out, and then I’ll show you my efforts). So if you’d like some refashioning inspiration here are some great…
Picking Your Size from On-Line Size Charts by Catherine Scholze The internet has been a boon to independent designers over the last ten years: it allows us to talk directly to our customers and meet the needs of under-served markets that conventional retailers can’t address. But it also means that you, the customer, cannot try…
One of the common issues with many tops is that they are too long and end on an unflattering point, or just are not proportionally great for you. I talked about ruching up the sides in this blog post where you can sew or use shirring elastic to do so. Today I want to share…
Lots of great DIY t-shirt projects on this blog – love this one though I wouldn’t cut the stripes as widely if you don’t want your bra-straps showing. Turn a long sleeve tee into a cardigan Make and infinity scarf from an old tee Create a cute open-backed sweater from a boxy old jumper Make…
Here is the issue: I am over 62 and the era where style and fashion were important, to me, was during the years I held a professional job from 1972 through the 1990s. During that era, dressing was simple then because of very few choices and narrow opportunities for your own self expression. Those were…
What can you do if a style that you love doesn’t suit your body shape? I love the general vibe of loose fitting clothes, such as found at Eileen Fisher, but my body shape and stature suggests more classic, form fitting clothes are the way to figure flattery for me. When you love a…
I’m often asked where to end your tops and jackets. In this video I give you some pointers to help you find your sweet spot that flatters your figure.
A while back I bought a tunic top from Target. I fell in love with the fabric, and overlooked that the shape didn’t do anything much for my body. Every time I put it on I felt frumpy and looked pregnant as my larger breasts made it balloon over my tummy. It’s design was the…
Pants – that’s trousers for you UK folk, not underpants, are a staple in most wardrobes. They are, the hardest garment for most women to fit. Really, I find that I can spend hours trying to help a client find a pair that fits well. The most common fit issues are around the depth…
Would you be able to make a post about what kinds of alterations are easy and affordable to make? I’m not plus sized but I’m petite, so many things don’t fit. Having hemlines shortened is an easy one, but I’ve understood that for instance the extra space in the upper back could be taken in…
Women are notoriously bad for not altering their garments. We have an expectation that we can walk into a shop, try on a piece of clothing, it will fit us, flatter us and off we go into the sunset. But when you consider how many different body shapes we have, our variety of body proportional…
1. Being influenced by the sales assistant who is paid to get you to buy clothes (whether they suit you or not). Retail sales staff are paid to sell you clothes. Some are even paid extra commissions based on how much they sell. So it’s in their interest that you buy as much as…
Hello Imogen. I was hoping you could answer a question for me. I had the opportunity to buy a pair of lined trousers at a reduced price. I didn’t buy them because I’m a wash and wear type of person and the pants would have required going to the cleaners. Can you tell me what…
If you have a knit top that is too long, rather than take the hem up, why not ruche the sides rather than take up the hem. You can also use this method to shorten sleeves too. It’s really simple and you don’t need to know how to sew to do it. Watch this short…
Here is a short video I’ve made about the length of sleeves on jackets. It’s one of the most common fit issues I see with clothes and in people’s wardrobes, yet can have a huge impact on your appearance. Watch this short video.
Imogen I would like your opinion on the hem length of tunic type tops. I’m a knitting designer and teacher and this topic comes up in my Fit and Flatter classes. I think women slimmest when the hem hits just below the crotch so that the leg length is undetermined by the viewer and therefore…
