Principle of Volume
One of the simplest, but most often forgotten rules, is that of the principles of volume. Too much volume at one time will make you look larger than you are. Too skin tight can look a little tarty.
How to Wear a Fur Vest
It’s winter here in Australia and there are lots of faux fur vests around. They can be a tricky trend to wear as they add some bulk to your frame due to their highly textured nature. But if you feel the cold like me, they really do keep you warm and toasty. Wear over more…
Reader Question: What to Wear with Plaid
I have a red plaid blazer that I adore but I am getting really bored with what I wear underneath it since I read the only appropriate items are neutrals or colors in the plaid. I’ve worn leopard print shoes with it and loved the look. Leopard print top underneath.. .not so much which I…
How to Stop Your Clothes Pilling
Do you get pills on your clothing? Knits in particular can pill easily and leave nasty little bobbles, particularly on areas that rub, under arms, sleeves and across your breast where the car seat belt cuts your body. There are great little lint shavers that you can use to de-pill, but to stop them from…
How to Find Patterns That Won’t Date Quickly
Imogen, thank you for the great post on how to interpret prints and patterns. I wonder what floral patterns are considered classic, what are the criteria to consider a pattern classic in order it won’t date quickly? Thank you again Florals are never really Classic in their personality and will date. When I go through…
3 Easy Rules on How to Mix Animal Prints and Floral Patterns
Today I decided to mix zebra with leopard and then throw in a floral ribbon lace textured garment. One of the most important keys to mixing prints is to mix those in the same colour family. If you want to try this trend in a safe way: do it in black and white one print…
How to Wear a Sheer Blouse
I love sheer/see-through blouses/shirts, as they are very elegant, but what should I wear underneath to not lose from that elegance (and colour) but to tone down the sexiness/edginess of the outfit? Susie Sheer or see-through blouses are gorgeous, but to avoid looking too sexy, particularly in the workplace, it’s advisable to wear the right…
Levels of Refinement
Question regarding DRESSING UP/DOWN: I have many cardigans – cotton, colourful, not v structured, they are pretty but casual. If I was to wear any of these with something elegant, such as a top and a skirt, both made of satin, the cardigan would not dress the top and skirt down, it would simply look…
How to Wear a Chunky Knit Sweater – Tricky Trends
Over the past few years, one winter style that remains a staple is the chunky knit sweater. They are usually not only chunky but also pretty boxy too. The reality with any texture, if you’d describe it as chunky, it will make you look chunky. This is why over the years I’ve removed from many…
How to Wear the LBD When Black Isn’t Your Best Colour
What about ‘the little black dress’? I am a ‘summer’ (cool, soft and light colouring) and therefore black is not a good colour for me, yet I would love to wear a little black dress on special occasions. Would I be able to get away with that? Wear it at night When you turn out…
What Metals Can I Wear?
Notice how in the photos above that Denise Richards looks washed out (so she’s gone and got a serious spray tan, then packed on the makeup with a trowel) in the silver dressed, and that if you do the blink test (shut your eyes, then open them and notice what you see first), that the…
How a Simple Alteration Can Make a Big Difference
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…
How to Flatter Patterned Skin
If you have freckling that you don’t love, or age spots and want to make them look less obvious, when you’re looking solid colour garments, look for fabrics that have an inbuilt pattern like marle, or those with a fine to medium texture.
10 Costly Shopping Mistakes to Avoid
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…
How to Understand the Elements of Prints
Following on from my post on how to interpret prints and patterns I want to talk more about different elements of prints and how they also relate to other elements of ourselves. You would be aware that not all florals are the same, just as not all animal prints, stripes or checks are the same,…
How to Interpret Prints and Patterns
The other day I was asked about why a floral print wasn’t appropriate for a job interview. My answer is to do with how we interpret different prints and patterns, as they say different things to us. Frequently people ask me “what patterns suit me?” and the answer lies in what are your personality traits?…
Benefits of Lined Trousers and Care
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…
The Fast and Easy Way to Shorten Knit Tops
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…
Why Sleeve Length Matters
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.
Where Should a Tunic Top Finish?
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…
How to Choose a Patterned Garment with Flattering Colours
Have you completed 7 Steps to Style or had a personal colour analysis but are unsure of how to choose a patterned garment, particularly if one or more of the colours isn’t in your colour palette? How do you know when you are choosing a pattern if the colours are right for your or not?…