I love skirts. If you have short legs, they make them look longer. If you have a long rise, or a curvier butt and find it hard to find trousers that fit, they are so much easier to fit. They can be made from casual or formal materials, dressed up or down. What’s not to…
I’m wondering why I decided to put boots into the FABruary style challenge as we’re having a bit of a hot summer here this year. Still for all my northern hemisphere readers I’m sure this will be much more fun for you! There are lots of different boot styles. Flats, heels, ankle boots, motorbike boots…
Reader Kanerou asks: Do you have any plans to do an entry on dressing for plus-sized Xs? I have a couple pairs of black cargo pants which I dearly like, but I’m not sure how to dress up top, now that my waist isn’t so slim and my bust is even more of a bother…
In This Video 0.08 The biggest style issue I have is layering in winter. I live in an area that has extremes in temperature with hot, dry summers. Winters are cold and dry. Summer dressing is easy – lots of frocks, sandals and a light cardi. Winter has to be about the layers as…
Recently I’ve had two readers ask me to write about how to flatter thicker ankles: Sometime it would be great if you could address ‘thick ankles’. They were the bane of my mother’s existence and sometimes I think they are of mine as well. They are why (along with horrible English weather) I almost always…
Reader question: “Now the problem I have is I am just 5 feet and with very petite delicate features I have been told that I’m ultra petite by a good friend, so the clothes I’m drawn to can look as if they’re drowning me. The other thing is that I’m now 64 but again have…
Ruth Essex is also an image consultant (in the UK) who has taken part in my 31 day Evolve Your Style challenge has written this review of the program and I asked her if I could share it with you. She kindly said yes. Prologue: This summer I went on a big adventure and together…
Picture this: you’re a multitasking woman, managing both your family and your career. You stand before your overflowing wardrobe, feeling overwhelmed by choices, and think, “I have nothing to wear that’s comfortable and suitable for work and play.” This scenario resonates with many women who find themselves pulled in multiple directions. It’s not just about…
How do you create a stylish outfit? What are some criteria you can use to decide if your outfit is fabulous (or even just good enough for you)? How do you know? Here in this video Jill Chivers of 16 Style Types and I discuss this reader question. What are your criteria for feeling great…
Finding the Perfect Fit: A Guide to Choosing Garments that Embrace Your Style If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me “I wish I could find clothes that fit me”, well I wouldn’t be a millionaire, but I’d have quite a few dollars! So why is it so hard to find…
X Marks The Sweet Spot for Hems of All Kinds We all have sweet spots on our bodies that hems end and flatter us. Hems for sleeves, for tops and jackets, for coats, skirts, dresses and pants. Finding your sweet spot can take a little determination and trying different things out, but once you’ve figured…
Shoes are a really important part of your outfit – even though you want to dress your portrait first, we notice the whole of you as you enter or leave a room and if the shoes don’t work, they can create an unwanted focal point, or create disharmony. So how do you choose shoes? What…
Reader Question: How do I create my own figure flattery guidelines when I have to take into consideration my body shape, my body proportions and my body variations? This is what I call the body equation and here are tips on how you can put together your own set of personalised guidelines, as you are…
Ever look in the mirror and wonder, “Why is it so hard to find clothes that actually fit my body?” Let me tell you a secret: You’re not alone—and there’s nothing wrong with your body. I recently got a question from Donna, one of the many women who reached out for style advice. She shared:…
I’ve had a few requests on how to wear leggings after my post the other week. So here are some ideas if you’re no longer in your twenties or don’t want to show off too much leg. Some Ideas: 1.A skirt that is a bit too short – leggings that go over the knees…
Body Proportions There are body shapes (X, A, H, I, O, V, 8) which tell us where to add detail and where to use horizontals to balance or draw attention, and where to use verticals to elongate. Then there are body proportions, which tell us where to end hems of sleeves, tops, jackets, skirts and…
Have you ever thought about what your skirt length says? Many women have skirts in their wardrobes that end at unflattering lengths for them. It’s commonly because the skirt is made for someone with longer legs than they have (particularly for the short legged and petite). The other common reason is the skirt is from…
Focal points are created by detail on clothing – whether it’s colour, shiny fabrics, pockets, distressing on jeans, ruffles, pattern, belts, beading or jewellery. You can use detail to draw attention to your assets and away from areas you’d rather people didn’t notice. You can see from this collection how the details draw…
After my post on Highlighting Your Assets, some commenters seemed to have trouble working out what their assets are, they’ve spent so long being told about and focussing on their ‘flaws’ but never ‘assets’. I see everything as an asset, and don’t believe in flaws. It’s just that some assets you may want to highlight,…
Cropped pants, according to the Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion are “Pants cut at varying lengths between ankle and knee.” So really, anything that ends just below the knee to the ankles. They can have a leg shortening effect so here are some tips on what kinds of shoes to wear them with (as well as…
How to wear leggings seems to be a highly googled question, and what sorts of shoes work with leggings is a hot topic, so here is my 2c on the subject. Here are some ideas: 1.Ankle length (left) – work best with high vamp shoes and sandals, either in a colour that…
