Most of us know when clothing and accessories match each other, and when they don’t. It’s less clear to us when clothing and accessories don’t match, but they do “work”. Mismatching stylishly is at the heart of retro European style. Designers and stylists do it frequently (albeit a bit over the top at times). Done correctly, mismatching will increase your style quotient. Done distastefully, it can be disastrous.

Here are a few tangible ways to mismatch with style:

• Don’t match your shoes with your bag – throw in a bright green bag with your silver shoes, jeans and layered tops.
• Don’t match your shoes with your outfit – instead of wearing a perfectly matching pair of black sling backs with your white slacks, black top and gold bag, throw in a pair of bright yellow or purple heels instead. Don’t worry about repeating that colour anywhere else – it works.
• Mix patterns – different printed items of clothing work well together if the fabrics and colours are similar. Next time you think of putting a plain white top with your multi colored skirt, try making a subtle floral blouse in the same colours work instead.
• Mismatch your last layer – whether it’s a jacket, cardigan or extra t-shirt, try adding an extra colour into the mix of your outfit with the last layer that you put on (e.g. light brown bottoms worn with a darker brown and cream knit top would welcome a red jacket, bronze shoes and green bag).
• Colours that clash can work – wear red shoes with your pink dress, pop a purple top over an emerald green one, mix burgundy with orange and chartreuse – beautiful!

Think out of the box about how to mix and match the clothes in your wardrobe, but make sure that you don’t mismatch too many items at once. There will always have to be something pulling your look together – sometimes it can be the colour of your hair, or a single accessory.

Having a go at “mismatching” items that work prevents me from getting bored with the clothing in my wardrobe!

As a personal dresser for DFSS, I attended a “bra seminar” about a year ago that was hosted by Chantelle (French Lingerie Company) at Nordstrom. It was brilliant!

Fact #1: Over 60% of women worldwide wear the incorrect bra size.

Generally speaking, women are wearing their cup sizes too small and their under-band widths too wide. If you thought you were a 36C, chances are that you’re a 34D. This is a common fault I encounter with the people I dress – most of them are initially horrified to be put into double and triple D’s after busting out of their C cups, but they’re happy with the results.

Fact #2: Cup sizes on bras are not created equally.

A “C” cup on a 38C is much larger than the “C” cup on a 32C. Do not be caught up with sizes ladies – going up a cup or two in your bra will often give you better shape and therefore instant gratification. Your bra should be the most important item in your wardrobe if you are a D cup or beyond.

Fact #3: A professional fitting could change your life.

Kiss spillage, knife cutting straps and lack of cleavage goodbye by getting yourself professionally fitted for the correct bra. Weight change, pregnancy, age and mastectomies change the shape of our bosom. Having yourself correctly fitted as often as these changes occur is ideal.

Nordstrom has perfected this service. Bra’s come in all shapes, sizes, colours and fabrics and their sales assistants are quick to spot what is best for your bosom shape, saving you a lot of time and hassle. In fact, subsequent to the Chantelle seminar, Oprah featured Nordstrom bras and their expert fitting assistants on one of her shows.

Whether it’s to enhance, minimize or lift – the right bra can transform your shape completely. Prioritize this on your shopping list if you haven’t already done so. 

Men are rarely required to wear suits to work every day – “business casual” has become the norm. However, every so often gents are faced with a formal dress code and don’t know what to do. Hiring a tux is one way out, but not always called for.

Men’s’ suiting, and the trims that go along with it can be pricy – how does one go about making this investment if one wears suits infrequently? Here are some guidelines on the “one suit wardrobe” for gents:

• Colour – if you have a “once a year” suit requirement, invest in a charcoal grey single-breasted 2 or 3 button suit with flat front trousers to match. Buy it in heavier weight wool. You’ll be able to cover all your bases with this option by dressing it up or down. If you are blonde and very fair, consider dark navy instead of dark grey - this might be more flattering. If you like, a subtle self-colour pinstripe is a more current option.
• Brand – suit prices can range from $400 to $2000. My recommendation would be to buy nothing cheaper than a suit from Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers or J. Crew if you are budget conscious. In this way – you will be guaranteed an optimum level of quality (after all “boys need to buy better”). If you have more to spend, consider Hugo Boss, Joseph Aboud and Armani Collezioni.   
• Black suits – it is not necessary to have a black suit in your wardrobe. Black suits are for funerals, ultra formal occasions, tremendously trendy events and gangsters. They are often inappropriate for anything else unless you have the knowledge on how to wear one correctly.
• Shoes and trims – you’ll need to match your suit up with a narrow black and “finer in appearance” leather belt and formal shoes - preferably with a bit of sheen. Rubber soled loafers will not do. A white dress shirt is conservative, but a safe and professional option. If white is not your colour – opt for French blue. You cannot go wrong with a tie that has a small geometric print or bold diagonal stripe. You’ll be able to mix and match your shirt and shoes with your jeans, which will make it easier on your conscience when you invest.
• White t-shirt – it’s a good idea to wear a white “undergarment t-shirt” under your dress shirt (bought in the underwear area). It defines the colour of the shirt that you are wearing and soaks up unsightly armpit perspiration (instead of your shirt).

Your suit, shirt and tie requirement will change as your need to wear formal suiting increases. Once your wardrobe extends beyond a single suit you can afford to get more daring and trendy. How to spend your money wisely and how to build a stylish suiting assortment will be topic of many a blog entry to follow!

On the left, charcoal grey wool suits from Calvin Klein and Alfani (available at Macy’s). Safe and professional options with white dress shirt and diagonal stripe tie,  or with French blue dress shirt and geometric tie. On the right, a slightly more stylish option: charcoal grey wool suit with sheen from Hugo Boss (available at Nordstrom) matched with pale grey dress shirt and geometric tie.

Women’s fashion changes significantly from season to season. Men’s fashion does not. For women to buy “throw away fashion” that lasts for a season is perfectly acceptable. This is not the best idea for men.

Let’s look at the typical wardrobe:

Women’s wardrobe – has a high turnover of a wide, yet shallow assortment of clothing. “Wide” in the sense that women have many different types of clothing in a variety of styles. “Shallow” meaning that there is barely a style that that is duplicated in their wardrobe.

Men’s wardrobe – has a low turnover of a narrow, yet deep assortment of clothing. “Narrow” in the sense that men have fewer types of clothing to choose from. “Deep” meaning that with each type of clothing, there is lots of duplication of style. Just consider the number of near-identical collared shirts that the average man has in his wardrobe.

Since men’s fashion has a longer life, men keep items for longer. It is therefore important for them to be discerning about quality by shopping at better-end chain stores (e.g. Banana Republic) and department stores (e.g. Nordstrom) for premium products (budget permitting of course). Hence: “boys need to buy better!”

It is common to buy jeans that fit our bodies perfectly everywhere but on the waistline. This is especially true for pretty, pair shaped ladies with tiny torsos. A fashionable wide belt threaded through the belt loops of our jeans usually solves the problem. However, trendy longer length knitted tops and T’s pulled down to just over our hip bones don’t look nice with bulky belts showing through. The solution is simple: take off the belt. But when we do, we constantly find ourselves pulling our jeans up – which isn’t so stylish.

 So what are we to do? I’ve found 2 solutions:

• Belt your longer length T or top at the hip in true ‘80’s fashion. This is especially effective with elasticized belts. You won’t find yourself pulling your jeans up when you walk. You will however need to straighten the ensemble every time you get up from sitting down.
• Have the waistband on your jeans tailored. I‘ve just done this to a few pairs of jeans and it was money well spent (about $20 a pair). No pulling, bulging or straightening anymore.  The effect is especially noticeable on the day that you wear your jeans again without having popped them into the wash. Jeans tend to grow the more you wear them, which makes altering the waistband an even better idea.

Tailoring an existing pair of jeans is still going to be less expensive than buying another pair – you won’t be sorry!

Tanks tops come in all shapes and sizes - short, long, strappy, plain, printed, and with or with out lace. They are an absolute staple for all stylish ladies irrespective of age, size or lifestyle. Having an assortment of tank and camisole styles and colours increases your wardrobe versatility.

Some of the many advantages of adding this extra affordable layer:

• White knit tops look more crisp – layering a white tank top or camisole underneath a fairly thin white fitted t-shirt makes your white t-shirt look more “crisp” and therefore more flattering. You won’t need to worry about your T being see-through anymore.
• Better than spanx – wearing tank tops and camisoles underneath fitted tops and t-shirts covers a multitude of sins. Tuck shorter ones into your jeans, pants or skirts and leave longer ones hanging out. Rest assured that all is “covered” when you reach up high or bend down low.
• Re-invent what you have – adding longer length tank tops and cami’s to short and standard length tops, blouses, cardigans and shrugs that you already have, will update you instantly.
• Climate control – as the weather warms, jackets become to hot to wear. Adding an extra layer underneath your top should keep you at the perfect temperature. By the same token, this extra layer will keep you warm if the air-conditioning gets too chilly.
• The solution for small chests – small-busted women should generally stay clear of scooped and low V- necklines. Layering tank tops or cami’s with higher necklines underneath low cut tops solves the problem. 

Unless you have an absolutely perfect perky bosom, leave tanks with built in bras behind. They tend to give your chest an unflattering shape and are uncomfortable if you wear a bra as well.

Get yourself a selection of tank tops and camisoles – they are season-less and inexpensive.

Camisole from Arden B. and tank tops from Bebe and Nordstrom.

Charlize Theron, Naomi Campbell, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellwegger and Michelle Williams are amongst the most famous “inverted triangles”. You have broad shoulders, narrow hips, slender limbs, a straight waist, flat bottom and varying bust line. You are a rare breed and the least common body type found amongst women – the “pretty pear” being the most common female body type. It is interesting that it was your unique body type that was chosen to represent clothing best on the catwalk from about the 1960’s onwards. Twiggy started off this trend! Despite the fact that you are easy to dress – you’ll still want to think about how clothing affects your shape. Defining your waist and softening your shoulders is what you’ll need to think about most.

Defining your waist and softening your shoulders:

• Look for tops in soft drapey material and avoid stiff fabrics without stretch.
• Tailored shirts, V-neck wrap tops, and knitted tops with soft U-necklines will help define your waist.
• Select knitwear, tops and jackets with waist belts, ties and ribbons to give you shape.
• Layering knitwear or jackets with something soft and feminine underneath will also offer you definition where you need it.
• Keeping your cardigans unbuttoned will soften your shoulders. Tops with soft sleeve treatment like raglans, dropped shoulder points and shoulder slits will also do the trick. Soft collarless tunics are a must for your body type.
• You can wear any jacket length as long as it’s fitted to your waist. Keep the lapels small and consider collarless styles to narrow your shoulders.
• Avoid halter necks, puffed/gathered sleeves, boat necks, epaulettes and strapless tops. They will exaggerate the width of your shoulders.
  Shift dresses, bias cuts and tunic dresses are best. Soft dresses with V-neck ruffle detail will also work.

Wearing it all at the bottom:

• Your narrow hips and slim legs give you tremendous choice when it comes to pants – you can wear it all. You look particularly good in boot cut jeans and cargo pocket pants.
• Choose skirts that add bit of shape and curve to your body. Knee length skirts with contoured waistbands, patch pockets on the front or back are good. Full circle, tiered, pleated, bias and gathered skirts are also excellent.
• Avoid pencil skirts if you are fairly busty – they will emphasize your broad shoulders make you look top heavy.

If there is anyone that can wear this season’s high fashion “skinny pant” and tailored short shorts – it’s you!

Being stylish does not mean following every fashion trend. In fact, it’s unstylish to wear fashion for the sake of it when it’s unflattering for your body type.  The skinny pant has returned and has been all the rage on catwalk runways since autumn. The item has filtered down to high fashion stores and we will continue to see this trend as long as the 80’s remain an inspiration to top international fashion houses.

The skinny pant is difficult to wear and fails to look elegant even on supermodels. The look is completely contrary to my “perfect pant length theory”, with hems tapered at the ankle and high heeled shoes or flats left completely exposed. Those of you who were teenagers or older during the ‘80’s will recognize this statement as a blast from the past – and an unsightly one at that! The difference, however, is that the skinny pant is not “mainstream” today like it was 25 years ago. It’s an ultra high fashion option for fashion slaves. Something new for straight-up-and-down lanky teenagers and girls in their twenties.

Bottom line: There is little chance of anybody being flattered by tapered jeans and pants.

Low slung slim fitting straight leg pants are fine if you have the boyish body to accompany them; but opting for boot cuts will raise your level of elegance. There are more options for different body types each season – boycott those skinny pants if they’re not for you!

For supermodels or fashion slaves: skinny pant options from Urban Outfitters and Arden B.

Summer sales have started!

• BCBG’s sale starts today – Thursday 18th May. If it’s a wedding outfit, dressy separates, business casual or something alluring that you are after; this is a good place to shop. I particularly like to look at their dresses and trendy suiting.
• Macy’s is currently having a 25% off sale on most of their Spring lines. I’d head straight for their dress, accessory, and I.N.C. departments (in petite, regular and plus size). The Michael Kors, Nine West and Karen Kane ranges are also well worth a look. Look for “Maggie London”, “London Times” and “Jones New York” labels in the knitted dress department – they’ll fit and look just as good as the designer Diane von Furstenberg ones for a quarter of the price!
• Express is currently having their t-shirt sale – plain longer length T-shirts for $10, Tank tops – 2 for $19.50, Jewelry – buy 2 items and get the third one free. I have been impressed with their work walk shorts and casual bermudas – but they are unfortunately not on sale yet. If you’re looking for an assortment of  plain white or black collared stretch shirts, this is super place to get them for $39.

Have fun shopping, but do not be seduced by anything that does not absolutely work for you.

Skirts for skirt lovers will be few and far between this season because it’s all about shorts! Let’s have a closer look at what you should be looking for when you buy this item. 

Choose the hem length that best suits your body type. Walk shorts that hit you anywhere on or just below your knee cap are most flattering because this is the point where your legs look the longest and the slimmest. Pear shaped ladies should wear their shorts a little wider at the hem and preferably with a heel. Petites may need to hem their shorts even shorter as knee-length will definitely be best for you.

• Work walk shorts – Select these in refined materials like poly rayon pinstripe or trouser - like fabric. You’ll need to remain modest and professional by keeping them at least knee length, structured and worn with a heel.
• Casual Bermudas – These are a little more relaxed in fit and best in denim or stretch cotton. You can opt to wear them with casual wedges, espadrilles, ballet flats or gladiator thongs.
• Tailored short shorts – These thigh high short shorts are for the young and daring with fabulous legs. The point is to keep them chic and dressed up which means looking for tuxedo stripes, classic tailoring and cuff detail. They are a far more practical alternative to the ultra short mini skirt and will only look good whn matched with heels.
• Rolled-up short shorts – Are once again for those blessed with great legs. They are best in cotton and linen blends and perfect for the beach.

Match those walk shorts up with layered longer length tee’s, girly tops, knitted tops and shirt and jacket combinations for an updated Summer look.

Structured work shorts (Nordstrom), casual bermudas (Gap), chic tailored short shorts (Bebe), and casual rolled-up shorts (Macy’s).