If you like the trapeze jacket look, but you’re battling to find a shape that’s flattering, you might find these guidelines helpful:

• Length – it’s extremely important to get the length of this jacket right. The style is best when it grazes your hipbone. Going shorter can also work, but going longer can be tricky unless you have the body type (hour-glass, inverted-triangle or rectangle). If this style hits you on the wrong part of your thighs, it’s going to look dumpy. If you’re short waisted, try the petites department even if you don’t usually shop there.
• Tailoring – swing jackets have to fit snugly on the shoulders. You’ll end up with a sloppy shoulder if they don’t. Strong shoulder lines are essential for a flattering A-line silhouette.
• Sleeve width – opt for a sleeve that’s three quarter length and not as voluminous. This will add structure to your frame.
• Slightly swing – choose a style that swings out subtly and is not as wide at the torso.
• Keep it plain – select a fairly streamlined and basic version instead of a style that’s yoked, gathered and printed.

The trapeze jacket is not the best style for women with large bust lines. Well endowed woman still look best when they maximize the shape of their waistlines. I have been able to make A-line jackets work for this body type if I adhere to the guidelines above and keep the style unbuttoned to emphasize a long vertical line. Busty ladies can also opt for trapeze styles with V or scooped necklines (Icy hit the nail on the head with her suggestion yesterday).

All three of these Trapeze jacket styles are hipbone-grazing or shorter, streamlined and tailored. I can personally vouch for the yellow style on the left, which I own and is particularly flattering.

A-line trapeze jackets (or swing jackets) were fringe fashion a year ago, but today they’re mainstream. After an unflattering 80’s shoulder-pads plus boxy-jacket phase, designers and style gurus reverted back to glamour and encouraged ultra-feminine, body skimming looks instead. For two decades our eyes re-adapted to this forever flattering hour-glass silhouette. Until recently, that is, when swingy jackets flooded the retail market and caught us by surprise.

The new style is compared to a classic tailored jacket in the pictures below. Trapeze jackets can be described as “boxy” because they don’t cinch in at the waist, but they’re not what I’d call “bad 80’s boxy”. This is still a tailored jacket, which makes the look more reminiscent of the elegant 40’s decade. It’s a nice new style if you can find the right jacket for your body type. For many, the new boxy style is unappealing because it’s more flattering to wear a jacket that’s tailored at the waist (especially if you’re well endowed).

I will write more on the selection criteria soon, but in the meantime it would be great to hear your thoughts. Which style do you prefer? Has your eye adapted to the new look? Are you wearing it?

A roomy, emerald green trapeze jacket (left) and a tailored grey, polka dot style (right) represent your new and classic jacket silhouettes this season (both from Tulle). If you love the new trapeze style, there is certainly room for both in your wardrobe.

Look no further because you have excellent and affordable options. Wide Widths boasts the largest selection of wide calf boot styles on the Internet. The knee-high and calf-high boots on this site are especially good for women whose calf measurements are from 16 to 18 inches. They ship internationally, stock up to a size 13 and carry extra-wide foot sizes. They don’t offer a Zappos-like breadth of styles, but their focused choices are timeless, tasteful and current. Thank you Moviegirlerica for sharing this information. It’s nice to know that you were happy with their helpful and efficient service. I’ve popped a few of my favourite styles below.

Cube, Grant. Kiersten and Jerry - wide styles from Wide Widths.

I recently discovered this gadget and it really works. It’s called the strapper and it’s a handy little tool that converts a normal bra into a racer back. It’s perfect for the situation where necklines and armhole openings of tops and dresses are cut close to the neck. The strapper will even work with the odd halter top if the styles aren’t backless. For $6 you’ve saved yourself the expense of buying a strapless bra and the annoyance of having to constantly adjust falling bra straps . Hide the strap and reveal the shoulder bone with this nifty little accessory.

You may have heard of a British online clothing site called Boden. The Euro brand specializes in clean-cut casual and smart casual clothing with a playful twist, for men, women, children and babies. The collections are usually colourful, somewhat sophisticated and a dash sporty. Boden ships directly from the UK to America and you’re able to get most of what they sell online. Shipping is at a flat rate of $10 and returns are handled through their Florida office (so you won’t need to ship back to the UK). The sizes are British and they take about 2 weeks to deliver. Their prices and quality are in line with Banana Republic, which makes their catalog well worth a look.

Euro-brand Boden is sure to offer you a feast of colour each season.

Tall and slim gents can face a challenge with jeans. Mainstream straight-leg or boot-cut denim styles are often too baggy on the leg and bottom, too roomy at the waist, and short in the length. Banana Republic have come out with a range of Euro-cut slim fit jeans that look fantastic on this male body type. The range starts at a 29W and goes as long as a 36L. They’re 100% cotton, lovely quality and cost $98.

Levis 527’s will also do the trick. They start at a 28W but only go as long as a 34L. They’re also 100% cotton, but cost half the price at $48. My friend Laurel found that the Levis worked perfectly for her tall and slender hubby and I thank her for this great info. It’s super that more and more options become available to us each season.

The bright colours that we were promised in Spring and Summer seem to have found their way through to Autumn. Albeit a little late, I’m not complaining. Fuchsia, raspberry, magenta and good old shocking pink are back with a vengeance this season. Pink is another 80’s flashback that you’re either going to embrace or abhor. The bright hue is beautiful with basics like black, grey and winter white.

I’m personally a little off pink matched with brown. It’s looking a dash tired, but a pretty combination nonetheless. Try hot pink matched with purple, burnt orange or one of the other jewel tones instead if you’re after a bold and daring look. Two brights don’t make a wrong. If you can’t go head to toe in the colour, then punctuate an outfit with a fuchsia accent instead. It’s the perfect way of adding the fashion element to a modern classic style.

If your have marks on light coloured leather or patent shoes, try cleaning them with acetone (nail polish remover). Soak a piece of cotton wool in the acetone and rub it over the mark. I haven’t found a need to be gentle with my patent shoes, but am a dash more careful with soft leather (I haven’t tried this with metallic leather).

This method works wonders. The colour of the shoe somehow remains intact, and in most cases the marks either disappear or are substantially reduced. It’s particularly effective for removing dark blue stains that end up on the top, or at the back of your shoes after wearing dark blue wash jeans. My yellow and cream patent heels continue to look new because of this easy trick.

Apart from a handful of ultra-high fashion and cutting edge styles, it’s all about 3 mainstream denim silhouettes this season:

1. Wide-legs: also known as “un-skinnies”, these jeans are dramatic and elegant. They’re good for tall pretty pears and are best worn with a heel if you don’t have height. Trouser versions of wide-legged jeans are particularly classy and versatile. They’re most flattering when they’re slim on the thigh and flared at the hem. Ultra-wide styles that are wide on the thigh tend to make you look wider. Remember that you need to keep it fitted on top if you add volume on the bottom. If you don’t, you’ll loose that long lean line.
2. Skinnies: stove pipes and straighter legs remain a favourite for tunics and longer length tops. They’re the best option when adding volume on top with sack dresses and trapeze silhouettes.
3. Bootcuts: this forever flattering denim style has become a classic. You’ll still look fab wearing a great pair of bootcuts if skinnies and wide-legs don’t tickle your fancy. Don’t believe what the magazines tell you, bootcuts aren’t out.

Pick and choose the jeans that work best for your body type and look. If you’re a denim girl at heart, you’ll enjoy the different moods that all 3 denim styles provide.

Wide-legs, skinnies and bootcuts. The perfect complement for denim girls this season.

Television’s biggest award ceremony made for a stylish red carpet event last night. To my surprise, most of the dresses were long and colourful. From fuchsia to watermelon, aqua to teal, and crimson to eggplant, neutrals were not the order of the evening.

Yet my favourite looks were neutrally toned. These were my top 4:

• Portia De Rossi glistened in a long midnight blue strapless number that was “held up” at the neck (halter style) by a bejeweled snake. The gown was amazing and unique and my absolute best.
• Kyra Sedgwick wore a long black work of art that looked sculptured both from the front and from the back. The gothic and dramatic appeal of this dress might have been an over the top choice for the Emmy’s, but I loved it all the same.
• Eva Longoria was a perfect little princess in her sparkly short, gold cut-away sheath. Sassy, smart and immaculate as only ultra petite Eva Longoria could pull off.
• Ali Larter wore a long red voluminous strapless gown and makes my list not because I thought the dress was particularly fabulous, but because it looked so comfortable.

If you managed to catch a glimpse of the show, I’d love to hear about your favourites.