Nothing shouts Spring and Summer quite like the perfect pair of white jeans. It’s an absolute must in your wardrobe if you enjoy wearing denim. White jeans are the perfect bridging piece because they instantly make black and brown tops look Summery. Ensembles look fresh and contemporary when you add a white pair of bottoms and it’s one of my favourite warm weather looks. Buy white jeans and you’ve increased the ROI of your wardrobe.

You don’t need to be ultra slim to wear white jeans or pants. This is a fallacy. A flattering pair of pants or jeans is not about the colour, it’s about the fit and fabric. Denim is an especially good choice of fabric for white pants because it’s thick, 100% cotton, easy to launder and doesn’t require lining. Standard 5-pocket denim detailing is also easier to wear than side-entry pocket detailing because they don’t add bulk. I’ve popped loads of plus sized ladies and pretty pear shaped gals into white jeans and they look incredible.

White jeans are everywhere right now. Brands like Elie Tahari, the Loft, NYDJ’s, Joes, Hudson, Old Navy, Diesel, Gap, Seven for all Mankind Levis, David Kahn, Esprit and Mango are to name but a few. White does get dirty quickly, but that’s what washing machines are for. It’s worth it.

An assortment of white jeans in different cuts. Wide-legged white jeans are fun, but dramatic and eye-catching. Be prepared to stand out. I have two pairs of white jeans: bootcuts and skinnies. I wear them all Summer long and they feel magical each time I put them on.

A forum thread on extreme budget shopping made me think that I should clarify YLF’s focus on mainstream fashion and style.

We have chosen this mainstream approach because it caters to the widest audience. The idea is that you can apply the information, regardless of your budget for clothes, footwear and accessories. We do sometimes talk about maximizing your budget in the Frugal Style category, but there are other bloggers that focus more on this topic. Two examples are the well known Budget Fashionista and the Budget Babe (one of our regulars on YLF), who will help you to stretch $100 further than you imagine.

We never post pictures of designer wear or budget wear because they’re not mainstream. We post pictures that illustrate the point in the best possible way. Pictures from mainstream department stores appear frequently because the details of the clothing are clearly visible, which is helpful to our readers. The intention is not that you purchase your entire wardrobe from Nordstrom!

I believe that having great dress sense and style can be learned and our job at YLF is to help you make informed wardrobe choices. Once I’ve planted the seed, it’s up to you to find the item that suits your pocket. Whether it’s Saks, Ann Taylor, Target, Ebay or Consignment is of little consequence. It’s important that you make savvy wardrobe decisions no matter what your budget or where you shop because that’s how effective and stylish wardrobes are built.

Tops over pants look best when they’re worn a little longer. One to three inches above your crotch point (somewhere between where the inseam of your pants start and the zip fly of your pants end) is the perfect length. Hip-bone length is perfect for skirts, but not long enough when you’re wearing pants.

You need to find the specific length that works best for you. Generally, the curvier the thighs, the longer you’ll need to wear your tops. It makes a huge difference when a pretty pear shape wears her tops a little longer. But don’t wear them too long. Tops slightly over crotch point create a horizontal line over the widest part of your body, which is unflattering for pear shapes (but ok for inverted triangles). Fortunately, a top that’s too long can be ruched or “scrunched” to its correct length if you’re short-waisted.

If you haven’t bought tops over the last two years, your cupboard is probably full of shorter lengths. Fashion has moved on and I’m thrilled with the flattering update. Demote shorter tops to wear with skirts and sport a longer length for pants.

Models sporting longer length tops a few inches above crotch point. Longer length also creates a wonderful visual layering effect as the top peeps out. It’s a win.

Models sporting shorter, less flattering tops with pants.

As an affiliate to the brands in the YLF store (the rightmost column of the site), we get notified about new sales and promotions. Here are three sales going on this weekend:

• Piperlime’s Secret Sale (aff): For today and tomorrow you can save 15% off women’s final sale shoes that are already 70% off. Enter “TOPSECRET” at checkout.
• Layne Bryant Sale (aff): Save 40% on all of Layne Bryant’s online merchandise for today and tomorrow. Use the promo code “000403870″ at checkout.
• Old Navy Full ON Sale (aff): Save up to 50% on Old Navy shorts, swimwear and polos until May 1.

Note that these are affiliate links. We don’t use them in blog entries because it is important that the opinions expressed or recommendations made are free from any perceived conflict of interest.

I like and wear everything in my wardrobe because it fits and flatters in the very best way (it’s imperative that I practice what I preach!). But there are items that I seldom wear, simply because I like them less than other items. They don’t look bad, they just rank last on my list of favourites.

• Wide-legged jeans: I have two pairs. One in dark denim and one in a pinstripe denim with cuffs. They are dramatic and fun but I’m not as drawn to them as I thought I would be. I prefer the sleekness of skinnies, straight-legs and boot cuts. These silhouettes make me feel extra fabulous, whereas wide-legs don’t. I’m becoming increasingly wary of wide-legged pants.
• Cocktail rings: I have a super collection of cocktail rings. Both semi-precious stones and pearls. I use to wear a cocktail ring every day, but stopped when I encountered problems with my wrists. My wrists improved and I am now out of the habit. I hope to get my head around this soon.
• Halter neck dress: I have a graphic black and cream, polka dot, low-waisted halter neck dress that blousons on the bodice and looks smashing. But it has to be 95 degrees plus for me to wear it on its own and it doesn’t look good with a cover-up. I live in Seattle and seldom frequent warm weather places. So this poor old dress decorates my closet between heat waves.
• Kelly green camisole: I adore the colour, but always seem to find that another colour looks better when I try to integrate it into an outfit. My ensemble tends to look Christmassy when I wear it. Perhaps I’ll find the right companion piece at some point. In the mean time it can keep my other camis company.

What are the least favourite items in your wardrobe and why?

I frequently refer to these light neutrals. Several people have requested an explanation of the differences between them, particularly between cream and beige. I’m happy to oblige.

• White: Optical white is a blindingly bright white. A pair of white jeans is usually optical white.
• Off-white: This is a dirty white like the colour of bone. It’s as if optical white was mixed with a spot of grey. It’s a cold colour and tends to look good on people who can wear light grey close to the face.
• Cream: The colour of pearls, ivory and liquid whipping cream. This tone is warmer and richer than white and off-white. It contains a hint of yellow and looks good on people who wear warm colours well.
• Beige: Tan, khaki, taupe, nude and stone are all versions of beige. They are not cream or off-white. They are light browns. You’ll find chinos in this colour. Deepening a shade of beige results in camel and caramel coloured hues which are richer and generally more flattering.

Beige is hard to wear close to the face unless you’re dark-skinned and even then it’s best when matched with a contrasting colour (like black or a bright). Beige comes to life when the fabric is iridescent or mixed with metallic lurex thread. This gives the colour depth and interest and that’s often the best solution to wearing beige close to the face. As a bottom, beige is boring. It can look conservative and I do not often encourage this look unless it is required.

The “whites” (white, off-white and cream) are better choices for tops and bottoms. They offer both a modern classic and contemporary edge that’s forever fresh and versatile. These shades pop whereas beige does not. It’s a question of choosing “your white”. Some people look better in cream, while others look better in bone or white. Experiment and try a form of white instead of beige. You’ll be surprised.

Top: Off-white pea-coat, a cream blouse and dress.
Bottom: White jeans, beige and taupe pants.
My whites are white and cream on top and at the bottom (but not together). I look dreadful in off-white and beige and steer clear of them close to the face. Beige pants are not my style so I don’t wear those either.

If you’re going to go un-tucked, then tops that look good with skirts are not the same tops that look good with pants or jeans. Length is the key issue:

• Skirts look best with tailored tops that are shorter in length. This is especially true of A-line skirts where it’s imperative to accentuate the waistline (volume on top of volume doesn’t work). Keep the hem of the top on or just above hipbone depending on where the waist of the skirt sits on the body. A longer top worn out over skirts looks disproportionate and sloppy.
• Pants look best with tops that are 1 to 3 inches above crotch point (unless it’s a tunic, which is a completely different look). A longer vertical line is achieved, which is especially effective on pretty pear body types. You can find your personal best length with some experimentation. Height, torso length and thigh width come into play.

Occasionally you’ll get away with wearing a longer top with skirts by adding a waist-cinching belt. This shortens the length of the top and the right proportions fall into place. You could also tuck in a longer top. It’s a little harder to do, but there’s a lot of that going on this season. A topic for another day.

Shorter tops worn at flattering hipbone length with flared skirts.

A mannequin on display at Soma Intimates caught my attention last week. She was wearing super sleek underwear accompanied by the slogan “the one and only vanishing edge panty”. Curious, I went inside and found a whole slew of panties and shapewear in Soma’s “vanishing edge collection”. I promptly bought a pair of boy shorts to put them to the test.

They are fabulous. The leg openings are lined with an ultra thin layer of rubber to ensure that your undies stay put. And it really works. Ultra soft and breathable microfiber, a cotton gusset and an assortment of colours might make these knickers the answer to your thong-free days. They launder well and the rubberized finish has not irritated my sensitive skin. I’m chuffed.

The sales assistant suggested going up a size if you’re a little curvier on the derriere or thigh because panty lines can’t vanish if the rubber is too tight. I’m converted and have made use of their offer by getting 3 for $27. Here’s to no more panty lines.

I personally like the look and coverage of boy shorts, but there are many other options if that’s not your cup of tea. This collection is available online if you don’t have a Soma store nearby.

The site was looking a little cluttered after the addition of the store area on the right, so we fast-tracked a visual refresh that was already underway. Hopefully you’ll find that things flow a little better with the updated design.

We also used the opportunity to make a few changes to the forum. Most importantly, we added two new areas:

1. Your Body Type: This is a place to talk about your body type. How do you fit into the various classifications? Are there general rules you can follow when selecting items and putting together ensembles? Every body is unique, but there are also definitely shared attributes and lots of opportunities to share advice and experiences.
2. What You Wore Today: People were so excited by this topic that we thought we’d give it a home of its own. So if you don’t have your own site for posting your daily outfit (like Kasmira’s excellent blog), then you can do so here. Even if you do have your own site, feel free to post links on our forum. Please post each new outfit (or group of outfits) separately, and try to use a descriptive title.

We retired the poor old “Fashion Industry” area because it wasn’t getting much traffic, but all of its posts are still available under “Everything Else”. If you have any feedback, or problems that you would like to report, go ahead and use our brand new contact form.

The YLF forum is, as we say, going like a Boeing. A big thank you to existing forum members and a warm welcome to newbies. Your articulate, informative and passionate conversations increase the style quotient of this site.

I love everything in my wardrobe, but do have favourites. These are the items that make me feel extra special when I put them on. Some of these items are worn daily, whereas others are worn weekly, monthly or a few times a year. They are extremely versatile and I’d really miss them if they were gone.

• My footwear collection. I do not have loads of shoes, but I am proud of the pairs I own. It took a great deal of time, patience, discipline and expense to accommodate my fussy feet.
• Black sateen trench. This item is machine washable and travels with me everywhere. It’s perfect with jeans and Converse, and takes me straight to a formal function over a cocktail dress at night. Brilliant.
• Cream trench. I could put this item over pajamas and I’d look fab. It makes a bold statement and I feel uber chic, funky and feminine when I wear it.
• Specs. I have 2 pairs of cat-eye specs that I swap daily. The one is bulky and fun, and the other is streamlined and sophisticated. My ensembles are naked without my specs (and I couldn’t see without them).
• Diesel jeans. I duplicated my ink blue, straight-leg jeans because they are fabulous in every way. They can be dressed up or down and worn with most heel heights. They do not bleed, rub or grow. I should have bought a third pair.
• Suit. I don’t wear my black baby pinstripe pants suit often, but I thoroughly enjoy wearing it when I do. I dress it up in funky ways, which makes all the difference. An Edwardian collared chiffon blouse that’s belted at the waist works beautifully under the jacket when it’s matched with red chunky patent round-toe heels and faux zebra skin clutch.
• Pearl necklace collection. I collect all sorts of necklaces with pearls in them. Short, long, funky, retro, modern, vintage, fine, chunky, plastic and classic. You name it, I’ve got it. These necklaces complete my look every day.

I hold a special place in my heart for tunics, jackets and handbags, but they didn’t quite make the cut. I’d love to hear your wardrobe favourites. As with the preferred shopping categories, I expect to see a lot of variation in your lists.