My skirts fit well when I’m standing still, but they shift around when I move. I end up with the front somewhere on my side after a minute of walking. It drives me batty. I’m constantly pulling skirts back into position. Once my ensemble is on, I don’t like to fuss with it.

The penny dropped when I realized my high-waisted skirts stay put. Their waistbands lie on my natural waist above my navel. I promptly took my skirts for alteration. I had their waistbands taken in, which moved the position of the waistband higher. The end result was fuller coverage and a snugger fit around the waist and tummy area. It worked like a charm.

The alteration costs about $15, which I found well worth the price. Your mileage may vary – the higher waist is a different style and not for everyone or every skirt. Also, beware of losing length. This alteration shortens a skirt by one or two inches, so make sure you have length to play with before you move up the waistband.

Do you battle with shifting skirts? Any other tips on how we can prevent this phenomenon?

Left: Skirts with lower waistbands like these tend to shift when I walk. I found that the silhouette of the skirt makes little difference (pencils and A-line styles both shift).

Right: Higher waistbands like these shift to a lesser extent. I tend to prefer skirts with higher waistbands because I find them more comfortable (whether I tuck in my top or leave it out).

Stacy London, co-host of TLC’s “What Not To Wear” shared five tips for looking your best in the August edition of People: Style Watch magazine:

1. Know yourself: “Accept your body type for what it is”. Embrace your size and find what works for you.
2. Fit is key: Once you have found the cuts that flatter your  body type, have them altered for perfect fit.
3. Don’t fall back on black: Other colours, like navy, charcoal grey and chocolate brown are also slimming. Also, cut is more important than colour.
4. Ignore labels: Brand and size labels are secondary. The fit of the garment is the important thing.
5. Good posture is essential: “Stand with your shoulders back, boobs out and tummy in.”

These are superb tips. I see some overlap with my post on how to look slimmer in your clothes. I also believe that polish makes a huge difference to one’s appearance. A fabulous haircut goes an especially long way.

There’s one other key ingredient to looking your best: confidence, an accessory that  can’t be bought. In most cases, you only look as good as you feel. Looking good makes you feel fabulous; but feeling fabulous makes you look even better.

I could scarcely believe it, but it’s true. Nordstrom can add an inch or two to the length of your jeans by using a heat stretching process. The alterations department uses heavy duty heat presses to make the elastic component of the denim pliable. The process is continued until the desired vertical stretch is achieved.

The jeans must have an elastic component – the process won’t work on 100% cotton jeans. After lengthening, you can wash, air dry and press as normal. But you’ll undo the stretch if you machine dry.

This might be your answer to perfect pant lengths, especially if you wear heels with bootcuts. Sometimes an extra one or two inches does the trick on a petites, or regular length pair of jeans that’s a tad too short. Tall girls, this trick is fabulous for you.

My friend Stephanie has just had her Seven’s stretched two inches and she’s thrilled. Thanks for sharing this information with us, Stephanie. May this be the end of your “short jeans dilemma”. Brilliant! What would we do without Nordstrom?

There is a slight difference between “straight-leg” and “skinny” jeans. It’s all in the width of the leg opening. Straight-leg jeans are a little wider at the hem than skinnies, and often more flattering because they create balance between the top and bottom part of your body.

• Skinny jeans have leg openings of 12 -13 inches
• Straight–leg jeans have leg openings of 14 - 15 inches

These hem width measurements are representative of the smallest size (24 or 25 inch waist). They increase as the size of the denim increases, but not by as much as you’d expect. Straight-leg jeans can run as wide as 16 inches on a larger size hem width. But go beyond 15 and 16 inches and you’re in boot cuts or flares.

Straight-leg jeans are generally better than skinnies for gals with wider calves, or pear and inverted triangle body types. Curvy hourglasses also do a pair of straight-legs justice. In these instances, straight-legs are a great substitute for skinnies. They’ll offer a similar sleek profile with the advantage of balancing out your silhouette. It’s a win.

The styles on the left and in the middle are straight leg jeans. The hem width is the same as the width at the knee, thereby creating a “straight leg”. The style on the far right is skinny because the hem width at the ankle is narrower than at the knee.

Heidi Klum presented this product on the Oprah show recently and to quote Oprah herself : “no more muffin tops”.

The Yummie Tummie is a body contouring camisole that discretely slims the midsection. It’s better than a conventional camisole because of a stretchy stiff spandex panel across the midriff. Unlike conventional shapewear, this item is not supposed to be hidden. It acts as a visible layering piece under a jacket, top or dress. But there’s nothing stopping you from covering it up. It’s available in a variety of styles, sizes and lengths in most department stores and online. It’s versatility is key, but you pay for it at $62 apiece.

I haven’t personally fitted one on, but have seen it’s positive effects first hand with my clients. It works and is worth a try if you’re prepared to wear shapewear.

I suggest shapewear to my clients as a last resort. We first try to find clothing that flatters without shapewear, because that’s the more comfortable option and one less item to think about. But I do have clients who are happy wearing shapewear daily and it does make a visual difference.

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.

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.

Cropped pants fall into two categories: walk shorts and capris. The distinction is based on length rather than silhouette:

• Walk shorts are pants that are cropped anywhere from just above the knee to the widest part of the calf. Clamdiggers, bemudas, pedal pushers and culottes are all forms of walk shorts.
• Capris are pants that are cropped below the calf and above the ankle. I am allergic to pants at this length. They are extremely leg shortening and unflattering. Models that sport capri lengths wear 4 inch heels which visually raises the hemline. I rest my case.

Retailers and magazines often refer to clamdiggers as capris, which confuses the issue. As long as cropped pants fall on, or above, the widest part of your calf, I’m in favour of them. Anything longer looks dumpy. Stacey London and Clinton Kelly from What Not To Wear are not opposed to capri-length pants (which explains why Stacey wears them throughout her book “Dress your Best”). We will agree to disagree.

Walk shorts at the perfect length (clamdiggers, culottes and bemudas)

Capris at an awfully unflattering length.

A sleeveless, wrap knitted top with wide welt is flattering. I’ve tried this style on various body types and I’m always surprised at how well it works. It starts to make sense when I break it down:

• The armholes are cut away to reveal a pretty shoulder bone. Sleeveless tops usually look better when you show your shoulder bone.
• The blouson effect is forgiving around the mid-riff area. It’s the perfect camouflage for those with a little extra around the tummy.
• The wide welt provides structure. Make sure that the welt starts below your navel and is comfortable over the belly. Its ruching effect is another plus.
• The V-neck and wrap feature are elongating and slimming. The wrap feature gives a larger bosom room, and a smaller bosom volume.
• The shawl collar is great layered under V-neck jackets.

Soft, silky knits feel heavenly against our skin, but are often clingy in the wrong places. This style offers a superb solution. Wear it with a camisole because the front opening tends to part when you move. Comfortable, versatile and chic. So much better than a T-shirt and just as easy to launder.

Ana from the forum found this particularly good example of the style, available from Bluefly.com.

I talk about the trench coat at the beginning of every season because it is a crucial part of any wardrobe. It is an ideal lightweight coat for a four-seasons-climate, and the only coat you’ll need for warmer regions. A fab trench pulls together most outfits and can be dressed up or down: styled up a notch with dark denims or slacks and dressy shoes; or casual with jeans and fashion sneakers. The trench cuts across all lifestyles, age groups and body types and it’s a question of finding the style that works best for you.

Some things to remember as you search for that perfect trench…

• Trench coats don’t need to have a strict, dressy and classic appearance like the traditional Burberry style. They can be playful and casual. The voluminous trend has given rise to the unbelted A-line and cocoon shaped trench which can be equally chic.
• Spring trenches are often lighter in weight, brighter in colour and shorter in the sleeve than the styles we see in Autumn. You can get away with having one trench for year round use if you choose your style wisely.
• Make sure that you purchase a trench that works for your lifestyle. Keep the fabric and look casual if your life is casual. Select a dressier style if you dress smart casually or business casually daily. It is easier to dress a smarter trench style down than it is to dress a casual trench style up.

I have a black, fully lined, machine washable, stretch sateen single-breasted trench coat that ends just above my knee. I’ve had it for years and it’s the most versatile item in my wardrobe. I wear it casually with jeans and Converse, or smart casually over a dressy top, dark denims and heels. It’s perfect with my slacks on business casual days and takes me straight to a cocktail party at night over a short formal dress. It cost a pretty penny at the time, but the investment has proved its return a hundred times over. I cannot imagine my wardrobe functioning without the perfect trench.

An assortment of casual (top left), smart casual and dressy trenches (bottom right). My Spring trench needs replacing and I have my eye on the white Soia and Kyo style (center bottom row).