I like to think of personal style as more of an art than a science, which is why there are very few absolute rules on YLF. I love to encourage ensemble creativity and out-of-the-box thinking because no one likes to be boxed into a rigid way of doing something forever.

Guidelines that take into account your body type are important though. I believe that you need to master some principles of good style and dressing to flatter your body type before you begin to manipulate these guidelines. As Maya put it in the forum:

“you can’t break the rules until you understand them”

Artists like Picasso, Van Gogh and Chagall developed their abstract style over time. They were well trained in the classics first, studying the basic principles of line, colour, depth and composition for years before they defied the odds and came up with the non-traditional abstract master pieces that defines their artistic style today. They mastered painting what they saw, and then they began to paint what they felt. The same can apply to you and your personal style.

Once you know what works best for your body by following the guidelines, you can either keep things simple and leave it at that. Or, you can challenge yourself by bending the so called “rules”. The point is not to regress by deliberating wearing unflattering outfits in an effort to be creative and individualistic. That’s counterproductive. At the end of the day, our goal is still to look and feel good in what we wear. The challenge is to make a typically unflattering look, look flattering. And it can be done.

I like to challenge my body type guidelines because I enjoy trying something new. This keeps things interesting and after all, it’s my bread and butter.

Here are some of the ways I bend my own guidelines:

• Wearing V-necks and scooped necks: my long neck, regular bust size and bony chest looks best in high necklines (turtle, funnel, slash, mandarin or cru). Lower necklines end up making me look like an ostrich and my bony chest is unattractive. But by finding low necklines that are cut high at the shoulder neck point but low in front helps shorten my neck. Also, a chunky necklace or scarf adds just enough chest coverage to make the style work.
• Surrendering my waistline: I look best in form-fitting, waist- defining styles because they add curve to my straight-ish body. But I’m all over the deconstructed revived 80’s silhouettes of right now so I had to make them work too. For starters, I keep the bottoms extra sleek and the shoulders of the tops or jackets extremely tailored so that my ensemble is somewhat structured. I also add girly detailing like low heels, ruffles and pretty accessories to balance out the androgyny of the look.
• Wearing shorter length skirts and dresses: my shapeless legs look best in knee-length skirts that finish around the knee cap. But hemlines have been getting shorter and finding skirts long enough has been hard. But for the first time ever, I’m wearing hemlines five inches shorter than what I’m used to as long as I wear them with slouchy boots. That way I get extra coverage and a bit of volume around the lower leg area.

Sally from alreadypretty.com and I were telepathic last week as we both thought about tackling this subject at the same time. Sal’s great post entitled “figure flattery as a limiting factor” cuts straight to the chase and you should definitely have a squizz.

You’ve just been challenged to take a make a traditionally non-flattering item for your body type look flattering. I can’t wait to hear what you come up with.

Tucking in a top shortens your torso visually. If you have a longer than average torso, this creates balance. If you have a shorter than average torso, it will look even shorter. So people who have short torsos to begin with will generally look better with un-tucked tops.

If only it were that easy! Most of my clients, our forum members and people I see daily, irrespective of their waist length, leg length, body type and bust size, prefer to wear un-tucked tops. I do too. It’s just harder to make a tucked-in top look AND feel good. A tailored, un-tucked top is a lot more forgiving around the midriff, acts as an interesting layering vehicle and you can’t beat the comfort factor.

I have an average waist length and the only time I tuck my top into bottoms is when I wear a mid to high-waisted pencil skirt like you see in the picture below left. I’ll tuck my top into a pair of ‘80’s inspired high-waisted slouchy trousers too, once I get a pair. With a higher waisted bottom, my tucked top stays put and I feel hourglass-y. But in all other instances my tops, which are either form-fitting, belted or voluminous, are left un-tucked.

I don’t like to tuck tops into items with low rises like you see in the picture below right because the top moves all over the show and this drives me up the wall. I also don’t fancy the “blouson effect” of a tucked-in top on a low rise. It hides your waistline in an unappealing way, making you look blocky. Tucking-in a more waist defining top than the grey button down shown in the picture is an option, but only if you’re happy drawing attention to your midriff.

Occasionally I come across a client who prefers to tuck in her tops because it makes her feel less sloppy, especially if she’s wearing a suit. But once we’ve found tops that look flattering, dressy and appropriate un-tucked, there is a change of heart because of the advantages. How do you feel about tucking tops into bottoms? Is this something that you do? If so, what type of top do you tuck into bottoms? If not, why not?

Retail chains have a real challenge designing garments that will fit the wide range of body shapes out there. I was recently thinking about this variability and it reminded me of something I first heard from a school teacher when I was in primary school. When you reach adulthood, she said, your arm span will be almost the same as your height. Also, the length of your foot will be the same as the length of your forearm, measured from wrist bone and to elbow bone.

This sounded like it had the makings of a great Monday morning experiment here on YLF, so I decided to take my own measurements and ask you if you would like to do the same.

I know I have long arms, so I was convinced that my arm span would exceed my height. I stood against a wall and measured my height which came to 66 inches (167.5 cm). Next, I extended my arms and measured from middle finger tip to middle finger tip, allowing the tape measure to lie flat across the bottom of my neck. It came to 65 ½ inches (166 cm). To my surprise, I was wrong. My arm span is about half an inch shorter than my height. I re-measured but the results were the same. It turns out that I do have long arms for my size (long sleeved items are often a little short on the sleeve), but my dainty shoulder width decreases my arm span. It’s interesting that arm span can be a valid measure of height, particularly after puberty and before menopause when your height is pretty constant.

I then asked Greg to measure my forearm from wrist bone to elbow bone and it came to 9 ¾ inches (25 cm). I measured my own foot, being sure to measure the entire length of my foot by including the very tip of my longest toes and the back of my heel bone (which is above the ground when you are standing). My feet measured about 9 ¼ inches (23.5cm). Small-ish feet comes as no surprise.

Overall, my schoolteacher’s rules of thumb were pretty close in my case. How about you? If you’d like to take part in our little bit of research, take measurements of your height (standing straight against a wall, without shoes and not including hair), your arm span (finger tip to finger tip with arms stretched out horizontally), forearm length (for an arm bent at 90 degrees, from the end of the elbow to the middle of your protruding wrist bone) and foot length (from longest toe to the back of your heel).

Post your measurements in the comments below. Are you surprised? Are the results what you expected?

I’m going with yay: everyone can look good in sleeveless items of clothing. I don’t think you need to have slim, toned arms, or young firm skin to pull off a sleeveless garment. Plus sized actresses like Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson look stunning in sleeveless garments, as do woman over the age of 60 like Helen Mirren, Catherine Deneuve and Vera Wang.

Sleeveless items come in many styles so it’s a question of choosing wisely. The style you choose need not be strappy, sloppy or overly revealing. If you’re shy about showing the top parts of your arms, opt for silhouettes in sturdy, better-end fabrics with good underarm coverage, a fuller shoulder line and a modest neckline. Paying attention to these details makes all the difference.

I’m not saying that you must wear sleeveless garments. If you’re more comfortable covering your arms then that’s fine too. But on the off chance that you had your doubts, I hope you feel encouraged. Baring your arms is an ideal way to beat the heat.

I’m getting more and more frustrated with sleeve lengths in stores. Many of them just aren’t flattering. At one point, I thought I was being overly critical, but when Kendall Farr confirmed my suspicions in her latest book, Style Evolution, I felt that my frustrations were justified. Kendal says:

“Most manufacturers really don’t understand the flattering sleeve issue. Unless an arm is slim and toned, caps or lengths that draw a line across the bicep are fattening. I buy my favorite T-shirts in long sleeves and take them to my drycleaner to shorten to anywhere from just above to just below the elbow. Plays up a slim forearm; disguises the rest”

A sleek sleeve that ends around the elbow, as Kendal describes, is in my opinion the most flattering length of sleeve on any arm. It’s where the hem of the sleeve cuts the arm in half, or thereabouts, that makes visual sense. Long sleeves and sleeveless garments are flattering too. The former covers the arm completely, while the latter bares all, thereby creating equally long, lean lines.

And then there’s the rest. Sleeves that end at unflattering lengths somewhere between sleeveless and short sleeves are in abundance. And they are the most difficult sleeve lengths to wear! As much as I love to wear sleeveless garments and encourage others of all ages and sizes to do so as well, I realize that many women prefer to wear sleeves. And because retail is cap-sleeve-obsessed, this is what most women end up wearing, especially if a top fits well in every other respect. Not so fab.

Help us out retailers. Getting this right should be easy. You don’t need to stop producing cap sleeves – there are women who sport them beautifully. But variety is the spice of life, so offer a deeper assortment of flattering sleeve lengths and you’ll probably sell more items. I’m putting in a special request for elbow-length sleeves because they’re flop proof.

Hope our retailers are listening.

Most fashion stylists and wardrobe experts encourage structured clothing that defines the waistline. For the most part I wholeheartedly agree. Wearing tops, frocks and jackets that reveal the smallest part of the torso is instantly flattering. Wearing fairly streamlined empire cuts can have a similar flattering effect because the silhouette raises the waistline to another small part of the body (which is often right under the bust).

Three years ago the voluminous trend was one of the watershed changes in fashion that caught the world by storm. Volume can be interpreted in many ways: from wide legged trousers, billowing sleeves, banded tops, cascading cardigans and paper bag skirts, to trapeze jackets, sack dresses and harem pants. Half of the silhouettes with voluminous detailing allow you to keep your waistline, while the other half doesn’t. It’s the latter half that I’m particularly drawn to, and I’ve found that I’m in the minority.

From what I’ve seen on the streets, with my clientele and on our forum, wearing clothing that hides the waistline is not popular at all. As much as I try to encourage the look in a refined, polished and tailored way because it CAN be done, it’s usually met with resistance. Don’t get me wrong, I love a sleek, structured, form-fitting, flop proof hourglass silhouette as much as you do. But when it’s done properly, I enjoy an ensemble with an unstructured waistline just as much. It’s mod, retro, arty and totally liberating.

It’s not necessarily a question of body type either. The right waist-less item with your best neckline, at the correct short length, with a strong shoulder line, and in a fabric that drapes elegantly over the body will work on virtually anyone. I’ve seen short, busty, hourglass-y women pull off sack dresses with panache. As always, the devil is in the details.

It isn’t enough that a waist-less outfit can look fab. You need to feel fab too. And women are against hiding their waistlines because it makes them feel unattractive. Specifically: unpolished, dumpy, or boxy. Years and years of having “the defined waist” drummed into us has had a great effect.

How about you? Is your eye adjusting to the look?

I adore short drapey sack dresses like the ones that you see here. Fun to wear and very comfortable. I enjoy wearing them on their own, over skinnies or with leggings. I challenge you to give waist-less dressing a try.

The distance between the shoulders and the natural waist will vary, even among people who are the same size in other respects. If you are outside the norm and either “short waisted” or “long waisted“, it will be just a little harder to find clothes that are flattering because most clothes are designed for people with average proportions.

I find it relatively easy to judge this with my clients. I don’t apply any complicated formulas, but no doubt there is one built into my brain that has developed over years as a buyer and fashion stylist. I have noticed that other people often struggle to judge whether they are short or long waisted though. It is a frequent question on the YLF forum.

Imogen of Inside Out Style recently proposed a shortcut that appears to work quite well:

“A very quick and easy way to tell if you have a short waist is to stand up straight, and see if you can fit two hand widths under your bust to your waist (narrowest point). If you can fit more than two hand widths you have a long waist, less than two, a short waist”.

I can fit exactly two hand widths between my under bust and waistline, so I’m average according to Imogen’s method and this is in line my own assessment of being neither short or long-waisted. Over to you. How many hand widths can you fit between your under bust and waistline and is the result in line with your own assessment?

Atlanta based company PZI Jeans has just launched a unique collection of skinny jeans made for curvy women. PZI Jeans Co-Founder and Vice President, Claire Jason explains:

“The industry said curvy women should never wear skinny jeans or they would look like an ice cream cone, so many lines did not offer a skinny jean for curvy women. Initially we did not offer our customer the skinny jean either. But, our customers kept asking for the skinny jean. So we started researching, studied and developed the perfect Skinny Jean for curvy women,”

As a result, PZI Jeans has 10 different skinny jean fits and styles which are suited to women with waistlines, fuller hips and curvy bottoms. The fits are available in a variety of washes, sizes (4 to 16), and inseam lengths (30 to 38 inches). The jeans claim to be premium denim quality but at an affordable mainstream price of $69 to $79 . Promising!

I haven’t yet tested the product so I can’t vouch for the fit, but I like what I see. As someone who believes that the curvier lass can sport skinnies with style, I can’t wait to get one of these jeans onto a suitable client. But if you feel you fit the body type criteria for this brand, by all means have go. There are other denim silhouettes to choose from if skinny jeans aren’t your thing.

Note that PZI Jeans is an advertiser on YLF, but that didn’t factor into my decision to write this post. These skinnies for curvies really are a great idea.

Shapewear helps to flatten out our bodily lumps and bumps, and is effective for special occasions when we want to look our very best. But shapewear is also too hot, uncomfortable and time consuming to wear every day. Your alternative is to dress in ways that camouflage the “extra bits” around the midsection.

Here’s how:

1. Wear higher rise pants, jeans and skirts: This is probably one of the best ways to feel girdled and comfortable. Most of the time, the idea is that you wear tops over bottoms with higher rises, but sometimes you’ll get away with tucking a top into a high rise skirt and look quite svelte.
2. Wear a camisole: This offers a similar effect to shapewear with ten times the comfort.
3. Layer your clothing: It’s easy to conceal a midsection by layering a structured jacket, waistcoat or cardigan over a top because it draws attention away from the midriff. This strategy does require cooler weather, but it’s hands down the most effective.
4. Look for prints and texture: They have better “camouflaging capabilities” than tops with solid colours.
5. Select ruched tops: The effect of the folds is forgiving.
6. Select items that float away from the waistline: Think empire cuts (with or without gathers), banded tops and subtle trapeze silhouettes. Volume in the right place can be your friend.
7. Opt for woven tops: The rigidity of form fitting garments made of woven fabric will skim the contour of your body instead of clinging to it like jersey knit does.
8. Wear knitwear: Look for cotton, viscose and merino wool blends in fine gauge knitwear. Their thicker texture is less clingy than drapey jersey knit and therefore more flattering.
9. Wear dresses: Most fit-and-flares, some empire cuts, trapeze frocks and dresses with front and side ruching can work wonders to smooth out your silhouette, especially if printed.
10. Stand tall and be proud of your style: Good posture and confidence makes all clothing look better.

Do you have other strategies to share? Shapeless caftans and huge Muumuus don’t count. We want to see your cute shape in clothing.

Fit and flare dress layered with a cardigan, empire cut knitted mesh top and woven trapeze style blouse.

Knitted A-line voluminous top, ruched knitted mesh top and woven banded blouse.

Wearing structured clothing that defines the waistline is often flattering, but not when you’re self conscious about your midsection. On the other hand, your “extra bits” are effectively concealed when you’re all layered up with camisoles, tops and jackets, but that’s not as comfortable and airy as wearing a single layer.

The solution is the banded top. Although it has a roomy torso that hides the waist, the band reins in the volume and adds a tailored look. It’s forgiving and structured at the same time. A fab idea.

If I could provide a magic formula for selecting the perfect banded top, I’d shout it from the rooftops. But, like the elusive sweater dress, you’ll probably need to try several before you hit the jackpot. Hopefully these guidelines will help:

• Find your sweet spot: The hem of the band can end anywhere between hip bone and the top of the thigh, depending on the length of the top and how far it’s pulled down. Wearing the length a few inches above crotch point is a safe bet for shorter banded tops, but tunic styles need to be worn longer. Experiment with different banded top lengths, pulling each style both up and down until you find what works for you.
• Get the volume right: The beauty of the banded top lies in its voluminous mid riff that floats away from the waist line. That’s the part that makes it forgiving and comfortable. Look for tops with the right amount of volume: too much pouf and you’ll feel like a balloon; not enough and we’re back to tops that cling. Also, knits in this style tend to drape better than wovens, so look for those first.

I’ve seen the right banded top work on many body types, heights and sizes: from rectangles, adorable apples, inverted triangles, hourglasses and pretty pears, to petites, plus sizes and everything in between. It really depends on the style of the top and the rest of the outfit. So don’t brush past these styles in stores with the preconceived notion that they are unflattering. Keep your style evolving and give the banded top a bash. You might be pleasantly surprised.

The four on the left with dark backgrounds are shorter banded tops worn at hip bone length. The two on the right with light backgrounds are longer banded tops worn past the hip bone and as far down as the thigh. Remember to wear something sleek at the bottom when you sport volume on top (stick to boot cuts, skinnies, clamdiggers, straight legs or pencil skirts).