I’m regular height at 5 feet 6 inches, but people sometimes think I am shorter than that. In fact, on more than one occasion a salesperson has told me I that should look in the petites area (implying that they thought I was around 5′ 3″). I asked Greg whether I look shorter than my height to which he said, “No, you look like your height”. But he also reminded me that I rarely wear heels and when I do, they are seldom above two inches. So maybe that’s why some people think I’m petite. They assume that I’m wearing heels.

Greg also said that when I wear 3 inch heels I seem MUCH taller than normal, and that he always has to get used to my elevated height on those occasions. I wonder if people would think I was tall if I regularly wore 3 inch heels.

I find it quite easy to accurately assess the height of others in real life, whether they wear heels or flats. I tend to misjudge height in photographs though. For example, when our forum members post their outfit pictures, I’m amazed when some ladies who look regular height are actually around 5 feet, while others who are almost 6 feet look shorter. So interesting! I’m sure there are some body types that naturally seem taller or shorter than others.

How good are you at accurately assessing a person’s height both in real life and on photographs? Do you find that people assess your height correctly?

Casual maxi skirts are trending for Spring 2011 and there are only two instances where I vote yay for the item:  when you’re required to cover up head to toe for religious and spiritual reasons, or when they form part of a national and cultural dress code like they often do in India and Malaysia. For the rest I vote nay.

I just can’t rationalize an ankle length skirt in a casual ensemble. Long skirt silhouettes scream formal wear to me and that’s the only way I can see it. This is a completely subjective opinion, but I’d much rather see a bit of leg when you sport an outfit with a relaxed vibe.

On the other hand, I love uber formal maxi skirts. Carolina Herrera’s creations spring to mind, especially when she pairs one of her killer white blouses with an impeccably cut fish tail creation. I also adore interestingly designed calf-length skirts when worn in fun arty ways. Think of those All Saints skirts that look amazing when matched with edgy jackets and boots. At least we can see a little more of the leg that way!

Bottom line: I will absolutely not be wearing casual maxi skirts this season. What’s your verdict?

I am NOT a dressy flared leg trouser gal, but I love, love, love the Sloane fit black textured flare from Banana Republic. Ladies, these pictures do not do the style justice at all. They look boring, a little short on the model, and you can’t see the subtle texture of the fabric so please don’t give up on them yet.

The wide waistband is girdling and the flared leg is flattering. But the best thing about these trousers is the welted front pockets and the comfortable “power stretch” of the wow fabric. It’s thick, substantial, interesting and recovers well. Their perfect drape skims over the body and holds everything in place with the right amount of structure. No awfully lumpy side entry pockets and pocket linings. Amazing!

At $89.50 full price they run true to size and are available from sizes 00 to 16 across petite, regular and tall. If you’re after a pair of classic dressy trousers, make sure you try these too. They are definitely a step up from average black dress pants.

Note that this post contains affiliate links and this product is in the YLF store.

Do you keep a style journal, a style scrapbook, or some other record of your own outfit combinations? Do you grab and save killer outfit images off the internet so that you can refer back to them later for inspiration? Many of my clients do, hoping to reinvent similar looks using their own wardrobe components.

As part of my service to clients we have a productive “create session”, spending a few hours putting together super duper outfit combinations. We try to cover as much of the wardrobe as possible, incorporating the new with the old. We think of fresh ways to wear existing pieces and include footwear and accessories in every outfit. Clients actually try on the combinations throughout the create session to make sure that they work. We snap pictures of the outfits for easy reference.

Some clients print the outfit photos on huge posters that they stick on the inside of their wardrobe doors. Some have the photos complied into booklets. Some add the outfit photos to their existing style scrap books. And some keep the outfits saved on a CD-ROM or their computer’s hard drive, ready for retrieval when the need arises.

In recent years, using an iPhone to snap pictures of outfits during a create session has become the way to go. That way the outfits can be retrieved for inspiration at any time, on the bus ride back home perhaps, or standing in line at the bank or grocery store. How’s that for maximizing time efficiency when deciding what you’re going to wear the next day.

As a fashion stylist I am in a somewhat unique position when it comes to documenting inspiration for my own outfits. I am constantly, constantly absorbing street fashion and what I see in stores, in the media, and on the Internet since this is my bread and butter. I don’t keep a style journal, collect magazine pictures, or grab images off the internet. I don’t take pictures of my outfits unless they are for a blog post. And I don’t write down potential outfit combinations either. It sounds absurd but I rely completely on my memory for inspiration. I think it works because I am engrossed in the subject matter for most of my waking hours. I feel like I AM a walking style scrap book!

There is one thing I do that helps me keep outfit combinations straight in my head. When I add a new item of clothing or footwear, I will spend time in my closet with that item making sure I have found the best combinations. That way I know exactly how to wear the item when the urge strikes me – which is often as soon as possible.

Most books on style suggest that having some form of scrapbook is essential. Although I have seen them work wonders, I also know people who do very well without one. How about you? Do you document your style inspiration and outfit combinations? If so, how do you do it, and what are the benefits you see?