When I ran this poll on YLF many years ago, it was an easy victory for Team Waist Definition. But since then, fluid and oversized fits with varying degrees of slouch in tops, knitwear, pants and dresses have become fashionable and trendy. Even flooding the market. Slowly but surely, clothing with waist definition is coming back on trend (although it never went out of style). The assortment of both structured and unstructured silhouettes at retail is once again looking balanced.

You are on Team Waist Definition if you prefer to wear outfits that showcase your waistline, thereby adding structure to the outfit. Waist definition usually means that you enjoy sporting the narrowest part of your torso because it creates a silhouette that makes you feel fabulous. Defining your waist can be extreme, like wearing body-con clothing, a fit-and-flare dress, a belted coat, or tucking a top into bottoms that are tailored on the waist. Or it can be subtle, like semi-tucking a fluid or oversized top into bottoms with a mid or low rise. Either way, outfits with waist definition can add professional polish to your look, create curves, accentuate curves, create positive body image, and make you feel more streamlined in your outfit.

You are on Team Waist Surrender if you prefer to wear outfits that do not draw attention to your waistline. You wear cuts that are trapeze, A-line, boxy, draped or straight, and use the fluid or oversized volume of the garment to hide the silhouette of the midsection. Waist-surrendering outfits are extremely comfortable and forgiving of midsection extra bits. No need for shapewear or worrying about a belly that expands during the day. Waist-surrendering outfits can look arty, architectural, avant-garde and interesting, thereby making you feel confident and fabulous.

I love wearing both. I thoroughly enjoy extreme waist definition by wearing fit-and-flare dresses, body-con knitwear, belted trench coats, and fully tucking tops into tailored skirts, trousers and high-rise skinnies. I enjoy subtle waist definition by semi-tucking fluid tops into all sorts of bottoms. But I also enjoy wearing straight shift and shirt dresses, cocoon coats, the occasional sack dress, boxy untucked cropped tops, and fluid untucked tops. So I’m benched with the very best seeded Dutch bread, Dutch cheese, Irish butter, cherry tomatoes, a rocket salad, and cold fresh mango for dessert.

Over to you. Do you bat for Team Waist Definition or Team Waist Surrender? Tell us why, and no batting for both teams, but feel free to join me on the bench.

A new outfit from Kimberly Smith of Penny Pincher Fashion, whom we introduced to YLF in October 2013.

Kimberly plays with texture and pattern in this polished casual Summer look. The mixed stripe culottes immediately catch the eye thanks to the horizontal and vertical placement of the black and white stripes.Pairing them with a simple fitted tank lets the statement bottoms do all the talking. Tucking the top lengthens the leg line from the hips up. Pairing the outfit with on-trend slides feels fresh, plus the white footwear bookends our blogger’s tank top. Her semi-circular bamboo bag adds textural interest, echoes the striped culottes, and amps up the Summer vibe. Accessorizing with delicate gold-toned necklaces, bangle bracelet and drop earrings adds polish. Red-rimmed sunnies and lavender nail polish are the playful finishing touches.

You are on Team Summer Polish when you paint your toenails a colour all Summer long. You are on Team Summer Naked Nails when you don’t varnish your nails at all, or use clear polish. NOTE: this poll is about your SUMMER toenail style, so don’t include your Winter toenail preference when you might leave toenails to breath au naturel.

I’m very curious to hear your preference along with where you live. When I was in the fashionable, stylish and trendy Amalfi Coast earlier this Summer, I noticed how very few women had painted toenails (and fingernails for that matter). It was extremely crowded with locals and tourists, yet if I saw two women a day with colourful toes – it was a lot. It’s Team Summer Naked Nails on that side of the world. Generally feet were well-groomed, but it was au naturel or clear polish all the way. This was not what I expected.

When I was in Velp visiting my Dad or in London visiting family over the Summer – I noticed a similar thing. There are very few women with painted toenails. I’m not sure if it’s a regional Euro thing or a new Naked Nail trend. Most of my clients and friends here in Seattle have painted Summer toenails. It’s also very common to see painted toenails on the street.

I used to paint my toenails a pearly white, but haven’t for a couple of years because my nails started reacting negatively to the polish. I have regular pedicures, but use a clear nail strengthener instead of coloured polish. It adds a subtle shine and makes my feet look well-groomed. I missed my pearly white polish in the first six months, but have grown to prefer my colour-free nails. I also felt on trend batting for Team Summer Naked Nails when on holiday in Italy. I might never go back to painting my toenails.

Over to you. Do you bat for Team Summer Polish or Team Summer Naked Nails? Is it the norm to see coloured toenail polish in your neck of the woods?

This outfit formula showcases strategy #8 for lengthening the leg line with flats, which is to wear dresses with waist definition. This styling strategy is especially effective with knee-length and midi dresses, where the hemlines are longer and the tendency to feel short-legged is greater. 

The narrowing of the silhouette at the natural waist visually raises the length of the leg line from the hips upward making your legs go on for miles in flats. The definition at the waist creates outfit structure, adding a streamlined effect.

Fit-and-flare dresses are frocks with fitted torsos that flare out on the lower half of the body. The volume of the flare varies from gentle to extreme. Here are four fit-and-flare dresses worn with a very specific style of flat called a mule (a slip-on shoe with a closed front and open back).

1. Low-Contrast Mules

Here’s a Modern Classic and Retro fit-and-flare frock in a bright, high-contrasting colour. Its midi length is elegant. You might think it’s begging for heels, but I think it’s begging for dressy flats, and was thrilled to see it styled that way. A flat mule is dressier than a flat sandal which suits the vibe of the dress, AND is the more fashionable and trendy choice. Here it’s been styled with flat white mules which are low contrast to the model’s skin tone thereby making her lower leg look longer. I LOVE how the classic dress has been made to look very 2018 with this choice of footwear. The white mules can be complemented with a white bag, jewellery, or eyewear.

2. High-Contrast Mules

The lovely gothic and boho midi fit-and-flare has a harder edge to it because of all the black. Here it has been combined with black mules, which are high contrast to the model’s skin tone. Waist definition draws the eye upward from the hips thereby lengthening the leg line, which offsets the high-contrast effect of the flat mules.

Generally high-contrast mules shorten the leg line, but in this case it works because there is a lot of black in the dress. The black is further complemented by the bag. 

3. Column of Colour

This is an example where the dress and mules are a similar colour and BOTH are low contrast to the model’s skin tone. The tonal effect creates an elongating column of colour where the leg line is lengthened by default.

4. Raised Hemline and High-Contrast Mules

Raising the hemline of the dress — even just a couple of inches — increases the length of the lower leg. The definition at the waist of the dress increases the length of the legs from the thighs upward. Both lengthening strategies temper the shortening effect of the high-contrast snakeskin mules. The dark bits in the pattern of the mules have the added advantage of bookending the hair of the model, which pulls the look together.

Fit-and-flare dresses are my favourite and I love wearing them at a midi length. The waist definition panders to my need for structure, while the voluminous bottom panders to my need for fun swoosh, elegance and practical movement. I’ve so enjoyed wearing them with flat white and patterned lemon mules this Summer. Here are my Summer fit-and-flares and the two pairs of mules I’ve paired with them. I finished off the outfits with white pearls, eyewear and either a matched or mismatched bag.

You might need a moment to adjust to the combination, so my suggestion is to just walk out the door and wear it. You’ll probably come back home a convert, because it’s easy, comfortable and fresh.

Anyone else enjoying fit-and-flare frocks worn with flat mules?