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).

I was surprised and delighted that the second flop-proof formula for Moms on the go went down as well as the first. I never expected casual skirts to be a hit. The third and final look in this series is about the casual dress. I expect this outfit to resonate less than the first two because dresses are often thought of as fussy and impractical.

Here are the new elements:

• Casual dress: You’re after a casual A-line day dress that finishes at the knee. Machine washable knits that hang dry are the easiest to maintain (polyester or poly blends). Woven cotton, cotton blends and linens are lovely but require ironing and are therefore more effort. By all means wear rayon and silk blends if you’re prepared to take laundry to the cleaners.
• Camisole: Add a cami for coverage if the neckline is too low. It can also act as an interesting colour vehicle.

The rest of the formula is identical, but I’ll reiterate it here for convenience:

• The best bra: Remember to refit annually or when your weight has changed significantly.
• Cropped cardigan: It’s often chilly in the morning, later at night, or in the air-conditioning. Adding a cropped cardi keeps the silhouette structured yet unfussy. It’s also easy to fold up and pop into a tote.
• Fab flats: Casual ballet flats, thong sandals, strappy comfort sandals, gladiators, slip-on sneakers, espadrilles or low wedges will do the trick. Stay away from anything too clumpy. There’s nothing stopping you from wearing a bit of a heel if you can run around in them. You know I draw the line at flip flops unless you’re in the appropriate setting.
• Handbag: Keep it healthy and make the size and shape work for you. A flat tote is the obvious choice, but if you need both hands free to attend to little ones, a sling bag is the solution.
• Accessories: If you wear specs sort them out first because they are your most important accessory. If you wear a watch, that’s next. Go for something with personality. Choose between statement necklaces or earrings but don’t wear both at the same time.

Breezy dresses are great for hot weather. They are one item of clothing to think about in the morning  (separates are two or more). A-line dresses are particularly good on pear shaped body types and a must on curvier gals. Would you sport this casual look?

You don’t need to be a stay-at-home-Mum to apply these dressing formulas. They’ll work for any casual setting. I singled out “Moms on the go” because I receive a huge volume of requests for this niche of lifestyle dressing. Remember not to get too hung up on the specific items I’ve posted if they’re not to your taste. Apply the formula according to your fashion persona and Bob’s your uncle.

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.

The 80’s party was great and everyone looked fabulous. Thanks for joining in and making an effort to come in costume (80’s outfits were like costumes). In the process I learned a few things about America in the 80’s, from  Jean Nate and Love’s Baby Soft, to Ciao bags, Capezio shoes and Sweet Valley High.

The competition was tough, but here are the outfits that tickled me the most:

• 1st place is a tie between Keri and Antje. Your outfits are so OTT I can hardly stand it.
• 2nd place goes to Diane whose black buffalo check jumpsuit finished me off. To think that her son borrowed this outfit for his own costume party sent me into orbit.
• 3rd place goes to Dani, whose collegiate preppy Benetton look with Madonna touches brought back loads of memories. My Mum also loathed the rolled down socks.

Congratulations YLF’ers! As we saw in Style.com’s Fall trend report, the 80’s trend is far from over.