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.

If you’re going to go un-tucked, then tops that look good with skirts are not the same tops that look good with pants or jeans. Length is the key issue:

• Skirts look best with tailored tops that are shorter in length. This is especially true of A-line skirts where it’s imperative to accentuate the waistline (volume on top of volume doesn’t work). Keep the hem of the top on or just above hipbone depending on where the waist of the skirt sits on the body. A longer top worn out over skirts looks disproportionate and sloppy.
• Pants look best with tops that are 1 to 3 inches above crotch point (unless it’s a tunic, which is a completely different look). A longer vertical line is achieved, which is especially effective on pretty pear body types. You can find your personal best length with some experimentation. Height, torso length and thigh width come into play.

Occasionally you’ll get away with wearing a longer top with skirts by adding a waist-cinching belt. This shortens the length of the top and the right proportions fall into place. You could also tuck in a longer top. It’s a little harder to do, but there’s a lot of that going on this season. A topic for another day.

Shorter tops worn at flattering hipbone length with flared skirts.

A mannequin on display at Soma Intimates caught my attention last week. She was wearing super sleek underwear accompanied by the slogan “the one and only vanishing edge panty”. Curious, I went inside and found a whole slew of panties and shapewear in Soma’s “vanishing edge collection”. I promptly bought a pair of boy shorts to put them to the test.

They are fabulous. The leg openings are lined with an ultra thin layer of rubber to ensure that your undies stay put. And it really works. Ultra soft and breathable microfiber, a cotton gusset and an assortment of colours might make these knickers the answer to your thong-free days. They launder well and the rubberized finish has not irritated my sensitive skin. I’m chuffed.

The sales assistant suggested going up a size if you’re a little curvier on the derriere or thigh because panty lines can’t vanish if the rubber is too tight. I’m converted and have made use of their offer by getting 3 for $27. Here’s to no more panty lines.

I personally like the look and coverage of boy shorts, but there are many other options if that’s not your cup of tea. This collection is available online if you don’t have a Soma store nearby.

The site was looking a little cluttered after the addition of the store area on the right, so we fast-tracked a visual refresh that was already underway. Hopefully you’ll find that things flow a little better with the updated design.

We also used the opportunity to make a few changes to the forum. Most importantly, we added two new areas:

1. Your Body Type: This is a place to talk about your body type. How do you fit into the various classifications? Are there general rules you can follow when selecting items and putting together ensembles? Every body is unique, but there are also definitely shared attributes and lots of opportunities to share advice and experiences.
2. What You Wore Today: People were so excited by this topic that we thought we’d give it a home of its own. So if you don’t have your own site for posting your daily outfit (like Kasmira’s excellent blog), then you can do so here. Even if you do have your own site, feel free to post links on our forum. Please post each new outfit (or group of outfits) separately, and try to use a descriptive title.

We retired the poor old “Fashion Industry” area because it wasn’t getting much traffic, but all of its posts are still available under “Everything Else”. If you have any feedback, or problems that you would like to report, go ahead and use our brand new contact form.

The YLF forum is, as we say, going like a Boeing. A big thank you to existing forum members and a warm welcome to newbies. Your articulate, informative and passionate conversations increase the style quotient of this site.