Apparently so. A college student who was on her way from San Diego to Tuscon for a doctors’ appointment was asked to get off her flight because her outfit was too revealing. Kyla Ebbert sat down in her seat and just as the flight was about to take off, a flight attendant asked her to come to the front of the plane and (in front of the other passengers) told her that she would have to catch a later flight, in a different outfit. According to Kyla, he told her that Southwest was a family airline and she was “too provocative to fly on this flight”.

Embarrassed and desperate, Kyla asked what she could do to stay on board so that she could make her medical appointment (it was a day trip and she didn’t have any spare clothing). She asked for a blanket, covered herself up and managed to stay on what became a rather miserable flight.

There is no dress code policy on Southwest Airlines and Kyla is asking for a formal apology. Things were different when she flew back to San Diego a few hours later and a different flight attendant actually complimented on her outfit. Take a look at Kyla’s outfit on the MSNBC video and let us know what you think. Did Kyla cross a line? Should there be a line at all? And if so, how should it be enforced?

Choosing the correct transitional accessories for your ensemble as your wardrobe moves from Summer to Autumn is a quick and inexpensive route to go. Some ideas:

• Scarf: This was the most popular bridging item that I saw people wearing when we lived in France. I was amazed at how the scarf (worn in the same manner as in the picture below) was the first “clothing item” that you’d see adorning outfits as temperatures started to cool. While I would gravitate towards a cardigan or jacket, in Paris it’s all about wearing the scarf before you wear the cardigan or jacket. Add a beautiful bulky scarf to a fairly plain ensemble and look like a Parisian.
• Hat: Headgear is particularly popular in Europe and is often worn together with a scarf before the addition of a jacket. Sporting a scarf along with the hat is not a necessity – hats can make quite a statement on their own.
• Closed shoes: Storing your sandals and adding closed shoes to your outfits (like the new Oxford) is an easy change. However, adding hose to peep-toe shoes is also a trendy look and good for Autumn.
• Hose: Whether it’s hose or leggings, add them to existing skirts and dresses and change the mood of your outfit. Ribbed, patterned, coloured, opaque or sheer, they’ll all work depending on the level of drama that you want to create. It’s very fashionable to add black opaque tights and heels to a Summery dress at the moment.
• Handbag: Switch back to your “cold weather” bag if you chose to keep your handbag selection to a complement of 3. Structured bags are a good choice for Autumn because they denote a level of seriousness that somehow works with the turning of the season. Away with whimsical wicker and onto solemn fun.

I can’t stress enough how “accessories” make the outfit. They remain one of the most effective ways to accomplish a stylish appearance.

Scarfs and hats are ideal ways of adding the Autumn touch to an existing outfit.

I giggle every time I hear the word “vest”. Where I come from a vest is an undergarment, and the thing I’m talking about in this post is called a “waistcoat”. (Of course, this isn’t quite as funny as the time in France when I told my hairdresser that I loved her pants, only to discover after much hilarity in the salon that thanks to my broken French, I had complimented her underwear.)

Waistcoats, or vests, traditionally make up the third piece in a mens three-piece suit and are once again all the rage for women this season. This androgynous trend was rampant in the ‘80’s, popular last year, and is even bigger right now. Waistcoats are absolutely perfect over a white shirt, matched with wide-leg pinstripe slacks and Oxford shoes. But funk things up little and wear a waistcoat over all sorts of Summer blouses, collared shirts and knitted tops. They’ll even work over the odd Summer dress. Think laterally with your outfits and add an eclectic edge to your Summer look with a Winter waistcoat.

Tailored waistcoats or vests with crisp white shirts make for a sassy business casual look. Short sleeved shirts and blouses will work just as well.

Adding a cardigan is one way of layering up Summer dresses, but there are more interesting options if you have the right pieces. Here’s how to create the look:

• Pop a shirt, blouse or better-end knitted T-shirt under a plain-ish dress (sheath, A-line, sack or empire). I’ve used a black sack dress to illustrate below, but you could experiment with a subtle pattern. Jersey dresses will also work if they stand away from the body from the waist down. Dresses that cling will show through the extra layer which is not ideal.
• Add the right jacket. This is a little trickier then you might expect. An ultra cropped jacket (like a bolero) or knee–length trench will work over most dress styles and won’t look frumpy. Anything else you’ll need to test buttoned and unbuttoned and judge whether it works.
• Cinch in your waist with a wide belt for an extra bit of shape and sass.
• Finish it off with leggings and you’ll have an updated look for Autumn.

These versatile layering options are the perfect way of adding a new dimension to your office look if you’re stuck in a pants rut. They can be interpreted in a modern-classic or trendy manner depending on your fashion persona.

A black of-the-moment sack dress and various layering options – blouses, a shirt and a knitted top.