Knot a Long Dress to Add Structure

Sometimes, when you’re wearing a long Summer knitted T-shirt dress or a woven one in a similar silhouette, it’s oh-so-comfy, breezy and easy, but can feel a bit shapeless. If it’s A-line or has side slits, you can tie a knot in one of the front corners. This creates an interesting asymmetrical hemline with a magical diagonal line. It shortens and tapers the hemline a little, and adds an interesting touch. These small visual changes add effective structure to the silhouette.

Here the same dress is shown in blue and red. The red version on the right has had the front corner of the hem knotted. The unknotted blue looks great too. But in case you prefer the silhouette with a little more structure, you can try tying the knot. The knotting trick can work with tunics too.

The knot leaves hectic creases when unknotted so you have to commit to wearing the dress with the knot until it needs the laundry. Or press out the creases. I know some readers are knotting dresses and tunics already, because I’ve seen members of the YLF forum do it with panache.

The Most Important Component

There is lots to consider before a wardrobe item earns a place in your wardrobe and style. Is it the right colour, size, length, fit and silhouette? Can it be altered to fit? Do you like the fabric? Is the item easy to launder? Has it been sustainably and ethically produced? Is it comfortable and practical? Does it work for your climate and lifestyle? Is it in line with your style moniker and aspirational style? Is the price point within your means? Is it on your shopping list?  Is it on your “do not buy” list? Does it work well with existing items? Is it unnecessary duplication? Does it fill a wardrobe hole? Is it more of the same? Is it enough of a change? Is it within your comfort zone? Does it work in your environmental norm? Does it work for the intended occasion? Do you like it, or love it? Do you feel great in it? Does it make you happy? 
 
These are the types of questions we might ask ourselves before we commit to purchasing or keeping a wardrobe item.
 
This got me thinking about whether there is ONE component about a wardrobe item that is more important than the rest. At first I thought it was the fabric. But that’s not the case, although it’s a close second. For me, it’s the colour. And by colour I mean both neutrals and non-neutrals. A potentially perfect wardrobe item in the wrong colour(s) is a non-starter for me. It doesn’t matter how many of the boxes it ticks, I will not be happy wearing the item if the colour isn’t just right. This accounts for the numerous incredible items I have left on retail racks because they were black or grey. 
 
This doesn’t mean that the colour is the only important component. Not by a long shot. But it’s the part I cannot change. And since assorted colours in just the right shades feature heavily in my style, I have to be strict about keeping certain colours in, certain colours out, and making sure that things match. Some people will venture into fun DIY dying projects to create the right colour for an item, but I am not that person. Instead, I will wait patiently for the right item in the right colour to come along. 
 
Over to you. What is the most important component of a wardrobe item for you? I’m pretty sure that answers will vary because what is important to one person, is not as important to another.

Inconsistent Fits Across Colourways and Time

I sometimes purchase the same item in multiple colours, because if an item works well, I milk it. There is something about the uniformity and repetition of the item weaving through my look that I find appealing. It’s also a time and energy saver, and usually a low-risk wardrobe addition. The strategy works well until one of the colours doesn’t hold up as well as the others. It could be a quality issue, or with footwear, it’s often a comfort issue.

For example, I have three pairs of the same Banana Republic Essential leather sneakers. I bought the white with the pink soles three years ago. They were extremely comfortable from their first wear, so a year later I bought the citron. They aren’t quite as comfortable because the leather is slightly less soft in the different colour. But they are comfortable and I wear them a lot.

A year after that, I needed to replace a basic pair of wardrobe essential white sneakers, and bought the same pair in white, thinking they would be as comfy as the original pair with the pink soles. They weren’t. After a couple of wears, the white kept rubbing my heels despite the addition of Moleskin and Body Glide. They were also a little shorter in exactly the same size. These were not fit issues I noticed when I tried them on before committing to them. I eventually passed on the white pair because I couldn’t make them sufficiently comfortable.

The lesson here is that the same item in a different colour can fit quite differently. Especially when the items are bought a year or two apart like these sneakers. The manufacturer of an item can change, and so can the fabric, which alters the fit. I need to be more careful about this, and maybe purchase my multiples in the same season — budget permitting — when fits might be more consistent. That said, I’ve been purchasing the same style of ECCO Soft 7 sneakers for years across multiple colours, and the fits are perfectly consistent and equally comfortable year after year. I guess ECCO has a much stricter quality control team, and the items are probably produced by the same manufacturer. That helps.

When I love a pair of blue jeans, I sometimes look to see if they have the same style in white. When they do, I try the white pair too. Often the white jeans don’t fit as well as the blue because the fabric is a little different. The lengths can vary too. Inconsistent fits across the same item in multiple colours can be annoying. As far as you can, check how well items fit before you commit to multiple colours. Sometimes, one colour will fit better than the others.

Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

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Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

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Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

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Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

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Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

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Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

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Fashion News Roundup: August 2021

A new Pinterest feature, Target’s designer collaborations for Fall 2021, and more news from the style trenches in August.

Fun Fashion Quote

 I like Ayana Lage’s take on body neutrality:

“When I found the body positivity movement, I was really energized by it. But because I’m so hard on myself, I immediately felt like a fraud: I can’t call myself body positive if I don’t love every inch of my body every single day. Then I discovered the concept of body neutrality. Instead of focusing on finding yourself beautiful, it’s realizing that beauty isn’t one of your most important qualities. How you look doesn’t impact you’re worth as a human. That shift has helped me in how I view myself during pregnancy, too. Instead of trying to feel positive about going up a size, I spend less time thinking about my body overall.”

Outfit Formula: Soft Green

By soft greens I mean shades of sage, mint, seafoam, and very light versions of teal. These types of greens are not as earthy as shades of light olive. Some tones are more blue, some more green, and some more grey. Inge likes to wear these types of greens when they aren’t too yellow. In fact, when we met Inge for the first time in Belgium thirteen years ago, she was wearing a column in this soft shade of green, and looked smashing! Lovely with her dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and cool-toned complexion. I have since then called these greens, “Inge’s greens.”

Some find soft greens versatile. They are good worn with tones of each other, and with neutrals like white, black, navy, pearl grey, light charcoal, and denim blue.

I have one item in this colour, and it’s an old seafoam leather jacket. It’s a little more green than the photo, and it’s not my best colour because it lacks a clear and crisp integrity. A saturated light blue version is a more flattering match on my skin tone. But I love it, and simply wear it with clear and crisp colours like white, denim blue, citron, and navy. My red specs liven things up too. 

On to some outfit ideas.

1. Column of Colour with Silver

Wearing tones of the same colour is yummy to my eye, especially in more unexpected colours like these soft greens. It allows you to make a strong statement in a subtle way. Here, casual lantern pants are paired with a turtleneck. Super comfy and relaxed. A topper in a similar colour goes over the top. The silver bag and sneakers add a glam and punchy touch, and keep the outfit light.

Column of Colour with Silver

2. White, Tan and Snakeskin

Here is a dressier version with neutrals and a pattern. White adds a crisp and clear touch to the soft green. Note how well the pattern works with the green topper despite the fact that green is not repeated in the pattern. That’s because the white in the pattern matches the white of the bottoms, which pulls the outfit together. The model’s green eyes that match the green topper helps too. The tan in the pattern is repeated in the tan sandals, toenail polish, and bag, thereby further creating a cohesive look. Elegant.

White Tan and Snakeskin

3. Light Teal

This is a more playfully tailored rendition. Again tonal, but with the addition of a darker toned topper. Combine a soft green top and bottom. A classic button-down is tucked into a pair of on-trend wide crops. A complement of silver sneakers and belt adds magpie shine and keeps the palette light. The swingy cocoon shape of the topper adds an architectural touch. Its volume is tempered by the low contrast of the outfit. I particularly like the pseudo twinset-effect of top and topper. Choose light-coloured boots or loafers if sneakers are not your thing.

Light Teal

4. With Black

Wearing soft greens, or any pastel, with black instantly toughens it up. Creating a column of black with a soft green topper looks particularly fabulous on this black-haired model, with bookended black boots. This is a fab body-con dress. Feel free to create a column of black with components that are to your taste. One of my salt & peppered hair clients chose to wear a casual light grey dress with her soft green topper, and finished things off with white sneakers and a silver bag. She looked delicious! The silver hoops here are a gorgeous trendy classic touch, and match the silver hardware of the jacket.

With Black