Many of my clients aspire to looking elegant in their outfits. I also aspire to that, so I’ve thought quite hard about what it means to me. What makes an outfit elegant is extremely subjective. Elegance means different things to different people. I’ll share what I think and I’m curious about the extent to which your thoughts will coincide with mine.

First, it can be argued that elegance has little to do with the outfit, and more to do with the manner, poise, posture, elocution, movement, grace and confidence of the wearer. That’s definitely one component of elegance, but an elegant outfit goes a long way too.

Second, elegance is NOT a dress size, length of hair, type of complexion, age or height. Elegance is a package deal and a sum of many parts. Some of the most elegant people I know are below 5ft tall, plus sized, or over the age of 70. I do think that elegance comes more easily with age, because of the ease and confidence that grows within as you get older.

Third, elegance can be achieved with patterned, non-neutral, bold and bright wardrobe items. Keeping things solid, quiet and neutral is not a prerequisite for an elegant outfit, although that might be your preference.

I’ve narrowed it down to a few specifics that, to my eye, up the elegance quotient of an outfit.

1. Longer Hem Lengths on Skirts & Dresses

Somehow, leg coverage, and particularly knee coverage, looks more elegant. Skirts and dresses that finish somewhere between the bottom of the kneecap and four inches above the ankle bone look the most elegant. Extra long floor-sweeping lengths for formal occasions are extremely elegant, but are very impractical and therefore worn infrequently.

2. Softness and Structured Fluidity

It is a delicate balance to achieve a good amount of structure with just the right amount of fluidity in an elegant outfit. For example, a very structured body-con dress looks less elegant than a gently tailored sheath, shirt dress, or fit-and-flare frock. It’s that ease of movement or bit of “swoosh” in the dress or skirt that creates elegance. The same can be said for an elegant trouser or jeans outfit that is neither too tight nor too slouchy. If the bottoms are tailored, the top can have movement, and vice versa.

In terms of softness, I mean looks that are not too hard-edged or severe. But that doesn’t mean you have to wear white and pastels. You can wear black and darks, but the fabrics and textures of the garments must look soft, sheer and pretty. An all-black outfit can also be complemented with sparkly bling and lighter footwear and accessories.

3. Dainty Footwear

Footwear with a refined and somewhat dressy appearance, as opposed to being casual, tough, sporty, rugged or chunky, tends to look more elegant. Pointier toe boxes, narrower heels, gentle block heels, shoes without platforms, narrower laces, narrower straps, and smaller buckles. Footwear needn’t be high-heeled or close-toed to look elegant. Dressy flats, low heels and all sorts of elegant sandals do exist.

4. Dressiness

You can absolutely look elegant in a casual outfit, but there has to be a component of dressiness to it. Whether you’re adding a blazer or dressy top and refined shoes to jeans, sporting a structured casual dress with dressy flats, wearing a kaftan over a bikini, or gliding along in wide linen crops and cropped blouse with flat sandals – the dressy element is present and adding elegance to a relaxed outfit.

5. Finishing Touches

Elegant outfits seem to have important finishing touches, like a gently made-up face that adds polish and radiance to your appearance, relatively neat and well groomed hair, and some accessory bling (even if it’s just a pair of diamond studs). Well cared for hands and feet with or without nail polish is a good finishing touch too.

Again, these are my musings and they probably differ from yours, so over to you. How do you define elegance through outfits?

German Birkenstocks have been around for years and for good reason. Their very supportive and comfortable footbeds are a hit with a certain type of foot: high volume, wide all over, with high arches and insteps. Visually though, Birkenstocks are quite the acquired taste. Their overtly casual, chunky, and somewhat masculine appearance make them the antithesis of a traditionally pretty and refined sandal. As a result, Birkies have sometimes been described as unstylish, dowdy and unattractive shoes in the past.

Of course, fashion is fickle, and before we know it, a so-called unattractive aesthetic has its fashion moment and becomes the next “it” look. This is exactly what happened with Birkenstocks’ most recognizable and somewhat iconic style, the “Arizona”, about four years ago. I enjoy it when trends do this to items and looks that have been given a bad rap in the past because it creates a more diverse and inclusive world of fashion and style.

Since fashion fads no longer exist and almost anything goes these days — items like the Arizona Birkenstock are what I call a Trendy Modern Classic. They are a somewhat timeless and reliable classic that you can turn to season after season. They are no longer the trendiest shoe in fashion, but will probably be in style for some time to come.

I grew up with men, women and children in my Dutch family all wearing Birkenstocks (or slip-on sandals that look very much like the Arizona.) My Dad wore his with long socks and shorts in the ‘70s, and continues to wear a German Birkie lookalike as a house shoe at age 86. I didn’t think of them as an unattractive shoe back then, but rather as a practical Euro sandal that is comfy and good for your feet.

When the Arizona Birkie had its fashion moment, I grew to like them even more because they came in white, metallic and fun colours and patterns that make them look prettier. They are not the sandal for me because my low-volume feet are a bad match for the Birkenstock fit. I also prefer a daintier and dressier shoe for my style, unless it’s a sneaker. But I enjoy seeing an Arizona Birkenstock on a well-matched foot shape with a casual outfit, and preferably without socks. I enjoy that the sandal is unisex and can be worn at any age. A pedicured foot makes a Birkie look even better.

Over to you. Do you like, or have grown to like the look of the Arizona Birkenstock? Does it suit your style and shape of foot? And if it’s not your look, can you appreciate it on others?

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ends at midnight on Sunday August 5, so make sure you’ve had a peek if you want to participate before prices go back up on Aug 6. We create a special area on the YLF forum where members showcase their potential purchases along with excellent discussion. It’s a good way to see items worn across a range of body types and age groups, as well as get detailed input about sizing and quality.

I usually do well at the NAS and this year was no exception. I bought ten items across a range of wardrobe items and price points. I put the lion’s share of my budget into footwear, threw in a wild card, prioritized the pretty, was careful with black, added earthy browns, and found another two smashing midi dresses with waist definition and sleeves. I’m so enamoured with the 1901 midi Shirtdress in navy, that I plan to duplicate it in either red or a light blue stripe.

All the Top Picks

Here are the full collections of my top picks of the sale. If you follow the links below you can read my notes for each item. Feel free to ask further questions in the comments section too.

• Footwear
• Jackets, Coats & Vests
• Knitwear & Tops
• Dresses
• Skirts, Pants and Jeans
• Accessories, Lounge & Active Wear

I hope you’ve had a good experience at this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

I’ve yet to buy one, but every Summer when temperatures start rising above 77° F, I’m seriously tempted by kaftans as a breezy loungewear option and work-from-home outfit.

Bonus: These days kaftans aren’t just for lounging around the house or covering up your swimwear anymore either, they make excellent Summer dresses for all sorts of occasions.

The Guardian posits that “the kaftan is the new political fashion statement to make.”

Alyson from That’s Not My Age has tips on where to find a good kaftan. I love the asymmetrical lines of this kimono kaftan dress she links to in her blog post.

One of my favourite images is this photo of Grace Kelly with vintage camera, sporting a Pucci kaftan.

Need inspiration on how to wear one yourself? Then have a peek at these Pinterest images.

Fab Links from Our Members

B. Jones Style and KarenBritChick are two YouTube channels that put Shevia in a good mood and remind her of the joy of dressing. She is a long-time fan of their blogs as well.

Some of you may remember that we featured Beth of B. Jones Style in our Outstanding Outfit Bloggers series 5 years ago too.

Vildy also follows KarenBritChick and likes Emma Hill’s YouTube channel as well: “Even though I have most physical characteristics opposite to her and a completely opposite style, I love her style and her terrific personality.”

Meanwhile, Joy has been enjoying the videos by Danish fashionista Signe, like this one about how to look good in loungewear.