When stylish outfits aren’t conventionally flattering, but still attractive and fun, they are often what I call just flattering enough. The wearer usually achieves these proportions by creating sufficient structure, which usually means hinting at a waistline. Or the wearer has skillfully elongated the outfit, by increasing the vertical integrity of the outfit or lengthening the leg line. 

Here are ten ways to elongate an outfit. They might come in handy when you’re experimenting with conventionally unflattering proportions. Sometimes it will take only one of these troubleshooting tips to make the outfit look just flattering enough. And sometimes you’ll need to incorporate a few of them to get the outfit to work.   

1. Wear heels: This is the most obvious strategy because heels make your legs look longer. Even low heels of one and a half or two inches count as heels. 
2. Create a low contrast with your footwear: Keep the contrast between the colour of the shoe and your skin tone low. Or create a low contrast between the colour of the pants and the shoes. 
3. Wear pointy toe footwear: Pointy toe shoes are the most elongating, but almond toes also count. If you don’t like to wear heels, choose pointy toe flats.
4. Tuck or partially tuck the top: Tucking a top, or partially tucking a top in front, visually shortens the torso and lengthens the legs. This is particularly effective when wearing flats. Tucking also adds structure by adding waist definition. 
5. Create a column of colour: I have covered this strategy in great detail. It elongates and slims the body by emphasizing the vertical and eliminating horizontal lines across the middle of the body. This is one way for petites to look visually taller. 
6. Taper the hems of cropped pants: Making sure that the hems of cropped pants and boyfriend jeans fit closely to the calf will help to elongate the leg line. 
7. Wear flared pant hems at floor sweeping lengths: When you wear flared jeans or trousers at floor sweeping lengths, your legs look longer. Add a pointy toe heel and you’ve elongated the outfit even further. Wearing pointy toe flats with extra long flares can work too. 
8. Wear V-necks if you’re short waisted and short in the neck: The shape of the V visually lengthens the neck which further accentuates your long lean line. 
9. Raise the hemlines on skirts and dresses when wearing flats: The shorter hemline, which needn’t be shorter than just above the knee, elongates the lower leg which increases the length of the entire leg line. 
10. Leave a jacket or coat unbuttoned: The vertical line that is created down the centre front of the body by leaving a coat or jacket unfastened draws the eye up and down thereby increasing the vertical integrity of the outfit. It’s a magically slimming strategy. 

I also think that tucking away the bows of laces on boots, oxfords and sneakers helps elongate an outfit by making the eye flow up and down instead of to the side. It’s a very subtle strategy but one that can make a difference when laces are particularly long and bulky. 

I’m not saying that every outfit has to be about waist definition and elongation. Not at all. Fashion and style has moved on from that philosophy, which is empowering and liberating. You have to find your figure flattering sweet spots and incorporate them into outfits. These elongating strategies might help you wear an item or look that you thought wasn’t flattering, when all that was required was a little tweak, like partially tucking the front of the top, wearing low-contrast footwear, adding heels or unfastening the jacket.

YLF turned eight over the weekend and my word, I can’t believe it. Time flies when you’re having fun. I’m so grateful to Greg for suggesting that I start blogging in 2006, and for encouraging me to keep with it when I started my style consulting business. The two sides of what I do — in person with my clients and online with you — enrich each other in a wonderful way. 

Inge, who works for YLF part-time from Belgium, was amongst our earliest readers. She became a dear friend and joined the YLF team three years ago. They say you shouldn’t work with your close friends (or spouse for that matter), but in my case it’s worked out brilliantly. The YLF Team is a well-oiled machine, and if anything my friendship with Inge is even stronger since she joined YLF. We are kindred style spirits, because we share the same style sensibilities. And we have loads of fun shopping online together and sharing our new purchases. Thank you Inge, for being a wonderful, capable and thoughtful person. 

This year, the date coincided with a business trip so we celebrated YLF’s eight birthday in Boston with fifteen members of the YLF community. The gathering was magical and couldn’t have been more special. We shopped, ate, yakked and laughed up a storm. The positive and compassionate spirit of the members was, as always, energizing and uplifting. One of our members, Isabel, had secured a private room for lunch, and the group surprised us with a celebratory menu and cake. Greg and I were very touched, especially when we saw that the names of Jasmine and Rosie were iced onto the cake along with our own. Many, many thanks to incredible Isabel and Diana for organizing an extremely memorable Boston birthday gathering, and to the rest of the members who contributed to the fabulous day.

Most importantly, YOU are what makes YLF an exceptional community. You graciously continue to share your wit and wisdom in the comments section of the blog and in the forum. Your thoughtful, compassionate, intelligent and insightful contributions enrich my life and provide daily inspiration. With YLF CEOs and muses Jasmine and Rosie in our hearts, THANK YOU for your ongoing support. Cheers to another eight years! We’re looking forward to the adventure.

From crackers used to create portraits of supermodels to Saks Fifth Avenue getting a makeover and a Marc Jacobs casting call, these style stories all made the news this week.

• Diane von Furstenberg launches a yearlong digital campaign to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her iconic wrap dress.
• Here’s a very special sale: Iris Apfel is selling 800 pieces from her personal collection of jewellery and antiques.
• Tory Burch announces big expansion plans, including an activewear line for women and an accessories collections for men.
• Now here’s an unusual exhibit: Food artist Nathan Wyburn uses crackers to create portraits of Kate Moss, Twiggy and Cara Delevingne. 
• New designer names and new graphic branding. Saks is getting a makeover under its new president Marigay McKee.
• Yesterday Marc Jacobs launched the “#CastMeMarc” casting call on Twitter and Instagram to find a fresh face for his Fall campaign.
• In honour of the Jean-Paul Gaultier retrospective opening in London next week, Matches Fashion is putting a selection of the designer’s archival pieces up for sale.
• H&M will open the doors to its first Australian store in Melbourne’s GPO building on Saturday morning.

Fun Fashion Fact

In an attempt to raise extra revenue, the British government levied a hat tax on men’s hats from 1748 to 1811. Hat sellers needed to buy a retail licence, and affix revenue stamps inside each hat to make them “legal”. Both milliners and hat wearers who didn’t pay the hat tax received heavy fines. Forgers of hat revenue stamps got the death penalty!

This ensemble was inspired by the fab black and white tunics I saw at AllSaints a few weeks ago, like the Flora Mortis T-shirt, Decadence top and Emi Fressia dress. It’s also a look that works for some of my clients — hard edge with a touch of feminine softness. The hard edge is achieved by incorporating an almost all black look from head to toe with some leather, hardware and chunky shoes. The softness is achieved by incorporating unstructured tunics in soft drapey fabrics like silk and combed cotton blends, touches of white, and in some cases a more daintier and prettier shoe. 

Here are the components of the outfit formula: 

Bottoms: Think black leather or pleather jeggings or pants. Mixed media options are also good. Skinny ponte pants with zipper detailing are another way to go. Or stick to black skinny jeans. 

Tops: You’re after relatively unstructured tunics or short dresses to wear untucked over the slim-fit black bottoms. Keep the fabrics soft, drapey and pretty to contrast against the harshness of the rest of the outfit. The soft fabric of the top provides further textural interest. Choose solid black, or black and white patterns. 

Topper: A topper is not essential, but a black moto jacket in leather or pleather is the first option. Non-leather black motos in cotton or ponte knit are a more comfortable option with a little less edge. A cropped black tuxedo jacket could also work, as could a dark blue denim jacket or mixed media black and blue denim jacket. 

Footwear: Black shoes are key to keeping the look all black or almost all black. Chunky sandals, booties, cut-out booties, Birkenstocks or peep-toe booties are fab for an extra hard edge, especially if they have some hardware. Think black pumps, wedge sandals, mules or gladiators for daintier shoe options. 

Accessories: You’re after a black clutch, satchel, bowling bag or upscale backpack. Personally, I like the idea of hardware on the bag to break up the monotony of an all black ensemble. Black patent is another way to introduce textural interest. Finish off the outfit with jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired. 

I wouldn’t wear these outfits because they feel too black and hard edged for this leg of my style journey. But I’d happily wear the tops and black moto with white skinny jeans and white or metallic shoes to further soften the look to suit my current style sensibilities.