Style bloggers starring in international fashion campaigns is no longer a new thing, but this one is a little different. Italian fashion label Diesel picked 26-year old Jillian Mercado to be one of the faces of their Spring/Summer 2014 campaign. On her personal blog MANUFACTURED 1987 Jillian writes about style and trends. She is also the executive editorial director of We the Urban digital magazine. But the thing that has the style world abuzz, is that Jillian was born with spastic muscular dystrophy and is in a wheelchair.

With artistic director Nicola Formichetti, Diesel has been working on a reboot of their brand. For the new Spring ad campaign, to be published in Vogue and Interview in March, he cast 23 people, most of whom are not professional models. Formichetti told Women’s Wear Daily that it “was much more about the group, the gang, the tribe, the community. The people got to us in different ways but they’re connected visually, physically, mentally and denim is the thing that unites all of them. And that’s the theme and the tag line — We Are Connected.”

Jillian, who knew Formichetti through work, entered an open casting call with some friends but never expected to be selected. Over the last few years, the fashion industry has been making an effort to embrace a wider range of beauty, but there is still a long way to go. In The Guardian, Jillian said:

“People should have an open mind. If I’m helping to make it move forward, that’s awesome. It means so much to me because it’s the fact that someone who is different is representing Diesel. [It shows] anyone can rock the clothes and look beautiful. For me it represents way more than just a campaign. A lot of people will see it and will have a change of mind of how they see people who have a disability.”

Here is some additional coverage of this story from around the web:

• Jillian’s ad photo and some personal snaps on The Huffington Post website.
• Watch an interview with Jillian discussing the campaign, her work in fashion, and life in a wheelchair.
• Read more about how Jillian navigates New York Fashion Week.

One consequence of being in my profession is that I’m always paying attention to what people are wearing. Whether I’m shopping in stores, running errands, walking down the street, waiting in line at the airport, enjoying a dinner party or arriving at yoga, I notice the outfits worn by the people around me. 

And, yes, I evaluate the outfits I see. It isn’t a conscious effort, but I find myself making mental notes about things that I’d like to try myself, replicate with one of my clients, or share here on YLF. 

Of course, my thoughts aren’t always positive. Sometimes I don’t like what I see, and I find myself thinking about what it is that isn’t working in the fit of an individual item, or in the combination of an ensemble. Or I might question the appropriateness of the outfit for the setting.

But even as I’m evaluating the outfits around me, I’m very conscious of two things. First, fashion and style are very subjective. Sure, there is a general consensus on what’s in and what’s out at any given time, but even so, my opinion is just that: an opinion. My clients and longtime readers of YLF might value that opinion, but there are also people who don’t. Mine is only one way of viewing the world.

And second, while I evaluate the outfit, I never judge the wearer. It is so easy to fall into the trap of jumping to conclusions about the reasons behind an outfit that seems inappropriate, unfashionable or unflattering, but I don’t go there. I don’t know the person. I don’t  know their circumstances, and I don’t know what motivates them to dress the way they do. My private thoughts on their outfit have nothing to do with what they are like as a person.

I’m sure most of us have caught ourselves making snap judgements about people based on what they were wearing. A while back I found myself doing that and really wanted to get out of the habit. So these days I have a little mental trick to keep things focused on the outfit and not the wearer. When I’m evaluating an outfit, I imagine that I’m seeing it on a mannequin. That way I am free to formulate an opinion about the aesthetics without making unfair and inaccurate judgements about the wearer.

Observing street style: Tokyo and Yokohama in 2012.

Here’s a selection of pullovers that aren’t basic. They are neutral, and for the most part fluid or oversized. All are non-scratch. Be sure to look through all the colour options. 

• Club Monaco Franny Sweater: Fantastic asymmetrical cut and textured knit. I love the heavy weight of the drape and the sheen on the yarn. A little avant-garde and very comfy. 
• Club Monaco Meryl Sweater: Awfully pretty with its sheer insets, and swingy high-low hemline. Romantic and modern. Runs small and tight under and on the arms so you might need to size up.
• J.Crew Stripe Sleeve Merino Sweater: Colour blocked lilac with graphic black and white. Nice sporty piece in a fairly fluid fit.
• Club Monaco Claudia Striped Sweater: Oversized and visually widening all over, especially from the side, so consider yourself warned. The photo makes the style look more streamlined than it is so you might need to size down.The genius lies in the tailored short sleeves that provide just enough structure. On trend and a silhouette that is all over Fall 2014 fashion runways right now. I loved this top, but the neckline wasn’t high enough for my liking so it didn’t follow me home.
• Club Monaco Kimberly Top: Not technically a sweater but I’m including it anyway. I don’t wear knitted tops, but if this was in a colour other than grey or black, it may have been the top that followed me home. It’s modern ‘80s fabness all the way. Flattering oversized fit in front, and interesting low back detailing. A fun, alluring and unique piece. 

Right now knitwear is the fashionable choice of top to wear with any bottom. We’ll continue to see knitwear offered throughout the year in countless styles, fabrications and colours. Best top trend ever. 

Black jeans or trousers are visually slimming. They camouflage lumps and bumps and extend your long lean line when paired with dark footwear. Conversely, white jeans and trousers tend to have a widening effect and aren’t quite as forgiving with lumps and bumps. Does this mean you should ban white bottoms from your wardrobe?

My answer to that question is an emphatic “no!” You do NOT need to be tall, thin, long in the leg, or slim to wear white bottoms. Almost all of my clients, who span a size range of 00P to 22, wear white bottoms. This includes all body types and covers a wide range of ages.

As always, it’s how you wear the item that counts. If you’re battling with the concept of light coloured bottoms, here are twelve tips that might help you to feel fab when wearing them. 

1. Choose denim or thick fabrications: They provide more structure and coverage than thinner fabrications thereby streamlining the silhouette and camouflaging lumps and bumps. 
2. Choose wide silhouettes in thin fabrications: If lightweight fabrics are essential to combat the heat, choose them in relaxed styles, like wide leg linen pants, or cotton harem pants. That way the fabric stands away from the body and does not cling or look transparent.
3. Wear white boyfriend jeans: Here we have a looser silhouette and a thicker fabrication, providing coverage, structure, and effective camouflage for wobbly bits. 
4. Size Up: White bottoms can be revealing, so sizing up to create a looser fit on a structured style is a good idea. 
5. Pay attention to pocket detailing: It’s annoying when the pocket linings of white bottoms shine through. One option is to choose a style without side entry pockets. Failing that, pocket linings can be cut out by a competent tailor. Pocket linings are usually less visible on thicker fabrications like denim, and on wider, looser styles. 
6. Wear Tunics: A little extra coverage on top can make all the difference. Wear longer tops if you’re self conscious about exposing your hip and thigh area in white bottoms. 
7. Create slouch by partially tucking roomier tops: Create a little blousoned slouch with a fluid or oversized top by semi or faux tucking into white jeans or trousers. The volume of the larger top visually narrows the bottom, while the partial tuck creates the required structure. 
8. Create a white column of colour: Columns of colour are visually slimming and elongating. In this case it means wearing a white top with white bottoms under a topper, thereby creating a column of white.
9. Wear heels to elongate the leg line: This is especially effective with wide hem bottoms and while sporting perfect pants lengths (no shorter than a quarter of an inch off the ground). It’s also great to wear heels with tapered leg silhouettes. 
10. Further elongate the leg line with white footwear: Wearing white shoes with long white jeans and trousers is flattering because the shoe looks like an extension of the bottoms, thereby creating a visually longer leg line. Pointy toe flats are a great way to lengthen the leg line if heels aren’t your thing. 
11. Wear flesh toned undies: White bottoms are usually more transparent than dark colours, which means that showcasing undies is a problem. Wear solid nude-for-you undies to prevent them from shining through. 
12. Forget about looking your slimmest: Wear white bottoms because you love their crisp, bright and modern effect. There is more to making you feel happy in an outfit than looking your slimmest and tallest. 

You also have the option of sporting white dresses and skirts if jeans, pants and shorts aren’t your thing. Dresses are built-in columns of colour, and flowing white skirts are lovely with a fluid or structured top. 

White jeans are a wardrobe essential for my style, and I wear them year round. I also love wearing cream jeans, trousers, and an A-line skirt. Sure, I look slimmer in a pair of dark bottoms, but wearing white bottoms makes me happy, and that trumps it all.