Wearing relaxed tops with full skirts is one of my favourite outfit combinations at the moment because the proportions feel fresh, modern and new. My clients are generally excited about the look because it’s comfortable and easy to put together. A looser top also dresses down a full skirt, which makes it more versatile. 

The photos below show an assortment of relaxed untucked tops worn with full skirts. The crucial part of the top styling is its banded bottom. That’s the part that creates outfit structure because it reins in the volume of the top and the flare of the skirt. This tiny bit of structure hints at a waistline, which makes the outfit flattering to my eye. The banded top also allows for easy semi-tucking.

The tops here are standard length, and pulled up a bit to create a shorter effect over the skirt. Their soft drape does help create additional structure, as does scrunching a long sleeve. The necklines are crew, but scooped, boat and V-necklines also work. 

Although most of these skirts are above the knee, the relaxed banded top concept works for longer skirts too. Relaxed tops that are not banded will work with full skirts when they are cropped. The much shorter length highlights the waist thereby adding structure to the outfit. 

While I still love the classic combination of a formfitting top tucked into a full skirt, I haven’t sported it for a while. I’m all over these new proportions this year, and will wear them until it’s time for a change. How about you? Do you like to wear a relaxed top over a full skirt. If you haven’t tried the combination yet, does it appeal to you? Or do you find it frumpy and juvenile?

Dresses with sleeves and ample length are in a perpetual shortage, and good fit is another challenge. That said, not all hope is lost. My clients have been purchasing dresses this year and here are some of the favourites. 

1. Tadashi Shoji Sleeveless Mesh Stripe Jersey Dress: If I needed a sleeveless black dress right now, this would be it. So, so, so romantic. I LOVE the flare and sheer panels. Perfectly alluring and covered at the same time. The fabric is thick and gorgeous. Wear a lacey black bra for acceptable bra strap coverage, or stick to a strapless bra. My client looked so much better than the model in this dress, and took my breath away. 
2. Tadashi Shoji Mesh Stripe Fit & Flare Dress: This is the sleeved version of the above dress. Thanks, Tadashi. 
3. Adrianna Papell V-Neck Shutter Pleat Sheath Dress: Gorgeous! Hides lumpage and bumpage, and isn’t too short. Fitted, yet not too body con. Comes in four colours and black.
4. Adrianna Papell Print Asymmetrical Chiffon Dress: I much preferred this frock sans the belt, so size down and have a ball at the buffet table. Very forgiving, pretty neckline, and fab asymmetrical cut. 
5. Suzi Chin for Maggy Boutique Sleeveless Fit & Flare Dress: Hello Grecian Goddess. It looks best on those who can fill out the bust line. The front hangs a little low, but a lace insert does the trick. It moves gracefully and keeps you cool on a scorching day. 
6. Donna Morgan Print Jersey Shift Dress: Pull on and go with a pair of metallic flats or sandals. Easy. 
7. Eliza J Pleated Print Dress: A romantic tea length dress. Remember that you can swap out the bowed belt if that’s not your cup of tea. 
8. Maggy London Print Blouson Jersey Dress: Fab blouson dresses are hard to find because the fit is tricky. This one, although short, is quite flattering. 
9. Isaac Mizrahi Stripe Fit & Flare Dress: A classic Summer striped frock. Love the diagonal lines on the skirt. 
10. Suzi Chin Print Faux Wrap Dress: An abstract floral wrap that is begging for a curvy lass with a full bust to fill it out. Nice length too. 
11. Tahari Pleated Print Twill Dress: I love this dress. It’s pretty, practical, retro, and flared. I’d swap out the belt and wear it with pointy toe flats. 
12. Suzi Chin Print Sheath Dress: I’m not particularly fond of this type of grown-on sleeve, because I find a more cut away sleeveless bodice more flattering. But many of my clients do like a grown-on sleeve and this dress has a good fit. A happy Summer floral.
13. Maggy London ‘Galaxy’ Print Sheath Dress: Here is the same cut in a galaxy print. 
14. Eliza J Side Three Quarter Sleeve Drape Jersey Dress: Imagine a black bomber jacket over this dress. Sensational. 
15. Eliza J Print Shift Dress: A sack dress that’s breezy and showcases your gams. I’d be all over it if it were a few inches longer.

Think denim jackets, motos, cropped blazers, bombers, vests and trench coats as layers over dresses if you’re after extra coverage. Cardigans are not your only option.

Whenever I have a client who is on a tight budget and is starting their corporate or business casual wardrobe from scratch, we head straight to Express. In fact, regardless of budget, they are a great destination for business casual wear, business formal wear, modern classic trousers, tailored jackets, or suits for women of all ages. It’s hard to believe that a junior store that stocks skimpy club wear also makes good corporate wear, but there you have it. For the price, the fabrications, cut, drape, quality and longevity of these items cannot be beat. It’s great value. 

Express generally makes two cuts of corporate trousers, namely the “Editor” and the “Columnist“. Editors are usually suited to a curvier figure because they are roomier all over. They have a great wide waistband, mid-length rise, and the fabrics are thick. This makes them drape so well. If necessary, a waist adjustment is a small price to pay. Columnists are cut slimmer and straighter and usually suited to a less curvy body type. The waistbands are narrower and the fabric less thick. Both trouser styles have stretch, are available in short, regular and long lengths, and across many colours. The odd pinstripe and check too. They cover sizes 00 to 14, and are machine washable. They run pretty true to size, but smaller than corporate wear from Ann Taylor. The pants retail for $59 to $79, but you can often get them on sale. They were 40% off last week and my client came home with three pairs of Editors. 

Warning: The Editors and Columnists are available in a variety of fabrications and colours. Although the cuts are pretty consistent across the board, I’ve found that different fabrications can slightly alter the fit. 

Once you’ve sorted out which pants fit best, you can find jackets in the same fabric, and occasionally a pencil skirt. And while you’re at Express, you might want to try their Essential Shirts if you’re after a very tailored fit. One caveat: I’ve found that their shirts are not so fab on a full busted figure. 

If you’re doing an interview loop and you don’t have a suit, check out Express. My only wish is that they covered plus sizes. Hopefully they will at some point in the future. 

I am not a sporty gal, but I do enjoy wearing aspects of the Sporty Trend. Despite my magpie gene and preference for dressy clothing, there’s a modern simplicity about sporty items that appeals to me. And as long as I mix sporty items with tailored pieces in luxurious fabrications, they feel absolutely right. 

I wore this outfit yesterday while out shopping with a client. I wouldn’t ordinarily dress this casually on the job, but it was at my client’s request to see a casual outfit with sassy sneakers. I drew inspiration from this outfit on my pinterest board. Although the two outfits look quite different, the formula is the same. Match a classic shirt and blazer with narrow bottoms and hi-tops. The formula incorporates modern classics and current trends, which is my favourite way to dress. The shirt and blazer are updated classics, while the hi-tops and day clutch are trendy. 

A tuxedo shirt was on my Spring shopping list to wear as a new wardrobe essential, and I found exactly what I was looking for at J. Crew. The shirt is soft, yet crisp, and I am in love with its unstructured structure. I find the cut extremely comfortable because it isn’t tight and it’s made of soft cotton. It also creases very easily. But I like that feature because it relaxes the formal aspect of the tuxedo style. Wear it untucked with a white camisole over a pair of jeans or trousers, scrunch the sleeves, and you are set. No need to button right up to the top either. I’m duplicating the item next month. 

I have a few dead simple, classic blazers, and this one belongs to my Theory suit. It’s a grey pinstripe that’s made of an all-season wool that I find versatile. It works as well with fancy pumps as it does with cowboy boots and fashion sneakers. I like to scrunch the sleeves so that the shirt cuffs do not show in order to create a more minimal effect. 

The stretchy black cigarette pants are a couple of years old and still going strong. I like that they are looser then my Gap Real Skinnies and scrunch in a more exaggerated way at the hems. To my eye, super skinny jeans would have looked less chic with the sneakers.

And that brings me to the sneakers. These are my new hi-tops, the Converse “Hi-Ness”, which are my nod to the sassy sneaker trend. They’re a more refined and less chunky hi-top sneaker, which works better with my style and narrow ankles. Oversized wedge sneakers swallow up my feet. I tuck away the ends of the laces without tying a bow because that’s how they look the most streamlined. I put them through their paces for many hours while shopping with a client yesterday, and with the help of an additional cushioning insole I had happy feet. 

I finished off the outfit with white specs, gold watch, wedding ring and my newest wardrobe pet. I’ve been dreaming about this Alexander Wang clutch since I first saw it. The design of the handle and colour blew me away. So I saved up and I’m now a proud owner of the little darling. It also has a sporty integrity, so I guess I like sporty items more than I thought. 

This outfit feels “very 2013” because of the irregular juxtaposition of items, which, ironically, will feel completely regular before too long. As Greg put it, it’s formal on top and casual on the bottom. He took one look at the outfit, nodded his head, and said, “It’s very you because of the white shirt. I love the sneakers because they look modern”. How fun it is to hear the perspective of my in-house fashion stylist, who’s not afraid to tell me like it is, shaking his head sternly when he’s not fond of an outfit.