The bomber jacket is not quite mainstream, but I have a hunch that it will be by Fall. It’s a pretty wearable style that is available in an assortment of cuts, colours, lengths, patterns and fabrications. It’s extremely comfortable, and was one of the jackets at recent runway shows. Alongside moto-style jackets, be prepared to see lots of bombers in retail stores. 

Most bomber jackets are being styled with jeans, shorts, casual pants and dressier trousers. These are natural pairings that work well. But I’m most excited about pairing my lace bomber with frocks. I’ve been neglecting my dresses because I’m on a trouser kick. But as soon as the weather warms up, I’ll be wearing my frocks with a bomber. I’m loving the combination for four reasons:  

1. The boxier proportions feel modern and new.
2. It makes a nice roomy change to the tailored moto and denim jackets that I usually layer over dresses.
3. It’s one way to inject life back into my orphaned frocks. 
4. It’s a great way to dress up the bomber while dressing down the dress. 
5. It effectively de-bombshells a body con dress. 

The photos below show dress and bomber pairings. Bombers are both short and longer. Here are guidelines on how to achieve the look:  

• Straight dresses are an easy pairing because they provide a sleek underlayer for a boxy bomber. 
• If you don’t have a straight “sheath-like” dress, create the same proportions with a pencil skirt and top. 
• Boxy bombers can also work over flared dresses, but you might find that the cropped versions provide more flattering proportions. This is not a strict rule, but probably the right way to go when you’re petite in height. 
• Keep the jacket unzipped because it creates an attractive and often slimming vertical line down the front of the body.
• Scrunch the sleeves for extra structure. It’s amazing how showcasing forearm skin adds a tailored effect to an outfit. 
• By all means pattern mix the bomber and dress. 

For street style inspiration, check out this bomber over a body con sheath, one matched with a flared dress, and another worn with a straight skirt on my Outfits Pinboard.

Swimwear is sized smaller than apparel, so order a size or two up. For example, if you wear a size 8, order a size 10 or 12 swimsuit. If you wear a size 12, order a size 14 and 16 swimsuit. But wear your regular bra size if the tops are sized like bras. 

Here’s a selection of supportive two-piece swimwear. Remember that you do not need to be full in the bust to wear a supportive bikini top. I’m not full busted, yet I must feel that the girls are secure when I wear a bikini. That way I’m more confident showcasing a large amount of skin. 

• Freya Hello Sailor Bikini Top & Bottom: The beauty of Freya swimwear is that you can purchase the tops in bra sizes, and the bottoms separately. I love my Freya bikinis, which I modeled a couple of years ago on YLF, because they offer superb structure. This little retro number with the boy shorts is super fun. 
• Freya Pier Bikini Top & Bottom: The top is halter style, which is also available in bra sizes. The skirted bottom provides a little more coverage on the thigh area. If midriff coverage is more your style, try the tankini top with a basic bikini bottom. Mix and match as you please. 
• La Blanca Glamour Tankini Top and Bottom: The tankini top is not available in bra sizes but the side ruching and neckline cut are very flattering. Girdled and alluring. The hipster bottoms come up a little higher which is extra comfortable. 
• Fantasie Montreal Tankini Top: Incredible bust support! Match this one with a bottom of your choice. Read the rave reviews. 

The best way to go about selecting swimwear is to relax into the process. Everyone can wear a two piece if that’s your swimsuit preference. Be accepting of your body shape. And refit the piece back in your dressing room at home where the lighting is better than those ghastly fluorescent spotlights we are subjected to in retail stores.

Several current fashion trends are extremely comfortable to wear. I’m talking about the oversized trend, sassy sweatshirts, silky track pants and sassy sneakers. Wear these trendy items together in one outfit and that’s about as comfy as it gets. 

This got me thinking. Are we moving towards a fashion era that makes comfort the top priority? And if so, to what extent will the result of these trends be a sloppier looking society. An overly casual world. A lack of fashion flair. And ultimately, a lack of style. 

I wholeheartedly advocate comfortable dressing because you couldn’t pay me enough money to wear itchy wool and shoes that hurt my feet. I am constantly concerned that my clients feel comfortable in their outfits. Furthermore, I actually love these current high-comfort fashion trends because they allow us to create interesting outfit juxtapositions that feel fresh and new. That said, I do take care to wear them with polish and luxurious fabrications, some structure, and mix them up with dressier pieces so that I can achieve a sense of sophisticated chic. If I don’t do that I feel unstylish. 

If I could jump into the future I would hate to see the complete absence of tailoring and structure. If sloppy casual becomes the new chic, fashion won’t be as fun and I’ll definitely look dated.

I’m torn. I enjoy new fashion directions and love outfits that convey a sense of casual chic, relaxed polish and easy elegance. But I will fight to preserve a little bit of dressy so that things aren’t merely casual and easy. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Are the current high-comfort trends a good or bad thing for the future of style?

A reader recently asked this question, which I thought could use general clarification. I use the two terms, “outfit” and “ensemble”,  throughout YLF. They are often thought of as interchangeable, but over the years we have come to use them to distinguish between two specific things. 

An outfit is a complement of clothing, footwear and accessories that is on your body. It is more personal, and the wearer is an integral part of the whole. Their hair, complexion and body all participate in making a great outfit. 

An ensemble is a complement of clothing, footwear and accessories that is off the body. It is less personal and does not include the wearer. When I present an ensemble I might talk about how it would work with different body types and colourings, but that isn’t essential.

Whether it is on me or one of my clients, I like showing outfits because it is a more complete picture. But I like ensembles just as much because I think presenting the items without the wearer leaves more to the imagination. 

So wear an ensemble and it becomes an outfit. What you are wearing right now is an outfit! Take it off, assemble it on the bed, and it becomes an ensemble. This isn’t really a strict definition, but it is the way we use the terms at YLF to keep things straight. I hope that all makes sense.