If you’d like to explore European designers and clothing styles throughout the centuries, then Europeana Fashion might be your cup of tea. This digital archive, scheduled to debut in May 2013, will offer online access to databases from museums and private fashion archives from 12 countries.

The Musée Galliera in Paris is currently showing “Models’ Bodies: The Crux of Fashion” — an exhibition that focusses on the model’s role in the fashion industry, with materials spanning the entire 20th century.

This year Missoni, the Italian fashion house famous for its graphic zigzag patterned knitwear, celebrates its sixtieth birthday. To mark this festive occasion they have released a short video that mixes looks from their hologram-inspired Spring ’13 collection and pieces from the house’s colourful archive.

Fab Links from Our Members

Need some music to cheer you up on rainy days? Laurinda just stumbled upon an idea by designer Dong Min Park: the Rain Drum Umbrella, an umbrella that creates different drum sounds.

Angie always suggests to her clients to size up in hose, or wear branded Commando hose in their regular size. She thought that Sally’s rundown of hosiery that does not cut into your waist and reduce blood flow was a good one.

From beach holidays to European business trips… Caro informs us that Travel Fashion Girl has a whole series of inspiring Polyvore sets that might help you out while putting together your next travel capsule.

If you, like Mia, always wonder what is in other shoppers’ bags then Canada’s Holt Renfrew department store offers you a chance to satisfy your curiosity on their blog.

Before YLF, Deborah wore one colour for many years. That’s why she particularly enjoyed this article on five people who are committed to wearing only one colour each… and it isn’t black!

In my guidelines on how to fit a classic pair of dress pants, I suggest a “grazing fit” over the hip and thighs. Not too snug and as far as possible, no whiskering. By whiskering I’m referring to the wrinkles created by fabric pulling around the crotch point, hip and thigh area. 

For years I’ve been fitting trousers on clients and fit models of all sizes and body types. And in my experience, whiskering is caused by two things:

• Incorrect Fit: Fabric pulls across a body part when the fit is too tight. Or when the rise is too long or too short. Or when the cut is too straight. Or when the pocket linings get in the way. 
• Overly Stretchy Fabric: Woven fabric with too much stretch is prone to whiskering, despite the fit. There is something about the way stretchy fabric drapes and clings that causes it to pull in an area that doesn’t look or feel too tight at all. 

Sometimes, it’s impossible to find a trouser fit that does not whisker, but the good news is that it can be minimized by following one or more of the tips below: 

• Size Up: Find the size that grazes over the hip and thigh with few wrinkles or no wrinkles, which is often a size up from your usual size. DO NOT worry about the number on the label. Concentrate on achieving correct fit. If the waistband is too large because you sized up, that’s an easy alteration and well worth the investment. 
• Choose Curvy Fits: These days retailers offer trouser cuts in both narrow and roomier cuts. Curvy fits are cut with more ease in the hip and thigh area to start off with, and can be the whisker-free solution for women with curvier figures.  
• Choose a style with a shorter front rise: This sounds absurd, but sometimes a shorter front rise or a petite size can do the trick, especially if you are short waisted and/or short in the rise. 
• Choose a style with a longer front rise: Sometimes, it’s not just about getting more ease in the hip and thigh area, but also about increasing the length of the rise. The extra coverage adds even more ease that “girdles” at the same time. This is especially effective if you are long in the rise. 
• Choose sturdy fabrics: This is not always the case, but tailored trousers that are cut in weightier fabrications can whisker less than styles made in flimsy fabrications.
• Choose fabrics with less stretch: There is no need to eliminate stretch altogether because some stretch can improve the way trousers drape over curves. But too much stretch can be a problem when it clings and pulls no matter what. 
• Choose welted and slanted front pockets: Pocket lining can cause whiskering.This post on front trouser pocket styles that flatter with visuals will refresh your memory. 
• Choose styles with front waist pleats: This one is counterintuitive, but hear me out. Granted, front pleated trousers can be unflattering on a wide midsection, but they can also be flattering on a small waisted and curvy bottom half. Pretty pear shaped ladies, I’m talking to you. Trousers with structured waistbands and waist pleats add ease on the hip and thigh area, which is one of the ways to avoid whiskering.
• Choose styles with elastic waistbands: There are many fashionable and trendy baggy and slouchy trouser styles with elastic waistbands and tapered leg silhouettes.The elasticated style is cut with extra ease through the tummy, hip and thigh area, which once again minimizes whiskering. 

Finding a pair of trousers that fits can be time-consuming and difficult. Hopefully it’s a question of putting just one, two, or a few of these tips into practice, and all of a sudden you like wearing trousers all over again. Feel free to bring up additional trouser fit challenges in the comments section and let’s get you sorted.

Wearing patterned items and pattern mixed outfits was extremely popular in 2011 and even more so in 2012. Runway shows and retailers showed an explosion of patterns and virtually every catalogue and lookbook showcased pattern mixed outfits in some form or another. It was quite the Pattern Party. 

As I look onto Spring and Fall 2013, patterns and pattern mixing are still strong trends, although probably not as as strong as the two preceding years. After all, parties do eventually come to an end. So my question is whether you’re all pattern partied out, or do you still have pattern energy to spare. 

I’m slightly pattern partied out and need to rest up. I have lots of patterns across all items in my wardrobe that I will happily continue wearing. Patterns make me happy, pack that extra punch, and I especially enjoy wearing patterned belts and footwear. I also enjoy pattern mixing my outfits. But after I’ve found my floral jacket and replaced my worn out striped Summer pullover, that will be it. If I do add more pattern it will only be through footwear and belts. 

How about you?

In my Spring 2013 colour forecast I suggested that white is the colour of the season, closely followed by blue. Note that by white I mean all shades of white. From optical white, off-white and bone, to oyster, cream and stone.  

Spring fashions are coming through and there’s already a large assortment of white items in retail stores. White items usually appear further into a Spring and Summer fashion season because it’s thought of as a “high Summer colour”. This thinking is dated and these days all shades of white can be worn year round.  

Not only can white be worn year round, but also from head to toe, or both on top and bottom. We see the white on white every season, but this year we’ll be seeing it trending in full force. White jeans, trousers, shorts, skirts, dresses, tops, knitwear, jackets, coats, bags, footwear, watches, eyewear, and accessories — you name it. And the idea is to wear many white pieces in one outfit. 

The outfits below provide good visuals of how to wear shades of white both on the top and the bottom. Sometimes the shoes and accessories provide a low or high contrasting effect. And sometimes they are in another shade of white. Although these pictures don’t show the combination, mixing in metallic footwear and accessories is another option. And metallic or very light grey clothing can also be successfully mixed into an all white outfit. For further inspiration check out the pinboard I am filling with street style looks showcasing the white on white trend.

I LOVE this trend. It conjures up feelings of both sterility and coziness. It is warm, yet cool. Modern yet classic. Fussy yet no-nonsense. Crisp yet soft. As much as I like creating a high contrast between items in my outfit, I also adore the pretty effect of wearing so much white. It feels soothing and makes me happy. It’s one of my style goals to wear and purchase more white this year and I’m making progress. 

I don’t have many clients who enjoy wearing the white on white trend. Many like it from a distance on others, but do not want to sport the look themselves. They feel it’s impractical, too angelic, or makes them look larger than they are. Some like to wear white, but only one item at a time, and usually with something that creates a stronger contrast. Others prefer wearing dark colours. And others feel that they don’t look good in white no matter how they slice and dice it. 

I believe that we can all wear a shade of white, and that white bottoms do not make you look larger if the fit and fabric are just right. What’s your take on this trend? How do you feel about wearing shades of white both on the top and bottom? Or do you prefer to sport one white item at a time. Or do you not like wearing white at all.