Arty style isn’t classic, but more whimsical, ethereal and eclectic. Items are usually soft, detailed, never strict, usually casual, sometimes flowing and always playful. Here’s a little roundup of arty pieces that my clients have liked recently. 

• Roll Sleeve Crinkled Jacket: My heart skipped a beat when my client fitted this on yesterday in the lunette colour option (which I prefer to call “oyster”). It looks a million times better on my client than on the model, especially when she wore it with white jeans and pearlized fashion sneakers. It’s beautifully made and has a hidden hood. The fabric is crinkly, lightweight, slightly iridescent and drapes well despite its stiffness. It’s also available in blue, and well worth the price. A stunning piece that will not date. 
• Vince Camuto Floral Print Blazer: A blouse-weight blazer in a photographic floral pattern. A perfect warm weather topper, and so on trend. No need to fold back the sleeves to showcase the lining. 
• Steve Madden Blomm Boot: A little floral ’90s grunge. They run true to size and look amazing with faded denim. 
• Vince Camuto Geo Stripe Pleat Front Blouse: The intricate front panel is effective, and the sides float comfortably away from the body. Great for petites with a small bust line. 
• Deconstructed Chambray Field Jacket: This style might be more “tough” than arty but it can be worn in an arty way. Wear it over a soft blouse and jeans, or romantic dress with a pair of the above Blomm booties and you’ll create a more whimsical outfit vibe. 
• Patricia Nash ‘Venezia’ Crossbody Bag: Loving the pinky-tan, which will only look better as it wears over time.

I don’t have an arty style, but I do dabble in the odd romantic piece because I like lace, some florals, soft fabrications and full flirty skirts. Do you have an arty streak?

Here’s a summary of the most important posts that I have written about pant lengths. Unsurprisingly, I have a lot to say on the subject because it’s my thing. 

Full Length Pants

I like full length pants and jeans to hang extra long. The first post I wrote in 2006 is still a good guide for pants and jeans with flared hems, which should almost skim the surface of the ground. I fleshed out the concept again in 2011 when flared pants were on trend. Again, I do like them long and there was quite the debate in the comments section.

I often hear the objection that it is impractical for full length pants to skim the ground. To some extent this might be a misinterpretation of what I mean, which is that the pants should be close enough to the ground that it visually seems like they are skimming the surface. Not that they are actually touching the ground. Still I do take the point that the closer to the ground they are, the faster they are going to get dirty, especially in wintery weather. My approach when the weather is bad is not to wear my pants shorter, but to rather wear tapered pants instead.

Skinny and straight leg pants and jeans can’t skim the surface of the ground because they are tapered. Personally I like skinnies and straight leg jeans with scrunch because it adds textural interest, lengthens the leg line, and makes the item look less tight. The amount of scrunch is up to you. I also prefer trousers with tapered hems that scrunch because the effect creates a good balance between luxurious and relaxed fit.

Cropped Pants

I don’t have poison eye for cropped pants. After all, I wear them myself. What I do think is that the length is hard to pull off, so you have to be extremely particular about their length, fit, width at the hem, and how you style them. It’s a tricky business!

Cropped pants can look horrible, especially when their hem widths are wide. And at the moment this look is trending. But there are those who feel differently, and that’s why we had a huge cropped pants debate.

But I am not without solutions, so here are guidelines on how to create a flattering line with cropped pants, how to visually lengthen them with booties, and how to wear them cuffed or rolled. And here are some fabulous outfits with cropped pants. 

Finally, here’s an interview I did on Style by Karen that sums up my views on perfect pant lengths. Karen added some visuals that illustrate the points nicely.

I don’t often rant about fashion retail because I also see things from an industry perspective, having been a fashion buyer for many years. I wholeheartedly believe that retailers try their best to give us items that satisfy our clothing and style needs. But garment manufacturing is an extremely tricky business, and retail is fraught with all sorts of complications. It’s impossible to please everyone. 

That said, I have had it with the abundance of too short lengths on skirts, dresses, jeans and trousers. It shouldn’t be so hard to find these items with more coverage at an affordable price. It’s not that I want all of them to be knee-covering or full length. Not at all. I want there to be micro minis and maxis and every length in between. I also don’t mind trendy cropped pants and short shorts, as long as there are plenty of full length options and longer shorts options too. 

A good retail season is always about an assortment — not an overkill of one style. There has been a severe shortage of skirts and dresses that are knee-length and midi for several years. On-trend trousers and jeans that are full length have been few and far between for 18 months. And shorts that cover our thighs are the rarest breed of all.

I REALLY hope this changes for Fall 2013. The runway shows at New York Fashion Week at the moment are showing many, many longer skirt and dress lengths, and full length trousers. I am hopeful! May this trend filter down immediately.

Boyfriend jeans have become mainstream and I am thrilled about it. We desperately needed a basic jeans silhouette with a roomier fit. Over the years, skinnies have become tighter and tighter as denim fabric became stretchier and stretchier. Straight legs and bootcuts are still tight, but not overly so. And wide legs remain a fringe look. Boyfriend jeans give us a wider denim assortment, and that’s how it should be. 

We are living in an age of casualization where descriptions like “casual chic” and “easy elegance” and “relaxed polish” make complete sense. The juxtaposition of opposites is one of the directions in fashion and this in itself is liberating and creative. For example, mix ultra casual pieces with dressier ones. Luxurious fabrications with distressed textures. And looser fits with tailored items. 

So here is an ensemble formula that begins with a casual pair of boyfriend jeans, matches them with easy tops, structured toppers, and allows the footwear to give the outfit its personality.

The components of the ensemble:

Boyfriend Jeans

Remember that boyfriend jeans needn’t be extra baggy and slouchy. Find a bagginess threshold, waistline, wash and length that suits you. Roll the hems or wear them unrolled. 

Top

I’ve chosen soft tops like a basic blouse and pullover with an inset printed silk panel, both of which are roomy to create a relaxed vibe. Comfortable and forgiving. Layering tees and button-down shirts are other options. Wear them tucked or un-tucked. 

Topper

I’ve kept the toppers structured and dressy to create a sophisticated juxtaposition against the casual jeans and relaxed tops. Think leather jackets, blazers, military looks and Chanel-esque jackets. Or any jacket that is at least semi-structured. 

Footwear

I’ve shown 11 on trend options here, some dressy and some casual. Each style of shoe can be worn with any combination of jeans, top and topper depending on your style preferences and the dress code of the setting. Pattern mix or stick to solids. Add colour or stay neutral. Here are your footwear options to wear with rolled or unrolled boyfriend jeans: 

1. Casual Booties
2. Mid-Calf Flat Boots
3. Slipper Flats
4. Pointy Toe Pumps
5. Pointy Toe Pumps with Ankle Straps
6. Low Heeled Pointy Toe Pumps
7. Flat Oxfords
8. Peep Toe Booties
9. Converse Sneakers
10. Wedge Sneakers

Finishing Touches

If you tuck your top, by all means wear a belt. I’ve chosen a clutch, but your bag choice is whatever floats your boat. Add jewelry as desired. 

As with all the formulas, I sow the seed of an idea. The next step is to substitute the items so that they work for YOUR style. After all, fashion is what we buy, but style is how we wear it.