Guidelines on what length coat looks best with a flared skirt or dress will differ, but let me share the two options that I think work really well. 

1. A cropped coat: We’re talking about a coat hem that ends between your waistline and crotch point. The point is that there is a large distance between the hem of the coat and the hem of the dress or skirt. To my eye, when the distance between the two hemlines is smaller than what I have described, the proportions are off and the combination can look a little dowdy. 
2. A coat at least as long as the length of the dress or skirt: In this way, the hem of the flared skirt or dress does not peek out from under the coat. That’s why the coverage of midi coats is handy. They work with many dress and skirt lengths and silhouettes. 

The key here is that the hemlines of the coat and the dress or skirt must not compete with each other. 

Pencil skirts or dresses with tapered side seams are much more versatile in this respect. Just about any length of coat will work. Somehow, the hem lengths don’t compete when the visible under layer is narrow and form fitting.

Annagybe says that a small town pooled it’s resources to open up it’s very own department store. How cool is that. 

Debora found The Fit Priority Ranking on Dappered very helpful because fitting mens clothes can be a tricky business. 

MaryK shared this short video of the Sartorialist in Tokyo. Mary was surprised at the extent to which the Sartorialist creates the shots, rather than just capturing them. 

Znip shares a wonderful slideshow from Vanity Fair featuring J.F. Kennedy and other rather swish looking gents and ladies. A tribute to the hallmarks of preppy style. 

RoseandJoan kindly dedicated Duran Duran’s new music video to me and YLF because I’m a HUGE fan of the band. The video features legendary ’90s supermodels for their new song, Girl Panic. The models look great, but it cannot compare to the eye candy that the band members provide. 

Lisa enjoyed My (Not So) Style Blog’s bold style. And loves her bright socks!

Bj1111 says that Team Maximal has to look at this fab, fab, fab spread of stacked bracelets, rings, watches and bangles by photographer Michele Lamy. 

Vildy, after reading an article on “The Dirty, Unethical Business of Fashion Blogs”, thinks it’s good to be aware of how much “editorial” content in any public medium is tied, weakly or strongly, to advertising. Ornella found this look at how bloggers make money very interesting. Both of these articles were actually inspired by the WWD story “Hot Fashion Bloggers”. For the record, I do not accept free products, we no longer do product reviews, and we aggressively disclose content that is sponsored.

MNSara enjoyed the creativity of this video, which combines four years of daily head shots.

Helen in Canada was thrilled to hear that Joseph Altuzarra won this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. What a great way to nurture and promote talented new designers!

Laurinda was fascinated by Emily Crane’s creativity as she combines fashion, food making, and lab work to create micro-nutrient couture. You can actually eat these garments after wearing them. 

Inge wonders whether fun and colourful Echo Touch Gloves allow you to use your iPhone when you’re outside. They look like a good idea!. 

I found a super article on the top 10 budget living blogs by the Budget Fashionista. 

The days of tidy and in place being prerequisites for stylish hair are over. When unkempt hair is styled in just the right way, kind of like it was tousled in the wind, it actually looks quite good. Your style automatically looks more relaxed, and in many instances more cool. Kate Moss and Sienna Miller have perfected this look, even becoming style icons because of that unique aspect of their style. And more and more often we’re seeing models sport stylishly messy hair in photo shoots and fashion shows. 

I can absolutely appreciate a stylishly messy hairdo, but find that it’s extremely hard to pull off in real life without it actually looking unstylish. To my eye, messy hair often just looks unkempt instead of cute and cool.

You definitely need a magic touch to get this look right. A lot depends on the rest of your style, and whether a messy hairdo complements your look or takes away from it. I’ve found that curly hair and very short hair has a better chance of achieving a messy look in a fun and attractive way. A little youth on your side also helps.  

Over to you. What do you think of messy hair? Can it look stylish? Do you think that it’s easy to pull off? When does messy hair look fab, and when does it look drab?

StyleUnited is a brand new fashion and beauty site that is owned and operated by Procter & Gamble. As they put it themselves: “We bring together style tools, personalized content, expert advice and support from friends to give you a fresh perspective on your beauty and fashion style”. 

Earlier this year, Style United asked me to write a few articles for their new site. The first three have been published, so please head on over there if you are interested in any of these topics: 

• 15 Ways to Hide That Muffin Top: I wrote this post because it’s without a doubt the most common dressing challenge for my clients. 
• The Best Rain Boots: I live in Seattle and know a thing or two about rain boots. Here I’ve listed some tried and tested styles in an assortment of silhouettes and colours. 
• The Best Jeans For Your Body Type: This guide serves as a starting point if you’re battling to find a great pair of jeans. Feel free to add to the list. 

The information provided by the site is easy to read and tangible. You can register and build a style profile, which is a tool that helps you zone in on all aspects of your style, from fashion and make-up to skincare and hair styling. 

We wish StyleUnited the very best launch.