Shirts That Fit

Academy Award winning costume designer Edith Head was a famous for making the women she worked with look their best. One of her maxims was "Your dresses should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady.” The same concept applies to shirts.

This shirt is a beautiful color but the cut is far too boxy and there is no definition at all. This is a common problem in women's button-up shirts because they make these shirts to fit the largest number of women possible so they average out the bust, waist and hip measurements until you get a shirt that doesn't fit anyone properly. Some tailoring to bring in the sides would show off her figure and make this look a lot more feminine.

Here we have the other extreme. Remember that part about being loose enough to show you're a lady? Well fitting clothes should show your shape, not every curve. This shirt does have a nice rich color and could be a great layering piece. I would wear this with a structured jacket. White blazers are easy to find this time of year and would make this look really put together for spring.

When shopping for shirts look for structured pieces with seaming or details that follow the shape of your body without being too tight.





How To Tell If Your Skirt is Too Tight

Look for horizontal lines across the front of the skirt.

This happens when there isn't enough fabric to "cover the spread" and so it is being pulled across the hips and thighs instead of being allowed to flow easily from the waist. This is a clear sign that the skirt is too tight. Also, this is not a problem that only effects curvy women.

People can have a hard time accepting you as a competent professional if your clothing is too tight.

This is such a great look. The dress has a nice fitted bodice and the cardigan allows her to add a fun colored shoe while keeping the look office appropriate. Notice that she does have that horizontal stretching but her skirt does have a decorative horizontal stitching that keeps it from being too noticeable.

Dresses that fit one area of the body better than another is a huge problem for most women. Depending on the cut of the dress is may be better to go one size up. Don't get too attached to a certain clothing size. There is no industry standard which means that you could go to three different stores and fit into more than three different sizes. No one else is going to notice if you are wearing an 8 instead of a 6 or a 16 instead of a 14, but they are sure going to notice if your backside is busting out the seams.  Also, depending on the cut going up a size can make you look thinner because the fabric will be able to drape the way that it was designed to. Remember that clothing designers don't purposely make clothes that will make you look terrible. Next time you go shopping grab a bunch of sizes, check yourself out in the three-way mirror and keep in mind that you don't have to buy anything that doesn't fit exactly the way that you want.

I Must Have Missed the Memo on Houndstooth

All of these ladies were at the same event today. I didn't realize that it was such a trend.

That overcoat is very pretty and she can take it off when she gets back to the office so she can pretend that she didn't dress like everyone else today.

Right: The small pattern on this jacket is nice and subtle. From far away you can barely tell that she dressed like two of her coworkers.
Center: Very cute with a straight leg trouser and gathered white sweater.  See the flare at her hip; the jacket had a princess seem that gave her a nice hourglass shape.
Left: A shorter, belted jacket with a puffy sleeve. It would have been more flattering if it was just a bit longer; but I think the emphasis was supposed to be all on the sleeves.



Denim Basics

A faded, whiskered muffin-top

Jeans at the office should be a darker even wash (indigo or black) with no fading and definately no whiskering.

Jeans may be casual but they still need to fit appropriately. Avoid anything that is too baggy or too tight.

Look for jeans with a trouser fit as they tend to be the most flattering. If you wear skinny jeans look for a pair with a mid or high rise to prevent muffin-top.

Do not bling your ass at work

Make sure that the height of your shoe is appropriate for the length of your pants. Wearing long jeans with flats means that your pants will be draging on the floor getting dirty and frayed.

If it is torn, fraying or bedazzled do not wear it to work.

Just because you are wearing jeans it does not mean you get to dress down. You still need to look put together at the office. Pair your jeans with a nice blouse or blazer.

Time for a Reminder

Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory. (Coco Chanel)

The animal print (giraffe?, snow leopard? seriously if you can figure it out let me know) on top of the printed blouse is too much all at once. You can't even see the beautiful necklace she has on.

This would look beautiful with a solid color blouse either in a neutral or coordinating pink, but either way the scarf or the necklace has got to go.

Mexican Jeans

 We're looking for a second opinion. A coworker called these Mexican jeans. What do you think? Are they too South Valley for Downtown or are they fine for a casual office?