The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale preview mini-mag hit my mailbox the other day. 
On page 11 was this.

I always love seeing things that modest dressers have always worn suddenly hailed as the "Newest Shape!" "Newest length!" Yep, it's a knee-length skirt. How refreshingly novel!

As I admonished you in this post about midi skirts, get 'em while the gettin's good!
It's much easier to shop for items when they're a hot ticket in style "trends."  When the rest of the fashion world is going gaga over mini skirts, knee length won't be as prevalent in the stores.  I may get this skirt. I really like the slightly a-line shape and the slightly 60's mod styling.  In a sturdy stretch ponte knit it'll last for-absolutely-ever.

Remember, the Nordstrom Anniversary sale is NEW fall season items at sweet sale prices. Here are a few other things I'm digging from the preview.

Fantastic blazer. And I swoon for anything that smacks of Chanel (at a price I can afford.)

Gorgeous brown tall boots.  Because as I mentioned last year... the boots zip!!

Because I shrunk out of all my coats last year and I love the asymmetrical closure and cool leather and knit sleeve details.
But I want it in black.

We're closing out our study of coverage tees today with Darks and Fall/Winter looks.
If you need to catch up, you can check out Part 1- Spring/Summer
and Part 2- Lace/Sheer.

Darks can swing to the tricky or easy side. Let's analyze.

1. #'s 2 and 4 above are pretty easy. One is lacy, the other slightly sheer, so a black coverage tee underneath is a safe bet. White or nude tees that don't exactly follow the outline of the shirt would create odd shadowing under the shirt, so you're better off with black. 
   
2. #3 above can be tough. The coverage tee will be front and center at the neckline so if the black of the dress and the black of the tee don't match, it will jump out in a bad way.  Compare them in both natural and indoor light. If they don't match, choose a contrasting color. Anything you like! Red, white, blue, etc. And since the sleeves are already modest, consider a beaded or sparkly tank instead of a coverage tee to dress it up more. A plain layer in a contrasting color will dress down this dress. A matching black or embellished layer will dress it up. As will the choice of shoes & accessories.
   
3. #1 was chosen to discuss necklines. Just a little bit of coverage is needed under this top. Personally, I think a flash of red or baby blue under this top would be great. White or black obviously work as well. But you can easily see that if the neckline of the coverage tee comes way up to the collar bone, the entire look will be thrown off. You'll look at it and think, "There's something not quite right but I just can't pinpoint it." Again, since the sleeves work, a tank or cami with a lower neckline will work better.
4. #5 is a good example of choosing color.  You could choose a coverage layer from any of the colors in this dress. A nude or white under this dress would just look wrong.
   

Fall/Winter layers are when coverage tees are at their most useful. They become the extra layer you need without adding bulk. A couple things to remember:

1. As shown in all the examples above, TUCK that tee in if it's going to hang below your outer layer. No need to make yourself look shorter and wider.
2. With the short-sleeved example (2 from L) you could also wear a long sleeve coverage tee. Short sleeves on an outer layer can look cute and casual with long sleeves underneath.
3. Don't forget that coverage tees are extremely casual. To elevate your sweater, don't forget the smart look of a button down as the under layer. If you haven't seen them already, check out The Skinny Shirt (pictured below). I think this is a brilliant idea. It's a normal button down collar and cuffs, but the body of the shirt is slim and stretchy. It'll stay smooth under your sweater! Genius. Wish I'd thought of it. (SkinnyShirt has no idea who I am.)
4. For extra warmth, layer them under shirts that don't "need" the tee.  Choose coordinating colors (much better than matchy-matchy) and leave the shirt unbottoned a bit. The fitted nature of the coverage tee will provide a sleek look under the shirt.

- Part 2 -
We're continuing our look at how one can stylishly employ coverage tees.  We started last week with some Spring looks and major Do's and Do Not's. 
Today's it's Sheer and Lace!

I've been getting emails from folks asking, "What are you talking about with these shirts? Are people seriously wearing them like that?" While modesty tees can be found most anywhere, I don't think anyone can deny that the looks I showcased in How NOT to Wear Coverage Tees are mostly a "Utah thing" or a "Mormon thing." I love that Utah is the hotbed of modest dressing. The Mormon community definitely carries the torch for modesty high. But admittedly, it can be a challenge to inject variety into a wardrobe with some pretty defined rules. It seems that when these coverage tees hit the big time, more than a few folks figured they could be used to wear anything and everything. And that's where we ran into some serious style trouble.
But no more! We're getting the coverage tees back on track!

Lace and chiffon are big for spring! I've always loved both! They're so feminine and romantic. Coverage tees work perfect under these items and you can make them work best with a few simple tips.

Yesterday's post was getting long so I saved this tip for today. 
FASHION TAPE!
Get it. Use it. Love it.
There's no need to wear an entire coverage tee just to help with the tiniest of gaps that might happen at a neckline. A little strip of double-sided fashion tape at the underwear/bra line will keep that top/dress in place all day.  You can find it at most sewing supply stores and online. I like the pre-cut strips as opposed to the rolls.  They're much easier to remove from the backing and you can take along a couple extra strips.
A few tips for expert taping:

• Make sure the skin where you'll be sticking is dry and cream free.
  
• If you've never used it before, practice once or twice. The placement can be tricky. You want your top to lay flat, not pull or pucker. Stand up straight, position your top then slip the tape under. Remove the other backing and stick down your top. Press firmly.
• You can stick cloth-to-cloth, if that will look better than cloth-to-skin. This works well with wrap or crossover style tops, even button down blouses that gap at the bust.
• Don't mummify yourself! If more than a small strip or two of tape is required, move on to layering or forget the top entirely.
  

- PART 1 -
Alrighty - let's get to it!  As I mentioned in "How NOT to wear coverage tees," I'm on a mission to eradicate the crimes against good style that some folks are committing with these useful, but often misused, fitted t-shirts.
For anyone just joining us, a "coverage tee" or "modesty t-shirt" is a very fitted tee with a higher neckline, longer length and sleeves ranging from small cap to long.

First off, CONGRATULATIONS! This sounds like such an honor and the opportunity for a fun, unique event. I wanted a little extra information from J. and didn't get to post this before the luncheon but I'm going to address it anyway, in case the information is useful for anyone else.
1. Don't dress down. A luncheon of any type calls for "dressy casual." An AWARD luncheon calls for a step up from that.  For an event like this, I'd go with a dress, although the trousers and blouse combo would also work. Just no denim. Period.

Formal wear - be it Cocktail level or Black Tie level - is especially tricky for modest dressers. If a dress is long enough, it tends to show too much skin up top. If the top is covered, it often goes no lower than mid thigh. If the front is covered, it's backless.  If the back is covered, it has a plunging V-neckline! It's quite a conundrum.  If you ever find a formal dress that's timeless, flattering, and modest without modification - BUY IT!
You'll wear it someday, I promise, and it'll be worth every penny. 

J. purchased the dress you see at the top.  She might want something different for next year, so we're going to address the options.

The formal skirt/white button down shirt combo has been hitting the red carpet for a while. And I really like it because it's versatile. The skirt can be paired with different button downs, a brocade tank and shrug as shown above, or a cashmere twinset for less formal occasions. But it has it's own set of rules.

1. It must be truly formal. That means in both shape and material. A simple straight black skirt that you would wear to church is not a formal skirt. Satin works here, a fit/flare shape, something with a train, fancy beading, full with a crinoline, etc. It has to carry the full weight of the formal requirement.
   
2. You have to tuck.  Leaving the shirt untucked kills the look. You don't have to tuck a twinset, but it should be form fitting to balance the fullness of the bottom. Teeter-totter!!
3. Formal skirts can be hard to find outside the holiday party time of year, so start looking this fall and tuck it away if you find one.

Accessories

J. says she's "not a fancy person" so I don't want to overwhelm her with jewelry options she might not be comfortable with but I still want her to have fun with it. And choose things she could use again and again.
For J.'s dress, I suggest long, sparkly earrings and a tennis bracelet or slim bangles.  Maybe a fun cocktail ring.  She has short hair, which will play nicely with the earrings. Chandelier earrings would be lovely. They'll also leave the neckline open and long, which will draw nice attention to the face.

I've also suggested she kick her shoes up a notch. The lower heel with this dress pitches toward frumpy. A higher heel in black or a neutral metallic will be a better option.

If she's not sure how to do evening-event appropriate makeup, I suggest booking an appointment at a makeup counter (Sephora or Nordstrom?) on your way to the event. Or at the very least, a few days before so they can give you a tutorial.

J. sent me a few pictures of last years gala.  There was some sparkle, lots of under-dressed shirt/skirt combo's, several frumpy "Sunday Suits", even a few pants.
I'd have loved to fix up the whole group in a makeover suite!

I think the dress she chose will be appropriate for the room as well as for the occasion.  We don't want her in floor-length sequins with a sweeping train if the rest of the room is in Sunday dress but we also don't want her dressing down just because others don't know the meaning of "Formal Gala Event."  Under-dressed people should never dictate what's appropriate, but too often, it's the properly dressed folks who feel silly. Always dress for the occasion and then wear it with confidence! You'll own the room! And hopefully inspire someone else to dress better next time.

Good luck, J.! We're excited to hear when you win!

As requested, I am working on a post about how to correctly utilize coverage tees.  While you're waiting, study these examples I found today.

Criminal Application of a Coverage Tee


No, no, no, NO NO!!!
What the...???
On what planet is this attractive?!?
Nothing in this solar system.
Nor anywhere the Hubble will ever find.


As I said last week in "How NOT to wear coverage tees," some clothes just won't work.  This looks like she put her swimsuit on over her cover up because she's REALLY worried about sunburn.

These examples came from Apricot Apparel, a company I had not heard of until today. I'm sure they make a fine product (lower the dang neckline!) but their marketing campaign is par for the course with their competitors.

Yes, there was more head bashing when I saw this shot.

It's time to revisit one of my favorite rants.  If you would like the primer for today's post, quickly check out Summertime Snafu from two years ago.
It really should be required reading for all modest dressers.
Done reading? Let's discuss.

When you make the decision to dress modestly you MUST come to grips with the fact that there are certain things you can NOT wear.  Attempting to modify any and all apparel will NOT result in flattering, good-looking outfits.

Case in point...

This display has been driving me bonkers ever since it hit our Costco. 
Please analyze it while I go bash my head against the wall.

Mr. Darcy has repeatedly had to hold me back from climbing up, ripping it down, and running around the store screaming, "THIS IS NOT ATTRACTIVE! If you attempt to wear this to a dressy function, people with a sense of style and half a brain will wonder what is wrong with you!"

This one annoys me less but only slightly so.  It's the casual vs dressy thing. 
Casual-layering gone wrong is easier on the eyes than dressy-layering gone so very wrong. 

The basic fact of the matter is that the silky vest should not have been an option. Or if she was absolutely set on wearing it, a jacket/sweater/blazer should have been added to cover the arms.  The third layer would have demoted it from a first-degree murder of style to involuntary manslaughter.

In order to look our very best, we modest dressers need to come to grips with the fact that spaghetti straps, deep cleavage, and sleeveless/strapless/backless items are no longer  options.  And that's ok!! I do not understand why there is such a war to incorporate these clothes into a modest wardrobe. At least in this unattractive way. 
I have some sleeveless tank-style tops/dresses that I like, but they ALWAYS go under a jacket or cardigan. They are the base layers, never the outer layers.  

When coverage tees first hit the streets the marketing was very logical.  The ads featured women wearing the tees to help cover the midsection when a shirt might rise up too high when the arms were lifted.  Or under a slightly too-sheer shirt/dress.  Or to fill in gaping underarms.  The key? The coverage tee was never the focus of the outfit.

It doesn't surprise me that these companies are trying to evolve their product into more of a center piece but a line needs to be drawn. For the sake of all things stylish, a line must be drawn by each woman in her own wardrobe. If you need some motivation, how about the threat of me and my phone camera finding you and featuring you as a What Not To Wear? I'm on a crusade, people.  It has to stop.