The lovely and inspiring Imogen Lamport from Inside Out Style (find her here and on the Image Inspiration page. You will learn so much from her!) awarded this to the fashion blogs she follows, of which yours truly is honored to be one! I am to reveal "5 Fashion Facts We Didn't Know Before." So here goes!
Like Imogen, I also wore tons of hand-me-downs but thankfully not from any brothers. I was the firstborn for my parents and first grandchild on my Dad's side as well. His youngest sister is only 4 years older than me, so I had TONS of clothes from her. I remember some gems - a pair of 70's clunky sandals with wheels that popped out of the bottom. So fun. My parents had 3 girls in 3 years so my Mom also did a lot of sewing. You ain't seen nothin' till you've seen three little girls in matching quilted bell jumper dresses! Contrary to what image that description might bring to mind, we were super cute!
At 13 I cut off and sold almost 3 feet of hair. I'd had it long my whole life and would have a conniption if my Mom trimmed more than a tiny inch. For as long as I could remember it had been down to my derriere or longer. She'd braid or put curlers in it the night before church or the first day of school and I'd have MILES of thick curls. Random people would come up to us in public and ask to touch my hair. That part bugged me. And then we moved to Arizona. You want heavy? Try all that hair soaked down in pool water. My neck couldn't take it. And in the summer my hair acted like a furnace! They didn't have Locks-of-Love back then but we found a salon that would buy the hair for wigs for cancer patients. We chopped it up to my chin and my head felt so weird! My Mom cried. I was ecstatic. The salon was thrilled to have all that virgin hair.
I spent nearly 2 years in Germany (served as a missionary for my church and went back for a study abroad program in college) and never figured out their obsession with magenta hair dye. They do, however, have the COOLEST taste in glasses. Look for the funkiest, most fabulous pair of eyeglasses - usually on a man - and you've found yourself a German tourist. I love my Germans! They're the best. They also have the best winter hats. I learned how to do scarves and hats in Germany. And traveling Europe as much as I have really pounded home the lesson that a great wardrobe doesn't have to be a huge wardrobe.
I once used masking tape (the only thing I could find in the house I was staying at) to control a couple unflattering body bulges and look better in a bridesmaid dress. Yeah, didn't work as intended. And just FYI - something happens when sweat mixes with masking tape adhesive. At first it causes the tape to unstick, as you would expect, but after a while, it reacts to bond the tape to your skin so thoroughly that you will lose said skin in your attempts to get the tape off.
My Dad picked out some of my best clothes. What, you say? A man, let alone your father, involved and interested in your style? Yep. As an eye surgeon, he sees tons of women - both stylish and non - in his office. While I was growing up all that good and bad style he was observing translated into really good outfits for me. And sales ladies would love it when he came to shop. Not that he'd spend a ton of money. He was frugal. But he'd get them excited about joining his quest to find something great for his daughter.
No matter how many messages I leave, Giorgio (Armani, that is) still hasn't come 'round to measure me for a custom wardrobe. Nor has Ralph (Lauren), or Nannette (Lepore), or Tommy (Hilfiger), Karl (Lagerfeld, Chanel), Carolina (Herrera) or any other of the many designers I like. You either? Didn't think so.
Until they do, we're going to have to employ that tried and true method of having our clothes tailored. Altered to fit our own unique bodies. And it's always a shock to me when women tell me they've NEVER had anything tailored. Have you ever bought a suit with your husband or pair of dress pants?Notice how it wasn’t even a question that the pants and jacket would be tailored to fit him?And how the hem of the pants probably wasn’t even finished?!I wish women's clothing worked the same way.Women have more curves so how is it we don’t naturally tailor things to fit those curves?!
Why to Tailor and When!
The bottom line? Off-the-rack clothing that we buy every year is made for averages. And while there are special options for petite, tall and plus sized women they can hardly be expected to fit every one of us like custom made. You and I may wear the same size but how we fill those clothes and end up looking in them is completely different.
A few alterations can make a $30 dress look like a $300 dress. A lot of the frustration of style and shopping is the never ending search for the pieces that make us look great. Many times those pieces are NEVER going to be found without a little help. They're probably hanging in your closet right now, just needing a little tweaking here and there to reveal their true perfection.
Tailoring is truly being budget conscious.The clothes you own will fit you better – thus you’ll feel and look better in them – ergo you’ll spend less money shopping because you’ll already have items in your closet that are wonderful.AND you’ll take better care of them (wouldn’t want to ruin those perfect pants that make you look so great!) – ergo you’ll need to replace them less often. Get the picture?
Don't waste money tailoring everything. You should still shop in appropriate sections (plus, petite, regular, etc.) and look for things that generally fit well. Then just rely on a tailor to tweak it into perfection as needed.
Some things aren’t worth the money to tailor. Poorly made clothes in cheap fabrics will likely not be worth the expense. Put the money instead toward a better overall item.
Tailoring can still add up so spread out the cost.Start with items you aren’t totally in love with until you find a tailor you trust.Then alter the ones you wear (or WANT to wear) the most and every few months have something else tailored until your wardrobe truly fits and flatters you.
Clothes can be taken in up to 2 sizes. If you've recently lost weight, enjoy buying those new "skinny jeans" but also take your best existing pieces to a tailor. You'll get more years out of your clothes and have more options in your wardrobe.
I had started this post a while ago but ended up working on others instead. I knew I had to finish it when my copy of InStyle's fall Makeover issue arrived and there was a great article about tailoring. Here were some of their tips:
Dresses & Blouses -
Cinch the waist. If it twirls loosely at the waist when it's on, it will look better taken in.
Bring in the bust. Always wear the right bra to your fitting so that you get the proper alteration. That means, if you always plan to wear your padded "add-a-cup" bra with the dress or shirt, wear it when you go to the tailor!
Shorten the hem.Many hems that fall below the knee (mid-calf frumpers!) will look better AT or just below the knee.
Rein in the arms. Add structure to a loose, floppy sleeve by giving it a bubble hem. Simply tighten the elastic until it looks right. I did this last year with a Banana Republic dress I bought for a wedding and upcoming parties. The sleeves had elasticized cuffs but hung loosely around my arm. I quickly unpicked the little seam, shortened the elastic, and closed up the seam. They looked so much better!
Trim the waist. Even a flouncy blouse needs shape. Bring in the sides slightly for a slimmer, more flattering fit. I would also add - raise the hem as necessary. Most tops shouldn't hit below the top of the thigh. It adds visual pounds and shortens your legs.
Pants -
Tighten the seat! Even loose-fitting trousers should have shape. Take in the seat of the pants so the fabric doesn't bunch together.
Narrow the inseams (on baggy pants). With slimmer inseams the pants will fall gracefully from the hips without heavy breaks in the fabric.
Raise the hem. (where necessary) Bring the shoes you intend to wear most with your pants to the fitting. Have each pant leg pinned separately since your limbs aren't always the same length.
Blazer - For years I have employed these same tips for tailoring a blazer. Suit jackets and blazers look INFINITELY better after a little tailoring. And I've only ever found one jacket that fit so well it didn't need it. All the rest did and it was totally worth it.
Slim the sleeves. For a more streamlined, feminine look, taper boxy sleeves so there is added separation between your arms and waist.
Nip it at the waist. Give your blazer instant shape by having the sides brought in.
Watch your wrists. Too-long sleeves are an immediate giveaway of an ill-fitting jacket. They should hit at your wrist.
Choosing A Tailor Don't live in Thailand? Me either. It's a veritable hive of fine tailoring. Superb skill at fractions of US prices. Would be nice to just jet over there as needed. But excellent craftsmen are to be found on our home turf. I've never once had a Nordstrom tailor return anything but perfection. And they've even altered clothing I didn't purchase at Nordstrom. Asking around is your best option. You'll probably get advice on who to visit as well as who to stay away from. If that doesn't yield any results, check out online resources, such as the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals, Craigslist, etc.
So whipstich! that wardrobe into shape! And smile in your closet a little more often.
"Everything you put on your body tells the world how you expect to be treated." - Clinton Kelly, What Not To Wear
Every so often I dream that Stacy London and Clinton Kelly show up at my door to recruit me for What Not To Wear. "The burden of battling bad style is just too great.", they say, "You must help us!" It's a lovely dream that's always fun. I like to pop onto their website regularly to check for new tips and Style Quizzes. My scores on the most recent two? Smart Shopper Quiz = 100% Wow! You are truly a smart shopper! Your friends should always heed your fashion advice. (See! I told you!) Style Myths Quiz - 100% Shut up! You're so fashion forward!
On a What Not To Wear episode this week, Clinton once again inspired me with the great quote above. It's just like I said in my very first blog post, whether we want to or not, everyone makes a fashion statement. Clinton is absolutely right - what we wear sends a message to the world about how to treat us. During my years as a road warrior in the sales and marketing world, I saw the amazing power a dressier outfit can wield. Not only did I get upgraded more often, I also moved through security lines faster, was approached in conversation by other well-dressed travelers, and received more courteous service from flight attendants and hotel staff. I was able to pack less because I was already wearing some of the pieces of my suit. If we were traveling as a team, I was always ready for dinner, in case we wanted to skip stopping at the hotel.
I'm no longer flying the friendly skies every week (Thank Heaven! Though I do miss the frequent flier perks!) and many of you are in a similar situation, no longer out in the working world, or at last not going to an office everyday. But it doesn't mean there's nothing to dress for. Every day is a new opportunity to tell the world how we expect to be treated. And if you haven't liked the message you've been sending - change your tune TODAY! I've been working with a good friend of mine who would like to dress more stylishly. She's beautiful and thin and mentioned yesterday that she worries people will say, "Who does she think she is?" when she suddenly starts wearing better outfits. I told her there will be two basic camps. The "Wow! She looks so great! I wish I could look that great!" camp and the sneering "Whatever!" jealous camp. Never pay attention to the jealous camp! Who cares what they think anyway.
Just as many of us start a new diet one random morning, you can also start new style. Instead of sweats and a ratty t-shirt to the grocery store, try your nice trouser jeans and a blouse. Takes the same amount of time to put on! Or slip on a skirt with a sleek T and fun sandals. I promise, you'll feel so much better than you did the day before. And someday, somehow, good style always pays off.
That first one was really hard. This is Coordinating.
Tough to tell any difference. I know. This is tricky. Let's try another one.
Is this: a) Matchy-Matchy b) Coordinating c) Matching
Correct answer: a, Matchy-Matchy. Otherwise known as Matching Gone Wrong!
Coordinated.
One of the most difficult parts about getting dressed is choosing which colors and patterns to put together. There are the simple options; monochromatic, two tone, or my favorite, the dress (all you have to choose are shoes and accessories!). But looking stylish entails being able to coordinate more than two colors or patterns. So here are a few tips.
Look for inspiration rather than relying on your imagination. Sometimes, if you're standing in front of your wardrobe, and you're TRYING to create an outfit with colors or patterns you wouldn't normally wear, you're going to end up looking exactly that way. Like you were trying too hard. So look outside your wardrobe for color pairings that speak to you. It could be anything! I recently received a lovely thank you card from a friend. On the front were 12 circles, each made up of 3 color-coordinated rings. They were fabulous pairings of various oranges, limes, tans, khaki's, and turquoise. The card immediately found its way into my Style File! I could have never put those together in such a perfect way and now I'll just glance at the card for inspiration. It might be an outfit you see in a magazine, an ad for something wholly unrelated to fashion, or even one of your husband's neckties! If the colors coordinate in a way that inspires you, take note!
When pairing different patterns in the same outfit, one should be dominant and all others recessive. If you have a bold pinstripe, choose a subtle floral. Bright polka-dot top? Quiet herringbone trouser. And remember, bold patterns in neutral colors still act as a neutral. Don't be afraid to add color with your other pieces, shoes, and accessories.
Walk your wardrobe. Grab the piece you're wanting to wear. Let's say a tan skirt. Now, walk along the rest of your wardrobe holding that piece up against your other clothes. When something jumps out at you, go with it! As long as it's not the exact same color, of course. (See photo #1.) Maybe you found a pale green shirt. Now take both pieces and do the walk again. When you find a third, your outfit is done! That light blue fitted jacket will be perfect!
Take baby steps. If you always choose black pants and your cream colored twinset, choose a different colored layer to go under the cardigan. The next time, choose a pant other than black. Or start by adding color with your accessories or shoes; such as a bright beaded necklace or scarf. It's ok to go slow and build your confidence. Before you know it, you'll be whipping up beautifully coordinated outfits and making it look effortless.
To make sure you got it - let's try it again.
Is this: a) Matching to the extreme b) Coordinating
Correct answer: do I really have to spell it out?
Coordinated.
Just kidding!
THIS is Coordinated.
Bonus Question for extra credit!
Is this: a) Coordinating b) Matching
Correct answer - TRICK QUESTION! It's neither. I don't know WHAT this is!
A reader, Sharon LeGarde, shared some of her thoughts with me about Sunday snacking and reverence so I asked her to contribute to a guest post on the subject. Remember - Style isn't just about what we wear. It's the whole package - the whole image!
Take it away, Sharon!
Spirit or Skittles? Where or what is the spirit I'm seeking? Lost in the crumbs and the drink? "Children, please fold arms and listen." "Teens, please just stop texting and think?" What if our Jesus really was watching? Sitting, near the Biship on the stand? If our 'meeting' wasn't just an hour to "get through" Using Jesus' name with the water & bread? Are our thoughts so distracted with snacking? Focused on instant messages or feeding the kids? Could we stop, be respectful and reverent? Remember it's from the Lord our spirits are fed. Not a Sunday "keep quiet" bench picnic. Could we teach little ones to worship" instead? Turn our minds, caring attention to the Lord. Come to Sacrament with our hearts, not our food. He died, so to lift up our bodies. He died, so to save all our souls. Sacrament meeting is special and sacred. Let's worship the WAY God has shown. -- Sharon B. LeGarde July 17, 2009
Dearest Sisters and parents everywhere, I am a parent, grandparent and soon-to-be great grandparent. I've also been a professional Nanny for all ages in all social strata and circumstances. I have spent thousands of hours baby-sitting, even for the most difficult personalities and behavioral patterns. May I share my experiences with y'all? The latest member of my family is a toy chocolate poodle. Her name is CoCo Cherie Chanel. We took the time to train her at a young age...7 weeks... to a litter box using dog litter. It was not easy, we had to be diligent, patient, loving and consistent. But at a certain point, the end was worth the means! Never having to take the dog out to potty. No rainy, cold, wet days "walking" the dog. It is now a year and half later. No accidents, no problems. No outside potty trips. We are saving days of our lives in time; weeks, months, energy, effort, all because we made a little effort and followed through for the BEST END result!! Folks, if a dog can learn this, a child CAN learn reverence and to sit fairly quietly. Yes, a toddler may need a bottle, cheerios and books. But there is a point in progression where soon after being a toddler, FOOD, DRINKS and TOYS are not needed for 70 minutes out of a whole week. In my neck of the woods I'm seeing straws in huge drink containers, complete sandwiches with dessert, etc.! Children only know what we take with us, give them and allow to occur at Sacrament.
Is this a familiar scene from your meetings? Your own row?!
We need not replace the quiet books of our childhood with texting and hand-held video games.
Idea: We parents can train our children and grandchildren to respect the Lord and his house. It just takes some home practice, some "role playing" or "let's pretend we're at Sacrament" sessions. With patience, diligence, love, consistency and the desire to teach them proper reverence with loving consideration for the sacredness of Sacrament meeting.
Start out with 5 minutes sitting in a staged area with music playing.
Work up to the whole 40 minute thing with prayers given, singing, and talks. FHE is great for this, using a sacrament meeting model, till they are good at it and are able to translate it to real Sunday use.
Dress up, role play. Kids love to do that! All children can feel our attitude and pick up on the intent and support they get from you.
You can then use this idea for going out to a dressy dinner, special event, theater show, concerts, etc. Children can learn to behave and be respectful of ANY occasion and event! Manners too!
It does NOT take money or position to have and display celestial attitudes and demeanor! If the Lord were to visit our meetings, we would want to immediately DO THE RIGHT THING, the moment we knew he was there, so... get ready to be with Him! You will benefit, and our Lord and Savior will be so pleased. Heavenly Father WILL bless your whole family. Thanks for listening to this guest post.
Love to All....Sharon B. LeGarde in Hendersonville Ward, Tennessee
Fashion Poetry. Enjoy. Just wishin' and hopin' that necklines would work sleeves would appear hemlines would lengthen and clothes weren't too sheer
People choose to live a modest lifestyle for many reasons. Religion, upbringing, career dictates, age, personal taste. As with any lifestyle choice, there's the possibility of a love/hate relationship with your decision. We may love the message we're sending but hate that we can't wear certain styles. Love that we rarely have to worry about looking trampy but hate that we're sometimes viewed as "out of touch." But today is a call to arms! Are you going to waste time wishin' and hopin' that the clothes were designed differently - and not dress nicely until they are? Or are you going to embrace the decision you've made and wear it loud and proud? Never give up! Never surrender!
Choosing modest clothes isn't usually an issue for many of us.
Until you see clothes like this...
(swoon!)
... that make you realize you were IN FACT supposed to be born a Russian Tsarina...
(how fabulous is this??)
... and you wonder where the heavenly clerical error happened that gypped you out of your sartorial destiny.
I guess this post mainly goes out to the disgruntled women who say, "Modest clothes suck so it really doesn't matter what I wear." Not so! I put together just a tiny sampling of some dresses from recent seasons. Both the slightly immodest and modest versions of very similar looks. You'll notice the "not quite right" side (L) is still not extremely revealing, but they seem to be the clothes that cause the trouble. Sleeveless "but otherwise ok", too low a neckline, a little too short a hemline - just barely outside our limits, the clothes we bemoan the most. Very revealing clothing rarely makes us hide in frumpville. We wouldn't necessarily have worn them anyway. But the examples below show that perfect looks are right around the corner from the near misses. Just keep looking! (And you might want to click on the image to make it larger.)
I certainly advocate "working your clothes" to make them appropriate; slipping on a camisole, cardigan, or shrug, lengthening the hem a little, etc. But all that layering just to wear certain styles gets old. And hot. Sometimes it's so much simpler to make the modest choice straight of the box. So next time you're shopping, see what options are out there that truly embrace your lifestyle decision and help you showcase your look!
I love my evening shadow. My evening shadow has long, lean legs. I can look at my evening shadow stems and imagine they got that way from all the hours of running and working out I've done.
My evening shadow has delicate ankles, around which my ankle bracelets float perfectly.
My evening shadow has a trim waist and narrow hips. I'll take a size 6, please. My evening shadow makes anything I'm wearing look cool and I'm always wearing the custom wardrobe my favorite designers made just for me.
My evening shadow always stands up straight and confident. Never questioning how she looks. Feeling her best.
And while I'm looking at my evening shadow, I remember that it's just me. This body right now is casting that shadow. Somewhere in me are those long, lean legs, trim waist and narrow hips. Sometimes when I, or anybody, talks enough about fashion the imperfections can start to take front and center. Annoying us that the size 6 isn't going to happen right now. And might not ever. That perfect dress just didn't transform us the way we were hoping it would. But beating ourselves up isn't truly stylish, is it? A stylish woman is timeless, sizeless, ageless. She carries herself confidently. Happily.
And so I'll keep enjoying my evening shadow and I'll remind myself that it will never be able to show my fabulous feet that look good in any and all shoes. (Thank you feet!) My evening shadow will never show my smile that gets my babies grinning. My evening shadow will never show my eyes that my husband loves. My evening shadow is simply reflecting just a little bit of the best I can be. And that's an inspiration I can always use.
What would you be wearing if you were living your perfect life? Maybe you are living that life, but your clothes don’t fit in with the rest of the picture. Is there a particular goal you’ve been avoiding? Could better style now help you take the first step toward meeting it?
Fashion and Style are really just your answers to the questions you’re asked every minute of every day. What am I doing this morning? Afternoon? Evening? Who am I doing it with? What is/will be the weather? What is appropriate for the occasion? How much time do I have to change outfits during the day? What do I want to project? What message do I want this outfit to send? What language are my clothes speaking? Let’s not ever kid ourselves, everything we wear says something, from the underpinnings the public doesn’t see to the smallest of accessories. Our clothing speaks volumes. It talks about who we are, how we’re feeling, and what we believe.
Who is the Modern Modest Woman? She’s trying to look appropriate and up-to-date while setting an example of modesty. Not content to wander drably with The Frumpy, she is keenly aware that more and more, the world is looking at her not only as an example but also to answer questions about our unique lifestyle. If what they see looks weird (and weird is the bad side of peculiar) or off-putting, they may consider their questions already answered. And you can bet it won’t be the most flattering answer.
I have always loved fashion but it took an embarrassing first business trip at my first real job, when I tried too hard to look “executive” (and failed miserably!), for me to start learning about real style. Imogen Lamport, a great image consultant from Australia says, “Style is a learning experience, and one that I never stop learning, and my style never stops changing (and that makes it interesting too).” Image Interpreters is about bringing together the best style and fashion tips and tricks and applying them to our unique lifestyle.
Whether we want to or not, everybody makes a fashion statement - this site is mine.
Jesslyn Weaver Wife, mom and enthusiastic student of great style. An opinionated fashionista out to liberate modest dressers from their frumpy wardrobes. As a road warrior in the sales world for many years, she saw the good, the bad, and the downright ugly from coast to coast. And much of Europe as well! “Charming and chic transcend anything trendy. Mom jeans may win a few battles – but elegance will win the war!”
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