18May

Are Your Clothes Making you Look Bigger?

May 18, 2021 Lots of Luxe

Tips & Tricks to Strategically Camouflage Flaws While Flaunting Your Best Assets

Want to learn the tips and tricks to accentuate your best assets and camouflage your flaws? The answer often lies with the clothes you choose.

Every woman’s body is unique. With that said, we all have our favorite and least favorite parts of our bodies. For confidence’s sake, we can learn exactly how to showcase the features of our bodies that we love and hide anything that we’d rather not. As always, it’s not about hating those parts we’d love to change but simply embracing them and accentuating the positives.

You may be wearing clothes that make you look bigger, hide your silhouette, or mask your favorite features. The great news is that we can slim down or make our bodies look fabulous within a matter of minutes with the right outfit.

Here are the top culprits for not looking your best.

Ill-Fitting Undergarments

Your bra, underwear, and shapewear are your foundation for looking good. If they don’t fit right (either too big or too small), even perfectly fitting clothes won’t look flattering. Too tight bras can cause bulges. Improperly fitting underwear can produce panty lines that make your rear look unfavorable. If shapewear doesn’t fit correctly, its purpose is no longer to your advantage. Always make sure you have the proper fit when it comes to undergarments. Getting professional fittings is a must to allow your best silhouette to shine through. What’s more, having underwear that fits right is just more comfortable!

Too Tight Clothes

This one is a given but let me elaborate. Often, tight-fitting clothes are fashionable, so we choose them based on their trendiness (read: skinny jeans). But we should be selecting clothes based on how good they make us feel and look rather than following the trends.

Clothes that are too tight can make us look larger. If you find yourself squeezing into anything, re-think it! Always choose clothes that fit you comfortably, even if it means going up a size. When you wear clothes that fit well, you won’t have to worry about unflattering angles.

Oversized Garments

On the flip side, wearing that oversized t-shirt, tunic, or jersey-style shirt with leggings is not doing your figure any favors. We probably feel more comfortable in large clothing, but if you want to flatter your figure, this is not the way to do it. This rule also applies to puffer jackets, chunky sweaters, and other pieces of clothing that add volume. If you want to look smaller, focus on well-fitting garments. If the sole goal is comfort, by all means, wear the oversized shirt!

Prints and Patterns

You’ve probably heard wearing horizontal stripes adds width to your figure. But what about other patterns? Many other prints can indeed add dimension and can create the illusion of a bulkier body. The two biggest culprits that make bodies noticeably fuller are large prints and horizontal stripes. If you love either of these prints, feel free to wear them, regardless. But if you are consciously trying to appear smaller, they are not your friend. Instead, try vertical stripes or small prints.

Chunky Footwear

Maybe you haven’t thought about how specific shoes can be unflattering to your figure, but it’s true. If you want to create the illusion of longer, slimmer legs, opt for sleeker, thinner, pointed-toe shoes. Wearing clunky heels and platforms adds more bottom heaviness and can make the legs appear shorter.

Need a Second Opinion?

If clothing fit is the last thing you have time for, you are not alone. Many women desire to look better, but their wishes fall to the wayside while taking care of everyone else. Finding a tailor, personal stylist, or wardrobe consultant takes the time and guesswork out of it so you can look your best while living your busy life.

Sometimes the best way to make sure your outfits are complementary to your figure is to ask a professional. Getting an unbiased, qualified expert to help you figure out what will make you look slimmer and chicer is just the ticket.

I’m here if you need me! Melrose

27Aug

Size Isn’t Standard

August 27, 2020 Lots of Luxe

Body Positive Changes to Finding Clothes that Fit

Women have cursed their size for decades. Some decades have been worse on us than others (think the gaunt models of the 90s when anything more than super thin was out), and thankfully we’ve made some progress on how we view women’s bodies. Lately, the media shows a variety of shapes, from petite to full-figured, and models are more diverse than they ever have been. Still, worrying about size is a common problem for women. If we aren’t a particular size, we feel bad.

It’s safe to say that most women have worries about their size, whether it be “comparisonitis” with other women or how personal size stacks up with the “ideals” we see in the media. There is no shortage of women who are not happy with their clothing, size or visiting the fitting rooms. I think it’s time to change that!

Here’s the thing: It’s less about your size and more about fit. Let’s emphasize a good fit over a number that comes on the tag. When women wear well-fitting clothes, they feel good about themselves, regardless of size!

Clothing size is merely a number, a measurement. It has no emphasis on how kind, funny, or astonishingly beautiful you are. Size cannot quantify your beauty and worth. Let size be just a number and focus on how you feel instead.

One thing that can help you achieve feeling good in your clothes is connecting some valuable words to your personal style. What is your truth when it comes to your style? Is it cool, posh, outrageous, iconic, luxurious, or striking?

Here’s what to ask yourself: What words do I want to attribute to my personal style?

As I write this, I am reminded just how powerful words are. Having powerful words assigned to the clothing you wear gives your personal style definition that you can rely on when putting outfits together or purchasing new items each season.

This idea is an inspiration from Brenda Kinsel, who has written about her search for the perfect sized jacket. She finally narrowed it down to a petite medium, after trying on a few sizes, saying, “And you know how I knew it was the right size for me? The standard-sized jackets felt dowdy on me. I wouldn’t have bought it. I’m a spunky, spirited kind of gal, and dowdy isn’t in my style vocabulary. When I got to the petite medium, it felt just right.”

Brenda makes an excellent point here. If your personal style is defined as “spunky,” for example, then anything “dowdy” just can’t be right for you!

Want some more tips? Here are five tips for nailing your personal style and focusing on fit, not size.

1. People notice when you look and feel good, and size is irrelevant. Size is for you (and your personal stylist) to know. Nobody else knows or cares for that matter. When you walk into a room as your-best-dressed-self, you get noticed regardless of your size. That’s why focusing on fit is so much more important. When clothes fit, you know it, and you feel good. You’ll also attract a lot of compliments. Fit is more important than any number.

2. When you wear clothes that fit, you are much more comfortable AND your confidence level immediately goes up. Comfortable fitting clothes allows you to relax, be yourself, and focus on more important things. Time spent tugging and pulling on ill-fitting clothes is time wasted. Don’t waste your time trying to fit into the clothes. Instead, concentrate on how well your clothes fit and watch how you’ll have an extra pep in your step.

3. Remember that size is often relative. Have you ever been one size in a store and a totally different size in another? Clothing sizes for women fluctuate from designer to designer. Some designers’ silhouettes might run small and others larger. Clothing size varies a lot, so don’t be so hard on yourself. If clothing size isn’t even down to a science, then it shouldn’t be fretted over! Even if you think you’re sure of your size, it’s always a good idea to take two or three sizes into the fitting room, so you can decide which fit feels best.

4. Your body changes a lot. Give yourself some credit for being a woman, first and foremost. Over the years, our bodies change, and therefore, clothing sizes change. Even if your weight has been the same for years, our bodies can suddenly hold weight in different areas, or water weight can be a culprit in tightly fitting clothes. Cut yourself some slack because this is normal, and it happens to every body. If anything doesn’t fit you anymore, it’s time to consign it or donate it! You get to buy new clothes that fit right and make you feel wonderful while another woman will get to enjoy your previously-loved clothing.

5. Fashion changes and so do sizes. That has nothing to do with you or your body. Designers change the way clothes fit and fashion trends can change the way things fit on us. Once again, find clothes that fit your body without worrying too much about the numbers.

Finding Clothes that Fit With a Personal Stylist

Finding clothes that fit can be a frustrating task for many women. But it doesn’t have to be. If you need help implementing the tips above, we’re always available. Sometimes, finding clothes that fit and make you feel great can be accomplished by using professionals, from tailors to wardrobe stylists. If you need help finding clothes that always make you feel fabulous, contact us for a consultation.

16Jul

Don’t Leave the Fitting Room Without Knowing These Rules for a Perfect Fit

July 16, 2020 Lots of Luxe

Sometimes the perfect fit can seem rather elusive. And, it doesn’t matter if you’re petite, really tall, or full-figured. All shapes and sizes of women seem to have a common problem — finding clothes that unequivocally fit. When you’ve found that perfect pair of jeans that fit like a glove, we tend to cherish them like a prized possession, and that’s how you know the perfect fit is rare!

Aside from having a wardrobe stylist who can find you the perfect fit, the following fashion secrets are your best bet for finding clothes that truly fit. If you’re shopping on your own, here’s how to ensure all of your clothes fit properly.

If you’re trying on pants…

Give yourself a little extra wiggle room when trying on pants. You should be able to put two fingers inside the waistband. The truth is…sometimes we’re bloated. Women can’t expect to measure the exact same way all the time. So, having a bit of room will ensure you’re always comfortable in your pants and you won’t have to worry about them being suddenly too tight. It’s important to keep in mind that there should be no puckering or wrinkling in the front panel of the pants, and if that’s the case, they are too tight. On the flip side, if the fabric doesn’t lie flat, especially when you sit down, the pants are too big.

You have heard me say this before, having a tailor is crucial when it comes to the proper fit. Even the best quality pants’ pockets can gap when you sit down. And, many times, pants are too long. An easy fix is having a tailor remove the pockets to create a smoother silhouette and of course hemming the pants to create the perfect length for you is also easy and a must.

If you’re trying on blazers or jackets…

The best test to see if a blazer fits perfectly is being able to give someone a big bear hug. If you can’t comfortably give someone a hug or you can’t drive comfortably with it on, your blazer is too tight. When trying on blazers, make sure they aren’t too snug by wrapping your arms around yourself. Sometimes, blazers seem to fit until we decide to button them. If you prefer an open blazer, as long as the blazer isn’t too tight across your shoulder blades, it’s okay to leave them open. If you prefer a buttoned blazer, be sure it’s not too tight in the front!

When it comes to the seams, the shoulder seams should sit right on your shoulders. If the seam is too far over it is too large and will probably look a bit sloppy. Sleeve length is a personal preference, entirely up to you. Getting blazers to fit your exact proportions can be done with alterations.

If you’re trying on jeans…

Have you ever brought five or more pairs of jeans into the dressing room with no luck? You’re not alone in this. Many women have trouble finding jeans that fit, regardless of size. Many companies use models with a specific waist to hip ratio, so it’s no wonder that most women don’t find trying on jeans easy. The trick is to find a pair of jeans that fit fairly snug, especially because most jeans are made with Spandex or Lycra these days. With the addition of Spandex or Lycra in jeans, they will maintain their shape for longer periods of time which is a plus.

Again, for an authentic fit, getting a tailor to help create the perfect jeans for your body type may be necessary. If you find a perfect brand and size for you, stick with it and let your tailor make them perfect!

If you’re trying on button-up-the-front blouses…

With button-up blouse, the seams should lie flat, and be sure there is no gap between the buttons, a common fit issue with large-busted women. Button-ups, with a little stretch to them, tend to look better and provide a better fit. If the blouse is flattering but you still have some gaps between the buttons, a tailor can add hook and eye closures to help fix that. The length of a blouse’s cuffs should lay just below your wrists, just enough to peek out from a blazer. If there is extra fabric that reaches down to your hands, then getting the length shortened is recommended.

Be sure that the area of the blouse that covers your hips isn’t too tight or doesn’t ride up as you walk. Stroll around the dressing room to make sure.

In addition to jackets, make sure your blouses and your knit tops fit in the shoulders. Only blouses and tops with inset shoulder seams will need to sit right where your arm and shoulder meet. This is a location that you will want to fit first. Once the top fits you in the shoulders, you may need to tailor the sides or bust area. If your top has another shoulder design such as a drop-sleeve, ragland sleeve, or dolman sleeve where the shoulder seam sits off the shoulder, then the shoulder fit is not an issue.

If you’re trying on skirts…

Know your body type and based on this know which skirt silhouette looks the best on you. Is it a straight, pencil/pegged, A-line, or a fit and flared skirt shape? Like pants, pockets should not pull open, you should not have any puckering or “whiskers” across the front and no “cupping under” in the hips. What is “cupping under?” If I said, “bubble butt,” would that help? In other words, you don’t want a skirt that’s too tight across your hips.

If you are a woman whose waist is smaller than your hips, get the size that best fits your largest point. In this case, your hips. Then you may need the waist nipped in a bit.

If you have the opposite issue, your waist is larger than your hips, then you will want to purchase the size that fits your waist the best. You may need to have the sides of the skirt “pegged-in.” This is when the sides of a skirt tapers in. This is easily remedied by your tailor taking the back center-seam in, giving the skirt a tapered silhouette. It makes all the difference in the world.

Knowing which silhouettes fit your body type the best, will help you eliminate additional alterations.

In addition to knowing which skirt shapes look best on you, you should also learn the various lengths you should wear your skirts.

If you’re trying on dresses…

Dresses can be a hard fit for a lot of women. If you are the same size on the top and bottom, you’re in luck. I recommend you use the same tips mentioned above for blouses and skirts when shopping for dresses.

A couple of additional tips for dresses…

If you’re trying on an empire waist, be sure it doesn’t sit too high on your bust because tailors might not be able to fix this. If the bust line does not look right, the dress isn’t for you!
Be aware that dresses without structured waistlines flatter most figures.
You can easily spot-check if a dress is going to fit by how the shoulders fit. The width of the hanger should be the width of the shoulders of the dress.

A simple way to always make sure your clothes fit…

If you’d rather not go it alone, a wardrobe stylist is the easiest way to get the look you want with the least amount of effort. One of the greatest benefits of a wardrobe stylist is that we are trained in the area of measure and proper fit, meaning you get a fabulous fit, every time.

Fit is important. And it doesn’t have to be hard! As always, consultations are easy and I’m always here to answer questions. And, I have connections to some of the best tailors in town.

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Body Positive Changes to Finding Clothes that Fit

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