Articles

By LeslieWillmott on Apr 22, 2015

  “Fashion is architecture: it is a matter of proportions.” — Coco Chanel How many times have you gotten dressed, looked in the mirror and said “Something looks ‘off’ here”? It might simply be a matter of proportions. Proportion is the framework with which we build our outfits, consciously or not. And the relative proportion of color or design elements can make or break a look. There are many guidelines I use to help to determine what looks best on me and on others when combining separates. One of the most useful is the Golden Ratio – also called the Golden Mean – a ratio that appears in nature that we find aesthetically pleasing. The Golden Ratio has applications in mathematics, architecture and art…and also fashion. The ancient Greeks claimed that a 1/3 to 2/3 ratio is the most aesthetically pleasing division of spaces. In fashion, this is often referred to as “the rule of thirds”. Look at the Eiffel Tower, considered one of the greatest structures ever erected. It breaks visually into roughly 2/3 at the top, 1/3 at the bottom. Painters and photographers use visual applications of the same ratio to compose their works. How do you apply this to dressing in a way that is proportionally most pleasing to the eye?   Combining Separates A balanced one-to-one ratio can be dull or boring. Unbalanced proportions are much more interesting and pleasing to look at. As you put items together, think in terms of dividing your overall look into thirds rather than halves or quarters: •  Combine items that are uneven in proportion to each other: Instead of two items that are the same length, look for a long and a shorter garment to put together: – The blue-gray suit in the illustration on the far left is boxy looking because the jacket and skirt are about the same length (1/2 to 1/2 as parts of the whole ensemble). A short jacket looks best with a longer skirt or trousers. The Chanel suit in the illustration at the top of this article is more interesting because the short jacket tops a longer length skirt. – A longer jacket looks best over a short skirt (see the tan suit above right, which is a 2/3 to 1/3...

By LeslieWillmott on Feb 17, 2015

Do you wish you were thinner or taller? Can’t seem to shrink your middle with dieting? Do you think you have a better face than figure? Knowing and embracing your body shape and type is the first step to finding clothes that fit and flatter. Using the power of illusion is the second. Few women have a perfectly proportioned body, but clothing and accessories can help create the illusion of one. The principles are not complicated: Emphasize your best features and de-emphasize the not-so-good ones.   Your Body Type & Your Fashion Goal Fashion’s ideal female figure is evenly proportioned with hips just slightly narrower than shoulders so garments fall freely over the hips. Most of us, however, are not evenly proportioned so our fashion goals are simple balancing acts. I use the following definitions and guidelines with my clients: Triangle: Your hips are wider than your shoulders. Goal: Add volume to your shoulders and upper body and minimize your hips. Rectangle: Your hips and shoulders are balanced but waistline is not well defined. Goal: Create curves and the illusion of a waistline. Inverted Triangle: Your shoulders are wider than your hips. Goal: Accentuate your lower body and soften your shoulders and upper body. Hourglass: Your hips and shoulders are balanced and waistline is defined. Goal: You want to show off your curves…but without going overboard. Round (or Oval): Your waist area is wider than your shoulder or hips. Goal: Elongate your torso and create the illusion of a waist. The clothing that fits you best has a silhouette similar to your own. Each body type can wear any of the silhouettes but some will be more flattering than others. Keeping your fashion goal in mind, it becomes a balancing act with the illusion of ideal proportions the end goal. How to Create the Illusion of “Ideal” When evaluating a garment or accessory, look in the mirror and ask yourself: What are my best assets? Does this show them off? Does it take the eye away from those body areas I don’t want to emphasize? Here are nine easy styling tips to help you choose what to wear to balance your body shape, create desired illusions, and look your best: 1. Shoulder shapes – the best tool for making most women appear...

By LeslieWillmott on Jan 14, 2015

You can’t fit another hanger onto the rack without forcing it in? The closet rod is bending, or worse yet, it’s pulling away from the wall? You have a closet full of clothes but nothing to wear? I think I just heard your New Year’s resolution loud and clear: “I’m going to clean out my closet!” Congratulations! A well-edited and organized closet not only alleviates stress, but it can also minimize future expense. It’s a critical step to streamlining your routine and having a wardrobe that works for you not against you. Most women wear only 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. Closet clutter causes confusion and a closet overflowing with clothes you don’t wear slows you down. Cleaning out and organizing your closet doesn’t have to be painful. Why not set aside some time now, at the beginning of the year, to gain control of your closet? GET READY! Schedule two-hour blocks of time over a week, or one long morning or afternoon. Set the mood with music and pour a cup of coffee…or a glass of wine, depending upon the time of day! Style your hair and put on your makeup and good underwear. Yes, you’ll be trying on most of your clothes and nothing will look good if you don’t. GET SET! Gather these important tools: 1. Full-length mirror – if not already installed, it’s an investment you must make, even if it’s the simple over-the-door variety. 2. Sticky notes to label items needing repair or alteration. 3. Large trash bags labeled: “Consign”, “Donate”, “Toss”. 4. Quality hangers to replace any wire ones you’re currently using (see tips below). GO! 1. Pull everything out of your closet and drawers. (If you live in an area with a change of seasons, focus on clothing for the current season and repeat this process at the beginning of the next season.) Your goal is to divide and conquer: What to “Keep” vs. what to “Cast Off”. 2. Group like items together. If you have six pairs of black pants you’ll want to evaluate them against one another. I like to start with bottoms, then tops, dresses and shoes. 3. Don’t forget your underwear, socks and hosiery, and accessories...

By LeslieWillmott on Oct 1, 2014

I’m leaving on a two-week trip to Northern Italy tomorrow that will take me from the city of Milan to the coastal and casual Cinque Terre, and then up to Lake Como. While planning my wardrobe, I’ve focused on traveling light while meeting the changing weather conditions that autumn brings. And I’ll be packing it all into one 22-inch carry-on bag that will make both plane and train travel easier. “Pack light” is my mantra and should be yours, too. Here are ten guidelines – plus a peek into what I’m packing – to help you plan your vacation wardrobe and scale down to one carry-on bag: 1. Limit your color palette. Plan everything around a basic neutral color. Choose medium to dark solid colors for your main wardrobe pieces (my personal favorites are black and charcoal grey – they coordinate easily and don’t scream “I’m a tourist!”). Add color with scarves. 2. Choose versatile pieces that can mix and match and let go of the idea of wearing a different outfit each day. Plan to wear each item more than once. For example, a blazer worn on the plane can also be worn casually with jeans or dressed up for dinner. This is the “capsule wardrobe” concept and you’ll find many examples on Pinterest. My own wardrobe is quite similar to this one from Target. Note: Pack clothes that you love, so you feel good wearing the same things many times in different combinations. I’m taking a favorite grey wool doubleknit cardigan jacket, plus two lightweight cardigan sweaters, one beige (cotton), one black (merino wool). Both are ¾ length and can be layered over everything for day or evening. 3. Take more tops than bottoms. Every top should go with every bottom. Several tops will maximize the wear of your bottoms; and they weigh less, take less room, and are easier to launder. Tops, bottoms…How many pieces do you need? Two or three pairs of pants, plus one jacket, plus four to six tops can meet your needs for one week. For two or more weeks, I take one more bottom (pant or skirt) and more tops and launder/clean any items that need it before repeating. For this trip, I’m packing two pairs of pants for day...

By LeslieWillmott on Aug 13, 2014

The Strategic Use of Color Building a wardrobe based on your most flattering colors is both an art and a science. This rings true not only in identifying your most flattering colors, as discussed in my previous post, but also in how you work with your color palette. Here’s an overview of your color groups and how I guide my clients to use color strategically as they build their wardrobes: Neutrals – Wardrobe Workhorses Your best neutrals are those with the same undertone (cool or warm) as your own coloring. The true neutrals are black, white, and grey but certain colors can be neutrals too:  beige, brown, burgundy, navy, forest green, teal, plum. Do you see lots of neutrals in your closet? That’s good news as they are your best choice for wardrobe basics. Neutrals give you the most wardrobe mileage because they can be worn again and again without being remembered. They act as backdrops for your personal coloring and best fashion colors. Your most flattering neutrals are those that repeat part of your personal coloring – hair, skin or eyes. The most important neutral is your natural hair color. (I often advise women to make major wardrobe purchases, such as a coat, in their hair color.) Wearing Neutrals: Dressing head-to-toe in neutrals can be a sophisticated, elegant look but only if you avoid monotony by incorporating two of the following: contrasts in light and dark values, texture, print or shine, or unusual design lines. A neutral colored suit, pant and skirt can play multiple roles in your wardrobe when you start combining them with a scarf, blouse, or jacket in one of the fashion colors your color analyst gave you. Black & White Your closet may be as full of black as mine is (it’s my favorite for travel). Yet, black is not as flattering on many women as other neutrals. Why? It’s not a part of most women’s personal coloring. If this is true for you but you’re not ready to eliminate black from your wardrobe, top those pants and skirts with your best fashion colors. What about that black suit or jacket? Here’s a tip Nancy Nix-Rice gives in her new Looking Good…Every Day  book:  Wear a black jacket with a...