Q&A: The Shoe-Belt Connection for Men

Q: I still haven't quite figured out shoes and belts for men. What's the connection between shoes and a belt (one time, or, to be honest, many times I've worn black shoes with a brown belt and had comments flung my way)?

Also, I'm the kind of guy who only has one pair of shoes at a time -- which color has more power to look professional and match khakis, brown or black? And last up, what am I doing wrong in trying to buy a belt-- I walked into Nordstroms to get a black belt recently and they averaged $90, which is way above my budget. What am I to do?

A: General rule of thumb: match the belt to the shoes. So if you're wearing a black belt, wear black shoes. If you're wearing a brown belt, wear brown shoes. And so forth. However, this isn't a Law.

A better rule might say match the style of the belt to the shoe. That style is most visually expressed through color--hence the "match the belt to the shoes" mantra. I wouldn't want to pair the black and the brown, but pairings that don't exactly match, but are similar in style are definitely A-OK.

Note also that there are formal belts, and there are casual belts. Skinny belts are usually reserved for more formal occasions, and thicker belts are more appropriate for casualwear. For casual belts, leather isn't the only option--there's nylon, grosgrain (ribbon), and canvas, for starters.

If you want to look professional, I'd recommend moving away from khakis and going towards black or grey pants. In your industry, though, it might be more acceptable to wear khakis. In that case, I'd recommend a darker shade of brown. For the black or grey pants, black would be the preferred option between the two.

As for buying a belt, try Macy's. I've found decent quality, stylish belts in the $30-$40 range there. Other options: Club Monaco, or the everpresent Banana Republic and Gap stores.

Women's Figure Flattery Guide: Full Figured

Elongate your silhouette and enhance specific focal points.

Look for...

• When choosing an outfit, pick a focal point and play it up: neck and shoulders, back, cleavage, forearms, legs, etc.
• Monochromatic and tonal outfits.
• Items with drape and stretch.
• Garments with soft texture, vertical patterns, and prints.

• Jackets & Coats
• Straight cuts.
• Mid-hip lengths or longer.
• Single breasted styles.
• Tailored styles.
• Subtle A-line styles.
• High armholes and natural shoulders for a leaner look.
• Biker jackets.
• Boxy jackets.

• Tops
• Semifitted styles that can be tucked in.
• Wrap styles.
• Off-the-shoulder necklines.
• Styles with bust darts.
• Deep V-necks.

• Pants & Jeans
• Flat-front straight leg trousers with no pockets.
• Waistbands 1” or smaller.
• Jean styles that sit slightly below your natural waist.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Dresses with all-over patterns to keep the eyes moving.
• Dark colors and flat textures.
• Waistbands 1” or smaller.
• Styles without waistbands.
• A-line styles.
• Flat front skirts.
• Play up cleavage or legs as your focal point.

• Suits
• Vertical detailing.
• Semifitted styles.
• Simple styles.

• Swimsuits
• Diagonal lines.
• Chevron patterns.
• Verticals: necklines, piping, patterns, seams.
• Lower necklines.
• Side shirring.
• Dark side panels.
• High Lycra content.

Run from...

• Clingy or tight fitting items.
• Oversized clothing.
• Ill-fitting clothing.
• Stiff fabrics.
• Bulky pockets.

• Jackets & Coats
• Double breasted styles.
• Belted styles.
• Bulky flap or patch pockets.

• Tops
• Hems that end at the widest part of your hips.
• Overembellishment.
• Anything too tight.

• Pants & Jeans
• Pants tapered at the ankle.
• Baggy pants.
• Pants with pleated waists.
• Peg top pants with elastic waists.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Bulky, gathered styles.
• Boxy shapes.
• Horizontal detailing.
• Bias cuts.
• Wrap styles.
• Front darts.
• Pleats.
• Front pockets.

• Suits
• Anything too tight.
• Complicated cuts.
• Horizontal detailing.

• Swimsuits
• Anything that creates a horizontal line.
• Two piece suits that dig into your body.

Women's Figure Flattery Guide: Boyish

Soften your silhouette by adding the appearance of curves.

Look for...

• Fitted styles.
• Styles with embellishments at the bustline (e.g. ruching, pleating).

• Jackets & Coats
• Fitted styles.
• Straight styles.
• Jackets with nipped in waists.
• Belted styles.
• Styles that end at mid-hip.
• Double breasted styles.
• Jackets in heavier fabrics and textures.
• Pocket detailing, especially breast pockets.
• Peplum jackets.
• Biker jackets.
• Bomber jackets.
• Straight, boxy jackets.

• Tops
• Fitted styles.
• Horizontal detailing.
• Tops with nipped in waists.
• Halter Tops.
• Tops with embellishments at the bustline: shirring or gathers.
• Shrunken versions of men’s shirts.
• Empire-waist styles.
• Narrow V-necks.
• Flared short sleeves.
• Tabbed sleeves.
• Breast pockets.
• Wide collars and lapels.

• Pants & Jeans
• Flat-front, straight-leg trousers.
• Slight flare at hem.
• Pleats will help create curves.
• Wide waistbands and a lower rise pant will visually add curves.
• Low rise styles.
• Low-rise, straight leg jean styles work best.
• Jeans with a fitted derrière create instant curves.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Almost any style works.
• For broad shoulders, avoid very full skirts.
• Sarong skirts.
• Bias cut skirts.
• A-line skirts.
• Pleating.
• Slanted pockets for added hip shape.
• Gathers.
• Patch pockets.
• Belts.
• Thicker waistbands.
• Shirtdresses.
• Wrap dresses.
• Horizontal detailing.
• Contrast color at bustline.
• Waist detailing.

Run from...

• Garments that are cut straight up and down with no waist definition.

• Jackets & Coats
• Anything with built in curves.
• Shoulder pads.
• Horizontal lines at the shoulder.
• Raglan, dolman, or kimono sleeves.

• Tops
• Horizontal lines at the shoulder.
• Raglan, dolman, or kimono sleeves.
• Stiff fabrics.
• Voluminous, structured tops that you don’t fill out.

• Pants & Jeans
• Fitted capris and clamdiggers.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Voluminous styles.
• Excess tailoring.
• Stiff fabrics.

Women's Figure Flattery Guide: Curvy

Elongate your figure while featuring your waist.
Showcase your curves.

Look for...

• Garments that drape nicely over your curves.

• Jackets & Coats
• Styles with simple lines.
• Semi-fitted styles that just cover your derrière.
• Belted styles.
• Single breasted jackets.
• Closure (button or otherwise) just below the bustline.
• Vertical lines through seams and/or lapels.
• Snug fit jean jackets.
• Snug fit, high collared biker jacket.
• Bomber jacket worn open.
• Single breasted boxy styles.


• Tops
• Semifitted styles that end below the belt and can be tucked in.
• Styles with bust darts.
• Drapey fabrics.
• Tops with fitted waists.
• Shoulder-baring tops.
• Collarbone-baring tops.
• Tops that subtly reveal cleavage.
• Wrap tops.
• Deep V-necks.
• Small collars.
• Narrow lapels.

• Pants & Jeans
• Classic flat-front straight-leg pants that rest at your natural waistline.
• Side or back zip pants (invisible zipper) reduce bulk and can be more flattering.
• Subtle flare at ankle is flattering on taller women.
• Wide pants can be tapered slightly at calf-height on heavy women.
• Stretch jeans are perfect for showcasing curves.
• For a look that’s less form-fitting, try straight-leg jeans one size up.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Slitted skirts and dresses that showcase your legs.
• Bottoms that narrow at your knees.
• A-line skirts.
• Tapered skirts.
• Flat front styles with side or back zipper.
• For a thin waistline, show your waist with a belt or prominent waistline.
• For a thicker waistline, look for dropped-waist styles.
• Wrap dresses.
• Semifitted styles.
• Shift dresses.
• A-line dresses.
• Shirtdresses.
• Medium-weight knits and drapey fabrics are flattering.
• Shawl collars.
• Keyhole necklines.
• Strapless necklines.
• Asymmetrical necklines.

• Suits
• Fluid fabrics.
• Fitted jackets and skirts.

• Swimsuits
• Wrapped styles.
• All-over patterns.
• Side shirring.
• Dark side insets.
• Underwire bra-tops.
• Halter necklines.
• High-cut legholes.
  

Run From...

• Oversized clothes.
• Overly tight clothing.
• Clothes that are cut straight up and down, without regards to curves.
• Horizontal lines at the fullest part of your hips.

• Jackets & Coats
• Jackets without waist definition (e.g. those that are loosely buttoned at the waistline).
• Styles that end at the fullest part of your hips.
• Rolled lapels.
• Cropped styles.
• High necklines.
• Jean jacket with pocket detailing.

• Tops
• Styles that end at the fullest part of your hips.
• Cropped styles.
• Overembellishment.
• Extremely thin fabrics.
• Oversized tops.
• Anything too tight.

• Pants & Jeans
• Cuffed pants.
• Very tapered styles.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Boxy styles.
• Stiff fabrics.
• Extremely full skirts.
• Pleats.
• Bulky pockets.
• Horizontal detailing.
• High necklines.

• Suits
• Tight styles.

• Swimsuits
• Suits without enough support.
• Improper fit.

Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Petite

Elongate your silhouette by making your legs look longer.

Look for...

• Items in the petites department: they’re proportioned for a shorter woman.
• Monochromatic ensembles.
• Narrow silhouettes.
• Drapey, fluid fabrics.
• Vertical lines and detailing: seams, closures, embellishment, etc.
• Princess and/or center seams.
• Small prints.
• Skirts are better than pants because they conceal the point where your legs begin, allowing you to create the illusion of longer legs by raising the waistline.

• Jackets & Coats
• Cropped styles.
• Styles with simple lines.
• One or two button closures.
• Narrow lapels that end above the natural waistline.
• Coats should be no longer than one inch above the knee.
• Empire-waist styles.
• Belts, if any, should be placed above the natural waistline.
• High necklines create the illusion of height.

• Tops
• Simple, fitted styles.
• High-waisted tops.
• Empire line tops.
• Cropped tops and sweaters.
• Tops in fluid, drapey fabrics.

• Pants & Jeans
• Straight leg pants with front creases.
• Longer cut styles work best; wear these with heels for a longer line.
• Classic 5-pocket jean styles.
• Natural waist styles to visually lengthen leg.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Above-the-knee and knee-length skirts and dresses.
• Tapered straight skirts.
• A-line skirts.
• Button-front skirts.
• Wraparound skirts.
• Slim dress silhouettes.
• High-waisted dresses.
• Empire line dresses.
• Wrap dresses.
• Semifitted to fitted sheath dresses.
• Off center slit to elongate legs.
• Vertical detailing: buttons, seamlines, trimmings, etc.
• Higher neckline for a taller look.

• Accessories
• Minimal accessories.
• Medium height shoes.
• Pointed toe shoes to elongate foot and leg.
• Shoes with a low vamp (toe opening is long and narrow) for a longer line for your foot and leg.

Run from...

• Stiff, tailored clothing.
• Baggy clothing.
• Big horizontal lines.
• Large prints.
• Excess detailing.

• Jackets & Coats
• Double breasted styles.
• Long coats.
• Voluminous styles.
• Styles with wide lapels.

• Tops
• Tops that hit at your natural waistline.
• Baggy tops.
• Highly embellished tops.
• Tops made of stiff fabrics.

• Pants & Jeans
• Pleated pants.
• Cropped pants.
• Low rise pants.
• Cuffed pants.
• Wide-leg pants.
• Flared pants.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Skirts that hit at mid-calf.
• Long, ankle length skirts.
• Hem detailing.
• Overly girly styles.
• Overembellishment.
• Extremely full skirts (think Cinderella).

• Accessories
• Very High Heels.
• Overembellished styles.
• Styles that disproportionately large for your frame.

Upcoming: Figure Flattery Guides for Women and Men

I’ve been getting a number of questions about how to dress to suit one’s body type. And I’m glad.

I strongly feel that dressing for one’s body type is integral to stylishness—how many times have we seen people slavishly following trends, without regard to their personal architecture?

So it seems that the next logical step for Style Intelligence Report to take is to create an online Figure Flattery Guide. Use it to help you pare down your existing wardrobe. Use it as a shopping guide. Use it to help you edit down your trend choices for each season.

Every Monday through Thursday, for the next few weeks, I’ll first be tackling the women’s side: there’s just more figure areas to highlight. But next, I’ll be creating a comprehensive guide for men, probably one of the first of its kind. Every Friday, stay tuned for a post on a different topic—maybe an Adapt this Look (I’ll bring this back, I promise!), a Q&A, or a Trendscape, or even something Else!

Tomorrow, I’ll inaugurate the Women’s Figure Flattery Guide with a post for the sizable number of petite women out there, myself included. Keep the emails coming, and see you then!

Q&A: Matching Shoes to Dress

Q: For a cocktail party in June, I plan to wear a Marc by Marc Jacobs dress. It's knee-length and ruffled, and has a mauve background with pink, fuschia, and pewter-blue flowers, with brown stems [and] a royal blue waist tie. The shoes paired with it at the store where I bought it were blue patent leather sandals with about a two-inch stiletto heel, a little high for my taste. What other color shoes would you suggest wearing with it? Do I have to look for blue shoes?

A: No, you don't have to look for blue shoes. The general rule is that a shoe is usually in the same color family as the outfit it is accompanying, but not necessarily an exact match. Often times, when you make an exact match, the result comes out too "matchy matchy." Not to mention the difficulty in finding the exact match in the first place.

There are a lot of colors represented in the dress, so you have a lot of leeway here. You might want to try some shade of pink--or even tan, to bring out the brown of the stems. Both colors would likely work with other items in your closet as well. Remember, however, that shoes in vivid colors attract attention--and consequently make your feet look bigger. For such shoes, I'd recommend sticking to barer styles that are easier to wear.

As for type of shoe, for the dress that you described, I'd recommend a kitten heel. A low, delicate heel is a lot easier to wear than the stilettos you described. Plus, I think the kitten heel is more versatile, as it works with both cocktail clothes and work attire.

Q&A: Stylish Color Combinations for Men

Q: You wrote a post about color combinations for women a little while back. What about color combinations for men?

A: Here are three color combo suggestions to spice up your wardrobe, along with suggested pant colors to accompany them. Enjoy!

Coral + Sky Blue at Armani Exchange
Pair this color combination with jeans, white pants, khakis, or purplish grey pants.

Green + Blue at Polo Ralph Lauren
Pair this color combination with jeans, white pants, black pants, or khakis.

Orange + Bright Blue at American Eagle
Pair this color combination with jeans, white pants, khakis, or purplish grey pants.

Q&A: Mixing Metals

I've been getting more questions via email—I’m just going to make this Q&A week! If you have a burning style question, send it my way: styleintelligence@gmail.com.

Q: Is it okay to mix metals (e.g. gold and silver) when choosing jewelry?

A: Yes, it’s okay to mix metals. However, be careful to choose some unifying theme. I’d recommend choosing pieces that are similar in style, color, or even shine. You wouldn’t, for example, want to combine a shiny platinum and a dull gold. When in doubt, there are always pieces that are made of multiple metals—these generally do a good job with the combination.

Note that the same guidelines apply for picking metallic-colored pieces of clothing.

Q&A: So you want to break into the fashion industry, Part Deux

How did I get started?
I’ve always Loved fashion, and it’s been a dream of mine since childhood to work in the fashion industry. However, fashion wasn’t really encouraged in my family—I have traditional Asian parents that wanted me to become a doctor or a computer programmer. I was trucking along, doing the parentally approved thing, right up until my freshman year of college.

I was studying Management Science and Engineering (optimizing Stuff—it was the closest thing to a business major that Stanford had), and I knew something was missing. Not that I didn’t enjoy the business classes, but I knew that I wanted to apply them to something more creative than say, a software company. Researched some fashion schools in the Bay Area, and found the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. As it turned out, they had an evening program for the Fashion Design major, specially designed for people with day jobs. I then spent the next two and a half years taking business classes during the day and fashion classes at night, graduating with an AA in Fashion Design, and a BS and MS in MS&E. I’m leaving out the ugly details of what that entailed, but suffice it to say, I didn’t get much sleep.

While going to school, I was fashion consulting. Got experience in helping people choose outfits for anything from interviews to dates to weddings. After graduation, I got my start in fashion design by showing my first collection in San Francisco’s first-ever Fashion Week in August 2004. I also continued doing fashion styling work—a recent project included styling a Hair/Fashion Show for the Patrick Evan Salon. And here I am writing a fashion blog!

Shameless Plug Alert: There’s more to come—I’ll be launching a line of clothes (men’s and women’s) later this year. More on that later.

The key takeaways here?
Don’t give up, if you really love fashion. You’re bound to run into roadblocks, but find creative solutions to overcome them. Finding a creative solution is what fashion is about anyhow, isn’t it?

Get as much experience as you can, as early as possible. While in school, volunteer for projects—helping out at local fashion shows, or interning with a designer. Learn as much as you can, both in the classroom and outside. Read fashion magazines and trade publications like Women’s Wear Daily or the Daily News Record. Broaden your fashion knowledge in any way that you can!

I took an unconventional route by going startup style (I guess it’s the Silicon Valley bug...how very 2000 of me). But hey, it’s becoming more acceptable as time goes on—just look at startup successes like C&C California. A more traditional route to becoming a designer is to intern at a company, work your way up the ladder, and eventually become a designer. Or starting your own label once you’ve established yourself at a major design house (e.g. a Calvin Klein or a Ralph Lauren). As for fashion styling, you would first intern with an established stylist, learn the ropes, and eventually break out on your own.

A Word of Warning
People aren’t kidding when they say fashion is a tough industry. Part of it I think is the inherent fickleness that fashion industry cultivates, but another part of it is due to the intense competition for jobs. I have no doubt that the slim profit margins of the industry also play a role. FYI—fashion salaries can be kind of grim. Especially when you’re starting out. Internships are often unpaid (or for little pay), and entry-level salaries aren’t so pretty either.

I wish you the best of luck, and feel free to ask follow-up questions. I’m a strong supporter of fresh design talent, and would like to advise in any way as I can!

Q&A: So you want to break into the fashion industry, Part Une

I got a question from OrangeBox5 about what fashion designers and fashion stylists do, and how to break into the industry.

So here’s the scoop:

Fashion Design: Fashion designers provide “creative direction” for a line of clothing—they are responsible for the look and feel of the collection, and they oversee the design process.

What is the design process? A simplified version looks like:

• Choose collection theme.
• Choose fabrics and colors.
• Sketch garment ideas.
• Refine the sketched garments, and choose the garments that will move on to the next stage: first samples.
• Make first samples.
• Test these samples through fittings on fit models.
• Refine samples, and choose those for production, using input from fashion merchandisers and retailers who have placed orders.
• Manufacture garments.
• Quality assurance: check for garments out of spec.
• Finishing & Tagging.
• Ship to stores/customers.

Things can get pretty crazy, considering that all this work needs to be done for each collection, and work is usually being done on multiple collections at the same time. The lead time from beginning to end of the design process has traditionally been about a year. This means that for a company with two collections per year (Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter), they’ll be working on both at the same time, though they’ll be at different stages of the process at any given time. Just imagine how crazy it is for companies that produce four or five collections each year!

Now, depending on the size of the company, designers will have a variety of assistants helping with the nuts and bolts of the process. There are textile specialists that source out fabrics from textile manufacturers, technicians that ensure that the fabrics are dyed the Exact Right Color, patterndrafters, sewers who sew the first samples, sketchers who translate the designer’s vision into a physical drawing, and more.

Fashion Styling: Fashion styling, or fashion consulting, involves designing a “look” for a client. Stylists don’t make the clothes—they act as editors and pick and choose what they want to create the image they’re after. Stylists can work for celebrities, for clothing manufacturers (Fun Fact: Queer Eye’s Carson worked as a stylist for Ralph Lauren), for films, and for individuals. Each job is different, but here’s an outline of how a styling job might work:

• Discuss with the client the look they’re after (and the budget for the job).
• Obtain measurements of the individual(s) you’re dressing.
• Shop! Find clothes! This has to be my Favorite part.
• Meet with the client and review the clothing selections.
• Dress the individual(s), and make any adjustments (style wise via accessories or tailoring for fit), as needed.
  

FYI—the sheer length of my answer motivated me to split this post into two parts. Check back tomorrow for second part of this post, which discusses how I got started in fashion, as well as advice for those who want to break into the fashion industry.

Trendscape: Of Stripes and Sailors

One of the things I like most about this nautical-inspired trend is its inherent timelessness. Sailor stripes were chic even before Sarah Jessica Parker wore them in the final season of Sex and the City. And who can resist the understated elegance of knotted embellishments? Chances are, these items won’t be relegated to the back of the closet when the fashion magazines move on to the Next Big Trend.

A few items worth a look...

For women:

Stripe Tissue Camisole | $14.50 at JCrew
I know I've mentioned this one before, but I just love navy + green!

Whitney-Stripe V-Neck Tank | $28 at JCrew
Tiny horizontal stripes can be more flattering than wider ones.

Bridget Mesh Wrap Polo | $88 at Blue Label Ralph Lauren
Love the knot detailing!

And For Men:

Striped Lisle Polo | $79.50 at Polo Ralph Lauren
For a similar style at a lower price, try the Trapper's Gorge Polo ($49.50)
at Abercrombie & Fitch.

Champlain Valley Polo | $39.50 at Abercrombie & Fitch.
A touch of pink, for those men who are comfortable with their masculinity!
Be careful, this one can come out a little "jailhouse."

Cotton Maritime-Stripe Crewneck | $58 at JCrew
Feels French, somehow.

Adapt This Look | Men’s Edition: Prep School Meets Casual Friday

Fashion Formula = Polo + Contrast Tee + Novelty Belt + Casual Pants

I highly recommend this look for a casual, yet pulled-together ensemble. It has enough polish to make you stand out, yet it is casual enough to be comfortable and fun. Great for casual workplaces, and Casual Friday at those workplaces with stricter dress codes.

Repp Pique Polo | 2 for $48 at JCrew

No Tag Fitted Cotton Crew | $16.50 at Banana Republic

3-Stripe Ribbon Belt | $55 at Polo Ralph Lauren
This belt also comes in blue, orange, and black.
For a less expensive alternative, try the belts at Club Monaco, another RL company.
Their color combinations can be a little more sophisticated as well.

Holman Fatigue Pant | $97.50 at Polo Ralph Lauren
Love the zipper detailing!

Adapt This Look | Men’s Edition: Prep School Chic

Fashion Formula: Pullover + Button-Up Shirt + Flat Front Pants

What I love about this formula is that it’s so simple. It’s a very easy look to wear—great for those days when you need to look pulled together without looking as if you’re trying too hard.

The trick in upping the style factor of this formula is the color combination you choose.

My recommendations:

• Green + Navy + White. For a sporty preppy look.
  
• Sky Blue + Coral Orange + Purple Tinged Grey. Check out Club Monaco for these colors. Their coral color was spot on.
  
• Khaki + Sky Blue + Lime Green. Use the lime green as an accent color.
  

Summer Weight Cashmere V-Neck | $158 at JCrew
More choices abound at JCrew: a similar Pima Cotton sweater for $58, and a regular weight Cashmere one for $178. I love JCrew colors for a nice, preppy look. Check out the emerald (pictured) and navy sweaters in particular.

Summer Stripe Shirt | $65 at JCrew
A clean stripe that's nice enough to get noticed, but not loud enough to call attention.

Tissue Chino Prospect Pant | $59.50 at Polo Ralph Lauren
This versatile pant comes in a variety of colors to suit your mood and your outfit.

Check the Style Intelligence Report tomorrow for more men's fashion!

Adapt This Look: Prep School Chic

For a fresh preppy look, try combining greens and/or blues with white in classic shapes: cardigans, camisoles, and knee-length skirts.

Stripe Tissue Camisole | $14.50 at JCrew
Love the color combination (green+navy) created by the stripes!

V-Neck Pocket Cardigan | $68 at JCrew
The pockets give this cardigan an extra special something.

Gabby Halter Top | $24.50 at Abercrombie & Fitch
The white striping detail makes this top all the more special.

Doublefaced Cotton Skirt | $455 at Ralph Lauren
Elegant, clean, and feminine!

Be ShopSmart: How To Recognize Garment Quality

Part of being smart about shopping is knowing how to discern clothing quality.

You may wonder why the clothes at, say, Forever 21 can be less than half the price of those found at Club Monaco. One word: Quality.

The higher priced Club Monaco shirt will likely have more expensive detailing—say rows of topstitching, or the addition of higher-priced fabrics. More care will have been taken in “dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s,” so to speak, and you won’t find large numbers of unsnipped threads hanging off the shirt. Any zippers will have been put in correctly, and they’ll likely zip and unzip better than their counterparts at Forever 21. The garment from Forever 21 may have slightly mismatched seams and/or loose threads hanging off it, and it will likely be made of lesser quality fabric.

Perhaps most importantly, the Forever 21 shirt, while probably cute, will likely not last more than one or two seasons. The Club Monaco shirt, however, will likely be sticking around in your closet for more than a few months.

That’s not to say that there’s no place for value-priced clothing—sometimes it’s nice to hop on the trend bandwagon with a low-priced investment. I do it all the time. I just think it’s important to know what you’re paying for each time you make a purchase. After all, nobody wants to invest a lot of money in a piece of “quality” clothing that’s going to fall apart after a couple of washings.

What do I look for in a quality garment?

• No Loose Threads: Loose threads hanging off of a garment are a red flag signal of poor quality in a garment. If the manufacturer couldn’t be bothered to finish the sewing job by cutting off the thread ends, what else did they skimp on?
• Stitch Length: In general, the shorter the stitch length on a garment, the better the quality.
• Linings: The very presence of a lining tends to signify a garment of better quality. However, not all linings are equal, so check the quality of the lining, just as you would check the rest of the garment.
• Seams: In general, the greater number of times a seam was sewn, the better the quality. I generally look for topstitching and/or interesting seam treatments. I also pull on the seams in the store to test their strength.
• Patterns: Patterns should match at all seamlines. For most garments, patterns should be parallel or perpendicular at the seams. If the pattern matching looks haphazard, and not in the “I meant to do that” designer way, put down the garment and walk away.
• Fastenings: Zippers should move smoothly—it’s a good idea to test them in-store. Buttons and buttonholes should be sewn tightly with plenty of thread.
• Pockets: They should lie flat and not pull or pucker in any way.
• Seam allowances and hems: Seam allowance is the width of fabric extending from a seamline to the raw edge of a garment. For items like suits, in particular, wider seam allowances are preferable because they allow for greater flexibility for alterations. Wider hems are also preferable for the same reason.

FYI: Starting this week, I'll be adding to my men's fashion coverage. Look for men's fashion ideas on Wednesday and Thursday this week!

Trendscape: Tiered Skirts

I’ve just been seeing these skirts Everywhere. Department stores, chain stores, boutiques, and most importantly—on people. Kind of reminds me of that time when Everybody and their mother was wearing a peasant blouse.

Tiered skirts are one of the latest takes on the Full Skirt phenomenon that’s hitting the stores this season. And while they are fun, I feel responsible for telling you that they won’t be around forever—I predict they’ll be around for the next year and a half, maybe two. Wear them now, have your fun, and then be done with them until the fashion people decide that they’re “the thing to wear” again in ten years, plus or minus a few.

The plus side to the tiered skirt is that its full shape can be forgiving to many figure types. If you happen to have big hips or ample thighs, go for a slightly draped cut that skims your figure. If you’re petite, steer clear of ankle-length ball-gown-esque skirts: they’ll only make you look shorter than you are. Instead, try a skirt that ends at the knee. Another note for petite girls: avoid skirts with loud, large patterns. There’s a very real chance that those skirts will wear you, instead of the other way around.

A few tiered skirts worth mentioning:

Ankle Length Tiered Skirt | $118 at Banana Republic

Dip Dyed Tiered Skirt | $59.99 on sale at Urban Outfitters

The Urban Outfitters skirt looks like a shorter version of an ankle-length dip dyed skirt by Candela. You can find the Candela version for $150 at Girlshop.com.

Crinkled Silk Tiered Skirt | $44 at American Eagle

Adapt This Look (Men's Edition): Streetfresh Urban

For a cool, sporty look that rises above standard casual fare, try the following combination:

Jeans + Tee + Button Up Shirt + Track Jacket

To make this combination your own, look for garments with visual interest—through pattern, texture, and/or color.

7 For All Mankind Relaxed-Fit jeans | $143 at Nordstrom

Fitted Crewneck T-Shirt | $16.50 at Banana Republic

Twin Brook Striped Shirt| $69.50 at Abercrombie and Fitch

St. Petersburg Track Jacket | $69 at Ben Sherman

You may want to add some sporty-casual sneakers to round out the outfit.

"California" Puma Sneaker | $60 at Puma

Apologies for the delayed post: had some technical difficulties with Blogger last night. Check back for more Men's Fashion looks in the next "Adapt This Look: Men's Edition" next Thursday!

Adapt This Look: So Fresh And So Clean

White on white looks especially fresh this Spring. However, a plain white outfit can feel monotonous. To mix things up in a monochromatic outfit, try adding texture through embellishments (e.g. beading, sequins, embroidery) and/or fabric treatments (e.g. pleating, smocking, etc). Or try an unusual silhouette with features like asymmetry or cutouts.

Some items worth mentioning:

Pleated Dress | $118 at Kenneth Cole
A gorgeous, classic shape embellished with small pleats.

Pleated Top | $89 at Kenneth Cole
A shorter, more versatile version of the above dress.

Cutout Dress | $148 at Banana Republic
Jersey dress with a sophisticated back cutout.

Chiffon Draped Top | $58 at Armani Exchange
Chiffon + Knit = Very Pretty!

Robert Rodriguez Crystal Tank | $143 at Shopbop.com
Tank top with crystal trim at neckline.

Marc Jacobs Top | $188 at Shopbop.com
Eyelet camisole with ruffle trim.

Inside LA Textile: Womens Trends and Colors for Spring/Summer 06!

Just when you thought that the style landscape for this season was complicated enough, here I am telling you what you’ll be seeing in stores Next year. How’s that for getting ahead of the fashion curve?

Here’s the scoop from a presentation from Promostyl, a leading fashion trend reporting company. Coming to stores near you, in Spring/Summer 06:

Bohemia
We’ll be seeing hippie-folk items: think of a 21^st Century revision of the 1970s. You’ll see embellished items, tiered prairie skirts, and an explosion of prints on voluminous proportioned tops, skirts, and even pants. Think flowy airy tops, long voluminous skirts, and wide-legged (and even pleated!) pants. Men’s suiting will take a bohemian turn as it blends with folk-inspired silhouettes, in the season’s spirit of contradiction.

Look for cool violet colors matched with blended brights, reminiscent of the colors of a parrot. Be on the lookout for orange and yellow, in particular. Saturated pastel colors will continue to be stylish, as will the color white. So hold on to your white items from this year—they’ll work nicely with the clothes you’ll see in stores next year!

Eastern European Avant Garde
The trend is strict, graphic, and tailored. Picture industrial Berlin, with its dynamic graphic influences and focus on efficiency. It’s a tough underground look that’s simple and streamlined. Uniform-looking clothing will be seen, along with severe looking suits and shirtdresses. A standout item in my eyes: a tank top updated with a men’s tie. Look for graphic shapes and architectural lines, both in colorblocking and seaming.

Colors will be gray-based shades, but fuchsia and green, reminiscent of the 1980s, are standout colors.

Refined Nostalgia
This is a delicate, elegant trend that blends today’s tastes with those of the past, particularly the 1940s and 1950s. The feeling is ladylike chic with a slight country feel. Detailing on clothing will include sleeves puffed at the shoulder, lingerie touches, and the use of boudoir fabrics. Fabrics will be pintucked, smocked, and shirred. One interesting silhouette involved tops with open backs—these shirts fastened at the top near the neck. These tops can be worn alone or layered over another shirt.

Colors include scarlet, ochre, and watered down pastels.

Fantasy Refuge
The Fantasy Refuge style is a trend that revolves around emotion and the want for escape from reality. Youthful, naïve looks feature, though the glamour factor is turned up. Look for empire waists, stylized waistlines with belts, shrunken jackets in unexpected materials (e.g. terrycloth), and an emphasis on softness, volume, and transparency. A convergence between activewear and sportswear will also be seen: think of the Adidas/Stella McCartney collaboration.

The color palette for Fantasy Refuge combines strident, acid brights with innocent pastels. Think: cotton candy pink, rosy pink, red, lime, spring green, and sky blue. Neutrals combine with pastels, and the pink/grey combination I mentioned last week in Style Q&A will still be seen.

Now go impress your friends with your insider style knowledge!

Trend Alert: Hardware Trims on Knit

On the radar: a natural extension of the textured embellishment trend I discussed last week. Hardware trims such as zippers and metal snaps are turning up as utilitarian embellishments on clothes for both men and women. I love the contrast of the hard details on a soft piece of clothing, especially when done with a subtle hand.

I saw a couple of nice examples while trendscouting at Armani Exchange:

For Men: Zipper Placket on a Raglan Sleeve Knit Shirt.
$49.99 at A|X.

For Women: Snap detailing on a scoopneck tee.
$38.00 at A|X.

FYI--I'm taking a long weekend in LA for a mini-break and a fabric show (*sighs of happiness*). Expect a report on fabrics/colors for Spring/Summer 06 when I'm back on Tuesday!