WHAT GOES WITH SEERSUCKER?

Q.
"Does this green and white seersucker [jacket] go with these baggy white pants? And is it okay to wear a shirt and tie with seersucker?"
- John, NYC

A.
Yes. Seersucker jackets always look good with white slacks, as well as tan/khaki, and even well-fitting jeans -- and the pants you are wearing in the picture are just fine and will look more spruced up once you're wearing your shoes and have the whole outfit pulled together.

SHOE CHOICE?
I know this wasn't part of John's question, but I think it is worth mentioning.

The most classic choice of shoe for this summery men's outfit would be a white (or even light tan) buck or brogue. But it can also look dashing with a light brown brogue/wingtip or a summery two-tone spectator (in this case, I would go brown and white over black and white...but, unfortunately, it's not like most of us have access to a trust fund, so whichever you have will usually do the trick).

The white brogues above are the revered Burwood made by Church's of England. Not cheap, but worth every penny (I have a pair in blue and white. Yep, they're making them for ladies now, too!)

A shoe like the above spectator would also look smashing paired with a seersucker suit 

or jacket and slacks. 

And, of course, a traditional white buck a la Paul Stuart (like the one above) is always a classic 

and a must-have in any snappy man's summer wardrobe. If you're looking for a more affordable alternative, J. Crew also carries light beige (or "canvas" colored bucks for under $150)

SEERSUCKER AND TIES?
Seersucker jackets look absolutely charming paired with a shirt and tie. The most classic combination is a white button down shirt with a striped tie or bowtie (big bold stripes that are markedly wider than the seersucker stripes). Great color combinations would be red and navy, navy and yellow, navy and gold, orange and navy, green and navy. Brooks Brothers carries a range of collegiate stripe ties and bowties that make a perfect pairing for seersucker. Here are some examples:

                                                         See how nice it looks in action?

OR SANS TIE: 
On the flipside, a seersucker jacket can also be worn in a dashing manner without any tie at all. A simple button down shirt worn with the collar unbuttoned and no tie looks simply handsome and allows the wearer a little more freedom to experiment with the shirt color -- in addition to crisp, classic white, one could go with light blue, yellow, or even pink.

And this 'no tie' version of a seersucker jacket outfit could be worn with khakis, light colored linen trousers, well-tailored jeans, or even bermuda shorts and stylish deck shoes or saddle shoes.

"Mommy Belly" Solutions

Q.
"I am 36 years old and after 3 kids I have the dreaded "mommy belly".  I am on an exercise and diet program, but like all good programs, it is taking a while to show results.  I was wondering if there was a specific cut of shirt or pant that would help me camouflage this muffin top until it is gone?"

-Brandy in TX

A.

Whether you have a bit of a belly due to post pregnancy or post Pabst Blue Ribbon, choosing the right type of pants and tops is paramount. 

CHOOSING PANTS:

To avoid the dreaded muffin top, it is extremely important to opt for higher waisted styles that offer support in the midriff. A great example (and this is the perfect time of year to have fun with this style) is the classic sailor pant (pictured above). This pant has a high rise, but doesn't look like some strange 1980's up-to-the-belly-button pant that would look dated and unflattering due to its tightness. 

In contrast, the sailor pant has a flattering square shaped panel that sits high on the waist, holds the tummy in, and a flattering relaxed leg style that is also perfect for flattering any pear-shaped figure (although it looks great on every body type). 

Lauren by Ralph Lauren makes excellent sailor pants at reasonable prices -- many times they can be found on sale at the Ralph Lauren outlet stores or at ralphlauren.com. I LIVE in sailor pants and have several pair in whites and navy that I wear continuously throughout the summer. 

Because they have that cute, nautical button pattern at the tummy, sailor pants are meant to be worn with tucked in shirts -- and they look best with classic, short sleeved button-down shirts or polos. Adding a blouse with a little body in the sleeves (poufy sleeves, ruffled sleeves) will help balance out a pear-shaped figure. The pants can also be worn with halter tops and tank tops. 

NOT YOUR DAUGHTER'S JEANS: 

Notorious for being extremely challenging for the full-bellied, jeans are one of the MOST difficult garments to find if you're over 30 and not a stick figure (once again, I'm speaking from experience here!). 

Most importanly, you must AVOID all low-rise jeans, no matter how "cute" or "butt-lifting" you think they are. If they don't hit just below your belly button at the waist, they aren't for you. 

Enter the miracle brand, Not Your Daughter's Jeans (aka NYDJ), whose sole purpose is to defy gravity by lifting the rear and sucking in the tummy. The jeans come in many colors and styles, but every pair is made to flatter a woman's figure (not a teenager's figure, like 99% of the denim out there).

NYDJ also offers a limited selection of figure flattering tops, mostly classic button-down styles (some with ruffles, all are cute) that would look dynamite with both the sailor pants or jeans discussed above. 

CHOOSING TOPS:

One of my biggest pet peeves about fashion sites out there offering advice on how to camouflage a bulging belly is the suggestion that the wearer try trapeze tops (tops that are fitted up top and flare out at the bottom and hit low on the hip). Sure, trapeze tops fit loosely around the belly, but what ends up happening is that the wearer looks like they're trying to hide something or WORSE, like they are pregnant when they aren't -- and I know the last thing a postpartum mom wants is to still look pregnant. 

Here's an example of a trapeze top:

The thing that I find wrong with the above style is that it neglects to hug the curves of her body at its smallest point, the waist, and draws the eye down to the widest part of her, the belly and hips. 

OPT FOR TOPS LIKE THESE INSTEAD:

Halter tops or tank tops (like the style above) that have a ruched or pleated panel in the midsection offer a bit of extra support in the belly -- especially in cotton with a little bit of stretch. 

What makes this style much more flattering than a trapeze style is that the tank top hugs the curves and shows off the smallest part of a woman's body -- the area just below the bust to the natural waist. 

TUMMY-FLATTERING DRESSES:

Another tummy flattening style is a classic belted shirt-dress like the one above. What makes it magical is that it cinches in at the waist, again, drawing the eye to the most narrow part of a woman's figure, while at the same time, lightly skimming the belly. The body of the cotton fabric is also thicker than the cheap nylon/polyester/jersey that many bargain dresses are made from and that show every bulge and wiggle. The key to getting the fit right with a belted shirt-dress is to MAKE SURE that you buy a big enough size to accommodate your bust and your tummy. There should be NO GAPPING in any of the buttons, especially around the bust and the area around your tummy should fit loosely, but not to point of looking like maternity wear. There should not be tons of extra fabric wrinkling around the back or waist when the belt is cinched. 

If you can't seem to find a size that fits the bust and the tummy/hips equally, buy the bigger size and for a few extra dollars at your local dry cleaner or tailor, have it taken in at the area in question. I do this ALL THE TIME and it really ends up being worth it to have an item fit perfectly -- even if you have to spend and extra $10 or $20. The number of times you will end up wearing something that fits you to a T will make a few extra dollars at the tailor WELL WORTH IT. 

I can hardly talk about tummy-flattering styles without mentioning the ultimate: the Diane von Furstenberg style wrap dress. This ubiquitous classic has allowed its wearers to instantly drop 10 pounds since the 1970's. 

For those who are bashful of belly roll, just make sure that you choose a wrap dress that is a thicker fabric, not a super light weight jersey, so that any bulges or jelly rolls stay at bay. And if you're not sure, there's always Spanx -- just make sure to buy Spanx 2 sizes larger than what the package says or else some of your digestive system could end up in your chest cavity (again, been there, done that - not pretty!).

Hope this helps, Brandy. Please feel free to add any follow-up questions or comments to this post (that goes for anyone with questions/comments).

Thanks for trusting Instant Stylist with your fashion dilemma! 

Mini Skirts: Age Limit? Length Guideline?

Q. 

"I am tall, 5’10” to be exact, and I am wondering if there is a limit on the length of skirts I should be wearing.  I see in fashion magazines all the time of these tall, slender women wearing short almost “babydoll” or “mini” dresses and I think they are adorable, but when I buy something similar and get it home, I feel like I am a 32 year old woman trying to be 22.  When is it okay to be sexy and show some leg and when is it too much?  I guess my question is a 2 part question…1) Am I too old to wear a mini dress and 2) How short is too short for someone tall like me?"

- Shiloh, Dallas, TX

A.

Full disclosure: Shiloh, the writer of the above question, is my sister and, unlike me, has a very tall, slender, leggy figure. Since I'm the first-born and 5-foot-4 on a good day, I always joke that I saved all the nutrients in our moms womb for her! Also, one of my very favorite people on the planet, my niece Madeline (Shiloh's daughter), took the picture. Great job, Madeline!!!

ON SKIRT LENGTH:
Funny enough, this exact dilemma was covered yesterday morning on the Today show at the end of a segment featuring the Editor-at-Large from Glamour magazine Suze Yalof Schwartz. Her 'rule of thumb' (pun intended) is that a mini skirt's hem should not be any shorter than a wearer's thumb when the hands are at the side. I actually think, however, that you have to see the wearer and the garment and that rules like that don't always apply across the board. Plus, the thumb line can be pretty short.


For example, the wearer's legs make a huge difference in whether a mini dress or skirt makes you look fabulous or half-naked. Take Real Housewife of New York City Kelly Bensimon, for instance (I can hear your eyes rolling now -- c'mon bear with me here, we're talking about LEGS). As a tan, statuesque former model, her style is synonymous with mini skirts. Are her skirts, shorts, and dresses a tad too short sometimes? Sure. But does she have great legs and all the business in the world rocking a style that shows off her inherent gam glory: Absolutely!


Take a gander yourself (I'm not crazy about the T-shirt/skirt combo, but this is a good example for legs):

On the flipside, for someone whose legs aren't their best feature (yes, I unfortunately fall into this category, but so did Jackie Kennedy and she knew how to make the most of it), I would forgo mini styles and make the just-above-the-knee length your shortest point and do not pair with chunky boots-- ever. That style is only for the lithe!


Want proof?

In Shiloh's case (the very top photo of this post), the dress that she is calling "mini" really is a pretty modest mini dress. The length looks good on her, her legs look fantastic, and it looks completely age appropriate. Well done, Shiloh!


I'd like to point out that the seam above the bust, is an especially good style for people who have a long torso because the seam and the belted empire waist give the illusion of a shorter torso. This feature can also help lengthen the leg line (which does not need to apply to Shiloh, but can be helpful for those of us who have shorter stems).


ON AGE & MINI SKIRTS:
To use her as an example yet again, Kelly Bensimon is 40 years old and not slowing down when it comes to donning miniskirts. I don't think there should be any hard and fast rule about not wearing something after a certain age. The key is being honest with yourself about how you look in it (and if you don't know for sure, to have the savvy to ask Instant Stylist, of course).


Let's go over some very obvious (but perhaps easy to forget) points:
- Miniskirts and obvious varicose and/or spider veins are not a good combination
- Ditto for cellulite (speaking from experience)
- When your legs are pale or not in the best shape, you're more likely to look half-naked when wearing very short styles.
- Looking really young from the back and then turning around and looking markedly older from the front scares people (but this is not likely to be a problem in someone's 30's and early to mid 40's; more like in someone's 50's and 60's -- and I see examples of this on Madison Avenue almost daily. Freaks me out!)

When you're wearing a style that could possibly be construed as 'young,' it's important to pair it with elements (any of these: shoes/bag/earrings/necklace) that are more mature. In other words, if you're 32 and wearing a babydoll dress, choose smart platform sandals or strappy heels or very smart flats rather than converse or round-toed mary janes (which would be more appropriate for someone 22 than 32).


And if you ever feel too self-conscious about a short style, you can always modest it up by running out to American Apparel and grabbing a pair of little cotton shorts to put underneath. That way, if your style is very short, you don't have to worry about your cooch making an uninvited cameo!


So, for Shiloh, 32 years old with long legs that are in great shape, I would say that when it comes to mini skirt styles, knock yourself out and stop some traffic while you're at it, too!

Hope this helps answer your question, Shiloh. Feel free to comment on my answer or to ask follow up questions by clicking on 'comments.' In fact, anyone can post comments.

FOLLOW UP COMMENTS/UPDATE:

Just wanted to add a follow-up comment to this mini skirt post because there is an interesting article on the front page of The New York Times Thursday Styles section today (5/27/10) by Ruth La Ferla titled, "A Long, Lean Backlash To the Mini" that says "Young women are turning away from the frivolity and calculated provocation of a thigh-high skirt." Hmmmmm.  

This is, of course, not to say that mini skirts are 'out of style' or should be donated in short little mountains, but it is interesting to read about nonetheless. And if you can't really carry a mini skirt, like me, there's a little bit of schadenfreude there for the 'graceful of gams' set. (Enter evil laugh, "bwa haha haha hahaha" here). 

Summer Top Question

Yay! My first fashion question:

Q.
"I have a petite curvy figure with a fairly large bust. In the summer, I often wear camisoles and bustier tops, but hate the way they make me look too full on top. What kind of summer top would look best on me?"
- Jen, NYC

A.
This is a problem I can completely relate to!!! I have the exact same issue myself. What I have found after trial and error is that the best summer tops for me are high neck halter tops because they hug my curves (cinching my waist and showing off my shape) while also holding the bust in and containing the boob spillage that usually accompanies my wearing of bustier tops or scoop neck camisoles.

Check out this (embarrassing) picture of myself that I HATE, which shows why large busted ladies should save bustier style tops for either burlesque or the bedroom (yes, even Instant Stylist has occasional lapses in judgment -- learn from my mistakes!):

Now here is the kind of high neck halter top that I would suggest for Jen (and for myself):

Email Your Questions

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