Dear AoF:

I have gold & blue bermuda jean shorts and gold shoes. What color top should I wear?

Signed,

Miss Bermuda 2009 (not really)

Dear Ms. Bermuda,

This is a tough one since I'm not sure if you mean gold metallic or if the shorts are dressy, etc. But I would say that bermudas look great with simple t-shirts, camisoles or button-down shirts. Polos, too. You almost certainly want to stay away from a matching gold top - a matching blue top might look okay (although maybe a little too expected), or probably white or ivory would look good.

Thanks for contacting AdviceonFashion.com and enjoy your summer!

Dear AoF:

What shoes are best with cropped linen pants? Thank you.

Signed Shoes & the City

Hi, Shoes & the City,

In looking at cropped linen pants online, I see them paired a lot with somewhat dressy thong-type sandals but I love them with espadrilles that wrap around the ankle. I think lightweight cropped pants need to have something to balance the lightness which is why I like the slight chunkiness of an espadrille. I think ballet flats can also be great.

Check them out on these sites:
http://www.espadrillesetc.com ("Paca" style)

For a more funky look, check these out: Dr. Scholl's Linen Closed Toe Espadrilles w/Ankle Strap on qvc.com.

http://tiny.cc/5oyIo

For something sexy:

http://tiny.cc/ei7DJ

Also, go to Nordstrom.com and look in their espadrille section. There are some combination ballet/espadrilles that are great and all of the shoes in this section would look great with your linen cropped pants.

Our favorites are ankle-wrapped, particularly the black & white cabana striped ones by Michael Kors. I just might order these myself!

http://www.6pm.com/product/7296896/color/89270

Thanks for contacting AdviceonFashion.com and have fun this summer!

Hello,

My question is regarding the new maxi dress that's about to be the look for summer. My question is Can any body type wear this dress? or is there a body type that should stay away from this. I know the ideal body is tall and thin, but as we all know, we're not all built that way but still want to wear this look.
 

Thanks for your help.

wannabemaxi

Hi, Wannabemaxi,

I always want to say yes to everything. I think everything is possible when it comes to fashion but it does seem there are certain proportions that are difficult to pull off. It's not impossible for women who aren't tall and thin to pull off a maxi but we both know it helps. The reason is proportion.

I can't emphasize this enough. Can you wear a pencil skirt, an a-line, a circle skirt, etc? Yes, we just have to remember proportion and shape.

The maxi dress is based on the visual idea of the "column". A long rectangle. And who looks best in a long rectangle? Yes, someone who's tall and thin. But someone who's shorter can wear it, too, but probably should wear a shoe with at least a two inch heel to add height and create the illusion of a long column. You also have to be careful that it doesn't appear to be too much fabric for your body.

Can someone who's very round wear it? Probably not. Because most of the dresses I've seen just don't have the right shape to go prettily over a round figure.

That being said, I think if you love them, you should be able to wear them. Personality and style trump fashion rules every time in my book.

So, here's a few things to remember when shopping:

1. Make sure the proportion from waist to bottom hem has a long look to it - it will create the illusion of long legs which is what this look is all about.

2. If you're short, don't wear flip flops or flats with it. Unless you are a very petite gamine-type and also in your early 20's. Platforms would look great - and funky.

3. If you're under 5"4", you can have it shortened to about calf length and you'll still have a similar look to the maxi and it will look better proportionately. Even if you decide to wear it long, you'll likely have to have it altered since most manufacturers base their prototype designs on a fit model of about 5'7". Ever notice how if you're a "petite" almost every pair of pants needs to be hemmed between 2" to 4"? This is why.

4. Be careful of a baby doll maxi unless you're stick thin.

5.  Even in the maxi, you want to play to your strengths. So if you have a small waist, make sure it is nipped in or wear a belt with it.

6. If you're very busty, a maxi can make you look even bustier, so make sure the lines are clean so that people aren't staring at your upper half.

7. Most of all, have fun! Maxis are here today, gone tomorrow so find something different and play!

Dear AdviceonFashion.com:

Can I wear whiter pants or capris if I wear a size 16 or should I avoid white and go for khaki or black? Any tips to making your rear end look smaller?

Signed,

Bootilicious 

Dear Bootilicious:

Just to assure you, most everyone has certain figure "attributes" that they themselves don't like about themselves, real or imagined. In my shop, I have seen many a beautiful woman talking about how she don't like her calves, her thighs, bust, shoulders...and especially her butt. Now, the butt is a beautiful thing but somehow, in this culture, 2009, a big butt is considered a bad thing. But it isn't - it's just that we think of it as that.

So that's the first thing to remember - you have a big butt and it is beautiful. Thanks mainly to J-Lo, songs like "Baby Got Back" and a few more recent female pop stars, the big butt is starting to be revered. How do you change your attitude about it? That's a tough one, really, but just give it a try. You would be surprised how some women really might want to have a more curvy butt. And they would be wrong about not liking their bodies, too. Sorry, it's one of my pet peeves that so many women don't like their bodies...and I myself am not immune.

The trick is how to play up your assets and this is why you've contacted me. So how do you make your curvy butt look that much better - that is the question.

A curvy butt looks best unencumbered. You gotta let it shine, so to speak, so lots of pockets or extra details on your butt only get in the way. Sometimes they're hard to find, but wearing jeans with no back pockets is a good idea. Wear light tights or pantyhose under pants in the winter. Wear leggings or pantyhose under skirts or dresses when the weather's cold. They give your derriere a beautiful curve. My experience has been that body slimmers always crawl up and are uncomfortable and make bulges in other places.

Of course, in the summer, it's a little difficult to wear all those layers. White on the bottom is always difficult even for teeny tiny women. White has a tendency to show a lot, but all is not lost. If you wear a tunic that goes to about the bottom of your butt, not much lower, you can wear white pants or capris. Make sure that the tunic just covers your body - not too loose or it will make you look larger than you want to look.

Avoid gathering on your top or your bottom - so ruffles and other frivolous trim may not be best. If you like feminine details, keep it to a lovely, "skinny" scarf, lots of necklaces or lots of bracelets (but not both). You can also do a scarf in your hair or big earrings. In a way, what you're doing is putting the emphasis on the upper half.

Also, what do you like on your body? What have others told you that they like about your body? Emphasis those parts, so for example, if you have a proportionately small waist, then think about playing up that part of your body. Nothing should be too tight or too loose.

As for white, I don't think there's anything wrong with wearing it, just don't wear lightweight white fabrics on the bottom. It should be a heavy cotton twill (like denim jeans) and khaki, brown, or black are fine. Stay away from anything too bright (such as red) on the bottom, because those colors draw attention to the eye.

Thanks for contacting Advice on Fashion.

Mona

 

 

Dear AoF:

I have grey dress pants that I am wearing to a June wedding and was wondering what color sandals would go best with them? My shirt is a teal color.

Thanks for your help!

Signed Need My Colors Done

Dear Need My Colors Done, 

I would say that grey sandals or teal-colored sandals would work best. If you're daring, you could also do something in a different color altogether such as fuchsia or magenta. In a pinch, black could work, but they may look a little too dark for your outfit. Since you are wearing dress pants, I don't think a clear sandal would work.

For the "Wow Factor", you might consider adding a soft, sheer scarf in a coordinating print or colorful earrings.

Thank you for contacting AdviceonFashion.com.