The Closet Coach

Are there any pants we wear more often than jeans? (I know I have a bit of a denim habit.)

There’s good reason, of course. As I said last week, jeans + T-shirt = weekend uniform.

And depending on the Outfit Levels acceptable at your workplace, a good pair of denim can make a great office outfit, too.

The key word, though, is “good.”

That faded pair in the back of your closet that’s seen better days? The jeans that hit right at the ankle, or have wear spots at the knees? They don’t qualify as “good” denim.

Here’s what does.

• A great cut. This is the hardest part about denim–or any pants, really. What fits on one woman’s body won’t fit on another’s. You’re really going to have to try a lot on, and once you find a brand that works for you, stick to it. How high a rise you choose depends on your comfort level, and the poochiness degree of your belly. (Mamas, you know what I’m talking about, right?) But the goal is not to look like your hips are swaddled in denim. And stick to a boot cut to start. The straighter the leg, the narrower your hips will look. It’s just flattering on everyone.
• A dark wash. Especially if you’re going to pull off wearing these to the office, look for a dark rinse. It makes the denim look more expensive, and all the parts of you wrapped in it look smaller. Once you get the hang of it, you can branch out into different washes, or even colors.
• The right length. Oh, this is a subject of much debate. There is a camp that declares all pants must be so long as to come within millimeters of grazing the floor. And there is a further subset that even goes so far as to hem some pants for flats and others for heels! I am not that strict, but you do want your jeans to be as long as possible. For the same reason you want a boot cut, the longer your leg line, the more flattering it is to you. If your jeans stop at the top of your shoe or just below your ankle, you’re visually cutting your legs shorter. This is once again a case where you will want to employ the services of your tailor, unless you are so lucky as to find a pair that fit you well *and* are just the right length.

None of the above requires you to go out and drop a lot of money on a premium denim brand, by the way. You can get a perfectly decent pair of dark bootcut jeans at the Old Navies of the world. You might even find them at the thrift or consignment store. And curvy girls might discover that Levi’s Curve ID jeans are their best bet.

If you do want to go premium, haunt the sample sale sites and Bluefly. You can regularly find pricier brands for about half off. I’ve scored Paige, Hudson and Habitual jeans this way. (Did I mention my denim habit?)

So here’s your (non-required) homework for this week: Go through your current denim collection. Do any of the pairs violate the above guidelines? Then toss ‘em or use ‘em for housework, but don’t make them your go-to jeans.

If none of them are quite right, then you’ve got a little shopping to do, no?

Coming next week: Fab Mom Style Upgrade for flats.

What to buy

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I have frequently extolled the virtues of finding a great tailor to make your key wardrobe items fit like a dream, especially a garment as important as the black blazer.

This one is a case in point. I found this blazer at a fantastic markdown at a local boutique, Luna in Bethesda. I loved the shape and the unusual details. With such a deal, I couldn’t pass it up.

Although it fit me perfectly at the waist, it was a little loose at the bust. I could have gotten away with wearing it that way, but I intended to make this my primary black blazer and really get good wear out of it. The blazer it’s going to replace had never fit exactly right and I didn’t want to repeat the error.

So I got the name of a tailor from the boutique, took it in to be altered, and now it fits like couture.

In the end, the cost of the alterations exceeded the cost of the jacket itself, due to the shape and layering of the garment, but it was totally worth it. I can wear this jacket for years.

Besides, super sale + tailoring = still less than a full price blazer that doesn’t fit quite right.

With this outfit, I wore my new jacket with another fab new sale find, these adorable kitten-heel Bettye Muller sandals, discovered through Polyvore. (I first used them here.)

What’s better than wearing 1 new thing? Wearing 2!

Blazer: MM Couture by Miss Me (similar, $40, sale, Coldwater Creek).
Skirt: LOFT (similar, $90, Bluefly).
Shoes: Bettye Muller Escape sandal ($88.50, sale, JildorShoes.com).
Working Mom Outfit Level: 4/Client Meeting

[Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links.]

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Look in any woman’s closet and you’ll see plenty of T-shirts. They’re one of the workhorses of any wardrobe. The jeans and T-shirt combo is practically a weekend uniform.

But there’s a big difference between an ordinary T-shirt and a Fab Mom T-shirt. Give your tee a Style Upgrade and you’ll not only look sassier running errands, but you can take that tee to work as well.

Here’s how.

• Get the right fit. Step one is to ditch the 10K freebie and make sure your shirt is a) for a woman and b) right for your shape. (Here’s how to find a T-shirt for the pear and apple shapes.) Properly fitted, the most basic solid-color knit tee can go from weekend with khakis to work with a blazer or a suit.
• Be embellished. What if your drawer is already filled with plain tees? Look for decoration. This doesn’t have to mean sequins (although that is actually an option!). It can mean pattern, stripes, graphics, even a tiny row of buttons on the shoulder. Take a look at the J Crew site and see the thousand ways they spin an ordinary T-shirt into something a little different.
• Try an alternative. Who says you have to wear a traditional T-shirt at all? In the summer, a white linen shirt is a breezy, lightweight option that will go with anything a tee would. A polo shirt has the shape of a tee with a collar for dressiness. Or go beyond the T shape itself and try a knit top in a different silhouette. If it’s comfortable and casual, why not?

Remember, no matter what option you choose, make sure it fits your body. Too tight is no more flattering than loose and baggy.

So here’s your Style Upgrade homework for the week. (Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz!) Pull out the ordinary T-shirt ‘n’ jeans combo you most often wear out and about. Now put that tee away and try one of the Upgrade options. Give it a test run and see if you don’t feel a little bit more Fab.

Next week: Fab Mom Style Upgrade for jeans.

What to buy

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When you get dressed in the morning, do you look at yourself in the full-length mirror and think “Wow, that looks great!”?

Or are you more likely to grade your look as just OK?

If you’re feeling more “meh” than “marvelous,” it’s time for a style upgrade.

This doesn’t mean you have to buy a whole new wardrobe (fun as it might be). To inject more fabulous into your everyday wear, all you need to do is turn up the volume a bit on what you already have, or look for a variation.

That’s what this series, Fab Mom Style Upgrade, is all about.

This month we’ll look at 3 key items in every working mom’s wardrobe. (You’ll notice that I picked out garments that can be worn to work and at home.) For each, we’ll talk about ways to make each one just a little more fabulous.

• T-shirt. You live in it throughout the week, right? On the weekends for casual wear, and under a suit to work.
• Jeans. Ditto! Denim’s the most versatile part of anyone’s wardrobe.
• A pair of casual shoes. As much as we might dream of Louboutins, we can’t all wear heels, but everyone can wear flats or other casual shoes.

Each week I’ll give you ideas on how to choose them and wear them with examples (and even shopping links).

Ready to get a style upgrade?

See you next week!

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Reader Marni writes to ask, “I never know exactly which shoes to wear with a dress. How do I know what will look the best?”

Great question! I sometimes have this same dilemma myself, so it’s a great opportunity to refresh both of us on some of the guidelines.

(And–as is true of the Pirate Code–they’re really just guidelines. A true fashionista knows how to break every rule in style!)

So here are some tips for choosing the right shoe to wear with a dress.

• Style. Let the style of the dress be your first guide. Is it a summery, spaghetti-strapped sundress? Then don’t wear thick, chunky shoes. Is it a sleek little cocktail dress? Then a cotton espadrille won’t work.
• Season. Match the season of the dress to the shoe. Lightweight spring dress + sandals = yes. Lightweight spring dress + fur-lined boots = no.
• Color. This one can be a bit tricky. You can never go wrong wearing black shoes with a black outfit, but any other color can veer into bridesmaid matchy matchy territory if you’re not careful. This is where the nude pump trend is especially helpful. Or try a bright complementary color, like yellow with navy or red with neutrals.
• Occasion. Where are you going to be wearing the dress? The same black dress might call for a pair of pumps in the office and strappy sandals for an evening out.

Now for the rule-breaking: try several pairs on and see what works. That lightweight spring dress might actually look boho chic with the right pair of boots. Flats might look great with a dress you assumed would demand pumps.

Look around for ideas, too. Fashion editors make very conscious choices of the shoes they pair with dresses in magazine spreads. Outfit posts on style blogs or found in Pinterest can give you inspiration.

And if nothing in your closet works with that new dress you just bought? You now have a golden excuse to go shoe shopping!

What to buy

Marc New York safari dress
$72 - bluefly.com

J Crew Elinor dress
$148 - jcrew.com

Oasis bow back dress
$82, sale - asos.com

Stuart Weitzman Littleneck boots
(no longer available)

Sperry Top-Sider Santa Rosa wedge
$50 - endless.com

London Rebel kitten high heels
$49 - asos.com

Rampage Women’s Malika Pump
$45 - amazon.com

Tommy Hilfiger Tutti flip flops
(no longer available)

Cole Haan FLX Women’s Air Astoria Thong Sandal
$125 - endless.com

[Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links.]

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Thanks for reading. Did you like this post? Please leave a comment or share it with someone else; just use the handy sharing widget below.

(Want to get more shopping tips and fun insider stuff? Join The Style List. It’s like a secret club in your email inbox! And when you join, you’ll get my free email series, 7 Days to Better Shopping. It’s my gift to you!)