Today’s post is from SB Louisville Editor Heidi Potter:
Recently, Andre Wilson, stylist and owner of Style Icon LLC, and I got together to talk about the fashion lessons we learned this summer. These lessons require a REAL honesty check with yourself. Don’t be a self-hater, but do realize what your strengths are and cater to those. It’s tough and we all have lessons to learn, including me.
Here we go. Don’t worry; there is no quiz at the end. And remember that I say all of this with love.
(And yes, I’m going to “go there” on this post, so don’t be embarrassed).
1. I see your thong.Â
I know what you’re doing. You don’t want visible panty lines (VPL), so you wear a thong. Unbeknownst to you, so often, though, I can see that thong’s visible panty line. Especially if your bottoms are a little too tight.
So that basically defeats the purpose, and the pain, of wearing one. Your goal is NO panty lines. Thongs do not necessarily equal NO panty lines. Let me introduce you to the boy short. I’m sorry, I mean the “girl” short.
These do just what they say, offering coverage while hiding bad parts and making everything sleek. No panty lines, a lower waist band and no tight grips on your thighs (otherwise known as sausage casings). Buy one pair to start and see if you like them, then buy a few pairs and treat them as your nice underwear.
2. I can see your bra and your back fat, too.
Allow me to show you what your back looks like when your bra does not fit:
Now look at her sister standing right next to her. She is wearing the same shirt, just in the striped version. But, her bra fits and she looks thinner.
You must find a good bra fitter where you live. (I’m told The Lingerie Shoppe in Mountain Brook Village is a great place to go, for the record.) If the above photos aren’t convincing enough, here’s my bra-fitting story with everything you need to know here.
3. Do not wear a silk shirt in the summer
I know that we all intend to look like this, wearing our silk in the summer …
Yes, I know silk shirts are beautiful. Yes I know they are colorful. But unless you are going to be inside in the air conditioning, with no conditions that point to the inception of perspiration, do NOT wear a silk shirt. Every drop of sweat will show. I promise you, you will get burned every time.
4. White jeans are the Mean Girls of your wardrobe
Why the Mean Girls analogy? Think about it. You want them. You really want them. But unless they fit perfectly, they look bad and unflattering. They are a cellulite amplifier. They practically talk about you behind your back.
But my goodness, when they are good, they are SO good. My advice? Try, and try, and keeping trying different styles on to find the best ones for your shape, and make sure they are thick. (See first photo above.)
5. Empire waists and baby doll dresses flatter no one except pregnant girls.
Even the thinnest girl looks like she has a little bit of a tummy in an empire waist. Yes I know it’s comfortable. But, if you are spending your whole night sucking in your stomach, so as to appear not to be with child, that defeats the purpose.
6. If I can see your interior pockets hanging out of your shorts, they are too short.
I’m all for a cute jean short, especially if you have the legs and the chutzpah to wear them. But the pocket situation is not acceptable.
7. Do not wear yoga pants unless you are doing yoga now or you are the yoga instructor.Â
Now, I’m not one to throw stones here, so this is Andre’s insight. (I have been known to wear yoga pants upwards of 24 hours in a row). But, he’s right. Below is a lovely lady wearing her yoga pants while visiting the Statue of Liberty around noon. There were no yoga poses nor a group yoga class going on there. And we are tabling the discussion of the menagerie of bra straps for another time.
8. Tunics are a wonder shirt.
I would contend that peasant tops are, as well, but a good tunic is straight from God. It covers everything, while still being dressy and flattering. Wear with everything from shorts to white jeans. (Scroll up a few photos to remind youself what they are and are not supposed to look like.) Buy one, or buy a hundred and one; it matters not. StyleBlueprint has a guide for how to fit your body type with tunics here.
9. Flip flops are the lazy shoe of summer
My 20 pairs of flip flops are going to unionize after this statement, but it’s true: we are wearing flip flops when we could wear a normal shoe or sandal that looks and feels nicer instead. See below for a perfectly good cocktail dress decimated by a pair of cheap white (ugh) flip flops.
10. If they sell produce and clothes at the same establishment, pick one. (And we don’t recommend the clothes.)
Well shoot, if Michelle Obama and I are both doing it, can it be that wrong? Andre says yes. You are compromising the quality of your clothes by buying here. I know, let it soak in for a minute. The sting goes away in a minute.
A big thank you to Andre Wilson, my great source of style and humor. Thanks for the guidance.
As a well-respected high-end fashion consultant with 20 years of extensive industry knowledge of trends and celebrity styling, AndrĂ© is a sought-after professional who works with celebrity, public and private clients. His success philosophy starts with his client’s environment. He often meets clients in their homes and offices to help them identify the best reflection of their image by assessing their environment of clothing, existing styles, shapes and colors. AndrĂ© uses this information to help his clients develop their own personal styles that work with their body type, lifestyle and personal goals. AndrĂ© teaches his clients how to dress in a way that maximizes their current wardrobes and helps them build a closet portfolio that inspires confidence in social or business environments. To contact Andre Wilson, email him at [email protected] or call 502-432-8254. Visit his website at
https://www.styleiconllc.com.