Since most of us don’t have a private tailor and we shop off-the-rack, we are buying styles that are mass produced and do not take our individual needs into account. The truth is, “ready to wear “is not usually ready to wear. If you have trouble getting your clothes to fit perfectly, don’t worry, you are in great company. Most women do not fit the standard size; which means most of what they buy needs some tweaking. The only way to ensure a good fit is to know what makes a good fit and to have your clothes tailored when they don’t fit well.

Contrary to what you might believe, having your clothes tailored will save you money (not to mention how great you’ll look) because you will no longer buy clothes you don’t wear.

Here are some guidelines to ensure a proper fit:

Shirts: Your sleeve length should reach the ¼ to ½ inches beyond the wristbone and the neckline should fit around the base of the neck without, wrinkling or pulling.

Pants: There should be enough room at the waistband to fit 2 fingers and you should be a little extra fabric at the fullest part of the hips. The crotch should be comfortable and not ‘ride up’ and there shouldn’t be any creases across the hip area. The hemline should hit the top of the shoe.

Skirts: The skirt should fall straight and be parallel to the floor; pleats and vents should fall flat.

Jackets: They should lay flat without puckering and should not gap when buttoned. The jacket sleeve should reach to the wristbone.

How do your clothes fit? Do you feel uncomfortable in your clothes because they pinch, bind and ride up? Or do you wear your clothes so loose they feel like you are still in your PJs? If you find yourself tugging on hems, pulling on straps or moving something back into place then what you’re wearing doesn’t fit.

Now that you have some guidelines to follow your next step is to know the exact linear measurements that are uniquely yours that will tell you your best lengths in skirts, sleeves, necklines and pants. The Fashion Fit Formula can do that for you. Fill out the Need Help form and we’ll get started.

Originally posted on Women In Style.

To start, list all of the occasions that you need an outfit. Sometimes those occasions will only happen once a year and sometimes monthly. Most women spend their money on clothes they wear most often (usually work clothes) and have very little for leisure or special events. What occasions do you dress for weekly- work, fitness, school, etc? What type of occasions do you dress for monthly – meetings, movies, plays, etc? What do you dress for yearly –holiday parties, cocktail parties, vacations, etc? Make the list.

The next step is to take a look in your closet and choose outfits you have for each of these occasions. If for example, if you find when going through your closet that you have a lot of outfits for dressy occasions and you only attend them yearly but you have very few casual outfits and you need more, you will know to buy more casual outfits and less dressy. Knowing where to focus your shopping will help fill out your wardrobe and make it more functional.

Get organized by putting outfits together. Maybe you can wear the white blouse you have for work with your jeans; or you can wear a black camisole that you usually wear under a jacket with a denim jacket and black jeans.

Now that you have identified the new pieces you need to expand your wardrobe it’s time to head to the stores. It’s also a good idea to buy accessories to match your new outfits. Make sure you have filled all the gaps and your wardrobe has the most outfits for occasions you attend regularly. Also, have at least one outfit for those events that pop up when you’re not expecting them (parties, funerals, swimming, or a date).

When you have your shopping completed and you feel you have something to wear for all occasions – something you love – relax and praise yourself for a job well done. If, all of this seems just too overwhelming I can help you; in person if you are local, and virtually if you are at a distance. Just fill in the Need Help? form and we can set up something that works for you.

Originally posted on Women In Style.

To Trend or Not to Trend: Trends are great. Why? They keep the fashion wheel moving and keep us motivated to buy and try exciting new looks. However, when you incorporate a new fashion trend into your wardrobe be selective. For example, skinny jeans look great on teens and young women but few mature women can pull this look off. This trend can be accommodated by wearing slim cut pants instead. The same is true for accessories. While your teen may look great in extra large hoop earrings, a smaller version of the same style is better for mom.

Timeless Styles are much more suitable for mature women who want to look credible as well as stylish. Never bare too much skin and be cautious when wearing short skirts. Minis are more appropriate for younger women. However, if you have great legs, a skirt (especially worn with tights) a few inches above the knee is acceptable.

Handbags and Shoes are a great and inexpensive way to keep your outfit looking fashionable. Keep your handbags and shoes in tune with the latest styles.

©Copyright 2004 -2011 Sheila Dicks

Sheila Dicks is a Dating and Style coach and founder of the Fashion Experts Network. She helps women enhance their style and attract more of what they want. You can get her free report “The Most Common Dating Mistakes Women Make” at www.sheiladicks.com or promote your fashion business by joining her membership at www.fashionexpertsnetwork.com.

Originally posted on Women in Style.