How To

On a recent visit to my family's house in Connecticut, I did what I always do when visiting my family's house in Connecticut: I went shopping in my bedroom closet.

For years my mother's wedding dress has gone ignored, relegated to a dark back corner of the closet, and for two very valid reasons: 1) it's just so seventies (my parents eloped in Berkeley in 1973 and my mom bought the frock at a local shop) and 2) I'm twenty pounds heavier than my 28-year-old mom was in that post-Twiggy era of super skinny-ness.



But with spring just around the corner, I was drawn to the dress's floral pattern and pulled it off its hanger. I held my breath – in suspense, and to facilitate my mom's zipping up of the back. And what do you know? Not only did it fit, but I wanted to never take it off. Beneath the tight empire waist, the skirt of that seventies dress is like a potato sack and I can move around like the free spirit the women's movement encouraged us to be.

I'm also drawn to the long skirt and sleeves because as I "age" (I'm three years older than my mom was when she wed), I've become more appreciative of modesty. Cooling off in summer does not have to mean showing skin--it can also mean wearing loose comfortable cottons. So in this case: check, check and check.

I also realized I could give the dress a more modern feel with the textured cream blazer I've been living in, and some oversized costume jewelry. Of course, I didn't get through the first day of wearing it to work without a little tear in the torso, but that's what tailors were put on this earth to handle.


Also stashed away in those Connecticut closets are many of my late grandmother's clothes. Along with my mother, she was one of the most stylish women I've ever known. There's one winter coat in particular that I always pull out, look over, and declare "I'm not ready for it yet" before putting it back into hiding.

So as Mother's Day nears, I would advise all women to hold on to their mother's and grandmother's more meaningful clothes, even if they're not very "you" right now. It's never too late to grow into them.

Didn't shed those 5 extra winter pounds in time for sundress season? Neither did we! But chin up -- it is possible to lose them still, simply by getting dressed in the morning! Follow our easy tips for dressing slimmer and you'll be rocking a little summer frock -- and looking and feeling amazing -- within minutes.

• Create Strong Foundations

First things first: before we even get to clothes let's address undergarments. Choose them well and they'll shave 5 - 10 pounds off your frame by lifting you up and sucking you in all around. It's a no-brainer! Make sure you've got an assortment of well-fitting bras and supportive shapewear on hand that will work for a range of outfits and occasions.

Sam Saboura, stylist, author, tv personality and makeover expert extraordinaire, tells StyleList, "You would never build a house without starting with a great foundation and the same thing goes for your body and your style. When I work with a client I love to set the tone with the proper foundation garments, primarily a slimmer -- or a girdle, if you will -- because that's going to highlight the small part of your waist, hide all those bumps and bulges and really smooth you out to make your clothes look amazing."

Yummie Tummie shapewear creator Heather Thomson suggests wearing a bustless slip under dresses. "A good slip is the passport into your closet," she says. "Worn under any dress, your figure will look flawless. Rock those curves, girl, and show off that hourglass figure." Another slimming option are the longer bike short styles, which work well under pants or skirts.

• Become a Fitness Guru

No, not a workout maven (although that's good too). We mean a fashion fit expert: make sure your clothes fit to a tee! Close-fitting -- not tight -- clothing that skims the body's shape is generally more flattering for all sizes and types.

"A lot of women have this misconception when they feel uncomfortable about their body, they want to cover it up with tons of clothing," says Saboura. But, in general, adding extra volume is a big Don't. "A lot of women have really great curves but they hide them behind their clothes. But what you need to do is highlight the assets and show off your best features."

You can start with pieces that work well on your body, then tweak as necessary for a perfect fit, according to stylist and fashion expert Lindsay Albanese. "Start off with clothing that accentuates your favorite feature," she tells StyleList. And if you have a difficult-to-fit shape, "an affordable tailor in the area -- maybe one at your cleaner's -- should be on speed-dial."

Saboura suggests adding figure-hugging details: "If you're curvy you want to look for jackets that have princess seams or little darts under your bust to find that natural curve for you. You can always add those darts and seams to any jacket or shirt that you have if you have a good tailor."


• Create Diversionary Tactics

Use accessories, interesting necklines, patterns and bright color to attract attention away from bulges and towards whatever part of your body you want to emphasize, be it your decolletage, waistline or pretty face!

Say you're more bottom-heavy -- you can keep all the attention on your amazing upper half by sporting a brightly colored or patterned cardigan or top, according to Charla Krupp, style expert and author of "How to Never Look Fat Again." She tells StyleList. "You want all the color, the jazz, the fun fabric and the pattern on top," to draw the eye upward, while toning down the bottom half.

Strategically baring skin is a great diversionary tactic too. Have great shoulders? Go with a one-shouldered dress or top. V-necks and u-necks highlight the decolletage. Three-quarter-length sleeves show off slender forearms, and knee-length pencil skirts streamline the lower body and showcase toned calves.

"When I look for a dress, I look at 3 places on the body: the neckline, the small part of the arms and the legs. Showing skin in the right places is going to show off those curves and make you look longer and leaner," says Saboura.

A wide or colorful belt will emphasize your waistline and hourglass shape, drawing the eye away from a heavy bust or larger hips. And a beautiful, sparkling brooch on a lapel, a dramatic red lip or kohl-rimmed eye will keep attention away from a pot-belly or chunky upper arms.

• Use Optical Illusions

Graphic effects can play tricks on the eye to help shape the body and minimize bulk. Color-blocking, smaller-scale prints and vertical and diagonal stripes all work this effect. Case in point: reality star Whitney Port recently donned a strategically color-blocked dress that had a magical, waist-minimizing effect.

This season's color blocking can be miraculous for whittling inches off your frame if you go with one long vertical block of color down the center of your body, with darker pieces on the sides.

Sailor stripes may be all the rage these days but they're not necessarily the most flattering pattern. For a slimming effect, go for vertical or diagonal stripes instead. "Vertical lines are always a good choice because they streamline your figure," Albanese confirms.

And all-over, small-scale pattern works great too. Saboura recommends them: "One diffused pattern tricks the eye into taking in the shape of your body in one overall consistent shape. It will disguise the distracting bumps and bulges."

• Achieve Balance

If you're top- or bottom-heavy the best thing you can do is balance out your silhouette by adding a little (just a little!) volume to your smaller half.

"You really want to balance the proportion of your upper body to your lower body," says Saboura. "Busty girls can look for v-necks and scoop necks when it comes to a flattering neckline. It'll minimize your shoulders and your bust." For the opposite situation, the expert advises, "When it comes to bottoms, boot-cut jeans and pencil skirts are always winners. And I encourage women to add a touch of volume to the upper half to balance the curves and fullness of their lower half. Cardigans and little jackets are great for this. And for summer there are lots of lightweight, draped tops that will add a little bit of volume without overwhelming your frame."

And, Saboura adds, full-figured women should "Consider accessories that are in line with the size of their frame. Think about how curvy you are and balance your body with medium-size accessories like purses, belts and jewelry. A big, chunky heel balances the fullness of your frame and your curves." This point was recently a hot topic: see the uproar created by 'The Sartorialist' after he commented on a woman's chunky-shoe choice being complementary to her full figure.


For more excellent tips on dressing slimmer, check out Sam Saboura's series of "My Body My Style" videos, exclusively on StyleList.

I am sure that I'm not alone when I say that finding the perfect denim fit for my body type has been the bane of my existence.

And to add to the anxiousness I feel while shopping for jeans is the fact that there are many denim washes to wade through. While I myself am a solid wash kind of girl, I have a soft spot for ultra worn-in duds. I'm talking about those paint-stained, hole-in-the-knee, frayed around the edges jeans that nearly feel like sweat pants when you throw them on.

While running to the closest mall and purchasing a pair for triple-digit prices is an easy answer, why not take a pair of jeans you haven't worn in ages and alter them aesthetically?

Watch the video above for an easy way to get one-of-a-kind denim duds... and all you need can be found at your local grocery store. Really!

Meanwhile, expect to spot tons of high-waited denim styles this season

Goddess-like gowns, with their flowing chiffon and delicious pleats and gathers, have been all over the runway and red carpet lately. While most of us don't have reason to regularly toss on a drapey ballgown, we certainly can take a cue from haute fashion and make sweet little Grecian goddess-like tops to sashay around town. Here's how:

Chiffon Basics: While there's no denying that floaty silk chiffon is totally yummy and surprisingly sturdy, polyester chiffon is much more widely available, infinitely cheaper, easy to iron into crisp pleats, and overall easier to care for (no dry cleaning required). Whether silk or polyester, chiffon definitely gets a bad rap when it comes to sewing because of its slippery, sinuous qualities. Fortunately, many expert sewers have developed a slew of tips for taming this bad-girl textile, such as sandwiching fabric between two layers of tissue paper before cutting, so that it doesn't slide around so much. (Chiffon is also available in other fibers like cotton or rayon.)

Pattern Picks: When you choose a pattern, no matter how tantalizing the fashion illustration, be sure to check the back of the pattern envelope for fabric suggestions to make sure that chiffon or a similar fabric is included. Patterns are drafted for specific fabrics and it is important to make sure that your material will work with the pattern. Check with your fabric store clerk before substituting chiffon for another fabric suggestion. For instance, georgette is a similar fabric that is less fragile than chiffon and often can be used interchangeably. For beginners, go with patterns with simple lines and seams. Long sleeve versions are just as floaty and sexy, but can prettily camouflage less than perfect biceps.

Pleats and tucks: Of course, who of us can resist all those gorgeous pleats and tucks we see on the runways? I would never discourage a sewer from tackling a beautifully pleated or tucked blouse pattern, but I would suggest in those cases relying more on hand- than machine-sewing, as you'll have more control of the fabric. With some basic pattern drafting, you can even add pleating and tucking to a style you love. In fact, you can also send a piece of fabric to have the entire swathe pleated before sewing.

Hem and seams: Because chiffon is fragile and frays easily, you will want to take particular care with finishes. Cut fabric on the bias whenever possible to add curve-hugging shape and eliminate fraying. Enclosed French seams will protect raw edges from unraveling, and baby hems and hand-rolled hems will finish this delicate fabric nicely. Lining can be complicated, so either underline with a matching or nude-hued organza (just remember this will give more structure and make it less floaty) or wear a matching or nude-colored tank under your pretty creation. Now you're ready to go Goddess!

For more DIY Design columns, click here.

For this week's installment of "DIY Design," we're switching things up.

Instead of sewing, we've recruited jeweler Lisa Salzer, the charming Lulu Frost designer and J.Crew's latest jewelry collaborator, to show you how to make a sparkly necklace. This piece is inspired by her Spring 2011 collection, called Modern Pioneer. It marries elements of the American West -- porcupine quills, conchos and turquoise -- with those of glamorous vintage jewelry -- antique brooches, costume pearls and crystals.

Here, Salzer explains how to make a double-pipe necklace. You'll need to equip yourself with some of the basic tools of jewelry making, plus a few decorative elements:

• Wire, flat-nose pliers, round-nose pliers, cutter, jump rings and lobster-claw clasp, all available at your local craft store or online at michaels.com.

• Short lengths of two-row crystal chain and bone hair-pipe beads, also available at most craft stores, or online at M&J Trimmings and Tandy Leather Factory, respectively.

• A vintage rhinestone or crystal pendant or brooch from a flea market, thrift shop, vintage store or, even better, your grandmother's jewelry box.

Once you've got your supplies in place check out our video and get started making your very own sparkly necklace!

For more DIY inspiration and instant shopping gratification, check out the Lulu Frost Web site.