I’ve worked with several clients over the years who needed to recalibrate their personal style. Their reasons varied. Coming out of the pandemic was a big one. After years of dressing very casually, some people needed or wanted to dress up again because suddenly there were conferences, galas, parties, and events to attend. Fashion had changed in the meantime, silhouettes had shifted, and old outfit formulas didn’t necessarily feel right anymore.

Retirement can create a similar challenge. You might no longer need a wardrobe of professional clothing, yet don’t want to spend every day in athleisure and loungewear. You need a new version of casual that feels comfortable, practical, polished, interesting, and authentically you.

Major illness and recovery can dramatically change how you feel about your body, clothing, comfort, priorities, and appearance. Weight fluctuations, perimenopause, and menopause can mean that part of your wardrobe no longer fits, feels comfortable, or hits the right note. Moving to another city or country can require dressing for a different climate, culture, commute, or environmental norm. A new job can change dress codes and daily activities. Divorce, remarrying, becoming a parent or grandparent, losing a partner, or entering a new relationship can shift how you see yourself and how you want to present yourself.

Sometimes there isn’t one dramatic event. You reach a certain age or stage of life and simply think, I want to dress differently now. Your lifestyle might be much the same, but your tastes, priorities, body, or ideas about how you want to look have changed. All of these situations can create the need for style recalibration.

It’s Not Reinvention

You don’t need to reinvent your style after a major life change. In fact, starting from scratch can make the process more overwhelming. Instead, think about recalibrating. That means reassessing and adjusting something so that it works well for your current circumstances, needs, and goals. In a style context, it means thoughtfully adapting your wardrobe and personal style to suit the life, body, preferences, and priorities you have now.

There are probably parts of your existing style that still feel completely right. Colours you love. Silhouettes that make you happy. Favourite accessories. Outfit combinations that continue to work. A preference for dressy or casual, maximal or minimal, classic, trendy or avant-garde, neutral or colourful. These things don’t automatically disappear because your circumstances have changed.

The goal is to identify what still works and what no longer serves you. Keep the parts that feel right, and adjust the parts that don’t. Think of it as changing the settings rather than replacing the system.

Give Yourself Grace

Major life changes can be physically and emotionally exhausting and stressful. Your wardrobe might be the last thing you want to think about, and there is no need to have your new style figured out right away. This is especially important after illness, divorce, bereavement, or other emotionally demanding circumstances. Your body, lifestyle, and preferences may continue to change for a while. Give it time. Style can wait until you have the energy and inclination to address it. And when you do, the process can happen slowly.

That said, it can be helpful and therapeutic to have wardrobe items that fit, feel comfortable, and make you feel good right now. You deserve a functional wardrobe for the body and life you have today, even when either might change again. You don’t need to put feeling good in your clothes on hold until everything else has settled.

There is a 10-step strategy I encourage clients and friends to follow when they need to recalibrate their style after major life changes. It’s a flexible guide that you can action in order, or simply pick out the components that resonate most with you. I’ll share the strategy in another blog post. Stay tuned.

Team Outfit Repeater happily repeats a complete outfit. Once you’ve found a combination that looks and feels fabulous, there’s no need to mess with success. You might wear the same bottoms and top, or the same dress, with the same topper, shoes, bag, and accessories many times over the course of a season. You might have an assortment of these outfits that you put on repeat. The outfits are tried, tested, comfortable, and make you feel great. They also make getting dressed quick and easy.

Repeating outfits can be especially useful when you have a busy lifestyle, a small wardrobe, a work uniform, a tightly edited capsule, or simply prefer not to spend much time deciding what to wear. You’ve done the work of creating the outfits once, and can enjoy them repeatedly.

Team Constant Remixer, on the other hand, rarely wears precisely the same outfit twice, if at all. You might repeat the same wardrobe items frequently, but combine them differently each time. The same pair of pants might be worn with another top, different shoes, a different topper, a different bag, or an entirely new set of accessories. Sometimes only one component changes. Other times the whole combination is reworked.

For Constant Remixers, creating a fresh combination is part of the fun of getting dressed. You enjoy experimenting with proportions, colours, layers, accessories, and footwear. Remixing can also make a wardrobe feel larger because the same items create many different looks.

Of course, repeating an outfit doesn’t mean you lack creativity, just as constantly remixing doesn’t mean you need a large wardrobe. An Outfit Repeater might have put considerable thought into creating a fabulous set of combinations in the first place. A Constant Remixer might remix a relatively small collection of items in dozens of ways.

There is plenty of room between the two extremes too, which puts you on Team Bench. You might exactly repeat certain types of outfits while remixing others. Perhaps you repeat outfits for travel, lounging at home, working out, events, special occasions, or particularly hectic days, but enjoy remixing everyday work and weekend looks. Or you repeat work outfits and remix looks for other parts of your life. You might also have a handful of favourite combinations that are too good not to repeat.

Both approaches can result in a functional wardrobe, a strong sense of personal style, and a high wardrobe wear quotient. It’s a question of which dressing strategy comes more naturally to you and brings you more joy.

I’m Team Bench because I can’t pick a side. I happily repeat exact outfits within a season when I love the combination and it feels dead right for the current leg of my style journey. That said, I thoroughly enjoy remixing my wardrobe and creating new combinations with the same pieces. I’m a big believer in getting plenty of wear out of what I own, but I also enjoy switching the shoes and bag, adding different accessories, tweaking the colour palette, or creating an entirely new combination. It’s also great to remix old items with new items to fresh the look of the old. Remixing my wardrobe is part of the creative pleasure of fashion and style. Sometimes I’m in the mood to experiment, and other times I want to reach for a tried-and-tested outfit that I know ticks all the boxes.

Both approaches are an important part of how I enjoy my wardrobe, so I’m sitting this one out on the bench, where I’m serving lemon peri-peri baked salmon, grilled sweet potatoes with a side of chili crisp mayo, green beans with dill, olives and capers, and roasted chickpeas with tomato, feta and honey. Vanilla biscotti and chocolate-covered almonds for dessert.

Over to you. Are you Team Outfit Repeater or Team Constant Remixer? Tell us why, and no batting for both teams. If you can’t pick a side, sit this one out on the bench with me and enjoy the feast.

Neutral ginghams in combinations like black and white, grey and white, navy and white, brown and cream, toffee and white, and olive and cream are classics. The checked pattern adds visual interest while remaining wonderfully versatile, much like a false plain (when the pattern is small scale). Neutral gingham combines easily with wardrobe essentials in a range of neutral colours.

Onto some outfit inspiration.

1. Black and White

A pair of black and white gingham relaxed straight cropped pants is paired with an untucked black boxy V-neck tee. The scale of the pattern is small, so much so that it reads like a solid texture at first glance. Flat black slides are the casual shoes of choice, matching the top and model’s hair. Add a bag that works with the palette. Super simple, minimal, and breezy outfit.

2. Chocolate and Cream

A pair of brown and cream gingham vamp length wide pants is combined with a tailored cream peplum vest (or waistcoat). Taupe wedged thong sandals are the smart casual shoe of choice, and match the tortoiseshell buttons on the vest. A dark brown bag adds another smart casual touch, and matches the model’s hair. Cream or dark brown sandals would work well too.

3. Navy and Toffee

A dressier pair of navy and toffee ankle pants is combined with a tucked navy V-neck tee with button detailing. Gingerbread pointy toe slingbacks with a complementary cognac belt add a polished and professional integrity to the look. The gingham pants have an optional matching jacket to create a suit. Swap out the shoes for a pair of simple low profile neutral sneakers to create a Sporty Luxe look.

4. Olive and Cream

Last, a pair of drapey, wide olive and cream gingham full length trousers worn at perfect pant lengths is combined with a summery slubby dark olive linen sweater. It’s semi tucked to showcase the waist of the pants. Sleeves are scrunched to showcase forearm skin. Strappy flat chocolate brown super casual sandals are the beachy and relaxed choice of shoes. Add jewellery, bag, watch, and eyewear as desired.

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, there is a subtle distinction. A brooch refers to a larger decorative piece of jewellery that fastens to clothing with a pin on the back, while pin is a broader term that also includes lapel pins, enamel pins, novelty pins, commemorative pins, and other smaller decorative pieces. All brooches are pins, but not all pins are brooches. Both can elevate an outfit in unique and personal ways.

Unlike many accessories, brooches and pins aren’t confined to one part of an outfit. That’s part of their appeal. They can be worn almost anywhere, making them one of the most versatile and creative ways to personalize your style.

The variety is enormous. Brooches and pins come in every imaginable size, shape, material, colour, finish, and price point. They can be crafted from precious metals and gemstones, enamel, resin, wood, pearls, crystals, fabric, leather, or acrylic. Designs range from flowers, animals, insects, bows, hearts, and abstract shapes to initials, humorous motifs, sculptural forms, contemporary works of wearable art, and almost anything else. Some are delicate and understated, while others are large enough to become the focal point of an outfit.

Traditionally, brooches were worn on a jacket or coat lapel, but today there are more possibilities. Pin one onto the shoulder of a sweater, the neckline or collar of a shirt, the pocket of a denim jacket, the cuff of a sleeve, a blazer, vest, scarf, hat, handbag, or even the ribbon of a straw hat. They can also look striking on the waistbands of skirts and dresses, or clustered on the front of a canvas tote. Brooches and pins can be used to hitch up skirts, tops, and pant hems. You can ruche a tee at the side, secure the ruching with a brooch, and enjoy the diagonal line and asymmetrical integrity it creates. Brooches can also be worn as pendants on necklaces. Wear one on its own for a subtle accent, or group several together for greater impact. Brooches invite creativity, and sometimes the most unexpected placement is the most successful.

Brooches can also solve practical styling challenges. They can hold a scarf in place, secure the neckline of a wrap or cardigan, gather fabric to create a different silhouette, or discreetly disguise a small stain, hole, or repair. Decorative and functional is a winning combination.

Because they’re relatively small accessories and easy to store, brooches and pins are an easy way to experiment with trends, colour, shine, or a playful motif without making a big commitment. A single statement brooch can change the mood of a simple navy blazer, denim jacket, winter coat, jumper, or hat. It can be a quick, effective, and often affordable way to refresh wardrobe favourites you may have worn for years.

Vintage and antique brooches often tell a story. They may have been inherited from a family member, discovered while travelling, found in an antique shop, or picked up at a flea market. Even contemporary brooches can become meaningful over time, reminding us of a special event, place, person, or milestone. Like many accessories, they can carry memories as well as style.

Some people enjoy matching their brooches to the colours or theme of an outfit, while others deliberately create contrast. A colourful enamel pin on a monochromatic outfit, a sparkling crystal brooch on casual denim, or a whimsical motif on classic tailoring can add unexpected interest and create pleasing visual tension. Sometimes that element of surprise is exactly what makes an outfit memorable.

If you’ve never worn brooches or pins before, they can feel unfamiliar at first. Start with one that genuinely appeals to you and wear it on a jacket or coat. As you become more comfortable, experiment with different placements and combinations. Wear a cluster of brooches, if you like. Or stick to one simple way of wearing a fabulous brooch. There is no right or wrong approach. It’s about finding a way of wearing brooches and pins that feels authentic to your style and makes you happy.

I have exactly ONE brooch. It’s the best-brooch-for-me on the planet. It was a gift, and you can read the story here. I would like to wear it more frequently, and plan to do just that. That said, I derive as much joy from looking at my special brooch displayed in a jewellery box. It’s a vintage piece from 1960, a beautiful work of art, and makes me smile.

Over to you. Have you found your brooch wearing balance?

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Take the idea a step further to what I call elevated essentials. These are essentials with a little extra built-in style. They work just as hard as regular essentials, and also make your outfits look better while they’re at it. They combine the versatility of an essential with thoughtful design, fantastic fabric, a stellar fit, and/or an interesting detail that quietly elevates the entire look.

It’s easy to be drawn to statement pieces, eye-catching colours, interesting silhouettes, and special occasion purchases. Before you know it, your wardrobe is full of beautiful, distinctive items. Yet getting dressed feels frustrating because fabulous complete outfits are hard to create. More often than not, the problem isn’t a lack of great clothes, shoes, or accessories. It’s a lack of the right essentials.

Essentials bridge the gap between your more distinctive wardrobe items. They create cohesion, provide balance, and allow your favourite pieces to shine. They make a wardrobe more functional, and they’re highly PERSONAL. Essentials reflect your lifestyle, climate, colour palette, style goals, sartorial preferences, and outfit priorities. As a result, they differ greatly from wardrobe to wardrobe.

One way to identify a missing essential is to notice what I call a wardrobe hole. Perhaps you repeatedly think, “I wish I had a simple cream, toffee, grey, or black top to wear with these skirts and patterned pants,” or “I really need a pair of metallic or brown loafers that work with these outfits,” or “A lightweight navy or brown topper would finish so many of my looks.” When you keep reaching for the same imaginary item, your wardrobe is telling you something. That missing piece is often an essential.

Essentials can be clothes, shoes, or accessories. They might be a white tee, earth-toned tank tops, barrel jeans, a cropped black sweater, an oversized denim jacket, a navy short puffer, olive utility pants, black joggers, denim shorts, a navy-and-white striped knit, diamond studs, a silver belt, a black camera bag, white sneakers, metallic sandals, black knee-high boots, a cognac belt, pearls, a brown coat, black Mary Janes, or white trousers. What makes something an essential isn’t the item itself. It’s how often it earns its place in your outfits, and how many other wardrobe items work with it.

The elevated version of an essential is every bit as versatile, but has an extra quality that makes it feel MORE. Perhaps the fabric is luxurious, the fit is impeccable, the colour is especially flattering, or the design includes an interesting detail. A beautifully cut black sweater or leather jacket, a sculptural cream handbag, premium white sneakers, a perfectly fluid olive jacket, or gorgeous brown boots can all be elevated essentials. They quietly add polish and pizazz, without sacrificing versatility.

For example, hubs Greg surprised me by buying two tops that perfectly fit the elevated essentials category. They’re refined, lightweight, body-con polo sweaters in cream and navy. The fabric feels heavenly against the skin, the quality is exceptional, they don’t crease, and the polo collars give them that little something extra, making them feel dressier than a simple knit. They’re also slightly longer on me than on the models, so they aren’t very cropped.

Because they’re in the dominant light and dark neutrals of my wardrobe, they work under almost every jacket and with almost every bottom I own. They’re also perfect for Seattle’s climate, where they’ll earn their keep for at least six months of the year. Had I seen them first, I probably would have been drawn to citron, lime green, or tomato red versions. Instead, Greg wisely chose the quieter cream and navy, which turned out to be far more versatile. They became instant, unexpected workhorses. I suppose I didn’t know I had a wardrobe hole until Greg filled it for me.

During this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I added two more elevated essentials to my wardrobe: a navy cashmere hoodie with a beautifully neat and tidy neckline that elevates its sporty silhouette, and a pair of dull gold T-strap flats that feel a little more interesting than a simple ballet flat. Both are quite understated compared to other items in my wardrobe. The hoodie works with most of my bottoms and can be dressed up for Sporty Luxe looks, or worn casually. The gold flats went straight into heavy rotation, and are perfect with my Summer dresses, skirts, white trousers, and cropped jeans.

Elevated essentials work especially hard because they do two jobs at once. They provide the practicality and flexibility of an essential while also adding refinement, visual interest, and personality. Rather than simply filling a wardrobe hole, they subtly elevate the outfit.

I’ve found that building a wardrobe around strong essentials doesn’t mean filling it with boring basics. Quite the opposite. The better your essentials, the easier it becomes to wear your more distinctive pieces. A statement jacket gets worn more often because you have the right trousers and shoes to support it. Gorgeous orphaned skirts come out to play because you finally have the perfect knit top to wear with them. A favourite handbag earns its keep because it complements much of your wardrobe. Simple jeans and trousers feel more polished when paired with elevated essential shoes, belts, knitwear, or toppers.

If you’re finding it difficult to create outfits despite owning plenty of fantastic clothes, shoes, and accessories, resist the urge to buy another statement piece. Instead, take a closer look at the items that connect everything else. Investing in the right essentials or elevated essentials can be one of the smartest and most impactful ways to strengthen your wardrobe and get the most from your fashion budget. They may not steal the spotlight, but they’re often the reason your outfits come together with ease and look dead right too.

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Cotton, linen, seersucker, madras, viscose, silk, and breezy blends can give plaid a distinctly summery feel. Madras in particular has strong warm weather associations because of its lightweight cotton fabrication and typically colourful checks. Fabric makes all the difference. A plaid that looks wintery in wool can look completely at home in Summer when rendered in breezy cotton or linen.

In fact, that’s part of what makes summery plaid interesting. We tend to assign patterns to seasons, but a pattern itself doesn’t have a temperature. Fabrication, colour, silhouette, and styling determine much of its seasonal identity. Putting a traditionally cool weather pattern onto an undeniably summery garment creates a fun bit of tension or juxtaposition.

Summery plaid can appear on just about anything. Think shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, shorts, pants, jumpsuits, lightweight jackets, matching sets, bags, and scarves. Plaid pants and skirts can be especially fab because they add pattern to an outfit without needing much styling. Add a simple solid top and complementary footwear, and you’re done. A plaid dress or co-ord is even easier to style.

Colour and Scale

The colour palette can reinforce the summery mood, but it doesn’t have to. Plaids in white, cream, light blue, pink, yellow, lilac, turquoise, coral, orange, and other lighter or brighter combinations can look fresh for Summer. That said, navy, black, brown, olive, burgundy, grey, and other darker shades can work beautifully too. If the fabrication and silhouette are right for the weather, there is no need to restrict summery plaid to traditionally summery colours.

Plaid varies enormously in scale and personality. A tiny check can read as subtle, textural, and almost solid, while a large scale plaid makes a statement. High contrast plaids are bolder, while low contrast versions are quieter. Plaids can look classic, preppy, tailored, rustic, punk, playful, romantic, sporty, retro, arty, avant-garde, or anything in between. There is a plaid for everyone.

This also makes plaid a useful Summer pattern if typical warm weather motifs aren’t your thing. Not everyone wants to wear florals, tropical prints, or overtly beachy patterns when temperatures rise. Plaid provides a more graphic and geometric alternative, and can work with many different style personas.

Trends and Silhouettes

Plaids are iconic classic patterns that never disappear from fashion, although particular versions move in and out of the spotlight. Oversized checks, subtle windowpanes, gingham plaids, bold tartans, glen plaids, and quieter low contrast combinations can take turns looking particularly current.

Silhouette plays an important role too. A familiar or traditional plaid can feel completely different when interpreted in an on trend shape. Think wide pants, balloon and lantern silhouettes, breezy slip and asymmetrical dresses, bubble and pencil skirts, clamdiggers, oversized shirts, bubble-hem and funnel-neck jackets, boxy cropped tops, waistcoats, oversized blazers, and co-ords. Current proportions can give an otherwise classic plaid a fresh injection of NOW.

Of course, you don’t need a trendy silhouette to make summery plaid work. A classic plaid shirt, pair of straight-leg pants, simple skirt, or shirtdress can look just as fabulous. That’s part of plaid’s versatility. Fabrication, silhouette, colour, scale, and styling can completely change the personality and perception of the pattern.

Styling Summery Plaid

One easy approach is to let the plaid be the focal point of the outfit and keep the rest solid. Pull one of the colours out of the plaid for another component of the outfit, or combine it with a neutral. Light neutrals can work particularly well during the warmer months and create a fresh backdrop for the pattern.

Alternatively, pattern mix your plaid with stripes, dots, florals, or other geometric patterns. Keeping some colours in common between the patterns can create visual harmony, although deliberately clashing patterns can be fantastically dramatic too.

You can also play with the degree of contrast between the plaid and the rest of the outfit. Echoing its colours creates a more cohesive and harmonious effect, while combining it with an unexpected colour can make the outfit more striking. Plaid can be the star of the show or simply one component of a more maximal look.

For those who prefer just a touch of plaid, accessories are an easy way to participate. A plaid bag, scarf, belt, shoe, or hair accessory adds pattern without dominating the outfit.

Personally, I enjoy seeing traditionally cool-weather patterns interpreted for warm weather. There is something unexpected about plaid in Summer, which is part of its charm. It can provide a refreshing change from the patterns we automatically associate with the season. The right lightweight fabrication makes it comfortable for the weather, while colour, silhouette, and styling make it your own. As a long time lover of all plaids worn at any time of year, I vote YAY. Plaids forever.

Over to you. Do you wear plaid in Summer, or does the pattern feel too autumnal and wintery to you? Do certain colours, fabrics, silhouettes, and types of plaid feel more summery than others? Are you a Yay for summery plaid, or a Nay?

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Today, things are different. Pant lengths run the gamut, which can feel both liberating and confusing. On the one hand, there is no longer just one “correct” length. On the other hand, having many choices can make it harder to know whether a pair of pants or jeans fits and looks as intended.

Pant lengths are my thing, so I’d like to share how I think about them. Once you break them down into categories, they are easier to understand.

Three Categories

I divide pants (or trousers, including jeans) into three length categories: capris and culottes, cropped pants, and full length pants. I don’t include shorts and their many variations because they deserve a discussion of their own.

Each of these categories includes a range of lengths, which is where things become more nuanced.

1. Capris and Culottes

Capris and culottes are often grouped together because they occupy a similar area on the leg, but they are very different silhouettes.

Capris are slim and relatively fitted through the leg. They usually finish somewhere between just below the calf and several inches above the ankle, creating a sleek, tailored look.

Culottes, on the other hand, are wide or very wide through the leg and can resemble a skirt when you’re standing still, which is why they’re sometimes called “split skirts.” They generally finish around the calf, with hems landing anywhere from mid-calf to just below the calf. Their volume is what distinguishes them from capris.

2. Cropped Pants

The next category is cropped pants. These finish around the ankle and can be a versatile and practical pant length. Depending on the design, they can finish right on the ankle bone or two to three inches above it. In my experience, one to two inches above the bottom of the ankle bone is a sweet spot for many people. Showing a little ankle creates a lighter visual effect and naturally draws attention to your footwear.

Some cropped pants are deliberately slim, while others are relaxed, wide, very wide, carrot, barrel, or architectural. The silhouette changes, but the defining characteristic remains the same: the hem finishes around the ankle rather than covering it.

3. Full Length Pants

Although we often think of full length pants as one category, there are three distinct full lengths. What they all have in common is that they completely cover the ankle. Once the ankle is covered, you’re no longer in cropped-pant territory.

The first finishes on the vamp of the foot, leaving most of the shoe visible. This length works particularly well when you want to showcase fabulous footwear. Let’s call this length, Vamp Length.

The second is what longtime YLF readers will recognise as the Perfect Pant Length. The hem skims the surface of the ground without dragging, creating a long leg line while covering most of the shoe. Leaving the hem up to a quarter of an inch above the ground works just as well. This remains my preferred length for many full length silhouettes, although I happily wear vamp length too, particularly with narrower silhouettes.

The third is puddle length. Here the hem extends beyond the foot so that the fabric pools over the shoe and drapes slightly onto the ground. This dramatic look works best with wider silhouettes such as wide leg trousers and jeans, palazzo pants, flares, and some relaxed straight legs. It’s a fashion-forward length, although it can be a tripping hazard, so please take care. When the leg is slim or tapered, excess length doesn’t puddle in the same way. Instead, the fabric gathers or scrunches around the ankle, creating a different effect.

The Importance of Silhouette

Complicating matters further is the enormous variety of silhouettes available today. Almost every pant length can be found in super skinny, skinny, cigarette, straight, relaxed straight, boyfriend, carrot, jogger, barrel, balloon, lantern, horseshoe, wide leg, palazzo, flare, bootcut, bell bottom, and harem styles with dramatically dropped crotches.

Each silhouette has its own visual balance and often its own ideal hem length. A puddle hem that looks intentional on a wide leg trouser can overwhelm a cigarette pant. Likewise, a cropped length that flatters a barrel silhouette might not work as well on a flare. Hem length and silhouette really do work hand in hand.

Shoes Change Everything

The “right” pant length is almost always determined in partnership with the footwear you intend to wear with said bottoms.

A cropped straight leg that works beautifully with loafers may feel too short with chunky athletic shoes. Full length wide leg trousers often need to be longer with platform sneakers than with flat sandals. Flares generally require more length than straight legs because they need enough fabric to drape gracefully over the shoe. Heeled boots and pumps worn under pants can also significantly change the ideal hem length. Even the shaft height of a boot can determine whether a cropped pant looks just right.

That’s why I encourage clients to assess pant lengths while wearing the shoes they expect to wear most often. It’s one of the simplest ways to determine whether a pair truly works. Sometimes one pant length accommodates several pairs of shoes beautifully. Other times, you’ll need to commit that pair of pants to one or two specific footwear options.

Contrast Matters

The amount of contrast between your pants (or jeans), and shoes also influences how a hem looks.

When your shoes are similar in colour to your pants, the leg line appears longer and the exact hem length becomes less visually critical because the transition is subtle. High contrast shoes, on the other hand, draw attention to the break between the pants and footwear. Every inch suddenly becomes more noticeable, making hem length a stronger design element of the outfit.

Sock colour can also play a role, particularly with cropped pants. Matching socks to trousers creates a longer, more continuous line, while contrasting socks deliberately break it up. Both approaches can work well depending on the look you’re after.

Personal Preference Reigns Supreme

Your figure-flattering priorities, comfort preferences, lifestyle, and personal style all come into play.

Some people love cropped pants that show plenty of ankle and showcase their shoes. Others prefer cropped pants that are almost full length. Some enjoy dramatic puddle hems, while others prefer the crispness of trousers that skim the ground or sit neatly on the vamp of the foot to avoid soggy hems. You’re the boss of your pant lengths.

The good news is that today’s fashion landscape embraces all of these options. There is no single correct pant length anymore. Instead, the goal is to choose a length that complements the silhouette, works harmoniously with your footwear, supports the proportions you’re hoping to create, feels comfortable, works with the weather, and reflects your personal style.

Understanding today’s pant lengths isn’t about memorising rules. It’s about recognising the different categories, appreciating how silhouette, footwear, and contrast influence the ideal hem, and choosing the length that works best for you. Once you begin looking at pant lengths this way, the enormous variety becomes less daunting and more fun.

All questions and thoughts welcome.

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The variety is enormous. Frames come in every imaginable shape, size, colour, material, tint, and price point. They can be made from metal, acetate, titanium, wood, plastic, or combinations of materials. They can be round, square, oval, rectangular, cat-eye, geometric, aviator-inspired, rimless, semi-rimless, oversized, petite, chunky, delicate, sculptural, or barely noticeable. Some people gravitate towards classic styles that they wear for years, while others enjoy experimenting with fashion-forward shapes, colours, and patterns.

Eyewear can have a surprisingly powerful effect on the mood of an outfit. Bold frames can become a signature feature that instantly draws attention to your face. Bright colours, striking patterns, unusual shapes, or oversized proportions can make an artistic statement. Conversely, subtle frames in colours that blend with your complexion or hair quietly integrate into an outfit, creating a more understated look. Neither approach is better than the other. It’s simply a matter of preference.

Many people wear the same pair of glasses every day, often for years, making them one of the most important wardrobe purchases they own. Others build a collection and switch frames to suit different outfits, occasions, or moods. Some enjoy coordinating frame colours with their clothing, footwear, or other accessories, while others deliberately create contrast. If you wear glasses every day, having multiple pairs can add welcome variety to your style. You can think of eyewear as jewellery for your eyes.

Sunglasses deserve attention too. They protect your eyes, improve comfort outdoors, and instantly change the vibe of an outfit. Some people collect sunglasses much the same way they collect handbags or shoes, while others rely on one favourite pair. Oversized glamour, sporty wrap styles, classic aviators, retro rounds, chic cat-eyes, angular geometric frames, wayfarers, and understated rectangles each create a different aesthetic.

Comfort and fit are just as important as appearance. Glasses should sit comfortably, feel balanced, and stay in place without pinching or slipping. Lightweight frames almost disappear on the face, while heavier statement frames make more of a visual impact. Since eyewear is often worn for many hours a day, the right fit makes all the difference.

Finding eyewear that flatters you is an art. In my opinion, frames should be in proportion to your face, with your eyes sitting close to the centre of each lens for the most balanced look. Ideally, the top of the frames follows the line of your brows, with your brows either sitting just above the frames or hidden behind them, but not inside of the frames. The width of the frames should complement the width of your face without extending too far beyond it, although oversized frames can look fabulous when the proportions are just right. From there, it’s all about the aesthetic you want to create. Neutral frames blend more quietly into an outfit, while colourful or patterned frames become a distinctive style statement. It’s also worth considering how your frames work with your hair colour, complexion, eye colour, wardrobe palette, and the scale of your facial features. Above all, choose eyewear that makes you smile when you catch your reflection. If you love wearing your glasses, you’ll wear them with confidence and ease.

Eyewear can change the appearance of your face. Frames can make your features look softer or sharper, add definition, create contrast, emphasize your eyes, emphasize your brows, accentuate cheekbones, and influence the overall visual impression you make. They become part of your facial architecture, which is why finding the right pair can feel quite life changing. Sometimes, a new pair of glasses changes a person’s look more dramatically and positively than any other style update.

Because eyewear sits on your face—where people naturally look when they speak to you and make eye contact—I think it’s the most important accessory of them all. It’s often the first thing people notice, and it can have an enormous impact on your style. That’s why it’s the first accessory I address with clients who wear glasses every day and come to me for a style refresh or wardrobe renewal. Finding frames that flatter your features, feel comfortable, reflect your personality, and work with your style can transform your appearance more effectively than any other accessory.

Personally, eyewear is one of my favourite accessories. Along with handbags and pearls, my specs are a signature part of my style. I have to wear them because contact lenses aren’t for me, so they aren’t optional. Rather than trying to make them disappear, I’ve made them playful, eye-catching, and an integral part of my look. I have a collection of prescription glasses and sunglasses, and I enjoy swapping them out regularly depending on my outfit, mood, and the occasion. They add colour, personality, a modern retro touch to my style, and I feel incomplete without them. Of course, I can’t see properly without them either. For me, the right pair of specs doesn’t simply help me see better—it completes the outfit. This is my current collection of eyewear. I’ll be visiting my favourite eyewear store, Fabulous Fanny’s, in New York City in September, where I hope to find another pair.

Finding your eyewear balance is much like finding your handbag, jewellery, or belt balance. Some people are happiest with one trusted pair of glasses that goes with everything. Others enjoy building a collection and changing frames as often as they change their outfits. You might prefer bold frames, or ones that quietly blend into your look. You may wear glasses every waking hour, only for reading, working or driving, or not at all. Whatever your approach, the best eyewear is the kind that helps you see comfortably, feels wonderful to wear, suits your lifestyle, reflects your personality, and makes you happy every time you put it on.

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The possibilities are endless. Shirtdresses, T-shirt dresses, fit and flare styles, tiered dresses, slips, shifts, sheaths, columns, wrap dresses, sporty dresses, and knitted dresses are just some of the options. They can be solid or patterned, mini, knee-length, midi, midaxi, or maxi, sleeved or sleeveless, crisp and structured, oversized, architectural, or soft and fluid. Fabrics run the gamut.

Finish off the outfit in a way that suits your sartorial preferences and lifestyle. CASUAL FOOTWEAR is key to making a dress look casual. Think relaxed sandals, sneakers, wedges, loafers, ballet flats, Mary Janes, mules, espadrilles, slides, ankle boots, cowgirl boots, and supportive athletic shoes, all of which can work like a charm. Add optional items like a casual bag, jewellery, eyewear, hat, watch or lightweight topper if you need insulation in a/c or when temperatures are cooler during the day.

Onto some outfit inspiration.

1. Shirtdress

Shirtdresses are versatile and adaptable. Inspired by a classic button down shirt, they come in a wide range of lengths and fits. Some are tailored and structured, while others are oversized or fluid. Wear them loose for a relaxed look, define the waist with a self tie or belt, or layer them over pants as a tunic for a more fashion forward outfit. They work just as well with sandals and sneakers as they do with loafers, ballet flats, fancy flip flops, espadrilles, Mary Janes, and mules. They are an excellent option if you want a dress with sleeves, which you can sometimes scrunch to showcase forearm skin.

2. Sporty Dresses

Sporty dresses with an athletic vibe are part of the oh-so popular athleisure trend. They work well for active lifestyles and extremely casual days. They are often made from performance fabrics with stretch, have moisture wicking properties, and easy laundry instructions. They prioritize simplicity and freedom of movement. Some have built in shorts, bras, pockets, or adjustable features, making them especially practical for walking, sightseeing, travel, or simply running errands. Wear them with chunky athletic sneakers or fashion sneakers, sneakerinas, sporty sandals, and flip flops. Casual body bags, crossbodies, canvas totes, backpacks, and baseball caps work well with athletic dresses too.

3. Tiers, Ruffles, Smocking, Boho

Tiered, smocked, ruffled, and bohemian dresses can create a softer, more romantic look. They often have fluid silhouettes, pretty gathers, and decorative details that add movement and texture. Some have a carefree vibe, while others feel more refined and understated. They come in every length, from mini to maxi, and can be styled with casual sandals, wedges, clogs, boots, or slides depending on the occasion and your personal style. Cowgirl boots look particularly good with these types of dresses.

4. Everything Else

Beyond these styles, there are plenty of other casual dresses to choose from. T shirt dresses, shifts, fit and flare styles, wrap dresses, knit dresses, slip dresses, columned dresses, denim dresses, slip dresses with layered t-shirts, kaftans, dresses worn as tunics, each with its own appeal. Some create an architectural look, while others are soft, body con, breezy, swooshy, classic, or playful. With a wide variety of silhouettes, fabrics, and design details, patterns and colours, there’s a casual dress to suit just about every style preference, climate, and lifestyle.

Who bats for Team Casual Summer Dress? I do, and shirtdresses all the way. My footwear and bag choices are a little dressier though.

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Athletic shoes from brands like Brooks, HOKA, New Balance, ASICS, and On Cloud can make the difference between walking comfortably all day, or having sore feet, aching knees, and back pain. Some of my clients need substantial support and exceptional cushioning for hard to fit feet. Others need room for thick orthotics. Some have plantar fasciitis, bunions, arthritis, or other forms of chronic foot pain. Happy feet are non negotiable, so they wear the shoes that keep them comfortable.

Instead of fighting against shoes they don’t particularly like the look of, I encourage clients to work with them. When footwear allows you to move comfortably and confidently through your day, it’s worth embracing. The trick is integrating the shoes into your outfits so they look cohesive and intentional rather than like an afterthought.

In my experience, these three approaches have worked best for clients:

1. Let the pants do the work

Cover chunky athletic shoes beneath full length wide leg pants or jeans. The hems should be long enough to skim the surface of the ground, much like the iconic “Perfect Pant Lengths”. When the pant length is just right, only the toe of the shoe peeks out, or the shoes disappear almost completely. The result is a streamlined silhouette that allows you to wear the supportive footwear you need.

It’s not essential, but choosing shoes that are similar in colour to the bottoms helps even more. Navy sneakers with navy trousers or dark wash jeans, black shoes with black bottoms, and white shoes with cream or white pants all reduce visual contrast. The footwear quietly blends into the outfit instead of drawing attention to itself. This formula works effectively across the seasons simply by changing the fabric of the bottoms and the seasonal appropriateness of the supporting pieces.

2. Integrate the shoe colour into the outfit

The second approach is to let part of the shoes show and make them look intentionally integrated into the outfit. Wear them with wide leg jeans or pants that are long, but not quite skimming the ground. Since more of the shoes are visible, colour coordination becomes more important because it helps create a cohesive look.

A petite client of mine, who is 5’2″, wears white On Cloud sneakers because they keep her feet happy. She looked smashing in navy wide leg cotton trousers, a semi tucked white long sleeved tee with the sleeves scrunched, a navy and white webbing belt, and a beautiful silk scarf with a graphic pattern that included navy, white, and bright accents. The white sneakers echoed the white tee and scarf, making them feel completely at home in the outfit. She finished off the look with a tan crossbody bag and a few pretty pieces of jewellery. The outfit looked casual, polished and modern.

Another client owns chunky athletic sneakers in neon yellow. Rather than trying to hide them, she embraces them. She wears them with wide leg white, blue, or grey jeans and pants, and often chooses casual tops with touches of neon yellow running through the pattern. When she isn’t wearing a top with bits of neon, she’ll carry a sporty neon bag that picks up the colour of the sneakers instead. That repetition makes the sneakers feel intentional rather than random.

Repeating the colour of your athletic shoes elsewhere in the outfit, whether in a casual top, scarf, bag, belt, earrings, eyewear, or your watch strap, is an easy styling trick that creates harmony.

3. Wear athleisure

The third approach is to lean fully into a sporty aesthetic. Chunky athletic shoes naturally belong in athleisure inspired outfits, and there is an enormous range of fantastic options available these days. Athleisure has become much more refined, colourful, and interesting over the last decade, making it easy to look casually fab while prioritizing comfort and laundry simplicity.

Think coordinated joggers, track pants, technical trousers, leggings, sporty dresses, tennis skirts, golf skirts, athletic skorts, performance jackets and tops, sweatshirts, hoodies, sporty backpacks, baseball caps, and sporty knitwear. There are also plenty of casual dresses and skirts that look fabulous with supportive athletic shoes, especially when the colours are repeated elsewhere in the outfit. When the overall vibe is intentionally sporty, chunky athletic shoes look completely at home.

It’s also worth remembering that chunky athletic shoes have become much more mainstream. They are no longer confined to the gym or running trail. Fashion has embraced oversized footwear for several years, which means supportive athletic shoes no longer look out of place with everyday outfits.

If you’re shopping for supportive footwear, it helps to choose colours that work with your wardrobe. Many brands offer the same style in dozens of colour combinations. If you mostly wear navy, white, grey, olive, black, or cream, selecting shoes in those colours makes outfit building easier. On the other hand, if you enjoy a colourful wardrobe, choosing shoes in a favourite accent colour can turn them into a fun feature rather than something you’re trying to disguise.

Style is at its best when it works for the body wearing it. Don’t let the appearance of supportive footwear stop you from wearing the shoes that keep you comfortable. Pain free feet, knees, hips, and backs are far more important than forcing yourself into footwear that doesn’t work for your body. With thoughtful styling, chunky athletic shoes can look current, cohesive, and at home in your everyday outfits.

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