Style Basics - What Your Mother
Didn't Tell You!
by Leanne Sabo

We all remember little pearls of wisdom handed down from our mothers during our childhood. One that I remember, in particular, was my mother saying, “Always wear clean underwear. You never know when you’ll be in an accident.” (All I can say is, it’s a good thing I was never in an accident!)  I’m sure you remember similar sage-like advice – well intentioned at the time – but advice that you later found wasn’t necessarily ‘right on’– especially when it came to fashion.
For instance…  

Never wear horizontal stripes. Horizontal lines give the appearance of widening whatever part of the body they’re lying against. So if you have large breasts, waists or hips, you’ll want to avoid them at all costs. You’re much better off in solids or vertical stripes.  Horizontal stripes, however, are a good thing if you have narrow shoulders, small breasts, or slender hips. And if you want to balance a large chest or hips and give the illusion of a few more curves here and there, wear horizontals on the smaller portion of your body. Every little bit helps, right?  

Another piece of advice your mother might have passed down to you is never wear large prints. Not necessarily true. Weekenders Blue Floral is a great example of a larger print that is extremely wearable. It’s all a matter of proportion – depending on your height and weight. If you’re small and wear something large, you’ll look smaller. If you’re large and wear something small, you’ll appear larger. So scale prints to your size and you’ll find yourself looking positively ‘prints charming.’   I’m sure we can all relate to this next piece of advice – never mix patterns or prints – because as children I’m sure this is something we did all the time to our mother’s chagrin. In today’s fashion world, however, this piece of advice is worth ignoring.  

While men do this all the time with their shirts, suits, and ties; and it’s second nature to interior designers who make combining wallpapers, borders, and textiles an art - mixing and matching prints can be tricky. But it can be done and look great! The key is to create harmony with the same color or design. In other words, if the colors are different, the design should be the same; if the designs are different, the colors should be the same. Finally, remember to vary the scale of the prints you’re wearing. If one print contains large shapes, the second print should be smaller. Weekenders’ Animal Print is a classic example of a print that mixes well with other animal inspired prints.  

Never wear bulky textures can get a bit difficult during the winter months when staying warm sometimes takes a backseat to fashion. Wool blazers, fur, cable knit sweaters, etc., all add bulk to the body. That’s okay if you’re small; but it’s not so great when you’re trying to hide a few extra pounds. It will just make you look like the Michelin man or, in this case, woman. Be careful how and where you wear them. One trend that you may want to ‘try on for size,’ however, includes mixing a chucky cable knit sweater with a delicate silk or chiffon skirt.  

Lastly, never wear white from the waist down. While it’s true that light colors make women with a large lower half appear larger, there are easy ways around it. One way is to dress in white from head-to-toe because monochromatic colors make you look thinner and taller. Complete your look by adding a vertical line with a long scarf or chain to focus attention up-and-down instead of side-to-side. Another way to get away with wearing white on the bottom is to pair it with a black top. Or, if you are larger on the bottom, try choosing a top with a bit more volume – like Weekenders’ Reversible Keyhole Tunic – to even things out.  

Remember when it comes to fashion, the key to looking fabulous is…understanding your body. Once you ‘figure’ out – pardon the pun – what you have and what you don’t have to work with, buying and wearing clothes is simply a matter of elimination. Something either works for you or it doesn’t, so…never say never!

Leanne Sabo is an Independent Fashion Coordinator and Sales Manager with Weekenders USA. She brings her passion for fashion to an increasing number of women. "Who has a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear?" Leanne has the solution - comfortable and stylish clothes for women that are mix match, wash wear, clothes to go!  Pick 3 great colors + 3 monochromatic outfits, and get  20 looks. Now that's value dressing! Classic styles with endless possibilities! "The clothes you love to live in." Leanne is currently looking for women that share her passion for fashion and want a prosperous life. A true role model for women, Leanne was recently nominated for the Los Angeles Business Journal's ‘2007 Women Making a Difference Awards’. Find out more by visiting www.weekendersusa.com/leanne  or give Leanne a call at (562) 245-0555