The dress has been an important clothing style, for centuries, all around the world. Even if pants are not your first, go-to item, they are an essential element from your closet. Having a few basic styles of both will help make sure you have your bases covered for social outings, work, dressy or community events.
Skirts are the one of the most underrated wardrobe pieces that get very little attention in the fashion world. Jackets are a great add on piece for many different outfits.
In almost all cases the classic shirt or blouse has a smart-casual design and fits across many size ranges. Blouses and shirts offer the ultimate wardrobe solution and are the foundation piece in many closets. Whether black, white, colored or plain, T-shirts are an essential basic. They are the ideal combination of simplicity and comfort and can be styled in an infinite number of ways.
Research suggests that most people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of their lives. With that in mind, and to help you to wear everything in your closet, Image Intelligence has developed a Fashion Dictionary. This guide showcases the essential pieces for dressing easily and without second-guessing your choices. The Fashion Dictionary provides a list of signature clothing pieces everyone can use for professional and personal occasions. The goal of this glossary is to assist you in spending wisely, planning your wardrobe in advance, and implementing a budget for all your seasonal needs.
A rectangle looks best in straight or semi-fitted styles that enhance her angular shape. Rectangles normally avoid belts because they call attention to their waistline, however there are two types they can wear effectively: a narrow belt, color-matched to the garment, with an eye-catching buckle or a low-slung belt or chain belt worn asymmetrically.
A triangle needs to balance her body shape by calling attention to her slimmer upper body, visually minimizing hips and maintaining the waistline definition of her curvy silhouette.
The goal for an oval shape is to strengthen his or her shoulder line to balance middle body fullness. Straight styles, without darts or princess seams to shape the waist, work best for this figure. Tops generally look better worn out rather than tucked in. Jackets from fingertip to duster length are the most flattering.
An inverted triangle needs to balance her proportions by minimizing her upper body and emphasizing her trim lower body. This figure is flattered by wearing a low-slung belt, worn asymmetrically. Like the rectangle, an inverted triangle usually prefers to wear her tops untucked, skimming her waist area.
An hourglass woman looks best in styles that repeat, or at least allude to her curved shape and defined waist.
A Glamour magazine survey confirms what has long been suspected. Over 95% of American women are dissatisfied with some element of their body proportions. That often-unjustified dissatisfaction makes it hard for women to objectively evaluate their body type and choose garments that will flatter them. Most importantly, the biggest style mistakes are of women trying to hide some imagined figure flaws.
