A Guide To Casual Skirts

I had to chuckle at the number of responses I got to last week's story about my grade school teacher's flabby arms.

Seems Mrs. H's arms weren't the only ones flapping! One respondent described how she used to cringe when one of her teachers went to the board, the amount of uncontained flesh was so unnerving.

So - still think no one notices how you dress? Then how come we can vividly recall names, dates, and places of fashion disasters even decades later? True, we're not talking about something life-threatening here, but it does give you food for thought.

So what kind of lasting impressions are YOU making with your everyday attire? What will people remember about you years from now? That you were always appropriate and pulled together? Or that you looked like you got dressed with your eyes closed most days?

So next time you're tempted to put on "any ole' thing" on you're way out the door, stop and reconsider. You never know who's watching and making mental notes.

P.S. If you're enjoying your subscription to THE CLOTHING CHRONICLES and think some of your friends my like it too, please feel free to forward it to them, fully intact. Thanks!

Thinking about a career in fashion but don't know where to start? Wish you could figure out some way to turn your "passion for fashion" into a profitable business? Prefer to start small, like from your kitchen table?

Now you can! Whether you like to design, sew, sell, consult, coordinate, or take pictures, there are DOZENS of ways to launch a fashion career, right from the comfort of your own home. This guide shows you how,

Home-Based Careers In Fashion

One of the best ways to stay cool in warm weather is to skip the shorts or cropped pants and reach for a skirt instead. Not only do skirts allow for air circulation, they offer a formality that gets you into all sorts of places where shorts just don't fare well, like upscale restaurants, religious services, and if you're traveling internationally, many cathedrals or museums.

A-Line

A-line skirts are called such because they're fitted at the top and get wider towards the hem. They look great on a variety of figures, including those that are bottom heavy, curvy, have a bit of a tummy, or broad shoulders.

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Straight Skirts

Straight skirts, as the name implies, are gently gathered skirts that fall straight from waist to hem. They flatter most figure types except for the wide-shoulder, narrow-hipped V-frame, and look great in a variety of lengths.

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Pencil Skirts

Pencil skirts are straight, gently gathered skirts that are fitted close to the body and taper in at the hem. They look good on most body frames except those with wide hips, as the tapering accentuates the hip size.

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Wrap Styles

Wrap skirts include sarong styles that either wrap or appear to wrap around the body. They are very forgiving and flatter most body types except the no-discernable-waist H-frame.

Coldwater Creek

Broomstick Skirts

Broomstick skirts are comprised of vertical knife pleats that encircle the body. Because pleats add bulk, these look best on bodies with wide shoulders and narrow hips or those with an H-frame.

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Flared Skirts

Flared skirts are either fitted or fall straight before flaring out at the hem. Because they can accentuate curves and offset large shoulders or hips, they look good on most body types.

La Redoute

If you don't typically wear skirts in warm weather or are having problems finding ones that seem to flatter you, try some of the styles listed here. If you look for skirts that either mimic your own body shape or that offset one of your features, you're more likely to find success.

Don't worry about following the latest trend or whether you're too old to wear a mid-thigh mini skirt (Tina Turner doesn't worry). If you stick with styles that flatter you and show off your assets (like great legs, firm bottom, or shapely ankles), you'll turn heads wherever you go, regardless of your age.