Next in the Birthday Celebration, I'd like to show you, again, for its vast importance, Ella's Fashion Rules.
- Great shoes make the outfit. A usually plain outfit can turn EXTRAORDINARY by a fabulous pair of shoes.
- The opposite is true! Unfortunate shoes really can break an outfit. (Like sneakers.)
- Heels over three inches hurt most---and cost more---in the long-run.
- Never wear/keep those gorgeous shoes if you can’t wear them at least walking around your house without killing your feet.
- Tapered jeans are of The Devil.
- DO insert pads into your shoes to make the perfect fit. Therefore, a size larger is better than smaller!
- Layers, done right, look fabulous: thin layers---not the winter-bundle-up kind. (Pair this look with fabulous shoes!)
- Mini-skirts are out. Skirts should rise just above the knee on short legs, or above---to---at-the-knee on longer legs. (You CAN find those skirts, short girls!) If you are shorter, you want your whole knee to be visible.
- Ankle-length skirts are NOT cool. Floor-length gowns are appropriate for Formal events, however. Full-length = Formal. Mini-length = Mini Age. Knee-Length = professional and sophisticated.
- Dark jeans look best, especially on taller women, and always on larger women.
- If you have wide hips, opt for a small flair or wide boot cut. TIP: Wide-leg small-flairs!
- Pin-stripe, tweed, and wool pants make you look professional and fab! (Wide leg, trouser cut)
- These pants draping over your shoes look so delicious.
- The best way to fold your pants is so that they crease in the FRONT. Yum.
- Pointy-toed shoes look good and elongate legs. It’s an inexplicable fact. But the good news is that they CAN feel comfortable. Shop around.
- If you're doing a lot of walking, skip the "fabulista" and go with cute-and-practical. An adorable flat will do you much better than a 2" heel or even a rigid, less comfortable flat or kitten.
- You CAN walk in the snow with a little bit of a wedge heel on a boot. I do it all the time!
- A blazer makes you look professional. It also slims, but not if it’s too small when buttoned--and your stomach’s trying to pop out of it. Buy a blazer, wear a blazer; if you think you shouldn’t button it (while you're honestly losing weight), don’t.
- A handbag by any other name, shouldn't smell sweeter.
- Keep the size of your bag proportional to the size of YOU. If you are petite, don't go over 13" wide for your handbag.
- Yet, tiny, tiny handbags are often impractical and don't hold enough. Also, they tend to look a bit silly, against even a 5 foot frame, with the current trend of oversized bags. If you're petite, own a few bags about 8" wide, but own a few at least 11" wide, preferably in one that's taller, too, such as a carryall.
- Remember your bag-carrying tendencies---don't you like to throw it over your shoulder when busy, or have a lot "on" your hands? You'll probably regret buying a satchel or handbag with short handles or a thick body, when such a time comes---especially if it's an expensive bag.
- Buy bags in colors to match your clothing, and always, always stick with colors (for bags and clothing, conveniently) that compliment your coloring.
- There's a reason why "yellow" sounds like "sallow." Practically no woman looks good in yellow. Yet gold is fabu!!
- It’s important to have at least a few pairs of really fantastic dress shoes. At least one to three of those should be flats. You should probably have more flats than pumps, to retain a little bit of sensibility.
- Handbags are collectibles. Shouldn't there be a tax break on them, then? If I own the largest collection, I should get a BIG break (and not for the bank, like usual).
- It's perfectly OK to have a collection of 30 pairs of shoes or more, and it's just as great to have just under 10---if they are varied, quality and versatile. And you shouldn't own too many sneakers.
- Sneakers are not shoes.
Ella M.
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