That dress you love on your favorite fashion influencer may not be the right choice for you. What looks good on someone else can look different when you try it on, even if the size is correct. Understanding how clothing fits, and how tops and bottoms work together, can help you make the best choices.
“What looks good on a 5-foot, 9-inch model doesn’t necessarily work with someone who’s not,” said Andrea Link, a personal stylist who helps women find outfits they love with a flattering fit.
Dresses with tiers, a popular style now, can be problematic for someone who is on the shorter side. There’s too much fabric and it hides the person. It’s difficult to alter, said Link, because all the tiers must be adjusted to maintain the style.
Monochromatic styles are good for shorter women to keep the line flowing. “If you’re wearing black, I would highly recommend black shoes or sandals to keep it one look. If you’re going to wear bright red shoes, or white, it’s going to cut your body in half and [make you] look shorter.”
Adding a pop of color is still a good way to add some interest to an outfit without being overpowering. “You can wear a solid gray dress and then you just throw on a black jacket for that pop of color. If not a jacket, add a vest, or something else, maybe a bag. You can do a bright yellow bag with a black dress as your pop of color. The main thing is to get the main color and then you add the pop.”
Link tells women not to get hung up on size, and to focus on what looks good. She has had clients who insisted on getting a dress in a size that was too tight. They were adamant that the dress would fit soon after they lost a few pounds. Chances are those dresses never left the closet.
She also knows the styles that can hide or accentuate different parts. For formal wear, the stylist has selected dresses for the mothers and grandmothers of the bride or groom that might look a little staid on the hanger, but the fit makes the dress look fantastic.
Although she doesn’t have any formal education in fashion, Link has always had an eye for knowing what clothes would look good on people. She grew up in South Africa, where she earned a degree in early childhood education and became a teacher. She came to the U.S. in the late 1980s and taught at the JCC in Stamford, Connecticut until she got married and moved to Bergen County, New Jersey. She pursued her interest in fashion, working as a personal stylist for Nordstrom. In 2017 she went to Lord & Taylor at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, where she worked until the store closed in 2021. She has also helped with fashion events for organizations including Sharsheret and Frisch. She has returned to teaching but still works as a personal stylist part-time for private clients.
Link and I took a stroll through Nordstrom and Macy’s at the Garden State Plaza, to illustrate some of her guidelines. I hadn’t been in either store for a few years. The good and bad news is that in both stores, the aisles are wide and there is plenty of room to shop. But that’s because stores now have much less merchandise since online shopping has taken such a chunk out of their sales.
For formal wear, Link pointed out dresses from the brand Alex Evenings, that are both tzniut and flattering. Two other brands that often have appropriate styles are Xscape and Betsy & Adam.
One fashion guideline for most body types is to balance tops and bottoms with different styles. Link found a beautiful, creamy, cropped loose sweater and suggested pairing it with a straight narrow skirt. If you have wider hips consider a flared skirt and a more fitted top. “A lot of people will wear a flared skirt and then a flared blouse and then everything just looks too loosy-goosy.”
We saw a beautiful cropped pink jacket with gold stripes. Link said she would pair it with a plain gold skirt and sandals.
Don’t turn away from sleeveless dresses. We saw a sleeveless ribbed dress, in many bright, vivid colors, that can be covered with a light jacket.
Link eyed a brown double-breasted leather blazer-style jacket that would blend with a variety of outfits. “I love these kinds of jackets,” she said. “Put over a black sleeveless dress, or a basic top and skirt.”
Pairing floral skirts and solid tops has been a popular look this summer. Some brands show them together to make coordinating easy. Link picked out a pink floral skirt and showed how it would go with either a pink or blue top with puffy sleeves, tucked in or left out.
She loves the brand CeCe, for its quality and variety. They had several outfits that would be great for Shabbat or Yom Tov. Max Studio is another brand she likes that usually has skirts and tops in tzniut styles. She loves Michael Kors fit-and-flare dresses.
September is a transition month as summer slowly blends into fall. Stores are starting to bring in new things, and current ones are on sale. Good shoppers can take advantage of both. Link suggests getting a pretty skirt at a good price, which you can pair with a stylish top now and a sweater later. Colors do change, but gradually. Pinks and florals are pretty much done by September, and fall colors are more subdued. But the old “no white after Labor Day” rule is fading.
If you would like help with a special occasion, the upcoming holidays, or a general wardrobe refresh, contact Andrea Link at 201/951-3581 or [email protected].
