Lifestyle Choices

Part of looking great is knowing what you’ve got, being able to put your hands on it in a hurry, being secure in the knowledge that your clothes are ready when you are. To do this, you need to have system for keeping clothes neat, fresh, and easy to find. Need some guidance?

• Don’t hang the pieces of a suit, outfit, or two-piece dress together you’ll lose sight of the other ways that they can be combined.

• Do hang your slacks, blouses, jackets, etc. together to simplify dressing.

• Do put whatever you can neatly folded onto open closet shelves; otherwise, it’s easy to forget about sweaters, tops, etc. However, never hang sweaters and knits; they’ll stretch out of shape.

• Do let clothing air oat before putting it away in the closet. Byhanging garments in the bathroom for a few hours, you willsmooth out wrinkles (the steam from your bath or shower isgreat for that!), release any trapped scents, let fabric breathe.

• Do hang heavy coats and jackets away from delicate garments to prevent crushing, wrinkling. You can even invest in some inexpensive garment bags to protect your fragile finery.

• Don’t hang fabrics that shed, like mohair or angora, next to ones that attract, like velvet or corduroy.

• Do line hosiery, lingerie drawers with pretty paper (try scented) to avoid snags, or separate hose by color and store in clear plastic bags.

• Don’t put favorite, frequently worn items way up on high shelves or under other items—they should be easily at hand.

• Do store shoes in clear plastic boxes made especially for the purpose or labeled cardboard shoeboxes for quick, easy access. Alternative: hanging shoebag made of plastic. A no-no: shoes scattered in your closet, underfoot, collecting dust, getting squashed. Another hint: use plastic or metal shoe trees, or rolled-up tissue paper to stuff shoes: really a shoe-saver!

• Do check out department, novelty, and closet shops for helpful additions: a special hanger that holds several skirts, pairs of pants, or blouses; a belt rack; fresh-smelling sachets, a kitchen mug rack or easy-to-install towel bar for scarves.

• Do store out-of-season clothing properly: always clean or wash first stains and smells will attract bugs. Add moth protection if temperature is over 50 degrees. You can use large cardboard boxes, suitcases, trunks, or chests for storage, neatly folding garments and protecting from moth balls or flakes with sheets of tissue paper. Make a list of what you’ve put in, and lay it on top of the pile so you’ll know where to find a given item when you want it. Another alternative: ask Mom or Dad to help you install a second storage rod in your closet, above or behind the primary one, for added space.

 

 

A Passion for Pants

Love the leggy, casual look of a great pair of jeans or slacks, but never seem to find any that do you justice? Here’s help!

The Classic Concealer.Worried by badly shaped legs? Opt for a pair of traditional trousers with pleats that allow for ease through hips and fanny. Pants like these are roomy enough to fall smoothly over heavy legs or to fill out skinny ones—they truly accommodate all shapes! Add an easy-fitting jacket in the same shade to continue the long line.

Cuffed Cuties.To hide wide hips, look for jeans or cords that are roomy on top where you need it, tapered on bottom where you don’t. Turned upp cuffs let you show off a shapely ankle. Top it off with a roomy shirt, bloused generously to balance hips.

Vive la France—Les Culottes! Bothered by thick thighs? Go for culottes with full, flared legs. A gathered waist will skim any bulges gracefully. Wear with a long, matching jacket that gently touches— not hugs—thighs, thus diverting the eye. Add bright flashes of color or crisp, always-right white to emphasize nonproblem areas.

Tally Ho!English jodhpurs will neatly hide those saddlebags on outer thighs. Their classically cut shape that’s full through the upper leg and tapered below is perfect for you. Choose boots in the same shade to lengthen the line, and pair with a classic, heathery tweed jacket or romantic open-weave sweater to complete the look.

Tuxedo Pantswill add leg length. For short legs, choose dark tuxedo pants with satin side stripes and a high, paper-bag waist to elongate body line. Wear them with a traditional vest, wing-tip collar shirt, suspenders, and bow tie all designed to draw the eye upward.

Elastic Waist to Tuck Away Tummy.Belly a bit big? Look for pants with a comfortable elasticized waist to accommodate your shape, keep you from spilling over. More camouflage: a big, blousy top in a noncling fabric crisp cotton or starched linen would be good choices—and a sweater slung shawl-like around one shoulder, sleeves tied at waist.

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