The O-town Scene

Fashion sense London’s tips: — Tight top . With a full skirt, make sure your top fits close to the body and your waist is defined by tucking in your top or wearing a belt. She sug- gests a fitted button-down shirt or knit sweater or a jacket that comes in at the waist. Contributed photo There’s a runway look for curvy girls: swishy skirts Many of the most stylish skirts this fall are full, flared and drop down below the knee, evoking the 1950s and ‘60s in the latest round of ladylike-meets-high style silhouettes. Though the idea of a longer, looser skirt may make some think of a matronly grandmother, the glamorous 1960s char- acters of “Mad Men,” arguably TV’s greatest fashion influenc- ers of the moment, have proved them wrong, says stylist Stacy London, co-host of TLC’s “What Not to Wear.” “These are women who are so stunning,” she said. “One of the great things ‘Mad Men’ has done in highlighting fashion is celebrating our curves again.” So for all the hourglass-shaped women tired of fruitlessly trying to wriggle into straight skirts or fit them to their hips only to have to take them in the waist, the trend is a wearable cause for celebration. The skirts not only show off a shapely woman’s peaks and valleys, they can also create the illusion of a femi- nine contours on a straight body, London says. What Not to Wear’s Stacy London Contributed photo The look is “about creating and flattering curves,” says London, herself a curvy girl. “A lot of fashion is anti-curvy women. This is a skirt that’s very translatable across body type and age.” “We’re used to trends that need translating and tweaking before they’re ready-made for real life,” she added. “We’re used to so much skin and trends that are overtly sexy. This is one that is easy to translate.” The look was introduced on the runways, including those of Marc Jacobs, who touted the look both for his signature and Louis Vuitton collections. It’s now turning up everywhere — Retailer Anthropologie says it’s a cinch to wear and is popular with its customers. “It’s very flattering, it’s not fussy and it’s effortless,” said Kit Li-Perry, Anthropologie’s general merchandise manager of apparel, accessories and intimates. “All you have to do is put on a simple top and that statement skirt will make your outfit.” But there are some tricks to wearing the full skirt in the most flattering ways, including having that nipped waist, an elongated leg and the right shoes. And a little swish of the hips is OK, too. _ Lisa A. Flam, The Associated Press 12 O-Town Scene Nov. 11, 2010 —Long lines. Choose footwear to make your legs look their longest, London says, recommend- ing a pointy toe-pump, kitten heel or a tight-fitting boot. Avoid things that can cut off the leg line, like a shoe with an ankle strap or a slouchy boot. Don’t add weight to the look with heavy hosiery. Think opaque tights, not heavy cable-knit ones. —Height matters: The taller you are, the longer your hemline can be. If you are under 5 feet 4 inches, you start to lose the look of a long leg with a longer skirt, so London advises not going too far below the knee.

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