Q: I can’t seem to get...
Q: I can’t seem to get a handle on a style that suits my body type and personality. I am 5 feet, 4 1/2 inches tall, small-boned and have a long torso. I’m fairly thin, weighing 110 pounds. I seem to look best in pants and sporty outfits, plus full skirts. Color analysts say I am a winter and love bold, dramatic colors. Any hints? I’m eager to find my best style because my husband is treating me to a shopping spree.--C.T.
A: Long-waisted women look best in high-waisted pants and wide belts, as in the outfit illustrated here. They also look good in unfitted dresses and in Empire-style dresses. Either raise your waistline (as in the high-waisted pants and the Empire dress) or eliminate it altogether (as in a chemise dress). Avoid blousons, overblouses or other tops that end below the waistline.
Q: A favorite 100% cotton blouse by John Henry (white with lavender and blue windowpane checks) was inadvertently washed with (gasp!) a red T-shirt. Result: a pink blouse. I have bleached it twice and some of the pink is out, but not all. Should I continue bleaching it? What would a color-removing product do to the blouse and the colored lines? Or should I learn to love my new light pink blouse?--K.K.
A: Learn to love your new pink blouse. A color remover might help some, but it would weaken even more the already bleach-weakened fabric of your blouse.
Q: My sister is being married in the evening some time in June this year and I will be her only attendant. She is allowing me to choose my dress. I would, of course, like something I could use again. What style and color dress would you recommend for this occasion? I am a brunette, size 4-6.--B.M. A: In the current McCall’s catalogue, brunette Brooke Shields models a dress that is an ideal nuptial and post-nuptial gown because of its detachable ruffle. It’s McCall’s 8950, and it’s available in size 6. With the double, off-the-shoulder ruffle, it looks altar-bound. Without the ruffle it’s a strapless dance dress with fitted bodice and full skirt. Assuming that your sister is going to wear white, try to find a gray silk crepe de chine or gray taffeta. Pastels would be okay for the wedding, but they might look too bridesmaidy for you to wear later. The gray can be worn later with a black shawl, black stockings and black shoes. With these accessories, the look becomes sophisticated enough for any black-tie occasion.
