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.

by Designer Ella on December 18, 2005

Discover Related Content:

Categories : Fashion, Handbags, Shoes, The Rules

• Poll Results: Fashion Rules
• Poll: Do You Believe in Fashion Rules?
• I’m not into fashion rules, lately
• The Best Dressed Blogger?
• Chunky Heels on Jenny McCarthy, Why Not?

Take Part:

 Email This Post

Kirtsy Sugar StyleHive Kaboodle del.icio.us