Hi Belle,

How do you determine whether shirts should be tucked or untucked when wearing a skirt or slacks?  I have a flat behind so I prefer to have blouses be untucked but then I feel sloppy.  Are there general guidelines regarding styles are acceptable or not?  Do you have any additional advice for me (besides doing squats)?  🙂

Thanks in advance! Kara

I almost always tuck in blouses and button-up shirts.  I do not tuck in t-shirts or sweaters.

For me, the deciding factor is usually the hem.  Is the hem straight cut or can you see shirttail?  If it’s straight, I probably won’t tuck.  If there’s a visible shirttail, odds are high that I’m tucking.

I know some people are against front-tucking (GOMI calls it the “shame-tuck”), but I think there are some women who can pull it off.  And I think it works well with skinny denim (when you don’t want your whole backside visible) or with shorts.

The best advice I can give you, however, is to stand in front of the mirror and try the look both ways.  Does it look better tucked or untucked?  Would it look better if I tucked this in?  What if I added a belt?  Sometimes you need to take a minute in front of the mirror and play around with your look.

Belle,

My teeth are in serious need of whitening.  Do you have a whitening toothpaste that you like?  Do those strips really work?  I’m hesitant to spend $50 on teeth whitener if it doesn’t do the job.  I’d love to know how you keep your teeth white.

Thank you in advance! Erica

For toothpaste, I like Rembrandt’s Deeply White.  It prevents tartar, restores enamel and has peroxide for whitening.

I’ve used Crest Whitestrips and they do work.  If you have sensitive teeth, I would caution against the 2-Hour Express kit.  My teeth hurt for days after I used it.  But the regular Crest Whitestrips Professional Effects line works well.

At home, I use the GoSmile Whitening System.  It comes with 12 whitening ampoules (four uses) and a UV lamp to whiten teeth using the same process you see in dental offices.  I’ve also used the ampoules as a stand alone and like those a lot.  And if you’re looking for a good deal on them, Gilt Groupe typically has the best prices and selection. (Not a member of Gilt? Click here to join.)

But if you really don’t like to spend money on beauty treatments, Pinterest has a lot of recipes for at home whitening using baking soda and peroxide.

Hi Belle,

My question is to do with summer sandals. I wore the Jack Rogers classic Navajo sandal in silver and gold before they exploded and now are EVERYWHERE. So of course, I don’t want to wear them anymore. Do you have any suggestions for gold/silver casual summer sandals?

Thanks! Annie

Metallic sandals are my summer staple.  I wear them everywhere.  Here are a few of my favorite pairs:

Silver.  I love these DvF sandals and these Vera Wang thong sandals, both on sale.  Surprisingly, the three best-looking pairs I found were under-$50.

I love the embossed animal skin on these sandals from DSW, and these strappy Nine West sandals.  But my favorite are these mixed-material sandals from Target.  I don’t even like silver, and I think I need those.

Gold.  There are a lot of cute sandals in my preferred metallic this season.  I like the simple, minimalism of these Anna Baguera sandals.  These Erika Sol sandals are modern with a hint of California cool, as are these Rebecca Minkoffs.

In the under-$75 category, I’m a big fan of these BCBGeneration sandals with a mix of cognac and gold.  These toe ring sandals look like something from Ancient Rome.  I also like these inexpensive Forever21 sandals.

Rose Gold.  These gladiator flats are kind of cool.  I also think these Loeffler Randall kitten heels are perfect for cocktail hour.  And these Jeffrey Campbell sandals are more art piece than shoe.

Dear Belle,

I am dying in this heat and humidity.  How do you stay dry?

Sincerely, Sweaty and Miserable

Two words: Aerosol Antiperspirant Deodorant.  During the summertime, you need to keep more than your underarms dry.