Ask Belle Roundup Vol. IV, No. Twenty-Five

Belle,

Your 10th Commandment post [on Friday] with the long skirts has brought to mind a question.  Can long skirts/maxi dresses be styled to be appropriate for the office on casual fridays?

Thanks, Liz

Absolutely.  If you’re wearing a skirt in a flowy material like this skirt from Michael Kors, pair it with a crisp, white button-up shirt.  Add a wide belt for structure and a cognac sandal with a short heel.

If you work in a more casual office, you could wear a white v-neck tee and a long necklace.  You could also wear it with a lightweight crewneck sweater like this J.Crew Tippi, the coral shade would be great with the navy Kors skirt.

Hi Belle,

Since it’s summer, can you suggest some nude camisoles to wear under sheer dresses and tops?  I found an old post on undergarments, but the items were sold out.  Love your blog!

Sincerely, Tomasina

My favorite brand of camisole is Shimera.  You can buy camis with thin straps or tanks with wider straps.  The tanks have a snug fit or can be purchased one size larger for a looser fit.  The main reason I like them is that they’re long enough to tuck into skirts or pants without fear of them coming untucked.

Shimera also makes a plus-size tank with the wider straps.  The wider straps are great because you don’t need to wear a strapless bra.

Belle, 

I loved your post on wearing jersey dresses on casual days but I have an issue I think many women have.  My body isn’t perfect and when I wear jersey dresses things either juggle or my imperfections show through the jersey.  I love the comfort of a t-shirt dress but I don’t want my spare tire hanging out.  Any advice you can offer would be welcome.

Sincerely, Ada

You can wear shape wear under jersey pieces.  Doing so is a bit of a double-edged sword because they eliminate some of the benefits of jersey, but they certainly improve the look of the clothes if you’re concerned they won’t be flattering on your body type.

The first question to ask yourself is: Where do I need shaping?  If it’s just your belly area, try a shaping brief or a slimming camisole.   If you require hip and thigh shaping, try a short like this DKNY light shaping boy short.  If you need all over shaping, try a shaping slip like the Thinstincts shaper from Spanx.

Another thing you can do is look for thicker jersey materials, as most brands make clothes in a thin jersey.  LNA is a brand that usually makes their clothes in heavy jersey.  You can also buy looser fitting cuts that will be more flattering like this swing dress from Asos.

Dear Belle,

Just discovered your blog and I am in love! I’m a college student, starting a new job this summer and was hoping you could help me. My question is: how would you style a cap sleeve or short sleeve blazer? It’s way too hot where I live to wear a long sleeve version in the summer.

Thanks so much! Martina

Short-sleeve blazers aren’t my favorite.  The reason is that the suits that contain short sleeves are usually sold in the junior’s dept. and made of cheap material.  However, if you find a short-sleeve jacket that is well made, you need to style it in a mature way.

In my opinion, the smartest way to style it is the same way that you would any other blazer.  Wear it with sleeveless silk shells, like this one from Antonio Melani and pencil skirts or trousers.  You can also find short sleeve button-up blouses like this one from Lafayette 148 that has a texture front.  You can also consider something with a tie-front like this Calvin Klein top.