Oprah Magazine’s 13 Top Fit Tips

20 Aug Oprah Magazine’s 13 Top Fit Tips

In the current issue of The Oprah Magazine, Adam Glassman, O’s creative director shares his guidelines for looking your best, no matter the trends.

Oprah

1. Start with a Good Foundation – Check

2.  Wear Your Actual Size ……. don’t be swayed by the number on the tag. – Check. Anyone who sews is over this one. 

3.  Easily Conceal Midsection by fitting shoulders and using strategic draping through bodice. Check

4. Befriend Your Tailor. Check. Sewists are their own best friends here.

5. Take the Time to Find the Right Pair of Jeans. Check

6. Plus -Size? Play Up Your Shape. Check. I’m not a plus size but the whole point of this tip is remembering that dressing is all about balance.

7. Shop for Your Largest Part First. Check

8.  Wear Pumps that Match Your Skin Tone . Check. Did you know you’ll look almost 3 inches taller by doing this?

9.  Use a Blazer to Add Shape or Streamline Curves. Check

10. Consider Insoles for a more comfortable and even better fit. Check

11. Try An A-Line Skirt. It’s like the bootcut jean of skirts – it looks good on absolutely everyone. This season the ’60s-inspired shorter style is the one to try. It comes just above or to the knee and works well with tights.

skirtS T O P .
$475 for an A-Line Skirt? $475 for one of the first garments I learned to sew? …  From my stash, I selected Butterick 4461 to which I added a waistband.

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Greetings 🙂

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I’m not sure I could live with myself if I spent $500 on a simple skirt. I stopped sewing A-lines because they are so easy to sew!  I’ve enjoyed the challenges of learning new sewing techniques along with learning to fit, but everything in life goes back to the basics and that includes sewing.

I bought the fabric from the Aubergine Home Collection Outlet on John’s Island, SC in May. To my surprise, the outlet was loaded with bolts of fabric instead of  home accessories, including this striped mid-weight cotton.

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I’ve always considered sewing with stripes a joy due to the easily achievable impact made by cutting a single pattern piece on the bias or in the opposite direction from the rest of the garment. These stripes were easy to match due to their size and the fabric’s texture.

To add a waistband to the skirt, I removed 1 1/2″ from the top of the skirt after sewing the side seams. After adjusting the fit, I cut one 3 1/2″ strip of fabric on the crossgrain for the vertical design. After attaching the waistband, I installed an invisible zipper, before sewing the lining to the waistband seam.

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I interfaced the waistband with Petersham ribbon for stability and comfort, and lined the skirt with an acetate lining.

waistband

To add to Adam Glassman’s article, the A-line skirt is not only flattering, but comfortable, practical and versatile.  I am delighted to be reacquainted with it!

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My skirt cost $20 to make and took only a few hours to sew. Thank you, Adam Glassman!!

12. Illusion Dressing Is Key. Check

13. Choose The Right Frame. I’m still looking. I don’t know if I’ll ever like the way I look in glasses.

Best wishes to all!

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goodbyevalentino
goodbyevalentino@gmail.com
64 Comments
  • Sharon E
    Posted at 17:58h, 20 August Reply

    Adding that photo of the waist band was a real help. Thank you.

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:47h, 21 August Reply

      Happy to be helpful, Sharon!! 🙂

  • Irene
    Posted at 18:04h, 20 August Reply

    Cute! You’re right – we’re so busy sewing up “complicated” that we tend to forget the easy classics. Every so often one just needs a simple sew that will also perk up the wardrobe.

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:47h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you, Irene! I couldn’t resist after reading this article 😉

  • peggy leah
    Posted at 18:17h, 20 August Reply

    Your a-line is adorable AND it’s a prettier fabric than the $475
    skirt. Think of all the fabric you can buy with the money you’ve
    saved..

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:48h, 21 August Reply

      I like how you think, Peggy 🙂

  • Alethia
    Posted at 18:57h, 20 August Reply

    I have to agree with Peggy, your skirt fabric is so much more attractive, and thinking of how much more fabric you can buy!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:49h, 21 August Reply

      Hi Alethia! Many thanks for the comment, and you’re right – I’ve got $450 left to spend on fabric 😉

  • Sarah Jo
    Posted at 19:05h, 20 August Reply

    Fabulous skirt! I have no time for sewing but knowing how much fabric cost has stopped me from several overpriced clothing purchases!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:50h, 21 August Reply

      That’s a great way to stay interested in sewing even if you’re taking a break. Many thanks, Sarah Jo!

  • Rhoda K
    Posted at 19:32h, 20 August Reply

    Nice post! A-line is always a go-to for me, skirt or dress, especially if the dress has a dropped waistline!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:51h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you, Rhoda! It’s a great style, and I’m happy to have rediscovered it for myself 😉

  • dorcas
    Posted at 19:39h, 20 August Reply

    Cute, cute, cute! Skirts are great and I’m glad to see a change from the pencil. Now all we need is an airbrush like they use on Oprah.

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:52h, 21 August Reply

      I guess the airbrush comes along with owning a magazine 🙂 Many thanks for the comment, Dorcas!

  • Melissa
    Posted at 19:51h, 20 August Reply

    I like your’s better than the $$$ one. So cute!!! Love the tips also~

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:53h, 21 August Reply

      Ah…..thank you, Melissa! I know I’ll wear this one more than the silk one 😉

  • Tina
    Posted at 21:25h, 20 August Reply

    I love A-Line skirts and I add a lining to all of them. It’s a technique worth learning. You get comfort, great fit and a skirt that looks as good as it feels! Great choice on using this fabric for the a-line skirt. I love reading your posts – they are so inspirational!!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:56h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you so much, Tina! Lining makes a huge difference in the overall wear and appearance for sure 🙂

  • Carolyn
    Posted at 22:07h, 20 August Reply

    I know what you mean about a skirt being easy sewing. I always feel like I’m cheating when I make one. However, your’s is gorgeous…those blues are perfect for an end of summer skirt!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:58h, 21 August Reply

      LOL – have we conditioned ourselves into only sewing challenging garments? Many thanks for the comment, Carolyn!

  • Loretta Somerville
    Posted at 22:17h, 20 August Reply

    Oh, Sarah! What a gorgeous color combo in stripes! Great with white, blue, so fresh for summer! I made a couple of these little numbers from a New Look pattern for a vacation to Mexico. They look great and are very comfortable! You look your classy, put together self!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 21:59h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you so much, Loretta! Hope you had a great trip 🙂

  • Anne S.
    Posted at 23:06h, 20 August Reply

    What a fabulous stripe fabric and you look so chic, comfortable and so modern, now. I haven’t made an A-Line shirt in many, many years but I may be re-thinking that.

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:00h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you, Anne! I was in the same boat, and to think it took seeing the $475 to get me back in the groove 😉

  • Mary Lynn
    Posted at 00:06h, 21 August Reply

    I hadn’t even been in the Aubergine Shop at Freshfields. They’ve added some and taken some stores away and I’m waiting
    for the tourists to go home 🙂 I love A line skirts! do you put your invisible zipper in after the waistband? hadn’t thought of that
    and the tope of the zipper always seems to be wonky when i put the waistband on.- doesn’t quite match up!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:02h, 21 August Reply

      Hi Mary Lynn! Aubergine is a lovely store ~ you must go soon 😉 Yes, I put the zipper in after attaching the waistband, and the skirt zips to the top of the waistband.

  • Rebecca Bagwell
    Posted at 06:39h, 21 August Reply

    Great podt! Love all!

    • Rebecca Bagwell
      Posted at 06:40h, 21 August Reply

      Great post!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:03h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you, Becky!!

  • Marvel Donovan
    Posted at 07:13h, 21 August Reply

    Excellent post. I had forgotten how important and flexible A line skirts are in my wardrobe. I knew the designer skirts were pricey, but $500 is wrong when I sew. How blessed we are to sew. As our personal tailors, the world of fashion is available to all who would rather take the time sewing than spending. Your main point is the importance to fit. Now that I have conquered many of my fitting problems, I’m invincible. And so are you!!!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:04h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you so much, Marvel! I feel truly fortunate to have acquired sewing skills just like you 😉

  • Becky Riddle
    Posted at 09:21h, 21 August Reply

    This looks so flattering on you, and of course it is better than any RTW skirt. Pat yourself on the back! Now, the glasses….. As a life-long glasses wearer, I suggest something smaller (that frame overwhelms your lovely face), and something that slightly tilts up at the corners of your eyes, especially in sunglasses. It will lift your face. However, these are very cute in blue with your skirt. Thanks for sharing those tips!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:06h, 21 August Reply

      Many thanks, Becky! Thanks for the tip on finding glasses. I’ve tried on so many frames it’s not funny ~ one of these days ……………….. 😉

  • Debra Sedlak
    Posted at 10:27h, 21 August Reply

    Your article is so inspiring…now I am making an A-line skirt!!!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:06h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you, Debra and good luck with your skirt!!

  • Lucy
    Posted at 13:33h, 21 August Reply

    Cute skirt and inspiring article! I love the use of stripes. Time for me to dig out my go-to A-line skirt pattern and get busy.

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:07h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you, Lucy! I had forgotten what instant gratification these skirts bring 🙂

  • Lynsey
    Posted at 14:40h, 21 August Reply

    Loved reading this and wowser that’s one expensive skirt! I’m so happy I can recreate looks without the need to remortgage. Your skirt looks amazing, I’m a big stripes fan and they look great on you.

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:09h, 21 August Reply

      LOL ~ I could hardly believe how much that simple little skirt is! We are indeed fortunate to be able to sew, and many thanks for the comment, Lynsey 🙂

  • Barbara Byrne
    Posted at 14:40h, 21 August Reply

    Gorgeous – your perfect colours – love the way it’s so versatile with the different tops. xx

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:09h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you so much, Barbara!

  • Nova
    Posted at 19:38h, 21 August Reply

    Just lovely! Your skirt is a much more pretty version. I wonder though; having only used Bemberg Rayon for linings, I am curious as to the advantages of using acetate. Why did you choose it?

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 22:10h, 21 August Reply

      Thank you, Nova! I too, prefer Bemberg, but I happened to get some Acetate for a bargain price 😉

  • Dana
    Posted at 06:45h, 22 August Reply

    YOUR skirt looks SEW much better than the Oprah Magazine version in SEW many ways. I will bet it is higher quality fabric-wise as well. Beautiful! Far superior!!!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 16:24h, 22 August Reply

      Ha! Many thanks, Dana. I have a feeling the skirt fabric in the magazine is silk and mine is cotton. It doesn’t matter though ~ we can make high quality A-line skirts for a fraction of the magazine skirt 🙂

  • Roberta Fahrni
    Posted at 07:04h, 22 August Reply

    I love all your posts. Thank you for sharing this – very helpful!!!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 16:25h, 22 August Reply

      Thank you so much, Roberta! This was a fun garment to make and a fun post to write 😉

  • Sharon kane
    Posted at 09:36h, 22 August Reply

    Love the skirt, love the post and diversity of content which leads back to all things sewing. Fit is so very important. I think no matter what body size or fabric print, if it doesn’t fit it just screams out any body imperfection one might have. On a construction note, you said you sewed the side seams and then put in the invisible zipper. Did you insert the zipper by hand?
    Sharon

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 16:31h, 22 August Reply

      Thank you, Sharon!

      For the skirt construction and zipper insertion, I sewed the side seams together and basted the back to the base of the zipper. I removed 1 1/2 ” from the top of the skirt, tried the skirt on, then adjusted the fit.
      I removed the basting from the back and added the waistband, then installed the zipper, since invisible zippers are sewn to primarily an open seam, I used an invisible zipper foot 😉

  • Susan Taylor
    Posted at 10:48h, 22 August Reply

    It seems like every woman in my city has adopted the maxi-dress as their go-to summer outfit, but I just found that it didn’t suit me…so my go-to outfit has been an a-line skirt with a cute store-bought shirt. So light and breezy in the hot weather, and these skirts are a quick sew. I haven’t tried my hand with stripes, though, I will need to try that next!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 16:33h, 22 August Reply

      Your ahead of trend, Susan! I like maxis but primarily wear them at the beach and on weekends. Many thanks for the comment 🙂 🙂

  • Helen McCleneghen
    Posted at 13:55h, 22 August Reply

    Did you make the white blouse and if so, what is the pattern?

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 16:35h, 22 August Reply

      Helen,
      The blouse is a Calvin Klein polyester that I bought at Belk last summer. I tried making my own pattern in this style a few years ago and published a post on it. It wasn’t quite what I wanted, so I caved 😉

  • Marguerite
    Posted at 14:25h, 22 August Reply

    So cute and fun! Love the stripes.- and whoa…$ that’s a hefty price for sewing 101!
    A Lines really are flattering both in skirts and dresses. Nina Garcia included the A Line dress in her book The One Hundred. I know what you mean though….wasn’t this our first sewing project? I know I lived in A Line skirts in my younger days all made by me! Ha!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 16:37h, 22 August Reply

      Many thanks, Marguerite! I so agree and Sewing 101 is the perfect analogy 😉
      I have the Nina Garcia book and absolutely love it!

  • KathieBennett
    Posted at 08:39h, 24 August Reply

    Adorable! If this doesn’t inspire people to start sewing, nothing will.

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 06:33h, 25 August Reply

      Thank you, Kathie! Nothing inspires me more than an easy sew with great results!

  • Creative Hormone Rush
    Posted at 21:51h, 24 August Reply

    Totally adorbs, as usual. The colors in this are spectacular — easy to see why you couldn’t leave without buying this fabric. I love the idea of using lightweight upholstery material for a skirt — it’s a whole new world of fabric possibilities. Every time I see really pretty ones that look like they’d be great made up in clothing instead, I wonder why the heck not? And many of the heavier weaves would look good in a simple jacket, too. What audience the fabric is intended for doesn’t matter to me. If I love it, I own it. It will come to me.

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 06:36h, 25 August Reply

      Many thanks! The experience that sent me back to sewing 5 years ago was walking into a Skirt Trunk Show and being greeted by a woman wearing a skirt made in the same fabric as the window treatments in our family room………….. “This is too easy! ” I thought 🙂

      • Creative Hormone Rush
        Posted at 01:12h, 27 August Reply

        What a great story!

  • Shams
    Posted at 10:25h, 26 August Reply

    A very cute skirt, Sarah!

    • goodbyevalentino
      Posted at 06:16h, 30 August Reply

      Thank you, Shams!

  • Don
    Posted at 14:20h, 26 August Reply

    Hilarious! My wife loves to sew and showed me your blog. Wow, I never would have imagined you could make such a great A-line skirt for $20. Loved your shock at seeing $475 on the skirt ad. Makes me think that people, especially women, are missing out by not sewing their own clothes. For the price of a couple skirts women could buy a good sewing machine and make better garments for themselves. Keep posting things like this.

  • goodbyevalentino
    Posted at 06:19h, 30 August Reply

    Hi Don, and thanks for the comment. I guess you mean hilarious in that the magazine skirt is $475, which indeed is hilarious.
    Sewing is not for everyone, but for me the ability to save money, be creative and make clothes that fit are worth the investment of time and energy 😉

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