Work Your Wardrobe: Gok's Gorgeous Guide to Style that Lasts. Gok Wan
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· PREP SCHOOL
In the eighties, Brooke Shields in her Calvin Kleins put designer jeans on the map. And, my darlings, regardless of your style, age or shape, in this smart-casual style, you can work a fabulous designer-denim look of your own. Just
“Straight jeans will give you a leaner look and a dynamic derriere, too, gorgeous!”
whip out a casual men’s-style shirt or a plain T-shirt from your wardrobe, along with a blazer. Tuck your top in and wear a tan leather belt. If you’re going shopping, slip on a pair of loafers (they are so in again). Or wear courts to smarten up for a lunch date. Strings of pearls and an oversized tote will give the look that all-important 21st-century spin.
· WONDERFUL WEEKENDER
Straight jeans look fabulous when paired with an oversized batwing-sleeve jumper, and I simply adore this sexy ‘I just pulled this out of the closet’ look—it’s a great style for all shapes. Just wear a plain vest underneath and leave the sweater to slope seductively off one shoulder. Run your fingers through your hair for that naturally sexy look. Simply gorgeous! Again, it’s a look that doesn’t date and will work whatever your age. Nude or natural-coloured heels are the elegant choice.
1 bootcut jeans
2 skinny jeans
3 straight jeans
4 bootcut jeans
5 skinny jeans
“Every jeans style has its own character–all the better to refect yours!”
Gok’s style glossary
My at-a-glance guide to other jeans styles
THE BOYFRIEND
THE LOOK: just-thrown-together cool. Low-slung at the waist and baggy at the legs—roll up these casual denims just above the ankle and wear with heels for a girlie boyfriend look.
WEAR WITH: a loose boyfriend shirt and platform heels, or a stripy T-shirt and plimsolls or pumps.
GOOD FIT FOR: girls with slimmer thighs and boyish frames.
NOT THE BEST FIT FOR: curvy or tall girls.
FAMOUS FOR WORKING THE LOOK: Katie Holmes.
THE HIGH-WAISTED FLARE
THE LOOK: this oh-so-seventies style is cut high above the waist with a very wide flare at the hem.
WEAR WITH: tight-fitting T-shirts and lots of long, gold necklaces. Wedge sandals will finish off the look.
GOOD FIT FOR: petites (but don’t go too wide on the flare) and boyish figures. Button-front ones are good for flattering tummies.
NOT THE BEST FIT FOR: hourglass shapes or curvy girls.
FAMOUS FOR WORKING THE LOOK: Cheryl Cole.
Gok’s denim checklist
Make sure your denims are ticking all the right boxes with a little extra style know-how.
1. JEANS GENIUS?
Please, please, ladies, when it comes to buying jeans, do not be bullied by the size on the label. Jeans will only look truly fabulous if they fit. You deserve to look amazing in your jeans, and the better the fit, the better you’ll look.
2. THE STRETCH FACTOR
Too much elastic can make your jeans stretch an inch too far, especially around the waist and bum area. My advice? Take a good look at the label: any jeans with 2 per cent elastane or under will be a good fit and keep your jeans—and you—looking red hot, honey!
3. DEDICATED FOLLOWER
When it comes to jeans, your body has to tell you what’s in—not fashion magazines and not current trends. If CHERYL COLE is doing flared jeans, then let Cheryl go off and do them: they are brilliant for her shape. You, my darlings, have to find the jeans that are brilliant for yours.
4. ON THE RISE
The balance between the waist and the crotch is known as the ‘rise’. Here’s my quick guide: low-rise waistbands sit a few inches below your belly button; medium or regular rises sit just underneath it; and high rises are cut just above.
5. POCKET POWER
Pay close attention to pockets, ladies: they can make a phenomenal difference in the derriere department. If you want to create a curvy J-Lo effect (and who wouldn’t?), look for jeans with a button-down pocket, as they will ‘lift’ your behind. Pocket seams that draw down into a point will give added definition to the buttocks and so are good for bootylicious babes. Bigger pockets are also a good butt-balancer for you.
6. WORK IT
We are so relaxed about dress codes now that it’s not unusual to wear jeans to work. But even if it’s a dress-down day, why not keep up the glam factor? Treat dress-down days as a dress-up treat—a chance to wear what you like in your own special way. They may cost a little more, but smart, tailored jeans in dark washes can look knockout in the office.
7. LENGTHY BUSINESS
Whether you are wearing stilettos or flats, the hem on your jeans should cover your ankles and skim just above the heel. If the hems are too long, you can look as though you have wheels rather than feet—there needs to be a distinction between the hem and your foot.
8. A MATTER OF CHOICE
We all have two personalities—I’ve got Downtown Gok and Uptown Gok—and so it is with jeans: if you are a denim diva and they are the essence of your style, I’d recommend that you have two pairs in your wardrobe. Yes, we all have faves that we love to dress up and dress down, but you don’t want to wear one pair to death. Think about getting two pairs in different cuts.
9. TO BOLDLY GO
From raspberry to super-faded and black to brilliant white, different colours and washes can add a fresh twist. White jeans are just such a fabulous basic and have a great uptown-chic feel, whether rock-chick skinny or sailor-pant style. Watch out for bleached-out patches on the fronts of jeans, though: they can be horribly unflattering. Pale washes can make your legs look big, too—an optical illusion I’m sure we would all be happy to avoid.
10. DOUBLE D
A top-to-toe denim and cowboy boot look can be a bit BUTCH CASSIDY for my liking, unless, of course, you want to look like an extra from Dallas (and I’m not talking Pammy—that all-denim look is more ranch-hand chic than eighties chick). Instead, break up the blue with a pretty top, shoes or accessories.