Even the most seemingly perfect woman obsesses over her body’s “flaws” – both real and imagined. Just ask Kendall Farr.
“I had been working on one celebrity shoot after another, and listening to one sort of seemingly perfect woman after another kind of rip herself apart,” explains Farr, a fashion stylist for countless celebs, magazine editorials, high end catalogs, and Glamour magazine's Q&A columnist. “It made me think if these women have this kind of odd dissatisfaction with their bodies and a difficulty in really understanding what suits them – with professionals surrounding them, you’d think that they would have access to the best information and would absorb it – I thought, ‘well how does the average girl on the street feel about all this stuff?’”
After pondering this dilemma for a good five years, Farr decided to weigh in with her thoughts and wrote the now-bestselling The Pocket Stylist (Gotham Books) (PocketStylist.com) to bridge the “whopping disconnect” between what fashion magazines and TV shows feature, and what a woman really needs to know to dress herself stylishly. “I wanted to demystify that process from a stylist’s standpoint, and share with the reader everything that I’ve learned in my almost 15 years of doing this,” explains Farr. “And I figured that if I could just create some sort of a really commonsense blueprint for my reader based on all of this stuff that professionals know, she’d have a kind of forever-tool to take with her whenever she shops.”
DEM BONES, DEM BONES: THE SECRET TO STYLE
Unlike the majority of style books currently flooding the market, which break apart a woman’s body into a series of fashion “troublespots” that need to be “solved” such as a big ass, flat boobs, fat stomach, etc. – an approach Farr deems “ass-backward” – Farr’s approach is decidedly different. She approaches the female figure like a designer: first analyzing the the relationship between the width of the shoulders and the width of the hips, and then considering what happens in between. “A woman has to understand her bone structure, just like architecture. Your bones are your bones are your bones. Whether you have a large bone structure, an average bone structure, or a small bone structure – that’s you for life. Our weight will naturally go up and down in a lifetime, but dressing our frames, our natural silhouettes, is the one constant we have in this lifelong dialogue with clothes. There will be certain shapes and proportions that will always create slam dunk silhouettes on your body at any size.”
REMEMBER: Yes, your “trouble” spots are important to consider, but they should not be your starting point. Only after you’ve determined your bone structure – your silhouette or “torso proportion” – should you pay them any mind. “They’re a way to best define your individual fit,” advises Farr, “but you plug those things in afterwards.”
THE THREE BASIC SILHOUETTES
Regardless of whether you are average or plus sized, there is one of three basic silhouettes that apply to everyone. Plus-sized proportions, which Farr calls “full fashion bodies”, are simply more voluptuous variations on the basic torso proportions - and the same basic set of rules applies.
BODY TYPE A The average version of a girl whose shoulders are narrower than the width of her hips. Regardless of whether she is flat- or full-chested, this torso proportion is defined by a definite visual difference between the width of those shoulders and the width of the hips. 
BODY TYPE B The traditional hourglass – allthough Farr herself isn’t in favor of geometry or fruit-derived monikers (“no hourglasses, apples, pears, celery or any of that stuff”) – this girl’s shoulder width is essentially the same as her hip width, and the waist is generally well defined. Bust size can can be anywhere from flat-chested to full breasted. (Again, simply a particular that refines her fit - not a starting point.) 
BODY TYPE C The shoulders are wider than the width of the hips. Broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped models fall into this category. Her waist is usually quite straight, and can be somewhat of a fitting challenge.
EASY BREEZY CHIC IS BUT A UNIFORM AWAY
Once you understand your basic silhouette, effortless chic is well within your grasp. You can look at a fashion editorial or go into a department store and immediately know what will flatter your silhouette - which “shapes and illusions” narrow you out where you are wide, and widen where you aren’t. For example, a Type A girl would widen her relatively narrow shoulders with tops that create visual width – such as a boat neck or ballet neck – with either an A-line skirt or a straight trouser with a subtly flared hem, so the eye skims right over the heavier bottom half. “It’s narrowing where you need it, width where you need it, and the illusion of a much more balanced silhouette.”
By understanding the clothing illusions that flatter you, you have unearthed the secret of style icons like Audrey Hepburn, Lena Horne, Jackie O, Billie Holliday & Marilyn Monroe: the uniform. “There are going to be slight variations on the theme, but essentially, every girl needs a few uniforms. Your shapes are your shapes for a lifetime, and you just have to kind of evolve our style over time based on a few very good uniforms.” Instead of chasing the latest "big look" on the runways, stylish women focus on finding outfits that comprise their uniform and then work it-work it-work it.
WHAT LIES BENEATH: WEAPONS IN THE STYLIST’S ARSENAL
Don’t ruin any first impressions with amateurish mistakes – we’re talking wrinkles, bulges and back bacon here, people. Farr has these handy tips:
JIFFY MINI-STEAMER This little gem banishes wrinkles easily in minutes and is compact enough to stash in a closet or suitcase. (WardrobeSupplies.com)
NIPPLE PETALS Need to go braless? Silicon nipple petals by Fashion Forms make ‘em disappear, whether you’re sporting a halter, something backless, or a wifebeater. (BiggerBras.com)
BRA-LLELUJAH! This “all-hosiery” comfort bra from the fabulous Spanx - sans hooks, seams, and straps to dig into you - supports and reduces. Farr even used it recently on a shoot as a minimizer under a drapey, clingy Pucci dress and “there was absolutely no hint of it.” It also elimates the dreaded “back bacon” bulges caused by other bras. (BareNecessities.com)
TOUPEE TAPE Forget the wimpy stuff that’s sold as double stick tape. Stylists go for Topstick wig tape, available at any beauty supply store. It is meant to keep hair on in a wind storm (as well as J.Lo’s boobs encased that notorious cleavage-bearing Versace number) so it will keep an emergency cuff in place. Just make sure you limit its use to minimal-movement situations…no dancing or other energetic situations. (ADiscountBeauty.com)
YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND: THE TAILOR Ready-to-Wear clothes aren’t. They are mass produced for an “average” customer – a pastiche of a variety of women, so one size fits none; how it fits depends on how your proportions compare to their fit model. So when you purchase a garment, add into the price how much it will cost for the tailor to slim down baggy sides or alter cuffs so they hit you exactly where they’re supposed to at the wrist or ankle. Most anything is fixable at the tailor, except of course for that fashion “find” of the century which is three sizes too big, or an irresistible discount that clings to your curves like sausage casing. TAILOR TIP FROM FARR: Make sure the person who’s actually going to alter your clothes is the same person who pins it on you. “This is very, very important because they have really felt the fabric and get a sense of what’s going on, and have seen your body in it to do the best job with the sewing.”
CARRY A MEASURING TAPE WITH YOU…ALWAYS Carry your key measurements with you when you shop – shoulder to shoulder, bust, natural and low waist, high & low hip, thigh & rise – as well as a measuring tape. That way, if the dressing room line is around the block, you can simply measure things right on the hanger and pretty much know if they’ll fit. “For items like jeans and pencil skirts, if you know your low hip measurement, just run a tape across the front of the garment, and multiply by two in your head, you’ve got a ballpark range. Then you feel the amount of stretch and you can figure out if that’ll work or not.”
SIZING FAIRY TALES Commercial sizes are completely arbitrary and depend where a garment is made, the company’s fit model, and what the designer’s concept of a woman’s body is all about. If you know your shape, proportions, and what flatters you, don’t worry about sizes. In fact, Farr advises taking a range of three sizes into the dressing room. “Don’t even worry about the number, worry about what fits.” - WORSHIP THE “ALMIGHTY UNBROKEN LINE”! Meaning: no crimes against good taste & a flattering silhouette such as bellies hanging out, back bacon, thongs peeking over waistbands and plumber’s crack. “You don’t want to break your body up. You want to think about ways with color, texture, and shape to create the longest looking unbroken line on your body.”
THE IMPORTANT FALL COLLECTIONS
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN “In a luxury fashion-laboratory way, I absolutely loved Alexander McQueen. I thought it was masterful tailoring. Watching it I was reminded of Hitchcock’s Marnie with Tippi Hedren, and thinking about that kind of smoulder in clothes like that. It’s the velvet hammer over the sledgehammer approach, and I thought that was sophisticated and very beautiful.” 
LANVIN “I also loved Lanvin for the same reason. I think those clothes are spectacular.” 
BURBERRY “I loved Burberry – a lot. I thought that it had wit, style and sophistication. And I loved the pattern mixes.” 
LOUIS VUITTON Another Farr fave for the “subtly sexy” vibe, the exquisite peplum jackets and couldn’t-be-more-ladylike skirts. 
MARC JACOBS & ROCHAS Although she’s a fan of both collections, Farr is of the mind that their explorations in volume – wide, bell shaped skirts, and wide jackets with narrower jackets – are going to take time to filter down to the mainstream. “I applaud him [Marc Jacobs] for taking risks, I think he’s incredibly smart. It’s just going to take a little time for those ideas to filter in, to germinate in the world. I think his collection is one of those things that you have to go to the store and look at the individual items, and kind of pull it apart that way because frankly, a lot of those silhouettes are very, very tough to wear. Although it couldn’t be more luxurious and beautiful when you look at the individual items, and fabrics and all the hallmarks of what makes the collections great, they’re just not reality based.” (Marc Jacobs; Rochas)
THE INDISPENSABLES: TRULY TRENDPROOF ITEMS
Before you start your Fall shopping extravaganza, make sure you’ve got your bases covered. You can’t ice the cake before you’ve baked the damn thing (or whatever that saying is). For timeless style that transcends the trends, do not pass go until you’ve got these Farr-approved essentials in your wardrobe:
BOTTOMS:
PANTS:
DARK - FOR DAY In a simple, skimming cut and crisp fabric (Nanette Lepore at Nordstrom.com)
DARK - FOR NIGHT Fuller leg in a drapey fabric (Velvet Armani Collezioni pants at SaksFifthAvenue.com)
JEANS:
FOR FLATS Hemmed shorter to wear with flats and sneakers (Gap.com)
FOR HEELS Hemmed longer. (Antik jean at GoClothing.com)
SKIRTS:
PENCIL, TROUSER OR A-LINE SKIRT in black or lightweight wool (Dana Buchman skirt at Nordstrom.com)
A-LINE, BIAS OR CIRCLE SKIRT in a drapey fabric for day or evening (Chloe skirt at NeimanMarcus.com)
SKIRT IN A NEUTRAL, MIXABLE FABRIC Perhaps a subtle chalk stripe or tweed. (BrooksBrothers.com)
TOPS:
WHITE BUTTON DOWN A no brainer (theory from NeimanMarcus.com)
WHITE T-SHIRTS (Adam & Eve Tee from Vivre.com)
SWEATERS:
BLACK That tonally matches your black bottoms (Donna Karan Collection at NeimanMarcus.com)
NEUTRAL in a skin flattering tone (Chloe at NeimanMarcus.com)
RICH COLOR (Marc by Marc Jacobs at NeimanMarcus.com)
JACKETS
TAILORED It should match your dark pants (best bet: get a suit) (Dolce and Gabbana from NeimanMarcus.com)
SPORTY Bombers, motorcycle styles & windbreakers are good choices in fabrics like leather, suede, corduroy, soft wool or cotton twill (JCcrew.com)
COATS
TRENCH Good for the rain & between seasons – choose a neutral or black. (Burberry Trench at SaksFifthAvenue.com)
KNEE-LENGTH For in-between seasons. For night & day both – opt for leather, suede or tropical-weight wool. (Valentino Red at SaksFifthAvenue.com)
WINTER COAT Invest in the best fabric you can possibly afford. (Balenciaga)
DRESS or matching separates that create a dress. Always have a little black dress on hand. (Narciso Rodriguez at Net-a-Porter.com)
KENDALL FARR’S PICKS FOR FALL: THE HITCHCOCK HEROINE
Once you’ve got all the basics, it’s time to splash out and have some fun. “This is a great season,” notes Farr. “I love this sort of reframing of the concept of luxury.” Bright beading and bling have been replaced with lower key surface treatments like burnished metal studs and grommets; sophisticated tonal combinations of florals and solids abound, as well as velvet, lace, satin, tweed, and faux fur. “Fashion is really reframing its sensibility and we’re moving away from an obsession with the Hiltons and onto the cool sexiness of the Hitchcock heroine. I love that. My picks are based on the velvet hammer versus the sledgehammer.” (Photo of Tippi Hedren from Hitchcock's Marnie: Taschen.com)
VELVET JACKET Number one Fall must-have & your indispensable piece – maybe with a little bit of a nipped waist, or one that looks good belted. It will look as good with your trouser-cut jeans, as it will with tweed, satin or lace. Just make sure it fits you well, and is a version of the trend “that works uniquely well for your body.” (Jean Paul Gaultier Couture; Costume National)
BLACK OR NAVY JACKET OR COAT Try one with a little bit of a military reference, be it subtle buttons or the construction. (Balenciaga)
GIRLIE, ROMANTIC WHITE BLOUSE A perfect way to soften menswear tailoring & classic, structured pieces. (YSL Rive Gauche)
TROUSER JEAN An easy way to embrace the high-waisted pant trend, without any unflattering side effects. “The dirty reality of really high-waisted jeans is that they are the territory of models. But the jean that rests right at your navel, or slightly below it, is comparatively very high waisted considering what’s been going on.” Opt for a trouser jean – Salt & J.Crew both make good ones – as they will make everything in your wardrobe look a bit newer. “It brings it all together. It brings together denim, it brings together menswear, and you can put your femme’ist gear on top and you’ve got that high/low mix, boy/girl mix, denim-and-luxe-fabrics mix, it’s an easy easy way to make a current look happen.” (J.Crew.com)
TONAL COLOR COMBINATIONS Fashion’s move into subdued hues means it’s never been more affordable to look luxe for less. “We’ve moved away from a lot of brights and more obvious embellishment, so it’s a little bit easier to make things look expensive on a budget.” Farr advises going for tonal combinations that “relate” to each other, such as red or port wine combined with a deep red, browns and earth tones, or green with teal. Pair any of these colors with all that black you’ve already got in your closet for a fresh take on this inky hue. (Prada)
A TOUGH BOOT For everything from skirts to your new velvet jacket, a great boot is your Fall passport to style. Farr favors the uber-chic lace-up one from Burberry, with a stacked, chunky heel. “It’s going to make a lot of my last year’s skirts and nipped jackets look pretty new, just by belting my waist and the addition of that boot.” (Burberry)
ALL PURPOSE BELT Splurge on one in a rich color to belt jackets and sweaters. Take your cue from Prada: a pencil skirt, sweater & belt combo, especially in a tonal combination like a wine-colored sweater paired with a red belt. “That’s a look that a girl can work at any pricepoint.” If you’re on a budget, just take last season’s fave sweater and add the new belt. (Prada)
STRUCTURED BAG Prada & Alexander McQueen both make great ones, and there are great lower priced versions on the market. Opt for frame bags with valise shapes, and look for faux croc, studs, grommets and other interesting surface treatments. (Alexander McQueen)
AN IMPORTANT NECKLACE You could shell out megabucks for one like the Louis Vuitton tiger’s eye, jet bead and velvet stunner, or, for a tenth of the price simply make your own - just like the crafty Farr. “You can create your own thing which is always the most individual and, I think, the most intelligent approach to style anyway. Plus, there’s no waiting list.” (Louis Vuitton)
MATTE TIGHTS A flattering and easy way to update is with matte tights whether it’s a tonal combination of a deep colored pump, a colored shoe with brown and brown tones, plum and red tones or deep wine & red, camel or vicuna with brown. “Many collections worked that matte tight and round toe pump to great effect because when you’re looking for an inexpensive way to spiff up last season’s gear, those tonal combinations are really a good way to go.” REMEMBER: No brights (bad 80s!) & go for colors that flatter your leg. (Louis Vuitton)
DON’T REINVENT YOUR LOOK – TWEAK IT No one needs to totally overhaul their wardrobe for fall. The key thing to remember is that the details should be a lot more subtle. “If you want to tap into a look, sort of that Victoriana-meets-rocker-chick look, just buy a great black belt with grommets or studs and add that into your classics…I’m all about cheap and cheerful. The reality of it is, I think most of us put our serious money into accessories that we can wear into the pavement. And the rest of it is a mix of high and low. (Valentino; D&G; Versace)
Note: all runway pics from Style.com.
