Lookbook: Wide Leg Trouser Jeans

7 For All Mankind Ginger Flare Trousers; ASOS Quilted Lock Across Body Bag; H&M Blouse; Vintage Pearls; Ralph Lauren Zabrina Pumps

Trouser jeans are my favorite...especially these ones! This particular pair is super long (34.75") and slim in the hip and thigh area which make for a flattering silhouette. 

How to wear:

• I always wear these with a heel to elongate the leg (and because the fabric would drag on the ground!).
• I find that tucking in the shirt balances out the bulk in the leg area and looks more polished. I also like pairing trouser jeans with a cropped sweater or jacket to show off their style.
• Adding a belt can help define the waist and pull together the look.

Lookbook: How to Wear Peplum

Topshop Tall Jersey Peplum Top; William Rast "Jerri" Stardust Ultra Skinny Leg Jeans; J.Crew Booker Tall Mid-Heel Boots (similar); ASOS Quilted Lock Across Body Bag (c/o my beautiful friend Emilie); Express Necklace (old)

This is the first time that I've tried wearing peplum. I always stayed away from it, thinking that the extra fabric around the hips would be a bad idea. I decided to try it, however, after seeing it all over the fashion blog world.

What I Like:

• The idea of the top. It's a soft material in a silhouette that isn't too extreme. It adds a bit of interest to an otherwise plain outfit.
• The length of the peplum. A shorter peplum would look disproportionate on us tall women.
• A top like this paired with something streamlined. Here, I paired the top with a pair of skinny jeans. But a pencil skirt would work just as well.

What I Don't Like:

• I found that peplum gives the illusion of a smaller waist, but does accentuate the hips. 
• The top could be a few inches longer, even though it is a tall size. It's hitting me at the widest part of my hips. I can't image how short a regular size would be!

Have you tried peplum before? Have you been successful?

Lookbook: How to Pull Off Flats if You’re Tall

J.Crew Stretch Perfect Shirt in Classic Stripe; J.Crew Perfect-Fit Long-Sleeve Tee; J.Crew No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Double-Serge Cotton; J.Crew Viv Printed Patent Flats; Tommy Hilfiger Tote; Vintage Earrings

Flats on tall women may seem like a great idea, but the wrong pair or a poor outfit choice can make tall women look heavier than they are (it's a proportion thing). Here are some simple tips that I’ve discovered over the years:

• Flats look the best with pants, especially with straight-legged pants or pants with a tiny flare. But don’t wear flats with pants that are too long. You'll end up looking sloppy.
• If you’d like to wear flats with a dress or a skirt—especially a pencil skirt—opt for the pointed-toe styles. You’ll see in the photos above that the pointed-toe flats look better than the rounded-toe flats. That's because the pointed-toed flats have a similar effect to wearing heels. They help elongate the leg rather than cutting it off short like the rounded-toe flats do. They've also got a fancier feel than their round-toe counterparts and can help you obtain a more business oriented look. 
• If you have to wear rounded-toe flats with a skirt or dress, make sure you wear them with a shorter skirt (more than an inch above the knee), since having no heel or point can make legs look shorter. Showing a bit more leg helps to get that length back. See an example of how I pulled it off here. And come Fall, don't be afraid to pair a short skirt and flats with tights! I do it all the time. See an example here.
• Don’t wear any flats with skirts or dresses that fall below the knee—you’ll achieve a frumpy silhouette.

What do you wear with your flats?

Lookbook: Does This Bag Make My Butt Look Big?

H&M Dress; Forever 21 Scarf; Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps; H&M Bracelets; Longchamp 'Planetes Tonal' Tote; Coach Handbag

Did you know that the right bag can actually make you look smaller? For us tall girls, scale is the key to finding the right bag...and the right bag for us is a large one. Large bags can make us look smaller because they:

1. Help camouflage any extra flab around the waist, hips and even thighs.
2. Provide a kind of optical illusion. Larger bags occupy a greater area of the overall outfit, which can make you appear smaller.
3. Distract from problem areas. If you choose a larger than usual handbag, it draws attention to the purse instead of the hips.

See above how I appear to be smaller with the larger bag. Crazy, right?!

Lookbook: Elongating Your Legs

J.Crew Skirt; J.Crew Perfect-Fit Long-Sleeve Tee; Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps; Express Necklace; Jessica Simpson Collection Coat; Tommy Hilfiger DL40 Sunglasses.

It's time to embrace your height. Here are a few tips to elongate those legs even more!

Step 1

Ensure your shoes are the same color as your tights or pants. To demonstrate, I'm wearing black tights and black shoes above. If you're not wearing tights or pants, wear nude colored shoes. This makes legs look longer because the length of the leg is not broken up by another color.

Step 2

Wear heels. This is obvious, but it works. Women have been doing this for ages.

Step 3

Choose a skirt length that falls above the knee. This accentuates your long legs. Conversely, wearing a skirt that falls below the knee will disguise long legs.

Step 4

Wear a skirt with a high waistline. This creates an illusion that your legs start higher than they actually do. Notice that my skirt is worn high above my hips, creating the illusion of longer legs.

Lookbook: Complimentary Colors

J.Crew Skirt; Talbots Top; Banana Republic Trench

In the past, I never wore attention seeking clothes or bright colors, because I already felt that I stood out enough as a tall girl. Also, I didn't really know how to match colors. Then I discovered the color wheel. Not only can you use it in art class, but also when it comes to putting together an outfit!

One of the easiest ways to put together an outfit is by choosing complimentary colors, as they bring out and emphasize each other. The outfit I chose today is a red-orange skirt paired with a blue-green top. I toned it down with a pair of black tights and a neutral colored trench coat.

Because they are complete opposites, complementary colors can sometimes make an outfit look too intense, especially if the colors are primary. I find that wearing complementary color schemes that use intermediate colors (i.e. red-orange and blue-green) work the best. Another option is to wear one color with a paler tint of its opposite, such as green with light pink. 

Conclusion? Don't be afraid to wear color as a tall girl!