Today we feature the fourth “Before and After Gal” personal stylist Margo Passadore and I took to Nordstrom in downtown Portland for a photo shoot (overview here). She’s a Dusk Summer who recently lost 45 pounds and was ready for a wardrobe refresh. Here’s her story:

Heather is a busy Portland-based graphic designer. She’s 5’7″ with a body shape somewhere between triangular and hourglass (her waist is 10″ smaller than her hips, but her hips are a little wider than her bust).

The Dusk Summer person is often confused with certain Autumn types, because the colors are darker and warmer than most Summer palettes. Still, her personality and coloring fit best with the grayed tones of Summer rather than the toasted tones of Autumn. Here she’s watching in the mirror as I identify her skin tones and eye color. Once I find a good starting palette, her custom palette gets assembled color stick by color stick.

Before-After Outfits #1

Before (above left)

Neither hot pink nor black are great colors for Heather. The pink demands our attention, and the black is too severe.
Button front shirts can be problematic for full chested women as they tend to gap or pull across the chest. (This is a knit so there’s more give.) Pockets on a full chest make it look even bigger.
Even though the blouse is fitted, the sleeve length hits at her waist, which seems to widen it.
The shirt is too long over a fuller skirt. It elongates her torso and shortens her legs, disrupting her proportions
Dark shoes… too heavy, and just one more horizontal line chopping her up.

After (above right):

The soft brick color of the shirt and sweater are an extension of her blush tones, giving her a look of warm approachability. The khaki slacks blend well with the top; the color is in her palette.
The scoop neck frames her face nicely, directing your eye upward. The softer styling is better for a Summer than the tailored top on the left.
By tucking the top in and having the sweater longer we notice her waist.
3/4 length sleeves visually slim you down; long sleeves can look frumpy.
The slacks have a long line, creating height, and float nicely over her hips (sorry I cut off her feet!)

Before-After Outfits #2

Before, above left:

When Summers wear patterns, they look most authentic in blended analogous colors (think Monet’s water lilies). Bold crisp stripes are for perky Spring types. White is too bright for her, and overall the dress is wearing her. Unless you’re being paid to model an outfit, YOU should always be the focus.
The darkest stripes emphasize her widest parts, especially as they arch across her hips.
The sleeves end at the waist, creating a long line that makes her waist look like it begins and ends on the outside of her arms.
Dark shoes are too heavy and create another line, making her appear shorter. (Getting repetitive here!)

After, above right:

Softer pattern and fabric lets her figure show and allows you to see her. The sweater is actually a cream color, her kinder version of “white.”
A little longer dress hitting below the knee flatters Heather’s body type and height.
The ruching on the dress at the waist (under the sweater – sorry you can’t see it) draws attention to her small waist and hourglass figure.
Because the sweater is the same length as the dress, and because it has a subtle vertical weave it gives a nice long line.
[Oversight: we should have pushed the sleeves up on the sweater.]
Neutral shoe color makes her legs look longer by not creating a line at her foot, and the “v” of the straps add to her leg length. [FYI – beware of ankle straps… the horizontal line makes you look shorter.]

If you enjoyed this post, and missed the first five, read them here:

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Before-After Nordstrom Photo Shoot: Heather

Before-After Outfits #1

Before-After Outfits #2

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