Nat Laurel

Project Elevate! is all about making a good look great. The heroine of this episode, Lana, has submitted her picture (on the left) wearing a grey oversized sweater, a grey silk godet skirt and flats.

I juxtaposed the submitted look with a J.Crew catalog model from 2015, wearing a classy godet skirt boldly paired with a fair isle sweater. You couldn’t think of two things being further apart, and yet they are heavenly together. Like most models today, this J.Crew model features major Z-type beauty characteristics: her facial bone structure is strong (high rugosity) and her jawline is square, forming a 120 degree angle. The sweater is brought in to soften her Amazon torso. This eclectic pairing allows the demure godet to blend into her combative, Paleo-inspired, Z-type beauty.

Our heroine is exactly the opposite. Her facial bone structure is soft, her lower jaw isn’t protruding forward, her silhouette is dominated by childbearing hips which hint at an elongated torso that is probably on the fragile side. These are signature characteristics of the Renaissance inspired S-type beauty. This type of beauty receives  zero guidance and visual inspiration from the fashion media today.

Lets correct this.

The godet skirt is a quintessential ladylike item and it helps a curvy body look graceful. But godets have a tendency of being so polished that one is left wondering how to incorporate them into our dressed-down, fast-paced environment. Well, here is the good news: Not only can you  bring godet into your everyday life, you can also get away with wearing flats. All you need is a good pointy toe.

The d’Orsay design that Lana has picked asks for bare legs. And so does the delicate leather sole. These flats are so dainty, they seem to make the body heavier by contrasting with the blocks of the sweater and the skirt. If the weather requires you to wear tights, then your flats need to be calibrated for it. You can wear the same pointy toes, but a thicker sole or a pair fiercely covered in rockstuds can help fight gravity.

For some S-type beauties, adding more pronounced footwear may be all that is needed to elevate the look. Yet, others may benefit from sleeker jersey that reveals the graceful S curve from the waist to the hips. The leg o’mutton sleeve of this Carven sweater, also known by the sassy French name gigot, originates from 19th century dress. Together with godet, it can form an engaging visual plot. The mere fact that godet is paired with the knit makes for a casual and eclectic look.

The horizontal tailoring detail on the skirt contributes to a rustic, bohemian mood.

It clashes with elegant, dainty footwear. These classy d’Orsays are under crossfire: they clash with tights and they clash with the bohemian detail on the skirt. This makes the visual  narrative a little half-baked. But if we cover this seam with a jacket, it will turn the skirt into an accessory:  a  breeze-kissing trim serving as an alternative to a scarf. Minimizing the skirt to an accessory will create opportunities for tights and a wider variety of footwear.

I like the unlined double face coats because they look like a jacket, but feel like a sweater. I also like to use the straight, boyfriend cut because it tends to follow the mood defined by other garments. If your wardrobe is full of clothes with character, then you might consider a straight boyfriend coat or two. Cocoons and tailored coats are great but they do not blend in easily; they like to run their own story.

Check out this light grey Rag & Bone coat I found on Farfetch.com.

The skirt and the sweater in the submitted photo form gray blocks. While this may sometimes complement Amazon Z-type beauties who thrive in geometrical and zigzag strokes, it goes against the grain for soft Siren types who need more continuity of the sinusoid S lines.

This sweater would create better proportions when paired with a wool pencil “Millennial length” skirt, a term I’ve coined in my long-read “To Knee Or Not To Knee.” I see this particular sweater with a minimalist, spartan gray pencil J.Crew skirt. This is where these d’Orsay flats may blend in well.

Another opportunity for this cozy oversized cutie would be pairing it with a jersey midi. These two would make for a very Rick Owens, Haider Ackermann, Donna Karan  favored look that manages to be both structured and soft. I got my Rick Owens Lilies jersey skirt over three years ago and have gotten incredible mileage out of it.

Pairing a ladylike godet with jersey is a strong, eclectic statement on its own.

Z-type beauties can continue playing with various jersey shapes, exploring the post-industrial, gender-bending silhouette. But S-type beauties who want to keep the comfort of their flats need to make sure they stick to a red carpet silhouette. If they have a taste for a post-industrial aesthetic, they can express it with accessories. Z-types, on the contrary, will find vintage and “grandma” accessories blending well with their idiosyncratic godet looks.

Hiding signature S curves under a boxy sweater can be instrumental for pairings with a mini   or the casual version of the New Look. The flouncy godet is the opposite: It asks all Renaissance inspired S-type beauties to showcase their waistline. Otherwise they need their heels to be sky-high. The Paleo inspired Z-type beauties are usually spared the need to watch out for all these particulars. In this blog I try to fill the void and offer visual guidance and advice for all the Renaissance inspired S-type beauties out there. Find out more more about my auteur S and Z concept here.

I accept submissions for Project Elevate! via email. If you are working on an outfit inspired by this article I will be happy to help you privately, free of charge. Email me your picture and your questions. For all other style-related questions, I am available for private consultations in person or via Skype.