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by Moira Toner

Most everyone knows the basics...wear dark colors, vertical stripes, high heels and stay away from knits. But what if you don't want to wear dark colors? What if vertical stripes aren't you? Who wants to be in heels all the time? And what about all that stuff that's already in your closet? No worries. Just focus on your vertical color line.

A color line is the consistent application of a color, from head to toe, to capture and hold the eye's vertical attention. The color line can be white, black, metallic, matte or anything in between. It can be clothing, accessories or both. You can create a color line with something new, or by using something you already have in a new way.

For example, let's say you have a patterned suit or dress in your closet that you think is unflattering, or you just don't wear it because of the "rule" about patterns adding pounds. Solution? Wear it with an unbroken color line. First, pick out a color in the pattern. Then accessorize from top to bottom in that color. Start with the earrings, then move on to a necklace (make it a long one!) or hanging scarf. Continue with hose and shoes.

Let's look at it another way. Think of dark shoes, a dark skirt or dress and light or nude legs. Got it? Now forget it! That's a color line break, and a big mistake. By leaving or making legs light, you break the slimming illusion made by a color line, whether it is dark or not. The correction is to keep your shoes, legs (or ankles in the case of slacks) and skirt or dress in the same family of color and tone. Does this mean dark hose in the summer? Yes! If you think "light hose in the summer" is a rule, break it in favor of the slimming effect of your color line.

Remember, the key to an effective, high-impact color line is consistency. You are using color to capture vertical attention and slim your entire look. With minor changes you'll have a major new wardrobe!

Tips:

Earrings don't have to be long and dangling to add to your color line.

You can vary the color by a few shades as you work from top down.

Watch out for handbags! You can break your color line by adding a big blob of handbag color that doesn't belong.

Tones and shades to not need to match exactly, and you want to avoid the dyed-to-match ("DTM") look of a bridesmaid.

You can wear neutral shoes (brown, blue, black) that are the same tone as your color line.

Your own eye will tell you if your choices work. If you're not sure about an item, replace it with one that you know is wrong. Take a good look, and then switch back. Good to go?