June 2008

Kayla Sarian, 19, the subject of June's "Does This Outfit Work?" story, likes to add tomboyish pieces into her wardrobe but wanted to make sure she hadn't done so at the expense of looking feminine. We helped her pull together a more alluring ensemble:

- Replaced her newsboy-style brimmed cap for a slightly slouchy beret.

- Traded her wide, hip-slung white belt for a skinny darker one that blended better with her vest.

- Swapped her black Mary Jane heels for beige peep-toes.

"All we really needed to do was make her accessories more proportional," says fashion news director Jen Ford. "The oversize cap, wide belt, and chunky shoes were too much all together, so we just scaled them back a bit. The nude heels make her legs look super-long, and the belt carves out her waist in a nice way."

Kayla's reaction: "The new belt definitely complemented my shape better than the white one, and I love the shoes, too. In the outfit I put together, I was a little too allover black and white; this steered the look in a whole new direction."

The items we chose: