July 2008

Jennifer Rubin, 21, the subject of July's "Does This Outfit
Work?" story, loves this little suede miniskirt, but she wasn't sure that her overall outfit was cohesive—or particularly flattering. So we made some minor tweaks:

- Swapped her solid button-down for a striped purple style.

- Replaced her gray T-shirt with a white scoopneck tank.

- Switched her loafers for a T-strap wedge.

"Jennifer's skirt is cool—very '70s—so we wanted to keep it the centerpiece of the outfit," says fashion news director Jen Ford. "The best kind of top for an A-line mini like this is a scoopneck: The lower neckline sleekens up the overall look by showing some skin. And since it's sleeveless, it doesn't show through the arms of her button-down like the T-shirt did." As for the shoes, "the loafers were a bit too chunky. So we gave her a low wedge in a similar brown leather; they have the same laid-back vibe, but the little lift makes her legs look nice and shapely."

Jennifer's reaction: "Though I was sad to see my Radiohead T-shirt go—it's one of my favorites—I liked how the tank showed off my neck. And the new button-down really made the outfit feel more pulled together."

The items we chose: