Although I like to surf my favorite clothing websites and peruse catalogs, to me there’s nothing like physically combing the racks–feeling the material and trying on garments, to see how they actually look on my body.

If you are like me, your in-person shopping has been relegated to online buying these past couple of years.

But, have any of you made online shopping mistakes…like I have?

When I received a wedding invitation last June, I finally had a reason to purchase a new outfit. I searched catalogs and websites trying to find a dress for the occasion. (My favorite stores are Chico’s, Soft Surroundings, Talbot’s, and Dillard’s.)

But sometimes, seeing images of clothing on models online can be confusing.

When I found this turquoise/black dress on the Soft Surroundings website I ordered it.

I liked the turquoise color and the cut of this dress, but I should have known that the print was way too bold for me, because I am a Gentle/Light Bright Color type.

Even though I am 5’10” tall, large prints do not go well with my coloring. Watercolor and medium-sized prints look better on me. And, another clue should have been that I DO NOT look good in saturated colors like this turquoise/ black combination.

So when I tried it on, this print COMPLETELY overwhelmed my coloring. Can you see?

Squint your eyes…then open! What do you see first, ME OR THE DRESS? (This is a trick Janna talks about in the book.)

I had become a “headless horseman” as Janna would say. I wasn’t wearing the dress–it was wearing me!

Here is the dress I ultimately ended up wearing. Blue with a white background. And, although floral–the print is softer and not as busy as the one above.

Make no mistake, print/pattern size matters when considering how flattering a garment is– just as much as cut, color, and contrast.

The dress on the left has too much contrast for my color type–even though the print is medium sized. But the dress on the right is perfect in color and print and doesn’t have a lot of contrast that will overwhelm me.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog about “A Tale of Two Sisters.” Diane and Linda are twins–but not identical. And, their coloring is completely different. Diane is a Gentle color type, while Linda is a Contrast color type. Talk about two opposites.

Diane wears gentle, soft pastels and smaller prints (even though she is 5’10” tall), while Linda wears larger prints with higher contrast levels–including black and white (and she is much shorter than Diane).

So remember, gals:

“We have been taught that if you are petite, you should wear small prints, and if you are larger/taller, your best choices are bigger/bolder prints. Not necessarily. Your COLOR TYPE is a better gauge, as to what size pattern you should be wearing, than your stature.”   …Quintessential Style (page 21)

Some of you know how much my husband and I love the Astros…so, even though these outfits are practically wearing these guys, I’m still a huge fan of these suits.