Now that Memorial Day holiday has come and gone in United States and temperatures are beginning to rise all over Northern Hemisphere, it's time to take a quick look at some basic guidelines for wearing white. While some of old "rules" have begun to relax in recent years, there are still a couple of things to remember when wearing white:

1.Always Wear Flesh-Colored Undergarments

Years ago, rule was to wear white under white. Not anymore. Since white bra, panty, and camisole lines tend to show through, your undergarments will be less obtrusive in flesh tones. Look for pieces that closely match your natural skin tone to create a clean, seamless look.

2.Be Careful Where You Put Your White

Since white reflects light and makes anything it's put on look bigger, don't put it all by itself on your largest body part, like your chest, hips, or thighs, because it will only make it look bigger. Instead, opt for white monochromatic (all one color) ensembles, which elongate, put white on a small body part, or use white to accentuate a figure asset.

3.Steer Clear of White Hosiery

It's a question that's been hitting my inbox a lot of late from women all over world. They may have been reading high fashion magazines like "W" or "Vogue" or are thinking about upgrading their wardrobes, and are wondering what, exactly, difference is between these designer categories.

Basically, it boils down to fit - and money.

* COUTOUR (koo TOOR) is French word for "sewing." Couture clothes are those that are fitted and sewn specifically for a client, often requiring several fittings for an exacting fit. The clothes may be specifically designed for client, such as a one-of-a-kind wedding dress or a one-of-a-kind red carpet ensemble, or they may be part of a designer's couture collection, which are pieces designer shows that are available for custom fit.

Typically, couture pieces are made of fine fabrics or feature extensive hand work (like beading or embroidery) that drive up price to thousands or even tens of thousands PER PIECE. Because of cost, couture clothing, which once had 35,000 regular customers during its heyday after World War II, has an ever-shrinking regular buying base of about 1,200 people worldwide today.

Couture is also known as made-to-measure or bespoke (British).

* HAUTE COUTURE (oht koo TOOR) means "high sewing," and is term reserved exclusively by those European fashion houses that offer made-to-measure apparel in or around Paris and belong to Fédération Française de la Couture (which began as Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in 1868 by Charles Frederick Worth). Following strict guidelines regarding number of pieces shown per collection and number of collections shown per year, current members include venerable fashion houses like Balenciaga, Chanel, Hermès, and Valentino.

You can learn more about Fédération Française de la Couture at:

http://www.modeaparis.com

* READY-TO-WEAR, or prêt-à-porter (prêt a poor TAY) is designer apparel that's made ready-to-wear in standard sizes and sold through boutiques, better department stores, mail order, and online. While consumers can have pieces tailored to fit after purchase, customization is not included in cost of ready-to-wear apparel. Many brand-name designers, like Vera Wang and Carolina Herrera, only show ready-to-wear collections, but still create a handful of couture pieces upon request for influential clients.