You know the drill; you can’t wait to get home to get out of the clothes that have been constricting the life out of you since 9AM. You rush to your closet to get into comfy sweats, swearing you’ll never wear that again. But when you see how great you look in that life-sucking outfit you carefully hang it up until next time. Why do we do that to ourselves? Good question, says Calvin Klein’s creative director Francisco Costa. He’s creating clothes for Klein that look sophisticated and uber stylish yet fit like your favorite comfort clothes. He shares his inspired tailoring techniques to help you choose the most comfortable clothes from any store.

Costa recalls his seamstress mother quickly cutting a dress from a bolt of fabric. The creation was simple. The lines, seams, tailoring, it was all simple. Clothes can be fitted without constricting your body. Look at the shape of the shirt or pants. Does it match the lines of your body? If not, step away from the skirt. It’s not yours.

A better way to find a well-tailored piece is to look for contours that are striking rather than tight. Big collars, bubble skirts, sheath dresses and coats with geometric sleeves will all lend themselves to a unique, finished style that lets you move, sit and turn comfortably. If the clothes fit you and are interesting to look at, they will compliment your figure without hugging or binding it.

Sexy and sophisticated can, and should, go hand-in-hand. “You can have a sexy spirit without being too revealing.” If you’re aware of your hem or neckline, you won’t be totally comfortable. Even at a club, you don’t need to have on a short skirt to be very sexy. Be sure your clothes touch your body comfortably. “Show skin in a calculated way with sheer materials and one-shoulder silhouettes.”

Color and texture have everything to do with looking and feeling attractive and comfortable. The best way, according to Costa, is to build on a monochromatic palette and vary textures. Mix up an all white ensemble by matching a tweed skirt to a satiny shirt. Texture will create interest while the colorless colors deliver a stunningly smooth line for the eyes. To pick your best un-color, select hues that are slightly lighter or darker than your skin. Exact matches to your skin tone leave you looking washed out and bland. If you look good in shades of brown, find beige tinged colors. If you look best in red, go for pink undertones.

Let you accessories and shoes remain neutral. Stick to silvery grays, black and white. If you’ve followed the rules of comfortable sophistication, the lines of your clothing will require little else to be striking and polished. Sometimes a well-placed, well-chosen bracelet can make you feel like a million bucks, sometimes it’s the most annoying thing you have on. Don’t dress assuming you need accessories. Let the complete ensemble speak for itself.

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