Can it be called monochrome if it involves a floral print? I guess that’s a rhetorical question; Imma go ahead and file this under “purple”, which may be more generalization than truth. What’s for sure is this is another Peak Adina outfit. I like the slightly offbeat proportions, and the fact that it’s undeniably feminine without being at all girly. I note, with some concern — she says, tongue firmly in cheek — that it features pants, just like the last outfit I tagged as most representative of my current sartorial aspirations. Since my love-hate relationship with pants is well-documented on this blog, what does that mean?
Best as I can tell, it means that I’m still figuring out how to translate my new interest in unusual and/or architectural silhouettes to dresses and skirt outfits. For example, while I love sheath dresses and pencil skirts, it’s too easy to default to my old trusted outfit formulas when I wear these pieces; those resulting outfits, while certainly figure-flattering and suitable to my lifestyle, don’t excite me all that much anymore.
Here are some dress/skirt details to which I find myself drawn these days: (knife and regular) pleats, paperbag waists, tulip skirts, two-piece dresses (aka dresses that look like separates, with the top part “untucked”, but which are attached — is there a term for this style??). Some of the details can be found on pieces I already own, and I am by no means rushing out to replace everything else. It’s just taking me a while to figure out how to remix my favourite pieces in new ways that let me explore some new sartorial territory. And what could be more fun?
Another thing I want to explore these days is playing with volume and texture, rather than colour combinations and print mixes as in the past. This outfit is a good example of that, too. Who says monochrome has to be boring?
I love this outfit, and those colors are gorgeous on you! I’m currently making my way through your archives and reading more about your long-standing love-hate relationship with pants. I have always liked pants, but I find that it’s more for practical reasons than sartorial. In the summer, for example, while others extol the virtues of skirts (they’re so breezy!), I only think about chafing thighs. In the winter, when my office is blasting the A/C despite the arctic temperatures outside, I can’t get past the idea of legs protected only by tights. I want to wear more skirts and dresses, but when push comes to shove, I find myself choosing pants 9 times out of 10.
That’s a crazy long way of saying that I am loving your pants looks and hope to see more of them!
Also, since this is my first comment, I just want to let you know that I love your blog and appreciate all of the well-written, thoughtful, and enjoyable content you put out there–especially knowing that you do it all for free! So, thank you!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Lauren. It’s always lovely to hear from new readers.
I think it’s a safe bet that you’ll be seeing more pants outfits in the future 😉
This is a great colour on you! I like it almost as much as a sort of mossy green you have previously worn.
Honestly, those are two of my fave colours right now. In fact, I am wearing them together today!