I took something of a risk with this outfit; it’s nowhere close to my comfort zone, but it’s smack dab in the middle of the Venn diagram of my current “jolie laide” style aspirations. There’s lotsa volume, and interesting lines, and a muted colour palette. It did not get much love on Instagram, which makes me sad on its behalf (it’s, like, the runt of my closet litter) but does not surprise me. I’m not sure I can count on a lot of public approbation of my outfits going forward so I’m counting on y’all reading this blog for non-OOTD related reasons, as many have mentioned doing in the past. We will always have fashion talk, books, TV shoes, and cute boys in common, yes?
Don’t worry, I won’t stop posting outfit pics any time soon — if only to justify rambling on about unrelated things. With that said, I do want to talk about this particular outfit a little bit. This vest has the structure of a blazer, without the “constricted arm” situation. Win, win. It is also inspiring me to take all sorts of fashion risks, like pairing volume with volume. Much to my hips’ despair, but who’s listening to them? Not me. I probably need another 2-3 inches of height to really pull off this kind of silhouette, but I liked its vibe anyway, and it was a very comfortable summer work outfit. My new office is more casual/laid back than my old one, which is a bonus because it leaves room for a few more fashion risks. Consider that a warning 😉
So…your outfits and style are certainly straying far from the 2016 vibe that I really adored, but I commend you for exploration! Your blog is a thinking woman’s fashion blog so the journey is worth following. My thought on this particular outfit is that the black is a clash with the top. I too bought a layering vest but the whole vest versus sleeve length thing is proving problematic.
What are you finding problematic about it? Finding the right length of sleeve that “goes”? Maybe I should pay more attention to that but I’m just throwing my vest over anything that seems remotely plausible at this point, haha! I love playing around with it.
I am having issues with the question of whether it only looks good over a long sleeve because the presence of short sleeves accentuates width across the bust. And does it just look weird over a sleeveless top? I just don’t know.
I haven’t commented before, but I just wanted to say– I love this outfit!
Thanks — and welcome out of lurkdom 😉
I’m not 100% sure about the burgundy/black, but overall I really love it. It’s not something I could ever wear, but I think the long flowing lines are actually really flattering! The added volume makes where the top is tucked stand out, making your waist look tiny, and I think the overall vibe gives the illusion of those 2-3 extra inches! Lovely risk taking!
Thanks, Holly 🙂
I like it. It has that Eileen Fisher shape to it, minus the overly flowy fabrics, which can sometimes veer toward sloppy. I would maybe prefer the vest in a lighter color, even a bit softer construction, as something different to mix up the look a bit. This look in general is a shape that a person could really play with, varying the items slightly here and there, maybe a bit shorter pant, a bit longer sleeve, colors, patterns, etc. Fun!
Nailed it … I am so digging that Eileen Fisher vibe right now. I need a bit more structure for my day job, but yeah. All about that minimalist, loose aesthetic.
I like it, very editorial looking, and you’re totally pulling it off without the few extra inches.
What would Anna W say? Hahaha! Just kidding, I am sure she would never approve of a mere fashion pleb 😉
I agree it’s the Ann Taylor top that throws everything off. I don’t hate the new silhouette though.
I love your outfit!
But I can see why it doesn’t get that many likes since it’s not exactly your usual style and of course your followers like the kind of outfits you usually show.
I’m all for trying new things and shifting your style if you feel the need to.
This look is great because it’s still your color palette but the cut ist diffrent, which makes it very interesting.
Yeah, this is a very blogger-specific issue, isn’t it? But I promised myself a long time ago that I would never dress “for the blog” so I have to resist the urge to dress to my audience, kwim? I’m just happy people like to follow along with my experiments even if they don’t like the results all the time.
I really like this outfit: the colors match well, it’s also bold and daring in a sophisticated way. The shoes really pull the whole thing together.
The shoes are keepers, for sure. Burgundy heels are pretty versatile too.
I think this is a really nice outfit, but since you mentioned it already, I think you need to hem this culottes for the best effect. For this outfit and others. I think culottes should show a bit more ankle (at the longest) for the best fit. Otherwise you veer into wide leg pants that are too short territory :-). Just my opinion though. I have a pair that I hemmed and hawed over altering the length, and I’m so glad I did it!
I think the culottes long longer than they are because of the angle of the photos. My husband, ahem, photog is taller so unless I remind him to adjust the angle, I often end up looking somewhat “compacted”.
I’m really loving your new direction- it gives me great inspiration for my own closet.
I’m super impressed that you switch purses so often! Do you keep all your necessities in a smaller bag or switch everything daily? I’m super curious if you have a purse system that helps you stay organized when you switch bags freqiuntly? I would love to change bags more often, but they are frequently the last thing I think about.
I use a pouch with 3 zippered compartments to hold all my small miscellany (keys, emergency makeup, floss, Advil, etc.). The only other things I need to transfer are my wallet, sunglasses, and phones. Yes, phones. Sigh. I now have a corporate and personal cell. Don’t even get me started. Hashtag: amateur fashion blogger problems. (I use my personal iPhone to take and store my blog photos).
Tl;dr Try a pouch! I use one that looks like this but without the charger. Also from Jones NY (bought at Saks Off Fifth for like $20): http://www.jny.com/rechargeable-multizip-pouch/d/1049
Regarding your query about steamers…
I hate ironing and I hate taking things to the dry cleaners so I asked my husband to give me a steamer one year for Christmas. I was expecting a small handheld unit. He got me a Jiffy J 2000 (you can google it to see what it looks like but it is the sort of thing you see being used at clothing stores in the mall). At first, I was a bit taken aback, because it seemed too much for a home, but the thing is amazing. I have not ironed anything in five years. I even do my button down shirts with it. (I hang them up to dry after washing, shaking them out and smoothing them down when wet, and then go over them with the steamer. Not as crisp as something that’s ironed, but a heck of a lot easier.) A couple cautionary notes. The steam is really hot. I wasn’t careful enough the first time, so I did burn myself a little. Also, I make a point of unplugging the unit now when I’m done, rather than just relying on the on and off toggle because I turned it on by accident. I came back a while later and found the room steamy with moisture on the walls. At the time he bought it, my husband could not get it online in Canada, so he called around and found a supplier in the garment district. He paid about $250 Cdn for it at the supplier about 5 years ago. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t start with a smaller cheaper unit, because it’s entirely possible that I may have found it wasn’t powerful enough to do what I wanted
I follow your blog to inspire me to both use my entire closet, and to take fashion risks, especially pairing things unusually. How preposterous would if be if you didn’t get to experiment, be inspired by your clothes, and go wherever your sartorial heart desires?!?
I’m loving the experimentation, and the explanation behind what you do and don’t love about it.
Keep it coming!
I agree–good to have a spirit of exploration and experimentation! Without it, where’s the fun and learning?
I didn’t remember seeing this on the gram but I checked back and I “liked” it at the time. It’s a different offering from you for sure but I’m enjoying all the experimenting you’ve been doing and your thoughtful recaps.
I don’t think I’ve ever commented before, but I’ve been following along on your fashion journey and I really like it! I like the changes you’ve been making and hearing the thought process and decision making that is going into it.