My Week in Fashion: Sunday

OK, true confessions time: I didn't post a "My Week in Fashion" for Saturday (yesterday) because I spent the day in lavender bike shorts and a red zip-front sweatshirt. In my defense, I got up super-early to see my husband and son off on a Scout trip, and I never left the house, but it's still not a look I would especially recommend. I was super-comfy all day, and sometimes you just need to do that. So if you ever have one of those days when you NEEEEEED to dress comfortably and not care what you look like, you have my permission. 

Now on to Sunday. I frequently wear dresses on Sunday, but since I just dressed up to go out to dinner on Friday night, I decided to go a little more casual today, especially since I was teaching Sunday School and knew I'd be running around and playing games. So this was today's look:

I'm wearing a colored tank-style cami, a long-sleeved black jersey, tweed wool dress pants, and my black Clarks shoes from Wednesday's blog. 

This long-sleeved black jersey was (I think) a TJ Maxx find a number of years ago when I needed a nice black top for a concert I was performing in. It features a surplice (wrapped) style top with a knot detail at the base of the vee, and 3/4-length sleeves. The v-neck is much deeper than I'm comfortable with, so I frequently use a safety pin to raise it several inches. But I've also found that wearing it unpinned with a colored cami underneath is a pretty and more casual look. Those two options make this shirt versatile enough for a variety of occasions! The top falls to about mid-hip, which is a good length on me. I found a similar style on Amazon for $22. 

I have a couple of tops and sweaters that, like the black top above, are more revealing than I'd like, or that have woven areas intended to show the color of an underlayer. So I found a 3-pack of reversible camis at Costco (peach, as worn in the above photo, white, and grey) for $12. They now seem to be carrying 4-packs of a single color for $17. What makes them reversible is that one side has a scoop neck and the other has a slight v-neck, to create different looks. With the v-neck black blouse, I like the contrasting line of the scoop neck. These camis are also very long, which is nice when I want to let some of the color show below the tail of my shirt. Since this outfit has a black top and rather dark pants, not everyone would be flattered by showing a wide horizontal band of a strongly contrasting color, but since I have quite long legs, it works for me. 

Finally, these dress pants are another favorite from the now defunct (as a brick-and-mortar store, anyway) Dress Barn. They're a soft wool blend, which wears well and has just a little bit of give, and the fabric is a woven tweed that's black on gray, which creates some visual interest without being too busy to wear with a subtle print, and doesn't bring in any non-neutral colors. They're also dressy enough that they're meant to be worn with heels, which means the hem is longer than many pants, and it accommodates my height very nicely. I like the way they have a slight break at the ankle when I wear flats or low shoes. This pair of Magic Waist Barely Bootcut pants for $33 from Kohl's has a similar muted pattern, a comfortable waistband, and a very slightly flared hem that works well with flats, heels, or low boots. 

I have both a black hat and a peach-colored hat that would have worked great with this outfit, but because of the clocks moving forward last night, the hat got lost in the last-minute shuffle of getting ready for church. But I love this outfit, even without a hat to finish it off. 

So that's the end of my week in fashion - I hope you enjoyed it, and even learned a thing or two about how to choose outfits that flatter your figure but are still fun to wear!

My Week in Fashion: Friday

Thank goodness it's Friday!! I'm working from home today (my sewing machine is better than the school's sewing machine), so I'm casual, but not quite as casual as some of my work from home days tend to be. Let's take a look at my TGIF outfit:

The pieces of this outfit are simply jeans, a loose top, and my leopard slip-ons. 

Yet another piece from my COVID-19 Amazon/shopping online wardrobe, I originally bought this Casual V Neck Mesh Panel 3/4 Bell Sleeve Shirt for $26 (now listed at $28) in sage green, but I got so many compliments on it that I decided to buy another one in a different shade. This one is actually described as "tea rose," a color I liked but wasn't sure if it would work with my red hair, but in reality it's more of a terra cotta, which is a terrific shade on me. 

There are a lot of details to this style which work very well for my particular figure issues. First off, I frequently get hives on my upper chest, so a top that covers up to my collarbone without looking too "buttoned up" or matronly is great. The bands at the neck and sleeve hems are mesh fabric, so it covers without really covering. The sleeves are loose enough that I can move without feeling restricted, but they're not so wide that they get in the way, and they end just below the elbow on me rather than being a full 3/4 length, which also keeps them out of my way. And the hem comes right to the fullest part of my hips, which means it skims my body perfectly without bunching or looking overly voluminous.  

I inherited this pair of jeans from a friend, but I may need to buy another pair in this cut and color, because I really like they way they look on me. Macy's carries similar curvy-fit bootcut jeans that - importantly for me - come in long (as well as regular and short) lengths, and are currently on sale for $30 (usually $40). Stacy and Clinton from What Not to Wear taught me about the importance of a nice dark-wash jean. It looks much dressier and more polished than a lighter wash, and I always find darker bottoms to be more flattering. In addition, the boot cut style - as long as the hem is the right length - adds just a hint of flattering curve, lengthening my legs and deemphasizing my big feet while also somehow calling attention to whatever cute shoes I pair with them. The low rise means I have to be careful not to wear too short of a shirt, but since I prefer hip-length tops most of the time, it's rarely a problem, and the lower waistband is more comfortable when I'm doing a lot of sitting, standing, crouching, and crawling (which I do a lot). 

And of course, a simple outfit with only neutral jeans and a solid-colored top needs a pop of visual interest, in this case, once again the leopard print slip-ons I wore yesterday. But they also look great with low boots, loafers, athletic sneakers, or even low heels. 

Happy Friday, everyone!

My Week in Fashion: Tuesday

Today is another work day for me, but I'm not anticipating too much crawling on the floor or lugging boxes around, so I can be a little dressier and less careful about wearing durable clothing. So I opted for one of my easy go-to pieces. 

This look includes a sweater dress, tights, boots, and a hat. 

I bought this sweater dress from JC Penney a few years back, after seeing it advertised repeatedly on my Facebook page (not the first time I've done that, so clearly FB ads are effective, at least on me). I ordered it online, and the page glitched while I was submitting my order, which resulting in my accidentally ordering it twice - which was fun, because I gave the extra one to a friend who frequently wears similar styles. (*waves at Cindy Lou*) They no longer carry this exact dress, but they have similar styles including the one pictured above, for $25.99 (which I think is about what I paid for mine). 

What I love above this style is the fit-and-flare silhouette, which makes me look curvier than I am, and which camouflages my tummy. It's a look that flatters almost any figure. As with yesterday's outfit, I like the 3/4 sleeves because I don't have to worry that they're too short for my long arms. The square yoke offsets my sloping shoulders, and the slight vertical ribbing is slimming. The black and gold color palette is neutral enough that I can add a colorful scarf or lightweight jersey cardigan, but it's visually interesting enough to leave as is. The skirt length is also short enough that I can pair it with leggings, but long enough that I don't feel too bare with just tights (or even bare legs if I wear boots). 

Side note on the tights - I finally bought myself some Queen size tights and they are a REVELATION. I think of Queen size as having extra stretch around, but I never realized how much extra stretch they add to length. This tall girl wishes I'd tried these years ago! No more readjusting my waistband every time I sit down then stand up again. 

Now, back to the boots. Like yesterday's brown boots, today's black boots have a few subtle details that take them a step beyond basic, but that aren't too fussy. They have a horizontal seam attaching a wide top band, as is traditional with riding boots, as well as a vertical seam at the front of the calf. There is a vertical buckle strap on the side of the horizontal strip and a single buckle strap at the ankle, and a shaped seam at the ankle (also very traditional styling for riding boots). All the visible seams are double-stitched, which is a sign of quality construction as well as simply adding a nice visual detail. My husband gave me these boots as a gift, so I'm not sure where they came from or how much they cost (but since he is willing to pay much more for clothes and shoes than I am, I'm guessing they were over $100). I found this similar pair at Fingerhut for $79.99.  

I sometimes wear my brown boots with this outfit, since the tan pattern ties them in, but with black tights, black boots were definitely the way to go. I also occasionally wear leggings with this dress, and when I do, I sometimes wear either ankle booties or fun flats (like the leopard print slip-ons you may see later this week). 

Monochromatic outfits can be boring, so I usually add an interesting detail of some kind. With this dress, I'll wear a vivid turquoise draped jersey cardigan, a long pendant necklace, or a solid-colored scarf, but today I decided to add some character with a hat. 

I tend to favor short-brimmed hats for daily wear, so I opted for my all-black straw kettle brim hat, which my husband laughingly refers to as my "Annie Hall hat". It's not quite as domed as the bowler hat that Diane Keaton wears in the film, but it's not totally dissimilar. I bought it from a vendor at the Eastern States Exposition a few years ago for the ridiculously low price of $18. The label says Angela & William, but they no longer seem to carry this style. I was able to find a similar (although more decorated) hat on Etsy for $65.  My hat has a simple wide black ribbon hatband with a flat bow at the back and ribbons that are, alas, too short to be called "follow-me-lads". 

So that's my look for the day! Nothing especially new or trendy, but a few workhorses that get a lot of use, and a handful of variations on how to style the central pieces so that the next time I wear this look, it will look like an entirely different outfit. 

My Week in Fashion: Monday

For over a decade, I've been posting critiques of celebrities' red carpet fashion. But it occurred to me that I've never really posted much about my own fashion or style. So I thought it might be interesting to post a week's worth of what I wear in my daily life, along with an explanation of why I chose that particular combination of pieces. 

But before I do that, let me share a blunt description of my own body type, along with the issues I need to keep in mind when I choose my clothes. Let's start at my feet and work our way up. 

My feet are definitely a problem area. I have all kind of foot issues, including feet that are wide across the toes and narrow at the heel, an extremely high instep, messed-up toenails, bunions, and a failed bunion surgery. As a result, I can't wear heels over 1" or open-toed shoes, and I have a difficult time finding shoes that are wide enough to fit comfortably without flopping off my heels. As a result, I wear a lot of boots and sneakers, and I am very limited as to dressy shoe options. 

Next are my legs. I am relatively tall, and most of my height is in my legs, so I sometimes have trouble finding pants that are long enough unless they are available in tall sizes (but I look fabulous in short skirts). I also have relatively slender calves, but I carry a lot of my extra weight in my thighs. This results in two issues: 1) wide width boots often come with wide shanks, which are too loose for my skinny calves, and 2) pants that fit in the waist and hips are frequently very snug in the thigh. 

Even at my most slender, I've never had an especially narrow waist, so I'm fortunate that pants that fit my hips generally fit in the waist as well. However, as I've aged, the weight I've gained that hasn't landed on my thighs has formed a very rounded tummy, so I try to select my tops to skim my figure rather than being snug, and I never tuck in my shirts. 

Although in my youth I was relatively small-busted, I am one of those fortunate women who developed terrific boobs during my pregnancies, and didn't lose them after I weaned my children. Although a flat-chested, willowy figure is great for couture fashion, it can be difficult to dress in off-the-rack clothes, and a curvy figure often requires buying too-big clothes and having them tailored. But I am fortunate to be right in that sweet spot where I fill out my clothes nicely without straining them. Yay for having a great rack!

My shoulders are quite sloping, so I need to avoid boat and jewel necks, broad or shallow v-necks, and draping cowl necks. But they're not particularly broad, so I can easily camouflage the slope with shoulder pads without looking like a linebacker.  The up side of the sloping shoulders is that I have a long, slender neck that looks even longer, so I can wear high collars, voluminous scarves, and long earrings well. In addition, I have very long arms, which means I look great in sleeveless styles, but I need to cuff or push up the sleeves of most long-sleeved tops and sweaters to avoid showing too much of my wrists. 

And finally, I have a long, narrow face, so I avoid pulled back or long, straight hairstyles, and I have red hair and fair skin, which affects the colors that work on me. 

Now that you know what I have to deal with, let's take a look at what I chose to wear this week, one entry each day. 

I work part-time, and today (Monday) was one of my in-school days. I work as a seamstress and costumer at a high school, so I frequently spend time lugging around large boxes of costumes, kneeling on the floor pinning hems or cutting out pattern pieces, and climbing up and down on stepstools. Which means I need clothing that I can move around in, and durable fabrics that won't snag or stain easily. So here's Monday's look:

Skinny jeans, a gray cotton button-down shirt, long cotton scarf, and knee-high boots. 

The jeans are Calvin Klein skinny jeans that I got at Coscto for about $18. (You can find a similar style at Amazon for $25.) They have a LOT of Lycra (they're more like leggings than skinny jeans), which means they move comfortably with my body, and they're medium rise so they're not dorky-looking mom jeans but I also don't have to worry about accidentally flashing my students if I have to squat down in them. Many designers create cheaper styles to sell at Costco, so these jeans probably won't wear as well as a pair from a higher-end retailer, but since I'm likely to rip or stain them before they wear out, this is a cost-effective option for me. But I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. Sometimes multiple cheap pairs are more cost-effective in the long run, but sometimes investing in a single, higher-quality item makes more sense. 

Which brings me to my boots. 

Because of my foot issues, I tend to stretch, scuff, and/or wear through most of my footwear at the base of my big toe. However, well-fitting and well-made shoes tend to be more comfortable and last significantly longer than cheap shoes. So instead of buying several pairs of $15-$20 shoes (ah, those Payless days) that only last a year, I invest in better-quality footwear that can last for 5 or even 10 years. I've had these boots for about 5 years and they're only just now starting to show a scuff near the toe (which I'm sure I can fix with a little shoe polish). I think I paid about $70 for them, so spreading the cost over time, they were a much better bargain than cheap shoes or boots. By shopping online, I was able to find a pair of extra-wide-width boots that didn't have extra-wide shafts, and although it's difficult for me to buy shoes without trying them on, I lucked out with this pair and they fit perfectly. I like their relatively tall shafts, the curve at the top of the shafts, and the crossed doubled buckle strap detail at the ankle, which makes them interesting without being overly fussy. This pair of Kenneth Cole boots from Zappo's is a similar style, and costs about $68.

One side note on these boots with this outfit: I usually wear my similar black boots with this shirt, because I don't like to mix gray and brown, but I wore a brown leather jacket so I decided to match my boots to my jacket. If I had worn my black hat as I often do (you'll definitely see hats later this week), i probably would have gone with the black boots.  

This light gray cotton shirt is a staple in my wardrobe. I've had it for years, but I think I got it at Costco for about $14. I found a similar style on Amazon for $25. It has princess seaming to bring it in close to the body over the ribs (but not so close as to be noticeably snug against my belly) and flare slightly at the hips so it lies well, without straining across the bust or gapping between buttons. The curved hem adds a polished (and intentional) look to the untucked shirt, and the fabric has just a little Spandex in it for extra give (as well as softness and wrinkle-resistance). It has 3/4-length sleeves with double-wide cuffs that can be either folded back or left long, which is great for my long arms. It also has a slight v-neck which doesn't button all the way to the top, so it's great to wear with scarves because there's less volume at the throat. 

I wear scarves a lot, because it's a great way to add a pop of color and variety to an otherwise drab or neutral outfit (like this one!). It's also a convenient way to add seasonal flair - in the fall and winter, I wear a heavier, knitted scarf in a red and green plaid or a dark burgundy, but in the spring I wear soft pastels, and in the summer I opt for brighter, richer colors. The dark gray background of the scarf ties in with the lighter gray of the shirt, then adds springy pops of pink, mint green, and several shades of blue. I've had this scarf for so many years that I don't even remember where it came from (possibly Kohl's?), but I found several similar rectangular floral print cotton scarves at Walmart for about $10. I like long scarves that I can loop around my neck without having to tie them, because the long vertical lines of the tails are slimming, and I'm tall enough to pull it off. But a large square scarf, folded corner to corner, with the point in front, doubled around and tied in front, or an infinity scarf, can work great with many figure types. 

As I mentioned above, I frequently wear hats with my outfits (especially when it's raining, snowing, or windy), although I generally (but not always) take my hat off when I'm working at my desk. I have a plain black hat that I often wear with this outfit, and there's a fabulous gray fedora lurking in a box in my closet that I bought myself so my kids could give it to me for Mother's Day that will go perfectly with this outfit in the future. But I was having a particularly good hair day (which is surprising, considering that I'm in need of both a cut and a color at the moment), so I went bare-headed this time. 

So what do you think? Would you wear this outfit? How would you adapt it for your figure, taste, and existing wardrobe? And most importantly, will you try a look like this in the future? If you do, let me know - and send me a photo! I'd love to see your take on this look!