Tag: style

Deep Dive: Taylor Swift

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Say what you will about her music, her career choices, or her love life, Taylor Swift has been iconic in each of her fashion eras. Each new album brings about a new style and fans and fashionistas alike enjoy looking forward to what will be next. In fact, if we think about it, Taylor Swift has shown us exactly what a style evolution can be like and how different our style can be throughout the years. Maybe your style eras are not as defined but if you look back you will see the slow evolution into your current style today.

I have — put nicely — a lot of clothes. Some of them are costume elements for our amazing Halloween parties but at the end of the day, I just have a large wardrobe of items. I also know that I have a lot of items hiding, barely used, at the depths of drawers. As I scrolled through yet another iteration of Taylor fashion, I wondered if I could recreate a look of hers from each era using only the clothes that I owned.

This post takes you through a deep dive into Taylor Swifts style, starting with her Red album (as I feel that’s really when she started to come into her own) all the way through the most recent evolution of folklore. I will showcase a look from my own closet (no new for this pieces) that encompasses the concept of each era, as well as providing some guidelines for recreating these styles at home.

— RED ERA —

Red was Taylor’s album that really started to bridge the gap between country and pop, and holds some of the classics that fans of “old” and “new” Taylor love. Her fashion made this leap with her – losing the “girly dresses and cowboy boots” look of her previous few albums and moving into what I’ve dubbed pretty but approachable hipster. Her basics focused around comfortable classics such as the white t-shirts or button down blouses and cigarette style pants. It was this base layer that made her showy pieces stand out. Think of those red glitter oxfords? The top hats? Those band jackets?

Her look is definitely one that’s easy to filter into everyday wear: if you take out the clearly-meant-for-the-stage pieces that bring it out of classic office wear and into costume, it’s a really clean office look done with flair.

When she stepped out of her white top/black pant uniform that showed up several times, she was wearing clean retro looks that hearkened to a modern 50’s style. Think fit and flare dresses or simple graphic prints filled with Peter Pan collars. And we would be remiss to ignore the bold red lip paired with natural looking makeup that dominated her style.

Red Era Taylor was all about being clean and manicured from top to bottom, while playing with familiar silhouettes.

Image Links: red dress ; Red album art ; band jacket look ; white top/black pants

For my version of Red era Swift, I played with her basic uniform – black on bottom, white on top, showy elements. I was thinking of the character that would move seamlessly between the songs “22,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” and “I Knew You Were Trouble” during her perfect night out with friends.

My top hat and band jacket are not something I usually combine as it feels a bit costumey, but I had this in mind as a stage look for Taylor, and thus the more the better. However, the rest of the outfit (sans hat, if you will) is just a nice classic look. I honestly could wear this to the office.

I chose a simple white t-shirt and these skinny pants with the leather accents, because they felt luxurious, and Taylor’s style always has these smart little details that elevate the look. Finished with my black and white leather sneakers for the completed concept of pretty but approachable hipster.

TAKE HOME TAKE AWAY: If you really love Red era Taylor, then here are a few things that will help you achieve this look in your own style.

  • Look for classic, timeless pieces (a white t-shirt and black pants will work in almost any era; the fit and flare shaped dresses are the same)
  • Keep prints simple (polka dots, stripes, etc.) If you do want a busy print, make it a small and delicate.
  • Find a really solid color story and roll with it (red, white, and black). This is also a great way to make sure that everything in your closet has a lot of re-wearability. If you can pair every item with something else you own, the combinations are endless and you get more mileage out of less clothing.
  • Focus on small details (cute buttons on a blouse; leather edges on pants; unique necklines/collars) and let the rest of the clothing stay clean.
  • Find one showpiece and let it shine (a hat, a jacket, a cute scarf, etc.)

— 1989 ERA —

1989 was a huge year for Taylor as she fully transitioned into an 80’s synth fueled pop sound. Many original fans lamented the death of “old” Taylor, while she gained other fans anew. With the transition of her sound, her fashion transitioned as well. I’ve dubbed 1989 Swift as colorful, shiny, 80s. We really start to see less safe choices from Taylor here, as far as fashion goes. She was stepping out of the box with both her music, and her style. Honestly, I think this era of fashion is where Taylor is having the most fun. Her looks all read as though she picked them from a cart while doing a mad dash shopping trip with friends.

There are a LOT of sequins and shimmering fabrics in this era, enough that I honestly had a hard time creating a look that was shiny enough. This was also the first era where Taylor settled on what still remains her silhouette of choice: high-waisted bottoms and crop top. If you think I’m kidding, there’s a whole pile of these pieces in her 1989 tour looks here. She played a lot with color, and pattern, and matchy-matchy styles in opposition to the stark contrasts of all her pieces throughout Red.

1989 is a lot less exaggerated office classics and a lot more party clothes. To sum it all up: the 1989 era was bold and confident.

Image Links: blue shorts ; turquoise bomber jacket ; sunglasses and multicolored jacket ; street style

My take on 1989 played off of the character that would be taking the train to her New York job (maybe at a fashion magazine?) later to head out with friends a la “Welcome to New York” and “New Romantics.” It’s definitely bold and colorful, and while I don’t have a closet filled with skater skirts, I kept to the heart of the silhouette with high-waisted on bottom and cropped on top. To get the shine factor up, I added my silver oxfords and one of my few pieces of actual jewelry – this Swarovski crystal music note necklace.

This outfit is far and away outside of my comfort zone, so bold is definitely an understatement, but I will say it was the most fun outfit I crafted for this post. I really enjoyed pulling together elements that I normally wouldn’t pair, and playing with a flirty concept like this bralet/blazer combination.

TAKE HOME TAKE AWAY: If you really love 1989 era Taylor, then here are a few things that will help you achieve this look in your own style.

  • Play with color, but keep it relatively monochromatic and matching. This lets you really mess around with brighter colors without risking clash, as well as fun patterns and textures.
  • Add sparkle and shine – a little bit in each piece will do the trick.
  • Find a silhouette you like and stick with it. Similar to the color scheme rule above, this will help make it so all your crazy colors, patterns, and textures will be easier to pair.
  • Be bold in your outfits – 1989 era looks are all about confidence and standing out.

— REPUTATION ERA —

The lyrics from “Call it What You Want” really sum up Reputation era Swift:

My castle crumbled over night

I brought a gun to a knife fight

They took the crown but it’s alright

– Call it What you Want, Taylor Swift

Due to scandals and the chaos that is super stardom, Taylor really went through an evolution as a person, and her fashion rightly reflected that. Do you remember that year where you got over your worst break up ever? Imagine a whole era defined by that. It’s the year Taylor really gave up on her good girl image diving deep into what she felt like a bad girl would be. While 1989 was definitely Taylor dressing to have fun, every outfit in Reputation is making a statement. Succinctly, Reputation fashion is edgy with oversized comfort.

It’s our first real look at Taylor in sweats, though rarely an entire sweat suit at once. Her clothing pieces are a lot of plays on hard vs. soft – think a latex jacket paired with sweatpants. She didn’t lose her love for the high-waisted/crop top combination but was not as sold on the concept as she had been through 1989. Here we see new takes on leisure and sport pieces combined with high end fabrics and colors. It’s our first glimpse of what Taylor would dress like as a rap star too. All in all, she just went more street with everything.

I find it most interesting that while some of the strides from 1989 still show up (playing with more bold combinations and interesting patterns) we have a return the the comfortable color scheme from Red. It feels very much like all of the glamour with none of the fun. And the SNAKES. Man when she picks a theme, she goes hard.

Image Links: bejeweled hoodie ; snake skin top ; street style ; yet another hoodie

For my Reputation era look, I decided to roll with the oversized hoodie and knee high boot concept that really sums up Taylor’s feelings during this time. I felt very much like I was dealing with high school stress again, and lashing out at my e m o t i o n s. Plus this Sunless Sea hoodie had the right message.

It’s always a good look when I pull out these boots that Oliver has to lace up for me – isn’t that just so fashionable? (He doesn’t mind btw, but I feel bad, so I rarely wear them). This look was again, quite out there for me. I really wanted to put on tights, or just something? else on my legs? But oversized hoodies are my jam. I think that precise combination of comfort vs. uncomfortable is a real crux of Taylor’s fashion in this time period. She was hurting, and it’s so obviously translated into her fashion.

TAKE HOME TAKE AWAY: If you really love Reputation era Taylor, then here are a few things that will help you achieve this look in your own style.

  • Play with shape, but keep it balanced. If you have an oversized jacket, for example, wear a fitted top. If you have short shorts, wear them with thigh high boots.
  • Play with edgy details (in place of the pretty ones from earlier looks) like studs, laces, and leather. These looks are very classic rockstar – think studded leather boots and ripped denim.
  • Don’t be afraid to combine sporty pieces with high fashion items to create a #lewk.
  • Find a color scheme and roll with it – this makes it easier to play around with the crazier points of fashion without looking like a walking Hot Topic store.

— LOVER ERA —

Ah, the return to manic pixie dream girl Taylor. With the release of the Lover album, Taylor left several dark caves behind. She is healed from the hurt of Reputation scandals, she has left behind the good girl aesthetic from the Red era, and she has started speaking up about issues that are important to her. Lover saw a Taylor that spoke out on politics and came out in support of the LGBTQ community. Lover era Taylor wanted everyone to both have and give love. She talks a lot about loving yourself (“Me!”), accepting the love that others have (“You Need to Calm Down”), and recognizing a good romantic love when you have it (“Lover”). Lover era Taylor is ethereal; she’s unapologetically lost in the clouds and never coming back down.

This made the Lover era fashion really hard to pin down. There’s color – for sure – and shine, two leftover pieces from 1989 that are now written on the hard drive of Taylor fashion. But the colors are softer pastels, and the patterns are interesting. The whole look is very Coachella: girly, smart, and wistful. There are a lot of feather and butterfly motifs at play and a lot of tye-dye. Each outfit reads as it’s own breathy gasp; at once a statement and immediately dissipating.

Lover also brought the first foray into colored hair on Taylor (albeit just extensions, but I’ll take what I can get) and I am very much a fan. It’s doubtful, but perhaps in the future we’ll see Taylor’s hair fully dyed some other color.

Image Links: pink and black look ; rainbow fringe ; casual crop top ; butterfly mural

Alright so anyone who knows me knows that pink does not play heavily into my wardrobe, and I will openly admit that Lover era fashion was a real struggle for me. I tried a lot of combinations of florals and pastels, but none of them were really airy enough. I finally settled on a look using some favorites of mine, as well as including these awesome rainbow fishnet tights because if there was ANY time to wear them, it’s for this outfit.

There are so many elements in this outfit to talk about. Those rainbow butterfly earrings might has well have been Lover era merch. I added my shiny star sneakers because any person at a music festival will be walking around a bunch, right? I added the Peter Pan collar of my pink lace tank, under this perfect gold velvet t-shirt dress. Maybe the look is still a little grounded for the era but I feel like I landed some of the basic concepts. It’s shiny; it’s girly; it’s colorful.

TAKE HOME TAKE AWAY: If you really love Lover era Taylor, then here are a few things that will help you achieve this look in your own style.

  • Pastels are key. You don’t necessarily have to roll as hard into Eastery feeling pink and yellow like Taylor does, but pick three major players of pastel colors and find new interesting ways to combine them. You could pull off the same concept with cream, turqouise, and violet.
  • More is more. Don’t be afraid of fringe or fishnets or rosettes on gauzy fabrics. Add tulle and leather. As long as they are all telling the same story, keep adding.
  • Play with gauzy princess fabrics like tulle, organza, and chiffon. Play with cloud motifs. You want to give the impression of being otherworldly a bit, and fabric choice is a great start.
  • This style is all about your inner unicorn – find something shiny, find something colorful, and keep it comfortable.
  • Statement sleeves are in – look for princess bell sleeves, elastic rouching in layers, or fringe. If you’re going a lot of top, keep it simpler on bottom with lighter denim.

— FOLKLORE ERA —

Yes, yes. I know that this album just came out (a surprise to pretty much everyone) and I know it’s been a global pandemic with stay at home orders, so there are no tour looks to pull from and few street style looks. However, Taylor did give us a pile of saucy pictures and some fun filtered video snippets for Spotify and I’m going to to roll with it because I have to!

folklore (all lower case for #reasons) was a complete 180 from the heady high of Lover. This album was a return to nature, a return to the tall tales that we keep telling, and a real storybook adventure. Far from the fairytales being told in her earlier albums (looking at you Speak Now and Fearless) it’s a more earthy and real concept of being lost in the woods but enjoying it. The album is very much stripped back and the opposite of ostentatious. Lots of feelings of cozy sweaters, and cabin books. This new sound (or lack thereof) allows the real high point of Taylor’s music to shine: lyrics.

Her fashion for this album was very much down-to-earth, and very me. Moody florals, and plaids, and dresses just meant for running through meadows. There are some schoolgirl elements here, but played off in more collegiate age. If Reputation was a contrast between hard vs. soft, then folklore is all about mature vs. young. ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT CARDIGAN? I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a piece of merch from a band as much as I wanted this. I would sum up this era as cozy, indie, and collegiate. The “You Belong to Me” Taylor finally went to college. She has finals soon. Her parents have property nearby. She probably has a working record player, and a lake house.

Image Links: striped shirt and tweed trousers ; plaid coat ; cardigan ; flower dress

Fully inspired, I landed on a floral skirt and oversized cozy sweater. I even got a good frolicking picture because folklore outfits are meant to be frolicked in. I imagined a version of me that lived in a little cabin, off the coast of Ireland, drinking tea. This is what the folklore storybook character of me would wear.

The sweater – cozy. It’s a beautiful waffle sweater that feels very ivy league.

The boots – leather.

The skirt – floral.

What more can I say?

TAKE HOME TAKE AWAY: If you really love folklore era Taylor, then here are a few things that will help you achieve this look in your own style.

  • Oversized is back – but more understated. Instead of baggy, it’s more fitted.
  • Collegiate style is easier to narrow down than you think. Leather shoes are a good start; smart looking sweaters; well placed stripes.
  • Keep the colors muted and earthy for this look. Notice that Taylor plays with creams and browns, whereas I stick with moodier burgundy and black.
  • Pattern mixing is encouraged. Once you’ve identified your color story, play a lot with pattern and texture to get the right vibe. Plaid, stripes, dainty flowers, and lace are all good places to start.
  • Not too shiny! For the first time, you really don’t want to introduce too many shiny elements to this one. Keep the fabrics natural, and the jewelry understated.

This is it for my first deep dive into fashion! In this instance, I stuck with one person who had an evolving style, but these posts might take a lot of different forms. Maybe I deep dive into blazers throughout the year, or look at the evolution of punk fashion. Is there an element of fashion you would like to see me take a deep dive into? Let me know in the comments!

Style Spotlight! Cecily

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This week’s style spotlight highlights one of my best friends, and conveniently, my next door neighbor. Aside from being a domestic maven, Cecily consistently inspires me to play with color and pattern. She also inspires me to look a little fancier. She has a way with clothing that feels both very adult and very fun at the same time. She’s by far one of the best shopping buddies, because she has the same joy of looking at pretty things that I do. It’s a good yin yang relationship as well: she pushes me to be a bit thriftier and I push her to just buy the thing she likes.

Cecily’s wardrobe is full of vibrant, flowy clothing that brings life into any room. I really love how each item always has interesting details – a cutout in the back of a plain shirt, a polka dot pattern that’s actually boats, or gold detailing on all the buttons and snaps. She also successfully layers cardigans over button down shirts which I’ve been trying to do forever but never quite get right. It’s a skill of hers that I’ve always envied. Even on days where she hasn’t put much effort in, she still manages to look polished (another enviable trait). Cecily’s style is proof that comfortable doesn’t have to mean bland or casual.

Tell us a bit about yourself: I live in West Seattle with my beloved within sight of the sea and I love it!! Sitting on my deck looking at the ocean with a cold beverage and a book is one of my favorite ways to relax. I love reading mysteries and fantasy stories and I usually average about 9 books a month….  
Cooking and eating are my favorite hobbies – I especially like cooking Chinese & Italian food, and baking bread. I also make a mean cocktail.  Lately I’ve gotten back into sewing, which I hope will help take my style to new heights as I learn to make things that I can’t necessarily find or afford in a store! Me & my sweetheart love to travel, we try to take an international trip and a domestic trip every year. Obviously eating is my favorite thing to do on vacation!! I don’t have grand goals or anything – My aspiration in life is to be happy and live peacefully 🙂 (and of course continue to cultivate my domestic talents!)

Three words that describe your style: structured, loud, comfortable 

Biggest style inspiration: I love summer fashion – I like pretty blouses and skirts, and not needing to cover them up with layers. I really enjoy the silhouettes of the mid-20th century (who doesn’t?). My stylish aunt also inspires me a lot and I’m always thrilled when I get to pick through her cast-offs! 

What are your fashion struggles? Finding pants that fit, look good, and are practical. Bothering to wear fashionable shoes. Being even kind of fashionable in the winter (but I have plans to combat the last one!!)

How did you find your style? When I was in high school I discovered my love for loud colors and tacky stuff, and in college I developed a love affair with very structured mid century style clothes – think wool-like skirts and starched cotton blouses. As I got older I combined these two into a look that I think incorporates the elegance of mid-century clothing – collars, pleats, buttons – with bright colors and comfortable fabrics. 

Any tips for people trying to find their own style? Try things that you aren’t sure about – you might not love it on first sight but it might grow on you. Try shopping at stores you’ve never been into before, you might discover a brand you love. Especially if you like to thrift, you might have a piece from a brand you’ve never shopped directly – but if you like that one thing, you might find a whole bunch of stuff you like there! 

Favorite fashion find: I have a green crepe-like (but actually polyester) skirt that I got for $4 at Kohl’s like 10 years ago [pictured above]. It is one of my favorite items and I’ve never seen anything like it since.  Also my beautiful crinoline that was 100% worth the money I paid for it at a vintage shop: I wear it with every skirt I can get away with using it under. 

One thing you have learned about style or fashion:  If it doesn’t fit, don’t wear it. Get rid of it. Don’t keep it because “you might fit into it eventually.” You won’t. You should only wear clothes that fit you comfortably! (unless it’s something irreplaceable, then you can keep it!! I have a true 50’s vintage dress that I will never get rid of even though it’s a little tight, because it is a treasure.)

What part of your style do you feel you really excel at? I love matching (or power-clashing) colors and patterns!!  

What is one thing you wish you did better? My accessory game is so weak. I used to wear a lot of jewelry but these days I really can’t be bothered… since I wear scrubs at work it looks weird and is deeply unnecessary. It seems like too much work to wear jewelry for travel to and from work, and then I don’t think about it once I get home – but I want to start wearing more jewelry again! At least when I’m at home 🙂 

#ootd: Fall Layers

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FINALLY FALL. Oliver and I have decided that the fall version of me is by far the best version of me, especially when it comes to clothing. Layering in dusty fun colors and interesting patterns is what I’m built to do, and I adore it. This outfit is a prime example.

These pants are amazing – and definitely the foundation of the outfit. With the embroidered flowers down the sides, I really like to showcase them which I did here by color blocking in the same fall color story. This scarf is made of dreams; I literally found it on the side of the road and it’s been a favorite of mine ever since. The sweater I found while thrifting as well as the mustard yellow top. The colors just made sense, and the layers are all warm enough that I was fine going to work in 50 degree weather and coming home in 75 degree weather. Each layer could be easily shed or added to keep me the right temperature without suffering loss of joy or integrity as a whole.

Scarf: A fluffy warm layer, I throw this scarf into just about every fall outfit because it easily adds warmth without becoming a problem. It worked here, despite being patterned, because it’s a neutral black and white.

Sweater: This green acrylic sweater from Mexico (brand unknown) is quickly becoming one of my favorite thrift store finds of all time. It’s warm without being itchy, and the slight balloon in the sleeves makes it an easy layer to throw on top. I chose it here because of the forest green hue and cable texture – perfect for those #fallvibes.

Ribbed T-Shirt: A mustard yellow top from H&M (thrifted) that I think will be a fall fixture. It’s quite thin but still long sleeved which makes it perfect for layering. The cut is slightly cropped, so it doesn’t work in every instance, but I love the color and the texture of the ribbing. I fixed the cropped issue in this case by adding a red tank top underneath. Quick Note: usually I tuck in my tank tops because it’s warmer, and they aren’t really part of the outfit. However, the tucked tank in this situation made the crop top style of the t-shirt look like it didn’t fit. I left the tank untucked to keep it looking intentional instead of unfortunate.

Pants: A Kut from the Kloth classic, these embroidered pants are always the star of any show. When I wear them, I always use them as a base for the outfit, since they will upstage anything else.

Shoes: I kept it simple and casual with my brick red Converse, a classic sneaker that manages to be stylish, casual, and comfortable in one neat package. These make a lot of showings both for fall and at Christmastime where they are particularly festive feeling.

Accessories: Since the rest of the outfit was a lot I kept the accessories simple. My faux wood sunglasses, simple gold stud tree earrings, and (though you can’t see them) green fox socks. I have a small grey scrunchie holding up my hair.

#ootd: She’s a Pirate!

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When I asked Oliver what I should wear on Monday, he proudly exclaimed, “oh you should dress like a pirate!” It was certainly on theme for the planned Monday activity of building characters for the new pirate roleplaying game that Oliver has been working on. Of course that meant that pirates were on his mind.

Tasked with dress-like-a-pirate-but-for-work-though I turned to a blouse that I picked out from Zara a while back which is so much fun. With the flowy sleeves, excessive ruffles, neck tie, and fish pattern, it was giving me all sorts of pirate vibes. From there I picked my skinny pants with leather accents, and some leather shoes that are 17th century style (minus the buckles). For my chilly office I put my blazer on top, but outside this outfit was perfectly comfortable to survive Seattle’s “last vestige of summer” heatwave.

Also this blouse is amazing, and I should definitely wear it more often.

Blouse: This is from the Zara Basics line, which is such a misnomer for this anything-but-basic blouse. I love the flowy sleeves and the looser fit which played so nicely in the late summer breeze. I adore this necktie too – being attached to the shirt, it doesn’t move around or get lost. It’s long enough and just the right weight of cloth to make the perfect floppy bow. I started here for my pirate outfit, then worked my way out.

Pants: A great thrift store find, these pants from Paige will likely show up in many future outfits. I adore that they are basically thick legging material but made to look like pants – comfort and style! The leather accents are amazing, and add the right kind of edge to almost any outfit. This edge made them a perfect choice for the pirate theme.

Shoes: These are a pair I picked up from Clarks a while ago on sale. Living in Seattle, a lot of my shoe quests now focus around “but are they waterproof” and these certainly fit the bill. They are well constructed leather, and definitely built to last, so they are perfect for dressier events in the rainy season. I picked them here because they have an essence of modern 17th century about them with the short, stocky heel and the pointier toe.

Accessories: This outfit was a lot so I kept my accessories super simple with my diva sunglasses (the little bits of gold, and the flamboyant shape screamed pirate to me) as well as some circular gold dangle earrings that reminded me of coins.

Style Spotlight! Kimberly

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I am so excited for this style spotlight because it highlights where my love of fashion began: my amazing mother. This woman is such an inspiration, not only to me, but to almost everyone whom she encounters. Her style is so very different from mine but shopping with her and planning outfits are some of my fondest memories growing up. It was always a joy when I would come home and find something on my bed that she’d picked out special for me. We spent many a night bonding over simply trolling through thrift store racks.

My mother also taught me extremely valuable lessons about how to find clothes for cheap but make them look nice, or how to mix patterns like a pro. Not to mention she’s been rocking brave fashion choices for as long as I can remember – from knee high combat boots to a leather corset to fishnets. Kimberly definitely lives my fashion motto: anyone can wear anything, and a lot of her lessons have become core parts of who I am and what I believe fashion can be.

Tell us a bit about yourself: I spend my work days helping people look their best by cutting hair. My main focus is men’s grooming. I like to play roller derby when I can and hope to get back on a team in the future.  My most favorite thing to do is dance. At the club, in the kitchen, at the store… I just love to dance.

Three words that describe your style: eclectic, maximalism, rockstar

Biggest style inspiration: One piece of an outfit usually inspired the whole finished look.

What are your fashion struggles? Finding jeans that fit. Wanting to wear heels all the time but also needing to be able to move without pain. Learning that every piece you buy can’t have patterns or textures because you need solids to pair them with.

How did you find your style? Just always observing the world around me. I will see beauty and want to recreate it. 

Any tips for people trying to find their own style? Love what you wear. I don’t care what a person’s style is so much as I want them to love themselves enough to have a style. Don’t settle for easy or comfortable.  Put effort into making you feel the best most powerful self you can be.

Favorite fashion find: Leopard print pants with leather lacing and inserts down the sides

One thing you have learned about style or fashion: Buy what fits.

What part of your style do you feel you really excel at? Putting a look together. Buying cheap clothes but still making them look expensive.

Any final thoughts? Here are some tips:

  • When you think you hate all your clothes look at fashion shots or window displays. Chances are you have pieces to recreate those looks already you just need a fresh look at how to pair items. 
  • Don’t say you can’t wear a look. That’s a thinking problem. Pants are pants… shirts are shirts… we all put them on the same way.
  • If you love it, wear it!
  • Dresses are the easiest thing to wear: they are one item, you don’t have to decide what goes with what, and everyone thinks you’ve made a great effort when actually they are super easy.

#ootd: Sailor Moon

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This outfit garnered a lot of comments throughout the day.

“Wow, so princessy!” “Makes me think of the 50s.” “Very modern witch.”

Honestly, I really liked this outfit, which made every comment feel like a compliment. I started with the Sailor Moon baseball t-shirt, and built the outfit up from there. The skirt for a little starry sky sparkle, the belt with its moon theme, the shiny star sneakers, and then my blazer to give it a final touch. I enjoyed the monochrome feel of this outfit – it’s a lot of black, but in a good way. And there are still lots of interesting parts to break it up.

The outfit definitely had issues though. The skirt is one that I purchased which I probably shouldn’t have because it’s a bit too big. And the belt is definitely too small – halfway through the day I had to take it off because I was struggling to breathe. My blazer ended up being too warm on this muggy Seattle day. It was definitely a lesson in “looks cute, but not wearable.” However, I do plan to recreate it either with different pieces or at a different time of the year, and I’ll still count this as a success because it’s so darn cute.

Blazer: This is another Ross find. The brand is 89th + Madison, and it’s a true gem. I cannot tell you the last time I had a good blazer that fits as well as this one does and is still comfortable. I don’t often give into the “Five Items You Must Have” advice train, but I certainly feel a good blazer deserves a place in most closets. I added it last to this outfit to round it out and make it a little more professional.

T-Shirt: The place where the outfit began is this lovely Sailor Moon t-shirt that I found in some online store (brand is Canvas… whatever that means?). I personally like to represent my nerdier side in ways that are a little more subtle. If a Sailor Moon fan looked closer at this print, they would see all the wands, necklaces, and devices that the scouts use throughout the series represented. But to anyone else, it’s just a pretty design. You can’t see the sleeves here but they are 3/4 sleeves in white.

Skirt: Another A New Day find from Target. As mentioned above, it’s a smidge too big for me, so I don’t get as much wear out of this lovely, swishy skirt as I would like to. I love the sparkle from the rhinestones, and the volume the skirt has. Also – being the paragon of comfort that I am – the elastic waistband speaks to my soul. Pretty and comfortable? A win. I paired it here because it felt like a starry sky to go with my sailor scout theme.

Shoes: I got these as a free option from Just Fab. While I don’t have a great opinion of Just Fab as a whole, these sneakers are really awesome and I do wear them with a lot of my outfits. They are pretty comfortable but don’t breathe very well so I tend to save them for cooler days. I picked them for this outfit because of the star pattern (in white, hard to see in pictures) and the shiny pink base (very Sailor Moon).

Accessories: I feel like the belt is a real winner in this outfit, and I will definitely work to find a really good replacement for it as it’s officially too small. The black velvet with the shiny gold half moon is perfect for the essence of Sailor Moon I was shooting for. A black scrunchy and some pink striped star earrings close out the look.

#ootd: Flower Pants

Published on by jamielanelleLeave a comment

According to Oliver, this outfit is a quintessential example of my style, and I’m inclined to agree with him. I have a hard time wearing this sweater at any other time of year because it’s too warm for summer and too thin for winter, but it’s perfect for the fall transition. These flower pants are amazing as well – comfortable but still nice enough to count as official work pants (not that my office cares – it’s pretty casual – but I could wear them to a marketing event or some such).

Red and black is always a good pairing for me; I kind of blame my high school for training me into this (red and black were our school colors, and I had a lot of school spirit) but in all honesty I have always gravitated toward this color pairing. It feels cool and chic to me for… reasons.

This outfit is also proof that I’m a proud pattern mixer – though the black and white stripes are minimal enough that they still give the spotlight to the pants.

Sweater: This is an American Living sweater that I picked up at Ross ages ago (probably high school?) and have had for a long time. I appreciate the interesting neckline that this sweater has, and the cool striped sleeves have always appealed to me. I wish it was a bit thicker, but that’s neither here nor there at this point. I chose it because it adds interest without taking away from the pants.

Pants: Definitely what I built this outfit around. I love this floral print from H&M and they are almost magic pants – my friend bought the same pair and they fit her great too even though she is built quite a bit different. These colors also play well in both summer and fall, making the pants pretty versatile.

Shoes: I have no idea what brand these are; bought them a few years ago in a small mall store in Del Rio, TX that has since closed down. I’ve also worn them a lot – they are quite comfortable, and super breathable so perfect for summer – and worn away any sort of label. I liked the casual oxford style to tie in the business-y pants and the casual sweater.

Accessories: I picked the Willy Wonka sunglasses because they add some funky flair to the outfit, along with my gold and peridot flower earrings and my favorite mustache necklace.