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Help me find a place for this closet orphan

Tricia

Veteran

...and be honest if you think that place is the Goodwill.

A few years ago, browsing in a vintage store, I found these real military-issue Navy sailor pants, the heavy wool kind with a high 13-button waist and wide legs. Amazingly, the waist fit me, and I thought they looked cool, so I bought them and had them shortened to fit me. And then I NEVER wore them. I just didn't have the nerve, and I could never figure out what to wear them with. They look exactly like this:

http://ny-image1.etsy.com/il_f.....808229.jpg

Now that I'm trying to amp up my style a little, I found these again and I'd love to make them work if I can. I don't know if they suit my body type - I'm a short (5'2") inverted triangle.

What do you think, keep or toss?

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from Tricia

Queen Mum

Veteran

Tricia- Try a "closet orphan challenge" make as many potential outfits as you can with what's in your closet and take pics of all of them and post them here. Even if the outfit clearly doesn't work, someone here might be able to see the potential and tell you how to tweak it to make it work. Or, we might all come to a consensus that these pants aren't for you and then you can toss them with a clear conscience.
(I was thinking of making January "closet orphan month" and trying the same thing myself)

AJ

Veteran

A simple turtleneck, striped if you really want to go with the sailor theme, and a solid, fitted cropped cardigan? A wedge type shoe?

bella

(website)

Veteran

Cute pants! I think they would work great with an inverted triangle body. The volume at the bottom would balance the shoulders.
First thing I would encourage you to do is to check if they are PPL - proper pants length with your shoes.
Second, I found some inspiration pictures for you. Check them out and see if you would want to recreate some of these looks. I particularly like the looks with flirty, feminine tops.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/b.....964551786/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/b.....879859674/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/j.....981091277/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2.....566386469/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/s.....120935474/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/l.....179605825/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/b.....847981267/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/steffster/3487959439/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peldyn/3385656075/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/siberry/3055127129/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/t.....717276967/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/i.....681405249/

Third, like Queenie suggested, try on some outfits and post some pictures on the forum.

Have fun!

Tricia

Veteran

Thanks! I would love to try a closet orphan challenge month. I have a couple of other things I never ever wear but that I love and don't want to get rid of.

I'll take some pics of the pants tonight.

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

Great pics, Bella. I had a pair of white sailor pants once upon a time ago, and my favorite outfit was those with a pink floral silky blouse. The contrast between the two made a very unique outfit. I loved it.

Anonymous

I can certainly see the allure with this style of pants Tricia. I also had some similar, only not the real Navy issue. I like the style alot and the pictures Bella posted are excellent examples of how to wear them. I like the short sleeves cute feminine tops as in the last couple of pictures.
Don't ever give them to the Goodwill. Keep them. If you don't wear them, decorate your house with them! They're cool!

garmenta

If you're balancing out a curvy hip, wide leg pants rock. I bet they're warm, too. I'd try something unexpected and not "nautical," like a wrap top or a short jacket in a vibrant color that likes navy--fuchsia, teal, or coral.

Wedges or 1940s inspired t-straps would be fab with those.

Lee Hovey

Wow, those pants are gorgeous! You better keep them, we can help you make them work. Bella provided some awesome inspiration. I love the idea of a feminine or floaty top tucked in to highlight the fabulous buttons.

I also love Queenie's idea of just trying stuff and posting some pictures as a jumping off point.

Louise

Veteran

I love them i had a pair (not so many buttons) before i lost weight i really miss them and haven't been able to replicate them. Sorry i digress! I used to keep the top half very fitted. are they long enough for heels might help to add a couple of inches if you feel like you're drowning in them and def. post piccies x

Tricia

Veteran

OK, these pictures are HIDEOUS - the lighting in our house is terrible (for some reason almost none of the rooms have overhead lighting, what's up with that? It's really annoying) and I had to take a lot of them myself. But here goes.

Oh, before I start - these are definitely not PPL. I guess I was on crack, or barefoot, when I had them hemmed. But I checked, and the tailor left a good bit of fabric when he hemmed them, so the hem can be taken down again easily. So just pretend that I already did that.

With a white blouse untucked, and red pumps:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GkbfDyw7.....G_2816.JPG

Same blouse, tucked:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Go.....7896940626

Bad image quality here, but you get two closet orphans for the price of one. The blouse is a sleeveless stretchy cotton blouse with a ribbon tie at the throat. I think it might be too small, though - it's from pre-kids. I tried it with a white layering tee underneath and when my husband took a picture with the flash, you could see the white "leaking" through. No shoes here because anything I would pair this with has heels and I didn't want to give Angie a heart attack.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GkbfDyw7.....G_2818.JPG

Blurry pic with white layering tee and raspberry cardi:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Go.....2119453282

Green cardi - too long for these pants, I think:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GkbfDyw7.....G_2832.JPG

World's most hideous photo of me, but pink tank and denim jacket:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GkbfDyw7.....G_2836.JPG

Geez, am I the least photogenic person in the entire world, or what?

I don't really like any of these combos except maybe the white blouse - but I'm still building up my wardrobe, so if you can think of anything else that might work with these pants, let me know. Or, if they're just too high-waisted for my short frame, be honest.

Tanya

Veteran

Hi Tricia, the pants fit you well and I really like the combo with white blouse.

However, I personally think that they are too short for you. With pant legs that wide you want them to literally almost touch the floor. Is there any extra material in the seam that could be let out?

Tricia

Veteran

Yes, there's plenty. I don't know what shoes I was wearing when I had these hemmed years ago - must have been flats. They can come down at least 2 - 2.5 inches. Right now when I'm barefoot they sweep the floor, and I don't wear hugely high heels, so I think that would be enough.

Tanya

Veteran

That's good news I guess I would pick the shoes - maybe those pretty red ones and have them hemmed accordingly.

JennyK (NC)

Do you have a white blouse with ruffles down the center? Or if you don't do ruffles down the front because you're busty, how about a white blouse with frilly collar details and/or ruffled bell sleeves or something like that?

I don't care for the denim jacket with it because I think it makes the look too boxy.

I thought this looked really cute:
http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img.....AFR6qQ.jpg

I don't like the sweater vest in this being cropped, but otherwise find it really interesting:
http://www.nitrolicious.com/bl.....ey_011.jpg

This is what I was trying to describe above:
http://www.style.com/slideshow.....00060m.jpg

I love the shoes that are peeking out of that outfit too!

Tricia

Veteran

Someone mentioned a cropped cardigan with a slim tucked-in layer underneath. Would something like this work, or would it make my bust look too big?

http://www.tulle4us.com/tulle/sweaters/S1180/

medusa

Veteran

Tricia - I want to second that the pants are cute and you can make them work, but I think getting them lengthened is key.

I like the idea of the Tulle cardigan you posted.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Nice suggestions! Wide leg pants are tricky on petite lasses so heels are a must. I’m with Tanya on the pants length (as you may have guessed!)

I'm going back a step:Tricia, how do you feel in these pants?

Tricia

Veteran

That's a good question. Right now, I don't feel great in them because I can't find anything to go with them. But I think they're really unusual and interesting, and I do like wide-leg pants with a more fitted top half. I feel graceful that way and I know that it's flattering to accent my waist. So - I think if I came up with an outfit that really worked well (and lengthened the hem), I'd feel terrific in them. Of course, that assumes I can come up with something that works well, given my body type, etc.