my first "signature piece"--help with outfits please!

Hi Ladies,
Sheesh it seems like so long since I have posted! I had an amazing vacation to London(now one of my top two cities in the world, second only to San Francisco), and ofcourse did some shopping and fell completely off my prior controlled-shopping wagon. Blame it on Primark...
But here is the deal.I bought this cute top at a store called "Next". From across a crowded room I saw it on the rack and my mouth immediately formed an "oooh" , eyes got wide and the rest is history. So now I am playing in my closet to see what works best with this little top.It is very fall/winter in pattern although the fabric is not very heavy(it is a knit), so it is perfect for winters in the south.
This is it all by itself:
http://s938.photobucket.com/al.....ePiece.jpg

I played with all sorts of options in my closet, including some I would not normally choose, and I think it works well with some and better with others. Please be frank, let me know your thoughts:

With straight/wider cut denim:
http://s938.photobucket.com/al.....eDenim.jpg

With white denim(thought that may be a nice early fall transition outfit here in the south):
http://s938.photobucket.com/al.....eDenim.jpg

With my first pair of skinnies(thanks Primark!):
http://s938.photobucket.com/al.....innies.jpg

With my grey flannel pencil skirt:
http://s938.photobucket.com/al.....lSkirt.jpg

With my grey wool pants:
http://s938.photobucket.com/al.....pants2.jpg

With my wide leg lightweight black wool pants:
http://s938.photobucket.com/al.....ideLeg.jpg

With my black bermudas(thought it may work for those warm "winter" days we sometimes get here):
http://s938.photobucket.com/al.....rmudas.jpg

I normally would have just tried it with the pencil skirt and straight leg denim so even trying these outfits was out of my usual comfort zone, but it was fun and I liked some of the other looks.Which do you think work best?

Thanks a heap! (and thanks London, can't wait to visit again! Fab, fab city,Wow.)

16 years ago

Steph

Veteran

I love that top--it's adorable, and you definitely won't walk into a room and see anyone else wearing it!

I actually liked it best with the straight leg jeans and the pencil skirt. Having said that, I thought it looked good with almost all of your outfits. My least favorite was with the grey flannel pants (I'm not sure why, I just didn't love it) and the wide leg jeans (I think that the flare on the top plus the volume on the jeans rubbed me the wrong way). I'm also not sure I love it with the bermuda shorts. I thought the outfit was really flattering, but shorts just seem so summery to me, and the pattern on the top seems so much more fall/winter, so it didn't seem to work together as well as some of the other options.

NCYogini4

Active Member

Wow, what a gorgeous, versatile top- and how great it looks on you! I loved this top with your straight leg, white denim, and skinnies. I also loved it with the pencil skirt. I wasn't as crazy with it with wide leg pants- but I'm by no means an expert on this forum.

This shirt is so sweet on you. How sassy would it be with your skinnies or straight legs and a pair of yellow shoes? I'm looking forward to your finished outfits!

medusa

PF, your new top is killer. I love it. I want to steal it from you, except it looks so great on you I can't.

I liked it with all the bottoms. My least favorite was the wide leg wool pants, because of the flaring issue Steph mentioned. But even that didn't seem awful. And I think it looks excellent with all the other skirts/pants you showed.

Maybe some colorful accessories would be good with the more neutral combinations you've put together?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Glad you a had a lovely time in London, PF! Have you told us about it yet? It’s one of my favourite and most visited cities too. Next is a lovely store and I know it well. It does nice blokes stuff too.

Back to gorgeous you in that KILLER piece! Wow! You look amazing! I LOVE the outfits with the white jeans, straight leg jeans, black skinnies, pencil skirt and clams. Lots of options!

bella

Great top! I love it with white jeans, black skinnies and bermudas. I think it looks good with the pencil skirt as well.

cciele

That is a cool top; I love the pattern! It looks really versatile. I like it best with the white jeans, bermudas, and pencil skirt. Great buy!

RoseandJoan

I'm glad you liked the British High Street and your Next top looks fantastic to me, personally I liked the straight legs, white denim and bermudas the best.

How do you think the British and American High Streets compare?

PalmFronds

Thanks so much for your feedback Ladies! I was partial to the pencil skirt and straight leg denim myself, but the white jeans and the bermudas I also really liked and was a bit surprised at myself Wohoo! Multiple options. I can't wait to wear this little top, wish the heat would settle down here at least a LITTLE bit!

I love the ideas about using colorful accessories with these outfits too. I probably would have otherwise gone neutral and let the top alone be the bolder piece, but some yellow shoes like NYC suggested would be fantastic I think. I have a darker teal handbag that would work great too. Must play some more...

Angie and Rose, I had the most fantastic time in London, my heart jumps even thinking about it now. I am not much of a "high street" shopper myself. I infact stayed away from Regent street entirely aside from a casual glance into the stores because my budget was quite stretched by the trip alone much less any shopping. Overall many shops were a bit more expensive than I normally spend on myself save for special items like coats, and even those I tend to wait until sales. I did get a wonderful brown leather jacket for 90 pounds,and went insane trying out trends in the Primark store.We stayed in a hotel off Oxford street near Marble Arch so we were in the midst of everything, food, shopping etc. Love that foodmart in Selfridges, I think I was in there every other day.I still have not even see their clothing selection.

Much of what I loved about London was the feel of the city, the immense diversity of people, food and styles, and ofcourse the history( I am a not-so-closeted history fanatic) and architecture.The weather was lovely, which ofcourse helped as well. My sister, who was also on the trip, is already trying to find ways to move there or to atleast work for part of the year in London. We were really blown away. Can't wait to go back.

Louise

Don't you just love Primark! The top is gorgeous i'm seeing quite a bit of that pattern at the moment.
Glad you enjoyed London i've only been once but also loved it and funnily enough we stayed just off Oxford street near Marble Arch oooo you're making me want to go again!

rute

WOW.. love it! My favorites are with the skinnies (lovely the skinnies fits you perfect), with the grey skirt!

Very good work!

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