On trial: Sweet Pea top; Boden skirt and clamdiggers - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

On trial: Sweet Pea top; Boden skirt and clamdiggers

Kari

Veteran

After evaluating what is left of my spring and summer "bottoms" after cleaning out my closet, I decided that despite Seattle's relatively short space of warm weather, I really need just one more pair of clams & casual skirt to substitute what I am getting rid of.

I was curious about Boden given their current sales, so I am trying out one "fun skirt" and the white denim clamdiggers. I also found a Sweet Pea top for $19 at Nordstrom Rack (browsing while bra shopping.) All three items are on trial and I'd love to hear your thoughts. Currently I think the clams are a "yes" and I like the top and skirt, but want to make sure I'm not way off base. I welcome your honest feedback.
(Album link: http://s645.photobucket.com/al.....purchases/ and "youlookfab" is the password.)

Boden clamdiggers and Sweet Pea top:
http://i645.photobucket.com/al.....G_581b.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/al.....G_583b.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/al.....G_583b.jpg

Boden Fun Skirt: (I hope this is the "right" kind of A-line as opposed to the gathered or pleated kind that I've just banished from my closet. I'm aiming for something fun and flattering that I can dress up or down a bit, but not a professional fabric or print.)
http://i645.photobucket.com/al.....G_592b.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/al.....G_594b.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/al.....G_600b.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/al.....G_601b.jpg
http://i645.photobucket.com/al.....G_604b.jpg

(As a sidenote: bra shopping was totally successful, and I ended up with my first Chantelle bra ever for a bargain price. Woohoo!)

Dressing

24 replies

Latest reply was from HannahC

Maya

Veteran

Kari, I think everything scores a 10. I know what you mean about puffy pleated skirts, but this one is a nice structured A-line and I LOVE the print. It looks great with so many different colors and tops (my favorite happens to be that delicious red cardigan). Nice to see someone else in Brulees

cciele

Veteran

The Boden fun skirt is awesome! Not only does it look great on you, the colors are so versatile.

The clams seem to fit well, and I also like the Sweet Pea top (what a deal). However, for some reason the top with the dark jeans is not working for me, maybe because the jeans seem too "heavy" for the top? Or it could just be the lighting in the photo

Nice purchases Kari!

anne

Veteran

Kari, all three items are great and yes, I am sure you have got it right about that sort of A-line.

I though the colours of all the tops went well with the skirt, but I like the look of
the green cardi, second red top and the purple top best. Unlike Maya I didn't quite like the cardi with the skirt - nice as a cardi, but the more waist hugging tops looked better.

Ele

(website)

I think everything you got is fantastic, Kari. The clams fit well and I love the fit of the Sweet Pea top on you. The skirt is so fun, and you obviously have loads of stuff that will go with it. I like the print more than the shape, but then I'm addicted to the type of gathered/pleated skirts you've banished I could never give them up!

HannahC

I also think everything looks great on you. Great purchases!

crwilson

Veteran

Kari-
You look awesome in all of the outfits, and you've just convinced me to try the Boden fun skirt. It looks so nice on you, and I like how it goes with so many different tops. It's a perfect shape. How tall are you? The skirt looks like a nice length for you too. Great finds!

yublocka

(website)

Veteran

I love plain a-line cut skirts Kari and the print on this one is AWESOME! Looks great with so many different coloured tops!

The clams also look pretty perfect to me. I love the shape and colour of the Sweet Pea top on you, as well. Personally I find their patterns look a bit too "washed out" for my liking, but if you don't feel that way I think you should keep it as its superbly flattering.

shana

Veteran

Everything looks perfect on you Kari! The sweet pea top is adorable and so perfect on your figure - I wish we had a NR nearby.

Kari

Veteran

Yay, that is great to hear! All items fit well and are quite comfortable, so I'm glad that they pass muster. I was most uncertain about the Sweet Pea top since I wasn't sure if the dropped piece of fabric in front (the faux wrap bit) looked weird, but no one mentioned that as a problem so far. Thanks to all of you for the feedback. I hope it won't be *too* long before it's warm enough again to give them a spin outside.

Maya, I'm liking the Brulees a lot. Hope that it will be warm enough this summer to get lots of wear out of them - we've only had a few sunny days so far.

The red top that some of you liked is actually a seersucker jacket - not a cardigan. Hmm, mixed reviews about whether it works with the skirt - I'm not sure myself, actually. But I do have enough colors without the jacket that I can wear with the skirt so I'm not too worried.

Ele, I like pleated skirts too, but after submitting a large portion of them for review on YLF there was an overwhelming consensus (that I agree with) that they just are not the most flattering shape on me. I have large hips, so I think a gentle, straighter A-line works much better.

CrWilson, I am 5'5" tall, but I also have a high rise/natural waist. I don't know if you have purchased anything through Boden before - I hadn't - I measured exactly in between two sizes, and based on the reviews for the skirt I decided to size up. I think a size down might have been slightly too tight, whereas the larger size fits well in the waist but skims my hips.

Tam, I actually have the opposite reaction to most Sweet Pea prints - I think they look bold and pretty, but I haven't liked most of the prints on me personally. For some reason the muted paisley seemed more "me" than other prints I've seen.

bella

(website)

Veteran

I like everything, too. Skirt is sooo pretty!

lwc

LORD HAMMERCY!!! *faints*

Girl...you look GOOD!!!

The clams fit perfectly. That SP top looks fabulous on you. Nice skirt too...pretty colors with lots of options, some of which you showcased very nicely.

Congrats on scoring the Chantelle bra. Are you wearing it in the pics? Do you love it? I had a bra fitting at Nordies recently, and I bought a Chantelle convertible bra. Now that I know my proper size, I'm hoping to score some deals at the Rack.

Enjoy your great finds!

Vani

Veteran

kari, that sweet pea top is seriously flattering, I heard myself almost whistle in admiration. Absolutely awesome on you. Clams look fab too. And that Boden fun skirt look slike it could be a lot of fun! Very, very nice. Killer haul kari. Oh and congratulations on the Chantelle acquisition. Are you sporting it in these pictures?

Patience

Veteran

Another yea vote for everything! I like the skirt the best with the red tops simply because I think you look awesome in that color.

marianne

I am late, but I agree with everyone - both look terrific. Enjoy!

Lee Hovey

Kari, I adore this skirt on you! And all of those tops look perfect with it, it's amazing you have all the right colored tops for it already! You make me want to go buy that skirt myself!

Lena

I like everything, especially all the skirt outfits. Great job, Kari!

I second Patience - you look terrific in this shade of red.

Kari

Veteran

Wow, again, thank you! (Lesley, I laughed out loud when I read your exclamation.)

Lesley and Niva, I am wearing the Chantelle bra in some of these pictures - with the Sweet Pea top, the green cardigan, and the red jacket. Then I switched to my not-so-comfortable strapless for the red Zara top (the neckline is too wide or mobile for straps.)

Patience and Lena, thanks - I love red too, and it's fun to be able to wear it. Someone mentioned to me at work the other day when I was wearing red that I was "breaking the cardinal rule of redheads" but still looked good.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Well Kari, you score another series of KILLERS and perfect scores of 10. My goodness – you are on a roll! I can barely stand it! That’s just about the prettiest skirt I have seen all season. AMAZING. I love it both with the green and red tops. The red jacket looks quite nice, but not quite as sassy as the other hip knits. The blue and purple tops will probably make effective colour vehicles with a denim jacket layered over them. You look sensational!

The Brullees look fabulous too! We have a week of 74 degrees plus ahead of us so I’m sure they’ll come out to play. You are set for our very short Summer. It’s time to focus on Autumn clothing already. We’ll leave the rest of the Summer shopping to the gals in AZ and TX!

Kari

Veteran

Hooray! I'm very glad that the skirt works well. I love the colors but started to get a bit nervous about whether such a big print on my big old hips would look all wonky. The fit is great and it's so light and breezy - I think this will be my new go-to casual skirt. Angie, thanks so much - I will definitely break out the denim jacket with it!

Yup, I am totally done with summer shopping (I'd hoped to find a cheap bathing suit that I didn't hate myself in, but no luck - I can hold out for another year & save up for a good suit.) I don't have much on my fall list either since I scratched the casual light brown boots off my list, so I may be able to save my shopping $$ for quite some time.

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

That skirt is AWESOME. It is so very Kari, too! LOVE the print, and the cut is perfect for you. I gasped when I saw it -- such a difference from the summer ones you just banished! I hope you can see the difference in them, because I sure can!

The clams are great, but I have to confess I did not love the Sweet Pea top; like you said in one of the comments, the extra flap hanging down was distracting from the front view. That said, it looked great in the side shot so maybe it was just the photo!

Kari

Veteran

Kristen, I definitely see the difference. Yay! I'm glad to have a non-pencil skirt for summer (as well as the coral skirt that I kept from the pile of give-aways.)

I wonder about cutting the Sweet Pea top so that the dropped piece of fabric in the front doesn't hang down as far. There is a similar top on Nordstrom's website (granted, on very skinny models) and the front piece of fabric hardly hangs down at all. http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/30.....4&P=4
According to Angie the raw edge of the mesh material won't fray if you cut it with scissors, so I'm considering veeeeery carefully sculpting just that one piece of material until it doesn't hang down so far. I don't hate the way it looks on me, but I think it would be a little less awkward and more "wrap like" if it was closer to the length of the rest of the top.

Inge

(website)

I almost missed this thread. Wow Kari, I'm SO glad you decided to get that Boden skirt. I knew a 'straight' A-line would work. Well, it more than works, you look stunning!

I actually don't mind the longer piece of fabric in front on the Sweet Pea top, but it will look good a little shorter too. Keep us posted about the 'procedure'?-)

Violet

Kari, I"m a bit late here but just wanted to chime in and say that you look great in both outfits. The skirt is great and I love seeing how versatile it is with all the different tops.

I bought the Brulees as well since Angie posted about them. They are so comfortable and versatile.

HannahC

Kari,

I actually like that piece of fabric that hangs down in the front of the Sweet Pea top - I think it makes the hem more interesting, if this makes any sense? It also emphasizes the "wrap" feature of the top. But I am sure it will look great if you cut it off as well.