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rae

(website)

Veteran

Why did I wear this? I must have gotten cocky to try and wear every single widening, leg-shortening thing I own all at once - without any traditionally flattering things to combat them.

Flats? Check. Mid-calf boots? Check. High contrast between boots and legs? Check. Big, billowy hip thing? Check. Pant-semisheer-top-bra grinning situation that draws the eye straight to my gut? Check and check.

I felt so. darn. uncomfortable. all. day. Super glad to be home!

FWIW, here was my on-the-job inspiration, although at least this one has a heel!:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/jo.....sonalizeds

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/jo.....t&

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/fr.....wordsearch

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28 replies

Latest reply was from Beth Ann

Deborah

Veteran

Rae I think you are being too hard on yourself May I suggest the camera angle may the culprit here? The only thing I would change is black boots instead of these lighter ones. Overall the look is a column of black and it looks long and sleek. Black footwear would have just continued the column effect. I think you still look great.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, Deborah... though the camera is actually being nice in this case. I was fine until I walked into work and saw myself in the mirrors there. Ugh. My black platform booties would have been so much better!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

What Deborah said. Especially about being too hard on yourself!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You are way too hard on yourself. This workplace challenge thing is super tough and you are carrying it off brilliantly. I have no doubt you have probably sold a pile of stuff just by showing your versions here and giving the link!

Thistle

Veteran

I third Deborah. The outfit is lovely and I see none of what you do. I would have selected black boots or colored shoes instead, but this is still quite lovely.

Joy

Veteran

I was going to say that you are being too hard on yourself, but everyone else beat me to it
I agree with Deborah that maybe just changing out the light boots for black ones would have helped how you felt about the outfit. You look lovely

Parsley

Veteran

I think there's an echo! I was going to say that you're being way too hard on yourself!
I think you look great, and your eye is way more critical than anyone else's.
Seriously, you don't look wide and your legs don't look short!
Maybe you're able to make even more improvements, but trust me, I think you look terrific already.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Switch and the boots and you're good to go! And I like the flow of this outfit.

Gigi

Veteran

I agree that changing the boots would take this outfit to a new level. And I am loving that sweater! It looks great on you.

If you want to see a leg-shortening outfit, you should see what I have on today. It is very cold and so I needed a long skirt that I could layer under...so I have on my J. Jill drawstring maxi skirt that is two sizes too big, plus a turtleneck with a really high neck so that it looks like I have no neck at all (and I have a long neck!). So there.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Haha, Gigi. You did make me feel better - I guess we all do this sometimes when trying to be comfortable. I chose the flats knowing that I'd be running up and down stairs all the livelong day. I hope you stayed warm!

Truly, I am not figure bashing myself or anything like that. I just feel like I should know better by now what I am going to feel great in.

Debbie

Veteran

I agree with everyone else. You are way too hard on yourself.

dlb1960

I think you look perfectly fine BUT I do understand and sympathize with your feelings. I too have dressed myself in what I thought was ok, gone out for the day and totally wished I could rip off the outfit and start again. And the longer the day goes on the worse the discomfort. And the hatred of the outfit intensifies with every minute! Relief is sweet when you get home and resort to the tracky dacs and a cold glass of white wine!

carambola

Veteran

Sorry you were uncomfortable. I can relate to that feeling of UGH once you're out and it's too late to change, but I wish I looked as good as you do here on my off days. Hope this is not coming across as invalidating your feelings, just trying to say that you have amazing style and very high standards for yourself

Kiwibird

Don't be too hard on yourself - we all have those days where we felt we should've known better! I too would change the boots for black ones but you really do look great!!!

deb

Veteran

You look fine. Really!

Anonymous

Adding my voice to the chorus, you are too hard on yourself!

kkards

Veteran

I would imagine its really difficult to work were there are mirrors around every corner and not have a day every so often that you just think what was I thinking when I got dressed this morning.
Like the others I think you are too hard on yourself. Would love to see a version of this with black boots or flats.

dianne

I love your outfit- I am inspired to try it out for myself today!!

viva

Veteran

I so know that feeling ... once you are there mentally, nothing will make you feel better than taking everything off! But as everyone has said, you are your own worst critic. I look and just see beautiful Rae! Different shoes, more height, could have made a difference in the overall outfit but you still look gorgeous.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I understand the feeling but must join the chorus that you really are being too hard on yourself. Switch out with darker booties (I think burgundy would be fab -- lower contrast while still providing a little break from the black), and you're good to go! You still look fantastic, and I'm sure no one who saw you saw the things you describe.

Still, kudos to you for recognizing when something doesn't make you *feel* fab and knowing it's not a combo you wish to repeat.

Anonymous

Ooh, I like Janet's idea of burgundy boots too. I'm also going to swell the chorus with an extra voice saying you're being too hard on yourself. I always thing you look amazing.

Classically Casual

Veteran

Personally, it makes me nuts that mirrors are so different. As I go about my day, I look fine/good in some mirrors and awful in others. I may just stop looking into the bad ones and be an ostrich...gym mirror, I'm talking about you!

JulieJohn

Veteran

I commiserate, though to my eyes you look leggy and I see no gut a'tall.

Once I wore some white jeans that give me "plumber's butt" to a videography shoot. I was fine while standing / sitting, but bending over revealed a gauche expanse of lower back. And I was constantly bending over to adjust tripod legs, pick up equipment from the ground, etc. Hours of indignity, and pulling down my top. I feel your pain.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Actually, the column of colour is very elongating, and your black hair makes the column look even longer.

K. Period.

Veteran

There! See?!? All of us agree. You are being to hard on yourself. The problem is that you are used to looking absolutely phenomenal and this just looks very good. You set a super high standard for yourself. But, while I won't agree with you that this was a flop, I will gladly commiserate with you on how awful it is to spend a day wearing something that you don't like in the slightest! That is the worst. It always tempts me to run out and buy a rescue piece to fix the outfit for the day. And that is horrible because typically I'm either rescuing a piece that doesn't need a rescue (i.e., I have good pieces at home to go with it, so a new piece isn't needed) or I'm buying a rescue piece for a piece that needs to go (i.e., I'm throwing good money after bad). Those are the toughest days to get through for me because I'm constantly fighting with the irrational need to feel better immediately about one bad outfit and the rational side of me that knows better than to waste that money! Good for you toughing it out, though.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Thank you for the kind words, everyone. I am a bit puzzled, though, (and I totally hope I don't sound ungrateful, because I just want to hug everyone for being so nice) because I do not see it as being hard on myself - just as a statement of my level of discomfort. And man, the discomfort was high. I hope it is okay to genuinely dislike something on me, and I equally hope I did not sound complain-y and compliment-dig-y!

Lisa

Veteran

I'm with others I like this entire look except for the boots. The boot style looks more rugged and contrasts with the artistic style of the top and jeans here. One tweak and you have a great outfit here.

Beth Ann

Veteran

I don't read your "outfit dissatisfaction" as complaining, but just that discomfort that we all know from feeling like we're wearing a "miss" all day long. I think most of us saw a beautiful woman in a look that needed just a few changes, and we all have a desire to encourage you, too! Our encouragement is real and heartfelt, but I do understand how you might need us to go beyond that --- to help you get closer a higher volume, more flowy look that feel like "you."

I wonder about pairing the top half with a tapered pencil skirt and heeled boots, or switching out to a pair of skinnies with more structure through the leg.