WIW: Grays & Blues - YouLookFab Forum

Category

What I Wore

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

WIW: Grays & Blues

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

In my continuing experiment of wearing everything I have in my closet (old and new) to see what works and doesn’t work and determine what to keep or toss, today I’m wearing a muted colour palette but psychedelic patterned tunic I’ve had for about three years. It reminds me of the 1960’s and is very soft and comfy to wear. I’ve paired it with a dark gray-blue sleeveless vest that’s got a self-fabric flower detail on the upper right side. On the bottom half are my gray tights and my dark gray boots.

The tunic and the vest – are they “keepers”? Does this outfit work together proportionately? If the tunic is keep, what other ways would you suggest to wear it (I’ve worn it with a black blazer) – could it work with a denim jacket? I also have a cropped slightly trapeze style winter white jacket with collar that might work with the tunic to pull out the winter white colour in it.

As always, all comments/suggestions welcome.

P.S. This felt WAY more like “me” than my outfit yesterday!

Vest: Cleo Petites
Tunic: Cleo Petites
Tights: Hue
Boots: Sears
Heart pendant: thrifted

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

23 replies

Latest reply was from Transcona Shannon

Parsley

Veteran

Shannon, I think the tunic is great- I love that retro feeling. The vest I'm not loving so much. The flower detail just doesn't work for me.

I think a cropped style jacket would probably work with it, although I"m not sure about trapeze-style winter white. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at *imagining* what will look good. I usually have to see things and then decide. Maybe that will come with experience, but right now it results in endless trying on to see what works.

Thumbs up on the dress, tights and boots, anyway!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, it's amazing how different the impression is with today's colours! I'm stunned. You are just SOOOOO much more gorgeous in these greys, blues, whites, black.

I love the tunic on you and I really like the idea of the vest, though personally, like Kelly, I'm not a fan of the flower detail. (I get fussy like that, LOL.) I think, ideally, the vest might be a bit shorter, but it's hard to know for sure due to the photo angle; i think sometimes we're all working at a disadvantage there. (I have the same problem of needing to have photos taken in a really tight space.) I would for sure keep the tunic and try it with the other items you mentioned.

Are these your new boots? They look fab!

Claudia

Veteran

I actually REALLY like this! Vest and all.

It looks quite hip and modern to me and gives you a long lean look. Great colors!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I love that tunic!! I'm not a big vest person in general, so it's really my own style filter getting in the way of seeing it objectively. Glad you feel more 'you' today!

Amy

(website)

Veteran

I love you in these colors! I like the vest too, but think it would be better over skinny pants and a less voluminous top.

Diana

Veteran

I like both the tunic and the vest, but I think not together (although it might help to belt the vest...). I would love to see the tunic with a more fitted/structured, shorter vest or jacket.

Kappy

Veteran

I think all these pieces are keepers (and I agree that you look great in these colors). I'm not 100% sold on the vest *with* the tunic though. It doesn't look bad (at all!) but I'm not sure each piece shines when worn together. Mainly because of the "drop down" hem in front on the vest (I'm sure it has a "technical" name that escapes me). That doesn't seem to work with the "outward" flare on the bottom of the tunic. It seems like those two elements are fighting each other a bit.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Thanks all - I totally get what you're saying about the tunic and vest together. Because I'm not happy showing my mid-section, I do find the tunic too body conscious to wear on its own so will always top off with something else. I did try it with a belt over the vest but it just added too much bulk and accentuated bits I don't need to accentuate! I will try it with other toppers and see what works. I haven't tried the vest yet with skinnies as per Amy's suggestion - will try that as well. I truly do appreciate all of your suggestions.

Suz - please excuse my photographic ignorance but I'm unsure what you are referring to when you say the "angle" of the picture? This has been mentioned in my last two WIW posts and yet it's the exact same location and angle as all of my previous WIW posts. Has something changed? What would be preferred so that I can optimize the photo for my YLF readers?

Claudia

Veteran

Hmm. And one of the things I liked about this vest with this tunic was that the angled drape of the vest points mimicked the angles in the tunic pattern. Shannon, I thought that was an intentional choice and well chosen on your part!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Claudia - it actually was intentionally chosen for the angles and the fit - but I seem to be drawing some mixed reviews about it.

Claudia

Veteran

How are your co-workers responding to today's outfit? Mixed, too?

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Quite favourable actually.

Makrame

Veteran

I like both tunic and vest but then I did not notice the flower detail until it was pointed out in other posts. The angled hem of the vest is something that I actually like.

I was also thinking of a cropped jacket in a dark color - I was going to suggest trying the tunic out with a denim jacket and then I saw that you have already mentioned this in your original post.

rachylou

Veteran

I like it! And you really do look much brighter in these shades.

If I were to do anything to take it up another notch, I'd switch the "slouchy" boots for sleeker ones in navy. Which I think would be pretty hard to find and turn you into a Bond girl, not that they aren't hot ;>

catgirl

Veteran

Shannon, I love it. What a funky fun tunic! I wear my "magic" Nine West dress with a black vest-y thing in a very similar way. Here's a link to Mary and me wearing something similar, only belted, but I've worn mine unbelted as well:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....rl-copycat

sarah

Veteran

Yes, yes, yes - they are keepers! I adore that mod tunic on you (and I can see what you mean about it being 'you'). Terrific combination.

Deborah

Veteran

Shannon, I love this! The dress is gorgeous and the vest is a great piece. I wear layers like this a lot so I am a biased towards the look :). I do think perhaps a more draped vest or a soft fine knit cest might BR better (something like Alaskagirl is wearing) would flow with the dress a bit better. This look is definitely you!

amyreh

(website)

Veteran

I actually like these together, I think you look fun and modern. Isn't it great when you get mixed reviews? : )
I would definitely try this vest with a tee and skinny jeans too, and the denim jacket with this dress sounds great as well!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Amy - I actually DO enjoy the mixed reviews! It's interesting to hear all the different perspectives and learn from them. It's all food for thought!

Rachylou - don't Bond girls have to be well-endowed??? 'cause I'm not meeting that criteria at all (lol)!

Suz - forgot to answer your question about whether or not these were my new boots. The cognac boots I posted last week are my new ones. These grey ones I bought about 2 months ago from Sears - they are faux leather but good quality and extremely comfortable.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

KILLER

rae

(website)

Veteran

I actually like it with the vest! The rouching at the shoulder seems edgy next to the print of the tunic. If anything, i'd swap out the heart pendant for something abstract, to marry with the other design elements, but that's just being picky.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, I really love the angles of the vest (esp. with the tunic) so no problem from me, there. I just thought it might be a tiny bit shorter (the vest) to be ideal, but that is being super-picky! I would wear it like this, and ALSO try the other combos you have.

As to the angle of the photos, here is my question. How tall is your lovely assistant? If she is almost as tall, as tall, or taller than you, if she is STANDING when she takes this photo (at close range, because I know you're squeezed in there), then what happens is you get foreshortened in the photos. It looks as if your legs are shorter than they are. The way to avoid that (and I learned this from Aida, who seems to know all about this!) is to ask her to crouch down a bit when she takes the pic. That way we get a somewhat truer sense of your proportions, although it won't be perfect.

This is what I have had to ask my daughter to do. She is pretty close to my height. And she's taking pics from just a few feet away when we're inside and people kept telling me to put on some HEELS. Well, I know I have short legs. But in some cases I WAS wearing heels! In the pics my legs looked WAY shorter than in reality. Once I got her to crouch a bit, my proportions looked much more like they look IRL.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Ah ha Suz...I get it now! Thank you so much for the explanation. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what you meant....duh....and of course, being only 5'1", EVERYBODY is taller than me!!! And you are right in that Kristin is standing a mere 2 feet from me (if that). I'll ask her to try this tomorrow - can you let me know tomorrow if the photo is better?
And thank you for your critique and advice, as always - much appreciated!