WIW: (Slightly) Slouchy + Silky for work and play

It continues to remain ridiculously, beautifully, unseasonably warm and sunny. Has me worried about summer drought and wildfires but in the meantime...I'm dressing for it!

Lots of old favorites here + 1 new item (the navy wool dress pants that look black thanks to my lighting).

FOR PLAY: My custom silk twill Book Lover’s Halter Top + my version of dressy shorts + my orange patent "happy bag" + DIY'd to silver wedge sandals, complete with one extra blurry mid-photo interruption by Mr Vix (shorts are work pants converted a few summers ago after tailoring issues drove me nuts...I usually wear them Barely Boho-ho style)

FOR WORK: My beloved, multiway Periwinkle Silk Goes Goddess-y Blouse worn knotted at the side and high-necked vs sashed and V-neck etc + navy pants + cobalt linen sweater + piles of freshwater pearl necklaces + patent cage sandals.

I know the periwinkle especially is not to everyone's taste (it remains the #1 most-hated item in my closet for some friends and Mr V, ha!) but thanks for looking!

12 years ago

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Not everyone can pull off a top like your periwinkle one but I think it is BRILLIANT on you. It might easily look frumpy or wrong on many. It's unique and stylish -- it looks like it belongs in 2013 but at the same time doesn't have the reek of a ubiquitous trend.

Your style is quite a bit more polished than mine, which might be a function of our lifestyles and where we live. Still I really enjoy looking at your WIWs and studying your expertise with color and form.

Transcona Shannon

I love how you've knotted the blue blouse and given it a different silhouette and another colour peeking out from underneath. Brilliant!

Anonymous

Thank you for posting, Vix! I love the first outfit with the (converted!) shorts, no wonder they look so perfectly tailored. I love the print and cut of the top with them and those pewter sandals are gorgeous. Your periwinkle top is beautiful under the sweater, I can't believe it has inspired hatred! Your multi-hued pearls are lovely and uncommon too.

Caro in Oz

I love your colour pallet Vix - so rich & luxurious. Your accessories are the icing on the cake - just beautiful.

Kiwichik

Oh my don't you look gorgeous in both outfits - love the tailored shorts and halter top - that pop of orange makes me happy too. I've loved your goddess top for ever and you wear it in so many different ways. I popped over to your blog and the photos are just beautiful.

Suz

These outfits are both beautiful. The shorts are terrific, and what a great reminder that pants that might not be PPL or whose silhouette doesn't appeal that much any more can be repurposed for a new life!

And the periwinkle top is just gorgeous on you. It may not be universally loved, but it's hard to understand why when the colour is so brilliant on you.

I am amazed at how well those sandals are holding up. I remember your post about making them silver.

Jaime

Absolutely stunning. As Denise said, you look polished, and I think the perfect fit and proportions somehow rein in the incredible colors and luxurious textures. The effect is just heavenly without being too much in any way. If this is your least popular top, bring on the popular numbers please!

bj1111

Love the goddess blouse and the piles of colored pearls. Where did you put the sash?

Vicki

You are too funny and I love your Pucci-esque in shorts outfit. I love your periwinkle top and the knotted finish (I keep wanting to call it "cobalt," so I may need a "color class" from you!) You look amazing!

Vix

All -- Thank you! I totally fell for the whole vibe of the periwinkle top last spring and after much internal debate purchased it. It really is just a huge rectangle -- much like the Greek chiton -- and I love that you can pretty much do anything with it. [BJ -- I left the sash at home for this variation.]

IRL folks who dislike the periwinkle tend to hate:

the volume
the "homemade-looking" peasant drawstring neckline
and/or the bridesmaid-shiny

I'm all "peeps those are features not bugs in my world" but whatcha gonna do. When I had the similar Parade of Peacock Feathers Dress made I changed 2/3 things and Mr Vix and one of my most vocal haters were placated.

Unlike ole Peri, the freshwater pearls tend to be universally loved IRL and together with the glass pendant are worn constantly. Two are double strands, and the grey a single strand. I wear them together alone etc...seeing a theme in my loves? I realized I wore the glass pendant + halter when I showed it 2 years ago. Apparently I'm boring but loyal (and hey, at least my hair was short and is now long again, ha)!

...more in a minute...

CocoLion -- It's a little bit funny to read your response because I always think the same thing when I look at your "WIW" posts.

In addition to enjoying how you play with texture, color, proportion, I think we have a bit of overlap with our love of the drapey. Plus similar enough body shapes/heights/modifiers (I just need the corset to turn me into your Hourglass!) that I'm always scrutinizing how you manage to get the hemlines on every top to hit in just the right place when I struggle so much, #$^&@ you. [Oops, and thank you too!]

Shannon, Caro, and BJ -- Thank you! I love blues and greens together whether bold or stealth. My magpie side comes out with accessories more than anything else (hence Minimalist Magpie being one of my style personas) but when there's shiny you see I sometimes end up going maximal.

Claire, Suz, Kiwichik, Shevia, and Vicki -- So glad my bullet points don't apply!

Suz, that Tarrago leather dye lasts and lasts for me. I have triumphed over my shopping enemy, shoes that are wrong for my skintone but right in other ways!

Kiwi, thank you for being partial to the goddess blouse from the start. And you're too kind -- luckily I'm a bit better with the camera when it comes to photographing landscapes or the environment vs self-portraits!

Vicki, I confess the top is soooo shiny it looks different in every lighting. [A bit dark here.] But I'd call my sweater cobalt. Does that help or make things worse?

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