WiW: weekend casual - YouLookFab Forum

Weekend casual is the most difficult style category for me to achieve. Which tells me something about my style, I suppose. I just don't do casual well! I am much more comfortable dressed up. I have always been this way, not like I'm going to change anytime too soon now...

Style goals for the weekend:

1) Look casual. It's the weekend.
2) Put my cobalt purse into action. It is a casual purse.
3) Wear things I haven't worn enough this summer.
4) Accommodate for slightly cooler temps. It's been really hot all summer. This is a switch for me. Always find the temp switch awkward to dress for...

Pic 1, Sunday: for errand running/consignment shopping w/MIL, dinner out, art reception. Green AT dress, off-white cardigan, cobalt purse, zebra Me-Too flats.

I liked this outfit when I threw it on. I liked it less and less as the day wore on. Wish I had worn metallic wedge heels instead. I chose flats for comfort but this dress just begs for heels, it looks better with heels to my eyes. All day I felt schlumpy in the flats. And, the off-white cardigan is super sweet (not sure you can see the detailing on it) but I MUCH prefer myself in white, rather than off white. I did, however, like the juxtaposition of green plus cobalt. (My hubby calls this my Cruel Green Dress, if anyone is interested. My MIL also adores this dress. I have worn it a lot. I just like it far better with no cardi and with heels, not flats).

Pic 2: Monday. For trip to DSW and then dinner out with the hubby. This outfit was items gleaned from the closet declutter. Items that have been stuck in storage all summer, and probably should not have been.

INC white cargo clams - I have these duplicated in army green and wore those all summer long when I needed a break from dresses. All summer, I kept wondering where my white shorts/clams were... d'oh... I have dug these out today (the cargos shown plus two other knee length white shorts) and they are keepers. Worn with metallic wedge heels I should have worn yesterday. Cobalt purse again. And navy blue asymmetrical top -- was not in storage, has been in wardrobe rotation but ignored.

I will have to say the hubby does not care for these cargo capris. Long convo about them tonight. He says they fit on me like he imagines BF jeans might, and he's totally right on that. But I have to disagree with hubby and I do think there is a place in my wardrobe for this sort of fit.

Pic 3 -- same outfit with ATL army green jacket, I brought along thinking it might get cool enough, and it didn't. This one was also dug out of storage and it's going back into rotation for the fall. I have plans for it, just need weather to cooperate!

Overall observations: I MUCH prefer myself dressed up. I don't do casual all that well. It's just not "me." I know there are times when casual is what one must wear. I just don't do those occasions as well. I feel like a fish out of water. Or even like I'm trying too hard! When it's only supposed to be casual? What is the deal with that??

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11 years ago

Jaime

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Veteran

Well you may not think you do casual well but I love your cargo shorts outfit. I love a good asymmetric top! You look great in the blue dress as well. I am much more comfortable in casual clothes than dress up, but a lot of that is a function of my environment I think.

pil

You look adorable in the green dress, but I think I agree with you about the shoes and sweater.

What about your denim jackets to "casualize" your outfits for a happy medium?

shiny

Pil, I would totally wear my denim jacket (I adore it) it just hasn't been cool enough here. Or I am running much much too hot lately. I am afraid we'll have a blip of a Fall, as we had a blip of a Spring, and a blip of a Fall last year too -- snowed before Halloween; hit 90s in April.

Seriously, I have brought my denim jacket along hoping it would get cool enough and it hasn't. It has seen no wear this year. It has only seen the back seat of my car. I've barely even needed a light-weight cardi, this weekend was the first in a long while, keeping it on for more than a few hours.

annagybe

I really like #3 with the army green jacket. Hope you get more wear out of it.

I should have known that you would have already thought of that ; )

Ariadne

Shiny, I hear you--I would prefer to dress up a little more, but my lifestyle doesn't allow it. I find casual stylish dressing very tricky, and I've been working on it almost daily for over 4 years now!

I LOVE your metallic wedges. What are they?

fashionista

Loved your outfit. You look casual and chic altogether. Loved those shoes in the first outfit.

Lyn D.

Outfit #2 works really well as a stylish casual outfit.
I love the cargo capris- perfect length and they look Fab with the pop of turquoise in the T.
Don't be hard on yourself- it is much better I think to err on the side of smart for casual wear- it looks as though you have made a thoughtful effort to your weekend outfits.

lyn67

Definetelly very polished casual outfits here which suit you and I all love!

rute

Love it! Casual but chic!

Kiwichik

I think your casual looks in 2& 3 are perfect but do agree that the green dress would be even better with heels & no cardi.

Deborah

Personally I love that you err on the side of dressy casual. It suits you and I think these outfits look great. You have managed a nice balance between dressy and casual.

jayne

I love your outfits,especially 2. And I so feel that casual resistance like you. Now that I feel I have a handle on my work style, I made is a point to start working on a casual one. I am keeping it a limited wardrobe because, really, for fall and winter I will wear such outfits about once a weekend (as I am super outoorsey so gear is more likely) and maybe 1 time a week for a shopping trip. So size is sorted and that gives me freedom to purchase a quality set of casual items that should form a style. I found it helps me to separate my styles. Work is classic and preppy an only a touch feminine.

For casual, I decided to go for those fringe styles I am attracted to but dont fir for work Like (gt this mix) boho, western, and rock n roll. Actually didn't buy anything pure rock n roll but I see a way i can reuse parts of the other two. I actually, for the first time in my life, look forward to dressing on weekends because I get to play with a totally different style. This has yet to be proven as fall is my first attempt for real, but I did try some with my summer style. There is promise that I will enjoy it, and then develop a casual style in the end.

I don't feel wearing flats is a necessity to signal casual. I never wear complete flats. And my loafers are part of my work style. So maybe you are just a heals lady, both on and off from work!?

I don't know if my input helps, I am just maybe sharing my method to solve the same problem. (I also had to work hard to make my work style less formal, as it does nt sit my environment, so I have been on this path longer, in a way)

celia

I think you do casual extremely well, even the cargo shorts DH doesn't like

I guess each one of us feels more like herself in certain items or dress codes.I feel myself either in smart casual clothes or dressier items but feel very dowdy in most business casual outfits.

Suz

I LOVE that asymmetrical top!!! Top envy here.

Also love your sandals.

I, too, struggle with casual, but since I work at home, it is my life! Getting my head around that and figuring out how to dress for it is my big challenge and one reason I joined YLF. Let us say, this is still a work in progress and I still think I'd be looking a lot better in a uniform of dresses, pencil skirts, and jackets!

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