I instantly fell in love with this twinset when I saw it online. Yet I do not wear cardigans, nor do I wear oxblood, lilac and mint. Somehow its cropped length, cashmere comfort, ladylike integrity, twin character, retro vibe, and clashing colour palette appealed to me in a big way. Although hectic to some, this set screamed “happy” to me, and wearing happy clothes makes me happy. It was once again raining during our photo shoot, so good thing I have lots of happy clothes. 

Granted, it’s the bright persimmon parts of the twinset that sealed the deal, and the only reason why I’m wearing oxblood, lilac and mint at all. And I would not have bought the twinset if the persimmon stripe of the under sweater was positioned away from my face. As long as I wear colours that don’t typically work for me with shades that do, I can create a flattering visual effect. 

The cropped length of the twinset makes it an ideal proportional match for flared skirts, which is why I paired it with a dressy, box-pleated charcoal midi. My flared black skirt was another option, but the grey is softer with the clashing colours of the tops, so I went with that. The cardigan can be partially closed under the bust point to create a structured look. But I prefer to wear it unbuttoned because I like the boxiness factor and the patterned effect of the mismatched twin stripes. Scrunching the sleeves adds a relaxed touch. I have frequently worn this twinset with boyfriend jeans and trousers this season. It also works with my tomato red pencil skirt, but because I am into wearing flared skirts at the moment, I haven’t worn that combination yet.

The midi skirt is patterned with a tiny geometric square that makes it feel like a false plain. Pattern mixing the twinset with the skirt is not everyone’s cup of tea, but to me the combination feels fresh, fun and on trend. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I don’t wear jewelry, which makes mixed patterns my bling. 

I’ve had the grey square-toed studded one inch heeled ballet flats for years and like them matched with the skirt. Heeled booties or shooties would have looked more hip, but I was in the mood for “pretty” so went with those. To add to the pretty, I kept my legs cozy with sheer black hose. Opaques would have looked overly harsh with the outfit. I finished off my indoor look with retro black specs, silver watch, wedding ring, and a small black clutch. Subtle and not eye-catching because the twinset makes enough of a statement on its own. 

For outside, I topped off the outfit with a short, wool charcoal coat that I used to love a lot more than I do right now. I bought it before I had my style epiphany a few years ago at a time when I occasionally liked wearing items with complicated style detailing. Now I look at this coat and see a complex vibe that does not gel with current style preferences. There is too much detail, too much ruffle, and not enough simplicity. But I am not ready to let the coat go just yet. It’s beautifully made, toasty warm, fits well, reminds me of my late Mum, and I still enjoy wearing it with this skirt or a pair of jeans. Enough reasons to hold on to it for a little longer. 

I wore this outfit last week on Thanksgiving Day because it is dressy yet casual, neutral yet colourful, structured yet roomy, modern yet classic, and minimal yet maximal. The opposing juxtapositions felt just right for a festive day of eating and reflection with dear friends.