A few WIWs - colorful but lumpy

Anne Boleyn

One of the reasons I haven't been posting is that when I'm stressed, I just wear the same comforting outfit for days in a row. Oops. Does anyone else do that or is it just a China habit I've picked up?

The trend over the past few weeks has been exhaustion-and-early-mornings, leading to warm, cozy, and colorful ensembles - but kinda frumpy nonetheless. Hm. Not sure how to fix that. Ideas?

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13 years ago

What I Wore

13 replies

Latest reply was from Anne Boleyn

Anonymous

I see nothing wrong with your colorful, cozy outfits. My favorite is the last one. If you thought it would help, you could plan what you are going to wear ahead of time and lay the outfit out to put on in the worning. There is something about not having to decide what to wear in the morning that makes things easier.

13 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

I like your color combos. And yes I def repet when stressed. Nothing to be ashamed of.

13 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You are always adorable. And no reason not to repeat (well, unless the clothes are dirty, that is!) I really LOVE #1, and I would be repeating that endlessly if I were you. Fantastic colour combo!

13 years ago

ManidipaM

Veteran

I picked up a magnifying glass to check, but still seeing no frump

And way to make effective use of coloured tights! Lovely tonal variations in each outfit.

I especially dig the skirts---you look so good in all the different shapes. If I had a formula that worked as well, you BET I'd be living in it day in and day out. That's *signature style*, milady, not same-y-ness!

13 years ago

Diana

Veteran

These are all super cute and cozy looking! Not frumpy at all, and the colors are cheerful and interesting. I particularly like the first combination.

PS - Has anyone told you that you look like Mary Tyler Moore?

13 years ago

Anne Boleyn

Active Member

Thanks ladies! I think I get so concerned about being frumpy because my classmates and friends often make fun of me for looking "teachery" since most students here dress in leggings, jeans, sweatpants... our dorm building contains the cafeteria, and is connected to our classroom building which contains our library... you can imagine how much effort people put into dressing up for the librarians So skirts make me look more formal, or older, or... who knows.

Joy: I always think I should do that, but evening rolls around and whatever paper or reading I have to do just totally takes over. Thankfully it's normal in China to wear the same thing - one of our female profs wears one of two outfits to each class! Pretty sure she has a Monday-Tuesday outfit and a Wednesday-Friday outfit And nobody thinks anything of it.

Diana: No, I've never heard it, but I can see it (thanks to google) in the face shape and features!! Thank you!!

13 years ago

sarah

Veteran

I'm sorry you've been stressed lately - and why not comfort yourself if you're stressed?! Your colors are yummy and you look cozy and cute.

13 years ago

Alecia

Veteran

Oh, I think you look great. Each look has a little something that's unexpected that make them fun - the pigtails with the first, the socks with the pink skirt, etc. Hope you feel less stressed soon!

13 years ago

Emily

Veteran

You are far too cute and colourful to be frumpy! The mod look you have going on with the grey tights and pigtails is especially adorable.

But if you wanted your looks to feel a little more sleek and grown up, what about something more fitted or structured on top?

13 years ago

Traci

Veteran

What you're describing is actually my favorite part about building a working wardrobe. When I have the time, energy and motivation I put them into my closet. That work means that when I'm busy or unmotivated or sick I can still coast on the previous work and look decent for a few weeks without thinking about my clothes. Of course I'm not breaking any style records or trying out new trends when I'm coasting, but I'm also not stressing out about what I'm wearing.

the other plus is that no one in the outside world seems to be able to tell the difference between when I'm actively engaged in curating my wardrobe and when I'm coasting. I bet the same is true for you because I think you look smashing in these pics!

13 years ago

Tina.b

Veteran

Not frumpy in the least but definitely adorable. You look fantastic in skirts!. I struggle with dressing down a skirt to make it more casual and you seem to do it effortlessly. Love all these looks!

13 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

Oh, yes it's true that you bear some resemblance to a young MTM, but I also see shades of Zooey Deschanel in your look --- which I read as playful, not frumpy. #1 is my favorite look. But all are fab.

Is your building rather cool? This is typical in China, as if bundling up in temperatures that would put Chicagoans in shorts and flip flops!

I think you could use a jacket or two to add a little more structure to the top half, and perhaps some lighter weight knit wear, but how nice that you have a wonderful personal style that can work on auto-pilot when times get busy!

13 years ago

Anne Boleyn

Active Member

Thank you for all your kind words! I appreciate it!!

I think Emily and Beth Ann you are right about jackets, but I left my two structured jackets with my sister this year because I never wore them... softness is too important to me I guess! Lighter weight knitwear is also good advice.

I'm not worried so much about sleek or grown-up... just that I'm too wrong-side-of-the-classroom, I guess. Apparently it doesn't come off to (real) adults like that, which I honestly care more about than my classmates' opinions ha.

And while our dorms have a/c which my Chinese roommate gladly abuses, the rest of the school is quite chilly... ergo the layering of an unseen flannel shirtdress with wool tights and a cashmere sweater, in #6 and #7.

13 years ago

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