Challenge Day 3 - YouLookFab Forum

Today’s outfit:

1) Inside version

2) Outside version

3) Details

4) Scarf

Why it’s me:

-Skirt leggings.

-Textured knitwear. I have posted before that I dislike hard-edged, color-blocky effects, and I think that’s one reason that I am so drawn to textured knitwear: the highlights and shadows act as a pseudo-pattern.

-Sentimental/vintage jewelry, Arts & Crafts/Art Nouveau edition. The silver pendant belonged to my husband’s grandmother. It reminds me of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Glasgow rose design. I super love that aesthetic.

-Small details/juxtapositions. I really like the sparkle of the marcasites in the necklace against the softness of the cardigan.

-Birds! (see scarf) Actually come to think of it the stylized formation of the birds on the scarf also recalls Arts & Crafts/Art Nouveau designs. Oh and the necklace and scarf both feature clusters of 3! Just realized that and am v. tickled, see point above.

-Shades of blue. This is actually a double-edged sword! I look good in many shades of blue (I have blue eyes and cool coloring) and it tends to be readily available so I accumulate a lot of blue tops/sweaters. But, my workhorse jeans are also blue (mid-wash/dark wash), and I often don’t like blue tops with blue denim. So I wind up with a lot of outfit combinations that work in theory but I don’t favor in reality. Oops.

-One formula, many variations. I’ve been swapping out a ton of different pendants on this short silver chain — the length of it tends to work really well with the necklines of my tops, it’s comfortable, and a short necklace is nicely unobtrusive/unfussy for working from home. I think that’s really typical of my approach — once I find a proportion or formula that I like I’ll work the variety within it. I don’t have the patience to try out/keep track of a bunch of different silver chains, but I’d be bored wearing the same pendant on the same chain over and over.

-Doesn’t quite work, but I have ideas to improve. The proportions of this outfit seem slightly off. It looks fine in pictures, but the cropped cardi and tight skirt leggings leave me feeling exposed (by which I mean, the silhouette overall is too bodycon for my preference, and honestly I am just chilly!). So, I’ll remember that I need a longer top with these skirt leggings, and if I want to wear this cardi as a top again I should try it with a skirt that is longer and a bit fuller. I think this is also really typical for me — the first time I try a formula/proportion I often don’t quite hit the mark. Not sure if this is because I’m super sensitive to proportion or just bad at predicting how things will play together. But often with a bit of analysis I can figure out how to make it work better the next time. Onwards!

Whew! Who knew getting dressed was so deep???

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7 years ago

Kathie

Veteran

I looked at your pictures before I read the complete description, and the threes of the necklace and scarf immediately jumped out at me; it's a great repetition of a design element! So nice to have family jewelry, too.

Anonymous

Sarah, I love you attention to detail. That chain length is just right for your neckline. Wearing blue can be your style. There are so many pretty shades and possibilities that it will never get boring.

taylor

Really admire the thoughtfulness you put into each piece of clothing and jewelry , and how it all works back to certain items in your wardrobe !
Lots of texture and subtle color...Fabulous!

Firecracker (Sharan)

Great analysis, and I like the outfit on you. It looks cozy (even if it wasn't quite cozy enough IRL), comfortable, and it has a great casual, creative style. I was nodding along to your comment about "hard-edged, color-blocky effects," as I much prefer lower contrast looks for myself, too. (And along those lines, I favor patterns that are more irregular or diffuse.) I can also empathize with your dilemma of not hitting the mark the first time with outfit attempts. Sometimes when I'm trying out some new pieces, I'll have stuff strewn all over the bed, trying to find just the right combos! Oh, and my hair ends up a mess from all the try-ons.

SarahD8

Kathie how funny that the trios jumped right out at you but I didn’t notice them at first!

Joy, thank you, that is welcome praise from someone who has an amazing way with details herself. I will definitely keep wearing lots of blue! I just need to remember to buy companion pieces in other colors since I often prefer not to wear it head to toe!

Taylor, yes, lots of texture is especially yummy at this time of year.

Firecracker thanks for your kind words. Oh yes, I know that disheveled hair, pile of clothes on the bed situation well!

Mainelady

Beautiful! I agree your attention to details add so much to an outfit. Your necklace and the connection behind it warm my heart.

Cardiff girl

I echo what’s been said above,lovely attention to detail,especially the necklace and jumper.

Stagiaire Fash

Who knew you even owned a cropped cardi? Not me! You look great in it. Encore!

Mainelady this outfit definitely had jewelry happiness factors!

Cardiff girl thanks for appreciating that juxtaposition along with me.

FashIntern, the cardi is definitely a different shape than my usual! I sometimes have trouble working it into outfits as a consequence. But I really love it! I may have mentioned before, the color and texture remind me of an old bolero cardi that I thrifted back in high school. I’m convinced this sweater is its reincarnation, it’s like an old friend. I actually hugged it when I took it out of the drawer yesterday! Ok yes I’ve gone full Marie Kondo....

Jaime

(website)

First of all the pendant and pattern are both beautiful! I think the cropped cardigan looks great on you, but after reading your thoughts I agree you might feel more comfortable with a longer skirt. It did not strike me as bodycon though. And gotta love a blue puffer !

Love the scarf and texture of the sweater! Love like Kondo is a good thing
The proportions are like half and half, with the skirt length, which could be the issue that's bugging you. I read (Inside out Style I think) that 1/3 to 2/3rds ratio is what seems the most harmonious. That would be sweater with pants or longer skirt, or skirt with longer jacket-in theory.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

I like the cropped buttoned-up cardi, SarahD8! Great silhouette on you. Fun '80s throwback, and some subtle allure. LOVELY with the sentimental necklace. The scarf creates a lovely complement of three.

How about a cami or thermal tee under this combination to feel warm? I don't think it's too body con, but get you want more insulation.

I see this cute outfit with a non-gear topper - like a nice wool coat, and one that is long enough to cover the skirt of the leggings.

shevia, I'm high-fiving my thrifting, blue-puffer twin!

suntiger, oh, good point about the half-half proportions. I am on the hunt for a longer basic skirt appropriate for winter, and will try that combo out asap if/when I find one.

Angie, I was actually wearing a heattech long sleeve below the cardigan. I could try my extra-warm heattech, but I suspect the real problem is that the hem of the cardi only overlaps the waistband of the skirt leggings by an inch or two. So in motion/when sitting/etc. there is a gap and I get breezes up my back as it were.

Great point about a non-gear topper. The sleek tall boots take this outfit in a dressier direction, don't they? I do have longer coats but they are also fairly gear-ish (Patagonia 3-in-1 parkas in black and navy). I don't own a wool coat. I would be open to getting one (the outerwear love on the forum here is starting to rub off on me). I need to think on this more. Do you find they are practical for rainy Seattle?

You live in Seattle where you need a large and diverse topper capsule! Get some nice wool coats at the thrift stores you frequent. We can wear them till May usually.

Hmmm. Heachtech usually does the trick....

Ok, let the record show that Angie told me to go thrifting so I guess now I have to! I am just following orders people.

Re: the Heattech, I think it's one of those quirky things. Like in order to be warm I need my waist to be reliably covered by a certain number of layers. And I've also realized that I need two layers of coverage on my wrists, or else I am cold. Individual bodies are so weird (and wonderful)!

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