Gingham Shirt Styling Ideas? (ETA: Never mind)

You were all so good about suggesting wats for me to wear that white skirt, I thought I'd crowd source another wardrobe problem child! I was rearranging how I hang my woven tops the other day (inspired by Angie's post) and realised I hadn't worn this navy and white gingham top at all this summer. I don't really lean towards preppy or Western or modern classic looks, which is how Pinterest seems to prefer gingham shirts. Anyone come across any gingham outfits that skew more vintage/romantic? Or just have ideas for me? I do enjoy the primmer side of preppy/modern classic-y styles, if that helps. I think of that as my governness streak. If I can't come up with at least one outfit to wear it in, it'll go off to the holding zone, from whence things almost never return.

ETA: I just tried it on with a few likely candidates and wasn't wowed by any of the results. So it's off to the holding zone and will be donated at my first convenience. See my reply before for more thoughts.

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10 years ago

Anonymous

Can you layer it under other shirts or blouses? Especially prints.
Buttoned all the way could make it prim.

Melinda SF

Active Member

I have some gingham in my wardrobe too. a few thoughts:

1. Toughen UP: : hit it back with black leather, olive pants, shiny, metallic.

2. Contrast: pair that with a navy tank and a brightly colored pair of pants or skirt (an orphan perhaps?)

3. put under a blazer with super distressed boyfriend jeans, maybe some chuck taylors or other tough things to balance those ruffles.

4. try crisping it up a bit with an iron; and wearing with a boyfriend cardigan in a matching or contrasting color and leggings or skinnies.

4.a Pair shirt with our without topper with camel pants or black or gray leggings and camel boots.

5. Wear under a v neck cashmere sweater with an open neck and some light jewelry.

6. tie the ends in a knot and pair with a maxi skirt and a straw hat for maximum summer comfort.

Here's a board I found on Pinterest with more ideas!

Hope this helps!

edit to add: I loved this edgy look the best--but I i'm just now seeing your shirt is navy not black. sorry about that. I still think it could be done with navy as the base color and a constrasting jacket

Here's another very romantic use of gingham. you could pair it with a blue tweed and some very girly jewelry

Word Lily

Veteran

A couple people have been wearing gingham tops lately; did you see Angie's post about them in June? http://youlookfab.com/2015/06/.....ngham-top/

I think you're starting out well, since the one you have has ruffles. I think it might potentially work with your new "cupcake" skirt, or with the white skirt?

Alassë

What about knotted at the waist over shorts, rolled trousers/crops, or a full skirt? Go for the full retro look.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I played with a few possibilities and didn't like any of the results enough to keep the piece (...I'm not going to go naked if I donate it...lol).

I was wondering why it didn't feel like me, even though it's a fine, soft cotton, collar-free, and has the ruffles down the placket (all reasons why I thrifted it to begin with & it's almost impossible to find summer weight full length sleeved tops, which I always thought would be useful), and I realised the navy/white combo and the regular squares of the gingham just made it read as too crisp. Also, this type of gingham feels very modern; I can't think of seeing the print in any context before the 50s or so, and I tend to skew towards older feeling pieces. Finally, it made all of my full skirts read as too schoolgirl looking. So no more gingham button downs for me! I did like the grey/white gingham blouse Angie showed in her post, that looks more like a check than a gingham and has a softer feel to it, so if I ever get a gingham urge again I'll know in what direction to channel it. I'm glad to have learned a bit more about my style preferences! This shirt got a good amount of wear a few years ago, when I first got it, so I don't regret letting it go.

Oh well, you learned a lot about your changing preferences. Good for you!

L'Abeille

This is supposedly the year for gingham, and the looks/items that have caught my eye the most have skewed romantic, so ought to be right up your alley. In particular I recall a skirt and also a blouse both of which incorporate some draping or twisting, so your eye doesn't just see a geometric grid. How big -fitting is this blouse? Could you crisscross the front or wrap it somehow so you get a bit of the diagonal effect?

If not, you do have the ruffles to soften it up a little. If I were in your shoes, I would play up the governess side with one of your neutral full skirts and oxfords or booties. (I am seeing the skirt in a camel or khaki colour like an Out of Africa vibe.)

Alternatively, you can go Audrey with high waisted pants and flat shoes.

Whatever you do, don't get rid of it this year, because there's enough gingham around that an inspiration pic is bound to come along. Maybe try an outfit lab with us? (A thing I should do for my boxy short sleeves gingham shirt.)

ETA sorry, we cross posted.

tulle

Gingham can be trickier than one might expect, I find. Stripes rarely fail me, but checks don't behave the same way, somehow. I have a beautiful J. Crew fine cotton shirt in a gingham similar to yours. It's raspberry pink and white, a favorite color combo for me, yet every time I put it on, I just don't look like myself, and it sort of mystifies me. Your blouse is a softer style, with that sweet ruffle, and is actually reminiscent of certain prairie-type 19th century fabrics. I once found a long apron in the same sort of little check, indigo and white, quite old. So I'm thinking it may be the black & white that is not sitting right with you. My older daughter, who looks great in checks and plaids, pairs black and white gingham with a wide black or red patent leather belt (easy to find in thrift shops) but if it's not you, it's not you. Onward & upward!

Maybe it's the strong contrast of colours that's the issue. Maybe a more washed out gingham, or maybe some 'ikat-ed' gingham would be ok.

L'Abeille, I'm so sorry that you wrote such a long, helpful response, only to see that I'd updated the post with my bullheadedness! I actually tried several of the combos you suggested before giving up for sure; nothing could make me psychologically anymore comfy in that poor top. And I have far too many other tops waiting for their chance to play to wear clothes that make me unhappy.

Tulle, your wisdom is spot on, as usual. Odd how much fussier checks are than stripes or plaids, both of which I wear very happily and are also based on straight lines. How interesting that checks were around on the prairie! I suspect your daughter has stronger colouring than I do; I love the sound of her outfits.

Smittie, the contrast is definitely one of the issues. And the size of the squares...somehow they're just too regular. But I'm open to gingham variations if I come across just the right one.

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