I like rhinestone studded mesh tops. They seem to be a fringe trend. Most of them are black with silver rhinestones. But I managed to track down a warm gold toned version at Free People. (There is also a silver-blue version, for anyone interested. Both have stellar reviews.)

The top is shiny, but not in the same way as a sequin top. It has more of a glimmering, glistening effect. Like sunlight on water. And it has gorgeous texture.

The styling challenge: if I pair it with too many dressy items, I look like I’m going to a wedding. Or a nightclub. Not that there is anything wrong with that (especially if you are) but I wanted to wear the top casually out to lunch. Yes, during the day.

So I decided I needed at least one “louche” item, to really dress it down. (In a previous post, Olive Green referred to my style as strict and louche, and I’ve really taken to “louche”.)

I teamed it with a wrap tie dye skirt, which is a matte, felted wool. It has some distressing and frayed edges which are not evident in the photos. I felt it juxtaposed nicely with the shiny, sleek top. I also wore a jacket which is very textured and slightly distressed.

Like all mesh tops, you can play with the undertone via the colour of the layering top underneath. I layered a black top underneath the mesh top to echo the colour scheme of the skirt.

It does push my style boundaries a little, but I’m up for it! And looking forward to trying out more combinations.