Haul 2: Meow and purr, summer jungle vibes - YouLookFab Forum

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Haul 2: Meow and purr, summer jungle vibes

Ket

Veteran

Another haul, from City Chic.

1-2. Warm grey graphic tee. MEOW! It has two tigers on it and reads "Feelin' Fierce". I really love wearing a graphic tee with a pencil skirt or jeans, and a topper. I only have two tees, so my goal is to slowly build my collection. This grey tee is a size larger than I normally wear, but I like the extra ease so I can knot it. It's well shaped, including bust darts. It was also on sale for $16! I'm keeping it.

3-5. Leopard print dress shirt. PUUUURRR What a fabulous surprise! The stock photo and description lacked to detail that the fabric includes satin striping AND gold metallic thread woven into the sheer chiffon fabric. (See photo 9.) And it's leopard print, which is my top neutral and print all in one. It's a gorgeous bronze color, to boot. I didn't buy this for summer. It's really for year-round wear, mostly for dress. Do I need another dress blouse? NOPE. But I cannot pass up good leopard print and this is a beauty!

6. Amber polka dot dress, sized up. I'm on the fence about it. Sizing up fixed the tight shoulders and upper back. The bust is roomy but isn't gaping or as huge as feared. And yet... I don't LOVE it. 10 years ago I would have swooned to wear it, and actually owned several dresses in a similar cut/style. If it was 2-6 inches longer I would probably adore it. I'm going to sit with it a couple days, but I think it's going back unless you all convince me otherwise.

7-8. Green culottes. Adore the green color!! It's a crinkle gauze fabric that will feel quite breezy this summer. Wish the elastic waist was a bit larger/loose; it's quite fitted even snug, bordering slightly uncomfortable. (I'm about to start cycle, so it could be I'm a bit bloated.) I don't foresee the elastic stretching out, as it's shirred into the fabric. I can size up, but worry about the hips gaining too much volume perhaps?? What do you all think about these for me?? I would really love some feedback.

The clothes genuinely cheered me up. Having quite the day. Was baking some meatballs. The pyrex baking dish they were in exploded when I opened the oven. My brand-new KitchenAid convection oven. :'{ AND... to top it off, despite being very careful, I managed to step on a 1/2 inch chunk of glass and sliced my heel open. (The same foot I sprained last month, to boot!) Dinner is wasted, obviously. My dear husband is taking us all out for dinner. I'm surrendering to his generous care.

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19 replies

Latest reply was from Ket

Peri

Veteran

You look beautiful as always, and I love the dress...but I hear you on the length. My first thought was "wow, if that was longer I would want it myself". No thoughts at all about it being too short for you because I think it looks great! I would be encouraging you to keep it, but I understand the feeling of possibly liking it even more if it was longer.

I feel like I'm missing a reference. I graduated HS in 1977...am I supposed to know how that goes with "feeling fierce"? What was fierce in 1977? Who cares, the T shirt is fantastic on you and I'm so glad you are feeling it!

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

I loved the description of 'Bronze leopard ' before I even saw the top!

The colour of that graphic t-shirt is interesting - what would you call it? Like a deep mushroom? Super flattering on you too!

You pull off the polka dot dress well! But could you pair it with your stretchy pencil skirt? This is the sort of 'tunic' dress that I would wear with trousers (either slim & slightly cropped pants or drapey wide legs layered underneath). I understand not everyone likes that look though just throwing out ideas!

Ket

Veteran

Peri, I don’t know what was fierce about 1977 either lol! That part seemed odd to me. Maybe it’s when Chic City was founded or its founder was born? Thank you for such lovely compliments <3 I’m so happy to have some beautiful new clothes.

Zaeobi, oh my! These are great ideas to save the dress! I didn’t think of pairing it with pants. (I tend to think leggings are basically glorified thick tights—not the same thing as pants.) Let me try it and see if it works with what I already own! It is a funky and unusual idea and I am grooving on it! As for the tee… Mushroom always feels more taupe to me. I call it elephant grey. I haven’t swatched it with my fans yet, but I have a feeling it is close to DA greige.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

That's literally how I wear my leggings - like thick footless tights. Sometimes with socks layered over them, lol!

Did you say the dress was a true wrap or faux wrap? If it's the former, you could try letting it hang open over the bottoms (like a duster robe jacket).

Ah, fair enough. That colour does not exist in my fan but 'greige' works lol.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

The t-shirt knotted and that blouse, with your jeans--perfection! I like the dress on you, but if you're not loving it, I think it's smart to pass. I can understand that feeling of it not quite being at the sweet spot for length.

The culottes look good--though I'm seeing a tie-war going on between the belt and the tee you've tried them on with (haha!). I have let out elastic waists, and it's not that difficult to do. (Involves taking out all that stitching for a ways--like all across the back--cutting the elastic and sewing on another 2" or so piece of elastic to lengthen it, and then re-stitching the waistband back in place.) But if it's not a project you feel you want to take on, I'd be inclined to pass. Or hold on to them for a week and see if they feel differently when you're feeling less bloated.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

OOoh, the knotted tee (as Zaeobi says, a really interesting colour -- sort of mushroom mauve grey???) and the blouse with your new jeans are killer fabulous on you! Love them!

As for the dress...I like it...apart from the length. I think you might end up feeling frustrated with that length. It doesn't have enough presence for you, somehow. Even though the general style is really nice on you.

As for the culottes, that is harder to say. Are the hems asymmetrical (longer in the centre)? I like them in theory but if the comfort isn't there you will become frustrated with them. But you could do as Jaime suggests and keep them around for a week or so to see, trying them this way and that.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

The only piece I have hesitation about it the green culottes. The fit seems off to me. Everything else in this post and the other one that I just saw looks so right that I am feel like you shouldn't settle for anything not quite as good.

Star

Veteran

I love the T, I like the fluid fit and the colour. Love the blouse, GLAM! The dress, I am not a fan. I have bought clothes from thrift sometimes that remind of something I loved in the past and then wonder why I don't love them. Our bodies change, what we like changes. The culottes are so interesting but a tight elastic waistband would be the deciding factor for me. I love your taste in clothes btw

Joy

Veteran

Keep the tops and return the culottes. They look big on you. Return the dress if you don’t love it. You look lovely.

Ket

Veteran

Zaeobi, it's a fixed, faux wrap dress. So I can't get away with using it as a duster, unfortunately. That would be a versatile idea!

Sharan, thank you for the lovely words about the grey shirt! And the kind feedback about the dress. It just doesn't hit me as "OOOO! I love this!" Culottes... I really don't have the confidence to take apart the waist. I was hoping to already be sewing this spring, but the house renovations have far slower than we planned or anticipated. I will have to see if they fit any differently in a week or so.

Suz, thank you! I am loving the new tee and blouse!! I really appreciate your feedback about the dress length. I was wondering what was bothering me and presence is a really astute, helpful point, so thank you for that. The culottes... they are asymmetrical, shorter on the sides and longer in the fronts. I might hang onto them a bit longer. I think I need more of a wrap style? There is something about the width of them that is bothering me.

Jaime, you have such a sharp eye! I also feel like the culottes' fit is off. They add some visual width, rather than enhancing whatever is.

Star, thank you so much! I am really happy with my new tops. The dress...yes. I think the hipster period of my life has officially passed -- or isn't the season for now. And the culottes are bothering me for some reason. I think they will likely be returned.

Joy, thank you! I'm definitely keeping the tops. And returning the dress and culottes. Both of them feel off to me. I did order the culottes in a different size, but I think the leg shape is just off for me.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

A faux wrap dress is still useful for peace of mind - knowing you aren't going to inadvertently have a Marilyn Monroe moment in the breeze, lol!

Hmm now that you mention it, the culottes may be an issue of both the width & length - do you usually wear this midi length that hits all the way past your calves? More like a 'midaxi'.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What Suz and Jaime said!

Keep the tops! SUPER cute .

Return the dress Ket, unless you wear it as a tunic over pants and jeans, That look is on trend too

Sal

Veteran

The tops are perfect! Love them. The dress and culottes are almost- they are good but I think you could do better.

Boy that shirt suits you all three ways of styling it. I can see that being really useful.

Suntiger

I don't love the length of the dress, but yay to the others, especially the blouse! And that warm grey is so hard to find at retail. Kettlewell does have a similar one called mole, but haven't seen it elsewhere. I like the shape of the culottes. Definitely not for days over 90 degrees, but I wore mine on cooler summer days last year.

Yikes re: the glass I heard that pyrex used to be a lot more durable, but they changed the formula and now isn't oven safe.

Ket

Veteran

Zaeobi, I haven't worn a maxi-midi length (midaxi--clever name!) before. I think for the width they do need to be full-length, rather than this in-between state of affairs.

Angie, yay! I do love the tops! the dress is going back I don't foresee myself wearing it over pants with enough regularity to keep the dress-- much as I love the amber/toffee dots!

Sal, I love that say I can do better <3 I do think I will get a lot of wear out of the leopard shirt. My only issue will be getting past the worry of wearing it out, because I do love it. Fear of wearing out an item has been an issue for me before, for sure. :}

Suntiger, my exact thoughts about the warm grey! A challenging color to find in retail. I actually worried that the stock photo lied and the tee would be a cool grey when it arrived ha! So I'm most pleased. I'm still back and forth about the culottes. They're out-of-pocket for me, mostly due to the combination of length and width. I do love the green color! But not not sure if I will wear these or not. The dress is getting returned. the Pyrex... Good to know about the changes. I actually think the issue of the exploding, shattering Pyrex was old age. I honestly can only guess at the age -- at least 15-20+ years old. (It was my mom's before it was mine.) At first I worried it was due to using the convection setting on my oven. That didn't make sense though; there are no manufacturer's warning to avoid Pyrex whatsoever. I think the glass finally just pooped out. Thankfully it shattered prior to me bending over eye level to check the internal temp. Ahem.

My husband and I agree it's probably just time to buy some new ovenware. At this point I only want to replace any Pyrex with baking stoneware or metal. We had a really horrible experience a few years ago with a tempered glass car roof going through a hail storm. I am over tempered glass at this point.

Joy

Veteran

I have heard of but not yet experienced exploding Pyrex. I guess the new stuff is not oven safe and makes no claims to be.

Style Fan

Veteran

I am late to this, but I love the tops. The leopard print shirt is so good on you.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Late too, but great decisions I feel. I totally love the leopard top, I have a thing for bronze despite being a Spring not an Autumn. I did see some bronzish colours on some Spring websites.
It’s stunning on you!

Ket

Veteran

Joy, this Pyrex was actually 10-20 years old. Near as my husband and I can tell, we think it finally gave out, exploding due to age :} Oops! But I have heard the same about the new Pyrex not being oven safe. How weird is that?!

Style Fan, thank you so dearly <3 I kept the leopard print shirt!

Jenni, Thank you so much! I really, really love the leopard print top. I just need to work up the courage to wear it -- without worrying about running it. It's just so beautiful it's hard not to want to be precious about wearing it. OH! Spring bronzes are beautiful! I pray you find some bronze this year <3