I too, have a K/R confession - YouLookFab Forum

Similar to Charmian's recent post about keeping a blouse,
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ylf-advice
I have to confess to returning some things that received YLF approval - after so many of you were kind enough to take the time to read and comment. I simply decided I didn't love the pieces enough.
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....hite-jeans

Adding to the ingrate factor, I'm afraid I'm nervy enough to ask again, with a lengthy post no less.

Contemplating my spring/summer things, I had decided a florial cardigan should be on my shopping list to go with white jeans and pink pencil skirt. Bought two cotton cardigans and ran across a chevron blouse while looking. Then, after the K/R thread closed out, I saw a floral cardigan and different chevron blouse at Ann Taylor and the old rusty wheels started turning - again.

Another summer dress was also on my list, so I ordered a green geometric print from Lands End, hoping it would work with the cardigan. The dress came today and, while I'm nearly certain it is a keep, I'm not so sure they work together. The cardigan is a light weight mixed media, but is the navy of the sleeves just too heavy with the dress? Or is it the size and style of the two patterns? The different neckline? Or do they actually work together?

The AT chevron blouse, while more expensive than the other, will be more versatile. The polyester fabric won't require much ironing and will lend itself to dressing up more than the original.

I've included a pic of this capsule, such as it is, with the cardigan and new chevron blouse. The cardigan certainly pulls together the varying colors, but maybe I don't really need it in light of the two denim jackets. The lighter weight of a sweater is less coat like than the denim though.

After flooding you with too much background information, I suppose this is essentially a K/R for the floral cardigan.

A million thanks to those of you patient enough to put up with me!

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12 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I like these.

But if you returned anything but #2 from the other thread, I'm coming to give you a shake! Hehe. Just kidding. If you don't like and won't wear, there's no point! *Amen*

missvee

I like the cardi a lot but wonder if it is a bit heavy looking for the dress? I'd like to see a topper in a soft bright like pink or coral. Do you have any other pieces that it might work with - navy or denim skirt? The dress is great on you btw.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I love you in this cardigan, Pill! Totally adore it in #1. Please keep it. Who made it?

Don't worry about returning stuff that YLF liked. You have to wear it - not us! That's the most important part in all of this

pil

Angie, thanks! The cardi is Ann Taylor and there are other pieces in the same floral print.
Rachylou I'm afraid you will need to shake me as everything went back! I didn't dislike any of them but decided I was a tad unsure of them and took that as a sign : )
missvee, I do have a denim pencil skirt and also a white linen flare skirt that ought to work with the cardigan, in addition to the pink pencil skirt. Unfortunately, I must agree with you about it being heavy with the green dress. I'm glad you like the dress, I do have a white mesh cardigan that ought to work with it too.

Aida

Ohh I like this floral cardigan much more on you! The smaller chevron print will probably scale better on you as well (I'm undecided about the larger scale of the other after peeking at it just now).

Thanks, Aida. Despite the white background of the chevron blouse I think I'm coming to the conclusion that darker (would saturated be the correct term?) colors look better near my face. I tried on a cream tee today and felt really washed out, although it was in a JC Penney dressing room.

ETA pic with AT chevron blouse

Caro in Oz

I love the cardigan on you & I love that you are making your own decisions about your clothing. No need to feel nervy imo as this is what YLF empowers us to do. As with every item you are the one who has to wear it so you have the final say:)

Pil, that is a good question! Saturation has to do with color intensity and purity. Think tangerine-orange versus spice-orange (brown mixed in), or bright-emerald versus mint-green (white mixed in). Saturated colors can be either light or dark or bright, and even muted in some cases depending on how much pigment is there. Generally the more white, gray, or brown you add to the pure color, the less saturated the final color. Some people certainly look best in dark colors, but I think we can also sometimes feel like light shades don't work on us if we're un-used to them. It could also be that you look better in optic white than cream!

Nicole D

I love that cardigan, especially with the dress, clever pattern mixing. I like the other chevron shirt better though! But this one is nice too. I like your jeans also.

Thistle

Gorgeous. I was eyeing up that AT cardi too, hehehe, so I think keep on that! The dress is also very pretty, and I do like the AT chevron top as well.

Beth Ann

These are improvements on your first post, PIL! Perhaps a part of you knew you could do even better! You didn't settle until the happiness factor was there --- waited for the PPP.

Great Spring capsule! Love that dress!

Suz

Pil, you are a pearl. All this returning shows you're developing your own style and a real sense of what you are after. It makes sense. You're refining your taste. And you're about 40 times smarter than I am. I did similar things last year -- bought stuff, and then decided it wasn't right. My mistake was buying it at the consignment store (no returns) or on super final sale.

Sigh...

I like all these pieces. Agree that the cardi isn't maybe the best with the dress, but that's okay -you have a ton of other stuff to wear it with. The dress will be a summer workhorse!

Caro, thanks for the encouragement. After 50 plus years you'd think I would have developed some confidence.

Aida, thanks for the informative tutorial!

Nicole, thanks! Although I'm not sure I'll be bold enough to wear the cardigan and dress together.

Thistle, we should be cardigan twins : )

Beth Ann, you are right! While I did like the other pieces, there was a niggling hesitation in the back of my mind. I think the dress will work out quite nicely, especially with the comfortable v-neck depth.

Suz, thanks. I still feel like a total amateur at this! Especially since I go more by intuition and the seat of my pants. Articulation (as evidenced by my comments) is not one of my strong points : /

If I can figure out half as much as you have, I'll be happy : )

kellygirl

LOVE the dress. This one is ever so much more fab than the ON one. I also really adore the floral cardigan and chevron top. I totally agree that you have every right to return whatever you want. I don't always go with the forum either. I feel like these K/R really help us hone our style. Sometimes something may look fab but doesn't really feel like "me." It's all part of the learning process. These colors are so pretty on you too! Gorgeous!

Thanks Kellygirl! You sure are right about this dress working better than the ON - it even feels better!

kkards

usually i don't like pattern mixing, but when i saw picture #2, i found i liked it even more than i like the cardigan with the white pants. a keep for sure

Deborah

Pil, the cardigan is quite lovely. I not convinced the dress or white jeans are the best styling options for it, but it does look great. And I have returned items I have had YLF approval on. It's more than just looking good in something, it has to feel good, and feel like "you" too. I think you are demonstrating a greater knowledge and confidence in who you are stylistically.

Kkards, thank you!

Deborah, do you have suggestions for styling the cardigan?

cjh

No time to read all the replies, so FWIW, I like the cardigan and with the dress also. Great capsule here. I can see this cardigan with a pencil skirt as you suggested, perhaps navy with a pink or green print summery blouse or shell? I enjoyed looking at these photos - inspirational!

Thanks for the big boost, cjh!
It just occurred to me that the colors are nearly a riff on traditional sorority colors, at least the pink and green theme that was big back in my college days.

Charmian

You know, if it's one thing I've learned about this forum, it's that your style is exactly that: yours. ( I say that while wearing my blouse right now! )

I think the ladies here are great at educating (just see Aida's discusion of color above!), but it's our job to take that information and filter it through our own personal tastes, lifestyle, aesthetics etc.

I think you're doing wonderfully -- I am certainly not advanced enough to start thinking of my wardrobe in terms of capsules, much less building them! I am also not brave enough to pull off anything but the most basic of pattern mixing. I would personally be intimidated by mixing two patterns of such similar scale (ie, floral + geometric), but it's really about your comfort zone. I certainly think you could pull it off based on the green elements in the cardigan, if you're so inclined.

Charmain, your thread is what gave me "permission" to start this one. Forum members are so generous with their time and expertise, I felt guilty for wasting their time. But, as you and others have said, it's all about learning what works for me although I seem to have such a sharp learning curve : )

lyn67

I like all these, but the floral cardi together with the green dress(separate is OK:-)). All are very good purchases, and I like the new chevron stripes more than the other one you returned.:-)

Isabel

Oh, don't refer to yourself as in ingrate. There is a personal taste and comfort aspect too to all this. And if you just don't like it or feel comfortable, then it shouldn't be on your lovely self. You should be happy in your clothes. : )

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