K/R: Tops for red skinnies (ETA: pics with shorter length and semi-tuck in convo) - YouLookFab Forum

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K/R: Tops for red skinnies (ETA: pics with shorter length and semi-tuck in convo)

Becky

Veteran

A couple of months ago, I bought a pair of Loft curvy skinny jeans on ebay in strawberry red. I had no colored denim, and since red is my favorite color, I decided I needed them. However, once I received them, I realized I had exactly one top I really wanted to wear with them, and though it's a nice navy and white striped short-sleeved t-shirt that I love, it's showing its age. I also wanted more looks from this pair of jeans. Unfortunately, this is turning out to be a more difficult search than I imagined. I ordered a couple of tops from Macy's, but I have my doubts. I still prefer conventionally flattering proportions, and I'm not sure these are JFE.

Striped top: I love the fabrication, the colors, and the stripes. The cut and the tie detail, not so much. It seems to make me look very . . . wide.

Floral mesh top: I like the different pinks/reds that work well with the jeans. I also like the tiered style. The drawback: I have a very hard time surrendering the waist. I feel like it makes me look short, stubby, and as wide as I am tall.

Honest feedback appreciated. If these aren't real winners, I'll send them back. Thanks for weighing in!

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Alfani Sleeveless Tiered Mesh Top, Created for Macy's

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Charter Club Petite Striped Tie-Detail Top, Created for Macy's

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23 replies

Latest reply was from 3style

kellygirl

Veteran

I like the colors/pattern of them with the pants but I think you could do better. The floaty top hits you at the widest part of your hips. I think it needs to be a tad shorter. I’m not crazy about the side ties on the striped top. If you don’t feel fab in them, I’d send them back.

sylvie55

(website)

I don't think either of those is a perfect fit for the pants. The pants are a great color so keep trying! Also, have you considering shortening the pants? It looks like they puddle a bit at your ankles.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

The red skinnies are fab, Becky. Do they need a little hem?

Top #1 is too long and the straight hem makes it look longer. An asymmetrical hem would create a more flattering line.

Top #2 is a much better length, and the curved hem adds structure. Have you tried semi tucking it? I like the boldness of it. Two things might be throwing you off:

- bad light on the crotch point of the photo.

- the yellow stripe adds ANOTHER colour which creates the wideness you’re seeing. I bet you wouldn’t feel that way if the top was just blue and white.

Becky

Veteran

Kellygirl, your comment is profound: If you don’t feel fab in them, I’d send them back. I *don't* feel fab in them, so that's definitely a sign.

Sylvie55, thanks for the compliment about the pants. The color makes me happy whenever I see it. I will keep trying.

Angie, I thought it was ok for skinnies to scrunch a little around the ankles? I can get them hemmed if needed. What would be the PPL if I don't want to wear them as crops?

Anonymous

You are really not selling these tops. It sounds like you learned some things from both of them so it's no loss, you can apply that to the next round.

I used to be ok with extra fabric at the bottom of pants legs but I think the most flattering with skinnies is a sleeker look and I even like them at ankle length.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Are you going to try the semi-tuck and show us? You have style homework!

Scrunch is fine, Becky. These look too scrunched. You might like regular length for a change.

Becky

Veteran

OK, Angie, this might sound dumb, but I've only worn skinny fit:
a) with a lot of scrunch, as in these photos;
b) cuffed and tucked into tall boots; or
c) cropped length or cuffed to cropped length.
Since they don't hang the same way a straight leg or boot cut would, I don't think I know what regular length is supposed to be.

I will try to get some photos tomorrow with a semi-tuck. However, I'm not holding my breath since this top is a heavier fabric that I don't think will tuck well without adding quite a bit of volume.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

The first top is very pretty but too long for these jeans. I would wear it with crops but that is sort of the opposite of conventional flattery probably . I like the second top but as kellygirl said, if you don't feel fab don't keep.

RobinF

Veteran

Love the jeans, not so crazy about the tops. I agree the first one is too long, although a pretty style, the striped one just doesn't seem right. I think I would like it better if the yellow stripe was red but maybe that would be too matchy. I'm with you about skinny jean lengths - I never know if they should scrunch or lay flat.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You NEVER sound dumb, sweet Becky.

Tuck the hems of the skinnies under so that there is almost no scrunch at the ankle, but the hem covers the ankle. THAT'S regular length.

I semi-tuck chunky knitwear. Bulk can be fine.

Becky

Veteran

Here's how I have worn these jeans in the past, with pretty much the only top I own that I like with them.

I have cuffed the jeans to regular length without scrunch. What do you all think?

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Becky

Veteran

Here are some novice semi-tuck efforts. In #1, I tucked the front half and left the back half out. In #2, I tucked half of the front for an asymmetrical look. I checked, and the ties are not removable (unless I purchased and then could cut them out). Both of these looks felt utterly unflattering to me. Now I'm questioning the fit of the jeans. They look a bit baggy in front. I think I really just don't like looking at pictures of myself.

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3style

Veteran

I used to have those exact jeans. Don’t currently physically fit me and might be in a holding zone or already donated.

For me they were a spring/fall item. I wore them with any of my mid weight pullover sweaters which had a bit of sporty or preppy feeling, and a crisp bottom hem to them. I’m sure that I must have tossed on a black or navy T-shirt in the summer too, though I have a less specific recollection of that. My point is that simple and preppy/sporty works well, and it would take some thinking and trial and error to get more creative.

ChrisM

Veteran

What a cute figure you have!! I love the way the cap stripe sleeve top shows it off...

Seems to me neither of your purchases do your figure justice. Maybe a top with a welt, or some shaping....that’s what the half and faux tucks are supposed to do, right? Minimize the boxy look of tops...

Don’t hate the pics - just step away from the mirror for a little bit.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Actually, the jeans look boyfriend-y. You need a belt and a hem roll maybe. Next bit of homework. Nice little wild card for you

I wish I could hop over and semi tuck you! You’re tucking too much. Just the front and on one side. I know it seems unnatural. But it’s like driving a car. Once you’ve got it - you’re set.

Blast. The top has side ties. Okay. That won’t work. Return both tops. Thanks for trying.

Have you tried Boden and J. Crews striped tees?

You DO have a cute figure. The light is casting all sorts of wretched shadows here - that’s all. Onward

jussie

Veteran

I think these jeans do have potential, and agree they could use a belt and rolling up the cuffs, because they are a bit of a slouchy fit. That seems to help make the slouchiness look intentional imho. Have you tried a striped button down shirt tucked in? Plain enough to let the colour of the pants be the star of the show but stripes should help avoid the colour block effect.
I only suggest it because I have a pair of statement (large patches sewn on them) boyfriend jeans and that’s the only way I’ve figured out how to successfully wear them!
Thanks for sharing your pics!

Becky

Veteran

Thanks, 3style, ChrisM, Angie, and jussie, for the ideas and supportive remarks.

3style, I did pick up one of Angie's recommended stripe sweaters from Loft which I really like and will work with these jeans, but it is *far* too hot right now. I'll wear them with that one in the fall.

ChrisM, I *would* like to find a top with some shaping as you suggest. I'm short enough that anything with very much volume seems to be more miss than hit for me, and structure helps.

Angie, I have ordered a couple of Breton stripe tees from Boden (see finds). I am a bit skeptical since they don't come in petite and the description says they are a longer length, but time will tell . . .

jussie, good idea, but I don't have much in the way of button down shirts. I do have one striped one, black and purple, but I don't think I would like that color combo.

Short Sleeve Breton

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Short Sleeve Breton

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

3Style, I hope the striped tees work. Are you a petite?

Becky, I’m excited for the next fun leg of your style journey.

3style

Veteran

Angie, I'm 5'6," but it's nearly all leg!

Which isn't as good as it sounds. My legs are the same length as those of my 5 foot 11.5 inch tall husband. He has very balanced looking, average torso-to-leg proportions: and I have the same leg length as he does! I can wear his pj bottoms and have them be the correct length.

This amounts to being a very awkward size on top. I have very broad shoulders which seem to just get broader as I age. My current typical bra size is 30G (US sizing) My torso isn't actually incredibly short, two hand widths, down. But it's very short compared to the average top size that you end up with, once you accommodate the size of my shoulders and chest.

So I definitely end up wearing about half my items in petites in brands that tend to run large, like jjill, or Talbots. I used to be able to wear petites in Loft or AT, but now the shoulders in that brand seem too snug.

Some of the Gap tops on order I got both in petite and regular to try, and I'll report back.

Even the Boden regular size items seem tight in the shoulders and huge through the torso, so I've been reluctant to try their petites.

Part of my current especial fit challenge (discussed from the thread about decisions black and navy) is that I'm now both broader through the upper torso and also narrower through the waist. This is thanks to physical therapy. So I have some items from previous years that are too small, and others items which are too large, and some seem to be both at once, like my beloved black WHBM shorts. I had been hoping to do the column of black with a button down and shorts, but nope, they aren't salvageable.

Likewise, over the last decade, my hips have gone from 36 to 40 inches around, although I'm exactly the same weight I was when I started college, 140lbs. So, I've become a lot more "hourglassy" over the years. Can't complain about how I look, but finding reasonable clothing that hit the right level of style refinement for my activities for can be a pain. In general, I prefer not to look too body con, but also don't like drowning in fabric. All and all a tailored fit, even if the items have some boho or tomboy/military elements.

The good news is that I seem to have gotten recently lucky with Lucky Brand. I seem to be exactly the same proportions as their fit model for their sized Small items. And in the meantime, they seem to be be making a lot of items appealing to Gen X, which are more modest (covered) but still fun, and competitively priced relative to their quality.

unfrumped

Veteran

It sounds like you need to search for “ boxy” tops - almost cropped, but not. Fit to shoulders and they would likely not bare midriff but hit at high hip. With some of those you can still semi-tuck nicely but not have too much leftover length.
Have you looked at some Eileen Fisher “boxy tops”? I have opposite body type, so many EF tops are lovely colors but shoulders fall off me and length too short for my torso. They also come in Petite if you need to further emphasize shoulder- length differences.

3style

Veteran

Unfrumped, I’m going to assume that you were directing your remark above at me and not Becky, the thread initiator?

Anyway, unsurprisingly my mom has some of the same fit challenges, and in recent years she goes on rants about how poor quality relative to price EF has become. My understanding is that it was super durable when it started.

I last tried EF probably nearly 20 years ago, when I was much narrower and it didn’t work, but I’d be curious to try now.

Have you, and/or other forum friends had success with wearing and washing EF in the last few years?

unfrumped

Veteran

3style, yes!
Admit EF is very pricey; I do look for sales, and I target specific things I’m not finding elsewhere- typically a very rich color, or fabric blend, and some “ boxy” tops work untucked with pencil skirts.

3style

Veteran

Unfrumped, Sounds good, I’ll definitely try it.