K/R x2 and shopping the Dress For Success Sale - YouLookFab Forum

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K/R x2 and shopping the Dress For Success Sale

Sal

Veteran

Hi all

Last week I went on a shopping spurt and have six new things. I am helping out Dress for Success and I assisted in their sale. Of course I was tempted and added three pieces to my closet and one to the fancy dress/costume pile ( not shown here today). There were some fab pieces available and the people watching was great.

- wrap dress $5. Good fit but needs a pin to avoid cleavage. Not quite the perfect colours but I will wear and enjoy for a while. I do like it and wore it last night to a modern retelling of Ibsen’s The Doll House. Play was excellent. I did like the dress and will have fun with it. NZ mid range brand Max.
- cashmere pashmina - gold $3 . These retail here well over $100 and the colour and texture are divine.
- belt $3 loved the 70s style and will experiment a little how to wear it.

Alongside this I shopped online for one of my favourite NZ labels - Tuesday. But these are the ones I am unsure about.

- off white slogan tee. I loved the slogan “Everything is going to be alright”. It is a nice quality tee and the off white is good. But the crew neck and need to tuck I am unsure about. Not on sale.
- black linen jacket. Half price sale. My questions are around the fit and the buttons - which I think are too bright. That can be changed. It is a good linen blend and a medium weight. Good for our weather. It is a good price and versatile.

Only semi styled here - Sunday in the garden hair.

ETA- I styled the top half and put on shoes but left my Sunday walking, cooking cropped pants on. I will style it again tomorrow with some better pants...

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

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Shopping

21 replies

Latest reply was from Sal

Bijou

Veteran

Your bargain buys are all totally fab. Sally you look wonderful in the wrap dress and I love how you styled them with your long boots. I think the colours are lovely on you. The pashmina is such a beautiful match with your hair and the belt - these are all so great and have found a perfect home with you.

As for the newbies - well I am not so enamoured with these.

I love the slogan on the t-shirt but I don't like how it fits. The shape of the t-shirt makes you look bigger than your lovely trim self. I say pass on this. I like tops that are a bit more fluid on you.

As for the black linen jacket, I like it and the bling of the buttons - but given I am not loving it with your cropped pants and t-shirt it is hard to be objective about the jacket. I would love to see it over full length pants such as your flared jeans or skinnies and with a silky camisole as I expect that it will look great. It is a similar shape to your light blue jacket which is a winner, so I think this jacket is going to be great, just as long as the fit is right and you wear it with the right support act.

OK - I see that you have put it with a more fluid black top and it is nice together - much more flattering. I am still not sure that this is the right jacket for your cropped flares - I think you need a more structured pant or jean with this jacket.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I agree with everything that Bijou said, in addition l like the print on the wrap dress.The pashmina is a fabulous find and the colour is great for you.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Bijou and Cardiff Girl. I agree with you. I might try the jacket with some other options. I was being a bit lazy and just tried it over my Sunday casual outfit rather than what I would wear it with. I was thinking with jeans or maybe slimmer fit pants.

I think the tee is unflattering. I actually think they have changed the design since the model photo was taken. I do find tees hard to fit and have almost moved away from them entirely except for the gym and running.

Anonymous

Another that thought Bijou was spot on in her assessment. Some people not only have the eye, but know how to express what they are seeing.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I agree with Bijou for sure on the tee. Also being a grammar freak I feel that “alright” is not a proper word- should be two words spelt “ all right”. I prefer the tee untucked actually but it does look too boxy I think.
And the blazer buttons are a bit too bright, I agree. You have done well with Tuesday in the past but it is quite costly I feel, the stuff should be perfect.
Great scores on the other items. I love the wrap dress. What is Dress for Less?- it used to be a retail store in Auckland in maybe the early 90s?- which closed. I bought children’s clothes there.

Sal

Veteran

Jenni - I got it wrong! Dress for Success!! I was being vague. I changed my post. Dress for Success help clothe women who need assistance with a working or interviewing wardrobe. This was clothes that were not right for that use or excess - there were great items from size 8-20 NZ.

The tee is wrong I agree. And if I am on the fence with the jacket I should return that too. I am usually pretty decisive.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Ah yes. Dress for Success I know. That’s what Angie donates to. And I actually donated some of DD1’s clothes that she left behind for me to give to hospice, to Dress for Success at Fashion Weekend. Some of her stuff was had it but there were some nice things as well so I thought they could have the good items. She was going to the USA to live with hubby and has reduced her NZ possessions to only the contents of a small spare bedroom in our new home. I was at Fashion Weekend on both Saturday and Sunday and they had a bin there for donations which I was able to take the stuff for on Sunday. Good on you for helping them!

missvee

Veteran

I love the dress on you - great fit and styled to perfection.
Agree with the others regarding the tee shirt, It doesn’t fit well.
Trust your instincts on the jacket. You look great in good tailoring and I think you can do better than this.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I like the jacket and love the bright buttons. It’s hard to tell about the fit. Do you think black will be a useful colour for you for S/S? I think a “Spring” colour might work better for your style.

The tee is alright (I’m a rebel Jenni) but nothing to write home about. (Disclaimer: I tend to think that about most tees, even though I have a stack of them.) If you don’t love it, and it’s spendy, I vote pass.

Love the pashmina and the wrap dress. The dress is lovely on you.

Helena

Veteran

I'm going to be contrary and say that I love the tee! However, I agree with your thought that if it feels off when it's brand-new, it's not going to feel any better once you've worn it ... so I say return on the new items (the blazer I wasn't quite sure about).

Your re-sale finds are AMAZING. That dress is stellar on you! And the pashmina is such a sophisticated colour which will look so gorgeous on you.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What Helena said.

Sal, trying SEMI tucking the tee. The slogan is super cute. If that doesn't work - I'm with Brooklyn.

The dress is gorgeous with those boots, you Bombshell! And the jacket has fun '80s potential, although it's hard to assess the fit. Your call.

Joy

Veteran

I like the wrap dress on you and the gold pashmina was an amazing find and will look great ext to your face,
I’m not sure about the tee and jacket. Keep if you need them. If not, I think you can do better. The tee can be made more fitted and even the neck line changed, but it will still stretch out eventually.

smittie

Veteran

I would pass on the tshirt. You need a v, IMO.
Great jacket. Hard to see the fit but I like how you’ve styled it with the black tshirt and wide pants.

Love those wide pants and sandals!

nemosmom

Veteran

I will have to defer to others re: fit of the jacket and tee, but I like the slogan. I personally don't love bright hardware (on anything) for myself, but I find buttons are easy and inexpensive to swap out if you LOVE the jacket otherwise.

I LOVE your new wrap dress and scarf, though!!! The print on the dress is super fun - and FIVE DOLLARS?! Score!

Sal

Veteran

Thanks all- have a few deadlines so just a quick reply!!

Well the jacket is staying - it cannot be returned.

Should have checked the sale return policy.

I will likely swap the buttons out as I have another jacket with gold buttons, I think I will go for something pearl effect or tortoiseshell. I do like it and it will be part of my work capsule. It is a good length and fit and black works well for me. This capsule is a work in progress and is missing a pair of pants (I want a print containing black, or black side stripe or similar). I have attached where this capsule is at now - I do sometimes wear other skirts and jeans as well as engineering is pretty low key - but I want to ensure I have three dressier summer work looks.

The tee is going back. It is an almost but not close enough. At $89 I want to really love it, and I don't.

Aside - I am trying to keep below 30 wardrobe additions for the year. The Dress for Success purchases and the black blazer take me to 29.
- 9 thrifted or second hand
- 20 new

- 4-5 are gear (depending how you classify this)
- 3 footwear
- 2 bags
- 2 scarves
- 1 belt

And sadly 2 have exited already due to stains......that I cannot remove.

My priority purchase is a new pair of pant as above - I am also interested in a new teeshirt/top, new pair of work shoes and a beach cover up. Aside from the pants I am going to stop looking/shopping. I may go over my limit but I don't want to blow it totally!!

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Anonymous

Ditto Bijou! Love the pashmina, belt and dress though!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Dress is great, I like the jacket but hard to see the fit, tee is up to you! Not adding much I'm afraid.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Suntiger and Shevia. Wearing the dress to work with black ankle boots today...

Have to keep the jacket - no returns on sale items!! I do like it though but I won't buy sale again online.

karen13

Veteran

If two of your 30 limiyhave exited due to mishaps, I vote they don't count towards your total. i've been trying to average less than 3 a month and it definitely makes me more picky.

I like all your pieces and the fact they they are second hand, RE the t-shirt - if you can sew a simple zig zag, you might try cropping it a bit to wear with higher waisted bottoms. I do this for DD all the time. Honestly, you don't even need to sew it - trim a bit longer than you want and let the edge roll up a bit. I often practice this by cutting the bottom hem off and seeing if DD likes the unfinished edge, and then cutting further in the right spot.

Jane

Veteran

Love the t shirt slogan! These are super pieces, pashmina is a good colour, dress and jacket will be easy to wear and I would think that you will wear them a lot. I am nodding with you on changing the buttons - it will be more yours that way.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Karen. I feel like that but they have been consumed......(I have the goals of obtaining a great wardrobe along with reducing consumption)..... It certainly is annoying though! The tee is going back - for a few reasons - neckline, length and sleeve length. I do have plenty of summer tops but not many tee shirts but either the right piece will come along or it won't.

Thanks Jane. The dress has had two wears and I may wear the pashmina today although it is spring. And I hope to visit the haberdashery to check out buttons today - don't you love that word!