Long cardigans over plaid - YouLookFab Forum

This is my first post and of course my first time posting photos, so apologies in advance if I don't get it right. I was surprised to see no outfit posts inspired by Angie's blog post on long cardigans, but I guess the idea of putting together multiple warm layers is hard for those of us in the summer hemisphere to get into right now. It'll get up to 90 here today, so this is not going to be a WIW yet, but I picked up a plaid flannel tunic/dress at a sale yesterday, and I couldn't resist trying it with a few things in the cool early-morning hours.

The first photo is a whoops. The dress fits very nicely, so by itself I could wear it without a belt, but put a really long cardigan over it and it's shapeless city. The only change in the second one is tying the belt--does it work? (I'd appreciate any comments on the dress/leggings/boot combo too--it's all an experiment, and I actually bought the leggings for a skiing base layer but they seemed to go. Does the color similarity create a bit of a "column of color" effect or might I just as well wear black leggings?) The third is one white cardigan--is it clingy enough to work well with the dress unbelted? And 4-5-6 are a second white cardigan, tied, from different angles. Does tying the cardigan work? Another question--are the boots snug enough or should I find some kind of sock/leg warmer to stuff into the top? Color? I'd appreciate all comments and advice!

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8 years ago

Peri

Veteran

Welcome UtahDesert! I can't really answer your cardigan questions because I'm just coming into this look myself....won't even be experimenting until about November. But I love the Utah desert, really beautiful there! Very fond memories of Arches National Park!

celia

Welcome!
I have no answers at the moment but have you taken a look at this Angie ensemble from last year:
http://youlookfab.com/2014/11/.....-cardigan/

carter

Welcome! Cute plaid dress!.I think you're right that #2 is an improvement on #1. I too find that I want some sense of shape beneath a long cardi. I think the leggings are so fab, but I'd probably choose to match the boot color for a leg-lengthening effect.

I'd love to see number 3 with flats rather than the boots. I think it would be a really cute Spring/Fall look.

Jenava

(website)

Love it best with the long duster cardigan! I do not think it needs a belt. If you prefer it belted, then I'd try replacing the tie with a leather belt for a more polished look. I like the legging, but would also like to see this with black tights or leggings. I think flats would also work and maybe make this a two season outfit, as the flats would work until winter.

Nebraskim

I love that plaid dress and agree the belting gives it some structure under the cardi. I wear this look often, so I may just have an unhelpful sugar eye for this look. I like the red leggings with the dark boots.

UtahDesert

Active Member

Thanks so much for all the feedback and advice! As I look at the photos I start to have doubts about the boots too, or at least to think that flats might be a good option. (The red leggings require boots, however, because at the bottom of the leg it's clear they're really long underwear!) I'll definitely try it first with black leggings and flats of some kind when I actually wear it this fall.

The dress is from Patagonia. The page isn't enabled for Finds, but here's the link: http://www.patagonia.com/us/pr.....?p=58945-1

shedev

My favorite is the white jacket untied.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

YES. I suspect it's too hot too model long cardigans on the forum at the moment, but thanks for doing so.

I like #1 and #2 best actually. Try a black belt in #2 to create a more cohesive look with the black cardi. I like the red leggings - YES, it creates a column of colour. Black leggings will look great with the black cardi. Again - cohesion.

I like the combination of the cream with the red, but that cardi seems a bit thin to wear over a Fall plaid. That's why the more substantial black cardi works better to my eye. I don't think the tie works either - keeping these layers long and flowing is key.

annabelle

Welcome to the forum, UtahDesert.

I like the dress belted. With a long cardigan, the belt - to me - gives you some shape. I think I'm the first to vote for #3. I like the proportion of the cardigan being a little shorter than the dress, and I like the color contrast. I found the 4-5-6 cardigan to be a little too sweet to rock with the plaid and boots. (I'm assuming the plaid has a flannel finish or something rather soft). The one consideration is, when it's cool enough to wear layers, will the cream color in my fave #3 read "winter" or will it seem too springy? I will stay tuned to this thread, because I have a plaid dress in blues that I've never figured out how to style, and yet I can't give it away; it's so cozy and pretty.

MsMaven

Welcome. I differ in that I like the white cardigan. Like the color combination and the contrast in textures. I'm not sure if that would work if I saw it in person--as Angie points out--the white may be too thin to work with the fall plaid. Still, I like it in the photo.

Thanks so much for all the ideas! I'm saving all of this to use in three or four months. The dress is an extremely soft flannel, and I think it might be possible that the lighter cardigans will look unseasonal over it. It's interesting that opinions are so divided on belted/unbelted (and on white/black cardigans), so this will be fun to play with for real when it's finally cool enough. I might even try it with a black leather jacket then.

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