Maxi Cardigan for Fall/Winter

Chris987

Angie, this posting could not be more perfectly timed!

Just before NAS kicked off, I found a long navy Ralph Lauren cardigan at Lord & Taylor, marked way down. It is a heavy cotton and must have been from early last spring. I've never worn anything like this before, but loved the textured knit (which does not show well in pics), the ink color and the simple shape. For me, it would be an outdoor topper in early fall and late spring and would need a coat over it in late fall though early spring. It's a petite size, and the fit seems to be just about perfect, assuming this is not too much fabric for a short person.

I played around with a few outfits but felt the sweater overwhelmed my size and drew all attention down to the lower part of my body, so I put it aside to consider a bit longer.

Angie's blog posting today inspired me to try again and post some pics. Suz your gillet posting yesterday added some additional inspiration. It is so hot today that I stopped after two outfits but may do some others tomorrow first thing in the morning.

Based on Angie's suggestions...
Over a Sleeveless Dress
My version is over a grey sleeved sheath dress. The shoes are "shooties" that I usually wear with black tights. The shoes seem a little heavy/clunky somehow but I really like them and they are super comfortable.

1 - just the dress

2 - with the navy cardigan

With Tunic & Leggings
My version is with dark wash skinny jeans, ankle boots, and a patterned button down shirt. I'm not loving the shirt but I like the pattern; maybe a tunic with a similar print would be good. These are black suede ankle boots and the suede is looking pretty worn so I'm thinking of replacing them.

3 - leggings, shirt, and cardigan

Would love to hear your thoughts, especially Angie since you've been styling similar sweaters for your clients recently. I'm wondering if maybe it's a bit too bulky and i should consider one of the lighter weight ones from NAS. Also would love any NON-black footwear suggestions. Angie has made me promise to get some color into my winter footwear collection. I do have cognac ankle boots and nude classic pumps but literally nothing else except black. All you other New England YLF-ers will understand.

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7 years ago

Shopping

8 replies

Latest reply was from Chris987

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

The shoes in #2 are not the best choice for this look.

Also it could be either longer, or more drapey (i.e. something linen or very light merino and not heavy cotton).

I'm with you that this is a tricky look for New England because you have to do it either early fall or after long heavy coat season hits.

I have 2 of these and struggle to avoid feeling like I'm wearing my bathrobe out and about.

7 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I love your investigative spirit!

Your cardigan sounds like it might be the sister to the very sleeveless dress I posted yesterday! That dress is actually a relatively heavy navy cotton knit with ribbing, purchased about 4 years ago.

I think that you and UmmLila are both right that to get the exact type of look that Angie was discussing, a more floaty sort of cardigan works better. But that sort of cardigan is the type the we practical sorts usually avoid, living in our climate.

What happens in the dress version if you "scrunch the sleeves" for structure. Do they stay up? How does it look then? Showing a bit of forearm might reduce the sense of being overwhelmed.

In #2, how would it be with a more toned in (less high contrast) top? Again, you might need to scrunch.

I know from experience that sometimes cotton knit will stretch and then slip down if you do the scrunching, but it's worth a try. The other issue with a long cotton knit is will it bag out at the bum when you sit in it.

7 years ago

Summer

Veteran

I agree with Suz's suggestion to scrunch the sleeves. I have just bought a long cardigan, and wondered at first if it was swamping me. Scrunching the sleeves and adding a small heel did the trick.

7 years ago

Aquamarine

Veteran

Hmm, no answer for you except I can commiserate. Not sure of your height, but I mentioned yesterday in Angie's post that it seems petites can struggle with this look. Agree that those of us in colder climates have a short window for these types of sweaters, or need to have the right type of outerwear to couple with the long sweaters in the dead of winter.

But good of you for trying since you already have a long sweater. The suggestions above are helpful, and maybe Angie can chime in, too.

7 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'mmmmmm heeeeerrrrrreeeee......

Aquamarine, petites can rock a maxi cardi, no problem. Mt 5ft 2 clients looked Killer.

First of all, Chris. You are fab, and have the best attitude.

I love the fit of the dress in #1. Try a tailored SLEEVELESS maxi cardigan over it. You're after something less "sweater coat" looking for over that dress. I also echo what Suz and UmmLila suggested too.

The outfit in #3 has great potential. Try a tee or thin pullover as a layering top instead of the shirt.

And I'm eager to see non-black footwear!

7 years ago

Chris987

Veteran

Thanks ladies, I'm right on the cusp of "trying too hard to make this work"...will probably return it. Tags not cut yet.

Ummlila I agree on the shoe comment. I used to wear those shoes only with slacks and to be honest I've never quite loved them so I think it's time to part with them. And good comment about feeling like wearing a bathrobe...I bet I'd feel that way too.

Thanks Suz, I truly am having fun experimenting I could try scrunching the sleeves but I'm not sure I want to wear something that MUST have the sleeves scrunched to look good and I bet the sleeves would not stay scrunched on this. And love the comment about bagging bum....I have plenty of junk in my trunk already, don't need to add any additional bagging

Summer thanks, it's something I do with other sweaters and it's a great styling trick.

Aquamarine thanks, I'm 5'1" so definitely a petite in most things except pants where I usually wear regular sizes.

Hiiiiiieeeee Angie! Hope you have recovered from NAS with more tea and cake, and thanks so much for the kind words. Your ideas are great, I'll go look at some sleeveless maxi cardigans in lighter fabrications.

p.s. I just posted another topic about some gorgeous non-black shoes I tried on at Jcrew today. I hope someone here ends up getting them, they are truly awesome. They didn't work for me but I'd love to find something similar.

7 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You will definitely find your light coloured bookending shoes.

Chris, you and I are going to have to do an investigation together. Angie always teases me about my dark footwear. She loves loves loves loves light footwear and wears it brilliantly even in Seattle's rain. She has light hair so light footwear bookends nicely. But forum member Aida has dark hair and wears light footwear equally well. Her fair skin makes it work.

Before YLF I confess that apart from one or two pairs of red shoes over a lifetime, and my gym shoes, I probably owned nothing but black footwear since my 20s. (I do remember a pretty pair of grey pumps back then, and a pair of blue suede oxfords.)

There is a reason for this apart from a lack of imagination. Actually, two reasons.

My legs are relatively short. In winter, because of weather issues and availability, I typically wear darker bottoms. White pants splashed by slush are not a pretty sight. Darker footwear elongates the leg line with dark trousers.

I commute on foot, regularly get splashed with gritty slush, and have to tiptoe around puddles or icy patches. Darker footwear hides more sins.

Having said that -- it does not bookend my lighter hair or echo lighter elements in my outfits. One of the reasons I love my summer shoe collection is the variety of tones -- mostly light. I barely wear my sole pair of dark sandals. I wear white, pewter, taupe, silver, black and white, cognac, nude much more often. All of these are more in harmony with my former dark blonde (and your current) hair colour. They also look better with my silver hair (except maybe the nude and cognac, which still work okay.)

So I am making it a goal to include more light, bright, or at least mid-toned (not black) footwear in my winter rotation. The question is -- how. It's really not easy.

Some ideas:

A fun, bright pair of rubber rain boots.
A bright pair of booties (cobalt, bright red, fuschia)
Silver or pewter booties
Patterned (snake) footwear -- just as you found today.

You might look GREAT with leopard footwear. It includes and ties into the darks but also echoes your hair. My favourite belt when I was blonde was leopard print. I also loved my leopard print shoes.

7 years ago

Chris987

Veteran

Oh what fun, yes let's investigate this Suz!

I too wear primarily black footwear in the colder months and have for most of my life. I have never commuted on foot so even through I have to deal with the same messy weather situations as you, just not with quite the same daily regularity. I see a lot of people that do not wear sturdy winter footwear because they are just "dashing into the office or the grocery store from the car", but all it takes is one slip on the ice to break that habit!

My reasons are for the same practical reasons you state, plus for professional/corporate wear black shoes have always been the "gold standard" at least in the world I was in. Credible, not too flashy, don't have to spend much time thinking about it, a couple of good pairs have you fully covered, etc.

I think there is also a reason having something do to with conservative New England clothing tendencies. A GF (fellow New Englander also in a corporate job) and I visited her uncle's condo in Boca many years ago in June and it was so hot and humid that we spent most of our time indoors. We visited a huge shoe store that was full of brightly colored shoes with lots of heels. We felt like two little girls in a big candy store, but would "never" wear them at home, and came to the conclusion that is was a NE thing because part of our reaction was that they would look silly at home. I had a coworker once, a software engineer who grew up and went to college in Puerto Rico, and was working in NE for a few years, who wore brightly colored high heels year round. It's partly cultural I think. Maybe it applies to Canada too.

I'm going to study your list. I did buy some leopard loafers from Sole Society in early April. I goofed and did not notice that they were final sale (and bought two sizes...grrr) so I put them away and will review them when I go through my fall/winter shoes. Interestingly enough they are still available on the Sole Society web site but only in size 5.

7 years ago

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