New dress, old jacket

Ingunn

I bought this BR wrap dress recently, and I wonder if this old suit jacket is working with it or not? The dress is olive green, and the jacket is black and beige with a tiny orange stripe. (I also added a leopard patterned scarf for more visual interest.) What do you think?

I'm sorry for the lousy photos! The colors are more saturated than they appear here. #4 shows the colors a bit more accurately (better lighting).

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13 years ago

Urgent

13 replies

Latest reply was from Vicki

Claudia

Veteran

It sounds like it would work from the description of each item, but as you've noted, can't really fairly judge from how the colors turned out in these photos. Without your descriptions and only judging from the photos, I would say it is a bit drab and visually heavy looking (not pretty and light you, but the fabrics, which look tweedy or wool-ish, combined with the tones together that I can see). This looks like a cool weather outfit for fall and winter seasons.

I really like the new dress, olive color and style. And the jacket and scarf. But together I am not so sure and while I love neutrals, I want to see some brighter or more saturated color here to liven things up, which may simply be there enough and is just lost in these photos.

13 years ago

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Hi Claudia, thanks a lot for taking interest and for sound advice! I think you're spot on. The colors are drab together, even in real life. I'll have to add a scarf, maybe boots and a bag to create more contrast, I think.

I believe the dress will serve as a versatile transition piece into Fall and Winter, thus the tweed jacket. I'm not planning to wear this combination until September or so.

I've added another photo that shows a more accurate representation of the colors. Up close they look all right, but from a distance I feel that the jacket maybe looks muddy next to the green dress. Am I right?

What colors would you - or anyone - suggest as 'pop' colors for this outfit to make it work?

13 years ago

Claudia

Veteran

Oh, yay! #4 is much better! Thanks. Looks good! Do you have a lighter colored shoe in a nude, tan/cognac or cream to try? In the photos it looks like a black or dark brown shoe you have on.

13 years ago

Claudia

Veteran

We posted at the same time. Layered under/over the olive or as accessories, you can go with just about anything because it really is such a beautiful neutral. I like navy, cobalt and other blues, also different purples, red violet shades like magenta. Peach, coral, oranges too. The right intensity of red is stunning with olive, as long as it's properly matched to the tone of the olive.

13 years ago

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Thanks again!

Good idea to try lighter shoes. The ones in the photos are black peep toes in patent leather. Unfortunately I don't have any such in my possession, but I've been eyeing a pair of light warm grey/beige pumps that are not too dressy. I hope to buy them any day soon. You've just made me more certain that I really need those shoes

I love the color suggestions you make, too. Most of them are favorites. Red shoes and/ or a scarf would look good, i think! I have an orange cardigan, but I think it's too bright for this dress. Peach would look wonderful, as would coral, magenta and violet.

13 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

I love this wrap dress! And I think the low-contrast makes the combination work. The silhouettes certainly harmonize with one another, and the print in the scarf brings the whole look together. Neutral shoes would work as well, although these pick up the dark in the tweed of the jacket and bookend darker hair well. Red accents would be fab, too!

13 years ago

Veteran

A nice rich rust would work well too. A scarf that contained several of the more vibrant fall colours could also be a real winner.

13 years ago

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I found a pair of faux patent leather red shoes in my closet that I don't wear a lot since I'm not a 'red' person. They do look very nice with the dress! I also have a cream scarf with big red polka dots. It is wool/cashmere and more an Autumn than Summer scarf. I've added two more photos to show you how it looks. Thank you so much for being so supportive!

You may think that I'm way off here, posting Autumn appropriate clothes in July. Sure, it's still Summer here too, but where I live Autumn starts buy the end of August, so this is not relevant as far into the future as it may seem, alas.

I suppose more red will be on my radar from now on

13 years ago

Anonymous

For a start, the dress is FAB!! Really, really, great! I love the jacket, too, but feel you have a problem of clashing textures, rather than just colours. The dress seems too lightweight a fabric to sit happily with the tweed jacket. Added to which, you are wearing open-toed shoes, which automatically suggest Summer. To me open toes, mean any kind of hose is a definite 'No-No' (but perhaps that's just a French rule???).

I think JR's right that warm rust or any of the Autumn-leaf colours would look spectacular with the dress. Perhaps a long sleeved fine tee and some silky opaque tights in a rust, paired with a scarf in a similar hue? Even a chunky pendant or bangle (faux amber?), to pull the look together.

Oddly enough, these are the very colours, I'd pick to bring out that fine stripe you say is in the jacket, so they could be a great foil for that too. That way, you'd get double mileage from those few accessories. The jacket has a slightly 'hacking-jacket look' and I think it would look great with any black, cream/light beige, or burnt orange/rust/autumn-leaf coloured pants. Jeans too, as long as they were darkish ones. I'd also choose brogues, moccasins, or best of all, tall leather riding boots to pair with that great jacket, and make it feel like a completely new garment. I love an equestrian look (which is the vibe the jacket gives me), and your photos suggest you'd wear it well too.

You could turn these two basic garments into two spectacular Autumn outfits, I feel, rather than one slightly 'not quite right' one. Good luck, I know you'll pull it off in the end!

13 years ago

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

This sounds very true, too. The dress IS a bit lightweight, and I agree, no hosiery with open toes. I'll think about what everybody have said, and plan my Autumn outfits accordingly. A rusty red long-sleeved tee and opaque tights would be very versatile in my wardrobe, for sure, and I think this color suits me very well.

I have a classic trenchcoat that looks nice over the green dress, and I also have a black wool blazer. Both will be fine transitional garments for this dress, wouldn't you think?Later on my winter coat will hide the dress if I wear it outside the house.

You FAB-ladies are truly fab - thanks again

13 years ago

Anonymous

YAY!!! You're ideas for transitional dressing with the elements you already have are great! And I really do think a few Autumny-coloured items would be worth investing in, to give you two outfits-to-die-for, especially since, from the photos you posted, those colours are very YOU!! Good on you for being prepared to 'think outside the box'.

13 years ago

harmonica

Veteran

Welcome fellow Norwegian member! You've got great advice, so just wanted to say that the dress looks really great and fits you well. And we are tweed jacket twins Wanted to add a pic of my jacket to get a better impression of colours and texture, but realtime replies can't include photos, so I'll make a separate thread

ETA: tweed jacket thread http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ost-682231

13 years ago

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

I like this BR wrap dress and am really fond of it with the white/cream under layer and I adore the red print scarf. You are going to enjoy this and have fun with it in the coming seasons. It looks great with the boots, too. So versatile.

13 years ago

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