Outfit Lab: Asian-print shirt + jacket

Thanks everyone for showing all that love for my dragon-print shirt in my last round of outfit pics. You inspired me to experiment with wearing it open as more of a jacket. At the same time I also got out another Asian-print jacket that I’ve had forever and hardly ever worn (because I didn’t really know how to).

Warning: TONS of pics here!

I’d love to know your thoughts — which outfits work best, which don’t work, tweaks you would suggest, and if there are any other combinations you can think of to try.

The upshot is I think I’ve decided to keep the dragon-print shirt for now. Sorry, Joy! (I am pretty sure the shirt would fit you, though, so if I do decide to pass it along eventually I’ll look you up.)

I’m also hoping to get some wear out of the other jacket! I do worry that I don’t have occasion to wear a lot of the ensembles shown here, but maybe it is just about putting the outfit on and making the occasion. We’ll see. Maybe I need to go to more poetry readings?

1-2: Closeups of the prints of each item. Note that the jacket is reversible!!! (There is batting between the layers of silk, so it’s a thicker, warmer piece.)

3: mid-wash skinnies | white blouse | blue jacket | pink ballet flats (there is a bit of pink in the jacket print)

4: mid-wash skinnies | white blouse | dragon-print shirt as jacket | riding boots

At a conference recently I saw a woman wearing a similar outfit but with a thigh-length kimono worn open over top. I immediately went home and started looking at vintage kimonos on Etsy! The outfit shown here doesn’t have quite the same impact because of the lack of color contrast (as I recall, the kimono the woman I saw was wearing was red). Still, I was tickled to see that I could accomplish a version of this look with what was already in my closet!

5-6: mid-wash skinnies | riding boots | black cashmere scoopneck | jackets over top

I run pretty cold so I’d need something like this to get everyday wear out of these items in the winter. (Still might not be warm enough especially with the white over-shirt but worth a try.)

7: black Eileen Fisher stretch crepe pants | black tee | burgundy jacket | patent tassel loafers

This outfit didn’t photograph well but HOLY COW I LOVE THIS. In person it’s very Asian-Le-smoking, you know? I would like to find a black silk tank to wear instead of the tee but wow! I had no idea my closet could do this.

8: same formula as above but with the dragon-print shirt as jacket. I think this works too.

9-10: dark-wash skinnies | black tee | gold wedge sandals | jackets over top

Tried to do a summer version but meh. Maybe would be better with cropped, boyfriend-style mid-wash jeans?

11-12: black skirt leggings | lace-overlay tank | black ankle boots | Asian jacket

I think either the blue or burgundy side works here

13: same as above but with the dragon-print shirt. When worn open, the hemlines of tank and jacket sort of fought but I like it worn closed like an over-shirt

14: black jersey dress | black tights | black tall boots | blue jacket

15: Same as above but with tan heeled oxfords and dragon-print worn closed as an over-shirt. I like this old-fashion-y sort of silhouette.

Whew! Thanks for looking!

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8 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

These are beautiful shirts/ jackets. It is tough to judge the proportions here due to photo angle, but my inclination is to say they are best with a simple supporting act -- column of colour or neutrals and probably better with the pants than skirts due to length.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Arty Eclectic.

I like the #6, 7, 8, 11, 12 and 14, from what I can make out from the pics. Nicely done.

Janet

Wow, I love it. I think I missed your earlier post. I'm a sucker for these prints. Personally, I like items like this worn with very simple supporting acts -- so the solid top and jeans combinations are particularly winning for me. I love how the circular pattern on cream is completed when that jacket is worn closed.

approprio

I like them all. The colours and fabrics are beautiful. The only one I'm doubting is the button down shirt because I'm unsure how the two collars are interacting. It's the sort of thing that would likely end up crooked if I wore it.

I'm also a sucker for Asian styles and I have a couple of those kimono jackets (haori). They're amazingly useful, but I'm fussy so it took me a long time to find the right ones.

Anonymous

I am so glad that you have found a way to enjoy wearing these pieces. It is hard to pick a favorite styling, but you can't go wrong with a column of black under either piece. They also look great with jeans. 3/4 with the long white shirt are the only looks that I have doubts about, but I think a simple white tee or white silky shell would work.

SarahD8

Thanks, all! This is helpful feedback.

Suz, ach, yeah, I realize the photo angle is not ideal. Alas, the mirrors in my house only allow me to capture a small section of an outfit. For reference, both jacket and shirt are hip-length. Actually I find their length easier with dresses/skirts, especially since I wear my pants slung pretty low. I agree re: simple supporting act, it's nice to let these pieces shine!

Angie, Arty Eclectic sounds like a good general descriptor for me! Interesting that the reversible jacket looks are working for you more than the shirt-as-jacket looks. I knew you'd like the pattern mixing with the lace tank!

Janet, re: the pattern matching, I KNOW RIGHT? The shirt is thrifted so i'm not sure of its original provenance but it must be fairly old, from back when they actually did these things. It occurs to me that even if I'm wearing it as a jacket I could do up just that one fastener to get the circle effect. I'll experiment with that.

approprio, ah, thank you for that word, haori! I really like to know what garments are and where they come from. You and Joy raise a good point about the collar of the white shirt. Now that I've googled haori I can see that they generally have a flat collar -- that wouldn't interfere with a button-up shirt underneath, which must be part of why that outfit I saw at the conference worked. Soooo...I guess I can still justify looking for a vintage haori????

And Joy, THANK YOU for inspiring me to try to make the dragon/bat shirt work, and to play with this other Asian jacket. I feel like I've discovered new things that I didn't know my closet could do, and that's fantastic. I love the idea of a simpler white top to go underneath these pieces, I think that would get a lot of use in my wardrobe so I'll be on the lookout.

Emily K

I think I like #5 and #6 the best. I do not love the outfits with the pin-tucked shirt (#3,4) or the lace overlay tank (#11,12). From the angle, #8,9,10 suggest skirted leggings, which I think would look fab in combination with a fitted tee and the kimono over. I like your kimonos very much--it is a piece that I could see myself incorporating into my style.

LaPed

These are all fun! At a glance, I prefer 7/8/910 and 14. The column of dark neutral underneath really lets the topper shine.

I'll say, having lived with and without a full-length mirror, investing in one, even if it's just a cheapie from Target/Walmart (they usually have one for, like, $10-20), is really worth it. But I also know it can be hard to find a place to put it.

binkle

Hard to see the proportions from the camera angle. From a color/pattern combo perspective, 8, 14, and 15 work best to me. I like the chunkier shoes in 8, they complete the statement of the outfit. Sort of "go big or go home" - you are making a definite statement with the distinctive jacket and all black column, and the distinctive black shoes say "I meant to do this.".

I'm not feeling the mix of the pintuck white shirt or the lacy top. Always hard to tell what things really look like in photos, though. They just, to me, seem to disparate vs the silk jackets.

lyn67

Wow, you really are the Queen of dragon prints, my fave is nr 8, I always love a bl&w outfit best!:-)

Sal

I think these are really great looks and also love them with the simple columns or with the jeans.

Looks 5-10 to me have a real wow factor. Very classy and elegant.

Thanks again all! Lovely to hear your kind words & picks LaPed, lyn67, and Sal. EmilyK, yes, I do have skirted leggings and that's a great idea to try them with a tee and the jackets over top. I find skirted leggings so comfortable and often unexpectedly elegant, that's a great idea. binkle thanks for the shoe love! They are new this month and I am really enjoying how they add an exclamation point to an outfit.

You know, I was posting on a different site earlier this year where the angled-selfie-outfit-photo was de rigeur and I was pretty proud of myself for mastering it, lol! But I hear you all loud and clear, it is not working for folks here. We do have a cheapie full-length mirror but it is not hung up -- I may be able to get that accomplished soon-ish but it is likely to be another couple weeks of extreme-angle outfit photos. PLEASE be patient with me while I fix the situation!

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