Outfit lab: Chambray shirt - YouLookFab Forum

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Outfit lab: Chambray shirt

Kari

Veteran

In my last few closet edits, I’ve kept this Sejour chambray shirt around. It fits my body extremely well, and is super soft and in great shape - partly because it has been kind of sidelined since I purchased it in 2013. Back then, I wore it with white jeans, but I no longer own any (and don’t wear white at all.)

It’s kind of sad sitting in my closet and I’d like to see if I can make it work. I don’t plan to purchase anything new to wear with it; it needs to work with existing pieces in my wardrobe.

Challenges are:
Feeling comfortable with something slightly rough around the edges.
Figuring out how to style it. Buttoning the cuffs at my wrists definitely feels wrong; scrunched? Left unbuttoned? Tucked, and if so, how?
Visually getting used to either/both a high contrast darker bottom and lighter top, or denim on denim (different washes and textures, but still.)

About me: plus sized, appley hourglass, busty and soft tummy, very short waist, very long rise.
Low rise pants do not work on me. The pants I have are generally high rise.

Help me out. How should I style this shirt?

Some of the possible pants and jeans include:
Resin jeans, very dark blue coated wash, from cropped to ankle length. Can be zipped into skinnies or worn unzipped.
Plaid skinnies - I have a knit pair that’s in the styled photos, and a woven pair in a few different colors (the pair in the photo, and not shown, burgundy and ink blue.)
Zippered ponte pants in black and olive. Elastic waistband.
Slouchy olive joggers, ankle length and more voluminous on me than on the model.

(Since I can’t use Finds I’ve saved screenshots of the potential bottoms.)

Edited to add potential skirts and additional styled photos with a semi-tuck.

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Dressing

36 replies

Latest reply was from Jenni NZ

kerry

Veteran

Great shirt! I bought a similar one this summer so I’ll be following for ideas. I like it semi-tucked best here. Since all of your bottoms are high rise, would you consider tying? I liked the sleeves rolled/scrunched. Would you pop the collar, especially when your hair is up? I think you can wear it with any if the bottoms here.

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Kari

Veteran

Thanks, Kerry!
This is an extremely soft fabric. Pictured, here’s a “live” selfie with as “popped” as the collar will go. It’s possible to scrunch the back up a little, but a true “pop” will flop down and not hold.

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Kari

Veteran

Not sure about tying with pants - my natural waist is so high that it’s a lot higher than the waistband where it’s tucked, so the “tie” would probably rise up and be midriff-exposing.

That being said, I could maybe see tying it over a ponte pencil skirt?

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smittie

Veteran

This is much more casual than what I normally see on you

I think you could try this shirt with a dressy skirt and shoe.
Definitely scrunch the sleeves!

Maybe also try a denim-on-denim look if you dare!

notsaf

Veteran

Have you tried rolling the cuff to just below the elbow? The sleeves are long (that *always* the case for me too!), so it's a cheat that adds a little more neatness than scrunching.

Do you have a mid-toned belt (maybe camel/brown) to break up the contrast?

Kari

Veteran

Edited to add additional styled photos.

I have knit skirts in dark green and burgundy, and a ponte and pleather skirt that’s a little dressier.

I do have a camel belt that works well with pants.

The resin jeans pictured are my only denim bottoms, but I forgot that I have an olive pair of skinny jeans too. They need to be taken in at the waist, but they would be lower contrast.

Rolling the sleeve is tricky. If it’s rolled tight enough to stay secure, it’s uncomfortably tight and constructing on my arm. If it’s looser/rolled less, it unrolls.

Gretchen

Veteran

I like the look with it tucked or partially tucked and the sleeves rolled.

Have you tried it open as a layer on top of a t-shirt or cami? I’d tuck up the sleeves and wear w darker pants like the black or olive.

Or wear as a layer but roll sleeves and button and belt at your natural waist with a pencil skirt?

Also... keep in mind this can be a good underlayer. Dark pants, chambray shirt, v-neck sweater (maybe in a bright color?) and leopard print shoes?

Kari

Veteran

I guess I’m not sure how to style it with it worn open! Maybe over a long column of low-contrast color?

Layering collared tops under sweaters was fussy enough in the years that I don’t think I want to try that again. My tolerance for fussiness and tugging layers into place is a lot lower than it was 10 years ago.

Definitely considering tying at the waist with a skirt to see how that goes. I hadn’t thought about belting with a skirt... that being said, I have a wide satin/crepe obi-style belt that could work.

Lots of great suggestions! Thanks, all if you, for the quick feedback and ideas.

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christy

Veteran

Oh, I love the idea of it with a skirt -especially the pleather skirt! Maybe a semi tuck, rolled sleeves and fun shoes? I often wear mine under a black oversized sweater with leggings.

Have you tried the J. Crew sleeve roll trick with it? ETA the link:

https://www.whowhatwear.com/fi.....crew-style

Kari

Veteran

Unfortunately that rolling method is too tight, it makes it uncomfortable.

I’ll definitely try playing with it with a skirt!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am going to give you some odd advice - consider giving up the shirt. It is not that it looks bad. Actually I love it in the first picture. Those high waisted resin jeans are perfect on you. But, and I am probably projecting here, why force yourself to wear items that don't match your current look, which I think is sharper and crisper than this top. It is not that I doubt you could style it beautifully, but why? (Again major projection going on here !)

Kari

Veteran

I think it’s actually because my current look is going this way. I still bat for team dressy, but I’ve been moving towards softer, less structure, much longer hair, more frequently wearing pants, often wearing high quality tee shirts, often wearing flats... just craving more variety in casual wear.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

I wear my chambray tops all the time in summer. I consider its neutral, so it’s great with printed bottoms or weird colors that are hard to work with. My default styling is to roll the sleeves, button the front and tie it at the waist so it kinda hangs loosely over my pants waist.

BUT I agree with Shevia- don’t force it! I’m sure it could find a new home if you want to pass it on.

SarahD8

Veteran

I was kind of with Shevia too — it seems like the styling suggestions that are consistent with your style aren’t very compatible with this particular chambray shirt.

But then you say you want to move in this direction so I don’t know, maybe it’s a matter of getting used to this shirt’s vibe.

I think it would be nice untucked with plaid pants but with some chunkier footwear. I like the skirt suggestions that people have made too.

Kari

Veteran

Yes, I think it’s a sense of really liking the shirt, feeling like it’s right for where my style preferences are going, but not used to it. I also haven’t been wearing any button down tops for many months, so there’s a sense of wanting to wear them again, but in a casual way and not bus-cas.

What kind of chunky footwear are you thinking of, Sarah?

Jane

Veteran

I’m also nodding with Shevia. Somehow it doesn’t quite look like ‘you’ to my eye. Shoes might be able to rescue it but I don’t know.

Preppy Pear

Veteran

You are so dang cool and cute no matter what you do, and I think this is a fun experiment. Having the sleeves rolled really makes the softness look chic and tidier to my eye, but then, I’ve never met a sleeve I didn’t want to roll or push up. It drives me bananas when my sleeves keep unrolling. Maybe you could try temporarily pinning them while you keep experimenting with the look? To my eye, there’s too much sleeve hanging in 1.

I really like the semi-tuck with the plaid pants, but I am on Team Neutral and Casual, so I cannot be trusted. A skirt might be the way to inject a little more “you” along with your yellow mules.

missvee

Veteran

I think you look fabulous with the shirt worn loose and easy with the plaid pants (pic#3). The yellow shoes are a great finishing touch. A soft shirt has a mind of its own and that’s part of the relaxed charm for me.

SarahD8

Veteran

Kari, totally makes sense. I hope figuring out this shirt helps crystallize this new style direction for you. Exciting!!

Re: footwear, I was thinking of maybe a lace up oxford with a chunky sole (bit of a doc martens vibe, maybe?). That with the plaid pants and shirt worn soft and loose would have a fun 80s-90s appeal I think.

notsaf

Veteran

I quite like the styled shots! (And didn't realize those were slides: cute!)

Runcarla

Veteran

I have a shirt that is similar - soft vs crisp fabric. I wear it with sleeves rolled and untucked over cropped or rolled pants (white jeans, olive chinos, black drawstring waist). I've also worn it tucked into a pencil skirt. My favourite pairing was with a white leopard printed pencil skirt.

The length of your shirt is short enough that it works untucked. If you are thinking of wearing flats, I would suggest showing a little skin at the ankle with a cropped or rolled bottom.

#1 my shirt - 5+ years old
#2, #3, #4 inspo pics I've collected from Pinterest with a view to copying

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JAileen

Veteran

I like the shirt with both the black and the plaid. I have a similar shirt, but I wear it as a layer over a tee for birding.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Maybe keep an eye out for a similar shirt in a crisper fabric? That could let you do some zshushing (sp?) that this shirt doesn’t allow.

I’ve got several chambray and similar shirts and I tend to wear them with colored jeans or pants. I used to wear them with knit tube skirts. But my style is less structured than yours I think. I agree about the wearing under sweaters fussiness - that used to be a go to of mine and now it’s just annoying.

Kari

Veteran

Oh, I definitely don’t want to replace this shirt, and I’m not interested in making additional purchases.
Crisp or heavy fabrics in wovens often bug me in a way that I’m less tolerant of than I was many years ago. They usually feel stiff, they wrinkle, they are frequently unforgiving of how my body is shaped. (And that’s not even considering button downs that gape.)
I love this shirt because it avoids those problems. It’s cut very well for my torso, the buttons are spaced well and don’t pull or gap, and it’s incredibly soft. Replacing this top with something similar but with less comfort - even if I found something that fits me and buttons equally well - would reduce what drew me to this shirt and not make me excited to wear the replacement. The comfort and ease is a big part of the appeal.

Kari

Veteran

Love the inspiration pics! Thank you.

Though I don’t have super chunky soled shoes, I have some very loved pairs of oxfords that I think will suit that vibe.

It’s a VERY fun experiment, and I appreciate so many ideas!

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Anonymous

I love the shirt on you. It's a great layering piece, and also great on its own. I have a similar one in my closet and I throw it on with all kinds of things. It's one of those wardrobe chameleons! I especially like mine with white jeans. Yours looks fantastic with those new yellow slides!

Runcarla

Veteran

Some more ideas...

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Mainelady

Veteran

I like your chambray shirt a lot and I really like it semi tucked. I think it would also look fabulous knotted, similar to how Runcarla’s inspiration pics. Have you tried wearing it open, like a jacket? It is a lighter weight alternative to a jean jacket. I wear mine over dresses quite often and will sometimes add a belt (still worn open) for a bit of added structure. I like the roll the cuffs on mine.

SarahD8

Veteran

Kari I like those shoe possibilities!

I agree with others that the sleeves seem a bit long at full-length but I understand that with this specific shirt it is hard for them to stay rolled/scrunched. Maybe if you find an arrangement that you like you could consider adding a snap or a stitch to keep things in place.

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