Prompt challenge: styling a wildcard, burgundy+plum

Two more outfits from our current prompt challenge:

First up, build an outfit around a wildcard. The wildcard, quite literally, is the cheetah-print t-shirt. I am not really one for animal print but I am loving all the prints-featuring-animals (often on a pale pink background) that I am seeing around a bunch of different places this year. This tee is, believe it or not, from the Old Navy girls department. #NoRetailStoneUnturned This outfit is my version of "graphic tee and a blazer." I would love more styling ideas for the t-shirt, it was cheap but since I bought it new I do feel obligated to get some wear out of it and I'm not sure what else to do with it.

Second, burgundy + plum. Again I have to apologize for the bad lighting, which is flattening out the difference in color between the top and cardi. It's a richer tonal color combination in real life. I'm also excited to pair this top with my burgundy cardigan.

Also including an outdoor version of the second outfit. The vest is also a wildcard for me! In the past I have been very skeptical of puffer vests. I thought: if it's cold enough for a puffer I need an extra layer on my arms! But then I thought...hey, this could be a hit of instant outfit-making-pattern to throw on over my jeans-and-sweater-tunic combos when I go do the school run. And I'm not sure I need that much warmth for the school run anyway. This is, of course, a Liberty of London pattern -- made by J Crew, scored for <$30 including shipping on Ebay. So it seemed worth giving it a go, and I think I like it!

One thing that I've noticed, since posting my style statement recently I also seem more interested in wild cards and trying new things. It's almost as if articulating what my style is has liberated me to push the boundaries of it. I wonder if anyone else has experienced anything similar?

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4 years ago

RobinF

Veteran

I like these! Fun tee, I could see it also worn with more formal bottoms than jeans to dress it up a little. Love #2 especially, great colors.

Bonnie

Yes to wildcards. The vest is beautiful and the cheetah print so fun. Both are nicely styled.

rachylou

All very cute! I used to wear puffer vests when I was a grocery cashier. We were surrounded by open refrigeration units!

Katerina

I love burgundy and plum. Great outfits. The tee is fun. And the puffer vest! What a great piece. How about wearing the scarf in outfit two with outfit one?

Anonymous

I love Liberty prints.
Your animal tee is fun, I think it’d also be cute under a muted leopard print but not sure your pattern mixing tolerance.

You have also reminded me I love plum mixed with periwinkle, thx.

(Plum is also really good with your burgundy.)

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

SarahD8, don't you have cognac boots? That cute tee might look fab with them. Have you tried the puffer vest with the tee?

SarahD8

Thanks, all! And thanks for the styling suggestions for the cheetah shirt!

Robin F, I like the idea of maybe wearing the tee with a skirt...and my refined stompy boots???

Katerina, YES to the tee with the scarf! That will be a great tonal color combination.

Opaline now I want to pair plum with periwinkle too. Adding it to my prompts list! My pattern mixing tolerance is HIGH. I don't have any animal print in my wardrobe, and in the past it's been in my "not for me" category. But lately (see above re: interest in new things and wildcards), I find myself curious about what I'll call "offbeat leopard" -- that is, spotted cat prints in unusual colorways. Something like that could be a fun pair with the tee...

Angie, yes, I can definitely wear my cognac riding boots (as seen in the second outfit) or other cognac footwear with the tee. Instant outfit cohesion with the kitties' yummy warm-toned pelts. I don't think the tee will work with the Liberty vest though. Not warm enough (at least not without a cardi over the tee). And, I know this is going to sound extremely weird, but mixing animals from different biomes is where my pattern mixing tolerance ends. Cheetahs with those English hedgerow birds??? I just can't do it!

Jaime

Very interesting question about whether defining your style leads to challenging it! But first, the color combinations looks great on you and I like the one where you are all layered up especially. As to your question, yes! For me defining anything leads to testing the boundaries of the definition.

Sal

That is a cute tee. I think under a blazer or jacket, maybe even a peek under a Vee neck sweater. And great with skirts in summer too.

I can't see the colour combination well on the second but I like what I do see.

I think with style statements they can help you think more about combinations and if an outfit fits within your goals or persona.

nemosmom

I see your "Girl on the moors" coming through in both of these! Nice! The tee is great - what about trying it with riding boots and a field jacket?

Bijou

I love the cheeta t-shirt and think it would look great with a faux fur and jeans. I would wear it with either my pink or leopard faux fur jackets. Like you, once I articulated my style it gave me a point of reference and allowed me to expand my style, but in a way that was complimentary to my primary style and not something way off course.

Baby ST approves Love the vest too!

Finally getting back to this thread after a couple of busy days at work!

shevia, thank you SO much for those thoughts! "defining anything leads to testing the boundaries of the definition." Ahhh, this makes so much sense to me! I had really been second-guessing myself: what, I spent all this time defining my style and now I want to wear...anything but that?? But I think I'm doing exactly what you describe.

nemosmom, so glad the "girl on the moors" persona is coming through, even in the wildcard outfit!

thanks to baby suntiger for the paw-shake of approval!

I tried the t-shirt with a couple of v-necks per Sal's suggestion but unfortunately it didn't work -- basically the scale and placement of the print is such that "peeking out" just looks like "shirt with random smudges." And, I don't own any blazers, jackets, field jackets, or faux fur toppers per the excellent suggestions from Sal, nemosmom, and Bijou. (Although I do really love the cheekiness of the idea of combining the cat print with faux fur!)

So I will keep experimenting with cardigans. And will definitely wear the shirt with riding boots or other cognac footwear. But I've been pondering how the majority of styling suggestions for this piece have been things that I don't have in my wardrobe at all. I wonder if that's a reflection of the fact that my wardrobe structure is kind of unusual/quirky (I'm aware that most people choose to have an array of both woven and knit toppers), or if this tee was just a poor choice of a wildcard -- and if the latter, how to predict that ahead of time in the future. The vest, in contrast, has been much easier to incorporate into outfits. I just throw it over what I'm wearing, weather permitting, and go. I will say that I did think quite a bit more about the "use case" for the vest before purchasing it. Hmmm....

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