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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Styling closet orphans.

Irina

Veteran

I have to begin with the end I think both of these outfits were a decent attempt but I’m not 100% happy with them. I wore both last week.

Outfit #1. Meet the orphan - a leather jacket from Club Monaco. Few years old jacket that I wear a couple of times a season. I love the cut and how buttery soft the leather is but the color is too warm for me. Usually I style it with a white shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. I wanted to expand and wore navy wool pants and merino wool, very light knit top (COS). I love this top, one of the oldest pieces in my wardrobe. It has a concave, unusual shape if you can see from pictures. The whole outfit is not bad if it wasn’t for shoes. I use the same sort of formula for all my outfits - they must contain casual/athletic and classic/tailored pieces. I needed a pair of casual shoes but none of my sneakers worked. I wore loafers and felt off, no time to change, though, rushed to the office.
Outfit #2. The orphan - a denim shirt by Vince. It was too long on me but I like the color with the slight fading in some places and the softness of fabric. I tried to wear it when WFH but I feel more comfortable in a jersey kind of fabric or knits at home. I got it shortened and wanted to style it in denim on denim trend. It looks OK to my eye but the shoes…
They work in theory, classic enough to balance denim and a good color with blue/navy but they look too heavy on me. This is my only pair of chunky footwear, I stayed away from the trend. I would feel more comfortable in a pair of dainty flats or sling backs, I think. I knew when I bought these loafers that it’s a wild card for me, looks more and more like a mistake. Again, rushed out the door.

Shoes are even more than before a problem for me.

Any suggestions or advice? Maybe you notice something I didn’t.

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28 replies

Latest reply was from Irina

Joyce

(website)

Irina, I think you did a very good job with the orphans, including the shoes. Both outfits work to my eye, 100%.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I echo Joyce!

You did a brilliant job of styling your orphans, Irina. I like the loafers in #1! I can see your orange flats work too.

Again, I like the shoes in the second outfit! The white soles add back some pretty. Try wearing your new white earrings with the shoes, maybe. Could create a fab complement!

Shortening the shirt was a great idea. I intensely dislike too long tops so I get it!

Do you have ivory or white shoes that are not sneakers?

Dee

Veteran

I too don’t see any problems with either of these 2 looks, I think they both work well and I rather like the beige loafers with the white sole. They don’t look heavy on your feet in this colour and there’s a relaxed casual vibe to them.

Kate

Veteran

I love both pairs of shoes, Irina. I think you did very well with your orphans.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think you look amazing! The jacket is beautiful. I can (sort of) see why you feel it is too warm for your complexion, but honestly -- the quality is so evidently high, and here it looks fab on you! I would think it might also blend/ harmonize well with some of your other beige and taupe pieces. Even the shoes in #2!

Which I like, by the way. If the trend is not for you, it is not for you (sometimes wild cards don't work out, after all) but these look like a great blend between dressier and casual -- or, in a sense, they -- in themselves -- fit your formula (casual + classic) .

It is interesting that you think they look too heavy. I wonder if it is an eye adjustment issue. They do not look too heavy to me. Especially in this lighter tone. In fact, I can even see a darker version with this outfit -- to balance the dark on top.

But it could be that your strong preference is to bring refinement to your outfits via footwear. Recently, you had to waver from that path due to foot issues and you embraced the athletic shoe trend, out of necessity at first but later out of enjoyment. So these could either become new faves or go by the wayside, as you return to more delicate shoes in the next while with a more healed foot.

Irina

Veteran

Joyce, Dee & Kate, thanks!

Angie, I do have a pair of cream flats. I will try it with them, too. The “April’s summer” caught me off guard, most of the summer things are still packed away. I wish I had a light color loafers, all I tried didn’t fit me but I’m not giving up on find a nice pair.

Suz, I appreciate your detailed response! Thank you! My childhood trauma is having big feet, too big for my size and being reminded of that by my family, out of kindness, of course 57 years old me still thinks that and careful not to add any bulk. I wear size 8, BTW.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ooohhhh, Irina -- I get it!! That makes so much sense. So any larger / bulkier shoe is going to feel like too much -- even though it looks good to outsiders. Size 8 is perfectly normal for your height and overall size...not a big foot! But yes, if the rest of the family had smaller feet, they might tease.

In my opinion, you look good in BOTH a refined AND a chunky shoe, which is a lucky thing -- not everyone does!

Anonymous

Both outfits work- though I think with the first, I'd prefer either a low vamp shoe or bootie, or the addition of textured hosery.

Irina

Veteran

Suz, it wasn’t teasing, it was one of those “oh, you poor thing, your feet are so long, how unfortunate!” Yet, my sister and my mother had a same size and shape feet and were shorter than me! I guess, they had better hopes for me! LOL
Suntiger, bootie would be problematic for me but I do have textured hosiery. Thanks for this idea, definitely going to try.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Irina, that is so funny! Families!! Who can figure them!?

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Well you look very nice to me but if l was to venture a suggestion it would be for a scarf in outfit number one and a lighter top to echo the shoes in outfit number two.l really like the shoes in #2 l just think that the darker top with the lighter bottoms is dominating.

LJP

Veteran

My two cents:

1. that CM jacket is fantastic. I can see how you would feel it's a bit warm for your colouring, but cooling it off visually with navy is a great solution . How do the chunky loafers look here? Are they close enough in tone to the jacket?

2. I don't think your chunky loafers look at all too big or heavy . I do however think that they are kind of standing alone in this outfit . You could wear that shirt with cream coloured jeans and those loafers, with that cool tote bag . Or the outfit as is with a darker shoe - like what you are wearing in the first pic.

Maybe you need some cool new sneakers?

Irina

Veteran

Cardiff girl, thank you. I wear scarves once in a while but too often they feel too classic on me.

Lisa, thanks! That leather jacket doesn’t work with the majority of my wardrobe, including the loafers and it bugs me, I’m used to my things play nicely with each other. As much as I like it, sometimes I wonder if it’s too much work for me.

#2 I will try different shoes with this look. It’s rare for me to like two blue denims together, so it’s interesting for me to find a way to wear this combination. Unfortunately, the sneakers I want are sold out everywhere!

Sal

Veteran

I thought I commented but I must have messed it up!

I concur that both outfits look good and the shoes don't look out of place at all. I could see orange flats (I think you were getting some) with the double denim or the flats from the first look as well.

In terms of the jacket that is hard to wear, that's how I feel about my red leather jacket. I suit a warmer red and it's slightly blue. It's not going to be my most versatile piece but I have a couple of ways I like to wear it. I don't think everything needs to be a workhorse.

Runcarla

Veteran

I can see why you bought that jacket, and The way you have styled it with the navy items is perfect - right down to the loafers! I, too, was wondering if the loafers in the second outfit would work with the first… it you say the colour is off?!

I like LJP’s idea of lighter bottoms for outfit #2. Don’t you have some off-white pants that are similar in colour to the soles of the chunky loafers?

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I think both shoes work very nicely with the outfits, and the outfits themselves are excellent, but we are our own harshest critics. I am more a try on whatever I have and pick what seems best, but there are some great ideas to try above.

Irina

Veteran

Sal, RunCarla and Jaime, thanks! The weather changed dramatically and I wanted to wear some clothes I had in mind but haven’t actually tried to put together. I had this jacket on the list of possible items for consignment but decided to give it another go.
i’m going to try outfit #2 with different shoes. Hope we will have the warm enough weather soon.

Vildy

Veteran

I'm glad you're keeping that amazing jacket. And you're in your late 50s??? I thought you were maybe 25 yrs younger. Whatever you're doing has a very fresh and youthful energy!

AndiB

Veteran

Agree with others that the loafers look great! I kinda love them on you and they have a more refined look than many loafers… not withstanding the lug sole. What brand are they.

Star

Veteran

I simply love both outfits.

Irina

Veteran

Vildy, oh, thank you! What a compliment!
AndiB, like so many other things, the loafers came from Massimo Dutti but they are a few years old.

Star, thanks!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Late to this and I have not read the other comments, but I think you’ve done a great job of these, shoes and all! I think perhaps you’re just not used to seeing yourself in a more substantial shoe. It looks totally cool to me. But as always, it’s YOU who needs to feel good in an outfit!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Another note: I am increasingly accepting of an element in an outfit — like your loafers here — not blending in with the other colors. Especially since these shoes are neutral, I think the look is intentional enough with your careful and polished styling that they don’t come across as an afterthought.

Jules

Veteran

well i looked at the photos before i read your comments - I don't think the shoes look clunky, however, *I* love a chunky shoe! The colour lightens the look and they actually seem quite useful (I have 2 pairs of dark coloured, black-soled loafers I like, but they have limited usefulness in our climate due to not working well well with lighter spring/summer clothing). I do see your POV though, I think more refined shoes are definitely part of your signature style. You tried the chunky trend and maybe it's not for you.

So, what size are you? I can take these off your hands

Irina

Veteran

Jules, they are Cole Haan, 8
Janet, thanks! It was, actually, my intent to use different color shoes. I kind of like, lately, to use more contrasting items like wearing a black dress with cream shoes or white jeans with black shoes.

ChristelJ

Veteran

Well, you can do no wrong with your impeccably stylish outfits. I think your strategy of wearing cool colors with the warm colored jacket works very well. The denim outfit is so fab, and how I admire you for getting the shirt shortened! It's a gorgeous shirt and now it's perfect for you. A good example of how your attention to detail makes your style amazing.

I think the footwear looks really good but understand you need to feel right in it.

lyn67

Veteran

Jacket in nr 1 is fab-and outfit is working great to my eyes, including the shoes you wore. Am curious why your existing sneaks didn't work? I never was a sneakers person but lately digged deeper in the style, and now that own 5 pairs-- I want more -to refine my choices:-)....so I kind of can relate. In addition, I don't think the shoes in nr 2 are too chunky on you-they are true to style trends and look great here, to my eyes. You can try the outfit with white jeans, too, as others said, but then it can happen the denim shirt would fall a bit dark there...

Irina

Veteran

ChristelJ, thanks!You are so kind!
lyn67, thanks ! I replaced my older sneakers with the new but the style is different. The new ones are not as slick and low profile like the older pair. I’m wearing a new pair of pants and didn’t like the length of the pants with the new sneakers. I need to try different shoes with the pants.