WIW -- Learning to Remix and Rework

It was a shorter workweek, because of the Holiday. My goal this week was to sort through my dresses and remix items that I felt I was still unsure of with regard to styling.

#1: Second outing of leggings, but at 40 degrees my little legs were cold! Would have been better off with boots (I will be searching for a new pair next fall)
Dress: Daisy Fuentes, at Kohls (nice 3 seasons knit, which 3/4 length sleeves
Jacket: Old Navy
Scarf: Target
Flats: Lifestride

#2/3 Workday -- My goal was to play with the H&M skirt purchased this spring. I have a least 6 fun outfits I can wear with this! It's a springy sweater-knit (see closeup in 3) Here I've attempted to "go" instead of "match" The jacket is a tweed that reads as grey, but has little black flecks. The top has no navy blue (the skirt is dark navy), but is cream, pink, gold and black. I wore this with my new microfishnets, with the jacket open.

#3/4 Keep or Toss this Dress? I purchased this several years ago to sing in. While the print is powerful, it's actually bone, not white, which softens it some. I was of mixed opinion about the band on the bottom. When I paired it with a WHBM jacket (with peplum, which is hard to see here) I liked it a lot better -- it semed to break up the print. I have a few dresses with this silhouette, which is great for singing, with its mid-knee or lower length, and a little movement. Purchasing today, I'd choose something a little different, perhaps, but I'd like feedback from y'all.
Jacket: WHBM
Dress: Donna Morgan -- from TJ Maxx (3 years old)
Pumps: A2 from Kohls (these are peep toes that come in other colors -- comfy!)
Necklace: From an art fair -- made of an antique button.
Jacket: Coldwater Creek
Top: JCP
Skirt: H&M (new)
Shoes: Naturalizer Outlet

Patent Flats:

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12 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Outfit #1 works great Beth Ann - I'm sorry your legs were cold, but gosh the tights look fab with this! Great proportions and shapes.

I ADORE outfit #2/3 - beautiful mixing (not matching!). The colours in the blouse are beautiful and soft against the tweed jacket and the fit of the skirt is absolute perfection.

Now for the dress in #4/5 I have to be completely honest and say I'm not loving it. I do like a bold black and white pattern but I find the shape doesn't do your beautiful body true justice.

Sara L.

I have to agree that I like the first two outfits better than the third. The dress is better with the jacket but I think the band at the bottom is what's throwing me off.

Meredith1953

I agree with Shannon,
I love 1-3!! Great pattern mixing in #2 and #3 and really shows off those curves. The dress in 4-5 is pretty but the waist is not defined and I do love you with a defined waist!

Beth Ann

Aaahh! Very interesting! You know, this dress has one of those ruched high, almost empire waistlines. My rib cage is not, like everyone else on "What Not to Wear," my smallest point. This is either an inheriting of my Dad's barrel chest, or a result of 25 years of strenuous singing (I do think we train our muscles in a way that maximizes expansion here). I like a lower waist better, even though I'm less "defined" than I was years ago (hee).

Feedback is very helpful! Thanks!

Jaime

(website)

My favorite is #1, but also 2 is great. The dress is ok, but maybe not on level with the the rest of your outfits.

san

Love the color and texture. And your gorgeous smile!

christieanne

I love #2 - perfectly "goes" together. That jacket is terrific!
#1 looks comfy! At 40 degrees I'd still be cold in a dress without full leg coverage so I admire how you could handle that.
#3 - It's not a definite toss but I think you have so many better dresses now that you show us. The band at bottom does sort of chop you off early.

ManidipaM

Ok, I'll be the odd one out and say I think that dress --- while it's off-balance on its own --- looks like a delightfully softer yet more dramatic version of a sheath-&-jacket suit! I'm positively delighted by the proportions created in the last photo, both for the balance of print and solid, and also because the horizontal band draws attention to your shapely legs while the vertical line of the jacket is slenderizing. I'm imagining a peplum with this, in my head, so I'm getting a tall curvy silhouette.

Also, TERRIFIC textural detail on that second outfit. The skirt, the tweed, the buttons, the soft sheen and pattern of the blouse. And one of those colour combinations (grey w/ black or navy, pop of pale and bright pink) that is totally amazing on you. There's your signature capsule combination, I think, ready made! Lovely.

#1 is a great MOTG outfit. You are a tough cookie to bare legs at 40 degrees! I'm a cold weather wimp!

#2 is dressy, fun and flirty! Great colors.

#3 looks like a long tunic over a skirt. I'm not liking it as much as the other two. The jacket does help it a little bit.

Traci

The first two are fabulous on you! The proportions and shape are just gorgeous, especially on #2. That tweed jacket flatters your waist beautifully. The third one just doesn't compare.

Kirti

I love #2!

jayne

It is quite difficult remixing, how you feeling about the success rate? Do you get 3 outfits out of your pieces?

I admit to liking the dress with jacket better. I almost didn't notice the black band in the first photo but it jumped out at me in the second with the jacket repeating it. How is it on your happiness scale?

Deborah

Beth, #1 is great and I am liking you in the leggings. #2 is stunning. I lobe the varying textures and subtle pattern mixing. And I actually really like 3/4! I realize Mani and I are in the minority here but I think it does actually flatter your figure and and looks very striking. I prefer it with the jacket but also like it without. Have you considered trying it with your black leggings? Or black straight leg pants and heels. I would hesitate to pass it on because I think it looks great on you.

Thanks for the feedback everyone! You had some very helpful ideas.

Jayne: I'm getting better at remixing. My biggest issue is taking the time to do the playing necessary. I also find I forget a lot of combinations if I don't photograph them -- which surprised me! I try to snap a a quick photo for my "YLF" file. The other day I actually find 6 great combos for the knit skirt -- and I could have done more! I have some "one way only" outfits, of course -- like the black and cream dress -- I'm trying to see these as creative puzzles not "closet failures." And sometimes I just donate and move on!

My feelings about this dress are confused. I think it probably looks better IRL (it's starker in photos), but the waistline area is not my favorite -- it's not in the right place. I was much more sure of it, though with the jacket, and I have a cardi wrap (ballet style) that can work as well, as adds more of an hourglass look. All the "stuff" going on with the ruching and the print makes me look more apple-ish here, and I'm not really an apple. I think I'll try wearing again with the cardi or jacket. It can stay --- for now -- on probabtion!

cinnamon fern

It always annoys me when Stacy and Clinton talk about how flattering Empire waists are! Like you, I find them hard to wear - and I cannot blame my big ribcage on singing.

The dress is OK, and good with a jacket, but not up to the level of what you usually wear.

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