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WIW - laying it on thick

Lantana

Veteran

Just so you don't think I'm seasonally confused, it's winter here in the antipodes.
It drags on and I felt like a change from skinnies plus sweater.
I had been wanting to try the skirt with pants idea I saw on Angie's fall /winter 2013 runway board. I was inspired by Angie's most recent MOTG formula to attempt squeezing my chunky crayon lower body into a pencil skirt. I had also been mulling over how to get more mileage out of my Best Winter Dress.
And you will doubtless see Deborah's influence in the silhouette - thank you Deborah!
Here is the result:
#1 is what I wore today and I was snug as a bug in a rug. I know the runway look is pants with a full skirt; I think this works, do you? The pencil "skirt" is actually a dress...
#2 ... this dress, a flock denim sheath. It is toasty warm. It is My Best WInter Dress and I usually ramp it up with a bit of bling for family celebrations. I made it a wee bit too squeezy across the bust, which is another good reason to pop a sweater over the top.
#3 Hmm, trying to casualize with denim - what do you think? Jacket too long?
#4 Same look as #1 but with grey skinnies, grey scarf and thrifted grey booties. Apart from the added warmth, I need to wear a scarf to disguise the high neck on the sheath.
These pix are all taken with my new camera, a Canon EOS DSLR. Love!
I so look forward to your feedback.

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31 replies

Latest reply was from harmonica

Deborah

Veteran

Well Lantana, I think you know that I am going to love this silhouette

I love #1 and #2. I personally prefer the look of a pencil or straight skir,t as opposed to a full skirt, over pants best. The dress is lovely too, and you made it?? The pattern is very cool and modern. Either boots work beautifully. I can feel a copy cat coming on

lyn67

Veteran

Wow, all that beauty here, Lantana! Love all the incarnations, and would dare to make even more of a contrast with a dark grey/charcoal/black scarf there! Love the dress with denim jacket, my denim jackets are usually bit longer, still love them over dresses.:-)

Lantana

Veteran

You are lovely Deborah. It was during Karie's Orphans Challenge that you encouraged me to try the pants plus skirt idea. It takes me ages to put the ideas I get from the forum into action.
BTW, I was in Target today and I could not see one single solitary Deborah-worthy item hanging on their racks. I am now convinced you and I are living in parallel universes.

Lantana

Veteran

Thank you Lyn for your comment and suggestion. I might be able to get away with a darker scarf but i don't like to go too dark near my face. I should give it a try and just see how it looks.

Lyn D.

Veteran

FAB. look Lantana, and your legs look great with the nude hose and booties.
I have done this with a dress also, and find it more comfy without a skirt waistband to contend with.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

What a treat. No. 4 is beautiful, I love the softness of grey on you. YLF.

Debra

Veteran

What a lovely dress and you've styled it in 4 different ways!!!
You look great in each of the photos, I liked 1 & 3 both great outfits but suitable for different events. Great looks and colour combinations. Really liked the grey too.
I am thinking copycat outfits

Anonymous

LOVE THIS! And you made the dress? Wow.

I love skinnies under a dress or skirt look. I think you have done it really well here, and your scarf and booties and awesome hair just light it up.

Anonymous

I love this outfit, especially #4 with the tonal greys. Very inspiring. I need the right dress or skirt. I wonder if a shift dress actually works better than a skirt because one doesn't have two waist bands?
Great title

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Well first off I love the grey tones on you and the light blue scarf just pops brilliantly against them. Every one of these work wonderfully - great booties too!

Krista

Veteran

I love every single one of these outfits, Lantana! The skinnies under skirt silhouette with chunky scarf..sigh..... Even in the 40 degree heat we are having, I felt a skip in my heart!

Lantana

Veteran

Comforting comments on the silhouette and colours, thank you everyone.
@Lyn and Joy, you are right on about the (lack of) waistband. I found the dress surprisingly comfortable as an underlayer.
@ Ornella, Debra, Ceit, Shevia and Krista - thankyou for taking the time to look at a winter outfit when you're roasting in the heat.

pil

Veteran

These are all terrific, Lantana. The denim jacket is such a standard fallback topper for me so I'm really enjoying your layering with the pieces in the other pics.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Grey is a fantastic color on you Lantana! I also think the color of the scarf in outfit #1 is a stunner next to your beautiful face.

IMHO you have nailed the skirt over pants look. I prefer a sleeker fitting skirt as opposed to a full skirt.

All versions works but I do think the denim jacket might be a bit long for a dress.

Parsley

Veteran

I absolutely love this, Penny!
First of all, the colors are so harmonious and gorgeous with your coloring! I think the slim pants work very well under the dress, and you do look snug and warm for a cold day.
Your dress is beautiful, and it looks great either alone or layered with a sweater or jacket. It makes so much sense to do that to increase the versatility of such a beautiful piece. I'm taking notes!
I like the length of your denim jacket over the dress. I know a lot of people here prefer shorter jackets over dresses, but on me I find a length like yours more flattering.
I love your boots, and am noticing that the close fit at the top makes them work well with a dress. Once again, I'm taking notes, because too many of mine give the dreaded "flower pot" look and don't look nearly as nice.
Anyway, you look just fabulous!

Lantana

Veteran

Thanks Shannon. I'm also thinking the denim jacket is too long here. I didn't see it until I posted, isn't that interesting?
I like the colour of that scarf too. I'm on the hunt for that same blue in a sweater.

Lantana

Veteran

Gosh Parsley, thanks for your detailed response. I had the guilts over that dress mouldering all winter (no dress up events this year) and I am so pleased to have found a way to wear it for my ordinary life. It is warm and the fabric is like the good grandma I am, firm but forgiving.

Makrame

Veteran

I really like all of these! Nice examples of how to get more mileage out of a great wardrobe staple! These looks are luxe yet casual at the same time.

Sheila

Veteran

Truly lovely, so much fun seeing you rock your winter looks! I do agree that the denim jacket would be more stylish with the dress if it were shorter...

Thistle

Veteran

So impressed you amde that dress!! You look so fab in all iterations!

Sara L.

Veteran

I think you look great in all the versions you've shown. Those grey booties look great on you and work with pants and bare-legged.

Cindy

All four incarnations look beautiful on you. And I have to say that I love your hair!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What a fabulous set of outfits, and how creative to show us the different versions. The dress is a knockout on you! And you have put it to such terrific use. Thank you for the inspiration!

Beth Ann

Veteran

Good to see you again! Of course, I'm sweating here looking at you all bundled up -- we're in a heat wave in Chicago!

Love the dress layered over the skinnies. It's both practical for the weather and very flattering to your form and style. Excellent idea to treat the dress as a skirt, btw!

How would you feel about scrunching the sleeves in #2?

Anonymous

Well I think you well and truly nailed the look. I love it. The silvery greys look fab on you and all 4 iterations work to my eye. How fab that you made the dress too, it's beautiful.

ElleH

Veteran

You look great. I love all of these but since you asked I think a cropped denim might look better.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

These are all beautiful looks on you. The dress is so gorgeous with your coloring and a perfect fit. And you made it? Beautiful job! Maybe that's why it suits you so well! The booties are gorgeous, and I like the flat boots in #1 with it, too. Thanks for these layering ideas. I think Deborah has a good point about the pencil silhouette working brilliantly layered over skinnies. Most of my dresses are a little flared at the hem, so they might not work as well like this. But I can give it a try.

Lantana

Veteran

Thanks fabbers, it's good to have your thumbs up on this silhouette.
I'll be posting the flared skirt iteration soon to see what you all think of that.
@Elle and Sheila, this thrifted denim jacket is too long here, I can see that now. I have a cropped moto in black, I'll try that.
@Beth Ann, yours is a good idea but I find the fabric is too stiff to crunch. The sleeve just rolls back down again.Darn.
@Makrame, I really like "luxe yet casual". That sits well with me as an aspirational style goal.

Sarah A

Veteran

This a great variation on a theme post! I esp. like the tonal look in # 4. So interesting yet cohesive. And I am most impressed with your sewing skills

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