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WIW: ankle pants, some navel gazing

cindysmith

Veteran

Angie kept dropping little hints about cropped pants in some of my previous posts, so I finally remembered to get someone to take a pic (first pic) of me today so I could show her that I was listening

Jeans: AG, a pale dusty purple
Top: h&m (find), a pale pink
Shoes: Calvin Klein (find), silver & pink
Cuff: Cato, I think?
Shades: Revo (find)

Lately, I've been drawn to really pale colors (think very sunbleached). The pale colors are probably going to end badly for some of my garments, because I live in the country fried middle of cow country LOL, but if I'm [inadvertently] destroying clothes anyway then I might as well wear what I'm drawn to. Life is too short to not love my clothes.

I digress. I've seen street style discussion forums (most especially men's forums) refer to this pale color palette as palewave (some examples in pics). I'm loving it for the summer heat; it somehow helps me at least feel cooler when the temp is 99F and the heat index is 105. It's a look that I can put together out of garments I already own, so no shopping needed (well, shoes, but that's for wider shoes so I'm just shopping for shoes in the new color palette).

This year, the heat is seeming to be extra brutal to me. It might be the blood pressure meds (diuretic mixed with another med), or it might be something to do with some new meds I'm having to take; but my tolerance for heat seems practically nonexistent lately. The new color palette seems to at least help me feel better mentally, so I'm not fighting it. The color palette is pale, so it works with a lot of the dusty/dingy colors I was already drawn to. It's generally fairly minimalist, which fits with my personal style lately.

All that navel gazing to get to this: are the colors maybe too pale for me? I don't want to look all washed out with my white hair and somewhat fair complexion, so I'm asking the experts (that's you guys)... Are these pale colors too pale for me?

I also want to check the pants length. They are an ankle jean, but on me the length felt neither here nor there, so I rolled them up a bit.

Thanks for any feedback, and thank you for reading my navel gazing drivel

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35 replies

Latest reply was from Aida

Like the Season

I love this palette. I think the dusty pinks and blues in particular are perfect for you.

jussie

Veteran

Definitely looks good to my eyes. I think this soft pink and mauve suits you well, and the pants rolled up looks good too! Enjoy playing with a soft colour palette. Why not?

bj1111

Veteran

Love th pale out. Super smile

Suz

(website)

Veteran

These colours are NOT too pale for you and do not wash you out a bit.

Love them on you, in fact. I also do this with my jeans, by the way. Most "ankle length" are neither here nor there on me so I adjust with a roll.

I understand your concern about being washed out. I feel like this sometimes, too. It really is a risk with silver hair. What I find is really helpful is eyebrow definition (and/or specs, but I don't wear them, except for sunnies).

rachylou

Veteran

Ok, 1) Palewave is a superb term 2) purply pink is fantastic on you 3) not entirely sure about oatmeal colours for you...

Jane

Veteran

The colours are gorgeous, they remind me of pinks and earth browns of a desert. I think this was an inspiration to you in a previous post (may be I’m not remembering right - I was thinking of the rusty car?)

I think that you look gorgeous in them. They really suit you!

Brooklyn

Veteran

The colours are great on you. I think this might be an example of what Angie means when she suggests trying (if you are pale and fear pale colours) a more saturated version of the pale colour. To me the pink is quite saturated - not as pale as pale pink can be. And the dusty pink of the jeans is even more so. You look fab.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Gorgeous on you - I like the idea of light colors as edgy as you are showing it here! I am also feeling the heat like never before for me I put it down to menopause (I still love it, but not so much mixed with polyester).

cindysmith

Veteran

Wow, Jane, amazing memory! I can barely remember what I had for breakfast, and I LITERALLY just finished eating it LOL

Rachylou, I think you're on to something with the caution about oatmeal colors. I look positively ghastly in yellow based colors. It's why I always hesitate to wear oatmeal or tan tops even though the color works for my lifestyle (because dirt LOL)

Suz, I do have some colorful eyeglasses, I just never really thought of them as "accessories" before, which is silly because I ordered them colorful to make them fun to wear. I'll definitely have to start actually USING them more often.

Brooklyn, I hadn't thought about the colors that way. It's definitely something I'll keep in mind in the future when I shop, & when I get dressed I'll definitely remember to add accessories to punch up any super pale colors.

Shevia, I think I've been having hot flashes myself. Last night I was griping at how hot it was, and I was IN FRONT OF THE AIR CONDITIONER.

Season, Jussie, & BJ... thank you! Always nice to hear somebody say I got it right

DonnaF

Veteran

Looks great! The blush of summer keeps you from looking washed out.

Sara L.

Veteran

I think you look great and I love the idea of pale, sun washed colors for summer dressing. I usually roll my jeans too. The length usually looks better to my eye. It's supposed to be 101 today but our humidity is so low (single digits) that it's somewhat bearable if you stay out of the direct sun.

JAileen

Veteran

The pinks look great on you. I have similar coloring and have started wearing pink, too. After seeing you in your apocalyptic looks, I like this a lot. You look happy.

cindysmith

Veteran

JAileen, I still LOVE my apocalyptic looks, but it's just too HOT for dark colors LOL

Sara, ugh. I wish we had dry heat. Our heat index/humidex is over 100 and it's just gross

Donna, thank you! I work outdoors and hate getting a tan (afraid of skin cancer), so I'm glad that my annoying summer skin is useful in some way

LaPed

Veteran

Those washed pinks and lilacs look wonderful on you, especially set against the sunbaked landscape and saturated blue sky!

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I love your colour choices ,don’t overthink it,I m sure that you will look fab in them.

Runcarla

Veteran

I LOVE you in that dusty lilac and I think you are on to something with the 'pale wave' concept.

FWIW, if you want to reconcile this outfit with your dystopian self, remember that old English mourning clothes for women progressed from black to grey and lilac for half-mourning. You could build a capsule around Edwardian/Victorian mourning colours!

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Sal

Veteran

I think these colours suit you well - and I understand the trepidation about keeping them clean/longevity. But dark colours fade too and one of my favourite black tees got a bleach spot on it three months after buying it - so in some ways light can be easier.

That is hot!! You are doing well to be operating:)

cindysmith

Veteran

LaPed & Cardiff, thank you!

Carla, I LOVE that idea! XOXOXO

Sal, sorry about your black shirt. I hate when that happens!

Katerina

Veteran

Lovely colours on you Cindy, the outfit really suits you. Great sneakers, too. You look great!

RobinF

Veteran

I love these on you and the silver shoes are fab!

tulle

Veteran

I think you look fantastic in these colors, and the silver shoes are the perfect accessory. I gravitate toward these very bleached pastels in hot weather, too, along with sheer white cottons, because they make me feel cooler--if only psychologically. And although they do show every bit of dirt (another country dweller here) I find that more frequent laundering and a big bottle of Spray 'n Wash mostly does the trick. Palewave--I love that!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I adore the silver shoes too Cindy- wow the field looks hot and the earth dry! And the pinks are great with your hair and skin. Some symptoms sound menopausal to me if you are not already through that time.
A lot of Japanese inspiration?

Staysfit

Veteran

I think these pale shades look great with your coloring. The shoes and the cuff add edginess to the look. The length of your crops looks good too! It’s too bad Angie isn’t commenting right now, but I bet she’s still reading posts and giving you a big high five over the airwaves!

cindysmith

Veteran

Katerina & Robin, apparently, the silver shoes were a total impulse purchase that wound up being a good investment LOL

Jenni, I think hormones are definitely doing their thing right now; my mom says that my completely insane bursts of anger over the most nothing of things is something she experienced when she went through perimenopause.

Tulle, I wish I could find some gauzy cottons around here where I live. Lots of gauzy polyester, which would actually be easier to clean but I cannot handle the rough feel of it on my skin

unfrumped

Veteran

These colors are fabulous on you! Must do more.
I also agree that these combine great with touches of black, not just other pales and white, and for summer, black + silver, white or straw.
I think Angie has had a post on black & blush color combos . I wear a lot of black but use mauvy- blush or pearl gray more than white as my “ pale neutrals “ so I look for ways to shift from black with touches of pale, to vice versa.

The Cat

Veteran

I well understand your love for pale colours in the summer heat. The combos you have shown are lovely, and the colours of the outfit you are wearing look beautiful with your colouring. Relaxed summer elegance.

Becky

Veteran

Love the colors on you as well as the length of the jeans. I think your version of "palewave" looks very seasonally appropriate; I find dark looks less appealing when the weather is hot.

Mainelady

Veteran

I love the pale colors on you and don’t think you look washed out at all. You have a nice tan and that will be enough to keep you from looking colorless with your white hair, which is AMAZING!!
You are right that life is too short to not enjoy your clothes. Wear what you want and have fun. Good luck with the heat........if due to perimenopause, certain foods can make the heat worse. Coffee did that to me, which was really disappointing, because I like my coffee!

Liesbeth

Veteran

Ride that ‘palewave’! I think head to toe pastels only look good on blondes with fair skin, so enjoy

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