WIW: Nutcracker Suite Outfits, Act 2

Still getting dressed. Still learning a lot!

1-2: Black jersey dress / navy/black plaid tunic / black/gray rose-print cardi

Worn with black tall boots / silver bead necklace / enamel bird earrings / dramatic lippie (Train Bleu by Nars, b/c this outfit required appeasement of my inner Helena Bonham Carter)

I was skeptical of the tunic over dress silhouette, I thought it would feel costume-y. But in fact…I kind of love it? Now I’m excited to experiment more with this tunic-length shirt + cropped cardi sort of Victoriana/Edwardian (in dress, not belief!) silhouette.

Also, I know the black watch plaid/floral cardi pattern mix from my last batch of outfits was a fan favorite, but I liked the navy/blue plaid with the print cardi better. Maybe the larger scale of the plaid on this top is more harmonious with the cardi to my eye?

3-4: Dark-wash straight jeans / dragon-print silk shirt / black cable-knit cardi

Worn with tan heeled oxfords / gold dragon pendant / green Peking glass beads

After wearing this outfit to my daughter’s winter concert at school, I think I am rotating this shirt out of my closet. I like the Asian-inspired print and it is well made, but when I put it on this time the color scheme struck me as garish and outdated. Plus, the frog closures at the front leave me feeling exposed.

5: closeup of the heeled oxfords. Do you think they work with the straight-leg jeans? I was imagining that they would “break” a little farther down the foot and cover more of the shoe.

6-7: Dark-wash skinny jeans / white pin tuck popover / ivory cable cardi

Worn with pink velvet ballet flats / pink pearl drop earrings / Grandma’s clear rhinestones / gray+pink ballerina print scarf

I was skeptical of the ivory + white mix (Aida mentioned the combination back on my original capsule thread, though re-reading I am not sure if she actually meant to suggest I wear these items together!) but I loved this outfit once I put it on.

Wasn’t planning to wear the necklace but then I figured — why not? I like the subtle bling peeking out from under the scarf.

And — new shoes!!!!

8-9: Black ponte leggings / white tuxedo-pleat tunic / burgundy long cardi

Worn with cognac riding boots / green rhinestone necklace / gold skinny bangles

This is a VERY minor variation (just switched out the cardi) on an outfit in my previous set. Nevertheless, I am comfortable with this level of repetition. I mainly wanted to wear this to see if I would like the burgundy sweater + green rhinestones together (twist on Xmas red-and-green). I do!

10-11: Navy skirt leggings / gray floral sweatshirt

worn with cognac riding boots / crystal bead necklace / gray+pink ballerina print scarf

Yeah, I pretty much just want to wear this sweatshirt constantly all weekend!

I wanted to see how the necklace + scarf combo from earlier in the week would work with the sweatshirt — though I switched out the rhinestones for a crystal necklace, just to give a necklace I hadn’t worn yet a turn. I liked the result. Would have loved to wear my ballet flats with this ensemble but it was too cold!

Thanks for reading Observations and suggestions are most welcome!

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6 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Beautiful textures here -- everything feels so festive and so considered as well -- I can really see you are thinking this through! I'm sad you are retiring the dragon print shirt because it is a lovely piece and perfect for holiday wear. But if you feel exposed, that is no good. However, a cami underneath would fix that?

Joy

What Suz said. The Asian top outfit is my favorite. But Asian dragon prints are my favorite. If you really are going to pass that top on, I would love it!
Does the gold pendant also have a dragon on it ? I really like your double necklaces on this outfit.

Meredith

Great set of outfits. I find myself drawn to the combos with simiar tones 6 and 10). Im also a huge fan of pretty, comfy sweatshirts! And add me to the list of fans of the Asian top, but if you’re not feeling it, let it go.

Aida

Hah yes I did mean to wear both ivory and white together ^^ I think that turned out pretty super. I don't get a good sense of the proportions of the first outfit with the extreme photo angle but I do like hemline mixes and would be curious to see this one more straight on (especially in relation to the boot height). Interesting that you liked this pattern mix more; I think they both work well, but find the other to be a bit more chaotic (which I personally prefer) and this one a little more subdued. Very much like the brown boots with the last look for some extra color interest. And fun to see you still rocking the baubles

The Cat

Lots of nice items here. My immediate thought when seeing these pics is that your enamel earrings in #2 would be a great match with your printed silk shirt in #3, as they would echo the shape and colours of the print.

Sara L.

Great set of outfits. I think my favorites are #6, 8 and 10. I actually really like the asian print top. When I read your description as garish I was expecting something quite different. A cami underneath might help with the too exposed feeling.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

You have fab pattern mixing skills. Nicely done.

SarahD8

Thank you, all!

Suz, "considered" -- THANK YOU. Yes. I am trying to be very thoughtful and deliberate. I'm glad it comes through.

Joy, yes, it's a dragon on the gold pendant. The top opens up, kind of like a snuff box! It's a really funky piece, I thrifted it way back in high school and have held on to it ever since!

Meredith, I'm loving the pretty-sweatshirt look. I felt so silly buying a dang overpriced sweatshirt at Anthropologie but I have gotten a ton of wear out of it already. I may try to duplicate the look.

Aida, well you gave me a good idea about white + ivory! One of the things that I am really loving about working with a small capsule of items is that it pushes me to try combinations that I would not otherwise have thought of. And thanks for the pattern-mixing thoughts. I think I am homing in on my pattern-mixing sweet spot. Next time I put the black dress on, I will throw on the plaid tunic and boots for a moment and try to take a straight-on pic so you can see the hemlines.

Cat, how interesting! The earrings are a Celtic design, I would not have thought to put them with the Asian print, but I may just have to try it.

Angie, I'm blushing! Thank you!

Sara L. and others: Ok, I am hearing the affection for the dragon-print shirt loud and clear! I apologize to you all and to the shirt for calling the color scheme garish. It may just be that close up, the colors are brighter and warmer than I am used to wearing. I agree that if you step back just a bit the overall effect (e.g., in the photos) is really nice.

I did wear a camisole under the shirt in the concert outfit. But I felt like I couldn't really exhale, you know? I think this piece would work better for me as an over-shirt combined with a longer under-layer, or open as more of a jacket. For example with my black jersey dress.

My concern with that plan was that I would not be warm enough (I run pretty cold and typically need a long-sleeved sweater, or two, in the winter).

I have another Asian-print piece, a jacket with batting, that would be warmer. So I thought, maybe I should pass along the shirt and work the jacket into my wardrobe.

But now I am feeling a renewed affection for the dragon shirt. (Which also has bats in the print. Bats! Love.)

I will workshop some outfits with both pieces and then decide what to do.

If I do decide to pass on the shirt, Joy, you have first dibs.

Thank you all for helping me think this through!

Jenni NZ

Going to work soon so no time for detailed comments. Awesome lipstick though and you're my new hero about Helena Bonham Carter. I love her outfits esp that time she wore the non-matching 2 different shoes to the Oscars. Have to boast I thought of that before her! When I was 26 I wore one black shoe and one white shoe in a black'n'white outfit

I hope that you can make the dragon/bat shirt work into your outfits. If not, I would love to buy it if it is anywhere close to fitting. You look very small. I wear an XS or Small, occasionally a Medium that runs very small. My bust measures 32-34 and my bra size is 30D.

You are SO lovely, Sarah D8.

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