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WIW: Pattern mixing with polka dots & some casual looks

Jonesy

Veteran

There must be some sort of YLF mind meld going on, because I actually wore polka dots on Saturday night! We traveled to my in-laws' house this weekend, so most of these are very casual looks (waving to Cheryl, if you are reading this). I took all of these pics as I was packing on Friday. Pardon my insane hair--I need a cut but my hairdresser is on maternity leave, and the humidity was wreaking havoc!!

#1: Wore for celebratory dinner for my FIL's 80th birthday. J. Crew polka dot shirt (love! wearing it all the time!); floral print Tucker pants; gray Cheap Monday peeptoe booties. I think my relatives might have been a little puzzled by this look, but I felt fab!

#2: Wore to drive there. Column of white, sort of. Gap bleached chambray shirt; Gap white skinnies (cut off into clams); beaded choker by a Chippewa artisan, bought last summer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

#3: Close-up of choker. You can see how the shirt is really a faded blue, which I like.

#4: Wore for brunch and to drive home. J. Crew striped top; J. Crew navy jersey pencil skirt (about 15 years old); Mango necklace. I loved the idea of pairing this necklace with the somewhat preppy top.

#5: Close-up of necklace, since it's so dainty the details might be hard to see :).

#6: Super casual look worn to the lake, and for preparing dinner. Asos print viscose top; J. Crew print olive shorts; Miz Mooz snakeskin mini-wedge sandals. I know these shorts are a wee bit short, but sometimes I just want to be comfortable and I love the pattern mixing potential :).

Frank feedback always welcome!!

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30 replies

Latest reply was from catgirl

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Jonesy, you are SO cool. And how brilliant to go from extreme pattern mix to plain white!!

You look wonderful, summery, ready for fun and frolics. LOVE those last sandals, especially.

Inge

(website)

I'll be very frank here: I LOVE it all!-)
You are the pattern mixing master, Jonesy (outfit 1). I also love the contrast with outfit 2 = solid colours, simple and strong. Just like your pencil skirt with striped top and eyecatching necklace. (your footwear and accessories collection is stunning, by the way).
The abstract, colourful pattern of your top in 6 is fantastic too, and my word, you have the gams for shorter shorts.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You are just so fably stylish, I can't stand it. Those peep-toe booties are getting such a WORKOUT.

#1 - you look better than the shopbop models by about a billion percent. KILLER! That pajama look is very on trend and you wear it like no other. Happy birthday to Mr. Jonesy FIL Papa!

#2 - you knew I'd love the column of white, didn't you :). Gorgeous addition of African inspired jewelry. Adds the Jonesy-flair!

#4 - the de-bomshelled look worn to perfection. An 11 out of 10! That necklace screams Jonesy from the roof tops.

#6 - the perfect outfit for a day at the lake! Those new Miz Mooz sandals are divine.

My favourite accessories are your hair and smile. They always finish off your outfits in the best possible way

Meredith1953

Veteran

Jonesy,
These are all wonderful outfits! I just love those peeptoe sandals too!

Jonesy

Veteran

Thank you, Angie, Inge, and Suz!

Angie, thanks for the sweet, detailed comments! Yes, I am wearing those booties all of the time! They are just so comfy and seem to go with everything :). I really appreciate how easily you are able to appreciate others' style (e.g., the giant necklace I'm wearing, when you have essentially sworn off most jewelry)--it's so encouraging and freeing in a way.

Inge, thanks so much! I guess I didn't think about the contrast of the pattern mixing with the all-white look, but you're right! Blushing at the gams comment...

Suz, I love the idea of summertime fun and frolics!! It is definitely a much more casual time for me, and my clothes reflect that, of course.

ETA: Thanks, Meredith! Cost per wear on these booties must be pretty low at this point :).

MsMary

Veteran

*faints dead away from the utter fabulosity of it all*

Astrid

Veteran

It's always a joy to look at your outfits! Love everything. That necklace in #4/5 is awesome with the striped top. Also love the versatile booties!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I bow to your pattern mixing Jonesy - totally inspiring!

Anonymous

You look so easy-breezy and relaxed. Summer agrees with you! I really love that last super-casual look.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I'm so not Team Polka Dot but I adore #1. The rest are great too.

Tanya

Veteran

Wow, Jonesy, I am completely blown away! Everything is incredible, particularly #1.

Jjsloane

Veteran

As usual you are too cool for school. I'm in love with all of them! I particularly love the last look and with your legs these shorts are not too short. We are JCrew stripe top twins (4-5) ! I love mine - packing for July 4th trip now! Oh and I wore my polkadots last week.

K. Period.

Veteran

Jonesy, you wear those lace up booties so brilliantly! I just linked a friend to your post so that she can see your incredible outfits. Fabulous!

Abie

Veteran

I love all of these and I'm really swooning over those sandals. I agree with what has been said so far but I also wanted to add that I love how you paired a statement necklace with a bold print. It would have never in a million years occurred to me to do something like that and it looks sooooo cool!

sarah

Veteran

These are so super fab, I can't stand it! LOVE THEM ALL! Happy 80th to your FIL : )

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

Patterns love you, the camera loves you and I love you in ALL these outfits! How cool to transition from your #1 all-pattern look to the serene casual column of color, white, in #2 with that beautiful Native American choker. I love your sandals and still drool over those first ones. As Abie said, your statement necklace on a print shirt pushes into unique one-of-a-kind terrain, which I love. I can tell you are living and enjoying summertime in a spectacular way, because you look so relaxed and happy! Great photos and I love the lighting.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Oh dear. Where to begin? I love the pattern mix polka dot, the column of white, those booties, the stripes, what have I missed? I have to say I am fascinated by that necklace - it's Mango? Not sure if everyone knows this, but the center piece is a chamsa (or hamsa), a common Arab and Jewish good luck charm. (There is absolutely nothing wrong with using it as a necklace - it is commonly used in jewelry.) Just a tidbit. Anyhow, your looks are all inspirational and your curls are magnificent.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I noticed the hamsa, Shevia. We bought one in Israel

Jonesy, just the same way that YOU can appreciate a style that is different to your own. That's what it's all about. I would be a very bad fashion stylist if I had a narrow style filter!

Keix

Veteran

I love all of the outfits, but most especially #1! Gorgeous and inspiring pattern mix.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Shevia - so true!! We have them in our house but I didn't make the connection.

Jonesy

Veteran

Thanks, everyone!

MaryK, I hope you have revived by now :).

Astrid and Abie, thanks for your comments about the necklace-shirt pairing. Jeanne, it's a pleasure to be shirt twins with you, and thanks for the thumbs up on the shorts :)! Shevia, thanks so much for your detailed comments, and for the info. on the charm. I knew it was Middle Eastern, but I didn't know exactly what it was (I tried to Google "hand symbol" or something like that and came up empty). I love that it's a good luck symbol, and that so many different groups identify with it.

Shannon, Annagybe, Tanya, and KL, thanks for the pattern mixing support!

Alicat, thanks for the nice comment on the super-casual look!

K can shop, that is so sweet! Thank you!

Sarah, thanks for the birthday wishes for my FIL (and for your nice comment about my outfits :).

Vicki, your detailed comments are always so wonderful to read! Thanks for taking the time to express yourself and give such awesome feedback.

Angie, yes I know that you think it's to be expected that you enjoy others' style, but you do it in such a generous, open, giving way that I just wanted to acknowledge it :).

Thanks again, everyone!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jonesy, you are a sweetheart and I appreciate the acknowledgement ever so much. It made my day...or should I say night

Aida

Veteran

Well these are all so so very fab Jonesy, and I am pretty sure I'm going to be dreaming about all of your awesome print mixes (so expertly done!) since I'm popping by just before bed. I love the whole lot, but am especially fond of the mostly-white-out look in #2 and everything about #4/5 (I recognized the khamsa too, the necklace definitely looks north African to me though I think they're usually 3 vertical fingers and then two flipped out at either side). I adore the shorts in #6, the length looks fine to me! I always admire how well your clothing drapes, especially on looser cut pieces; that is a detail I am working on being more picky about and I really appreciate seeing such fab examples to inspire me to continue being picky!

Deborah

Veteran

What can I say that hasn't already been said. I am constantly inspired by your style Jonesy. So much of it resonates with me and makes me want to stretch my style boundaries. #1 is the ultimate in "cool". #3 is a clever mixing of styles and I lobe this olive print shorts. You just exude 'style' but in that easy, "it comes naturally" way.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

I love, love, love how you wear your striped JCrew top. It's preppy and you bring the funky edge to it -- and you make every outfit fun.

ManidipaM

Veteran

Wow, what a treat, Jonesy! I don't if I'm more in awe of your pattern mixing skills or your accessory choices!

Btw, Aida's version of the amulet, with little finger and thumb mirror images, is the oldest Islamic one --- the hand of Miriam or hand of Fatima, which we see sometimes in India as well, though not as commonly as the similar Hindu and Buddhist abhay mudra (hand then portrayed with fingers pointing up for blessing, the downward version being varada mudra, for giving, often a boon, but that's not seen independent of statuary or dancers usually). I recall reading at university that the hamsa was also briefly adopted into Christian superstition by way of Judaism, and there became the hand of Mary: Does anyone know of surviving use in a Christian context? (Just curious)

Jonesy

Veteran

Thanks so much, Aida, Deborah, Laura, and Manidipa!

Aida, I really appreciate your detailed thoughts! Thanks for the comment on the drape (something I *do* try to get right), and your info. on the khamsa. So interesting! Ditto Manidipa re. your info.!

Thanks, Deborah and Laura. I appreciate that I look like I am having fun :)!

Aida

Veteran

Manidipa, I had thought that the Christians in the area adopted it but wasn't able to find an example in one of my dad's books (he is a scholar-and-fan of Islamic art, especially the history and has a TON of books). I wasn't able to spent a lot of time looking, but he also confirmed that he thought this was true as well. The Wikipedia page on the khamsa (here) mentions Levantine Christians (here) as those who adopted the symbol which seems logical to me, though I can't vouch for the authenticity of that statement

EDIT: My dad also told me that the 3 fingers with mirrored flipped thumbs is the oldest Islamic style of the symbol.

Freckles

Veteran

You look stunning in all of these Jonesy and what a stunning jewellery collection you have.

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