wiw: Spring maximal(ish) - YouLookFab Forum

Hi all

I have been having a go at Angie's challenge by trying to incorporate more maximal elements into my outfits. I don't think my style is maximal, or will ever be truly maximal, but it is not minimal either. I am somewhere in between. I am treating this as an opportunity to change things up by moving a little closer to the maximal end of the continuum.

I concentrated on amping up 4 elements: colour, texture, shine and pattern.

Outfit 1: colour and pattern. We have been having a cooler than usual spring so I have been able to keep wearing boots. Yay! This outfit incorporates a lot of colour - for me anyhow. Rust, grey, pink, plum, dark brown, beige, camel, gold and taupe. (I like low contrast.) And what do you think of the pattern mix of the floral skirt and the leopard bag? I thought it worked OK. The camel colour in the bag is similar to the beige colour in the pattern of the skirt. Or maybe leopard IS a neutral

Outfit 2: texture and pattern. I love space dye almost as much as I love ombre. Normally I would wear this space dye skirt with a plain topper. This time I teamed it with an almost matching knit cardigan to amp up the texture and pattern. The topper is a waterfall cardigan that I altered last year to reign in the drape. http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....drapey-top
I left one side undone because I liked the subtle flounce it created and the way it broke up the horizontal lines of the outfit. I wore this with a new wrap top from Saba and my leopard bag for more pattern. The leopard is warm and the space dye is cool, but I think the boots help to tie things together. Yes?

Outfit 3: shine and pattern. This is the most minimal of the outfits. Except... rose gold shoes! Shine +. I don't have much rose gold jewellery (clearly a wardrobe hole) so I mixed my metals by piling on the silver. I added some pattern with my clutch. The jeans are allegedly cropped flares but they are not very flared on me No matter, they are a $35 experiment from Witchery. The top is a longline wrap/crossover tunic. A favourite of mine.

Your thoughts are welcome

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Anonymous

Wow, these are soooo good! I love how you do maximal. Lovely subtle pattern mixing and textures with great jewellery and belts. All three looks are really interesting and fab. I'm intrigued with how great that knit cardigan/jacket looks with just the one side fastened up and I also love how you wear belts over your soft tube skirts.

lyn67

Veteran

OMG Brooklyn, these are spectacular all round!!!! I cannot choose between them, they are so well done, so gorgeous!!! Love you played with colour, texture, shine and pattern for amping up your more minimal looks---and think it all works beautifully! Think you can incorporate these in your style!

bella

(website)

Loving all three outfits! That skirt is making me dizzy, but in a good way and I love how you paired it with that jacket. Fabulously maximal!

Aquamarine

LOVE these! All fabulous. I am especially drawn to 3, your least maximal, which goes to show which way I lean!

As an aside, I am playing with cropped flare jeans, and the advice generally is to show the waist in them to lengthen the leg line, but your outfit does the opposite and it totally rocks to my eye.

All of these are great! If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be pic #1.

texstyle

Really nice outfits. I love your mix of colors, texture and shine - very interesting pieces.

Sisi

All very fabulous and chic.

JAileen

I love all three! My favorite is #1. Really fab.

shedev

Wow, stellar outfits.

peacechick

I think you achieved a great level of maximalism here! The first outfit is perfect in my eye because the t-shirt in #1 really artfully provides a respite for the eyes but the outfit is interesting and edgy. #2 works great with the idea of one print in the majority mixing with another print. And the last look is wonderful with all the layered accessories getting the spotlight.

Mirjana

Gorgeous outfits Brooklyn I love the patterns mix great. Especially like leopard bag, you really look lovely.

rachylou

Diggety dog! Svelte

Sal

You are nailing these maximalist looks!

I particularly like 1 and 3 - I love the leopard bag, print skirt and belt in the first look, of course the boots are fab too.

And the last look is very chic - a modern silhouette with accessories being the star of the show.

I do like 2 as well, for me especially without the top layer. The skirt is gorgeous.

We are also having a cool Spring which I am finding a challenge sartorially, I don't want to wear wintery pieces but I don't have the right top layers.

Emily K

Your cardigan alteration is fantastic! (And I like all your outfits)

Brooklyn

Thanks Sally. Do you have metalicus where you are? I find their toppers (which are quite lightweight) useful for this time of year. And you can shove them into your handbag as it gets warmer in the middle of the day. No ironing required!
Thanks Diane. I can see you in that type of jacket.
Thanks Aquamarine. I am playing with my crop flares too. The tunic is so long it is more like wearing a dress over jeans. I love that look.
Thanks peacechick. It's interesting that you say edgy. I aspire to edgy boho or tough boho but I think it's hard to achieve without black. Especially with floral in the mix.
Thanks Bella. It IS a lot of print!
And thanks Lyn, zoechic, texstyle, Sisi, JAileen, shedev, mirjana and Rachy!

Thanks Emily! We cross posted

Suz

So lovely. I can't pick a favourite. I think you and I are similar on the scale of maximal/ minimal -- I really prefer minimal but am happy to try to up the maximal if I can find ways to do that in character. You've done beautifully here. #1 is just stunning on you. Pattern mix absolutely works. And wow to the rose gold sandals!! Those are going to be workhorses.

I think you always get a bit of edge in your looks. Partly it is your long slim body type, partly it is boots (when you wear) or other footwear, partly it is the jewellery and belts that you choose. And the muted colours.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Brooklyn, you are as stunning as ever in these outfits. I like how you've amped up the details just a little bit, with your pattern, texture, and shine mixes. I like the effect of leaving one side of your waterfall cardigan down--looks like a cool new design. And I do believe rose gold is a wardrobe hole begging to be filled. Those sandals look so good with your skin and hair.

Joy

Thank you for sharing these beautiful and well thought out maximal outfits. The first is my favorite but all are fab.

Thanks Suz and FC! Glad to have your backing on the whole rose gold venture. And an interesting take on edgy Suz. I am going to ponder that some more.
And thanks Joy!

Staysfit

Brooklyn, I would call this "refined maximalism". I think you have done a lovely job of picking through the trends and incorporating them into your style. I think my favorite is the space dye combo outfit. I love the juxtaposition of the two slightly different patterns. They look like they were made to go together. I also like your use of multiple long necklaces with the black tunic dress. I love layered chains and necklaces, and I think it's hard to get the mix right. You have a good sense of balance with texture, size, shine, etc. All of it looks great for a Spring transition.

Karie

These outfits are all gorgeous! My favorite is #1, I have a similar skirt and I like how you wore yours with the boots and the loose fitting top.

I also like how you focused on elements such as texture and pattern to max up your outfits. I often think of maximizing something by sim;ly adding more jewelry, but this takes the focus in a different direction. I am taking notes for my own future outfits!

Sara L.

I love all these outfits! It's hard to pick a favorite but I think I'll go with #3. I like the combination of black with all the accessories and the lighter shoes.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Killer all round. Love the pattern and textural interest in your outfits, Brooklyn. You are Chic.

Thanks Angie. And welcome back!
And thanks Sara, Karie and Staysfit.
It is always so interesting hearing which outfit people prefer. Shows how subjective everything is in fashion.

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