I know I haven't been as active as I'd like in the forum lately, but today I realised I was wearing a very comfy (psychologically and physically) outfit that had a few of those 'ultrafeminine' details Twinkling mentioned liking so much. So I grabbed a couple photos, and when I imported them to my computer, I found another outfit I hadn't shared before that also had some very feminine details.

Shevia gave me the 'storybook gamine' label that I've found so useful ever since, and I think both of these outfits exemplify the kinds of clothes I feel most natural in.

The trouser outfit is from earlier this month; for May Day I knew I wanted to wear a floral to celebrate. I absolutely love this silk blouse; between the floral print, cream colour, rounded collar, and exaggerated puff sleeves, it veers towards the very feminine. So I already knew I'd be combining it with a separate in a medium to dark neutral, and my mood steered me towards trousers rather than a skirt (I was in a more tomboy-ish frame of mind that morning). I though the wool/linen fabric (part of the Theory suit I mentioned thrifting for $4 over Christmas break!) would live up to the luxury of the blouse while the slouchier fit would add a touch of schoolboy insouciance that I associate with 'gamine'. My hair's getting a bit long, and it seemed to compete with the neckline when it was down, so I put it up in a twist & added the velvet ribbon for the storybook touch.

The outerwear was worn for a little picnic I went on to celebrate May Day (that & the 50% linen content of the trousers explain all of the creases; these photos were taken after the picnic), and I just felt like playing up the slouchiness/downplaying the blouse, hence the cardigan & oxfords. Not relevant to Twinkling's concerns though, as it pushes the outfit more boyish than I think her style preferences go! Just including them for the sake of completeness.

Today, I started knowing that I wanted to wear this stripey tee and a full skirt. Then I saw it was just cool enough for sheer tights to work, and I couldn't resist the idea of playing with shades of pink (I love tonal combinations). To balance out the girliness of berry tights and a pale pink sash, I opted for a neutral coloured skirt. Then I added the storybook details via an owl brooch, a couple delicate gold jewelry pieces (ring & earrings, the latter made by MuseumGal!) and crown braids (the first time I've tried them this year! the hair's still not quite long enough, hence the messy ends, hehe). Finally, the socks added a practical, grounding touch; the only difference between my inside & outside version was lace up ankle boots, which I'm sure you can imagine.

So having thought about outfits I feel good in vs ones that make me feel fussy/uncomfortable next to mainstream-ly stylish women, for me the key is to combine the very feminine aspects with more gender-neutral ones, grounding it as it were. I also bat for team RATE, so sturdy flat shoes & at least one 'practical' aspect let me feel like myself too, because they make the outfits look better suited for going about daily life, even if they include fanciful elements. I prefer nice fabrics too (the striped tee is half rayon so has a nice drape & is a fine knit, not a sturdy thick cotton); if I'm wearing luxury fibers like silk or wool or linen, I feel more confident about the impression I'm making (luckily secondhand purchasing makes this preference doable on a small budget!), as snobbish as that probably sounds. I definitely wear girlier outfits than these two as well, depending on my mood! But I thought it'd be fun to show you a couple ways I juxtapose elements to make outfits that definitely defy my environmental norm but don't make me feel self conscious. I enjoy the contrast of girly/boyish, little details/simple lines, fitted/loose, delicate/sturdy, etc.

I've rambled on long enough I'm sure! I think I'm just excited to have another girly detail lover in the forum. ;D