WIW Team Wear - culottes and dress

So it turns out I’ve already debuted the flirty Tracy Reese dress I posted for feedback a few days ago. A friend was celebrating a milestone birthday last night with a group of friends on a boat next to a tiki bar, so the dress code was “Gilligan-ish.” I interpreted it rather broadly as I didn’t want to show up in Ginger or MaryAnn mode, and when I looked in my closet, I decided that the new tropical print dress was just the thing! I thoroughly enjoyed wearing it (it was cloudy and breezy enough that I wore the jacket all evening), and can’t wait to wear it again.

The other day, in a fit of...maybe adventurousness? Or just feeling a little bored with my usual summer silhouettes? I decided to cut the tags on these culottes and wear them. They were not expensive, so if the experiment doesn’t live past a few wears this summer, it’s no big loss. I don’t think they are the most flattering thing ever on me (probably better left to IT and rectangle types?), but I think this meets JFE standards. I wore them with this Zara top from a few years ago. I like this top, but it was stitched closed in the front in a way that necessitated a tank or cami underneath, which I have no patience for in the summer. So I finally got our needle and thread and added some more stitches to close the top better. Voila, a wearable top once more!

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7 years ago

Carla

Veteran

Great outfits Janet. #1 is a slam-dunk (those sandals!!!!) I like the second outfit, but it needs one edgy thing - like a cobalt hair streak.

*Great signiture rings!

citygirldc

(website)

I love the idea of culottes and they look pretty good on you, just depends on the top you were. Does your culottes have a tie around the waist? Love the top but then I'm a sucker for vee neck sleeveless tops.

Janet

Carla, I have the hair streak! It's just not always visible in photos.

Naz, the culottes have a removable fabric belt (with loops). I kept the belt on here, for the cropped top. I think these culottes work best with a cropped top, since tucking is not my best look.

texstyle

Wow - fantastic Janet - I love both outfits! The dress is amazing with the jacket and the culottes are waaaay more than JFE the way you've styled them.

Cardiff girl

You look very nice Janet and I definitely think that you can wear culottes .It s good to step out of one s fashion comfort zone every now and again and try something new.

Sisi

When I saw that dress in your previous post I liked it a lot even if I did not comment. Well, I do it now - you look fab! Lovely top, and I think you can absolutely wear culottes.

Suz

Are you kidding me? BOTH of these outfits are killer to the max!! You look gorgeous. The dress is spectacular with that faded jacket - almost as good as on its own, and the culottes outfit is equally amazing! I think they're flattering and your eye just needs to adjust. I found them weird the first few times I wore them too, but the more I wear them the easier it gets to style them and feel good.

Thanks, all!

Suz, I suspect you're right about the culottes. I think I will also need to pair them with something a bit edgier to truly feel like they're "me." Next time I'll probably go with chunkier sandals. But these old blue ones went so well with the tropical print top, I couldn't resist.

Dauncen

Active Member

I don’t comment often but have to say that you look gorgeous in both outfits.

Christina F.

I just ordered some culottes for work, and seeing them on you reinforces that it was a good decision. Awesome outfit! I often find they have too much fabric around the middle (though I do have some casual ones that are okay).

We were right to encourage you to keep that dress

Dana

I am obsessed with that dress! You look so cute!!! You have such panache with your flipped up collar, too. (I'm no good with flipping collars, scrunching sleeves, etc.) The party sounds really fun!

But I'm curious...did people show up in Gilligan Isle character costumes? I feel like you went the right direction. #notafanofhalloweenanyway

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Dress outfit = KILLER to the Power of KILLER

LOVE THAT LOOK, Janet.

Cullottes outfit is KILLER. Gogeous with those sandals.

Haha, Dana! It seemed I hit the right note. A couple of men wore blazers a la Thurston Howell, and our host wore a captains hat and Hawaiian print shirt. The women wore summery/tropical skirts with tops, or skinny cropped jeans with tanks and breezy kimono toppers.

Elizabeth P

Janet, these are both awesome! I hope you adjust to the culotte look, they are so great for summer. Huge fan.

I was silly excited to discover that the new dress matches my Fordite ring (pic 2). I have a thing where I always need to find just the right statement ring for every outfit. The butterfly wing ring with the culotte outfit (pic 5) is another example, but I always forget when I wear that ring to remove it when I wash my hands -- apparently it's not sealed, and water gets through to the delicate wing inside. Fortunately, each time that's happened, it's dried and gone back to its natural color, but each time I forget, I worry that I've ruined it.

Jane

Super outfits, I love the dress with the jacket and that there is a cobalt streak in your hair. I’m a culottes fan, and yours look super to my eye.

Sal

You look great in both looks - the dress looks good with the jacket and it sounds a fun party.

I think the culottes are more than JFE....I think that top is the right shape, or you could tuck a tonal top too and then wear bold accessories.

I have worn my culottes four times and I do enjoy wearing them and will get a summer weight pair later in the year.

Anonymous

2 great looks - and I'm glad you kept that dress. I hear you with culottes, but agree with Suz that they do get easier to wear after a few times. Which reminds me to pull mine out to wear to work on Saturday

JAileen

I like both outfits a lot. Especially the sandals. And rings!

Aquamarine

I’m loving the dress the way you styled it! Wow! And I think the culottes are fab...way better than JFE. They totally work.

Aida

BOTH FAB! Wear those culottes, they look super -- You've got more than enough leg length

UmmLila (Lisa)

That dress was an excellent, excellent choice for you!

Dianna

wow, Janet, both outfits are wonderful. The dress is fantastic on you, and you look awesome in those culottes.

Brooklyn

The culottes look great. The bookending with the blue top and shoes is fab. That sure is your colour.
The tropical dress is fun and very thematically appropriate. It will be a perfect breezy look for a beach holiday.

kellygirl

You really know what works for you, Janet. Both outfits are drop dead gorgeous on you. LOVE them both.

Jaime

Love both outfits and the sandals with the culottes are perfection. Try looking at the parts of you that you like a lot before the parts you like less so you can see how gorgeous you look. This (sometimes) helps me.

jussie

These are both gorgeous! Hope you put them both on high rotation :).

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