Ahem. Okay, so here's how I wore it last time, which is not very different from this:
Sassy arm! (I don't know)
It's the schlumpy cardigan, right? That's what needs fixing, I think. I will try again next week. We will SOLVE THIS SKIRT TOGETHER. Okay, moving on, guess who found me two Cole Haan coats at Burlington Coat Factory for $25 each? In August? Nina, that's who. Seriously. I love her. This is one of them:
Whee! The end.
coat: Cole Haan (similar)
scarf: unknown (similar)
bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs
shoes: Chie Mihara
skirt: Ann Taylor (similar)
necklace: Ann Taylor (similar)
shirt: Gap slub tee
Have you tried wearing blazers instead of cardigans? I know you wear them cause offices are stupid with the temperature control. I'm the same way and I have about 20 cardigans, but I've recently started to buy and wear blazers more often and I think it helps me look more professional and less schlumpy. You should also try more cropped and fitted cardigans which I guess exist, but I cannot prove.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the coat. Whoa. Let's get this Nina person into my life immediately.
ReplyDeleteI reviewed the earlier appearance of the skirt, and I like it there. Here it doesn't work as well (although it's not bad; you look good in everything). I wonder if the issue is with the colors? Unmitigated darkness?
So I say: mitigate that darkness. That's all I've got.
Beth/greatbleuheron
I agree, try using more contrast so it's not all one dark blur. Like, yellow. Lavendar.
ReplyDeleteYellow! You are scaring me. I can't wear yellow, but I do have a lavender sweater. I like that idea.
ReplyDeleteAnd Carly, yes to blazers, I just don't own any that I really like. I need to keep an eye out for one in an interesting color.
Thanks for the feedback, y'all! I'm going to keep trying.
I agree with the mitigating the dark thing. Maybe cream tights and shoes? with a chunky cable tan sweater? too much?
ReplyDeleteAlso what if you traded that skirt for a more colorful J. Crew Pencil Skirt (which I am still coveting).
ReplyDeleteI thought it was grey until I read your post. I always think of browns and gold & cream paired with greens.
ReplyDeleteI think the skirt would look great with a coral top, either a lightweight sweater or a cardigan. Other colors I would wear with it are mustard and cream.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I think there are two problems here, one of which you identified: the pairing of the long pencil skirt with the long cardigan. I'm the anon who mentioned your long cardigans in your end-of-year post; maybe that's just an unreasonable prejudice of mine. But I'm about your size (maybe a half-inch taller), and I find that I can't wear more than two longish pieces at a time without looking a bit awkward.
ReplyDeleteThe other problem (as people have already noted) is the pairing of three dark colors with no patterns to break them up. HOWEVER, adding the scarf magically made the outfit 100 times better. So for the future, I'd recommend wearing the skirt with a bright patterned top, maybe a plaid.
This is where I wish I could reply to comments individually.
ReplyDeletePage: I've never been able to pull off cream tights without it looking nurse-y, but I can see what you're saying. (I also don't have cream tights or shoes. Or a chunky cable tan sweater. But now I want the sweater. Hm.)
Carly: Focus! I am trying to make this particular skirt work. The solution is NOT to buy a different skirt. Tempting, though.
Lara: It totally reads as grey in some light - I even thought it was grey in the store until I really looked at it. I am definitely going to try it with browns/gold.
Megan, love the coral top idea. I can't really wear mustard, though, it makes me look sickly.
Anony, the cardigan is just regular length not long, I swear. (When I think "long cardigan" it's something that goes past my hips.) Anyway, I love the idea of wearing it with a bright patterned top.
Okay! Good suggestions, thanks all! And now I have a long list of items that I don't own and want to. Dammit.
I like the skirt, but have a similar one that I struggled with until I did something magical: shorten the skirt, just a smidge, so it hits in the middle/top of your knee. I think right below the knee is a really tough proportion to pull off. I know it is for me! Or, if you don't want to shorten it, maybe try a fitted black crewneck/boatneck, untucked, but it needs to be fairly cropped and fitted so it hits at the natural waist of your skirt.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Julie - I think Skirt needs to be a tad shorter which would make it easier to balance things out lengthwise for tops and bottoms...does that make any sense??
ReplyDeleteDoes Nina hire out? I could use a personal finder/shopper ...
ReplyDeleteWho cares about the skirt, give me those shoes!
ReplyDelete