- Teal Cardigan: Caslon, via Nordstrom’s, gift from Mom
- Black Scoop-neck Tank: Gap Maternity, via gap.com
- Necklace: David Yurman, gifted
- Silver Woven Belt: Urban Outfitters
- Dark Wash Jeans: Gap Maternity, via gap.com
- Brown Metallic Loafers: Naturalizer, via DSW
I tend not to be hugely in favor of dressing for “[cause]-awareness [time period]” or of wearing jeans to class, today I made an exception. Here in the U.S., it’s Denim Day (or days, I should say: observed by the city of Los Angeles and many states on 27 April, and many colleges and universities on 28 April, mystifyingly enough), an awareness campaign organized around a cause very close to my heart: combatting sexual violence and encouraging bystander awareness and other forms of prevention education. The organizers encourage women to wear denim on these days in symbolic protest of a 1998 Italian Supreme Court ruling overturning a rape conviction because the victim was wearing tight jeans the night she was assaulted: the Court held that the sex must have been consensual, in part because “it is a fact of common experience that it is nearly impossible to slip off tight jeans even partly without the active collaboration of the person who is wearing them.” See Faedi, Rape, Blue Jeans and Judicial Developments in Italy, 16 Colum. J. Eur. L. Online 13 (2009).
While American courts have largely refrained from being quite so . . . direct, American rape cases are full of unfortunate comments by courts evaluating consent and resistance in ways that are, shall we say, similarly unscientific. See, e.g., State v. Alston, 310 N.C. 399 (N.C. 1984), State v. Rusk, 424 A.2d 720 (Md. 1981), Commonwealth v. Berkowitz, 609 A.2d 1338 (Pa. Super. 1992). Our Vice President, a genuinely outstanding voice on this issue, recently offered a compelling counter to this approach to evaluating consent.
When we talk about the politics of sartorial choices, we often gloss over the explicitly sexual politics of the way we dress. Bodies are never neutral, and the self-fashioning work we do may and often does perform aspects of our sexuality as well as aspects of our gender, professional and other identities. But the sexual politics of the way we dress are fraught: what is the appropriate balance between “accepting” the “constraints” we believe to be imposed by social norms and challenging them? To what extent do we own the sexual selves we fashion in a vacuum, untinged by the perceptions of others? Is there something inherently Faustian about this analysis, an extent to which we can’t talk about getting out of talking about norms and stereotypes without talking about norms and stereotypes? All this doesn’t begin to touch the explicitly and implicitly gendered nature of these issues…
I pondered (though not very successfully) many of these issues yesterday, as I considered the effect of the “message” I was trying to send when mediated through my changing form, which carries with it its own (large!) package of significations. These are issues I’ve been concerned about for a long time, as a feminist and as a former sexual and domestic violence services provider. They’re also issues that have taken on even more resonance for me lately, as we come to know more about the life I’ve been nurturing along for all these months: we’re having a little girl! As we contemplate raising a strong young woman and the world she’ll eventually have to learn to navigate, I’m frequently overwhelmed by the list of things I want to protect her from and teach her to dismantle furiously all at the same time. While I don’t have any cohesive thoughts on this issue at the moment (nor do I expect to anytime soon), I thought the sentiments Tina Fey expressed on this subject were not only heartwarming, but pretty hilarious.
What do you think about dressing to send a message, and specifically about the connection between self-fashioning and combatting violence and stereotyping?
- Orange Knotted Top: Olian, via Nordstrom’s, gift from Mom
- Navy Abstract Floral Print Skirt: InDueTime, via eBay
- Earrings: Loft, gift from SIL E.
- T-straps: Born, via Zappos (via recommendation from Corporette last summer)
I don’t know what it is about these photos (the color contrast, the angle, the deep saturation of everything but my neon-pale skin…), but they seem straight out of Blue Velvet to me, which maybe wasn’t quite the look I was going for…
Strange photos aside, I loved this outfit, which I wore for a birthday dinner for my mom’s mother. It was a beautiful, unseasonably warm day at the end of a hectic week (which is getting to be a redundant descriptor at this point in late April!), and I relished the chance to experiment with something new (and with some open-toed footwear!). Realistically, I wasn’t wild about the shoes, as the combination of the t-strap-leg-shortening-effect and my ghastly pallor is pretty overwhelming, but it was pretty quickly overcome by my love of this top and skirt—alone and in combination.
I’m not normally a fan of frankenfibers, but can we have a moment to acknowledge the joys of well-placed polyester in the busy person’s wardrobe? Not only does this skirt generally not wrinkle, but it goes in the washer and the dryer, it goes over and under things, it’s lightweight and doesn’t stick to my legs in the heat…and it set me back a whopping $1.99, thanks to some wonderful, wonderful person on eBay. I was able to snap up its sibling (in solid black) a few weeks ago, and am thrilled to have another piece in my closet that shares some of these wonderful properties. Is it the world’s softest, most luxurious item? Does it drape perfectly? Of course not. But if it flatters my changing body and doesn’t have to be dry cleaned, chances are you won’t hear me complaining.
This shirt is one of many, many items Olian makes in this same style. While it came in several more conventional colors, I was drawn to this bold orange in the hopes that it would enliven any number of summer work outfits. The cotton jersey easily dresses up or down (though this one, sadly, can’t go in the dryer), and it has a particularly elusive quality in maternity wear: it provides some waist/bump definition without an empire waist! The knotted styling allows for plenty of room for bump expansion, and the drape is graceful but not too tent-like. And did I mention that it’s orange? I’m not sure quite why I find that so fascinating and hilarious and awesome all at once, but I seem to…
Thinking back to my woe-is-me rant about yesterday’s outfit, this look got me thinking: what is it that makes a look “successful”? What makes you feel great about an outfit?
- Black Patterned Wrap Dress: Liz Lange for Target
- Brown Peep-Toe Wedges: Naturalizer, via Amazon.com
- Teal Cardigan: Caslon, via Nordstrom’s, gift from Mom
- Teal Earrings: Forever 21
You all had such wonderfully helpful suggestions the last time I wore this dress that I had to give it another go. With a shorter, more festively colored cardigan. With the wrap-ties wrapped around the sweater. With bare legs instead of tights. With more accessories in general.
…and I have to tell you, I’m still pretty ambivalent. I don’t know whether it’s wrap dresses (on many a pregnancy style must-have list…), or something about my particular proportions or this dress in particular, but something about it just makes me feel (though not necessarily look, I realize) incredibly wide and disproportionate, sadly. I loved the contrast of the brighter cardigan and the darker pattern of the dress, and appreciated the extent to which the shorter cardigan helped bring the proportions up. Overall, though, this look never quite came together for me. Which leaves me asking, yet again, what can I do to give this dress a stay of execution? It’s a sensible, professional staple item that I was able to snag for a great price, and I’d love to be able to make it work.
Amid all my ambivalence about this dress, though, there’s a take-home lesson that’s worth remembering. Or maybe several, really. First, that my usual slow, methodical, long-searching shopping methods really are the ones that work best for me, and lead to the smallest amount of buyer’s remorse. And second, that just because it’s a “must have” for someone doesn’t mean it necessarily is for you. There are a million things of which this is true (hello, button-down shirts, pantsuits, wide-legged pants…), and I’ve probably paid less attention to this advice than I should have as I’ve struggled to figure out how exactly to dress a body that seems to be changing by the hour. While it’s not that I necessarily knew better than to buy this particular dress (whose refusal to quite. work. right. still kind of baffles me), but that I shouldn’t be too quick to abandon my own “rules” just because my body both seems and is different now than its pre-pregnancy incarnation.
Have you had buyer’s remorse lately and gotten over it? I’d love to hear your stories of “rescuing” a sartorial white elephant to give it new life as a useful, functional wardrobe staple…or even an occasional, surprise visitor!
- Brown Scoop-Neck Tank: Banana Republic
- Grey Trousers: Loft Maternity, via eBay
- Long Oatmeal Cardigan: Halogen, via Nordstrom’s, gift from Mom
- Teal Pumps: BC Footwear, via Zappos
- Necklace: David Yurman, gifted
- Teal Drop Earrings: Forever 21
So, its possible I got dressed a lot of times today. As often happens, the outfit I had in mind when I woke up this morning stubbornly refused to look on my body the way I had visualized it in my head. This was probably the third attempt, but I ended up thrilled with it: a sophisticated combination of soft neutrals with a pop of color, and easy-to-wear pieces that worked with my body, rather than against it.
Although I generally adhere to Stacy and Clinton’s bigger-things-make-you-look-bigger theory of dressing, I’ve had a string of days lately where I’ve struggled with more fitted silhouettes. This has been particularly true with casual looks, for whatever reason: maternity jeans and a bump-hugging tee have just made me feel a little…exposed. To that end, I really appreciated the way this look incorporated a combination of fitted and flowing pieces: the cardigan provided needed warmth and masked the slightly awkward way the bump looks when I’m seated, while the closer-fitting tank and real-waist pants emphasized my new shape just enough. For whatever reason, the overall look felt (to me at least) relaxed and sophisticated, rather than tired and frumpy. As an added bonus, it seemed to read this way to others as well: this look was a big hit with both husband D. and my mother.
This outfit also served as a convenient reminder of the importance of accessories to the success of an overall look. The unexpected bright shoe and luxe-looking jewelry added sophistication and intentionality to a look that might otherwise have seemed a little ho-hum. Perhaps just as importantly, they helped me feel excited about what I was wearing, which made me feel and act more confidently throughout the day. And isn’t that the point, in many ways, of devoting this level of intentionality and introspection to the way we dress, a belief in the way it impacts more than just our appearance? These awesome maternity pants, goofy teal shoes and crazy earrings can’t be a solution to a challenging day, being on call through a discussion on government-funded speech and symbolic conduct, and the daunting prospects of the end of the semester, but they helped, and that seems like a pretty good argument for getting dressed in the morning.
- Black Straight-Leg Trousers: Loft Maternity
- White Tank: Gap Maternity, via Gap.com
- White Draped Tuxedo Shirt: Joie, via Nordstrom’s (gift from Mom)
- Nude Cork Wedges: Jones New York, via DSW
E. of Academichic pointed me towards these pants a few weeks ago, when Loft had them on an absolute fire-sale (they’re still on final sale now), and they finally arrived yesterday, just in time for me to wear them to our family’s seder. They’re slightly heavier than typical “summer weight” trousers, but I love the combination of stretchiness and smooth drape that the ponte-like fabric provides. And while I’ve been embracing wider-leg trousers lately, this straighter leg is one of my favorite pants silhouettes. It’s slim enough to balance out volume on top, but it doesn’t overemphasize my hips (a risk with a more tapered leg) or make my legs look like tree trunks descending from my rear (a risk with wider legs). They’re theoretically dry clean only, but so far, seem to hold up relatively well to our dryer’s steam cycle (an invention without which I would be, well, frequently undressed).
Though I added a pair of teal drop earrings before we left the house, I opted to keep most of this outfit simple. To avoid distracting from the bold silhouette of this top, I mixed calmer, more sophisticated neutrals (and maybe had an attack of “I love these new shoes so much I refuse to take them off” syndrome). While I’d pair it with simple or no jewelry if I were trying to dress it up, this look just might be dressy enough for a casual day at the office. In the alternative, it’s one I’d definitely wear again for dinner out with friends, a trip to the theatre or some similarly “snappy casual” event. On future wearings, I might experiment with layering this draped top over a lighter weight, contrasting-colored cami. While the scoop neck here provides needed modesty, the whites don’t match (though I think they’re far enough away to look intentional), and I think the bolder contrast might add some welcome edge to the look.
On a side note, it’s definitely not a myth that pregnancy makes your hair and nails grow at what is (for me) an unprecedented rate. While I just hacked all my hair off a month ago, it’s already starting to graze my shoulders again and I’m feeling that desperate itch to consider ever-shorter hairstyles as we head into the summer months in earnest. Any suggestions?
- Navy Abstract Floral Skirt: InDueTime, via eBay
- Green Tee: Ann Taylor
- Silver Woven Belt: Urban Outfitters
- Nude Cork Wedges: Jones New York, via DSW
I’m tempted to just stop here: despite a somewhat stressful day (increasing exam-related stress, the unexpected discovery that my poor diesel Jetta is in need of repairs), I loved this outfit, and felt fabulous in it.
Taking the bait, though, I’ll start with these shoes, which were a welcome surprise in my mailbox this weekend (or at least, the kind of welcome surprise you order and then forget to track). Although I tend to be neutral between heels and flats, I’ve had an inexplicable desire to wear heels—and in particular, high wedges—in the past few weeks. I’d been looking for a neutral heel for work this summer (to replace a stiletto pump I’m thinking may become an increasing challenge in the next few months), and I’m so glad I snapped these up last week. The comfy cork wedge was supportive enough for all-day walking, and the wide width gave me some needed breathing room. So, thanks, shoe gods: this is one you got right.
I wore this skirt for the first time a few weeks ago, and praised the way it simulated the higher waisted skirts I loved pre-pregnancy. Thanks to its over-the-bump fit, elastic waist and lack of a maternity panel, it now lets me do something I’d thought I’d had to forgo entirely for the rest of my pregnancy: tuck in my shirt, with the skirt worn at or just above my belly button. From the front, it looks like my “normal” pre-pregnancy self, but from the side, the bump is clearly visible (thanks, darling friends who come up to me, say hello, and then immediately look down at my midsection). It’s an unusual silhouette at this stage in the game, but it made me feel awesome. So awesome, in fact, that I jumped at the chance to get the same skirt in another color when I found it on eBay—for $5.
As the weather warms and I anticipate my changing sartorial demands for the summer, I’ve been welcoming the sense of playfulness and experimentation I’ve had about my wardrobe lately. It’s too soon to know whether any of the things in my new bag of tricks will extend to my post-partum style, but I’ve appreciated the chance to experiment in ways that make me feel fabulous about the body I have today. What trends or new silhouettes are you experimenting with this spring? Anything that’s changed your sartorial outlook long-term?
Wishing a very happy Passover to all my fellow Jews: I hope you all get to enjoy a wonderful evening (or two) sharing the holiday with family and friends!
- Black Cardigan: Halogen, via Nordstrom (gift from Mom)
- Grey Trousers: Loft Maternity, via eBay
- Brown Peep-Toe Wedges: Naturalizer, via Amazon.com
- Turquoise Top: Liz Lange for Target
- Red Woven Belt: Forever 21
Do you ever get sartorial cravings? You know, that feeling you get when you wake up in the morning (or even, often, in my case, the night before) and think, oh my goodness, I must wear X? That’s pretty much how I felt about these pants and this sweater when I woke up today: I didn’t have any idea about how I was going to connect them, but I was bound and determined—however irrationally—to Make It Work.
Now, ordinarily, this would just be a creativity challenge. Given that I hadn’t gotten around to properly hemming these pants, it led to a somewhat hilarious early-morning scramble to un-hem and then re-hem them using a machine blind hem stitch for the first time, oh, ever. But in my entertaining fervor, I was not to be deterred, and finally emerged from the house, a few minutes late but Dressed! In an Outfit! With These Pants! And I dare say, I was even relatively happy with it.
Even though I was ragging on drapey silhouettes yesterday, I love the relaxed vibe of this sweater when paired with the wider trousers. I also loved the contrast between the looser mixed neutral backdrop and the bold combination of closer-fit top and belt, which kept me from feeling completely drowned. It made me feel like me, buttoned-down tendencies and all. It embraced my need for breathing room without making me feel like some wannabe Earth goddess. All while being the appropriate level of formality for yet another law journal related event, and covering the massive, inexplicable bruise splashed across my right shin. A pretty tall order for clothes, eh?
- Draped Tuxedo Shirt: Joie, via Nordstrom’s (gift from Mom)
- White Tank: Gap Maternity, via Gap.com
- Boot Cut Jeans: Kut from the Kloth, via Nordstrom’s
- Red Pumps: BC Footwear, via Amazon.com
My window’s back! We’ve moved a few things that were sitting in front of the window, reopening my favorite indoor photo spot just in time for…another dark, rainy day. We could say I was doing something intriguingly commentative about the weather with the dreamy photos and the gauzy blouse, but, really, let’s not get too carried away….
My very stylish (and very generous!) mother and her dear friend J. picked this top out for me while we were shopping this weekend (and okay, I’m using the word “we” there with liberally). It marks a first foray into a genre of clothing I’ve typically eschewed (and by eschewed I mean “stayed away from in blinding fear of looking like a blocky mass and totally obscuring parts of my body I’ve typically liked.” A vague disclaimer is nobody’s friend*). I think I’m embracing it, but admittedly cautiously.**
While my mom and I were drawn to many of the same pieces on Saturday, our conversations revealed the vast diversity of existing viewpoints on dressing the pregnant body and the visibility of the pregnant form, particularly in the workplace. For me, at least in early pregnancy, a part of maintaining my sense of self and genuinely embracing my changing body has been trying to maintain my personal style as much as possible, including continuing to wear many of the more fitted silhouettes in which I feel most comfortable and confident, under the general theory of “wearing bigger things just makes you look bigger!”*** However, both my mom and J. noted that in their experience, they rarely saw professional women (in particular, women lawyers) in more fitted maternity styles, and suggested that a kind of uniform of straight or slim pants and skirts and draped tops and long sweaters might be more appropriate for the workplace. None of us are alone on these views, and I’m sure that age has something substantial to do with it. On further reflection, though, this struck me as yet another one of those totally not at all “just” about pregnancy moments, but rather an issue that’s incredibly loaded with complicated baggage about gender performance and the visibility of the female form (pregnant or not) at work, and the relationship between sexual regulation and workplace regulation. And then I realized it was pay equity day, and the conversation in my head got really broad, and I…went back to reading about the law and economics of video game modifications.
Styling this kind of piece more casually seems more obvious, if not easier (though I’m obviously pulling heavily from great examples like Kiera’s here), but I’m less sure how I’d style this piece for work, which made me particularly intrigued by the idea that these kinds of pieces “should” (a loaded term I’ll pass on defining for now) be staples of a pregnant woman’s working wardrobe. Any ideas? I love its ease and luxurious drape, but I’m less clear on how to keep it from looking sloppy in an environment that I tend to view as more crisp and pulled together. It’s possible that the answer just involves getting over my irrational fear of drapeyness (as the other emily and I have discussed with regard to wide leg pants), which is probably more of a body image issue than a sartorio-creative challenge.
So, what are your thoughts, both as to pregnant and non-pregnant women: do you wear draped silhouettes or other oversized pieces in the workplace? If so, what do you pair them with? What kinds of connotations do these pieces carry for you? What are some of your favorite looks featuring draped and oversized pieces?
*Reference points available!
**I genuinely love this piece in both abstract and not-so-abstract contexts, and I’m so grateful that my mother was willing to share both her sartorial expertise and her largesse in gifting it to me. I’m just still trying to figure out how to wear it, you know?
***I fully and completely acknowledge the possibility that this will change in the future.
- Tweed Cropped Jacket: Tracy Reese, via Nordstrom (2004)
- White Tank: Gap Maternity, via Gap.com
- Black Jersey Dress: Ann Taylor
- Grey Tights: HUE
- Black Croc Wedges: Stuart Weitzman, via Bloomingdales
Today, I attended a lunch that the Dean of the Law School graciously hosted for the incoming EICs of our school’s eleven law journals (the same wonderful but slightly monochromatic folks I shared a panel with last week) with a number of senior faculty and administrative types, and while I stayed away from brights this time around, I kept the subtle rebellion theme going with mixed neutrals and unexpected shapes and textures. I felt a little, well, nude, without a pop of bright color in this outfit, but husband D. told me he really liked the high contrast I had going on here. I loved the way the mixed neutrals made the outfit seem more playful than prim and cutesy, and the way this endlessly remixable black dress continues to make possible new wardrobe combinations and seemingly serve whatever sartorial function I need it to that day (here: downplaying the bump a bit and stretching to flatter my shifting curves). It wasn’t chartreuse and teal, but it was different, and it looks like me, despite my ever-changing form and my need to conform to the sartorial expectations of a cold, rainy April day and a meeting with senior administrators.
Dressing for this event reminded me of some of the sartorial anxieties I felt as a summer associate last year, and some of the concerns I have about this coming summer. Paradoxically, it can be even more challenging to maintain a vibrant sense of personal style in those environments when other people are, well, all wearing the same thing. How do you handle these kinds of challenges, with all their age, gender and class implications? What do you wear for those times when a suit is overkill but you’re among your peers and trying to make a good impression on your professional or academic superiors? How do you handle making your individuality and sense of style shine through when you’re surrounded by people who seem only own one of three black or charcoal suits in exactly the same cut?
Back in January, when I had my near miss of an epic blogger meetup with the lovely Katie, I was out in Denver for a very special purpose. My sweet sister-in-law, E., graciously asked me to come out to Denver to visit her, her sweet husband and their adorable dog, and to help her find a few key pieces to refresh her wardrobe. We started with a few constraints. First, we wanted to incorporate the contents of her existing wardrobe as much as possible, supplementing rather than supplanting her existing collection. Second, we wanted to stick to a $500 total budget, looking for a balance of investment-quality pieces and fast-fashion items to experiment with. Third, we had to steer clear of black and dark grey knits, to accommodate the occasional, er, fiber donations from her (blonde) dog, who is as generous with the fur she leaves behind as she is with her appetite for snuggling. While E. has been remixing these pieces for quite a while now, here are a few of our favorite looks we styled while I was there.
Lesson 1: Belting and Other Proportion-Enhancing Strategies
- Black Suede Boots: Dansko, from my closet
- Black Ribbed Tights: Eddie Bauer (new)
- Brown Tweed Pencil Skirt: Banana Republic (new)
- Long Teal Cardigan: Nordstrom (new)
- Navy Tank: Old Navy
- Silver Beaded Necklace: Hand-me-down from Grandmother
- Brown Sweater Dress: Loft (new)
- Navy Cami: Charter Club, via Macy’s
- Tights and Boots
- Silver Belt: Forever 21 (new)
- Red Scarf: found on the sidewalk!
E. has great proportions naturally, but felt like she was dressing in ways that masked, rather than emphasized, her best features. We looked for new pieces and new ways to wear her existing workhorses in ways that would define her waist and emphasize the length of her legs, including making judicious use of the accessories department at Forever 21 to start a belt collection. E. didn’t have a classic straight skirt in her closet, so we were thrilled to find this brown tweet pencil skirt from BR, which is a mid-weight woven fabric with a good bit of stretch to it. The seaming gives it structure while the stretch makes it super flattering, and the high waist provides significant waist definition without the addition of a belt. This soft, cozy long cardigan adds a dose of modesty without looking frumpy, adding warmth and easing any anxieties she might have about wearing a tighter skirt at work. This outfit also makes use of one of the great signature aspects of E.’s style: her love of jewel tones, which provides her wardrobe with a cohesive, endlessly remixable quality.
We found this sweater dress on super sale at Loft, and though it’s definitely not a seasonless piece, it’s one she should get a lot of wear out of during the fall and winter. The hemline is great for pairing either with boots or another pair of heels, and the warm neutral should be a great base for pops of color in the form of tights, tanks and scarves. And E. gets huge props for the ultimate budget find: she found this scarf abandoned on the sidewalk, and (after a thorough cleaning, of course), has given it a new life in her closet!
Lesson 2: Skinnies!
- Skinnies: Levi’s CurveID “Bold Curve” (new)
- Brown Riding Boots: Etienne Aigner, via Zappos (new)
- White Cami: Kirkland, via CostCo
- Black Belt: Forever 21 (new)
- Long Teal Cardigan
E. and I have talked a lot about our conflicted feelings about skinny jeans, but she was willing to contemplate a step outside her jeans-wearing comfort zone if we could find a pair that really, really fit her. After striking out at a number of stores, we checked out this pair from the Levi’s CurveID series, which E. loved. They have some stretch, but are definitely not jeggings; their sturdier weight and flattering dark wash makes them both significantly more modest and dressy enough for a casual Friday at work or dinner and drinks out with friends. To reduce some of the exposure anxiety that sometimes accompanies wearing skinnies, she’s styled these with a longer cardigan and boots, but belted the cardigan to define her waist and keep the long, soft cardigan looking really polished.
Lesson 3: Layering
- Grey Cardigan: The Limited
- Black Flats: Kenneth Cole Reaction, via Off Broadway Shoes
- Skinnies
- Purple Tank: Old Navy
- Printed Scarf: Old Navy
- Maroon Dress: Target
- Black Belt: Forever 21
E. loved these pants so much she quickly moved on to what we might call more advanced skinnies-wearing: cuffing them with flats and pairing them with a tank and sweater that hit higher on her hips. She’s also demonstrating the amazing versatility of this grey cardigan, a staple piece she’s had for a while. Despite having an awesome collection of tanks and cardigans, E. didn’t tend to wear layered looks, so we tried to find ways to pair more of these pieces together to both refresh her perspective on them and better accommodate Denver’s quickly-shifting weather patterns. I loved the subtle way she’s defining her waist in both of these looks, with the dark belt over the dress and the vertical line of the brightly patterned scarf with her jeans.
Applications: Friend N.
After I left, E. did some additional shopping with her sweet friend N., and helped her pick out a few new pieces for a mini wardrobe refresh of her own, just in time for N. to start her new job! She sent me a few photos of some of the looks she and N. styled together, demonstrating the versatility of this great pair of black trousers. Don’t you think she did a great job? I love the way she’s helped push N. to wear a number of things that are outside the “rules” of dressing a petite woman (flats, longer tops, etc.), and helped her find pieces that pair so well with N.’s skin and hair color!
Even though I was pretty green around the gills, I had a blast on my trip, getting to spend time with E. and her wonderful family and friends, and visiting my little brother, G., who is also a recent transplant to Colorado. Helping E. with her wardrobe refresh project was great sartorial inspiration for me, as well, helping me to think critically about my own wardrobe and to remember, as Sal has often so wisely said, all the ways that a changed and empowered relationship with style can affect so, so much more than the reflection we see in the mirror every day. Seeing the look on E.’s face when she realized how great she looked and felt in things she never thought she “could” or “should” wear was more than worth the cross-country flight, as was hearing about the compliments she was getting from her boss on her chic new office style!
Hi! I'm S. Welcome to Narrowly Tailored, a blog about life and style from a law student and new mom. In short: work and life gets dressed; balance mostly gets amused.Follow Along
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