I bought these bright pink pants last year- and was a bit nervous about the color, they are so bright!
But it turns out, I love wearing them! Truth be told, I feel a bit like a barbie doll when I do.
They are just so pink- and so bright- and so attention seeking! With that in mind, I figured my top must be a bit subdued- which is why I chose my off white blazer.
I figured a blazer would help my outfit look a bit more professional- and the neutral color is a perfect balance for the bright pants.
Underneath the blazer, I opted for this cute black and white polka dot top- with a cute V neck.
Let me tell you about this top- I bought it at Target (God, I love Target) thinking it was a great piece- but as you can see on the right, paired with the black cropped pants and worn untucked-something didn’t feel right. Part of the problem is the cut- it is a very loose, flowy top- and with these pants the whole outfit is too baggy. A pair of skinny jeans or leggings and it might work.
As for the cropped pants– I say this over and over again- but ladies- please don’t wear cropped pants that end mid-calf. It makes your legs look short! Go for the ankle length- much more flattering!
Back to the ‘after’ picture. Just to add a bit more polish and complete the look, I added a black skinny belt, a statement necklace and a pair of black wedges.
This outfit would be appropriate for work or for a night out on the town (I wore it out to dinner with friends Saturday night).
A close up so you can see the detail of this cute top!
For another crazy before picture- check out this one- where I had color overload!
I apologize for my before picture- but I had to do it.
In the past few days I have seen several moms sporting the ‘socks with sandals’ look- and it has got to stop!
Yes, I know I live in the Pacific Northwest- where some people consider this to be ok… but honestly, it’s not.
Trust me.
As for my outfit- I love the simple, classic look of khaki and white together- as seen here and here.
These 2 colors are always in style. However- as usual, I must tell you that you can’t just throw on a white golf shirt and a pair of cropped khakis and call it good.
In my opinion a collared shirt should only be worn on the golf course.
As for the knee length cropped khakis- surely the picture says it all. These are not flattering- they are frumpy!
On the left you can see my re-worked outfit. This cute cargo style skirt is a great alternative to the cropped khaki pant. The pockets give it some detail, and the leopard belt peeking out adds an interesting pattern. On that same note, instead of a plain white shirt, I have chosen this cool waffle texture shirt. It has these cute buttons down the front- which also add some visual interest.
Lastly- I’m wearing my orthopedic sandals by Naot. I LOVE these shoes!! They are truly one of the most comfortable shoes I have EVER owned. I’ll be sad when summer is over and I can’t wear them anymore. I need to see if Naot makes boots?! Anyone?!
I went for the half tuck… wanted to show off my belt.
Today I am showing how easily one can go overboard on color.
When I showed my daughter the outfit on the right she exclaimed ‘oh, no mom- way too colorful’! Keep in mind, she’s 9!
However, if you look at J Crew, or some of the high style blogs- you’ll see people doing some crazy things with color.
Personally, I’d rather play it safe with sticking to one bright color and then balancing the outfit with neutrals like white and black.
I’ve chosen a simple and classic button down white blouse. This one is from Brooks Brothers- and it is the no wrinkle style- which I love! I’ve paired it with a classic black blazer and pearls. Let the pink pants get all the attention!
Well ladies, it’s the end of the month- so it’s time for a review of all my outfits.
I’ll be back tomorrow with a Reader’s Request- so be sure to drop by then to help a reader with what to wear to Disneyworld!
For now enjoy the summary, and let me know which one was your favorite! If you haven’t had the chance to ‘like’ me on Facebook- please do so! I’m almost to 200 likes- which would make my day! 🙂
I’ve decided to start a new thing on Thursdays- where I ask you all to weigh in on a reader’s request. Since I realize that I am by no means an expert- I figure this is a great way to get other people’s opinions on style questions.
So- here we go!
Today’s question comes from Jenny. She has a friend who will be starting dental school in the fall and is concerned with what to wear. She needs to go straight from class into the lab- where she needs to look professional.
It’s been a LONG time since I was in school (could it really have been 20 years ago? God, I’m old!) and I have never been in a lab- so I’m hoping that some of you lovely readers can chime in.
My suggestion is to wear nice, cropped dress pants paired with a cute top, a cardigan and some comfortable shoes. However, you don’t want to look like Barbie, so be sure to get a coat that fits! LOL!
This would be cute in class, and then for the lab- remove the cardigan and throw the lab coat over the cute shirt.I pulled this from Pininterst- love the skirt and top with the lab coat! This is darling. Wonder what shoes she is wearing? Hopefully something comfy since she’ll be on her feet all day!Here is another great example from Pinterest. I like the way this outfit is all about the necklace! While I love the coral color of the blouse, the style is a little matronly, a tank would be so much cuter!
Ok readers, now it’s your turn! Please help Jenny and comment on what you would suggest wearing to class and then to the lab!
On me: Pants: Nordstrom (Vince Camuto), Tank: French Connection, Cardigan: J Crew, Shoes: DSW, Necklace: Stella and Dot
I’m definitely aging myself by using this title- but I couldn’t resist! These pants are just SO PINK!
I love them, but in the photos they appear even brighter than in real life (at least I think so)!
I’ve paired them with one of my favorite tops- you may recognize it, I have it in cream, black and grey. This is the grey version, although the lighting is so bad it appears black. Sorry about that!
It’s a great top because of the flattering neckline, the ruching in the tummy area, and the cute sleeves.
These pants are so attention seeking that I’m keeping things pretty simple today, just a plain top and this fabulous statement necklace. Again, you may recognize this, I wore it earlier in the month with the black version of this shirt. I guess I’m a creature of habit!
My thoughts are- if something works, why change it?
Have a wonderful Monday!
I like these wedges with these pants- they are dressy enough for work- and still really comfy.
Mindy, Tim Gunn, and me. The fashion show was outside which is why we have our sunglasses on. I am sure this is yet another of my fashion faux pas for the day!
I am Megan’s sister, Kara, and she has asked me to write today. I live in Kansas City, and one of the advantages of living in a smaller city (as compared to Seattle) is that when fun things come to town, it is easy to get up close and take full advantage of them! Case in point: one of our local and upscale shopping districts, The Country Club Plaza, hosted a fashion show yesterday featuring clothes from Kate Spade and Lucky Jeans, and it was hosted by Tim Gunn! I was invited to the show, and I brought my good friend Mindy (who’s fashion sense if off the hook and totally inspiring!). We made a girls’ day of it and had so much fun listening to what Tim Gunn had to say (if you are unfamiliar with who he is – he is the fashion mentor for Project Runway and writes for People Style Watch among other things). He was very honest and funny, and had lots of great tips. (He also filled us in on great insider gossip with all sorts of fascinating insider tidbits about Project Runway and what Michael and Nina are really like as judges. Such fun!!!) I frantically tried to memorize everything he said so I could avoid future fashion disasters (the horror! what if I wore the cropped cargos he said were the worst mistake in the entire history of fashion??). I was later telling this all to my sister, and thus here I am – sharing it with whoever wants to hear it. Hopefully I am fairly representing what all he said. So without further ado, here are the tips I took away from this fun experience.
1) Don’t try to overmatch accessories (purse, shoes, belts, etc), but go for complimentary colors. (note: I was wearing cork ballet flats and a matching cork clutch and was horrified when he said this, and spent the rest of the fashion show trying to hide my new purse that I had been so excited about 5 minutes earlier)
2) Only tall(er) and thin people should wear cropped pants as they make you look shorter. By tall, I think he means around 5′ 5″ or taller. He reiterated that the short length just visually cuts off your leg. (note: I of course was wearing cropped pants as well. Gee whiz – what more could I do wrong?)
3) Never wear cropped cargos as they make you look shorter and wider.
4) When mixing prints (which he loves!), keep the color scheme the same (as in every item is navy and white) and make sure the patterns are on much different scales (i.e. a small print on the top and a huge print on bottom). When you squint to look at it you should not think it is all the same pattern.
5) A wrap dress is almost universally flattering. (they had a darling Kate Spade one in the show which was navy, Kelly green and white, and it was worn by a plus size model who looked absolutely amazing!)
6) If you have a lot of detail around your neckline, such as ruffles or a really intricate color, you don’t need a necklace as it will only compete.
7) Horizontal stripes are OK to wear as long as they are not too large or dominating. You don’t want them to overwhelm you.
8) If you are petite, avoid big patterns as they will swallow you up.
9) Unexpected punches of color are always fun and playful, like bright pink shoes or purse, especially if paired with a neutral or conservative (like all black and white) outfit.
10) Always dress down a maxi dress – use a big hobo purse or something big and casual and always wear sandals. Don’t try to dress it up. A jean jacket is a great layer for over a maxi dress.
11) A great white shirt is a must have for every closet. He showed several options – long sleeve, short sleeved, casual and dressy. It goes with anything and can be dressed up and down.
12) When dressing, visually split your body in thirds. He is an advocate of tucking in a shirt as a long shirt makes your body get split in half rather than thirds. It is OK to have a shirt tucked in with a long cardigan or open shirt over it, as the inside, tucked in shirt will do the visual “thirds” trick while the outer and longer layer just adds interest.
13) Belts are the greatest accessory as they are versatile and can accentuate your shape. He put belts on almost everything.
14) Anyone can wear skinny jeans! Just make sure they fit right (and aren’t too tight or too big). Their plus size model wore skinny jeans from Lucky and they were fabulous. They made her legs look great as they didn’t add too much bulk, but just skimmed the shape of her leg. He emphasized going somewhere where the sales clerks really know how to fit you.
I realize that Megan has mentioned a lot of these tips before (go megan!), and think it is fun to hear them again straight from the fashion icon himself! Hope you are all having a great Sunday!
I’m wearing… you guessed it, black cropped pants today! For some stupid reason I really struggle when wearing black on bottom.
I know, black is a neutral & EVERYTHING goes with it- and yet, it took me 20 minutes to put this outfit together.
What’s wrong with me?
On the right is a good example of what NOT to wear with them. This solid long sleeve t shirt is too blah. I look boring!
On the left I have opted for a cute light pink top with a ruffle collar. I’ve paired it with a black cardigan.
Now, to be totally honest, I originally thought I’d pair this top with this jacket (see below), but then I looked at the pictures and I think it is too boxy paired with this loose top- and the whole thing makes me look large in the middle.
A boxy jacket needs to be paired with slim pants- or skinny jeans.
The black cardigan was my before picture- until I actually saw the picture, and then I thought, ‘wait, that actually works…’ I like the fact the outfit is only 2 colors- tying the top and bottom together.
Even though I’m wearing black on top and bottom, I still look ‘springy’ because of the shoes, cropped pants and light colored shell.
This is a very simple outfit, yet perfect for work.
Since these pants are so bright and so attention seeking, I think pairing them with something subdued is a good idea.
However, as you can see on the right- a plain white t shirt is a little too subdued.
On the left I’ve opted for this cute crisp white cable knit sweater- and to add a little interest I have a chambray shirt peeking out underneath. I’ve also added a necklace and then my leopard flats.
Gotta run and get the kids up. My son leaves for camp today (outdoor ed through the school), so it’s a big day- and its raining… of course! Glad I got him some rain pants on sale at REI yesterday! Hope he wears them! 🙂
A real fashionista would probably pair these pants with something bright and colorful! I'm not that brave- plain white works just fine for me.
I know, I know, a few weeks ago I said to dress in all one color to look taller (and thinner)- but I fear I may have steered you wrong!
Take today’s outfit for instance, I like it- but is there such a thing as as too much beige? It seems a little boring…
Maybe the problem is the cropped pants paired with a grandpa sweater. I think it makes my legs look really short.
The length of the sweater is almost the same as the length of the pants- so the proportions are wrong.
As you can see on the left, the dark skinny jeans make my legs look much longer- especially paired with this dark plum tank. The dark solid under the cardigan gives the illusion of a long vertical line- and then the cardigan and necklace add interest.
To add even more personality- I’ve got on my leopard ballet flats. I’m always a fan of a little leopard in an outfit! 🙂
As I’m writing this- the look on the right is sort of growing on me… maybe it’s not as awful as I originally thought?! What do you think? Right or left, or both? (Or neither- gasp!)
It’s Wednesday, so I linked up with Pleated Poppy– today she is showing pictures of 5 parties she has thrown over the years. Man, this gal is so creative and she totally inspires me!
I bought these bright pink pants last year- and was a bit nervous about the color, they are so bright!
For another crazy before picture- check out this one- where I had color overload!
Everyday Mom Style 