Amiable's Blog

Just a simple outfit - appropriate for our spring weather.  These are my one pair of bootcuts that, in my opinion, fit me properly at the moment.  Do they?  (I'll use them as a guide to alter the others, which are big in the thighs, if you agree)

I feel like this look is short in the top, and long in the bottom but to some extent, that's kind of the trend now, isn't it?  Does it look off to you?

Outdoor shots for Angie :)  One in the cloudy "sun", one in the "shade".  I'm squinting, even though it's cloudy.  I guess it's still bright for me.

Suggestions for improvement?

ETA: Took some more pics.  #3 is top semi-tucked to show belt.  #4-#5 are jeans fit angles.  What's your take on how these fit? I think they fit properly (borderline snug, even) in the hips and upper thighs.  They give me the lightest muffin top in the waist - most pants too, since that's where I'm thickest, proportionally.  Is that how they look in the pictures? 

The outfit I'd planned for this morning ended up being not quite warm enough for today's weather (it's warm - mid to high sixties - but I'd planned a skirt and sweater, and I'd freeze in bare legs).

So I turned to the ROG for help.  I have near matches to my entire wardrobe entered in now, so I can generate all sorts of fun that is actually similar to what I own!

Here's what was generated (pic #1).  In reality, the blue tee is brighter than the one in finds, but not quite as bright as it's showing in the photos.  The jeans are cream, not bright white, and I suspect that the jacket is now too big for me (what do you think?)  (And, sadly, the jeans too are a touch big, even though I just got them a couple of weeks ago, and was quite convinced that they fit then.  Good thing it was GoodWill, I guess).

I decided to broaden the jacket to "any black topper", and discovered that I have several.  This led to me trying out all my black toppers.  Here's the showdown - any of these definitely need to go or definitely stay?  

#2 drapey 3/4 sleeve waterfall cardi
#3 drapey full sleeve waterfall cardi (jersey, not very warm)
#4 lemming leather jacket
#5 somewhat smaller (and shorter) black blazer
#6 black circle sweater
#7 black cropped sweater

These don't include two dark grey cardigans.  I have enough black toppers.  

#8 is what I'm actually wearing today - I felt like black shoes completed the ensemble a bit better, and provided an extra 1/2 inch length so that my jeans don't drag on the ground.

I'm inclined to keep the lemming jacket (in #4 and #8), and the cardigan in #2 maybe.  #6 probably stays because it's super comfy and warm, and #7 because it goes over dresses.  Neither of the jackets really seem great to me, and neither does #3.  What are your thoughts on the jackets?  Am I missing a particularly bad or good one?

I hadn't really intended this outfit to be so full of pastels.  I wanted to wear the mesh sweater, and thought that it would look great with faded, pale jeans.  I think I should have gone with white rather than just pale (next time....).  

As it is, I'm hoping that adding in black accents can keep it from being too OTT pastel, and planning to try it with my white bootcuts next week, and maybe with black some other week too....

Other suggestions for improvement?

(Bonus shot of chicken photobomber, before I'd put on glasses)

I'm trying out the idea of planning my outfits for a week at a time, so last Friday (or was it Saturday?), I sat down to plan what to wear this week.  My idea for the week was to pick a bunch of current trends and see how I felt about wearing them.  

For today I had planned to wear gingham and denim culottes with my black Birkenstocks. (#2)  But this morning my gray loafers were calling my name, and I thought that perhaps nude would work with this outfit (#1). It follows the idea of wearing nude with culottes to lengthen the leg line, right?  Which works better?  

<span style="letter-spacing: 0.1px; line-height: 1.6em;">The weather is not quite as warm as the forecast predicted, but with an undershirt I can get away with it today (current predicted high is 69F).  

And I took outdoor pics for Angie - with the timer, so I didn't need my kids' willingness :)  I wonder if the bright light is too harsh - does it work?  No makeup, but I did comb my hair :)

I was shopping with some friends last week, who discovered that I didn't have a denim jacket and thought it was a real tragedy.  Thanks to their encouragement, I tried on a denim jacket at GoodWill, and decided to take it home with me.  I was eager to try it out with Burberry styling, so I paired it buttoned all the way up today with a midi skirt (mine's black and white, rather than light colored) and coordinating shoes (black and strappy in my case)

I started out with a different skirt (more like the one Firecracker wore in her Burberry-inspired outfit), but the proportions were off (the skirt was too short, or the jacket too long).  So I swapped it for this longer midi tube skirt.  I tried to make the outfit more springlike by adding a pink lip.

I felt like it was a reasonably successful venture, and got comments that I looked "especially put together".  

What do you think?  What could/should be improved?  

(And wow - my hair got long-ish.  How did that happen?  Do I need to schedule  a cut?)

I graduated high school in 95.  While I was a senior, Seventeen magazine came to my school and did a feature on it.  I wasn't among those featured, but I thought I'd post some pics from it anyway.  This is what kids in my neck of the woods dressed like in the 90s.

A lot of these looks still seem wearable to me today, which, I think is why I identify 90s grunge as a part of my style.  

In fact, I'm wearing it today to clean the house and pack for moving.  It's not a whole lot more casual than my normal, to be honest (maybe that should change?), but I'm super comfortable in it!

Taking a break from the 70s today!

I associate the 80s with black and white, leggings, colorblocking, and neon colors.  I also fondly remember velour fabrics - still a favorite of mine.   I'm not sure if colorblocking is actually an 80s thing, but my velour shirt is black and white color blocked, and I'm pretty sure is an actual 80s top.

So here's my tribute - with 90s bedhead hair rather than the big hair of the era, and no makeup too.  I'm actually wearing #3 today, because, well, I like it :)

#1 - leggings (skirted) with velour color-blocked top.
#2 - same skirted leggings with my closest to neon yellow.  High contrast tank top for effect.
#3 - velour color-blocked top with as close as I have to neon pink cropped pants.

I feel like all of these are border-line wearable today - are they?  And are they true to the 80s also?

What's the difference between culottes and palazzo pants?  Length?  (Obviously).  Is there more?
I'm combining them here, because I found examples of both when I searched pinterest for 70s style inspiration :)

I don't have inspiration pics for all of these, but where I do have them, I'll paste them in.
#1 Culottes with tonal flowy shirt.
#2-3 Same flowy shirt with palazzo pants.  (I rather like this, and think it might work for a dressy event).
#4 inspiration pic for tonal wide pants with flowy shirt.
#5 another, not so successful, attempt at something like the inspiration pic.
#6 Palazzo pants with boxy, flowy top.
#7 inspiration pic for #6.
#8 flowy top with denim culottes (are they too big looking now?  I think I liked the fit better last summer)

These are all intended to look at least sort of 70s, for the era challenge, but I think I'd wear several of them as-is now.  And I'm going to be reading Angie's suggestions for culottes over and over, because I really enjoy wearing these!

Suggestions for improvements?

What does a software developer do when her computer is in the shop?  Why, play in her closet, of course (never mind the assigned reading, ahem).

I had fun too, making 70s inspired outfits.  I wasn't ambitious enough to do twiggy makup or straighten my hair (or add a headband even), and all my hats are packed for our upcoming move.  So you get the lazy hippy variety of outfits today.  

#1 red turtleneck tucked into tan skirt (about as "mini" as I get). Mary jane shoes, and bummer that I purged my red tights.  (inspiration pic in #2)

#3 purple western shirt, unbuttoned as far as decent, with tan skirt.  Same mary jane shoes, and bummer again about the red tights. (inspiration pic in #4)

#5 double denim, top worn tucked in to high-waist bootcuts (sans belt!), that aren't wide enough to cover my shoes, and need to be hemmed an inch up.  I swear these fit me last week - why do they look too big now?!  (#7 is inspiration pic)

#6 double denim attempt number 2.  Somehow I liked the idea of a denim dress over flares as a 70s idea, even though I didn't have an inspiration pic for that specific silhouette.  Does it work?  (I think I'd wear it over skinnies today though).

#8 - continuing the 70s theme by wearing a turtleneck and flares for working from home today. Or, make that playing around while my computer is broke...

#9 a failed attempt at flowy-top tucked into high-waist bootcut silhouette.  I think these jeans are just too roomy for it. (inspiration in #10)

I played with my culottes too - I'll make that another post.  Then I really had better do some work....

All comments - especially suggestions for improvement!

Another mediocre attempt at 70s dressing here today.  I tried (and failed) a white-out (pic 2), and changed out of it when my kids asked to make jello this morning.  Instead I'm bringing back my new favorite jeans from Monday, with a brown sweater again - this time a long cardigan that reminds me of the 70s both in shape and color.

My infatuation with 70s may be short-lived.  This is very comfortable, but it feels frumpy to me....

If it warm enough, I'd be bringing out culottes and other shapes....  Perhaps I'll play dress-up this afternoon if I get a chance.

By the way, I've parted my hair in the center all week in honor of the 70s, and am actually kinda liking it.  I may have to play with parts to see what works best for me and my hair :)