I've had my eye on this little sailor dress from YesStyle for a while now, but it's really riding the line between cute and costumey. I wanted to figure out a way to style it that would tone down its whimsy a little and keep it from looking too "Hi, I'm six and I'm wearing my sailor outfit!" I chose neutral accessories with a sophisticated feel and then threw in some fun jewelry to add a little edge:
Click for full size.
1.) Plain black sunglasses or a traditional Ray-Ban style could quickly feel a little too retro with this dress, but slightly oversized tortoiseshell frames (à la Carrie Donovan) add a level of cool sophistication. "Carrie" sunglasses, $11, Fred Flare.
2.) Yes, it's kitschy and looks like something out of a little girl's closet, but I'm finding this sailor dress pretty irresistable. I would stick on a couple of punk rock-feeling pins (these ones feature the divine Divine in Pink Flamingos and as one of my personal heros, Female Trouble's Dawn Davenport) to keep it playful while cutting down on the cartoony factor. Moss 3/4 sleeve sailor dress, $48, YesStyle; Divine pins, $3.99 for a set of 8, Darby's Badges.
3.) A little bit of grown-up makeup might be required here to remind people that yes, you are an adult. I'm intrigued by this new red from DuWop, which purports to adapt to your body's natural chemistry to magically create the perfect red for your coloring. Even if it doesn't change I'm still really feeling the lush brick shade. DuWop Private Red lipstick, $22, Sephora.
4.) Dripping with spikes, this bracelet has the same edge as a studded cuff but feels more chic and grown-up, especially rendered in ever-so-slightly burnished gold. "Out of Spike" bracelet, $26, Patricia Field.
5.) Going with a neutral shade and classic shapes for accessories here was key to keeping this look from looking too rockabilly or too much like a costume. Ultimately I picked a very light tan; I love the look of this skinny calf-hair belt. Deena & Ozzy pony belt, $20, Urban Outfitters.
6.) I like this luxe-looking tasseled crossbody bag's rich brown shade, which reflects off the colors of the tortoiseshell sunglasses and isn't too matchy-matchy with the belt and shoes, but still belongs to the same color family. Leather pouch cross body bag, $55, Topshop.
7.) A high heel would have been too obvious with this look and it would have been hard to find one that didn't end up looking unintentionally pin-uppy, so I thought a flat oxford or similar would probably be the best bet. These little lace-ups are menswearish in silhouette, but the color and the perforations keep them looking really fresh. Perforated oxfords, $24.80, Forever 21.
I know this outfit won't be for everyone but it's really calling to me right now -- seriously, don't be surprised if you see me wearing it pretty much head to toe in the future.
0 comments:
Post a Comment