#so i'm adjusting my schedule ever so slightly re: turnaround

[wizzard890]

(Hey guys! This is @veryunmarvelous‘s fashion consult. Here’s a link to the masterpost of what I offer. )

Things you like:

Drapery: you like the visual interest of sweeping, narrow layers, and different fabrics working together in a single outfit. You said you’re nearly six feet tall, so I think this is a fantastic instinct on your part. You’re leaning into your height, rather than away from it! Those long layers draw people’s attention up and down your body, underlining what a tall, cool drink of water you are. Now, I know you live in a desert (the same desert, coincidentally, I used to call home), but layers are honestly doable all year around, even the hot summer months. It’s all about what you’ve got on underneath. Also, I notice that while all the draped outerwear you like is fairly long, you’ve brought a variety of shapes to the table. That’s great, you want to keep layers from becoming stale. A thing over another thing is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, lots of room to play with pattern and color and texture. On the other, it’s easy to get lazy? So go with different cuts and sizes.

Movement: It’s all over everything, in skirts and tops and the aforementioned layered garments. Many of the blouses you sent have that gentle cross-bodied swoop, or an interesting gathering in the fabric. The skirts you’ve designated for “out of work” wear are cut so they’ll sway with your hips and stride as you walk. Even the trousers tend towards the wide-legged. But take a closer look: the clothes don’t necessarily have to fall away from the body to have that flowing appeal. The grey dress under the jean jacket is as bodycon as it gets–and still sweeps gently upward at the thigh. You like your garments to be dynamic, no matter how simple.

Bold, colorful prints/statement detail: even when the garments you sent are a single color, they usually have something eye-catching: those amazing floral cutouts on the white skirt, and the blue and white piping on the camel pencil skirt; they work with the buttons to draw the eye up the model’s leg. It’s pretty clear that you gravitate towards these items, but you might need a little urging to try them out. It can be hard to get up the nerve to take this specific leap, since there’s so much shit out there about prints and who can wear which ones. It’s incredibly stressful trying to keep up. Luckily you don’t have to, because all those rules are ridiculous. Look at the checkered pattern that lady is wearing with her gentleman friend. There isn’t a single body type that wouldn’t be able to carry that off. Yes, she’s very straight up and down and it looks great, but curves would give the print even more dimension. Always always risk a pattern. As long as you like the underlying colors, and the print itself is copacetic with the feel of your outfit, you’re golden. The only bit of advice I’d give, as a large-busted girl, is to make sure that the pattern of your garment doesn’t pull across your chest. Finding the right size is everything in this case.

You’re also in a position where the clothes you wear at work haven’t typically been ones you can wear in your daily life. I think that’s a pretty common divide. Still, we should find you pieces that can transition between the two. Obviously there are some things, like showing too much skin, that are right out, but you should be able to get as much out of your clothing as possible. Fortunately, your fondness for layering means that we can potentially have garments that do double or even triple duty. My suggestion would be to mind the material when you’re buying jackets, sweaters, or wraps. You never want to go too heavy in the desert, or you’ll be stuck with something you can only wear three months out of the year and never be able to incorporate it into another season’s outfit. Err on the lighter side, the money you spend will go further.

Sample outfits + pieces!

So I want to do work and going out looks for you, using really flexible pieces that can go into any number of outfits.

The first suggestion falls into the category of “need a pep talk to put this on”, but trust me! This high waisted skirt has the same trail of buttons you liked so much in the last picture you sent. It’s longer than that one though, so you can wear it without worrying about accidentally flashing anyone. You’re also the perfect height for a structured midi skirt. (I have an alternate skirt if you’re not wild about navy, it’d be easier to wear with tights; I had it open in another window the whole time because I couldn’t stop thinking about how great the color would be on you. You can substitute it for the navy one in the rest of this section if you want.)

For going out: you could wear this with any cute t-shirt, and you tend to like basic tops that showcase more exciting pieces anyway, but for the purpose of this outfit, let’s go with a tiny bit of visual interest. This soft white choker blouse will go with every other piece I give you. Now throw this metallic textured kimono over the top. You can close it if you like, but I’d recommend knotting the tie in the back like a bow and leaving it open. This means you can wear a figure-hugging skirt at work, but the flow of the kimono will keep it from being butt-emphasizing. Go safe with the shoes, this is already an eye-catching outfit. We didn’t really talk budget on heels, but I’m including some currently-trendy ones in an adorable color that would be a bright pop to compliment the silver in the kimono. You can find these cheaper anywhere.

For a work outfit, I puzzled over the menswear trousers for a while; I love the shape, and think they’d look fantastic on you, but I wanted to marry them to the bright colors in your pictures. Here’s a happy medium! High-waisted, pleated, wide-legged pants, very similar in shape and cut to the buttoned ones you sent me. The shade is wonderful, and you can dress these up or down. A fun pattern would complement these perfectly, and I noticed that most of the blouses you sent are button-ups, we’ll meet in the middle on that too. (note: the listed sizes are UK specific, so check the chart before you buy!) You could wear pumps or cute sneakers or flats with this outfit, it’s comfortable as hell. May I recommend court heels?

Aaaaaand miscellaneous pieces:

This ticks all the skirt boxes: bold, good for work and play, and cut in a super cute a-line. That’s a statement piece, you won’t need a big necklace with this one.

Okay I’m swinging for the fences here, but come with me on this journey before you dismiss it. We’ve established that you like button-ups, you also like denim shirts, but more than anything, you love waterfall shapes. Four out of your pictures include waterfall details in the garments, including all the coats. It’s too warm to buy a good waterfall coat now, the only ones are like–satin or crepe for summer, and they tend to be super cheap-looking. This shirt though. This shirt has a waterfall in the back. It drops low enough that you can wear a bra (that’s key), and the shape of the falling fabric gently draws the front hem of the shirt upwards, which highlights the narrowest part of your waist. I legit think you’d kill in this. Even if it’s too outside the box right now, know that I believe in your ability to wear it.

And last but not least, a casual summer dress that I extrapolated from what you sent me. I loved that little striped button skirt the model with the sunglasses was wearing, and I wanted to bring that drapey line through in a dress instead. She’d paired it with a bardot top, which makes me think you’re probably comfortable with showing your shoulders, so voila! A breezy midi dress in a sophisticated dotted print. If the straps are a little too naked for you, I’d suggest wearing the button-up floral blouse I linked up there, and tying it up at your waist. You can do that with pretty much any shirt, including t-shirts. Then you’ve got a cute buttoned skirt.

I hope this helped! Happy dressing!

ALL ITEM RECS

Tailored high waist navy pencil skirt with military detail (asos, $64)

Pink ruched asymmetric zip front pencil skirt (river island, $56)

White batwing blouse with choker (asos, $24)

Textured stripe kimono (elvi, $51)

Cross-strap pink mules (topshop, $85)

Orange wide leg trousers (river island, $84)

Silk blend floral print button up shirt (marks & spencer, $48)

Studio printed midi skirt (eloquii, $89)

Stripe shirt with deep cuff and open back (asos, $28)

Knot front polka dot midi dress (topshop, $75)