Making It Work
Sometimes things “just work,” and….sometimes they don’t. I try Very Hard to only buy things that REALLY work. Some may think I’m too picky or too particular or that I dismiss too many options because they’re not PERFECT.
And I would agree. I am picky. I am particular. And I deserve perfect.
I’ve come a long way since the days when I would buy anything just because it would fit on my body. Just because something fits around your hips or belly or boobs, doesn’t mean the item fits well. Or that it will work well with your wardrobe. Or that it suits your style. Everybody (and Every Body) deserves clothing they love, that fits well, and that suits them.
But as a clothing renter, sometimes I find myself with something less than that. You pays your money, you takes your chances…and you don’t always end up a winner. I’ve been trying out the rental service Nuuly. You pay a monthly fee of $88 and get to select six items that you keep for a month. I’m only doing this through my trip to California in February and then I’ll have to set it aside for the time being. Anyway, the first month, two of the items I selected were not available when they went to ship my order…so they substituted two other items (plus they’re giving me a two-item credit towards another month of my choice). One of them was just unwearable. The other…well, you be the judge.
It’s a dropped-waist, black and white houndstooth check dress by Maeve, which is an Anthropologie brand. It’s not awful. I’m generally not a fan of the dropped waist…on anyone…! And if you saw my recent Nordstrom Trunk Club try-on, you’ll know that black and white houndstooth is not my first choice. On me. But the material was nice, the fit was better than I expected, and I figured let’s make this work.
I feel a little…
Bear in mind, this outfit is not something I would actually wear out in the world. But it was fine for a little photoshoot dress up.
I went with the 1930’s dropped waist theme and paired it with some black patent oxfords a friend passed onto me. I love the style but the patent leather is so unforgiving I can’t wear them for long. And covered the whole thing up (ha) with a black duster length cardigan (a duster length cardigan can improve almost any clothing situation!). I wish I’d had some sort of red accessory – a bag or headband, or…a cloche. But I didn’t, and I wasn’t going to spend time or money accessorizing a dress that’s not even mine.
It would have been a tinch better with black tights, but alas, the Perfect Tight (and by “perfect” I mean The Ones I Can Get On My Body) still eludes me…although my Snag Tights order was just delivered and need to be tried on. They don’t LOOK that different from other tights, but…we shall see. They’re supposed to be wider, I think. So getting them on is not like stuffing a large pig through the mouth of a (stretchy) water bottle. Sorry for the image but that’s how it always feels to me.
Anyway, did I make it work? I think I at least made the best of an unfortunate situation. And sometimes that’s the most you can hope for.
What I’m Wearing
- Maeve Sterling Houndstooth Tunic, 3x. Sold out.
- Old Navy Black Fine Knit Longline Open-Front Cardigan, 2x. Old, sold out. Comparable here and here.
- Black Patent Oxfords, old. Comparable here and here.
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Michelle
I like it! I usually don’t like dropped-waist dresses either, but something about the v neckline makes it work. I agree that red accessories would be the way to go.
I hope you liked the rest of the items in the box!
bettyewp
I like this second box much better than the first. And I already have stuff picked out for the next box to take with me to California, so that’ll be fun.
Deborah
I actually really like this, and yes to a red something!
bettyewp
Hey! Debbie! Debbie and Suzy commenting on the same blog post – my two oldest friends!
I need to get out more.
xoxo
Susan Sommer
Hahaha! How am I supposed to answer this when I’m still laughing at your imagery? The outfit is cute but the shoes look uncomfortable. Which is funny bcs many shoes are uncomfortable, especially attractive ones. But I can feel the razor sharp edges on those. Maybe if you wore them long enough you’d accomplish the red accessory 🙄😘
bettyewp
Ha! They WERE uncomfortable…and even worse than the stiff patent leather was the fact that I got into them without untying (because bending over to tie shoes about does me in) the laces, so the tongue slipped back with my feet and was doubled over and REALLY unpleasant against my foot.
Ha ha, I don’t generally think of blood as a fashion accessory but maybe you’re onto something 🙂
Marian
You certainly made the best of it. I love that you saw this as a challenge, made this effort and showed us the result! Most people would just dump an unwanted piece back in the box and be all disappointed.
Since I started buying tights 2 sizes larger than my usual size they actually fit. I think the sizing on all hosiery packages is just wrong.
There is something about houndstooth…dunno….like wearing newspaper…
What else was in the box?!
bettyewp
Ha ha houndstooth like newspaper! Kinda, yeah!
Mmm…did you see the fox dress a couple weeks back! That was in the Nuuly box…and an ivory ruffled wrap blouse and chestnut snakeskin moto jacket are coming up in a blogpost in a week or so. Another dress was unsuitable for the season…and a little ruffle-sleeve jacket that looked cute on the website looked ridiculous on me.
The box I JUST got is much more successful. The red plaid blouse I wore with the pink tutu skirt was from Nuuly, and I’ve got a couple other items in my #January20x20 challenge that…oh, maybe I wrote about that in the upcoming Week in Review. Only one item out of 6 seems like a dud…and that’s cuz it feels “washed shrunk.” It’s the exact same shirt as the red plaid but shrunken feeling.
julia
I like the top half of the dress, especially the collar and I think the print is nice. It’s just that ruffle at the bottom that I don’t care for. I’m loving your background too. No snow and it looks so pretty with all that ivy.
bettyewp
And here I am PRAYING for some snow! I’m afraid we’re going to have another year of NO SNOW DAYS! And snow days are like the most magical thing on the planet! To get a text at 6am, “we’re going to pay you for the day, but you just stay home – it’s snowing. See you tomorrow. MAYBE.” OHMYGOSH that is The Best Thing Ever!!! I keep looking at the extended forecast and it’s high 30s/low 40s well into January. BOO.
Melissa
I’m making good on commenting more frequently. 😁
You successfully managed to turn a negative (the dress) into a positive (add layer). It’s a cute look… but. I especially love the McCalls reference and I feel that way about a houndstooth sweater I bought ages ago but… never wore. It’s being donated this weekend. Haha The pattern looks great on other folks but it’s just not me. Oh well, there are worse things in life…
I’m also loving your background scenery! You really do have a great photographer’s eye. As always, thanks for sharing. Your updates always make me smile.
bettyewp
Thanks for your continued comments! Re the McCalls reference, yeah, dropwaist dresses always read very 1930s to me. Cute on them…THEN…not so much, me, now 🙂
jodie filogomo
I have to say this looks great! Maybe it’s the fact that it’s so different from your usual, so it’s like a nice surprise. Variety is the spice of life, right!!
But I do think you need some red accessories…they will look good with everything!
Xoxo
Jodie
bettyewp
Red accessories are on The List…but pretty far down 🙂 I have a HIGHLY STRUCTURED purchasing prioritization system (except when I’m walking through Target).
Variety might be the SPICE of life…but you won’t last long just eating paprika and cinnamon 🙂 Meat and potatoes (aka neutral/basics) are the SUSTENANCE of life.
Hey, that’s pretty good! I need to needlepoint a pillow or something!
Daenel T.
I like this. But I do think red or another color would’ve helped. Totally typed that with the understanding that you are not keeping the dress, soooo…. I like the shoes, but get the need for comfort.
I wore an outfit today that I felt good in when I left the house but hated as soon as I got out in public. It was literally a tunic, leggings, cardi, and ankle boots. I don’t know why I hated it but I did. As soon as I got home I put on jeans and a sweater and exhaled. LOL
bettyewp
Years and years ago I had a pair of the SOFTEST nubuck oxfords, that I wore, literally, into the ground. But that was at a time (like 18 years ago!) when I was still fitting into a narrow-er legged pant and they looked well together. Anyway, they were so so comfortable I was able to wear them almost like sneakers. And they were just from a cheapie generic shoe store. Sigh. And they were probably like $14.99. And a loaf of bread was a nickel, ha ha. AHH, THE GOOD OLD DAYS.
Don’t you hate that? When you THINK something is good, but as soon as you get out in the world you’re like ooooohhhh this doesn’t feel right i just wanna go home?? I mean, leggings, tunic, cardi, ankle boots sound harmless enough. I like trying to dissect what exactly it was that worked…or didn’t. Sounds like a new blog series “Why It Didn’t Work.”
And on that note, *I* have to figure out what to put on today for my #Jan20x20 just to run to the deli for an egg sandwich then come home and work all day. I have a to-do list a mile long.
Donna
I think you look very cute in this dress and the print is ok too!! I think opaque tights or even groovy red ones would make a difference and maybe a Mary-Jane heel would look good, but then I do love retro styles!! The long cardi is a nice, cosy touch too!! Thank you for sharing!!
Donna 🧚🏻♀️❤️🐝
https://donnadoesdresses.com
bettyewp
It was an interesting challenge for me, but happily that dress has been returned home and I’ve gotten new things in its place 🙂
Iris
Well, “I” think it’s a cute outfit (dress included). But, what do I know.
I love the shoes, but I hear you about the patent leather.
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com