Ageless Style Linkup: Outfit Challenged
Welcome to this month’s Ageless Style linkup where each month, ten women share their sense of style. This month Sugana from Nzuri*N Simplicity suggested the theme Outfit Challenged.
We’ve all had clothing in our closet that we’ve hardly worn, yet we liked it when we bought it, so…what happened? And what do you do with it once you get it home? Keep it and figure out how to make it work? Or cut it loose and perhaps let someone else have an opportunity to enjoy it?
I feel like I don’t make a lot of shopping mistakes. I’m extremely particular and want everything to be JUST RIGHT. I don’t enjoy spending my hard-earned money on something and then having to “make it work.” I’m not saying I have the wardrobe of my dreams, of course, I have to make concessions on things like price and size. But I very rarely end up with something that I feel was a failure or a mistake.
But last year I made a big ‘ol expensive mistake! I got caught up in how other people looked in this item, in how cool they seemed (I am Not Cool, I have no business trying to dress like I am!), in how versatile, how modern, blah blah blah.
This was the great Spanx Faux Leather Legging Debaucle of 2019.
I’d been coveting them for close to a year. This was not an impulsive purchase. I saw slim people look good in them. I saw plus-sized women look good in them. I saw tall people look good in them. I saw petite women look good in them. Why wouldn’t I look good in them?
And yet…I don’t. Ha. I’m not even going to get into why my legs don’t look good in them. But I will address the fit. The horrible fit. I got the 3x (the largest size) in the petite length (made for short people). They are still SO TIGHT and SO LONG.
The few times I’ve worn them, I am constantly tugging them up so they stay just above my ankle bone. But you can only pull up as far as your crotch! And they’re still all wrinkled around my thighs, and worse, my knees! From the back my legs look like a balloon animal!
And it feels as uncomfortable as it looks. And at the top end, I can pull them all the way up to my bra (#erkel) but the second I move…or breathe…the waistband rolls down to a bunch chokehold around my waist.
So even if I DID look good in them (okay, they are far too shiny for my rounded, curvy legs), they are so miserably uncomfortable on me!!!
And I have given them several chances…I wore them in the winter with a long sweater and booties…and under a long ruana…and I have tried to wear them more casually as an athleisure look. But. No. Just no. There’s no workaround. There’s no “making it work.” I’m disappointed but I’m not going to let them lay in a drawer unloved. I’ll sell them on eBay or Poshmark to someone who will hopefully love them…and I will recoup some of my cost so I can try to find something more suitable.
There’s no shame in cutting your losses and letting something go if it just doesn’t work for you.
Make sure to take some time to visit the other stylish ladies in the Ageless Style group, their links are below!
PS – for regular readers of Fashion Schlub, Week in Review will be tomorrow, Tuesday, April 7
Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits Blog, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest
Bettye ~ Fashion Schlub Blog, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
Daenel ~ Living outside the stacks Blog, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter
Debbie ~ Fashion Fairy Dust Bloglovin, Blog, Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter
Jennie ~ A Pocketful of Polka Dots Blog, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Bloglovin
Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style Blog, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Twitter
Julia ~ When the Girls Rule Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram
Kellyann ~ This Blonde’s Shopping Bag Blog, Instagram, Bloglovin, Twitter
Shelly ~ The Queen in Between Blog, Instagram, Bloglovin, Pinterest, Facebook
Shelbee on the Edge
Bettye, I do love this theme because I am definitely guilty of buying things that don’t work on me. And like you, I will try multiple times to make them work before I give up. I don’t think these leggings look bad on you at all and your styling choices are all so cute and on trend. But…I do find most leggings in general to be a pain in the arse! They never stay put and the Spanx ones sound incredibly uncomfortable. I don’t need all that squeeziness on my rounded parts at all. Ugh. I do hope you can get a decent resale price on Poshmark!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
bettyewp
Yeah, online sales are a LITTLE (#understatement) slow right now…
Amy Johnson
I have made a lot of expensive mistakes buying things I saw on other bloggers. You are lucky you only made one. I’ve been tempted to buy a pair of Spanx leggings, but I have yet to make the plunge. I do love all the different ways you styled them though.
bettyewp
I used to make more mistakes. I’ve gotten wiser over the past few years AND I’m quick to return things that aren’t Just Right. I’d rather wait til Just the Right Thing comes along.
julia
Ha ha! Spanx. The brand that is made to make you feel uncomfortable. And then shiny fabric too? Ugh! Well, you gave it a valiant effort I’d say. I had a bit of trouble with this theme too b/c I don’t buy clothes anymore that don’t work. Now, if this topic had come up about 4 years ago I’d have a ton of examples. Well, at least we’re not too old to learn new tricks eh? Ok, lady, take care of yourself and keep hiding from those zombies!
bettyewp
Yeah, tight shiny things are not a good look for me.
Yeah, I was pleased that currently I really only had two options for this “failed purchases” post.
Stay safe, friend!
Ruth Josey
Hmmmm. Now I’m not sure I need to covet every pair of faux leather leggings I see on every blogger (which I have been and was again surfing for them this morning). I’ve done that before, too. Mostly with Amazon and Shein. In fact, I’m returning a “cardigan” that I got this week from Amazon. Great reviews. Great pictures in the photo gallery. Not wild about the piece. Tried it on, packed it back up, clicked “Return”. Tried to style it with one thing and thought, “I don’t need anything that’s going to be this much trouble. I’m sending it back before I get anything on it.” I actually didn’t think the leggings looked bad on you and think maybe you just need a pair that are less “boa constrictor” to fit better and be comfortable (I’m not sure how comfortable we’re supposed to be in faux leather leggings, though). At any rate, I really liked them with the denim/black look and the ruana look, too, and they’re great with the blue poncho and the black boots. But I think black skinnies would be perfect with any of those looks, too.
Ruth
https://voguefauxreal.com/2020/03/23
bettyewp
I think they (faux leather leggings) are made for people with long, leaner legs. Definitely not for shorties like me.
“I don’t need anything that’s going to be this much trouble.” Yep, I’m totally on board with that.
jodie filogomo
At least you tried wearing them a couple of times with different clothing pieces, Bettye. But there are always SOME things that aren’t going to ever work. Especially when they aren’t comfortable…that’s the worst.
OXOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
bettyewp
For sure!
Jennie
I really like the examples of ways you have styled these faux leather leggings, especially the layered, colorful look! I went back and forth about purchasing those leggings after seeing how many people loved them. Like you, I am short and after reading your experience with them I am sure I would have the same length issue. Good for you for giving them multiple trys!
bettyewp
Thanks, Jennie. I certainly gave them my best shot.
Yeah, SO many people love them! All those TALL PEOPLE!
Bettye
Shugunna Alexander
Bettye there’s nothing wrong with giving a new look a try, at least there’s no more wondering what if, right. And we’ve all done, thank goodness you can sell an recoup some of the money. You write very well.
bettyewp
Thanks, Shugunna! Sometimes writing is what saves me 🙂