Dress me up in your love!

March 19, 2008 9:58 PM

Any suggestions for pieces I should get? I recently lost a good deal of weight and I am now down to about 135 lbs, 5'7". I am going back to see a bunch of people that haven't seen me with my newly slimmed figure, and I'd like to make a good "wow" impression.

I won't be doing anything fancy with them -- more in the vein of just hanging out, going to the movies, cafes, restaurants, etc. Do you have any suggestions for what kind of outfits I can put together with a good pair of dark-wash blue jeans? I'm going to be there for about a little less than a week. I am a bit large chested (34C-D) and I never know how to dress up the top part of my body without things looking clingy or too in-your-face. I also bought this super cute pencil skirt from Express, which I really like on me (I have an hourglass figure), but I don't know how to wear it in a casual setting without looking like, "HEY LOOK AT ME!" (I mean, I want that, but subtly) ;) Do I ditch the pencil skirt then for this setting?

Any thoughts?

posted by paperlanterns to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)

Pencil skirts are awesome. You can dress them down a bit with a black turtleneck or plain sweater or ribbed top (maybe with a belt to accent your waist) and boots, or dress it up with a blouse or a fitted oxford shirt (flip the collar up for a little extra flair) and some heels. (Go with low heels -- around 2" or so -- if you don't want to avoid screaming LOOK AT ME IN MY FANCY SHOES). If you wear the blouse or oxford, wear some cool chunky beads for a cute accent.

A black turtleneck also looks very put-together with dark-wash jeans and boots. I'll wear something like that to the movies or dinner/drinks with a blazer (velvet or corduroy) thrown over it. Make sure the blazer has a bit of a waist -- you don't want anything boxy or shapeless. I also would take a colored cardigan -- you can layer it over a t-shirt with jeans, but also wear it with a little camisole with your skirt. Again, make sure it's got a bit of fit to it, so it can make the transition between casual and a little more dressed up. Avoid skin-tight, but avoid baggy, too.

Here's how my packing for a week's visit would roughly shake out for me: dark jeans, wool pencil skirt, A-line skirt, cords (if I didn't take a second pair of jeans); cotton turtleneck, cashmere turtleneck (if it was going to be chilly), cashmere cardigan, two oxford shirts in different colors, several t-shirts (long and short sleeve), and a camisole or two. (Coordinating key: all tops must be able to go with two or more of the bottoms.) For outerwear: my favorite moss green velvet blazer and my black leather jacket (plus an additional blazer or jacket if room). For shoes: a pair of boots, a pair of low heels, and a pair of sneakers (all black). For accessories: a coordinating belt and purse, plus some beads.

Congratulations on your weight loss, by the way! Have some fun with learning what suits you - the Lucky Guide might be a handy way to get some further ideas as you build your wardrobe over the coming months and years. (Feel free to avoid Lucky magazine, though, which has turned into Teh Suck in the past couple of years since the Lucky Guide was published.)
posted by scody at 10:54 PM on March 19, 2008 [3 favorites]

hooray! congratulations! scody's advice was wonderful, so I'll just say that if, for your *debut*, your primary goal is show off your new body, then I'd go with the jeans because that'll provide a clearer view of your figure than a skirt would. after that, though, don't feel like a skirt says "oh, I'm trying". I think that once you're out of college, skirts don't seem especially dressy. have fun, and knock 'em dead!
posted by moxiedoll at 11:16 PM on March 19, 2008

Oh, another accessories suggestion: find some cute patterned tights and hose in black, gray, or neutral. I've got a variety of pairs (from Target to J.Crew) and they're great with skirts -- especially if you're wearing solids, they're an easy way to add some pattern and flair to your outfit.
posted by scody at 11:42 PM on March 19, 2008

Sorry, I forgot: for shoes, a pair of skimmers/flats is essential, too. They can go with your skirts as well as your jeans, as long as the skirts are at or above the knee (flats with skirts below the knee can look a little meh -- they make your legs look shorter).
posted by scody at 11:49 PM on March 19, 2008

With the jeans: tight sweater.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 11:49 PM on March 19, 2008

Congratulations on your new figure! I'm currently in love with fitted jackets. They go with everything and can dress up jeans and a cute little t-shirt or make a dress or skirt seem casual yet well put together. Get a couple of them!
posted by platinum at 12:05 AM on March 20, 2008

Congratulations! I definitely agree about fitted jackets, and i always think wrap shirts look great on larger-chested women, especially on a slimmer frame. These are the best examples i can find of the look i mean, i've always wanted to be able to carry off that crisp look with those shirts. In fact, Rebecca and Drew make beautifully fitted shirts by cup size for women who often struggle with button-up shirts. Even without the wrap, a simple crisp white shirt, jeans, and some well-placed accessories will make you look effortlessly chic.
posted by ukdanae at 3:15 AM on March 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

I love to browse the "What to Wear" section at EmilyStyle to visualize ideas for new outfits. Here are a couple of looks she suggests for jeans that I think could work as "I'm not trying hard, but I look great!"
Jeans 1
Jeans 2 (That top, as she notes, could also work with your pencil skirt)
Jeans 3 (I think a jacket like this would also work with the pencil skirt)
Jeans 4
Jeans 5

Fewer ideas specifically for the pencil skirt, but here are two:
Pencil skirt 1
Pencil skirt 2

Have fun!
posted by CiaoMela at 6:57 AM on March 20, 2008

I think a wrap to that provides sufficient coverage up top while nipping in at the waist would work with either outfit. (Suggestions 1 2 3 4 5 6)

This page is also really handy for figuring out your body type and figuring out what clothes would flatter you best.
posted by Alison at 7:55 AM on March 20, 2008

I find that tops with some kind of dropped neckline- like a V-neck or scoop neck- take some of the focus off of a large chest. Show off that neck and those beautiful collarbones! I always feel like I look too stuffed into shirts with higher necklines.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:21 AM on March 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Have you looked at What Not To Wear? They offer 'rules' about how to accent your best features. They would say you need a really good bra to hold everything up and accent your slim waist. Also, they insist on a scoop, open, or v-neck for the full-busted. If you wear the turtleneck, can you create a V with a pendant on a longish chain? You also want to try to have your tops and jackets hit at a flattering level -- not the widest part of your hips, for example, and probably not at the waist if you're hour-glassy.

Make sure you feel good in your clothes. Other people might think you look great, but if you feel uncomfortable in tight tops, you won't like wearing one.
posted by wryly at 12:07 PM on March 20, 2008

i am also larger on top (38DD) and i find, like wryly states, that a really good bra that lifts the ladies up does wonders for my confidence.

wearing bright lipstick red on top is always a good way to stand out and look sexy, even if you're wearing something that isn't inherently provocative.

i'd wear your favorite jeans if you want to be casual though- but pair them with fun colorful shoes too.
posted by evalenza at 6:55 PM on March 20, 2008