Crop Tops and Short Shorts

I received a comment a few days ago about whether it was possible to wear a crop top with hipster shorts without looking scandalous, and I thought it was a valid question that merited a few outfit examples.

Besides, my forte is basically taking questionable garments and making them appropriate :) I'm assuming by the word hipster shorts she meant short-shorts, and by the term "slutty"* she meant appropriate to wear outside and to create a fashionable outfit.

While on my previous post I mentioned that the easiest way to wear a crop top is to keep the rest of the outfit conservative, but with short shorts that takes away the option of covering up your legs. By nature, this outfit is going to be a bit more risqué, making it really only appropriate for a night out with the girls or during the summer months when everyone's flashing skin anyway.

But honey, if you have the cajones and confidence, I'd say go for it.

So here's my few recommendations, which of course you can take them or leave them as you will:

Keep your shoes flat.
Keep the top loose.
Keep your shorts high-waisted, pleated, or with a bit of volume.
Keep your arms covered.

All of these things serve to tone down the inherent sexiness and provide a little more coverage so you're not walking around in a glorified bikini.

Untitled by erind90 featuring a dolman sleeve sweater

Untitled by erind90 featuring a scoop neck tee

* God I hate that word. Girls tend to throw it around with reckless abandon for anyone who they perceive as a threat or who doesn't fit the norm. So we're banishing that word from this blog m'kay?

New Things

I don't know about anyone else, but I always feel like the new year is a clean start. So I like to celebrate a little by getting a new haircut, usually something drastic.

So about 6 or 8 inches later, we have this.
I'm still trying to remember how to actually blow-dry my hair (man, haven't had to do that in a while) so I've come to terms with the fact that it's going to look a little crazy for the next few weeks.

Anyway, here's my outfit for today. Just heading down into the village, I'm going to learn the Argentina tango today, I mean, why not?

The thing I always forget about having short hair is

1. You actually have to do something with it every day.
2. People can see your face. Which means you also have to do something with that every day.
3. They always make my chin look a little mannish. I'm over it.

I'm just never satisfied. As soon as I have short hair, I wish it were long again. When it's long, I wish it were short.
C'est la vie.

On other notes, I rescued this bag from a family friend's attic. It had been lying under a window so the leather was ridiculously bleached and cracked, but it's such a beautiful Coach bag I figured I'd try and save it.
So after two hours of polishing and a can of shoe polish, it looks pretty gorgeous. Still a little aged, but more family heirloom than junk shop.

*Tip: when trying to rescue bleached or cracked leather, don't have it re-dyed because they strip everything (dye won't penetrate past the varnish/treatment on the leather). Instead, try some leather oil and shoe polish, because both soak past the varnish into the actual leather. Also it's a hell of a lot cheaper than having it dyed.

We also went through my dad's closets (yes, plural) this vacation. That man owns more clothes than any woman I've ever known. He's just such a pack rat. 

Anyway, I rescued this cardigan from him. It's a cardigan from when he went to school at Berkley, CA back in the 70's. 

It needs a bit of de-pilling, but still. I'm a little in love. All I need is a poodle skirt and some saddle shoes : P

Simplify

I'm currently going through my twice annual "purge".
This year wasn't too bad, only two shopping bags of stuff to sell/give away.

Photo Credit

You should have seen it when I was leaving for college, which I consider the real turning point for me, fashion and life style-wise.
It's when I decided that I wanted to be fashionable. Not just eccentric, but also stylish.
A year or so later, after having to move through three apartments in one year (not fun) I decided I wanted to try to be a minimalist as well.
As always, these are more about the process rather than the end result. I'm not sure if there really is an end for either of them.

But my goal has always been to simplify. I love stuff, but I want it to work for me, not the other way around.

So how to start? The Everyday Minimalist has a great checklist for what to toss. A good clean-out makes everyone feel lighter.

After you've gotten rid of everything that is obviously not working out, how do you simplify your closet?
Try putting a few restrictions on what you own and buy.
Too many options is not a luxury, it's just overwhelming.

Color

Keep a simple palette.
Find some flattering neutrals, and pick two or three colors you know and love. My color palette is limited to black, grey, navy, white (sort of. I'm such a grubby-bear) and a very, very light tan/camel.
My two colors are blue and blush pink.
It keeps shopping simple, I merely skim the racks for my colors.
Also getting dressed in the morning is a breeze. Everything matches, so I can basically close my eyes, grab a top and a bottom and I'm good to go.

Shape

Know what suits you.
I can't do wrap dresses or deep v-necks. I simply don't have the cleavage for it. Big billowy clothes swallow my frame and hang off my broader shoulders (I have a slightly unusual upside-down triangle shape. I'm vaguely shaped like a teenage boy).
However, full pleated skirts, pencil skirts, a-line dresses, and shift dresses loooovveee my shape. Men's button down shirts, turtlenecks, and bateau necklines are positively saucy on me.
Anything high-waisted and either ridiculously wide-legged or ridiculously skinny makes me feel like a complete diva.
So why mess with what works? Know the shapes that love your body and love them back.
Because trends come and go, but no matter how hard I pray, a low slung mini-skirt is not doing my derriere any favors.

Lifestyle

I'm a student. And I walk every-where. I work in retail where I'm on my feet for seven hours straight. But I enjoy going out to the museums, theatres, night-clubs and going to see an opera every once in a while.
So do I really need six pairs of stilettos? (um.... I'd love to own them, but no.) Two will do just fine.
Mid-height or kitten heels, however, are a much better option.
Again, simplifying. Know what you need, not what you want.
Flats are necessity in my life, another pair of drop-dead sexy heels on sale for 80% off? Not so much.

Duplicates

Do you really need five black cardigans? Will two do just fine?
I find myself falling into this trap because there are certain basics that I stock up on: cardigans. black dresses. ballet flats and kitten heels.
But those better have a distinct difference between them. I own a business-ready sheath dress and a jersey t-shirt dress, both black. Different.
I also own three grey cardigans.... two of those are going to be sold on Ebay this week.
If my one grey cardigan busts a hole, I figure I will just have to run out and buy a new one. No sense in keeping back-ups.

Make a List

This is my favorite thing to do. I use Evernote (if anyone's interested) to keep track of what I'm looking forward to adding to my wardrobe, as well as keep inspiring photos or want/lust/need items.
That way, I can make decisions before I'm knee-deep in pretty things and my card is burning a hole in my pocket.
This helps focus my shopping, though if you ask my girlfriends they'll tell you I'm just as a susceptible to a want-attack as anyone else. However, it's easier if I can say "It's not on the list, I don't need it".



Those are just a few of the things that I use to keep things simple and tone down the wants, especially as we go into the holiday season and the after Christmas sales (boo yeah!)

Of course, after I step down off my soap box for today and finish with finals next week, I'll be sure to post my Christmas wish list for this year ; )