Tags
BDIB, bright color, dress, fall, how-to, layering, military, monochromatic, neutral, outfit, thrifted, vintage, winter
I think you probably know that when I go missing from the blog, it’s because things are busy and it’s only going to continue to snowball, as we approach the holidays. It’s my sincere wish to post more often, but at the present, I’m making my graphic design business and family priorities. The only thing I can realistically manage until the new year is one post a week. Just wanted to put it out there. Again, I always love hearing from you and will continue reading your blogs because, well, a girl needs daily blog breaks and inspiration.
Since I’ll only post once a week for a little while, I want them to have more impact. So the focus for the remaining 7 weeks of the year (eek), will be a series called Anatomy of Clothes. At the moment, this means breaking down my outfits from the basic look and showing you how I layer to make my closet more exciting to wear. There are little details that perhaps aren’t obvious just by looking at photos. Please, let me know if you find this informative and what else I can talk about. Your questions will help me come up with ideas for future posts! Shall, we begin?
Layer 1: My basic outfit is a summer, shirt dress. One of my favorite things to do is to layer clothing in a similar color family. For this look, I worked with neutral tones: khaki, gray and gold. If you’re not into layering, then the simplest way to jazz up any basic look is to add tights and accessorize. A bright royal blue necklace lends just the right pop of color. Here, I’m wearing my current favorite combination of bracelets and also stacked two rings.
Layer 2: To take my summer dress into cold weather, I added a loose knit sweater. This lightweight piece adds texture and pattern to my look without adding bulk. To define my waist, I wore a belt and also created a cropped look with a tulip hemline (or peplum), which is on trend. This is done by pulling one half of the sweater, over the belt (maybe the photos below help). Cute, right? Changes the look of my sweater completely and is much more flattering, not to mention, funn-er. Yes, I just typed that. You know what else is fun? Making wierd-o faces.
P.S. I really like my hair. Teased the crap out of it to get volume at the crown and with lots of bobbies and spray, it held up all day. Hoo-ray!
Layer 3: I see the outerwear as another opportunity for layering. For me, this was a sheer cardigan in the summer, during the fall, a blazer and coats for winter! I wore this military green one in my last post, a Drowning Rat. It works with the monochromatic color scheme of this outfit. It’s also a light material and somewhat water-resistant–great for rainy days.
Before I left the house, I decided that more color needed to be in my day, since we’ve been having incredibly stormy days lately. Bright blue did just the trick!
What are little tricks that you do to make dressing more interesting? Please do share!
Khaki Shirt Dress – Thrifted $4
Loose Knit Sweater – Old Navy, $3.50 Clearance
Tights – (gray) Hue, Nordstrom Rack (blue) Target
Lace Up Boots – Thrifted (new w. tags) $6
Green Coat – Thrifted $8
Jewelry – all Thrifted, some Vintage
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND EVERYONE!
Linked up to Bloggers Do it Better, Military Chic.
I like this dress-up series!!! It’s interesting to see how you took things that I would just relegate to summer-wear and made it totally work for fall/winter.
I usually add interest with accessories like scarves, but I’m hoping to work my way up to layering clothes in an interesting way. This is great inspiration!!
P.S. I love the addition of the blue tights at the end. It totally ties in with your necklace and add a good pop to everything.
What a great post! Although you will only post once a week due to priorities, at least you are posting something that is meaningful and well thought out. I absolutely love the anatomy of how you dress. It’s almost like an art form,
Wishing you and your family well! Happy Thanksgiving if I don’t see another post from you 
I love it! Keep ‘em coming (as much as you can, even if it’s not as much as before.) priorities first!
With posts like this, once a week will keep us fulfilled all week! I am not a good layerer so I am going to take this to heart and see what I can create. That sweater is great, and your vintage jewelry is SO wonderful, especially that necklace!
All looks great…
Interesting post!
LeeAnne, Style N Season
http://stylenseason.blogspot.com
Great post idea!! I do the same thing as I’m getting dressed..sometimes it takes me a whole day of adding pieces (and sometimes subtracting) to get the desired effect! Great idea for a shirt dress..I have one just like and I may have to give your look a try!
Ashley
http://www.flatstoflipflops.blogspot.com
sorry to hear that you will be posting less, but life does come first
i love the idea of your post and look forward to the next. i totally agree some of the details get lost in the photos, so it’ll be nice to see them up close. i love the addition of the blue tights…ties in with the really cool necklace! you have some really great layering pieces…love that sweater.
[oomph.]
What’s the next line? Help write the story!
Love the inventive belting of the sweater! Lots to learn from here. Looking forward to next week’s post.
Van, this series is awesome! I have learned so much from following your blog already and I am really excited to see how you put your looks together. Changing the look of your sweater and making your dress go from summer to winter are exactly the sort of ideas I need. You would be so proud of me – for the first time in my life, I am starting to have fun getting dress & expressing myself. My closet is starting to be something fun, that I actually look forward to playing around in
I owe all of that to you. Audrey & Kendi. I need lots of help in the defining the waistline department and in making oversized blouses more feminine 
I’m on about a 1 week post average right now myself … Happy Holidays!!
VERY cute feature! Your layers are perfect! I need to work harder to make my outfits more interesting – I love all of your fun details!
This is great, Van! Family for sure comes first (and I guess work needs to be second…) I’m glad you’re going to keep posting…mama needs an outlet for herself too! I love the stacked rings…gotta give that a try!
This is great, Van! I feel like the way you dress is so outside of my box and it’s cool to get a peek into your head.
I like how you make thrifty finds look so fabulous! You’re such an expert when it comes to layering. I like the shirt dress, I think it’s really versatile. You’re so clever in using layering, accessories and colors to change the look of the simple outfit. I like both the neutral look and the one with a nice pop of blue on the tights.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. You have your priorities right by the way!
mongs
mythriftycloset.blogspot.com
these are some great looks! i love layering and your necklace is so cute!
I’m really enjoying your ‘Anatomy of an Outfit’ posts. I usually analyze my own outfits in a similar way. It’s kinda neat to see into someone else’s deeper insights about outfit choices.
A feminine shirtdress is flattering on everyone (yes, even men). Also, I agree with you on the hair – nicely done.
I love ll the different styles. Great job!
this was a great idea, great detail walking through constructing a look, especially for someone who may be uncomfortable working in multiple layers, or just unsure of how to approach the look. i used to think we all could pull together outfits easily, quite a naive perspective, until i worked at my first “real” job in retail at 18, just before heading off to university. i learned that many women came into the store, either wanted exactly what was on display on the mannquin, or wanted me to aid them in creating a new seasonal wardrobe. it was fun. sigh.
Van, What a great idea! I love this feature. I’ll be looking forward to the next 7 weeks. I totally know how you feel. Sometimes the blog thing can more burdensome than fun, with regard to time.
But I sure do love your posts.
I totally understand being crazy busy! I love this concept. And this outfit. Annd your hair does look fab! I love it
Love this idea for a post series – and thank you for the implicit permission to not blog as much the next few weeks… I too have a lot of deadlines coming up and a very long to do list and needed a reminder to take the pressure off myself. I’ll use my little bit of downtime these days to read or snuggle with the puppy rather than frantically trying to put out a post!
Great dress! I love all of the layering!!
Love this idea for a post! It is so neat to see all the different things you can do with one piece from your closet! So excited to see what you do each week!
Lindsey Turner
http://thriftandshout.blogspot.com
Super cute! I love all the ways you showed to style this
No wonder, I have been thinking how you have been, and didn’t see you post so often, a post a week? I am going to miss you more, and I am glad at least I can see one post a week:)
like the layers skill here. I like to add color on a outfits, sometimes just because the color do make me looks good:D
Hurray for layering! I love extending the wear of the lightweight pieces in my closet and I like to see how other people use layering for outfits.
Love all the outfits you’ve put together. You photos always come out amazingly nice. My favorite is the one worn with the crochet sweater! So cute. Thanks for sharing and have a great thanksgiving my dear!
I love, love, love your necklace. What a lovely pop of colour! And shirtdresses are awesome- not only for summer, but for chillier weather, too
Adorable outfit! I love that mesh shirt you layered with – it’s something I would have never thought of!
-Danielle
http://www.thefancydrifter.com
i love grey tights! it’s the only “color” i will wear besides black…
High waisted printed pencil skirt GIVEAWAY HERE
Your layering skills are amazing! I would never have thought to put that sweater over that dress, but it looks adorable! And I love how you belted it. Your jacket is super cute too. And that blue necklace is GORGEOUS! You are so pretty!
xoxo
Emily
Pingback: Anatomy of Clothes No. 2: Mixed Up «
I wandered over to your blog from a comment you left at ::Paunnet:: and I’m so glad that I did. I absolutely love your “Anatomy” posts and am looking forward to reading more. This outfit is amazing. What you did with the net sweater – genius!
Pingback: In the Trenches «
Pingback: Spring Forward «