Several posts ago, I talked about prepping an outfit. I do this, and I think it's important to do this. A little fashion dress rehearsal can save a lot of time & heartbreak. You don't want to get down to fifteen minutes before you have to leave for a date or a wedding or dinner with friends and look into the mirror and find that those pants are not at all the right length for those shoes, or that a particular blouse when tucked into a particular skirt makes you look like a sausage with a center seam, or that you in no way have the proper underpinnings for a certain dress and you're about to walk out of the house looking like Mrs. Roper on her way to a pole-dancing class.
At any rate, even I don't do this all the time, of course, and while I'm not saying that you have to plan out every outfit you wear to dash up to the grocery store to buy some Swiss cheese and laundry detergent, I'm going to provide you with a little example of why it's often a good idea.
I started off with these
great wide-leg trouser jeans from Goldsign with cute patch pockets and buttoned belt loops. Love these jeans -- they have a sewn crease down the front of the leg and are a super-soft denim. I added this
fuchsia & black striped long-sleeve tee. This is a great stretchy fabric, with a nice wide ballet neck that can actually be tugged down off the shoulder a bit should you so prefer. I got this in Zara in Paris last November when I was freezing to death and needed to come up with a couple more layers.
And over the tee I put this
great little black vest that I just love. This has a very close fit, it comes just to my waist. Look how cute it is from the back --
Love that lacing. I'm still big into the vest thing, or at least I will be again when it's cool enough to wear two layers of fabric. (Which at this rate will apparently be 2012.) Seeing lots of them for fall, which makes me happy.
Finished off the whole shebang with these
black patent Jimmy Choo flats that I love like a boyfriend and should have bought two pairs of. I ADORE these shoes.
Anyway. There I am, dressed in my cute little outfit, feeling comfortable and happy, and off I went to meet some friends. But then I got where I was going and as I was looking at myself in the mirror in the ladies' room, the puzzle pieces fell into place.
Whoops.
Ah, well. Live & learn.
Photos: Style Spy, guardian.co.uk
7 comments:
Hello there. First-time poster to your blog, I think. I always get such a kick out of your posts and look forward to your new finds and observations.
I got up early to do some work, and therefore am getting a late start to my morning toilette. I was at my desk with my Sonicare when I read this post. Scrolled to the bottom. Saw the mime and nearly spewed a mouthful of toothpaste and slobber. Averted eyes from the photo, finished my brushing in the bathroom, and decided it was perhaps the vest that pushed your individually lovely pieces into Mimetown.
How'd you end up editing your outfit?
Amities,
Marsi
Thanks, Marsi! Well, I couldn't edit the outfit that time, since I was already out & about. But I wore the shirt again yesterday (which is what made me think of it & led to the post) and this time I wore it with a very narrow jean and a big black belt slung around my hips. Much more Chrissie Hynde than Marcel Marceau this time, I'm happy to report.
Oh, Spy, the punch line made it worthwhile for you writing this completely unnecessary defense of outfit-prepping.
Even I, who (sadly) have a wardrobe that, in its entirety, would probably fit into one of your bootboxes, would never dream of prepping for an important event without testing each component together in front of a mirror. I live in NYC, a crowded town, and not a single stroll around town or ride on the subway doesn't reveal at least a dozen women who weren't nearly as clever.
BWHAHAHAHA!!
That's a good one!!!
Hillarious! My failure-to-prep errors usually involve previously undiscovered stains or realization that yes, those pants are indeed too short.
Spy have I told you lately how GOOD you are looking. It is as if you are in love....yes you know ....in LOVE with shoes AND I think those are the most in Flats I have seen in a while. Since I am banned forever to wear flat shoes , it is nice to see gorgeous ones. Yah Jimmy ...On subject I pre-prep as I buy ,my Mother tried to teach me how and it makes life getting dressed so simple Do I hear a 13 coming up ? HB to A ox K
Thank you for this most instructive and entertaining post.
I`m sure, though, that you were able to pull it off better than you think.
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