WIW 10.02 [dark and tailored]

Ok try not to be too alarmed buuuuut one of my wildcard style goals for this fall/winter is to, very cautiously, play with wearing more black again after years of actively focusing to minimize it (!). This outfit has plenty of texture, shade variation, and lightness in it to keep me feeling happy -- not sure how well it'll work once I have to cover up more skin though, we'll see. I bought the jacket and jeans (both NAS) specifically to pair together (but of course will wear with other stuff too), and particularly as a weekend fallback outfit. I expect to wear it many times, just changing out footwear as the weather deems necessary.

Another goal is to go back to a more tailored look, which will take a few seasons. I don't plan to remove all slouchiness as I still really enjoy it, I just want to streamline and add more structure. In the interim the plan is to bring fitted/tailored pieces to my wardrobe a little at a time, and slowly transition away from wearing All Slouch All The Time (started a wee bit this past spring/summer). I have to say that this outfit feels soooo different to wear after years of slouch! It's taking some getting used to (I feel a little "exposed" even though objectively I know it's not), but it is refreshing to change things up.

  Newer: jacket, jeans, clutch, sunnies
  Older: lacy camisole, shoes, jewelry

Comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome!

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33 Comments

  • catgirl replied 8 years ago

    I would so wear this!  Love those jeans - hmm, are they still available?  And isn't fringe fun?

  • Aida replied 8 years ago

    Yep they're still available! They run a size small, FYI :)

  • kellygirl replied 8 years ago

    Omg, this is fantastic. You are stunning gorgeous in this, Aida!

  • catgirl replied 8 years ago

    Just adding how much I love that the jacket has those contrast sleeves. Such a good way to add in black without overwhelming.

  • Mona replied 8 years ago

    The jacket looks fab on you. Blacksleeves go great with ur hair.

  • cheryle (Dianthus) replied 8 years ago

    I am so glad you are posting WIW again.  I love the way you put together outfits.  I don't think this is too much black at all.  The grey really lightens it up.  Those aviators are very cool.  

  • Beth Ann replied 8 years ago

    Ha!  I tried that jacket on!  It look like a totally different animal on me -- very "ladies who lunch."  It's far more sporty and casual as you have it styled here.  I love it paired with the slim, edgy pants. 

  • abc replied 8 years ago

    So funny. I was just thinking I need a jacket with a big collar then you post this :)

    Excited to see this change in your wardrobe toward more structure.

    This outfit looks great. As usual you put it all together so well. Pro level.

  • Maneera replied 8 years ago

    Oh wow! You look dynamite in structured clothes!! Not that I don't love you in slouchy clothes; but this is simply fabulous!

    I don't think there is too much black in this outfit. Infact; it's just PERFECT in every conceivable way. I really really really love that jacket!

  • replied 8 years ago

    You just keep hittin' it out of the park, girl!
    I do like this structured-but-not-buttoned-up look on you very much. Nice addition to your Signature Slouch.

  • Deborah replied 8 years ago

    Bring on the black ;)  This outfit is streamlined and gorgeous.  I am also keen to move toward some more tailoring and structure to balance my love of drape, so I will be watching with interest.  While this outfit is a bit of change, it is still very Aida to me.  The jacket is very fab.

  • replied 8 years ago

    Funny, but I expected a very structured conservative blazer from your written musings above, and when I opened the photo was pleasantly surprised by your fab jacket! Fwiw I don't see it as overly structured. There is a softness to it ...definitely. Fab! Love the slim jeans and fringed clutch too! YLF!

  • Angie replied 8 years ago

    LOVE the fringe bag. It adds a very fun touch to the severity of the zippers and the angles of the tailoring. Killer look, Aida. 

  • Janet replied 8 years ago

    Well, I love structured tempered with a little drape or ease, and I love black, so I'm a fan of this look! Just goes to show, you can rock a whole wide spectrum of styles and still look "you."

  • Tanya replied 8 years ago

    It is a stunning look on you Aida.  This softened up black suits you really well, and love those jeans.

  • Karie replied 8 years ago

    Sweet sister, I am in love with that bag! There is a note on the site that says it may stain clothing. I could see that happening with it in the red color, but probably not the gray (which unfortunately looks like it's no longer available). I would so get it in gray if it was still available (I'm a lemming to the core). 

    You look fabulous in darker colors (any color, really). I would wear this in a NY Minute!

  • replied 8 years ago

    Ha!  I expected some dark black tailored I-dont-know-what after reading your post. This is NOT a black looking outfit  - no worrying about that :)  This  less slouchy look is equally flattering on you as you have a really great figure to work with. Excellent outfit .

  • annagybe replied 8 years ago

    Can I ask why you scrunched the sleeves? I know they are in the stock model...but I wondering if they'd look better full length. Because scrunching is the exact opposite of tailored in my mind.

    ETA I feel the fringe bag and fading on the jeans softens the look already.

  • Diana replied 8 years ago

    Hehe, this is what I'd wear if I were trying to wear less black. ;). It looks great. Love the jeans and the jacket.

  • Aida replied 8 years ago

    Hah! Yes I suppose that all did sound very dramatic and I should've qualified by saying I need to take wee baby steps ;) I also suppose it'd have helped if I'd mentioned that this particular jacket also came in a cream/cream colorway and I chose the black/gray specifically to help with this goal (and waffled for a month about it). It felt like such a big step! I also meant tailored somewhat as a way to reign in volume, so it probably won't manifest as something very sharp; I still want to keep my overall look soft. Thanks for all the comments, and the insightful thoughts on these style goals for me.

    Beth Ann, so interesting how some items do that isn't it?

    Deborah, I had a feeling you'd approve :)

    Angie, glad to hear it doesn't come across as too severe! I may have overdone adding softness, but hey it's a good baby steps outfit.

    Karie, the suede is a bit meandering; it sometimes gets little suede bits on my clothes, so I imagine the burgundy could discolor if you wore it tucked under your arm for an extended amount of time. I do need to waterproof it still, which I am hoping helps with the shedding. Could totally see you rocking a big fringed clutch! Sorry to hear the gray isn't available any more, I got it back in May.

    Anna, you're right, it does look better with the sleeves down. I actually pulled them down once I got to work and wore it that way for the day. I'm so accustomed to pushing up sleeves when wearing anything dark, I suppose I scrunched out of habit! Will try to break that. The sleeves on this jacket are borderline short (this is a Petite), would a little extra wrist bone take away from the tailored look do you think?

  • Jaime replied 8 years ago

    I have been meaning to ask what your new style goals are! Love that jacket on you - tailored but not so dark! Love your explanations too.

  • Aida replied 8 years ago

    Thanks Jaime! I have a few, nothing articulated beyond what's jotted down in my shopping/trends list for the season:

    (eclectic personas)

    • Urban Glam -- 70s+80s together
    • Soft Rock/Pretty Punk
    • Just a Touch of Sporty Luxe, 80s style
    • Country Punk (weekend)

    (keys)

    • White and light; cognac accents
    • Cautious second chance for black
    • Layers on layers (on layers)
    • Texture overload
    • More fitted/tailored, still soft
    • Back to jackets and scarves
  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 8 years ago

    Well, I'd put this in the gray camp rather than black. It's just the sleeves, after all. Hee hee. In any case, it's also in the super fabulous camp. What a great look, Aida! I hope your feelings of exposure are completely erased by the time you've reached my comment, because you own this look. The jeans are amazing on you, and I love them with the jacket. I can see them working for you just as you intend--together, with lots of your footwear choices, and separately, with many other items in your wardrobe.
    Like an orange/rust jacket with these pants? That one just leapt into my mind. I like orange and charcoal together. 

    Oh, and I love the black flats with this outfit. You've said you much prefer light shoes, right? But these work beautifully.

  • shedev replied 8 years ago

    Great look, Aida. Not too dark at all.

  • Carole replied 8 years ago

    What a great outfit, Aida! Black is a great color for you and with all the grey accents not dark at all. That fringe bag is fun, YLF!

  • lyn67 replied 8 years ago

    This all looks great to me Aida! Plenty of texture and beautifull shades- so needless to say I love it and YLF in it! But I was more than impressed to read about your future goals which denote such a great  fashion awareness. I  am so bad at articulating where, what and why for my  future wardrobe... Can I ask what led you and how did you get there to change your general look with 180° ahead of the time (as I see loose fits are still trending) and from light to dark? I always loved dark, but am a (very very very) late adopter as am only changing my looks from tailored to slounch for the last 2 years, or so, did you get bored, or what else? Just curious:-)

  • dakotacheryl replied 8 years ago

    Aida, first of all, your gorgeous hair gets me every time I see a photo of you!!
    I love your new style direction, tailored but with style and fun. Great look!!

  • Colour Queen replied 8 years ago

    Hi Aida
    I love the whole look. The jacket is very flattering and the jeans are so edgy. My favourite part of the ensemble is your stunning fringe bag. You look great!

  • Suz replied 8 years ago

    So interesting! I mean about your style goals, and also the way you articulated them in the list. Did you arrive at these ideas intuitively? What is driving the change, do you think? 

    In the meantime, this is a great look for you (though I'd hardly call it BLACK, lol), and that bag is super fun. 

  • Jaime replied 8 years ago

    Thank you for the fashion goals. Hmm, I think my fashion goals are changing too. Or something. Thank you for giving me food for thought as always!

  • Aida replied 8 years ago

    Thanks for the thoughtful comments ladies!

    Sharan, hehe yes this is definitely more gray than anything. Still felt dark compared to what I normally wear, especially without any colors added in. I do have and wear black shoes, but tend to stick to dark bottoms with them; over summer they get far less worn because I usually have my legs exposed and that's about as far from "dark" as can be ;) Will definitely try the jeans with some of my rusty items, I also love oranges paired with grays and that sounds like a great rich version for fall. Thanks!

    Lyn and Suz, good questions. I hopped on both the slouchy/oversized and the all-light bandwagon very early, since both are already very appealing to me. Part of my desire to change is because after several years the opposites feel "new" again, and part of it is that slouchy/oversized is just so oversaturated and I enjoy wearing something a little different. I definitely plan to keep some slouch and oversize in my style, it feels very me; at the moment I really feel like wearing it less pronounced and reigned in, on the very fluid end of fluidly-tailored.

    And of course lightness will always remain a priority for me -- I can't envision fully embracing a fully dark look. The darkness is more an experiment for the season, we'll see how I feel about it once truly gloomy weather sets in; it's entirely likely that I'll ditch the idea and go back to the light!

    As for what drives the change, I think the main catalyst was the decision to grow my hair into a longer style AND not put it up much -- which was a key way that I got a little extra toughness (not that it's that tough!) to my look, so going darker should fill that role. Runway shows are also an influence. But mostly I just felt like it was time to change; I'd been on my previous style leg a good long while. Articulating took a long time though, almost a year.

    Jaime, fun! I'd be curious to hear about them if they ever manifest into something cohesive and shareable :)

  • Lisa replied 8 years ago

    That jacket looks so soft and comfy.

  • Colette replied 8 years ago

    This is a great outfit and a very flattering look on you. I did expect to see a blackout from your description, but was really nicely surprised by the way you pulled it all together.

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