Time to reinvent that little wardrobe of mine. I actually counted all the items in my closet, and got a surprisingly high number. I mean, who would have thought that there are still about 70 items of clothing in my wardrobe. It looks way less when I stand in front of my closet in the morning. Just goes to show how we tend to underestimate what we have.
I remember when knit dresses became a trendy item a couple of years ago, and how I resisted getting myself one. I thought that those curve-hugging knits just weren't suited for a pear-shaped body like mine. I would surely highlight my thigh area, which I've always been a little too subconscious about. But, eventually I caved and got myself one. Body-shape style rules are meant to be broken sometimes, I think. And, there are always ways to counterbalance the unflattering effect they might have. Or, just embrace the type of body you've got and be proud of that big booty, flat chest, or both. Here's a few ways to do both.
Wearing // Knit dress: H&M / Jeans: gift from Mom / Boots: thrifted / Earrings: Christmas gift from hubby / Necklace: DIY / Watch: DIY (tutorial here)
Wearing the dress with jeans is actually something I started doing fairly recently. I guess I was worried to stretch out the dress before. Now that it's already 3 years old I don't care as much, although I doubt it would harm the garment even if it was new. I noticed that wearing jeans underneath seems to make the hips less curvy, although logically it should make them stand out even more. Instead, I feel very balanced and comfy in this outfit. Even kind of cool (shh, don't tell anyone, but I always kind of wanted to be a cool kid).
Belting is the easiest way to style this dress, and that's how I mostly wear it. Although, after this little challenge, I find other ways so much more interesting. It's funny I've worn this outfit that much compared to the others, since this is actually the only one of the five that makes me a little too subconscious about my lower half.
The other thing is, that if you wear something the same way over and over again, you just get tired of it. Which is why the wardrobe reinvention exercise is so good. It challenges me to wear old clothes in a new way and fall back in love with them.
Adding a vest is a very simple way to elevate the dress. It adds more structure and helps to balance to top half of my body. The vest is exactly the kind of garment that makes a dress like this wearable for pear-shaped women because it moves the focus from the hips to the top, and helps to create a more hourglass-y silhouette.
Earrings: DIY / Brooch: from my Etsy shop
This is my favorite outfit of the bunch. It's just so very me I think. Although I'm slowly moving away from a cute and utterly feminine look, I'm still drawn to a girlie outfit. Plus, hubby said he has the most beautiful wife when he saw me in this outfit, which might have swayed my opinion.
I used the dress as a layering element for this outfit. It would be perfect for the winter months to add extra warmth when you still want to wear a skirt, but it's sooo cold outside. Keeps your bum and thighs nice and warm.
Brooch: DIY / Belt: Seppäla (this belt has a fun story attached to it, but I'll leave that for another time)
Another great way to layer during winter. This sweater is the most colorful, warm, and fuzzy sweater I own. I love it! It's one of those sweaters that you can de-pill very easily, so I've gotten a lot of mileage out of it already. Something like 5 years I think, which is a lot considering I got it second-hand. All in all, makes for a very comfy outfit.
And, this is what I do when, after 5 outfits, I'm totally out of poses. Got to work on my modeling skills more, I guess. It's hard, you guys!
How did you like today's wardrobe reinvention? Which one was your favorite outfit, and why? I'd love to hear your opinions in the comments!
If you're new to the blog, you can check out the whole Wardrobe Reinvention series right here, and all the style posts here.
Until next time!
xo. Hanna
Really enjoyed this fun post! Restyling items that are already in the closet is the BEST. It's so easy to think we need to buy more items when we feel bored with what we have on hand. But pairing existing items in new ways, along with adding a few new, thrifted or diy accessories really creates endless fresh possibilities!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you! This series is one of the most fun to put together, especially now with a smaller wardrobe, I must admit. I don't feel so overwhelmed with all the possibilities. And, I also think that this type of challenge teaches me so much about my own style preferences, and what I should or shouldn't add to my wardrobe.
DeleteThe one with the skirt is my favourite - probably because it's something I'll happily wear myself :)
ReplyDelete