Sveta's Blog

25 Comments

• Suz replied 9 years ago

  I think your experiment is fantastic. It's a great outfit -- the white adds a springtime crispness to the grey and orange. 

  I did this, too, the first time I tried this formula. For whatever reason, untucking the shirt was not working with the proportions of the pants or with the shirttail, so I tucked it in and work it that way. Bingo! Success. This is what Angie calls adapting the inspiration to what works for you!

• rabbit replied 9 years ago

  I really like #1.  I would have never thought of putting an oxford collar under a cowl neck and I think it works here also!   I think #2 maybe doesn't work as well because the swath of white in the middle breaks up the gray/orange wide color block pattern and puts emphasis on/widens the lower waist?

• kellygirl replied 9 years ago

  I really like it tucked. You can do no wrong, Sveta. You look beautiful in everything! 

• Golden replied 9 years ago

  Nice job tucking the white shirt in, I think it looks great.

• Gigi replied 9 years ago

  Excellent problem solving! I would never have thought of tucking.

  I think that the revised outfit has better proportions. The white shirt in the first outfit seems to fall at a spot that cuts you in half.

  I have problems with getting this type of outfit to work too. I think that a lot of the problem is that button-down shirts are generally too long to look good peeking out under the sweater. The shirts are designed to be long because it's assumed that you will tuck them (at least that's my take on it). I wonder if a person could find a button-down whose length was on the short side if this would work better.

• Lantana replied 9 years ago

  I like both versions but how clothes feel wins out every time so, #1 it is.
  I find the success or otherwise of the shirt under sweater formula depends on how the two items rub along together, quite literally. There has to be the right amount of friction so the shirt doesn't (a) swing around or (b) grab and cling to the sweater.

• Ornella replied 9 years ago

  You are right, I too prefer #1 by miles and miles. What a difference a tuck makes... I think I'd also go nuts if the shirt was untucked, looks like things can slide every way possible, up, down, left, right,  and I'd feel the need to keep readjusting it all. Not good in my style book.

  Great analysis and great visuals - thanks for posting, this was valuable learning exercise.

• Beth Ann replied 9 years ago

  Fussing with layers is so annoying during a busy day!  Kudos to you for being boss of your clothes!  I like #1 best from a visual perspective, too!

  i have to dress for warmth still, too.  Sigh.

• replied 9 years ago

  Love the experiment....I usually tuck in my shirt for the exact reasons you stated.

• pil replied 9 years ago

  Way to improvise on the fly! Must be the sweater isn't boxy enough in the right places. The orange and gray are so pretty together.

• merwoman replied 9 years ago

  Gorgeous! #1 looks intentional, #2 looks like the shirt is winning the battle.

• Jaime replied 9 years ago

  Maybe there is too much white shirt hanging out but #1 is spectacular!

• AviaMariah replied 9 years ago

  Another vote for #1.  And I think you're correct that the white shirts is a little too long to wear untucked.

• Joy replied 9 years ago

  I also like 1 but think 2 has possibilities. A shirttail bottom, though not as boxy, might make a difference. Love this outfit.

• replied 9 years ago

  I love #1 too, but I agree with Joy, I think if you try the shirt out option a more curved shirt tail and less fabric is needed.

• rachylou replied 9 years ago

  So interesting. Is the shirt a woven cotton? I generally find I don't like wearing woven cotton button-downs under sweaters and untucked. They're not "flexible" enough for me.

  Ok. Woven, cotton button-downs are always too stiff for me... I admit it.

• JG replied 9 years ago

  I love the collar under the cowl, how you've layered the sleeves, and the tucked in shirt hem. Fresh, flattering, and office appropriate. You have great clothes and are so creative.

• Aida replied 9 years ago

  Ooh love the collar under the cowl, that's a great interesting detail! I also like the tucked version better, and agree that a rounded hem would work a lot better (and be a nice contrast to the stripes in the sweater); if you had a rounded hem it could be long like this or short, I think both would work. It's also possible that the stark white takes a bit away from the muted orange/gray combo and makes it less of a pretty soft look. Great on-the-fly adjustment :)

• dustt replied 9 years ago

  great debugging in the field Sveta!! - I have yet to be able to wear untucked tails with a shorter sweater - I end up feeling like there is just too much shirt tail and it visually chops me right in half.  Plus there is nothing more annoying than trying to get thru your day whilst fiddling with your clothes all day.  I love the pop of white at collar & cuffs that the shirt gives to the tucked version - I'd say it's big win!!

• jackiec replied 9 years ago

  Oh wow! What a difference a tuck can make! I love #1! How creative to have the collar/sleeves showing under a cowl. Making notes.... I agree with Rabbit on this one regarding the un-tuck. Great problem solving.

• Sveta replied 9 years ago

  Thank you so much for your comments, ladies!
  Suz, I remember that outfit of yours! I thought I swore off the layered button down shirts but then Angie's Boston outfit put me into mood for those as well. I definitely need a different shirt for this - I think she wore BB shirt?
  rabbit, I credit Angie for the idea of layering a collared shirt under a cowl in this post.
  Kelly, I wish this was true but believe me I do not look good in everything, just maybe in everything I selectively own?:-)
  Gigi, the funny thing is that usually my shirts are all too short and don't layer well either because the sweaters are longer. I was happy when I found this longer shirt but it looks it does not work as well :-(
  Lantana, this is so true. This is so complicated!!!
  Ornella - exactly, I also hate to pull and yank on the shirt all day!
  Joy and Diane, I may try it with a different shirt one day.
  Rachy - yes, it is woven cotton. I think silky shirts are easier to layer.
  Aida, as usual your analysis is spot on!
  dustt -"debugging" - are you working in software industry too? I have never heard this word used outside of the software development.

• dustt replied 9 years ago

  Sveta - not exactly the software industry - more of an educational agency that develops in house for both administrative and student applications - but I spend a chunk of time with the software engineers and implementation specialists on my team!!

• Karie replied 9 years ago

  I've had this happen before too and couldn't figure out the exact cause. I've ended up turning the untucked look into a tucked look on more than one occasion. I think you look fab in #1!

• Kiwichik replied 9 years ago

  I agree with you the shirt tucked looked better I wonder if it didn't work because the wide band of white shirt untucked made the sweater look too short and not boxy enough?
  Anyway the good news is that the final version looked fab.

• Angie replied 9 years ago

  I prefer the polish of #1 too. Killer outfit.