Freaky Friday Don'ts: Jacket Edition
Friday, August 22, 2008
There is such an ABUNDANCE of ugly jackets out there, it literally took me like three minutes to round up my losers today.
Stay tuned!
Or, at the very least, no more mom jeans.
Labels: freaky friday 9 comments Posted by Jae at 7:25 AM
Yay! We've almost made it through jacket week. And we're on my favourite day, the casual/fun outdoor jackets. I have to confess, I own a mother lode of jackets. They are totally my favourite way to make an otherwise totally normal outfit of say, jeans and a white t, totally cute. So I have the back corner of my closet completely reserved for jackets. Which is yet another reason I don't like summer. I can't wait for fall, so I can delve in and start bringing them out. Of course, I'm pregnant so none of them will button, but it'll have to do.
Labels: jackets, outfits 1 comments Posted by Jae at 7:44 AM
I know we are a ways off from winter weather just yet, BUT it's jacket week and this is totally worth addressing. Living in a winter wonderland, I see SO MANY bad jackets. You are grown up. You should not be wearing jackets that look like they have matching snow pants like your children. Please try something just a little more sophisticated.
Labels: jackets, outfits 6 comments Posted by Jae at 7:15 AM
K, when I say casual, I mean something you might wear shopping, running errands, etc, etc. I love a jacket. I could wax poetic about the jacket for hours, but it would make for a very boring blog. They are super versatile, and great for doing some major undercover camouflage work when it comes to tummies. And awesome for layering without bulking.
The fun thing about casual jackets is that you can totally experiment with color and pattern, because they aren't stuffy office jackets.
Love this in green. See that nice band around the waist? That'll nip you in.
Can I tell you that not everyone knows that I am pregnant yet? And since I am still in an awkward tummy stage, I totally wore my blazer with a bow to church and tied to bow right over my belly? Genuis!
Love this color soooo much. Wear this with dark jeans, perhaps even boots over top? Ooh!!
Now, this jacket in theory is very cute. Red and cropped. Problem is, the only way to wear this is with a tight shirt underneath, and if you have a tummy at all, it'll definitely call attention on it. Better to wait and wear something like this when you ARE pregnant, when you actually do want to show off your big belly.
Love the pattern of this, and it's actually a sweatshirt type material, which makes it super comfortable. I wish they made everything in sweatshirt material.
I love the shape of this jacket, and the kind of private school styling. Look for interesting details, like a patch or big buttons. They are SUPPOSED to be fun.
Casual jackets are awesome, and you should have at least 3 in your wardrobe. Throw them on next time you want to look put together but still fun, styled but totally laid back. It looks effortless, not like you just spend ten minutes reading about them on the internet at all!
Labels: jackets 9 comments Posted by Jae at 6:43 AM
K, so this week is jacket week, due to the questions I get all the time about jackets. We're going to focus on four different types: work wear, casual, outdoor functional and outdoor fun. See how CONVENIENT that is? And we'll still have time to finish out the week with ugly clothes. YAY.
So, work jackets I love. Know why? Because they aren't just for "work" anymore. I know this because I used to work in an office. And I had the most fantastic work wardrobe. Like honestly, I salivate a little at all the cute outfits I used to wear. If I ever consider going back to work outside the home, the only thing that convinces me are the clothes. Now, I work from home, and more often than not, my "business casual" wardrobe revolves around yoga pants. Oh, if my colleagues could only see me now.
Anyhow, so I had this great wardrobe, and then I quit working in an office to telecommute, and then what do I do with all of it? I reassigned it, of course. My work wardrobe became my exceedingly cute girl's night out wardrobe, church wardrobe, etc. I just broke up the pieces, paired it with trendier stuff, and voila! Hotness.
I prefer a bit of a shrunken blazer to a traditional "jacket". The difference? Take your hand and place it directly on your hip bone. DO IT! Did you? K? Remember this while shopping. A shrunken blazer will not fall below that bone. The nice thing about them is that you can pair it with a longer, flowier top to balance out the structure of the jacket. (PS, according to spellcheck, 'flowier' is not a word. Psshhhhhh obviously spellchecker as never been on a quest to find a GNO outfit utilizing his office wardrobe, am I right?)
Take this super cute jacket here. It's all structure-y and heavy. Take the belt off, and pair it with this:
OR! If you're feeling wild, this
(All from Forever21)
Then add dark wash jeans, pointy heels, and you will be the hottest chick at your next GNO/date night/PTA meeting. Kidding about the PTA meeting. When I was a kid, one of my friend's moms used to wear leopard print to the school functions and people had ideas about her. And rightly so.
If you do happen to enjoy a longer blazer, I totally recommend you keep it super simple underneath, with a plain tank. Just because the blazer is going to be enough on it's own.
Girlfriend has this right. (Victoria's Secret)
And if your jackets are a little more mens-wearish and don't lend themselves to flowy tops very much, never fear.
Swap the stuffy shirt for some much needed cleave (and by cleave, I mean boobs.) And call it a day.
K, a couple of don'ts when it comes to work/office type blazers.
-Make sure they have some kind of seaming from under the bust vertically to the pockets or hem. This means it is structured, which in turn means you look skinny.
-Jackets should always be worn with DARK jeans. Otherwise you'll totally look like some redneck who shows up to his wedding with a jacket on, but still his stonewashed denim because HE'S READY TO PARTY!
So dust off your work wardrobe and give it some new life. Unless you happen to have last been in the workplace in 1985, in which case, you should probably just donate it to a secretary with a HEART OF GOLD! And buy something new.
Labels: jackets, outfits 1 comments Posted by Jae at 12:17 PM
YAY! Another round of ugly clothes I found and laughed at, then posted for you to see why I hate them. My favourite! Here we go...
What an awkward shirt. It's so weirdly short and stumpy. Repeat after me: If it is unflattering on the MODEL, it will probably do the same to you, but worse. I think I can see her belly button.
The only time a sweater this homely would be acceptable would be if you're a nurse. Even then, a little questionable. It conjures up images of 23 cats and Hungry Man dinners.
Sausage shirt!!
Why hello, Carol Brady. Nice to see you again. Off to your PTA meeting, are you?
Wear it with this ill-fitting, weird length skirt for extra points.
Boxy-est jacket EVER. You are not a square. Do not dress like one (I am totally going to do jackets some time next week. I love jackets but then there are ruiners like this out there. And some mom is like "ooh! A red jacket! How hip!" Oh, honey no.)
I saved the best for last. Hands down the scariest, least flattering dress I've ever seen. I don't even know where you would wear this? Formal soccer game? Upscale camp site? Anyone?
Stay tuned!
Labels: freaky friday 6 comments Posted by Jae at 7:03 AM
So the question arose today (from Mel... thanks Mel!) Of what to wear this fall.
Labels: clothing, outfits, trends 6 comments Posted by Jae at 7:30 PM