So I’ve been reflecting on my personal style lately, and on top of it being really monochrome, I’ve been thinking that it’s a bit … juvenile. It’s often cute, punky, a little weird, but not really elegant. So this outfit is an attempt to mix it up a bit while still keeping my own style.
I really like the tux shirt+vest combination. It appeases my occasional cross-dressing tendencies but is still fitted and stylish, unlike my cargo shorts. I really like men’s formal wear – I own a tux jacket with tails, and I hope to get a men’s kimono one day.
I really like how bright the skirt is – it adds a lot of color so that my outfit isn’t monochrome like with the pants suit pants I would usually wear, contrasts well against the tights, and (mostly) matches my shoes. I haven’t worn it a lot because I feel like the red can sometimes be a bit difficult to match with things. Too much red in an outfit can be a bit blinding, and this skirt in particular is also a bit darker than the cherry red that most of my other things are. The skirt’s shape is also different from what I usually wear – I like a-line skirts because they better disguise the lump of fat around my stomach.
The tights are the Wolford Hero tights, which Audi introduced to me. I debated with myself about buying them for a while – they’re quite a bit more expensive than any other tights I own. When I saw they were on sale, I snapped them up, and I’m so glad that I did. The stripping really emphasizes the shape of my calves, which I think are one of my best features. Also I love the way they feel with the skirt brushing against them. I may have been converted to buying pricier tights.
I got my shoes at Fluevog (sensing a pattern?) a month after I moved to SF, and they were my first non-black/brown shoes. I’ve worn them a lot since getting them, and I always feel more fashionable when I do thanks to the bright color. I also like how the shape makes them a bit whimsical and playful – sort of Dorothy in Oz and sort of Japanese schoolgirl-ish. Hopefully they don’t take away from the more adult/elegant look that I’m trying for.
Sorry the photo quality’s a bit poor – we snapped this picture while running out the door this morning and in between searching for Erik’s shoe (which he still hasn’t found). The corner you see is in the living room of my new place, which is currently a barren wasteland. Besides the trash can and the pile of boxes left from moving, all that is in the room is my futon from Tokyo folded up on the floor. We’ve been using it as temporary seating while watching Arrested Development on Erik’s laptop. Hopefully we’ll get some real chairs or even a couch soon …
Aren’t those Wolford tights amazing? Quality tights really are worth the money, and if you take care of them they should last and last. I like the stripes mixed with the floral pattern of the skirt.