Skirt: ASOS
Sweater: GAP
Jacket: Aeropostale
Booties: Mia Cadet
Bag: FOSSIL Vintage Re-issue
cute sewing projects and modest outfits
How do you approach your modest clothing style as winter approaches? --email question from Sara
I read an article several
years ago about a certain celebrity’s seemingly effortless style in which her
stylist was quoted as saying, “Don’t be fooled by the laid-back appearance.
What looks easy-breezy and effortlessly styled is actually the result of very
deliberate clothing choices.”
The same is true about standing on a platform of modesty while still trying to look attractive and approachable. The effort to build attractive, yet modest outfits has to be deliberate because nothing in our culture caters to modesty, even during the chilly, winter months when layered
looks can quickly become careless and non-cohesive. As a Christian, I'm very aware that during the time I spend in public looking
haggard and unkempt, the world is forming an opinion about my God…and at the
very least, I am confirming for them what they think they already know—that
Christianity is a sloppy religion.
As cool weather approaches, the tendency is
to forget about shape and run out the door in a baggy sweatshirt simply
because it’s functional. Instead, I reach for a blazer and boots to pair with a pretty dress or extend the life of my maxi dresses by wearing a denim or safari jacket on top. I've always thought it was visually
interesting to pair a low-key piece with something dressier. I also mix my summer
tops under cardigans and pair my maxi skirts with sweaters to increase the
versatility of my wardrobe.
Elisabeth Eliot said, "The fact that I am a woman does not make me a different Christian, but the fact that I am a Christian does make me a different kind of woman."
I'm always trying to dress like the best version of myself--to take what culture offers and work the pieces together in a way that glorifies God and creatively reflects my personality.
I'm really guilty of over-thinking things when one simple addition is all that's really needed...especially if my summer outfit already lends itself to warm, autumn colors. I wore this a few weeks ago when it was much warmer out, but never got around to posting it. The second outfit is exactly the same with the addition of a belted, military-inspired jacket. I loved both outfits and the really great thing is I didn't have to go through the process of building a whole new outfit for fall.
Skirt: ASOS Tee and belt: J.Crew Wedges: Nine West Bag: c/o Handbag Heaven Jacket: LOFT
#3 Surplus Chic
Take your cues from outside the city limits and incorporate an army-inspired jacket into your look. The rustic elements of a military jacket will hardly seem out of place when thrown over a sequined tee and cinched with a glittery belt...and just that easily, a basic summer outfit is transformed into an equally perfect outfit for a brisk fall day.
This is what I love about a great maxi--movement and flow.
Up next: A simple outfit with downtown edge.
Good evening, readers! So here's a look not as dressy as the previous one, but still not super-slouchy, either. I don't know about you, but I have a habit (good or bad...I can't decide) of dressing against type for events. If I'm going to be doing something really menial like buying groceries, I put some extra thought into my outfit, just 'cuz I hate buying groceries and I don't want to feel as boring as the job at hand. Yeah, a girl could just throw on a sweatshirt to run errands or go to the ball-field for a little league football game, but with all the great options out there, why would she, huh?
#2 Weekend Wear
I live in the Midwest, so layers play a big role in how I get dressed--a fall day can start out wet and cold, then end with bright sunshine and a balmy breeze . This is actually a maxi dress I bought from H&M a few months ago, but I wasn't ready to put it away just because the skies got cloudy. I think a lot of women lose all kinds of opportunities to rework their wardrobes when they limit the pieces hanging in their closet. (Just because it's called a dress doesn't mean that's the only way you're allowed to wear it.)
A fine-gauge sweater combined with a maxi is as easy breezy as the wind blowing through the trees. Pair it with a utilitarian cross-body bag and you're good to go.
Wearing a light-weight sweater under a cropped jacket will ensure you're on point whether running errands or pleasure shopping...and if the afternoon gets too warm, simply shed the jacket. If your maxi is a print like this one, you can play with different colors to change things up.
Stripin' It
Skirt
MIA high heel boots
FOSSIL resin jewelry
LOFT loop scarve
HandM sunglasses
Pretty Comfy
ASOS Collection long maxi skirt
Steven by Steve Madden red patent leather flat
J crew handbag
Vintage sunglasses
Up next: How to make a summer outfit work for fall by adding one extra piece.
Good evening, mah dears. =)
A few weeks ago, I was asked by a reader to feature some ways I work my long skirts for fall...so rather than cramming all the looks into one post, I'm going to take this week to feature some ways I'd wear a long skirt for work, weekend or casual wear.
Maxi skirts are the iconic sort of pieces generally associated with warm, sunny days and breezy walks along the beach. I love pencil skirts as much as the next girl, but it seems a certain sort of luxury to have that extra fabric swishing around your ankles. I'm such a fan of long skirts, so of course, I'm looking for ways to take my billowy, chiffon skirts into cooler weather.
#1 Working Girl
This season's version of the maxi are hardly to be restricted to the bohemian looks normally associated with them. This year, they are smart, chic and constructed from more sophisticated fabrics.
You're sure to stand out in a sea of corporate business suits when you pair your maxi with well-structured layering pieces. Maxi's are most often worn in casual looks, so belting your sweater over the skirt keeps your look more office-ready than slouchy. A maxi already feels a bit formal, so I wouldn't (never say never, right?) pair these skirts with heels...only flats or a pair of booties. The end result is professional while unexpected colors and the smallest of skinny belts maintain your individual flare.
Skirt: Anthropologie Post-Impressionist Sweater: Gap Blouse and belt: J.Crew
Here are a couple more possibilities.
J crew cardigan
J Crew chiffon shirt
Long pleated skirt
Steven by Steve Madden patent flat
Leather bag
FOSSIL rose watch
Basic Black
Long maxi skirt
Patent shoes
FOSSIL vintage handbag
Fossil watch
Comin' up next is Weekend Wear. Much love, as always...
Kristina J. Copyright 2014
