Try-it-out Tuesday: putting cute in its place

   Recently Carol of In Pursuit of Pretty Things wore an outfit that included a Jedidiah tee, accompanied by the question: is there an age cutoff for cute graphic tees?
    My closet does include a handful of Threadless, Yoshitomo Nara, and Jedidiah tees, and I wondered whether they definitively need to be relegated to weekend grocery-store runs, or can venture out on occasion.
     I first channeled my inner 12-year-old mallrat (do people use that word anymore?) and paired the tee with skinny jeans.

"That night we talked about our dreams" design by Lim Heng Swee

     I decided to attempt to weight the scale toward sophisticated instead of cute by swapping out the skinnies for trouser jeans. I then added a turquoise jacket purchased a while back but never worn yet (say hello to closet orphan #3).

     Disclaimer: I know that fuchsia does NOT match everything. :) Plus I realize that a skinny belt does look silly sliding around a trouser jean's substantial waistband.
     The last touch was adding a heeled shoe because these trouser jeans, despite their petite fit, are still a little long on me. (I know you really can't see the shoes, but I ran out of time.)

     Verdict: I just don't think this works. I don't like the tucked-in shirt, although the tee's slouchy fit and jacket's cropped length made it necessary. I think the pair-it-with-a-jacket strategy might work, though, and I plan to see how my other tees and jackets look together.
      If you've got some constructive criticism, please leave me a comment! I'd love to hear your honest opinion about this outfit and whether I need to put the rabbits on house arrest. ...

size it up: Year of the Snake

One of my goals with this blog is to focus on how clothes fit. Cameras don't lie, so I'm going to use photos to help me decide whether to keep or return this item. I couldn't find this in a petite to compare the fit, and I don't think there were any size 0s, either. Can you tell I like to prowl the bargain racks?

I really like the color and print of this item. Being born in the Year of the Snake, I have an affinity for things that remind me of my Chinese zodiac year. I find it interesting that while the zodiac is officially Chinese, just about everyone in Hawaii could easily tell you their year.
However, there are some things I don't like about this dress. The bodice looks a bit baggy, and the sleeves are puffy and look too big. I will have to try it on again, review the photos, and make a decision.

I got these bangles on my trip to India a few years ago, and I regularly wish I had picked up heaps more in different colors. Hard to resist when they come in different sizes and in a dazzling array of colors and designs.
One of the things I like about this dress is the full skirt. Couldn't resist taking a twirl and doing my best supermodel impression. Hope you don't laugh too hard!

Dress: INC from Macy's; bangles: India; flower ring: Forever 21.