Try-it-out (Wednesday): doubling up

    Classes are still keeping me busy, but one final project is completed, two more to go! :)
    T+J Designs is running a style challenge about statement jewelry, so I thought it'd be a fun idea for a belated Try-it-out post.
    I've mentioned my love of whimsical/cute tees before. A tee and jeans is the ultimate in comfortable and simple, but I decided to see whether this Jedidiah tee could be dressed up a little. Enter this Forever 21 pearl-and-chain necklace:

  I also added a light blue cardigan (previously loved by E.I.):

    (Click here for a good look at the tee shirt's design.)
    I'm not a fan of pastels, but I'm surprised at how much I like the soft blue and pink together.

    Pairing a printed tee with a bold necklace is a little out of my comfort zone, but I think the necklace and cardigan add polish to an otherwise basic outfit.

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. ...