Try-it-out Tuesday: trilby*

BLACK Saks Fifth Avenue top, Off Fifth

trousers, Banana Republic

Scala Pronto hat, Ross

        I don't consider myself a hat person, but the culminating day of Spirit Week at school - Hats  & Shades Day - was the perfect occasion to try one on. It was fun to build the outfit around an accessory I don't usually wear! I initially considered doing a little pattern mixing, but decided to go with solids to let the hat stand out.
      * This post originally went live titled "fedora." Thankfully, hat connoiseur Aya of Couturgatory (go check her out, she rocks a genuine fedora here and a beautiful fall-hued bow-adorned beauty here) stopped by and enlightened me - this hat is actually a trilby.  I stand corrected.
      While I've been taking blog photos for years, I'm still surprised by how revealing a photo can be. For instance, while I like the top half of this outfit, I've realized that these pants need to go! I think they look so schlumpy here partly because I'm not wearing shoes (I wore this flat menswear-ish sneaker) but I can't deny that the fit is off -- they are still snug around the waist despite my losing some weight over the summer. I really need to shop for new pants, especially since one pair of my beloved Salt Works jeans has lost its stretch and I sadly had to add it to my donation pile. Searching for a decent pair of pants is such an ordeal! I'm wondering whether I can put off shopping and get through the rainy season with what I have. Maybe I can look at my pared-down bottoms collection as a capsule wardrobe vs. depleted?

        But back to the hat: We've established that I'm not well versed in millinery, but I was puzzled that Old Navy sent me an ad recently touting this hat as a fedora: 

  

       That looks much more like a generic "floppy hat" to me. 

       I'm not quite sold on this trilby - I feel like a hat with a slightly bigger brim (see above) would be more flattering on me. However, I'd like to style my new hat a few more times. I picked up a black shirtdress with a fuller skirt on my last trip to Savers and I think they might go together. I'm also wondering how it would get along with a black pencil skirt.  How would you wear this hat? Suggestions welcome!

Try-it-out Tuesday: walking in rainbows

     I find that some clothes make me smile when I look at them. This boys' buttondown is one of those items. I always think of it as my "painter's shirt," probably because of the multi-colored stripes.

Old Navy sweater

Kenneth Cole Reaction boys' buttondown (Ross, old)

Banana Republic Factory store petite trousers

 
     I decided to increase the color fun and wear my new sweater. I love the cheery green hue and that it is made up of different stitches. The one thing I'm a little iffy about is the fit -- I'm considering introducing it to my dryer for a little shrinkage. I feel the torso is a bit baggy, and the sleeves a little too long.
    I've been on a green and red kick lately (despite the strange look I got the last time I wore the combination), so I added red jewelry to top off the look.

Amrita Singh "Marion" earrings (HauteLook)

        While I've always enjoyed color, I usually don't pile it on -- so this was wonderful fun. I felt a little like a mad scientist in the color lab!! I do think the striped shirt pulled the look together. Although it doesn't have green stripes, it includes red, and I think that made this outfit look a bit more cohesive.
        Do you agree with my rationale? What rules do you follow when you play with color?