Multi-layered

Another wrap, with a totally different feel...

Orange print wrap dress - Yellowfield 8 (via local boutique) / Military green cropped jacket - Maurice's / Seafoam lace tank - Banana Republic / Beige long-sleeve cropped tee - LOFT /
Boots - Guess (via DSW)

This outfit went through a few iterations today, even after I got to work. On its own, it's a great little wrap (even with all the fussing they come with) in a playful pattern that works well in the summer or fall, with boots or with sandals.

Sporting bangs in the wrap dress as-is (with cami) on a beach in Santa Monica, CA two summers ago

For today's wearing, I had first just planned to wear it on its own, layered with a long-sleeved tee underneath (the time for short sleeves is over), a long necklace, and boots. This seemed normal for me, and I loved how slim my waist looked (!), but all in all it was kind of uninspired. Then I remembered this cropped jacket I had in military green, which picked up the olive tones in the dress. That was fun! For added dimension, I tried this lacy seafoam-colored tank underneath, picking up the blues in the dress, too. Lace and military! And it's a trend this season! Double fun!

Long orange beaded necklace (doubled) - local boutique

I went back and forth with the under-layers, though. The jacket was a definite, but should I wear the long-sleeve tee AND the tank? Just the tank? Just the long sleeve tee? Which necklace to wear in either case? Oh the decisions!  The BF recommended I wear the long-sleeve tee since it was definitely weather-appropriate, and he liked the lacy tank with it, as well. So, I went with both, and we snapped these shots before we left for work.

After seeing the pictures, though (I brought the camera to work with me), I began to think this outfit was kind of weird. It's definitely NOT my usual style, especially since I would just normally wear the dress as-is. But this was kind of the point. (The BF said it was "funky." I asked, "Funky good or funky bad?" He shrugged. He's not one for "funk" in either form, but he seemed to support the attempt.) Later at work I decided to de-layer the tee, rationalized by the fact that there would be 500+ people in the lobby for the evening's casual wine-tasting event, and it would get pretty warm pretty quick. I also thought it might lessen the suspected weirdness of the outfit...

(I can't believe I managed to snap a few more pictures! I kind of love the brick background - maybe I should try to take more outfit pictures at work? Now, THAT'S weird.*)

Looking at this last picture makes me wish I would have worn either a more obvious/colorful tight or none at all - my legs just look pasty here! I do think the overall look is the most successful, however. The long-sleeved tee seemed to add unnecessary bulk to my upper half, and lord-knows I don't need additional bulk there! It all just looks more...purposeful? I'm still not quite sure about the ensemble, but I worked it nevertheless.

You know, if it wasn't for this blog, and the fact that I'm consciously trying to take a few more fashion risks, I wouldn't have considered any of this, and I would have walked out of the house (mostly) content in the wrap layered with the tee. I find this all...interesting...

*Every time I wrote/thought/said "weird" in post, I thought of this comic. Thank you, Oatmeal, for making me as conscious of my grammar as I am of my outfits.

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