Dressed-Up Denim, Part 2

I first want to apologize for the crap-ton of pictures in this post (and that it's so long). I experimented with taking pictures outside today and I canNOT believe I haven't tried this before. What am I going to do when winter rolls around?! Illinois winters are terrible, especially come January! And how do you experienced out-of-doors photo-takers handle any self-consciousness caused by passers-by wondering what the hell you're doing? Cuz I'm pretty sure my neighbors are gonna start to wonder... Anyway, for comparison's sake, I'm posting both sets of pics - those taken outside and those taken inside. I apologize for the lack of variety in my poses, too. I'm not at supermodel level yet...

Man, the color is just so much truer outdoors, and there is just more definition in general... without even trying too hard... (I know this might be a big DUH to some of you, but it just caught me by surprise!)

Exposed seam boyfriend cardigan - Banana Republic / Striped scoop-neck tee - The Limited / Dark skinny jeans - Gap /
Purple adjustable belt - The Limited /Multi colored/layered necklace - The Limited

Can I just say, though, that I LOVE this outfit? (This is probably the real reason why I posted so many damn pictures.) I put this wardrobe remix together last night (it's becoming painfully obvious to me that I MUST plan my outfit at LEAST the night before - otherwise too much time and stress is wasted if I wait until the morning). And yet AGAIN it's a remix involving my skinny jeans. I've really come out of the closet, so to speak (and puns intended), with these skinny jeans. They have totally opened up my wardrobe horizons, and I cannot believe it took my so long to get on board. Well, no, yes I can - curvy girls wearing skinny jeans was a non-acceptable thing at first. But, so many of us have come out of the woodwork, proving once and for all we CAN rock them. This observation actually reminds me of a recent post by Sal at Already Pretty about this very phenomenon: the more women wear previously non-accepted styles (whether based on body type, trends, etc.), the more accepted they will become. Isn't that a marketing technique, really?

If I'm not wearing them tucked into boots, I definitely prefer my skinnies cuffed, and preferably with a heel of some sort (to prevent the stumpage that Tania at What Would a Nerd Wearpondered yesterday); these wedges are perfect. (Good thing I have 3 pairs!) When I was considering my self-imposed challenge to dress up denim for the next 2 days, I was actually fraught with a conundrum. The initial version of this outfit included flats, the light tan color and faux-croc texture of which I loved with the overall outfit, giving off a polished, yet casual vibe. However, I didn't feel it was "dressed up" enough for the sake of this post. I piled on pretty much ALL of my gold-toned necklaces in an attempt to dress it up a bit more, but that just looked ridiculous. So I pared down to one and tried a pair of wedges, thinking a heel would provide the dressier look I was aiming for. I went back and forth, not sure which overall look I liked best, but in the interest of this post - and in the end because I do think it made a more memorable outfit - I stuck with the wedges.

I mostly love how the colors work together - the bluey-purple (periwinkle?) and the ivory and stripes. It's a playful combination that even my BF complimented (and he rarely compliments my outfits). It's funny, because I was just telling my sister the other day that purple is one of those colors I always like, but never think looks good on me. How ironic that nearly every post in the past week has had some shade of purple in it... I do think that it's this particular shade of purple that works best for me. True purples don't really work - they tend to wash me out. The strong blue undertones in this shade picks up all those undertones in my fair, rosy skin. The combination also made me think of Bombshell Beauty's recent outfits incorporating stripes as her under-layers. I don't own a lot of stripes, actually, but I'm thrilled with the result.

Here's my one whimsical supermodel shot - sorta...

Finally (whew!), the accessories. You'll notice I utilized a skinny belt to help define my waist (something I've been doing forever, but now it's so on trend it's almost laughable) - I kept it in the purple color family so it still blended with the overall look. You already know about the necklace, but the earrings and ring I also kept in the gold family, mimicking the ivory of the shirt, but with a antique-y feel to them.

Earrings - Maurice's / Ring - Banana Republic

So what does everyone think - inside or outside photo shoots from now on (or at least until sub-zero temperatures hit)?

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