Again and Again and Again

Top, Lush.  Shorts, F21.  Tights, socks, and shoes, Target.

The last few weeks of 2012 have been absolutely crazy!  I left my old job, started a new job, began dreaming up a personal shopping business, celebrated the holidays and my man's birthday, and welcomed new friends (and their pets) into my life and home!  With all of this running around I hardly had time to be creative with my wardrobe, and I ended up consistently reaching for one particular sweater every morning. 

 

My sheer striped oversized black pullover from Lush has been working overtime (just like me!) during this hectic period in my life.  It's easy and cozy but still feels pulled together, so I challenged myself to come up with new ways to wear it everyday.
 

I decided to give the sweater a Catholic school girl-gone-bad feel with plaid shorts, fishnet tights, high socks, and Mary Janes this weekend.    When I tried to wear this exact same look again a few days later, I found a busted zipper on these Forever 21 shorts!  I'm glad I took photos to commemorate the look when I had the chance...RIP plaid shorts.

 

 Fashion is a balancing act: even when I'm going for a particular look, I never want to look costumey.  The dangerously short shorts don't seem so short when topped with a baggy sweater, and the thigh highs seem to tame the overt sexiness of fishnet stockings.   The smallest detail (such as this layered legwear) can bring an out-there oufit back down to earth!

Pants, Zara.  Shoes, hat, and necklace, H&M.  Cuff, Alexis Bittar.

 

Faux leather pants and a beanie worked together to lend a casual-cool feel to a work-appropriate look.  While black on black (almost) always looks chic, it can very easily slip into the "boring" category.  My silver capped-toe stilettos, a giant silver cuff from Alexis Bittar, and a sparkly statment necklace added some edge and intrigue to an otherwise basic outfit.

Skirt, Shoes, and Necklace, F21.

 

One of the things that I love about this sweater is that you can really dress it up or down.  I fancied it up a bit with a 20s style skirt (that you can see me wearing here) and some face-framing baubles.  Suede black booties were an unexpected alternative to my typical pumps.

 

There are so many ways I wore this piece that I didn't end up documenting:  with ripped jeans and flats for a Segway tour, with sequined harem pants for a day at work, with leggings and over the knee leather boots for a photo shoot.  And I'm still dreaming up new ways to wear it: layered over a collared shirt, or draped on top of a boho maxi skirt.  I can tell this sweater obsession will last well into 2013!

 

Fashion Tips from "Again and Again and Again":

 

1.  If you have a favorite piece of clothing, don't be afraid to wear it all the time!  If you really test your creativity, you can come up with countless ways to wear the same piece without feeling like you're in a style rut.

 

2.  Balance is key, in both proportion and feel.  If you're wearing a baggy sweater, make sure your shape is still defined with a short skirt, fitted pants, or even a belt at your waist.  If you're drawing inspiration from a character, balance out their style with your own twists to avoid looking costumey.

 

3.  While basic black is classic, it isn't always exciting.  Find ways to work a little extra pop of style into a monochrome look with fun shoes, big accessories, or even a new hair or makeup trend.  A bright pink lip could take the look from boring to BOOM!


 

 

I've already got some resolutions planned for 2013 that I can't wait to put into practice!  Any style resolutions you think I should try?