In the social media/creator world, there are women who are incredible at showing you how to look put together when you’re in a casual mood, or for your everyday errands. This has always been hard for me. If you’ve been around for awhile, you’ll know that the whole basis for this column is really to dress however you want, whenever you want.
With this mindset, I’ve accumulated a lot of obscure pieces. It’s kind of my MO. I still to this day struggle to marry the casual everyday, with the obscurity that is inside my closet.
I remember in 7th grade, I found these crazy blue, white and black stripe flares on sale for $4 at Wet Seal and I couldn’t wait to wear them. I saved them all year until the end of school came and I realized I had never found a time special enough to wear them. On that day I just threw them on with a white tank top and black sandals and ran out the door. I really felt like I had to be precious with my clothing then and it left a lot hanging in my closet. Additionally, this one-dimensional styling made the pants truly a one-and-done piece, it limited how I could wear them because I felt like they could only be used with a white tank top. How boring! Thank goodness they were only $4 because that girl math wasn’t math-ing.
The adult version of that Wet Seal shopper excitedly purchased stripe bike shorts that cost a lot more than $4 from the Siedres x Mango collaboration. I knew I didn’t want to box myself into only wearing them with a white tank top so when I found this wild beaded top (below), it felt like fate. The teenager shopping at the Monroeville Mall leveled up. I want to drive the point home that this outfit works because these are bike shorts; I don't think the top would have been as good with stripe flares - but the point is that if we’re going to GO THERE with a piece, just go the whole way with the outfit. Don’t get lazy halfway through. Sometimes the right answer is a white tank, but not all the time.
I talked a little last week about being a tourist in Pittsburgh (a city I know like the back of my hand as a former PAT bus employee - those bus routes are engrained forevermore). Pittsburgh is grimy in a good way, I think. Its roots are steel mills and later, ketchup. We have a hill that’s literally call “Pig Hill” because it’s extremely steep and it was the route to drive pigs to the meat packing neighborhood from the railways. Pittsburgh its just unapologetically grunge and that’s why we love it. What I love more is dressing really over the top in this city, because the juxtaposition and irony that I’m always talking about is present just by existing. It’s easy to be ironic when you’re getting dressed in a smoky city.
NOW, to show you what I mean when I say sometimes a t-shirt or a plain top is the right answer… In the case above, I did a hankerchief top that has crochet detail on the front with my Bode boxers. Not only is there a ton of texture on the top but my entire back is exposed, so we have a lot going on here. Below, I did a plain button up with my towel shorts. I feel like because you have the texture of the terrycloth and fringe, a plain shirt works fine and doesn’t make you look like you took the easy way out. I also plan to wear these shorts with a red stripe t-shirt and then again with a paillette top just to further get use out of them!
A few pieces for your browsing pleasure and just in case you want to be a crazy pants too:
Remember fashion is supposed to be fun - if there’s anything you take from this newsletter, I hope its that! Love you - xoxo, Megan