looking at this outfit, i can definitely say that it’s one of those looks that has really become a signature of my style. but putting it on this weekend, i noticed that it didn’t quite feel like “me” anymore. i looked at myself in the mirror and thought something that i’ve never thought before: i think this dress is too short for me! before my pregnancy, i always wore ridiculously, dangerously short dresses and skirts with little bloomers and pettipants underneath. i mean, i’ve worn this particular pinafore a million times and never thought twice about it! but for the first time in my life, i’m much more interested in longer hemlines. part of that is just the cyclical nature of trends; you can only bring your hemline up so far before you get bored, and then back you go to longer lengths before starting the cycle all over again. but a bigger part of it just has to do with what’s practical nowadays.
i’ve talked a lot lately about how my style has been changing and i’ve been rethinking my wardrobe, and looking at this outfit really drives it home. it’s interesting how it’s basically something that i still love, but a simple alteration, maybe a midi length hem, would make me feel much more comfortable and more like myself.
wearing: vintage pinafore courtesy of skinny bitch apparel, lauren moffatt daylily pintuck top, swedish hasbeens braided high, coach classics shoulder bag
20 comments
I have been feeling this EXACT same way lately! I love this kind of outfit too, but a lot of my pinafore dresses have me feeling a little juvenile these days. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older…? Loving jumpsuits and overalls more and more though, so who knows!
right? i hesitate to say that it has to do with age (i mean, we’re not that old are we?), but i’m right there with you. i just feel too “twee” in a lot of the cutesy ’60s stuff that i had been wearing. but maybe it was just burnout. i think everything eventually starts to feel stale… i’m sure i’ll play-out all of my new jumpsuits, too, haha!
Hi. I’m totally with you on this. And if I may add, I’ve always wondered why your signature style is so sixties-based, while your body frame, at least as I see it, isn’t so much. Coming from a rather flat bosom woman as myself :), I don’t quite understand why you don’t make more advantage of your assets? Deeper necklines, for example, of course, the modest ones, but leaving behind the girly figure and embracing a woman in you? Hope you don’t mind my commenting.
oh, i don’t mind! i guess the short answer is just that i got really into the sixties for a while, and i’m of the camp that you shouldn’t let your body type dictate what you should or shouldn’t wear. as to why the 1960s saw a lot of “girly” or “juvenile” styles, well, i suppose that kinda leads into a much longer answer…
i know you probably aren’t asking for the long answer, but it’s a topic that i actually think a lot about. for me, it’s a tricky subject and it ties into a lot of the ways i feel about clothes and how they relate to my body and my identity, etc. personally, i only barely started delving into more traditionally feminine clothing about five years ago, right before i started this blog. now that i think of it, perhaps that was part of the impetus for me to start blogging in the first place; i was exploring a new aspect of my style and wanted to connect with other people who were doing the same thing.
anyway, prior to that, i spent a lot of time in boys’ clothes with a shaved head. acquaintances or teachers at school would often ask me why i didn’t dress more feminine or why i didn’t dress for my figure. but at that time, i was exploring my identity, my gender, my sexuality. i was using my clothes to identify as a punk, as a vegan, as gender queer. it didn’t have anything to do with showing off an hourglass figure. in fact, i pretty staunchly rejected that notion for a very long time, and still do in many ways.
but like i said, my style and even my identity has continued to change a lot. around the time i started blogging was when i started to experiment with more femme styles, but even then it was a lot more about being campy or playful than it was about making my waist appear smaller or my legs appear longer, or showing off my assets. and that was yet another phase in my ever-evolving style. now i’m veering away from the youthful styles of the sixties, mostly because they are no longer practical for me. now i’m having fun experimenting with much more functional clothing while still integrating elements that are interesting for me.
so i guess to answer your question about embracing the woman in me, i don’t know that i necessarily see myself that way. in my case, it wasn’t a matter of dressing girly and then needing to mature and embrace a more womanly body. that doesn’t mean that i’m still averse to wearing more traditionally flattering clothes, or that i’m even averse to being feminine, but, i don’t know. i guess i don’t have a good answer, just a really long and rambling one that i’m still figuring out.
oh man, now i feel kinda weird for writing such a loooong comment. it just kinda came out!
no no, it’s really appreciated! i had similar struggles in the past with how i present myself, and it’s really cool that someone whose style i love evolved from a similar place.
THANK YOU! It’s your writing style: so graceful, open and honest, that I believe to be your key of success. There are so many blogs but your kind personality is what makes a difference. And believe me, your searching for the body image and expression rings a bell to many of us. So once again, thank you for being you :)
THANK YOU for this. This ^ is why I read your blog – you have great style, and it shows that it’s about much more than putting clothing items together. The long answer is great to read :)
thanks! after i wrote it, i started to feel a little awkward and vulnerable about it, so it’s encouraging to hear that you appreciated it. i don’t always talk very directly (or even at all) about this kind of stuff on my blog because it’s just such a huge topic and it’s a big can of worms, and i sometimes get overwhelmed trying to find the right words to express what i’m thinking. and sometimes the way i feel is messy and contradictory and long-winded… i often go off on these long exploratory rants and talk my partner’s ear off over this kind of thing, so it’s good to know that there are other people who are thinking about the same things and appreciate hearing these words. :)
Hi Erin, thought I’d just chime in here and say I really appreciated reading your long reply too! I’ve loved seeing your style and how it’s evolved, but I especially love hearing about the personal politics behind one’s style choices. I’d love to read more about yours! :)
Thank you so much for posting this!!!! It totally explains why your blog has held my interest for so many years – so many blogs just focus on what’s pretty or fashionable, but you’re exploring fashion and style as it relates to you.
No wonder I’ve always sensed a little depth in this space.
Carry on! :)
such a pretty deep blue:)
I think the lifestyle change is an influence. If you’re toting baby around on your hip or leaning over to get him in/out of a stroller or carseat a short skirt can leave you more exposed that you might prefer.
oh totally! though i will admit that i didn’t used to care too much if i was exposing my vintage underthings. but yeah, lifestyle is definitely the biggest factor. now i’m having a lot of fun exploring more practical and functional clothes while still having fun with my style, of course. but since i still have a lot of my old clothes, i think it will be a while before i build out a whole new wardrobe! but i’m pretty excited about trying something new, it feels like it’s been a while since i’ve really changed-up my style.
I totally know what you mean! I was trying on summer dresses today and started to notice I was a bit more uncomfortable with the short length that I’m used too. I guess we’re growing up!
xo Jennifer
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
Ah, thank you for this! I’ve felt the exact same way about my wardrobe for the past 6 months or so. I used to be the queen of mini dresses and short pinafores, which never *really* made sense because of my height and long legs – whatever I wore would always be more than dangerously short. I don’t know what happened, but one day I just decide I didn’t like the look of 60s mini dresses on me anymore, despite loving the era, and I started to transition to longer hemlines, a couple inches at a time. Now I feel far, far more comfortable in 30s and 40s dresses and hems, which usually fall right below my knees. I suppose I too felt a little too much like a kid or a doll in tiny little skirts and dresses. I’m certainly much more confident now! xx
I totally get it. I cant wear anything short or to low anymore. getting old :( hehe
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I totally get your point but I still think that the dress looks fantastic on you. I always wear short short dresses (not that I want to but I’m tall and everything is short on me) but I usually wear dark tights so that the dresses don’t look so short.
I think the same thing happened to me when I became a mom. I used to wear so many clothes that revealed much and I became very into modesty when I became a mom. My whole mindset about that stuff changed after giving birth. I can understand what you mean.