Well, like the title says, I feel like this outfit is a little bit dress up. Who from their 90’s childhood doesn’t remember overalls, overall-dresses and all that jazz? I know I do. So this is the outfit where I dress up like an extra from 90s TV. Haha. And you know the best part about it? I can.
I can do what I want while wearing a size 22/24*.
And the first time this look came around (in my lifetime) I couldn’t wear it. I was a 14/16 and that was the top end of the standard sizing. Throw in a long torso and well, I was up shit creek without an overall in site. And that’s the thing, right? These days thanks to the internet and a wee bit of diversity in the bodies being represented by fashion types, plus women get to wear whatever their heart desires.
I think of teenage me and her obsession with snap side ADIDAS track pants (my husband still wears those pants!) and all things sporty spice (later to become a beach babe version akin to baby spice with a tan, gag). I think of the cycles of disordered eating and mania driven over exercising and I think, maybe some overalls would have helped. Maybe she would’ve felt that little more acceptable if she could fit in. Less peasant skirts, less shopping in the men’s section, less limitations in general.
Everyone wants to fit in, right?
But thanks to that I learnt my lessons young and I learnt them hard. I wasn’t going to be the same as everyone else, so I sure as heck better figure out how I was going to be me. I shook off the ideas I’d formed early on about what I should and shouldn’t be and started to decide for myself. The problem was that I still didn’t have anywhere to buy those clothes that I WANTED to wear. There was never anything I wanted available when I wanted it.
Then at 20 something, I found ASOS. And bless that website, the rest is history. Next came plus blogging (read that post if you want to know how that happened), Facebook, Instagram, eBooks and Style Challenges… All the things. Until now, when I can stand in front of my (again ridiculously overfilled) wardrobe and say, who do I want to be today? What do I want to wear? Not, what fits? What would be appropriate? What can I hide or cover?
There’s freedom in that ladies and gents. I see the conversations around me every day. The things women talk about and berate themselves and others about. The conversation about size and shape and age and who is doing right and wrong and everything in between. My aim is for you to have some fun with fashion. Wear something that makes you laugh, smile, feel like the head boss of boss-town. Whatever.
And you might as well, we’ve never had it this good. And tomorrow, all going to plan, is going to be even better. Get on board. Show your teenage you some love. Let her take over the show and see what shows up. Who cares? Have fun. I highly recommend skirts that are (too? meh) short and sneakers that are white for that. Haha. But then, of course I would.
*Regular visitors will note this (my size) has increased a little. Whoops. Being totally accountable and all that, it doesn’t really work for me actually. I started this summer soooo unfit it’s not funny. Many near drownings at the pool since have whipped that a little bit into shape. But it’s like I’ve said time and time again. You have to invest this time in your health and well-being. Only you know how and when you body feels good to live in. I highly recommend getting yours moving if it hasn’t been.
I ordered this shirt dress from Missguided as I lay sunburnt on my bed waiting for the aloe on my back to dry. Sun protection for the next beach adventure was top of my mine, for obvious reasons. I loved the idea of lightweight fabric, long sleeves and this classic stripe. So I ordered the largest size on offer, the 24, and waited for my parcel to arrive.
And when it did I was glad that all 178cms of me had planned to wear it to the beach because it was SHORT. Maybe because another size larger would’ve helped, but yes, short. Not to be persuaded to return them, I immediately thought I’ll wear it over my togs (you know, swimmers) in summer, and over jeans in winter. It’s a double win. Because a shirt dress over jeans is ALWAYS a win. Trust me on that.
Especially if you are somewhat of an Amazon-sized woman and things are never really long enough to make appropriate attire. I use this idea all the time because long line top are ridiculously hard to find and I like the length so I have the freedom to move about without feeling like I have to pull my shirt down all the time? You get that right? The length of a shirt dress is a what makes it so good for this sort of look.
Anyway, you don’t need me to sell you on it, you’re probably on board already. And if not, let’s look at these super cute photos Mr Suger grabbed for me the other week (it’s taken me a while to get organised and post it) as we jumped in the car for another weekend adventure. Jeans, shirt dress, stacked heels is weekend awesome guaranteed. Fool proof.
And you know what isn’t fool proof? Photos in the wind! Gosh but LOL. Right?
Wearing Missguided Shirt Dress (Size 24), 17 Sundays Anti-Fit Jeans (Size 24) and Target Australia Heels.
Do you have a go-to way to wear your favourite shirt dress? Have you ever worn it over jeans or pants? Dish!
This outfit is a tale of epic proportions… Are you ready for that? It started with this Missguided crop and my latent desire to be a Kardashian. Who knew that was hidden in the depths of my soul. In particular I wanted to replicate the crop over the pencil skirt look the entire family do so well.
Hmmm, except I’m built REALLY differently to the girls. All the girls. Even the taller than the rest Khloe. But I am nothing if not determined. So I bought the matching skirt and prepared to put them together. That totally didn’t work. So I grabbed the mustard jersey skirt from ASOS. Better, for sure, but it would need a bit of smoothing assistance.
Phew. This was becoming a monumental outfit and I was suddenly reminded why I adore my t-shirt dress and sneakers combinations. Simple. No mess, no fuss. But I powered on. I’d wear a black bodycon slip dress from ASOS I’ve had forever. That would deal with the smooth lines I wanted and give a bit of extra coverage if I needed to reach for something at the very top shelf.
Except, of course, that dress was missing in action. In high rotation as a base piece for a lot of my work outfits it was nowhere to be found. Instead this slouchy tunic kept appearing and refused to be ignored. Like, would NOT be ignored. So I gave it a try pulling it on, adding the crop over the top and sliding into the skirt.
It was around this time that Mr Suger came to find out what the heck was taking me soooo long. Usually ready in 5 minutes, this little adventure had already taken me at least 20. That’s nice, he said, you ready to go? NICE! I practically yelled, nice!? It’s ridiculous. It’s a pain in my ass. NICE! I went to the mirror and took a look.
Hmmm. Ok. It wasn’t horrible. I wasn’t event terrible. Stuff it. I was going for it. Sushi was calling me and if I wanted to snap some photos are my new designated photos spot, I was running out of time. Mr Suger looked a little taken aback at the shift change in circumstances but took it all in his stride as he grabbed my camera on out way out the door.
And that my friends is how this outfit came to be! Odd layers, an almost peplum feel (is peplum over?) and a pop of colour in my usual monochrome palette. Not something I reached for first up, I was going for a more narrow line. But it works. Or I think it works, what say you?
Wearing Missguided Crop, Black Tunic, ASOS Curve Mustard Jersey Skirt, New Look for ASOS Shoes, and Kardashian Abody bag.
