Pinned it / Wore It - Retro neutrals

Welcome to the latest installment of Pinned It/Wore it, where I try to wear my Pinterest Style board.

 

Today's inspiration comes from the photo below, which has been all over Pinterest lately although it's actually at least three years old, since I posted it on my blog in 2010, which qualifies as a classic look.  

Below is my version. Even as a less-than-exact match (no box pleats, no pullover, no bow) , it turned out to be an easy and wearable outfit.

 

My outfit is 100% thrifted, right down to those Marc Jacobs flats. Regrettably, a full skirt similar to the one in the inspiration photos is hard to come by, especially in white. Ironically, full skirts (an "older" style) are only available from retails who cater to younger women.

 

H&M had an awesome off-white full skirt as seen below on Laura at Buy Now Blog Later but it's sold out online. Maybe you can still pick one up in a store. It's not the same but you could also try this white jersey full skirt from American Apparel.

 Above are two more options: a striped skirt from Anthropologie and a black full skirt from ModCloth. A similar full skirt available in red, navy green and black at Asos.

 

Can you pull off a full skirt? How about a big bowed blouse?

 



Pinned It/Wore It - Fur chubby

Welcome back to fashion mythbusters, where we take lovely outfits found in Pinterest and actually try to pull them off.

This edition of Pinned it/Wore it comes to you courtesy of the stylish gal below spotted during New York Fashion Week.

Source: theautumnissue.com via Samantha on Pinterest

She looks sporty and warm and adorable.

The cropped fur has popped up all over the place this winter. Here are a few examples.

Source: profreshstyle.tumblr.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: harpersbazaar.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: fabsugar.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: style.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: fabsugar.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: fabsugar.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: fashionologie.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: devorelebeaumonstre.com via Samantha on Pinterest

A little research led me to the information that this style of coat is called a "chubby." Take that as a warning.

Here's my attempt with a thrifted animal print coat.

Zipping didn't make a difference.

The photos where I'm not turned slightly to the side I won't even post.

The coat had a yummy caramel color and was warm. But it was also a size too big, which wasn't helping.

Final review: I felt like a woodchuck.

This test caused me to recollect that there has never been a time that a cropped puffy coat looked good on me. As my mother would say of certain styles: "It's not doing anything for you."

I'm 5' 5". Presumably a tall thin person might look good in this coat. (But then again don't they look good in everything?) If you're craving wild animal print or fur, I think the average woman is better served with a longer coat.

But, if you like this look and don't mind possibly channeling a bottom-of-the-food-chain ground mammal, I would first check out thrift stores since many of today's fur coats are deliberately designed to look like something that fell out of grandma's closet.

However, here are a few new coats that I might be tempted to try.

A faux Mongolian fur coat that's also available in black.

A cool multicolor fur hoody that looks all Prada-esque

And a luxe looking tricolor faux fur (on sale).

Have you pulled off a chubby without looking, well, you know?
 

Pinned it/Wore It - Long animal print coat

Earlier this week I gave you my rant over how Pinterest is ruining my life. Thanks to all the great fashion, design and style inspiration out there, I'm paralyzed every time I look in my closet.

Pinners have been running Pinterest through the mill with Pinterest pass or fail challenges for everything from pancake batter in a bottle to workouts to craft projects.

For the new year, I've decided to try actually pulling off some of the outfits I've been pinning and pass or fail them as well.

The real-world outfit has to be:

• affordable
• preferably mostly thrifted and
• suitable for a 30-40ish woman who weighs more than Karlie Kloss and her luggage

Does the world need one more outfit-posting blogger? Probably not. But maybe I need to be one to get my act together.

Source: agirlandherpearls.tumblr.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Today's Pinterest challenge is the wildly animal printed overcoat.
 

Source: theyallhateus.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Source: honestlywtf.com via Samantha on Pinterest

The Emerson Fry leopard linen coat is the uber-coat of the long dress animal print coat world and costs $425.
 

Source: atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com via Samantha on Pinterest

And below is my version of the trend.

The coat was purchased brand-new by my mom at Goodwill for $5.

I used to be too shy to wear this sort of thing. Thank you Emerson Fry for helping this coat come out of the closet.

 

 

  

This is a Pinterest pass. A long overcoat is flattering. The print is fun. It mixes well with a solid colored scarf. (The entire outfit is thrifted, actually - shirt, pants and purse.)

 

The only limitation is that you have to keep your other accessories simple - no leopard shoes, purse or skirt with this or you'll look crazy.

 

Here are some coats mostly under $100 with a very similar leopard, almost Dalmation, print. 

• A.N.A. Vintage Faux Leopard Swing Coat, currently on sale at JCP.com for $56. 
• Urban Outfitters has a very similar one on sale for $79 and a cheetah coat for $89.
• ASOS has the same print coat on sale for $93.35.
• For a little more money, there's a leopard swing coat for $249 from Free People.

For a black and white animal print like mine such as snow leopard or ocelot consider the following:

•  Dr. Jays has a coat very similar to mine but belted for $35.99.
• Urban Outfitters has a cheetah coat for $89.

 Do you wear crazy print coats?