Misfit Profile

Client: Carolyn G., Brentwood, Tennessee

Busy, energetic, beautiful. A petite 5’4″.

Item: Hourglass Lilly Knit Print Dress

Problem: Too Short for Comfort

Carolyn loves everything about this dress except the length. She thought she had a fix, but just ran into the truth that no one over the age of two can pull off white leggings. (I don’t care what size you are, they make your legs look like Weisswurst.)

Strategy: Expand the Color Pallet

SOLUTION

Navy is a neutral that is more interesting than black to start with and can anchor a variety of dynamic color pallets. I built three color pallets using the dark navy in the dress; turquoise, Carolyn’s favorite color, and two other colors that flatter Carolyn’s skin tone and hair.

Each of the pallets would look beautiful on Carolyn, but I chose to work with the one on the left, featuring two shades of turquoise and a fresh, lively green.

 

 

The tights were the first piece I added to the dress. Carolyn is petite, like me, and so I chose ankle-length tights in “Scout Green” that would give her a long leg-line, but still have footless comfort for spring and summer. We Love Colors has other great colors, too.

 

 

To keep the long, lean look going I chose the Aldo Dealia flat in a buttery nude leather, with a silver bar heel detail that sets it apart. The nude color and pointed toe visually extend Carolyn’s leg-line (a tried and true petite styling technique). Darker shoes sometimes make petites look stubby, especially when pared with footless tights.

 

 

 

I repeated the silver bar detail in the sleek, silver bar drop earrings that I chose from Sterling Forever. One of my favorite aspects of image consulting is taking care of that kind of detailed styling because it takes my client’s image beyond the ordinary to the exceptional.

Finally, the pièce de résistance, an extraordinary necklace from 31 Bits. The “Saguaro” necklace in teal pulls in the green and turquoise from the color pallet and the strong design complements the print of the dress without fighting with it.

The “Saguaro” is made from handmade, recycled paper beads dusted with gold leaf. (Yes, you can mix metals in an outfit. Using more than one metal brings another layer of interest to your ensemble, so mix it up!)

Besides offering great jewelry, 31 Bits founders Kallie Dovel, Alli Swanson, Anna Toy, Brooke Hodges, and Jessie Simonson are committed to forging a way out of poverty for the women who make it. Through their program, women in Uganda are receiving education, opportunity and love, with which they can create a new life for themselves and their families. When you purchase something from them, you do more than enhance your appearance, you help beautify lives. Read more about their mission and see all their fantastic designs at 31bits.com.

Result: Wardrobe Win!

By expanding the color pallet to include turquoise and green, a world of options open to make this dress work for Carolyn. She can now feel comfortable in her dress by pairing it with colorful tights that flatter her. The long necklace ties in the color of the tights, as well as bringing in a pop of green for interest. All the pieces work together to create a look that is fresh, chic, and fun.

To see all of the added pieces mentioned in this post, as well as items from previous posts, follow my Wardrobe Misfits Makeover board on Pinterest.

 

Got a Wardrobe Misfit you’d like me to style? Send it to me at batts.sharon@gmail.com. Item needs to be on a hanger in a high-resolution image.

Is your closet full of Wardrobe Misfits? I can help. Contact me now to see how I can make your entire wardrobe a win.