Shirt – Old Navy (similar) | Skirt – The Limited (similar) | Shoes – Nine West (similar) | Necklace – Gordman’s (similar) | Bracelet – House of Gemmes (same) | Belt – The Limited (similar)
Sometimes you see an outfit on someone and you think, “That works, but I don’t know why.” That’s what I thought when I saw Rachel from Suburban Style Challenge put a striped shirt with her patterned a-line skirt. I immediately thought about putting my black and white striped shirt with my purple, black, and pink pleated skirt. This skirt has no white in it but yet the two seem to go together.
Already I’ve gotten two compliments on this outfit. One from my husband who told me it was cute and another from a worker who said she liked my “dress”.
I think it’s because this outfit has repeating bands of color but they are separated by a large section of solid purple that your eye is tricked into seeing it as a cohesive outfit. Also, for anyone who is afraid of horizontal stripes, wearing a belt at your narrowest spot (typically your natural waist) will keep you from feeling like the side of a barn.
How do you feel about horizontal stripes?
I agree with your husband and coworker! The mixture of different stripes is awesome..it does look like a dress! I like that the top is form fitted and the skirt is more flowy- great silhouette! And the belt really adds a finishing touch…I love the one you linked to!
Valerie
http://www.the-style-files.com
Definitely need to add the fitted top when wearing a flowy skirt!
You’re so tricky with your shirt/skirt combos looking like dresses! Although since I’ve seen this skirt before, I wasn’t as fooled as I was by the Limited shirt/skirt the other day.
When I was in high school, there was this group of popular guys two years older than I am (popular not like jock popular, but popular like just all-around good guys so everyone likes them popular). There was one day where they all decided to wear striped shirts to school just because that’s something that this group of guys would do, and I so clearly remember walking past them in the hall and one of them saying, “We were supposed to wear HORIZONTAL stripes, Ryan! Not vertical!” So whenever anyone wants to discuss the pros and cons of horizontal vs. vertical stripes, this is what I think of. Hahaha.
Maybe I just don’t look hard enough, but I think it can be pretty challenging to find stripes that are not horizontal? At least that tends to be my experience. But then again, I am a pretty basics lover type of shopper, so most of what I buy are glorified t-shirts, which I think are more likely to have horizontal stripes than vertical.
Forever 21 has some vertical striped shirts. I actually had a shirt with vertical stripes when I was in high school but I always felt like a referee even though the stripes weren’t black and white.
Oooh I LOVE this! Great silhouette with the belt giving you a nice shape, and the stripes and the pleats, along with the colorblocking on the skirt all complement each other beautifully, giving the outfit great texture and color. And I like that you went with strappy shoes too, adding another liney element to the whole thing.
Good point about the shoes echoing the stripes!
You know it’s a good outfit when your husband compliments!
I mean, he was half asleep when he said it so that either means it was a REALLY good outfit or he was just dreaming
Oooh, I really like this! The belt does break the two pieces up well, so it works. It’s almost like the striped shirt is just with a solid purple skirt.
You’re right! I think I was trying to go that way in the post but couldn’t quite articulate it.
Definitely a great look, you ll easily be able to throw a cardigan over it to transition to fall too
Ginny
For sure! This outfit will work all year round.
I love this look! The mix is so much fun and that skirt is so cute.
Thanks! This was the first pleated skirt I bought and wasn’t sure about it at first. But now it’s fun making outfits with it.
I Like horizontal stripes! They are so in now. Much better than vertical ones
Have you seen the black and white vertical striped jeans or leggins that are out now? Hideous.
Oooh, so pretty!
Thanks!
I LOVE this. Just love it. It’s such a interesting and bold outfit but all of the stripes and then the pleats in the skirt really pull the whole look together, it does look like a dress! It’s really gorgeous and then the strappy sandals just play up all of the lines even more.
Glad I threw those sandals on at the last minute! Those really do seem to make the outfit.