- Black dress – Banana Republic, remixed
- Purple top – Target
- Red-orange cardi – Zara, remixed
- Black woven belt – thrifted, remixed
- Grey wedges – Report “Calico”, via Solestruck.com
Endnotes:
A. and E. are experts at layering and I often draw inspiration from their outfits. Something that I’ve just started doing is layering dresses over dresses (to add length, warmth, etc) or to wear dresses underneath tops to turn them into skirts essentially.
As is the case with this outfit: I layered this black dress underneath the purple top to turn it into a skirt, and I’m wearing it backwards to create a higher neckline for the layer underneath the V-neck. What are some of your unique layering tricks?
Layering detail, originally uploaded by academichic.
I love learning these little tricks, because they really make your wardrobe stretch so much further! I’m somewhat obsessed with this idea – how to create a seemingly large wardrobe with few items – since I keep thinking of my upcoming sojourn abroad, and how I don’t want to look like I’m wearing the same three shirts and two skirts for an entire nine months. I was rather bad at this the last time around and ended up packing a lot of things to, paradoxically, end up looking like I was only wearing the same three outfits over and over.
One item I’m thinking I will definitely have to pack are these shoes! I just got them from Solestruck.com and am in love with them! I’ve been wanting a not-too-high wedge that I can comfortably walk in all day, that are cute and versatile, and that go with pants, skirts, and pretty much any color outfit. And I think these just about fit the bill! What do you think – are they year abroad pack worthy? S.
New Shoes!, originally uploaded by academichic.
The shoes are definitely pack worth! They look nice, very feminine but extremely versatile due to the neutral color.
I like you combination of colors today. Since I’ve been perusing fashion blogs I’ve started trying to think about ways to extend my dresses but I haven’t tried the backwards trick yet. You would never even notice!
I love how you wore the dress backwards to get a different neckline – so innovative. And that is a great color combo.
Hi! I just discovered your site not too long ago via What I Wore. I have to say, I love it! I really love the grey wedges, so versatile. I wanted to suggest you check out 6pm.com. Its a shoe site with awesome prices, I’m obsessed! Lots of times you can get shoes much cheaper than other sites and they have great sales as well. I just scored some Michael Kors for $40!
Thanks, all! :)
@Leah – thanks for the tip, I will definitely check it out! I love a good shoe, and even more so a good bargain! S.
I have on my Solestuck shoes today also! I really love the wedge and the color of yours.
Absolutely! I LOVE those shoes… 60% of my shoe wardrobe are wedges, but I am looking for some lower wedges just like this, and I love the grey color!
I love those gray shoes. I’m a big fan of layering dresses under tops as well, especially during the summer.
Wow, I really need to take a nap. I meant to say I love layering dresses in the winter. Don’t mind me.
[...] S. has worn some of her dresses backwards before and I wondered if I could do something similar with this black tunic. The pleated, scooped neckline became a sexier scooped back, and by unbuttoning the small row of buttons that created a keyhole in the official “back” of the top, I ended up with a new, split neckline. And, rather than wearing the tunic over pants or shorts, I tried it out over a skirt. This is a really unexpected proportion for me, but I love the kind of drop-waist flapper vibe it creates. [...]
It is sheer luck that I was browsing the blog and read this particular entry tonight. The concept of layering dresses under dresses never occurred to me, and it has solved a fashion problem I was having. I wanted to wear a particular dress to an event tomorrow, but was afraid that it was too short. I just tried layering a skirt under the dress in question; problem solved! Thanks so much!!