Sources:
- Patterned top – vintage, thrifted
- Pinstripe skirt – Talbots
- Belt – thrifted
- Gray tights – drug store
- Boots – Banana Republic
- Navy vest – thrifted
Endnotes:
As E. already mentioned, this week is all about trying new things and breaking out of our belting routine. So I’m trying a conglomerate of new things with this look: wearing a high waisted shirt with the top tucked in; using a wider belt to join the seams of those items; pattern mixing to boot; and belting under a top layer such as this vest. (Also, don’t hate me for wearing the same skirt from two outfits ago, but I just brought this back from home with me and I suffer a mild case of separation anxiety every time I put it in the closet and attempt to wear something else).
So for the outfit breakdown:
1) Pattern mixing has been popping up everywhere and I love the richness and depth created by it, so I’ve been trying to experiment with it more myself. I like the general tule of thumb of pairing a bold pattern (colorful nature motif on the top) with a subtle pattern (horizontal pinstripes on the skirt).
2) I like the idea of “fusing” the two patterns together by covering where they meet with a neutralizing solid item, such as a belt.
3) Leaving the shirt untucked created a much messier and schizophrenic look with the overlapping patterns and didn’t quite look intentional, whereas tucking the shirt in and belting over the seams provides a nice buffer between the meeting patterns and gives the appearance of intentionality.
4) A wider belt covers more ground so it worked much better than a skinny belt as a cover for where the shirt and skirt seams meet (although my go-to in belting is a skinny belt for reasons stated below).
5) I have a short torso and belting with a wide belt and tucking in my top made me feel like my top half (from skirt waistline to shoulders) was only about 3 inches high. This look is really not something I usually opt for and I felt very stumped and scrunched in on top. Enter the elongating vest. I felt instantly taller and slimmer with the addition of the long navy vest, drawing the eye up and down and extending to my hips, creating the illusion of a longer torso and more proportional upper half.
I apologize for the epic size of this post, but there is still more to come. On our Belting Post, we received the following question from one reader:
I would love some tips on how to wear a belt with my body type, an apple! I’ve always heard that belts are great for every shape, but I feel like I have a hard time getting it right.
I feel like I should address this since I am also an ‘apple’ shape. For my thoughts on the matter, click to read more after the jump…
As I noted in our series on Proportions, I have a high natural waist and am most aware of my midsection when dressing. Right now, I’m in a period of my life at which I’m pretty in shape and healthy. I’m currently training for two upcoming Spring half marathons, I walk everywhere (I don’t have a car in Europe), and I’m a pretty healthy eater. As a result, I’m at my slimmest and I don’t worry about my ‘apple’ tendencies too much. But when I gain weight, it goes straight to my midsection; my arms and legs remain thin, my hips stay narrow, but my muffinage bulges out of control. So I understand the belting conundrums of fellow ‘apple’ shapes.
My advice regarding belting, if your midsection doesn’t have a nipped-in waist, is to belt at your narrowest (for ‘apples’, this would usually be right under your bust) or lower down around your hips. Empire waist dresses (or tops) work wonders for apple shapes since they come in at our narrowest part and flow away from the body at the midsection.
To confirm that I was giving sound advice, I consulted an all time authority on this matter – Winona Dimeo-Ediger’s Closet Confidential. Winona likewise is a self-identified ‘apple’ (or actually, in her words: “frog”), and she suggests the following:
Frog-shaped readers can still enjoy fulfilling, belted lives. Just because the instant hourglass figure thing is a cruel urban legend doesn’t mean you can’t find a flattering belt placement on your body. Try above your waist, lower on your hips (basically anywhere but your widest part). . .
As with all style advice I dispense – experiment, experiment, experiment. I’m really not one for following style rules too closely because I think taste and aesthetics are highly subjective and that’s what makes fashion so interesting and fun. But that doesn’t meant that some things aren’t more figure flattering than others and the only way to discern what looks best on you is by trying things out in front of the mirror in the safety and privacy of your home.
Are you a fellow ‘apple’ or amphibian and have some sage belting advice to share? Please leave a comment with your suggestions! S.
I’m an apple too and I am an absolute beltaholic. I was really scared at first though to go with the belt trend for the same reasons as the reader. For me it was simple, I just started trying belts and found the perfect place on my body to wear one.
Now, empire waists are completely different. They always make me feel more self-conscious of my tummy and make me feel like I look pregnant.
The pattern mixing in this outfit is masterfully done! Thanks for taking the time to “deconstruct” it. Sometimes it helps to have a roadmap!
This is my favorite way to wear a belt- to create a high waisted skirt look. I don’t own any actual high waisted skirts, but with a belt I can create that! yay!
I find it funny that you would normally shy away from this look (I get why you do, and I definitely think the vest helps) when it is my favorite, and when I try to do a favorite of yours (belting a cardigan for example) I feel so out of place.
I now know my favorite ways to belt, I just can’t figure out why I don’t like certain ways… something about the proportion between my very wide ribcage and fairly wide hips…
Another apple here! Totally agree with the under the bust thing. I’ve recently discovered that a skirt with pleating that poufs out at the hips can create a “fake” waist too. Go apples! :)
I’m glad you experimented with this silhouette, S – it looks marvelous on you!
I have a similar question to the apple-shape poster, but from a different angle. I guess I would be an hourglass. Unless I sling a belt super low around my hips, it doesn’t sit right. Even though I’ve been told that a high-up belt is great for highlighting a slim waist, I can never get the belt to stay up without loops; instead it falls down to the top of my hips and creates a funny shape. Any advice on keeping belts up on the waist rather than the hips?
An “apple” friend swears by belting with a hip-style belt whose sides fall a bit below the waist and dips low in front, drawing the eye down.
If I owned that skirt I’d wear it all the time too – I LOVE it! :)
This apple thanks you very much.
I absolutely love this outfit, the skirt is so light and airy and the blouse is so happy :)
I love that patterned shirt! I always like the look that comes from mixing vintage pieces with new, more modern ones. This outfit portrays it wonderfully! :)
thanks for this post!
I never knew I was short-waisted until I tried belting outfits. I seriously thought my torso was normal until I started experimenting with new styles…now everytime I put on clothes I feel like bust is sitting on top of my legs. It’s an odd side-effect of learning your own personal style – figuring out your own body shape better I suppose.
i love the patterned shirt
Lesley at Fatshionista is a master at wearing belts on her non-hourglass figure. I recommend checking out her outfit posts for inspiration.
I love this look. Well, mainly because I LOVE that top :)
I am also an apple, and I like the look of belting around the middle or slightly above, and layering a blazer or cardigan over the top. The belt peaks out and gives the appearance of a waist.
ok, this website is sooo inspiring! i cannot stop reading all of your posts! i am in grad school and heading on a 3 week trip to europe for pre-dissertation research & a conference… all of the packing posts were super helpful. this post may be the most inspiring because as a fellow apple i feel it takes some extra work to make some fashion choices work. my sister has a beautiful hourglass figure and can make a t-shirt and sweatpants look good (even when she is carrying a few extra pounds), whereas i make an empire waist dress look frumpy. i am definitely going to try belting!! i am going to be sure to run to target next week before i leave for my trip!
I am also a slim apple/rectangle figure and am just venturing into the realm of belts. I’ve had luck with drop waists, not necessarily with belts but with dress seams and untucked tops. Strictly by measurements, my waist is still my slimmest area–but only by a few (literal) inches–and it’s definitely where I feel any weight gain or loss.
Empire cuts really depend on the specific top/dress; some make me feel pregnant, especially since I have a flat chest and on bloated days my tummy is easily larger than my chest, but others hide my tummy wonderfully well.
I’ve also discovered that thin horizontal stripes can actually work very well. I thrifted a Banana Republic striped tank that was a size too big for me, and thus way too long; but scrunched up to hit at my hip, it’s elongating and slimming (I’m also only 5’2″).