Pinspiration Day 18 – Christina

This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant

Today I took inspiration to bring new life to a dress I wasn’t that happy with.  I got this ikat print dress from Gap in the spring and wore it a couple times with a navy sweater and the ribbon belt it came with.  I liked that it was loose and flowy in the hot summer, but as you can see in this picture from my nephew’s baptism, it really isn’t a flattering look.  Too much poof, hemline got askew because of the belting and poofing, and the belt across the middle wasn’t slimming.  But isn’t my godson totally adorable in his little white tux!

• Pinspiration from DKNY Spring 2009 Collection
• Navy v-neck sweater – Talbots
• Ikat print dress – Gap
• Navy blue ribbon belt – pilfered from an Ann Taylor dress
• double strand of pearls – Pearl Market in Beijing
• black patent flats – Stuart Weitzman

I really like how the pullover sweater brings the outfit together and makes it look more slimming.  I had been thinking these past few weeks that I should buy more dresses (since it seemed to be more slimming than separates which chopped me in half) but I think that rule only applies to solids.  I know prints can be tricky in plus size clothes, and knew to avoid large scale prints, but even this tiny ikat/cheetah-like print makes me look bigger when there is so much fabric.

I did another attempt at the top knot and I think this one is more successful.  The key is throwing it up haphazardly before bed and then taming the frizzies with copious amounts of hairspray and a few bobby pins in the morning.  Laying on the pillow all night gave it the perfect height and poof I wanted …who knew!