Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Shoestring Chic #2: Rosalyn's Suit

A few years ago, I became a Color Me Beautiful believer.  I understood that I was a Spring, and I purged my wardrobe of browns, yellows, creams, and oranges - I got rid of my trusty brown skirt suit.  And then I realized I had nothing to fill the gap.

 A few weeks later, at a women's retreat at church, we had a clothing swap.  Rosalyn brought a beautiful tweed suit, a remarkable tweed that could read as brown or black.  She told me it was her first suit, bought with her first paycheck, at her first professional job at a bank.  I'm so pleased to have a suit with such a heritage.


 I chopped the skirt to knee length.  I've gotten the idea, recently, that the cut of the blazer is not flattering on me, that maybe it needs to be updated or freshened somehow.  I'd like your suggestions, please, on how you think I should wear it.  Is it too formal to wear it as a suit?  Should I belt the blazer?


skirt suit - free
flowered Gap blouse, thrifted: $1
blue Gap cardi, thrifted: $3
amethyst necklace, gift from my husband
pearl string, JCPenney: $7
glass ring, Ten Thousand Villages: $4
tights:  $7
boots: $40

total:  $62



16 comments:

Kylie M. said...

What a beautiful suit, that blue color is perfect on you. I agree the blazer could use some shape, maybe belting it would help? Your photos turned out beautifully!

life in this 1880 farmhouse said...

I had my colours done too about 28 years ago. I too am a spring, fav colour is peach!!

yea you photo's did turn out very well. I think this is the biggest challenge of the game. getting a self picture done, that you wish to share.

You look elegant as always. Well done.

Nicole said...

Nice suit! Love the skirt; I have trouble with blazers myself - what I do is gather a little at the back waist and add a couple of buttons and/or a small band of fabric in between them to hold the gathers in place.(I'm not describing this very well:). This works as it gives the blazer shape.
Beautiful outfit, I love that ring!

Unknown said...

I've never been able to find a suit coat that flatters me (shopping at thrift stores) yet - but I'm still looking. My mother has taken in the side seams of her blazers to be more flattering. She opens the side seams of the lining and takes in the side seams of the jacket, then hand stitches the lining back after the alterations. It works great for her : )

I love your floral blouse and cardigan together. I've never had my colors done. I should check into it!

Your pictures came out great! : )

Anonymous said...

Your outfit is cute, I would however shorten the jacket to top of hip length to bring the blazer fashion forward and fit your body.
~HUGS~~

Rebecca said...

You could get really ambitious (and Alcottian) and pick apart the jacket and re-cut it using a pattern that fits you. Other wise, Eva Girl's idea sounds good to me.

priest's wife - S.T./ Anne Boyd said...

love the boots! belt the blazer- or take it in a little

Jacinta said...

Wow a free suit! You look fantastic. Very put together and the colours are definitely great for you. I personally think wearing the whole suit together is a bit much...
I think to make the blazer look more modern you should cut off some of the length and make it more cropped or sit on your hips. If you're able to. Or just belt it. haha
:) xoxoxo

Anonymous said...

You're talking, er reading, to another spring girl here. Your pictures are fab, by the way. I would like to borrow your natural light, please. And photographer. :-) I hope my link made the cutoff. See you soon!!!

Margo said...

Jacinta, "a bit much" is just exactly what I was trying to say about the whole suit.

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I'll probably belt the blazer - and I'll try to take a photo when I do :)

Eva, based on your photos, I'm guessing you're a Spring. Springs look good in blue-based colors and no tan, yellows, browns or black next to the face (if I wear something like that, I definitely wear make up).

Hello to Punk, another Spring!

Tracy said...

I love the skirt with the sweater and blouse, and your jewelry is nice, too. I have trouble with jewelry... I wear the same things all the time. At least I love them!

My seasons are changing! I've always been an autumn, but since I'm going gray, I think I'm turning into a winter.

Margo said...

Tracy, I didn't realize hair color had that much to do with it. My goodness. That would be a big change! My hair keeps getting darker and not lightening so much in the summer, so maybe I will morph into another season too.

Tracy said...

Actually, after looking at the Color Me beautiful page, I think I'm morphing into a spring! Others have noticed it too. Where I used to look best in browns, reds, oranges, I'm looking better in blues, turquoise, salmons. It's weird!

Aunt Maggie said...

Hey Marg. Here's what I think would update the jacket. Shorten it a bit, (3-4"??) then take it in, make it more fitted, make it flare a little from the waist.
Love ya, Aunt M

PaulaK said...

Are you sure you're not a Summer? Because all the colors you did away with look great on Springs. I am a Summer but often wear brown - I just combine it with pinks or blues or winter white.

Margo said...

hmmmm. I just went to the website to look again, and I DO wear some of the "dusty" colors of summers. But I guess I go more by blue-based colors (which I understood to be spring colors) instead of yellow-based; so I wear blue based colors, and so does my husband, a Winter. Maybe I should check the book out of the library again and study it some more!