Taylored Fit

... 5 pairs of pants and every single skirt I own later, this is the best I got:

Asian-inspired vest: Ann Taylor (thrifted)

Beaded strapless top: Ann Taylor (thrifted, size 6P on eBay)

Embroidered trousers: Karen Millen (eBay)

Fan necklace: Joan Rivers (thrifted)

  Also, sorry about this weird spotlight business in these pictures. Some bizarre "sunlight" thing going on in the Bay Area. Happens every September. Whee!

  Swearing may not be seemly, but my internal name for this outfit is 'Augh this fucking shirt.'* It's a dark purple strapless Ann Taylor top with boning and beadwork. I thrifted it because I want to cut it down the front and make a cost-effective corset for Ye Olde outfit fun (and because it's too tight on top and loose at the bottom), but first I wanted to try styling it down for everyday wear.

* To be fair, many of my outfits are called this.

  It goes with nothing. Since it is structured and fitted, as well as formal-looking, I tried to pair it with loose/baggy things in opposing colors.

  I want to try it with a pair of loose legged trousers that cinch in above the ankle, but I donated my only pair of those years ago, after not finding anything to go on top of them. Today is not helping me squash my hoarder tendencies at all.

  Otherwise I kind of like how this Asian-ish outfit turned out. I found a golden fan necklace (Joan Rivers, thrifted) and I finally got to use these Karen Millen trousers after several years. I love the koi embroidery on them, but trying to alter them was a hair-pulling job and it took a long time for me to look at them without wincing. I'm glad I kept them (seriously, who else could they fit at this point?)  That silk vest is Asian-looking too, though I folded the heck out of it to keep the top from getting covered.. It's another one of the pieces on my long list of alterations I need to do.

  I'm working on a grey velour blazer now that will go with this top and make me look like a fancy toff. Unfortunately I don't have a skirt to go with it. Argh! I feel like I keep collecting pieces of a very elaborate large puzzle, and now it's slowly becoming clear which pieces I'm missing and what the picture is, but it sure has taken a lot of time and not a few clothes that didn't work out. -_-

  How did you all find your personal styles? Did you build them piece by piece, or did you find a brand that spoke to you? I read about minimalist wardrobes with fascination, because I cannot imagine doing such a thing. (:

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