Tuesday, September 20, 2016

(Pencil) Skirting The Issues





Over the past couple of weeks I have been really busy getting my Etsy shop reorganized, so I haven't really had a chance to go thrifting or to blog. I don't really have any vintage to post right now either, so I decided to do a post on my new LuLaRoe Cassie skirt. While this isn't vintage, it is a pencil skirt, which is a really classic style. The story below could easily be replicated using an awesome vintage pencil skirt too :)

I have a love / hate relationship with pencil skirts. I love how they look on other people, and I hate how they look on me. I am always drawn in by their sleek shape and classic styling. In my mind I look curvy and Marilyn Monroe-esque wearing a pencil skirt. In reality I look like a busted can of biscuits. The struggle is real!

So lays the groundwork for the events that transpired... A few weeks ago I joined the Facebook page of Lindsay Laugherty, who is a LuLaRoe Consultant. You can find her Facebook group here. she is awesome and has some super cute things. I highly recommend that you join! I was browsing through her page, and lo and behold I came across a snapshot of the most fantastic print. It was sea horses! I knew that whatever this garment was I had to have it. It could have been a potato sack for all I cared. Those sea horses were calling my name. I inquired what exactly this pattern was on,  and I got my answer: a Cassie skirt. Now, for those of you not familiar with LuLaRoe the Cassie is a pencil skirt. I had my doubts for a fraction of a second. I knew there was a really good chance that I would look like the equivalent of the potato in the sack mentioned above wearing that skirt. I didn't care. I had to have it, so when she had her launch party I snapped that skirt up really quick. I was already making hypothetical outfits in my head. In all of those mental pictures I looked svelte and ready to conquer the world.

The pattern that started it all

Fast forward a few days, and my skirt that could have been sewn by the Angels themselves was in my mailbox. There was no way it could look bad on me! I unwrapped my package an laid the skirt out on the bed. I instantly began to question my judgement. It was so... Pencil skirt-y. I broke out into a sweat. The panic was washing over me. Now, I am pretty body confident, and the fact that I don't wear a size 6 doesn't bother me. I'm fuller figured and I am okay with that, but I swear that skirt was laying there just mocking me, striking fear deep into my heart.

What did I get myself into...

I sighed and pulled on my Cassie, and surprise, I pretty much looked like a busted can of biscuits. The curse of the pencil skirt continued. I stood there looking at myself in the mirror, and decided that skirt was way too amazing to return, even if pencil skirts do strike fear deep into my heart. I was gonna be damned if the pencil skirt that shared my name was going to defeat me. I learned a lesson. If you are a plus sized and pear shaped gal like myself you CAN wear a pencil skirt! You just have to be a little more creative in your styling. So I raided my closet and came up with a few options for wearing my fantabulous skirt!

So here is the skirt worn in a not so flattering way. I really felt uncomfortable with the skirt worn this way, because it put an emphasis on the area that I am most self conscious about: My stomach. It never bothered me a whole lot until I had Ava Nugget, and now I have the dreaded post pregnancy mommy pooch. This pencil skirt is no bueno with a shirt tucked into it like this.

Thats a big ol negative
So here is option number one and it is really perfect for fall. I paired my skirt with a flowy longer t shirt from Old Navy. It was a little shapeless so I knotted it from the inside, and it was exactly what it needed. The shirt was loose enough to conceal my stomach, and knotting it really helped to create some shape. I paired it with yellow tights to really bring out the yellow in the flowers, and gray boots were a nice way to tone down the tights a little bit.

Option number one: knotted t shirt and tights

Option number two is dressier than option one. I really like the look of a shirt tucked into a pencil skirt, but with my body type I was going to have to come up with a way to make this look more flattering. I decided to go with a jersey knit drapey cardigan on top. This was pretty much perfect for this look. It really pulled this whole look together. I think this would be a perfect style for the office.

Option 2: tucked in skirt with a cardigan

Option 3 was really fun. I actually am wearing my Cassie skirt as a shirt here! This is really easy to do with a Cassie because the fabric is stretchy and free of zippers or any other element that might make it fit weird. It essentially is a tube of fabric. I paired my Cassie shirt with a Lindsay kimono, skinny jeans, and a pair of gladiator sandals. I think this might have been my favorite look of the three.

Option 3: Cassie as a shirt

The final option for styling this skirt is to wear it as an infinity scarf. This is totally doable because, once again, the Cassie is just a tube of fabric. I love how this looked with the cropped skinny jeans and ankle booties. Its a really casual and fun look. It would work perfectly for a casual weekend.

Option 3: Cassie as a scarf

So there you have it! Here are 4 options for wearing a pencil skirt if you are plus sized. I think after this experience I have really gained a new appreciation for the pencil skirt, and I am not nearly as intimidated by it. In fact, it's safe to say that this is one of my new favorite wardrobe staples. The lesson I learned is that just because a certain style of clothing seems to be off limits doesn't mean it has to be. You just have to be a little more creative in the ways that you wear it.

xoxo,
Cassandra






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