Inspired By Copenhagen Fashion Week
This post is inspired by Copenhagen Fashion Week. (It is!)
But all I can think right now is, “OH MY GOD I WORE WHITE PANTS.”
I have never ever worn white pants. Growing up, every fashion magazine drilled into me that light colored pants are NOT for pear-shaped women. Pear-shaped women look best in dark washes or black. Dark colors minimize our plentiful bottom halves, and provide the illusion that we are more proportional than we really are.
I am not proportional.
And, for some reason, people love to comment on it. When I was ordering my wedding dress, the owner of the shop LOUDLY announced that they really didn’t know how to order for me because my hips and my chest were four dress sizes apart. Before that, while being measured for a costume to play a twelve year old boy, the costumer, whom I’d never met, said to me (also loudly), “You won’t have trouble giving birth with those hips!” I could go on and on.
So, not surprisingly, I’ve never worn white pants. My closet is a myriad of dark wash denim and black. Last year, I wore a pair of plaid (still black) pants and that was a big deal.
But yesterday, with my newlywed weight, big birthing hips and all, I wore white pants.
Let’s get into the lab!
THE EVENT: The SODO flea market
THE BROKEN RULE(S):
Pear-shaped women shouldn't draw attention to their wide bottom halves.
Don't make your feet look any bigger than they already are.
No white after Labor Day.
THE OUTFIT: Last month was Copenhagen Fashion Week, and for a few days fashion people lost their minds over the attendees’ street style. (I did, too.) Not a single person looked uncomfortable. There was no, “Wow, that’s stunning but how does she walk?” Most were dressed in sneakers, there were wide legged pants galore, and lots and lots of turtlenecks. Those women dressed for the occasion, but they also dressed for the weather. (How Hygge!!) And on top of that everyone just looked so cool.
So, I scoured loads of photos from the week, and built my own Copenhagen Fashion Week-Hygge-(hopefully) Cool outfit. My main inspiration was what this Man Repeller article called “stick of butter” dressing, or, head-to-toe creams and whites.
My stick of butter began with the pants. I ordered them a size up from Everlane, so they’d be roomy. I added a white tank (also Everlane… I’m proudly obsessed. If you use this link, your first order ships free!)
Then, my cream Converse high-tops, and this long, knit sweater from a trip to Chile. (Christian had to go for work a few years ago, so I tagged along. I got this sweater at an artisan’s fair, and bought coffee from a woman named Macarena. It was a good trip.) The sweater isn’t all white, but it was my best option, and I liked the Hygge-ness of it. I added a checked scarf for some pattern mixing (also seen at SFW) and for warmth.
THE EXPERIENCE: I really, really loved this outfit. It wasn’t conventionally flattering. (At all…. the profile view of it was a little rough.) But I was comfortable, yet still felt like my look had personality.
I arrived to the flea market right as it was opening (fewer crowds!) and meandered through the booths, and then through the antique mall next door. The main section of the mall was filled with those antiques that no average person shells out cash for. (I found a cool desk and it was a cool $5,500.) But, as I got to the back, there was a maze of smaller booths with more affordable items. Flung across a lone clothing rack, on a broken hanger, I found a 60’s knit dress set for $35 and in mint condition. The dress underneath had a square neckline and a subtle fit and flare. The jacket on top was shrunken (my style of choice with my disproportionate frame!) Obviously, I bought it. (AND, OH MY GOSH, I’M STILL SO EXCITED.)
After that, my day was less thrilling. I’ve been wrestling a stomach bug for a bit, and it occupied the rest of my time. However, the combination of the white pants (in public!) and that vintage find felt like a successful Saturday.
THE CONCLUSION: Throughout this year and a half of experimenting, white pants always felt unattainable. I’d consider them then back away slowly, justifying it to myself by saying that I’d get there eventually.
I finally got there! And, like most fears, once I did it I realized that it wasn’t really that big of a deal. (You’ll remember I had the same reaction when I finally wore a turtleneck after 22 years.)
So, what’s next? I’ve crossed this river, climbed this mountain, got onto this horse. What rule do I break from here? I’d LOVE to hear your opinion. I'm always surprised and excited by the rule suggestions I get from you. If you’ve got an idea, leave me a comment below, shoot me an email, or slide into my DMs!
I’ll be back on Wednesday for the final post of Hygge month! Any guesses what March’s theme will be?
