It’s an Unexpected Fashion Choice for The Ageless Style Linkup
If you think big girls can’t wear big-leg jeans, think again. Styling wide-leg jeans with a shirtdress have me drawing inspiration from my childhood in the ’70s for an UNEXPECTED fashion choice for this month’s Ageless Style Linkup. And best of all, it’s full-figure friendly and incredibly groovy!
Ageless Style Linkup
The Ageless Style Linkup is a group of 10 fashion bloggers over the age of 40. We take one fashion theme on the first Tuesday of each month and style it in our own unique way, proving that style has no age limit. Style is as unique as the woman wearing it! Keep scrolling and visit my co-hosts for some more UNEXPECTED Fashion Choices.
This month, Daenel from Living Outside the Stacks chose the theme, UNEXPECTED for our Ageless Style Linkup. She’s a creative girl and gave us a challenge which I had to really think about. In all honesty, I pretty quickly thought of an outfit I could style and I implemented and photographed it, only to find out, I hated it!
I Had to Get Creative or Cry About It
But by the time I decided I couldn’t bring myself to post the photos outside of a “What Not To Wear” or “Before & After” fashion post, I was in Tennessee with my parents and only had the contents of my suitcase to work with. I was still in my NO BUY July fashion spending freeze window as well, which I had extended into August, so buying new was not an option. (I’m going to work on a post for those photos so keep watching!)
What’s a girl to do if she wants to put her best foot forward on these here interwebs? I mean, this was quite the challenge even with a closet full of clothes.
A $12 Dress & Wide-Leg Jeans to the Rescue
But then I remembered I had packed a pair of wide-leg jeans and an inexpensive (under $12!) eyelet shirtdress, both of which I hadn’t yet worn and had intended to style in other ways. I decided to style them together and channel a ‘70’s vibe. Take a look, but first, see how I styled it for church.
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What’s so unexpected about this outfit you might ask.
Wide-Legs Jeans for Wide-Leg Women
There may be a few fashion guru’s out there who say, “wide-load chicks” shouldn’t wear wide-leg pants but I beg to differ. If the fit is correct, this cool, retro silhouette can elongate a full figure and offer us an alternative to skinny jeans.
Adding a shirt dress with a slightly flared shape from waist to hem and a below the knee length really ups the 70’s funk. The white eyelet is an unexpected substitute for a long crocheted, granny-square vest or a pimped-out purple velvet top-coat and hat with a feather in it. 😉 Maybe I’m getting a little too Good Times or Starsky and Hutch for the younger peeps but, come on, if you were a child in the 70’s you probably get the idea.
Notice, I also wore a belt with my wide-leg jeans. Because remember, big girls can wear belts too.
Even a Tiny Wardrobe Is More Versatile Than You Think
I’ll be adding a few new specific pieces to my closet in the coming months but shopping my closet has given me a fun challenge these 8 weeks. This outfit proves that having only a couple of versatile pieces in our wardrobe allows us to piece together multiple looks with fewer items and still look stylish.
Unexpected Fashion Doesn’t Mean Weird
My mom kept saying how “elegant and striking” my outfit was. Thinking outside of the box and getting creative with fashion doesn’t mean we have to look like we’re grasping at straws to put an outfit together. Take a minute and think it through. Take one piece and ask yourself, “How many different ways can I style this?” You’ll likely think of several unexpected ways to style ONE PIECE.
I could easily wear this shirt dress buttoned up with sneakers or as a swimsuit coverup.
In a day when lots of fashion looks like we walked in and bought the mannequin or are mimicking our favorite blogger, although there’s nothing wrong with either, pairing unexpected wardrobe pieces makes us unique.
How would you style wide-leg jeans or a shirt-dress in an unexpected way?
Shop My Style
The Linkup
This Party Has a Few Guidelines:
- Please visit at least 2 other links.
- Please link to your actual post and not your blog’s homepage.
- Please link back to the Ageless Style Link Up in your linked post.
- Feel free to use #AgelessStyleBloggers in all of your social media posts
- Please follow each of your hosts on at least one social media channel via the links below.
Daenel ~ Living outside the stacks blog, instagram, pinterest, twitter
Debbie ~ Fashion Fairy Dust bloglovin, blog, instagram, pinterest, facebook, twitter
Jennie ~ A Pocketful of Polka Dots blog, instagram, facebook, pinterest, twitter, bloglovin
Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style blog, facebook, instagram, pinterest, bloglovin, twitter
Julia ~ When the Girls Rule blog, facebook, instagram, pinterest,
Kellyann ~ This Blonde’s Shopping Bag blog, instagram, bloglovin, twitter
Lisa ~ Coast to Coast blog, facebook, instagram, twitter, pinterest
Shelly ~ The Queen in Between blog, instagram, bloglovin, pinterest, facebook
Shugunna~ Nzuri N* Simplicity blog, instagram, pinterest
I seriously literally can not. No, really…I cannot. We really need to go back and tally up how many times you and have done basically the same thing for our link up outfits. I swear we were twins somehow separated at birth and reunited years later by excellent fashion choices…lol!! You actually changed your mind about the original outfit because your subconscious knew that you had to style a dress with jeans… xo
Debbie
http://www.fashionfairydust.com
Author
It’s hilarious really. The parallels of our life might line up a little too. I grew up in Maryland, only one state south of you. And do I remember you saying you grew up in a mobile home? For a good bit of my upbringing, I lived in a single-wide trailer on a hill in the country. Small town, country girls with only a few degrees of separation. WE MUST MEET!
Hugs,
Paula
I love it! It all looks perfect together! And kudos to sticking to your shopping freeze!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Author
Thanks. And I did break my freeze a couple of days before the end of August. But, I’m going to blame that on my mom… She’s a “pusher” when it comes to shopping -LOL – “Oh Paula, you can’t leave that behind.” That might have been heard in a Loft dressing room somewhere in Eastern TN. 😉
Hugs,
Paula
Amen sister, unexpected doesn’t mean weird! Gosh I am drooling over this shirtdress. I love the way you styled it – both as a dress and with the jeans. BTW, those jeans are amazing on you. You are one hot momma my friend!
xo,
Kellyann
Author
Thanks Kellyann! I’ve definitely seen people try too hard to be “stylish” and I think it just looks “weird” or like they are trying too hard to make a “statement”. In my opinion, the best fashion “icons” are the ones who get creative within their own fashion-box. Does that make sense?
Paula
You look like one hot momma in that outfit! Serious sass! I’m so sick of the “rules” about what bigger women should and shouldn’t wear. I hear all the time women of substance saying they can’t wear horizontal stripes. Really? It’s the most common and versatile pattern out there! I say show off your bodaciousness!
Author
Oooo, one of my favorite skirts is horizontal stripes and I think it looks great. I think we can make our own rules about fashion if we focus on the fit and details.
Paula
I absolutely LOVE this look! Such inspiration for shopping our closets to come up with new ways to wear what we already have.
And I’m with you girl! Whoever set these “rules” about what us healthy women can wear doesn’t have a clue! 🤣 You are rocking this outfit and look absolutely amazing! 😍
Author
I love your “healthy girl” definition of full-figured. It’s spot on.
Hugs,
Paula
Girl, I absolutely love this look!!!
I’ve always thought the wider legs with a shoe with alittle heel makes curvy girls bottom halves look smaller.
I for sure want this look back! You are groovin this look!
Being a frugal gal myself. I love the closet shop! Thanks for great ideas.
Author
Well, it’s back Baby! I’ve seen some really cute ones out there. I’d even love a second pair that I could hem shorter to wear with a flatter shoe. I don’t always like heels.
Paula
I love this combination Paula!! I think EVERY woman can wear any silhouette of jeans…as long as the fit is good. Heck, I’ve heard so many things I shouldn’t wear as a short girl. And I’m way better at ignoring them now.
BTW, when I went to your website (instead of going through the email), I couldn’t find this blog post???
XOOX
Jodie
Author
Hmmm… that’s strange. About the missing post, not the – every woman can wear any style jeans. 😉
Hugs,
Paula
I LOVE these jeans on you but especially love how creative you were with the shirt dress. Super cute!
Shelly | The Queen in Between
Author
Thanks Shelly. They are a nice respite from skinnies. I’m looking for at least one other denim silhouette for this fall. We’ll see what I can come up with.
Oh! Yes you can and You Did. Jeans are your jam and you always look Superb in them. Kudos!
Author
Thanks Neti! They are super soft too – my favorite!
I big puffy heart this look and am now trying to figure out how to copy it. Like seriously. This is probably my favorite look of yours ever. And I’ve fan girled over a lot of your clothes.
Author
Dimples and Fan Girl – we may have to start our own TV show. 😉
Hugs,
Paula
I discovered your blog last week… I am OBSESSED!!! Keep going.
-Lynn McKoy @third.court (Instagram)
Author
Thank you Lynn. So very glad to have you in the tribe!
Paula
LOOOOVE this look on you! So chic and flattering!!
Author
Thanks Girl. It might be one of my coolest outfits ever. I’m not used to being the cool girl. 😉
Those pants look amazing on you!! I love a good pair of wide – leg pants!
https://colorandgrace.com
You have made me want to get a pair of wide-leg jeans. I haven’t worn anything but skinny and boyfriend style jeans forever. I do need to step out of my comfort zone. Thanks for the push.
First, both outfits are perfect on you, 2nd I really need to do the NO shopping freeze, really incredible how you’ve gone 2 months now. Really…
Author
It wasn’t easy Shugunna, but I made it. I’ll be publishing a couple of posts about it very soon.
Have a HAPPY DAY!
Paula
I love this on you. Very elegant and the long lines are really flattering.
I’m also one of the blessed ladies who has ample curve at any size.
Author
Thank you Emmy!
Hugs,
Paula