Last week, I was shopping with a friend, when I spotted the cropped sweater from Anthropologie. “That’s a total blogger special,” she said.
“A what?” I asked.
“A blogger special, a piece of clothing that fashion bloggers love and regular women can’t wear. Like a turban or silk pants.”
It was a fair point, but CHS isn’t the kind of site that indulges in “blogger specials.” If real women can’t wear it, then it has no place here. So I thought that I would try to style the cropped sweater Three Ways.
I think the easiest way to wear a cropped sweater is with high-waisted bottoms. Here, we have a pair of high-waisted trousers and a basic button-up. Simple enough, but this outfit is really about the accessories.
The necklace works as an extension of the collar and blends in a hint of texture and color. Coordinating with the aqua in the necklace, I added a dark teal hobo with gold hardwear. Lastly, I added a basic grey pump with a little detail on the front.
I’d also wear my hair up to show off the necklace a bit. If you want to go for a real “blogger special,” try a high top bun. Kidding. Okay, half-kidding.
For a chic, dinner date ensemble, I added a high-waisted teal skirt. This is the kind of look that you could wear to the office with different jewels and shoes and then swap them out for a night on the town.
I love the way the color and shape of the House of Harlow earrings play with the skirt and also modernize the outfit. The earrings and sweater are trendy, but not over-the-top. Add an easy gold clutch and a pair of evening pumps, and you’re all set.
Best hairstyle for this look? A wavy, half-up/half-down hairdo.
This dress is a bit of a 70s throwback, but it has some great colors in the pattern. If you have a summer dress like this that you’d like to wear into the autumn, a cropped sweater is a great way to show off the pattern while staying warm. To complete this look, I added a leather jacket in a coordinating shade, a strappy (and inexpensive) pump and a teal clutch.
I’d wear this to an afternoon event or a birthday party. I’d also wear it on a first date if I was going somewhere trendy and young like Masa 14 or Lincoln.
Also, if you lose the jacket, you can swap out the sandals for grey tights and grey flat boots and wear the look to brunch. If you have suede boots, you can keep the jacket, but I don’t approve of leather tall boots with leather jackets. You wouldn’t wear a denim jacket with jeans would you? Of course not.
Belle, you NAILED it!!! These outfits are fabulous, I want one of everything! Thanks for these posts, and for making a cropped sweater relevent. Never though I'd say this — but I want one!
These are just ugly and honestly have no place in fashion. They encourage children to show their mid-drifts which is NOT okay. There is a time and a place for showing skin and it is the pool or beach but not school or the work place.
Blue:
1. It's “midriff.”
2. The point of these outfits is that no skin shows – the high waist of the trouser and the skirt come up high enough that the hem of the sweater will overlap them. Wearing the sweater over a dress means there is no way for your stomach to be visible.
3. This isn't a fashion site for children and these outfits are not intended for children.
I have my reservations about whether the combos actually look flattering on a real body and not just in Polyvore, but I certainly don't find them obscene, unprofessional, or hazardous to the moral development of young minds.
VA-Thanks for the backup.
As she mentioned, this is not a site for children and none of these outfits will show midriff anyway. I also didn't realize that protecting children's torsos from exposure fell to me and not their parents.
I love the cropped sweater with the high waist pants/skirt. I also love that this cropped sweater doesn't look like it would tent on anyone who isn't a small A cup.
NAAC– That's what I liked about it too. I think it's important that the bottom is tailored closer to the body.
In theory, I love all three looks, Belle, bravo!
*I say in theory because I'm still skeptical about how this particular cropped sweater would look on me, and I'm thinking, “not good.” Of course, that doesn't mean that it wouldn't look good on plenty of other “real women.”
I love this color combo. But I totally wear my leather jacket with my leather otk boots. I think it looks okay??! lol