Plaid POW: The Trendiest Thursday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Don’t be afraid to mix trends

 

TTT Thursday outfits are Trendy, Transitional, and/or Terrific—in other words my choice. Whatever other outfit ideas the garment gave me. It may be something very trendy, transitional, or something else. This week I went with all the trends! The POW (Piece of the Week) is the L.L. Bean Slightly Fitted Scotch Plaid Shirt in Deep Evergreen Tartan. Honestly, flannel is so in right now that just wearing flannel makes it trendy. But, why stop there? Just add fur! Not enough? How about the short skirt over leggings look? And then a wrist party and statement necklace? BAM. You have trends! But the nice thing about this is while these are all trends, they also all have a touch of the classic and of the normal. Flannel may be trendy, but it’s also a favorite of those in cold climes. Plus, those of us who did the alternative thing in the 1990s remember this classic fondly (I hope) or at least with some amusement. I love that flannel is back. Cozy trends are my favorite! Fur is always a classic. Now this shaggy version may not be a classic sleek version, but it still speaks to something humans have been wearing for a very long time. The black color makes it more versatile and not as “in your face” as some of the fur in clearly faux colors. The skirt over leggings trend is interesting, because it really just looks like a skirt with very opaque tights. But it has the comfort of leggings (much better than tights in my book) and means you don’t have to worry about flashing the world when playing with your kid. Statement necklaces come and go, but certainly have a history (think Ancient Egyptians, for instance). Same with arm parties, although that name is new. So, the trick here is to mix trends but go for those with a rich history and grab versions that are not too over-the-top for a multi-trend look that works on all ages. This outfit is fun and trendy, but it doesn’t hit you over the head with it. You could wear it out to some hip hotspot or to run errands without getting odd looks in either place. Now how often can you say that about an outfit? Also, it’s wicked cozy. I was out in slightly above freezing temps to take these pictures (note how bundled up my kid is) and I was quite warm. And I don’t think that was all hot flashes.

 

Tips:

  • When mixing trends: 
    • Choose trends that are at least somewhat established and/or have a rich history
    • Select trendy items that are not too over-the-top or at the far reaches of the trend
  • Choose one garment that pops for color and keep the rest neutral (and ideally the same neutral
  • Work with trends you are comfortable in—if you are not sure about the trend or garment the mixing and wearing may be awkward
  • Start with a key trend and build from there with trends that “go” or can “go” with your clever styling (for me it is the POW flannel)
  • Don’t be afraid to mix casual and dressier trends, they can play off each other nicely and calm each other down just enough

 

Outfit Breakdown:

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