On the Street....Pattern Mixing to Beat the Heat, NYC
It's hot as New York in August here in New York in August. Nobody feels like getting dressed up, or even dressed for that matter. The city is awash in tiny solid color Summer dresses or tees and jean shorts.
However, there are occasional glimmers of inspiration. For example, this young lady without adding any extra layers was able to skillfully mix florals, dots, geometrics and lace into one chic but subtle summer look.
To me this shot isn't about if this look is perfect, but about the inspiration of doing a lot with a little. Actually I look at this and think about color mixing. If you kept the shape of all these pieces but each was a different color, or even shades of the same color - with or without the patterns.
Looks like this remind me that in Summer, even though we are working with fewer layers, we can still have fun playing with pattern.
To me this shot isn't about if this look is perfect, but about the inspiration of doing a lot with a little. Actually I look at this and think about color mixing. If you kept the shape of all these pieces but each was a different color, or even shades of the same color - with or without the patterns.
Looks like this remind me that in Summer, even though we are working with fewer layers, we can still have fun playing with pattern.
Comments on "On the Street....Pattern Mixing to Beat the Heat, NYC"
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Anonymous said ... (6:33 AM) :
post a commentI like the lace bra. my favorite detail
She lost me at T-back, and it is a shame because she is wearing a lovely bra. I have always been of the opinion that if you mean your underwear to be visible, the lines of it must match (or at least echo) the lines of your clothes. Jorge from WPB
Is that a scrunchie in her hair???
That bag wins, is beautiful, and skirt is really nice too.
Peace and love!
the lacey bra peeking out from her tank is cute. she looks comfy and sexy!
*WOW! Love this, def. my style has a cute african influence. too gorgeous :)*
I am not loving the bra showing. I just think it looks tawdry. Personally, I think the outfit would look much sexier if she wore support that didn't show because the lines created by the T-back would accentuate her lovely figure. But the shoes are cute!
Thanks doll,
The Glamorous Housewife
It's relax for a nice summer afternoon and all the different patterns are really working in one ensemble :), love it!
I love her style! x
I like the patterns on her dress!
I don't know how I feel about showing off undergarments. Looks like her bra is too small.
The bra is From American Apparel
Jorge from W Palm Beach: I was thinking about your remark (about the lines of visible underwear) and I decided that I feel quite the opposite! I think that conventional rules always say no-no to exposed underwear. So if the lines match, it looks as if the person tried (and failed) to keep it under the clothes. The girl in the photo is openly violating these rules, making an in-your-face, provocative statement. I like it. I also love the subtle patterns of the skirt. For some reason, the bag doesn't do much for me.
refreshing and beautiful. very cool. i like it when people aren't afraid to mix black, brown, navy, &c.
a decent pair of legs really helped this outfit too...
i agree with jorge, only i don't think undergarments should show at all, i think its always tacky, never stylish.
The print on her skirt is quite lovely. Personally, I dig on floaty sundresses when it's this hot.
one day, i'm going to log on to your blog and see a picture of myself chillin on the streets of nyc for everyone to see. :)
anyhow, you have a great eye!
Best,
Chelsea
UNordinarychic.blogspot.com
good mix. ditch the bra.
With my friends in Milan we call this kind of tank top "cabrio" canotta!
great shot, i have similar ones on my site, No Bra, look...
the debate continues...get a guys view
fashionbyhe.blogspot.com
Nicely stated!
The bra is pretty, so I would be fine with it except for the fact that it's riding up so far as to be useless for support.
I really like the fact that now you write a few lines as well as you post pictures.
it's always very interesting to read you.
(sorry, my English sucks..
it's a well known fact that we French can't speak anything but French !^^)
Its nice to know what you were thinking here. I find it interesting how you pick up on details like that. Usually I hate visible underwear, but here I think the bra makes the outfit, adding a real statement. I like the pattern of the lace against the tribal print skirt.
http://fashionpearlsofwisdom.blogspot.com/
I actually like the lacey detail of the bra showing, I do think it's nice. Although I don't know how I feel about that tank.
For anyone who is interested, I have the same skirt and I purchased it in December of 2008 from Urban Outfitters. I believe it was part of their Urban Renewal line :).
love this! i love your blog!
Love it, it really is quite chic and original. Bra exposure is usually a no-no for me but I found that the lace details actually enhanced the overall look.
I agree with Jorge. The bra and the skirt are good together but the beauty of a racerback is gone because of the bra. The girl seems to lack the guts to wear it braless.
Very nice skirt though.
I love the lace bra peeking out. Very subtle and sexy at the same time.
i loved the whole outfit, the lace added just that extra perfect detail to the outfit. so inspirational, especially when here in singapore, its hot all year round...
nice
Nice to see EnviroSax featured! You can get this exact model for $8.50 (I don't work there). http://store.envirosax.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MK.B4
If the bra fit a little better, it would be divine. love the skirt!
The pattern mixing is indeed perfect! Love the bra too!
We love her skirt,
it's so pretty on her!
-N + K
www.fanseapants.blogspot.com
That bra is quite something.
This is also quite the look in London at the moment.
I absolutely abhor the exposed lace bra. Sorry. I don't mind if a bit is peeking out, but when you don't even try to match it to the lines of your top... I HATE IT! Had she been wearing racer back bra and a bit peeked out, that would have been one thing, but she's not even trying, I have been seeing a lot of this in NYC this summer and it just looks LAZY. Like they have given up. Argh. The exposed bra looked horrible on Madaonna and SJP and worse on the average person. Make it stop and please don't commend it.
On a positive note...her skirt is adorable.
nice style, nice print mix and the lace bra gives a special touch to her outfit***°°°***
i love the peek-a-boo allure of the lace bra
I really, really like this. lovely
this is great
!!!
http://www.thefunkyou.com
I like the skirt, the tank.... but the bra should not be there.
the singular
I personally love when bras peek out a bit, when done well. They can be such beautiful garments.
I also love how everyone will have such different opinions on letting it show!
lovely!but what does she has in her hair?and what about her necklace?is she wearing it in the "wrong" way?or...new trend?mmmm
Messy and unremarkable in my opinion.
Usually visible underwear is a sign of sloppiness for me. However, the fact that she picked the right color and a pretty bra offset it for me. Plus, hey, at least she's wearing one. I don't know why so many young ladies think gravity it their friend when frankly, we know it's not.
I like the proportions of the whole outfit too. How the skirt and top seem just long enough for each other.
this is the classic image of a bra too small-- the band should not creep up like that. It's hard to look beyond that, but it's an interesting skirt I guess...
Love her mixing of patterns. She looks so effortless and casual. I like that her lace bra is visible. It gives this outfit a whole different look.
it's so true how much more interesting you can make an outfit with mixing of patterns
I spent several years coaching high school students... This said, visible undergarments immediately make me think of immature, bratty, posturing adolescents. Entirely unappealing.
She may be a lovely girl, but I could never take her seriously in this ensemble.
cool , confident and stylish.. wonder though how she looks upfront?
LOoooooolll Its so funny cause i feeel exactly the same in Paris for now !! No inspiration, and too hot to be cool loooll so let's just be fresh...
But it happens that sometimes...
http://fashioneptunes.blogspot.com
Bon courage from Paris ;-)
By the way when Paris will receive your book ??
Madonna-esque, c. 1984.
Anon. 3:31, actually I would guess the bra band is too big - that's why it's sliding up to where her ribcage is larger.
I hate, hate, HATE when girls show their bras. I feel like it shows that they didn't think about the outfit enough. Especially since hers clearly doesn't fit- it's way too high up in the back.
schruncy...schruncy...I can't breathe. I will just look at the bottom 2/3 of the photo then! that is chic.
Ooh I love this! Her dress is fantastic!
I HAVE THAT TOTE!!!
I feel like a part of me got on The Sartorialist!
It's really light-weight, rolls up really tiny and fits in any purse. I don't take store's bags anymore. Living green works! I get lots of compliments on it. It comes in many different colors and prints.
Envirosax makes it:
http://store.envirosax.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MK.B4.D
The rest of what she's wearing is great.
LOVIN THAT LIGHTENESS . GORGEOUS LOOK. ( WHAT A NICE BRA!)
XX
CHICMUSE
http://thechicmuse.blogspot.com
they call it underwear for a reason. otherwise, sweet.
yes...it really is a very beautiful shot. and all your points are correct, of course!
www.getobsessed.blogspot.com
I love people who aren't afraid to mix prints and patterns. This photo works on so many levels but also because each prints has black in them, the black acts as the common denominator, the unifying element.
the bra looks kind of carefree, in a very sexy girly way
lovely legs, bra and scrunchy...UGH.
i know you said this is really about perfection but i really hate how she has worn such a lovely bra....its riding soooo high up, but the prints truly are lovely!
love the look!
Absolutely against showing off your bra "à la Carrie Bradshow"
a simple , kind girl ... in a hot day
;)
Gorgeous Bra
Sure, as a young gentleman with ambition I'll gladly accept a peek from a woman that's taking her bra for a walk however from a sartorial point of view the scene is somewhat sloppy. Had she not worn the bra it would have been mo' better.
It also seems she chose a bodybuilder's singlet. Surely with the veritable treasure of vintage and second-hand stores peppering NY, if on a budget, one could do mo' better.
-Pietro
I see this a lot in town these days - girls in strappy tops with their usual bras straps just showing.
Granted, this girl is wearing a pretty, lacy bra. But mostly people are just wearing their normal bras -as long as the color matches or coordinates.
Maybe I'm old school, but it just looks tacky to me.
To the ordinary guy, this outfit works because she has a cute figure and great legs. lace bra schmace bra, no one cares.
I love this shot, bra-agreement or no. My favourites are always the regular-person-with-great-style shots and it's especially refresing to not have to look at the agressive, platformed 5" heels that have been on every style blog for the last year (the shoe version of a Hummer SUV and getting stale, if you ask me.)
I agree. We've been seeing a lot of the 'underwear as outerwear' look in London this season, too (I've been posting about it the past few months). I got so inspired, I pulled out a never worn half slip (tan with lace trim) and wore it as a skirt for a week.
Like anyone with an innate sense of good style, I'm sure she didn't fuss about it too much. To me, this just works: the patterns of the lace and the skirt and her bag just feel compatible, and she looks comfortable. It's not all matchy matchy and trying too hard. And I love the way the rest of the shot is so bleached out. It really conveys hot summer in the city: it could almost be Cuba.
And so what if it's a scrunchie! Bring back scrunchies, I say!
Beautiful...you have such a great eye for impeccable, small details.
http://fashionroadkill-halifax.blogspot.com
She's desperately seeking Susan...
nice catch; her bra looks pretty, as do her legs. did you get a shot from the front?
I agree about patterns - actually I like really big patterns and prints in the summer, but her mix of patterns doesn't suit me. I love to wear a really loud pattern, preferably a floaty dress, and then no other accessories.
The bra is pretty but not street wear in my opinion.
I think the bag looks like something cheap from Walmart.
I like the mixing of patterns, I think it's a really fresh and simple look that works for the Summer. But to me, the bag looks out of place.
And the bra works for her...but may not work for a lot of other people.
that bag is cute!
That bag is beautiful, and Her dress is fantastic!...wonder though how she looks upfront?
http://detodounpoco-laura94.blogspot.com/
Sart made it clear the "look" wasn't perfect but wanted to talk about doing a lot with a little. she did that very well.
I rarely do this but would like too... I just don't think I possess the fashion taste to do it correctly. To me mixing various patterns is very difficult and every time I try I feel I come up short.
She did a good job with the colors and the patterns.
Susan
www.undergroundcapecod.com
www.capecodairfield.com
Great post.. love it!
Sorry but showing the bra make this whole outfit looks awful. Mum always told me that anyhting from the underwear must be shown.
I have that bag- its the best shopping bag ever! These bags from envirosax.com roll up teeny tiny so u can keep them in your purse and never be without. Plus, they're super cute!
" Nobody feels like getting dressed up, or even dressed for that matter."
Yes, that's what I've been saying all the time.
Summer is the downside periode of fashion. In winter, you can find loads of people wearing 8 layer outfits..very beautiful.
i like it :)
nice blog!
I agree - i love the skirt, love the shoes, love the singlet - but she could have gone without the bra - I think she can pull it off, but would have been bettwe if she went without.
http://c-style-trial.blogspot.com/
she really needs proper bra-fitting :/ I really don't know why women neglect this part of wardrobe so much, they wouldn't wear too small or too big shoes!
I think the comfortable New York attitude is showing.It's not working much for me but it sure works for her. A bit unkempt to look at yet deliciously liberated with her choice.Great legs though....
I can't believe the bra is so controversial, it so obviously works in this look! A visible bra can be a tricky thing, as is remaining stylish in the sweltering heat, but this young lady looks great on both accounts.
Olive
www.VisforOlive.blogspot.com
if this "outfit" was seen in any european city, tomatoes would start dropping from the sky....
Oh my god!!!
It's a nice mix of patterns and muted colors. However, I don't think the bra fits. It turns what could have been a more fluid look into something slightly contrived. I'm curious if her outfit looks better from the front.
I guess I am a loser because I don't like seeing bras in public. I was never very fashion cool. Thanks for letting me look at your blog any way : )
Beautiful light - looks like such nice weather just to wander 'round in.
Strange and unconventional outfit...So Pretty!
I have that bag (found it at: wearunique.com )
Love the fact that Americans are becoming more French in their use of underwear as outerwear.
The bra is a perfect addition to the overall texture of the ensemble-keeping it contemporary amidst all those retro and ethnic prints.
the bra is sexy and lovely. she looks great. are you bra haters just prudes?
Scott, I love that you blow the Glamour "Do's and Don'ts" list out of the water. To me, style isn't about what any magazine has to say. Its about what feels good and right at the time and I think you show that quite well in your blog. Thanks!