Wednesday, August 11, 2010

The Unseasoned Series: Part 2

 
Part 2 in the series, or, the trilogy if you will, as there will be three. More epic than the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Obviously.

So today it's all about lace tops. I Wikipediaed the history of lace, and traditionally it is used for doilies and tablecloths, but the Wiki does mention that today it is often used in clothing - perish the thought! And so I will celebrate lace's valiant leap from clothing tables to clothing humans - definitely an upgrade. 

Lace often gets lumped in with vintage or Victorian inspired clothing, but the right lace tops can look modern, feminine and chic. One of the tops I have here is definitely more of a bohemian style than anything else. Each of these lace tops is created to flatter your body, not a table (even though I've heard they have great legs!).
 

1. Beyond Vintage Lace Detail Blouse 330. 
2. Joie Lace Blouse 198.
3. Charlotte Russe Scalloped Lace Top 20.

I love that numbers 2 and 3 are essentially the same blouse and yet the price difference is shocking. Number 1 has some more length to it than 2 and 3 - those two are more boxy and would hit a person higher on the hip-bone.

Regardless, here is how to wear lace tops in the summer time.  

 
1. Banana Republic Stippled Leather Belt 59.50. I love brown leather with blue, I think it is so fresh looking. 

2. ModCloth Basic Principles Skirt 44.99. This skirt is such a lovely hue of blue. Not navy, not baby blue. It reminds me of the blues used on houses in Malibu. Also, with a boxy straight up-and-down lace blouse, it needs to be tucked in to a fuller circle skirt. This skirt is the perfect silhouette. 

3. Daniblack India Flat 140. I love that the stitching and bow on this flat aren't actually stitching or a bow at all - they are drawn on. I think that's a very clever and modern way to update the old-school classic quilted ballet flat.

So that's for wearing now. But how can you carry these lovely lace blouses past Labor Day (especially since they are white!)? Here is how I would do it. 

1. Daftbird Back Zipper Woven Skirt 105. Another great circle skirt to pair with the boxy lace top. Black means fall to me, or nighttime. 

2. Urban Outfitters Sheer Black Tights 12. Since the skirt is black, and the shoes are black, I would keep the tights a sheer black. If you do an opaque black tight it wil start to look way too bottom heavy. 

3. BCBGirls Tinas Pump 89. This can of course be paired with a black flat as well. Trust me, I am not trapsing around in these heels day to day. But if you have the stamina, the outfit would look great with black pumps.

I have often been turned off from lace because it can look kitschy, but doing the research for this post has made me totally fall in love with these tops and I want to buy every single one. That is the trouble with this blog, it's encouraging my already rampant consumerism. Well, at least it's a great excuse. I need to shop so I can blog! Anyhow. Look for part 3 tomorrow!