Ivy League x SW&D (Are these Pieces Coherent?)

[wmmk]

So I was reading Lel's fantastic "what is style?" thread, and was interested by the points made about consistency. I've also been reading lots of WAYWT posts and other threads in general.

Anyway, I'm in high school and trying to dress better for the first time. Right now, I'm just doing the "SF uniform" (New Cures, H&M tees in dark/mostly neutral colors, nice peacoat). However, I'd like to go for sort of a Ivy League x SW&D kind of look...if that makes any sense (remember that "if hemingway was 15, skinny, & listened to indie music" thread? Yeah, that was me).

So, here are some things I've been thinking of copping:

^^just the cardi, not the shirt.

^^just the shirt

^^again, just the [chambray] shirt

^^any good places other than J.Press to get these sort of scarves? J. Press is all sold out.

Would all of these pieces go relatively well with each other/the NC's/peacoat/H&M tees and would they help me accomplish the look I'm going for? If so, is there anything else I should look in to?

Thanks much,
wmmk

 

[bbaquiran]

I don't think the cardi would go with any of the shirts.

 

[Brutus]

Why did you remove the first pic? That was the one I think I liked the most minus the shoulder ornaments.

 

[why]

Originally Posted by Brutus

Why did you remove the first pic? That was the one I think I liked the most minus the shoulder ornaments.

Because the epaulets looked ridiculous on a blue and white gingham check.

 

[wmmk]

Originally Posted by bbaquiran

I don't think the cardi would go with any of the shirts.
Yeah. I wouldn't wear it with the shirts I posted, but rather with either solid tees or a slim white buttondown. Would that work in the same wardrobe as the shirts, or do the cardi just have a different 'vibe' than the ginghams?

Originally Posted by Brutus

Why did you remove the first pic? That was the one I think I liked the most minus the shoulder ornaments.
Well, first of all, it was about $90, which is a bit outside my high school budget. The rest of the shirts are ~$40. Plus, the I would be getting the shirt that's now 2nd in blue & white gingham; I don't need two nearly-identical shirts at this point.

Originally Posted by why

Because the epaulets looked ridiculous on a blue and white gingham check.
Yeah. I think my shoulders are just narrow enough to occasionally pull off epaulettes, but they did look a little weird with that particular pattern. What do you think of the detailing on the short-sleeve gingham, and are there any other sorts of other pieces that would go well with what I posted?

 

[why]

Originally Posted by wmmk

What do you think of the detailing on the short-sleeve gingham, and are there any other sorts of other pieces that would go well with what I posted?

If I remember correctly you're pretty slim. I don't mind the tabbed button contrast cuffs but I personally could never wear them because it draws too much attention to my arms. You need to have small arms for those.

It's also a requirement that your pants be lighter and have some white in there. The belt works for the model. I don't know how white jeans would look because then you'd look like a tablecloth.

I wouldn't buy it if you're on a budget because it's just hard to wear.

 

[wmmk]

Originally Posted by why

If I remember correctly you're pretty slim. I don't mind the tabbed button contrast cuffs but I personally could never wear them because it draws too much attention to my arms. You need to have small arms for those. It's also a requirement that your pants be lighter and have some white in there. The belt works for the model. I don't know how white jeans would look because then you'd look like a tablecloth. I wouldn't buy it if you're on a budget because it's just hard to wear.
Yeah, I'm definitely on the scrawny side (6'1," 150). However, I recently lost quite a bit of weight and still have a *tiny* bit of loose skin on the upper arms. Should I try to tighten that up before wearing shirts like this? (and when I say a tiny bit, I truly do mean tiny). Anyway, I definitely could never pull a white belt or jeans. Would the NC's work when they get more faded, or would I have to pick up something like a pair of khaki-colored 511's to wear with that shirt? Could the white come from an undershirt, or would I need something like white shoes? Oh, and FWIW, it is only $40, but I'd rather not spend $40 on something that's really hard to pull off.

 

[cmrocks]

How about a shawl collar cardigan instead? That seems to fit the look you're going for.

 

[Lel]

I like the initial cardigan and everything else afterward is fairly uninteresting (though that doesn't mean you can't integrate them into interesting outfits).

If you like the idea of a modern Ivy League style look at Band of Outsiders for aesthetics. Note that I said aesthetics and not to actually buy BoO.

If you really want to nail "Ivy League x SW&D" try perfecting a skinny jeans/sweater/dress shirt combo, like a combination of PinkPanster and Get Smart.

 

[tatet]

Try www.topman.com , they have a US website and even though many people don't like them for their quality, they have tons of slim basics that are cheap and hold up well. Probably the same quality as the stuff from asian websites

 

[bluemagic]

Post a picture of yourself.

 

[wmmk]

DucatiCole, in what sense would a shawl collar cardi work better? I feel as though most shawl-collars' fussiness and chunkiness would seem out of proportion when juxtaposed with the slim, minimalist New Cures. Lel, I like what I've seen of BoO, but their blogsite doesn't really show too much of the clothes. Who does the BoO aesthetic well at a lower pricepoint (I can deal with lower quality)? Also, I like the idea of skinny jeans/sweater/dress shirt. In fact, I already do that occasionally, but with a plain undershirt in place of the dress shirt. Any recommendations on making that look casual enough to pull of at high school, or should basic steez take care of that? And who makes sweaters that are slim, a bit tapered towards the waist, and long-armed at good prices? tatet, I'll check that out. Seems to be similar to H&M in pricing, but with a different aesthetic. I like it. And for bluemagic, here are two photos (the hip flare visible in the 2nd shot has lessened since breaking in the NC's a bit):

 

[Sherminator]

Well I typically buy the polo sweaters when they go on sale so you could wait on those. They are the crewneck types though in various wools. I also might pick up some coordinating shirts from Macy's on sale to wear underneath. Then all you have to do is pick the jeans to go with. Even if you get the sweater too small you should still be able to stretch them.

 

[tatet]

I don't know about you, but the reason I favor topman over H&M is that they have an online store and that they go down to xxs which is good for us skinny/short people

 

[Lel]

Originally Posted by wmmk

Lel, I like what I've seen of BoO, but their blogsite doesn't really show too much of the clothes. Who does the BoO aesthetic well at a lower pricepoint (I can deal with lower quality)?

Also, I like the idea of skinny jeans/sweater/dress shirt. In fact, I already do that occasionally, but with a plain undershirt in place of the dress shirt. Any recommendations on making that look casual enough to pull of at high school, or should basic steez take care of that? And who makes sweaters that are slim, a bit tapered towards the waist, and long-armed at good prices?

I'm looking into decent sweaters myself but I am a bit smaller than you are. Sized down in brands like JCrew might work, and I hear Uniqlo puts out decent cuts. So would H&M/Topman/Target, essentially the brands that target more trendier clothes with more affordable pricing. It might feel short on you, but I think to have an edgier take on certain styles one needs to have trimmer and more risky cuts to their fit.