 |
| source |
Before I ask my style question, I would be absolutely remiss if I did not say that my heart goes out to our Jeannie of the wonderful Colourful Corporate blog about the loss of her beloved husband. Words cannot express how sorry I am. But our Gigi, she of all things good in the blogger universe, has stepped up in a big way, and I encourage a visit to Gigi's blog to learn how we can help.
****************************
Many thanks for your wonderful comments yesterday! I always love to have a crackling good discussion on things I am thinking about and I always love your perspectives!
Today is a sartorial cry from the heart. It is a question that we have touched on before. But you KNOW my mind is a sieve and I simply can't recall all of this important style stuff and besides, you are the only people I trust to tell me the truth about the antics I am about to get up to, so I will fire away.
Yesterday, I received the blush linen v neck tshirt. I would never have picked it except that the aforementioned Gigi had a little picture on the end of one of her great review posts showing how good this tshirt looks with the fancy pants that Tiffany Rose and I now own (they look fantastic together TR).
I love this tshirt. I believe I will order one or two more now that they are 30% off as they are a nice weight and basic for hot summer days.
Then I started looking at the matching linen cardigan:
The Copywriter from Space describes them thusly:
We're loving this essential throw-on-and-go cardigan, thanks to a longer length and a flattering-on-everyone shape—not to mention the airy, lightweight feel.
Ah - longer length.
Of course, in the model's case, "longer length" doesn't even cover her bottom:
But on me, that same length might be halfway down my thigh, heading for Toledo! And is there such things as a flattering-on-everyone cardigan, or is it a unicorn, a sleight of hand?
So my question is more for those of you who are vertically inclined and for those of you who actually know whether something can look chic or redonkulous....
Yay or Nay?
Am I destined to stay forever with a short cardigan, or can I branch out to longer lengths, greater heights??????
Happy Wednesday! We have friends coming for supper and I am making a house favourite, Poulet Vallee D'Auge. We saw this on an episode of PBS' Smart Travels when Rudy Maxa (he of the preppy style) visited Normandy, and have made it to great acclaim since then:
Poulet Vallee D'Auge source
Servings 4
Prep. Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken (3 pounds), cut up
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 large tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup Calvados or applejack
1 cup heavy cream
1 Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2 Add apples and onions to pan. Cook until onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Add Calvados, reduce heat to a simer, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Stir in cream and cook, covered, 10 minutes longer, until chicken is tender. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Prep. Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken (3 pounds), cut up
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 large tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup Calvados or applejack
1 cup heavy cream
1 Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2 Add apples and onions to pan. Cook until onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Add Calvados, reduce heat to a simer, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Stir in cream and cook, covered, 10 minutes longer, until chicken is tender. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Have a happy Wednesday and stay safe out there!
I like my cardigans/jumpers longer if I'm wearing jeans/trousers, usually hip length or just below the butt, I like the clean sleek lines they give.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Jeannie's blog but feel an ache in my heart for her, how utterly tragic.
Oh you are enabling me - YAY!!!!
DeleteSHORT STUFF Well, WMM, I wear a few long cardigans with skinny pants. I think it's a matter of fit, proportion and sometimes showing a little skin somewhere (like pushing the sleeves up) to keep from looking dowdy-blanket-y. Hiding something under your sweater vs. wearing it well. For longer sweaters I find just above fingertip length works well. I sometimes belt and I always wear at least a small heel
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of untraditional "twin set" for summer ease. But one caution, I did not think the knit on those particular JC sweaters was fantastic when saw in-store. One on mannequin seemed quite baggy (lots of pinning in back) and ripply hemmed (which would only get worse with laundering) also easy to snag. Maybe just okay for a season a/o on promo, but that's it. Can your VPS give you an overall length measurement? And check reviews with JCAs if not lots of IRL comments here.
Yes Jeannie, her boys and family, in many thoughts, Gigi's rallying of cyber community important. To do something actual for someone far away, and every bit does help.
Thanks GF - that is good to know! The tshirts were fine, but I know sometimes cardis don't do as well in that kind of flimsy material! I may just order a nice grey tshirt and call it a day!
DeleteI am also vertically challenged but at this point I just wear whatever makes me happy, damn the rules. I think long cardigans will still work for petites as long as it is slim-fitting & not too overwhelming. I love grandpa cardigans during winter, though. I will try that recipe, it looks easy to do. So sorry to hear about Jeannie. This incident and your post yesterday remind us of what really matters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice Marie! I swear you will LOVE this chicken recipe - it is sooooo good! I love grandpa cardigans in the winter too!
DeleteYou are right about being reminded about what is truly important!
Ahhh, the length of a cardigan. Too short and it can make one look like a 1950's librarian or it can exaggerate the hip line. Too long and it looks like you are overtly trying to hide something...There is no universal perfect cardie length. Very much subjective. It can completely shorten one's legs and silhouette if not careful so you really must play around with the length for your figure. For me I go below waist but above the bum line unless it is a waterfall cardie.
ReplyDeleteCSW -that is my typical rule as well! Odd - I just realized I do not have a waterfall cardie in my wardrobe right now! I am afraid this one may be too flimsy to wear well. Some days, I would like to look like a 1950s librarian - what does that say about me?
DeleteIronically I think 1950's librarian look is rather naughty :p
DeleteI don't know what a waterfall cardigan is?
ReplyDeleteI think mid thigh is too long for most people;I'm 5'8" and would be too long for me, I think. I think you could get away with butt length. I have a natural linen one from a year or two ago and it can be kind of floppy.
thanks Lane! those waterfall cardis are the open ones that kind of flow down -shorter in front, longer towards bottom
DeleteMuch obliged-- I did not know they had a name.
DeleteI'm very vertically challenged and I must say that I Never wear long cardies as they make me look like a daggy blob. Above the bum for me. The only exception is a drapey fine silk Dries van Noten cardigan that hits me at mid thigh and somehow works with very silk pants.
ReplyDeleteI think you should order and see - with your free returns thingy it's a good time to take some sartorial risks without the horrors of return postage!
I'm so, so sad about Jeannie's heartbreaking news. Such a shocking thing to go through. It's just so awful :-(
Thanks Ruth! It is the very odd one that I can manage as well - so I may pass on these and let them be!
DeleteI have 3 quite long JC linen cardigans I bought on quite a sale last year and love them. I am 5'2" as well. They are so versatile, but they are sheer. They are especially pretty with skirts.
ReplyDeleteI never thought of them with skirts, but then to be honest I think I have worn a skirt once this spring! I have either been in pants or dresses!
DeleteI'm 5'4" and long cardigans are hit or miss on me. I have two linen cardigan from J. Crew that aren't favorites. I have a couple of long merino cardigans from J. Crew that I like pretty well. My favorites by far are the J. Crew Perfect-Fit Mixed-Tape cardigans. They are exactly the right proportions on me (and they are very low-maintenance).
ReplyDeleteI think the success of long cardigans depends on what you wear them with, too. I don't care for long with a full skirt. I prefer them with slim pants or jeans.
HI Cate! WIll have to take a look at those mixed tape cardis! I am actually thinking of buying something smart - the cashmere zip hoodie which is on sale and then on 30% off and which I would get 8 months of wear from. I think my practical side may win out!
DeleteI looooooooove the cashmere zip hoodie! Good choice! It's very different from the mix-tape cardi, though. Mixed-tape is jersey.
DeleteOff to go check that out - am trying to decide if i want to size up to a L instead of a M in the hoodie - what do you think?
DeleteI don't think you'd wear a Large in this. I wear an Medium and I take a size M or 10 (sometimes 8) in J. Crew tops.
DeleteI'm so sad for Jeannie and her boys. I am thankful for Gigi, she is a wonderful organizer and setting up the fund for Jeannie has been a great idea. May Jeannie's husband rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteAs far as your style question goes I think those linen cardigans are too thin, a long cardigan needs more structure. I like something long over pants to cover bits. Your chicken dish sounds so good, I hope you enjoy dinner with your friends!
I laughed when I read "to cover bits" - wondered which bits?????
DeleteI think one can pull off almost any look with the right proportions. But having said that, there are just some shapes that are much easier to work with, depending on your own body type and what you naturally gravitate toward. Sometimes it may just not be worth the effort. There are some styles that i thought i would not like and them i try it on and it suddenly becomes my favorite and there are some silhouettes that i keep trying but they never seem to work. So if you never tried long cardis only because of your statute, by all means, give them a try. Or if you are suddenly thinking of new way to wear them. Or if you noticed that the same looks you did not care for are suddenly appealing. If you tried and never felt good in them, they may just not be your thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks AJC - you are likely right - I have tried on one a few years ago and it just didn;t work!
DeleteWendy, thank you so much for linking to my blog and sharing the news about Jeannie, her husband and family. My heart is heavy and head dull, thinking about her 3 boys. I feel in shock for her. I'm so impressed by our community and the amount we've raised in less than 24 hours -- $1200! Amazing.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the linen tee/crazy pants combo. I thought it was very pretty. I am 5'2" and like long cardigans. I tend to wear them with shorts. I think because the lengths almost meet up, they don't compete. I wear it open & w/sleeves usually pushed up, like Get Fresh said. Never buttoned. I couldn't imagine. I always love your style questions :)
Gigi - you really are a true angel on this and we all appreciate being able to do a little something!
DeleteI am actually wearing linen tee crazy pants today with a jean jacket as it was cool!
Hi WMM. I think the goal is to lengthen your legs so, if you are wearing a monochrome outfit then go long cardigan but if not then go with the short cardigan. A long cardigan may make you look like you have a loooooong body and then just two short stumps for legs. All the best, CC.
ReplyDeletethanks CC! want to avoid stumps!
DeleteA lot to ponder today:
ReplyDeleteFirst off our dear sweet Jeannie. Words fail me and it seems so frivolous to comment in fashion while one of our own community is suffering so but sometimed you need a diversion. Thanks for spreading the word.
Next long verses short cardigans. I find I don't wear my old school printed jcrew cardigans much because they almost feel cropped especially when combined with the lower rise skirts, pants and shorts of today. When I wear them I feel like I'm tugging waist band up, sweater hem down all day and I like you am not tall at 5'3". These short cardigans are best over a dress I suppose. I like a longer cardigan, but not too long. My motto is loose on top, fitted on bottom and vice versa. A long loose cardigan with loose on the bottom spells frumpy to me. Shorties can do longer just with fitted on the bottom. I bought lots of sweater coat style sweaters for winter 11-12 and I found I didn't reach for them often this past winter. Of course this may have been due to my shopping addiction where I had many other new pretties on my mind.
Next: for you (& Ina if she is reading) I received the long awaited banana preorder tank in size S yesterday and I am a bit disappointed. It is very thin, short and low cut under the arms. It definitely requires a racer back bra and a cami The lookbook shows it paired with my neon embroidered skirt but there must have been some photoshop wizardry going on. I tried them together and you could see the neon skirt straight through the tank so it had to have been lined or worn over a cami. It is much shorter than the hawaian tank which I sized down to an XS on to get the underarm hole area to fit right. I fear if I sized down the banana it would be too short. Overall a miss for me. I will try a size down but I hope the print is available in another piece as was the Hawaiian print. HTH everyone and have a great day.
I am definitely thinking the banana top will not be staying with me! It shipped before I remembered to cancel, so am waiting for it to arrive as I have another thing to mail back. It is always something!
DeleteThanks for the great advice!
Thank you so much Shopping Celle!
DeleteToo bad that it didnt work out for you:(
I think the hawaain tank will be enough for me,as i had so many items to return because of fit.
Why cant Jcrew` have consistent sizing???
Ina - I second that emotion - I have everything from a size 6/Sm to a 10/L in my closet from there!
DeleteI'm so saddened for Jeannie and her family, especially those boys.
ReplyDeleteAt 5'5-1/2" longer cardigans used to be taboo, but no more. Nearly all of my Jackie length cardis are in donation pile. As others have said, sleeves pushed up and something fitted, with an open neckline, worn as the layering piece is key. Also, and obviously, nothing bulky. I'm built very differently than you so skimming my bottom vs adding any volume is key for keeping the proportion flattering.
Hi Julie. I just need it it to go over laverne and shirley and the belly which shall not be named.
DeleteI just snorted I was laughing so hard. Luckily I was only drinking water not a soda or I would be in pain. Maybe jcrew will come out with a new line of sweaters named for your "girls" with a "L" monogrammed on one side and a "S" on the other!
DeleteWell there is long and long. The one you are talking about doesn't seem so long that couldn't be worn by a petite but the very long ones, like the Eternity/Infinity of a few seasons ago were def. too long for me. I think that it is a question of proportions: the part of you that is covered by the cardi should be of equal length of the part that is not. Hope it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteEma,i agree with you.
DeleteThe Eternity/Infinity sweater were too long for me too and looked horrible on. But the shorter long cardigans work out with the proportions!
Thanks Ema (and Ina!) - I think I will try the mixed tape cardigan and maybe the blush linen, which is on sale for quite cheap but isn't final sale!
DeleteI think Sal at Already Pretty had a post about the Golden Ratio which helped me better understand why particular top lengths work and don't work. Worth checking out! Funny how there are comments about "too short" cardigans as that is what I am seeking (to go over dresses) and I cannot for the life of me find v-neck cardigans which stop around my waist! I want them for dresses, so that the necklines of the dresses show and so that the proportion of the dress (ie waist) is not disrupted.....
ReplyDeleteYou look so relaxed in all your pictures, not coincidence I think!