When I dress for myself, as I am sure you can all see by now, I’m highly influenced by two things: mood & menswear. Mood. It isn’t just the mood I happen to be in when getting dressed, but rather it’s the mood, the look, the time frame, or character I seem to be channeling at that moment, for whatever inexplicable reason. So when it comes to ruling menswear inspired looks it’s all about achieving a balancing act: always keeping a shred of femininity in mind. So here’s how you can, and I do, do it…
This “greige” grunge look takes elements of the 90s grunge era (think Courtney Love & Hole) with the black velvet choker and designer ripped jeans, and loose “rootie” bended hair. No, it’s not an office or holiday party look, but it’s fiercely me in my current casual moments. When I dress for myself, as I am sure you can all see by now, I am highly influenced by two things: mood & menswear.
Like I said before Mood, isn’t just the mood I happen to be in when getting dressed, but rather it’s the mood, the look, the time frame, or character I seem to be channeling or seeing come out in my closet. For instance, the round Boohoo frames I chose to put on in today’s look made me feel entirely like Penny Lane (ie Kate Hudson) in Almost Famous, a character and movie I love and idolized as a teenager. Seeing a glimmer of Penny in my face gave me a confident free-spirited kick that immediately influenced my jean selection, and the addition of a free flowing cozy cable knit poncho. The metallic oxfords have been a favorite of mine since last season, and reemphasize the menswear nod, in highlighting the boyfriend cut of the highly highly distressed jeans. This menswear approach feels very Mick Jagger to me (it’s probably the metallic), and makes the whole look bounce back and forth from 70s to 90s revival chic. Last season I choose leather skinnies and pleated midi skirts to pair with oxfords, but now just love the edge and slouch against the clean and polish.
When it comes to ruling menswear inspired looks it’s all about that balancing act, that balancing of masculine and feminine fashion. Just think about stealing you boyfriend’s cozy cashmere sweater in the debt of winter: it’s over sized and snug and so you pair it with dark leggings or skinny jeans and a high healed boot to off set the masculine fall of the sweater and oversized proportions. Then you’d probably throw on a killer pair of statement shades and some piece of jewelry that shined or sparkled (hence the dusty grey “Druzy” stack of stone bracelets I added to the look above).
So when sporting slashed boyfriend jeans, cuffed like a school boy no less, and lace up oxfords it’s important to approach your top or top layers with some femininity in mind. Trying a form fitting tunic shirt and fitted jacket or blazer would keep the balance in the look above beautifully, but the flirty and soft look and feel of a grey knit poncho cape seems perfectly unexpected and appears completely casual, exceedingly comfortable, and entirely unplanned. And good casual menswear, if done well of course, does have that fabulous element of the “just thrown on” look, so make sure to harness that feeling, without crossing over to the dark sloppy side, when trying out this trend.
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love that glasses!!!!!!