winter whites

hi, friends!

hey, it’s a new month!  happy february.  i’m very excited for this week’s post because it features photographs by an incredible nashville-based photographer, will vastine.  will specializes in portrait photography, and his style lends itself to highly intimate, expressive photographs.  he reached out to me about taking some photos together, and we shot three looks.  i hope you enjoy the photos and the outfit/advice to follow.

this week i chose to explore monochromatic dressing with a focus on wearing winter whites.  many of you may have heard that the old “no white after labor day” rule is passé, and that is true.  most of the rules that are absolute in what you cannot wear are outdated (and boring).  wearing white and pastels feels very in-tune to nature and the weather, and wearing an outfit comprised of colors in the same family is very au courant and chic.

cardigan – free people {similar here}; necklace – top knot goods {similar here}; tee – free people; belt – j. crew {similar here}; jeans – free people;  turquoise ring – vintage; heels – givenchy {similar here}

 

what’s fun to me about this look is that it’s a steady balance of competing elements – the granny crochet cardigan with a slouchy tee shirt; destroyed jeans with fancy shoes.  that’s what creates interest in an outfit, at least for my eye. for you it may be different, but for me the balance of different styles is the most dynamic.  i also used the tan belt and leopard shoes as anchors for the look; since they are neutrals and still somewhat tonal, they blend easily but also lend visual interest, texture, and a bit of polish to the rest of the pieces.

the rules for monochromatic dressing are pretty simple.  the goal is to create a long line for the eye in order to make you appear taller.  many of you probably dress in head-to-toe black from time to time because you feel like it flatters you in some way (and maybe also because makes you feel like a badass?), and this is likely why.  keep in mind, though, that it doesn’t have to be all the same exact shade to still be chic.  this high-rise pair of white denim is clean and simple, and would look awesome for date night with a fringed ivory sweater and a pretty pair of pointed-toe pumps (go for a pop of color or neutral depending on your mood!).  you can also have fun with your bag — if you do a neutral shoe, do a colored bag, and vice versa.  there’s not really a right or wrong here.  transition the look to spring with your favorite sailor striped tee (this is a wardrobe must), bright lipstick, your brown belt, and nude pumps (or flats, or loafers, or mules… get it?).

 

➶details➴

although i bought this crochet cardigan new (albeit a million years ago), this would be a great piece to seek out via etsy or thrift stores for a really unique piece!

can i just gush for a minute?  like…how pretty are these shoes?

STYLE TIP
y’all may recall me mentioning that jeans with blown-out knees would be everywhere this season a few weeks ago. well, you’re also likely to see tons of jeans with these raw, uneven hems.  if you have an old pair of jeans lying around that you’d like to liven up, check out my pal clare’s tutorial for a wallet-friendly DIY!

that’s a wrap, folks! ➸

many thanks for reading!

➳ alyssa