CoedUgly's blog

Hey Uglies!

So I know what you’re thinking: But underwear IS innerwear, right? Right. But I’m not talking about bras and underwear. I’m talking slips, camis, and bloomers/bum covers. Yes, that’s right, the more esoteric underwear needs its time in the spotlight also.

Now before you decide that such underwear is just for old ladies and vintage dressers, think again! Why? SHEER fabrics! Sheerness has been huge on the runway and in reality lately and It looks amazingly ethereal or edgy depending on context. Only problem is that you have to wear something underneath (going commando is totally NOT AN OPTION). So let me introduce you to a few options.

Slips
A slip is a sheer-lover’s best friend! It’s basic, it’s discreet, and it’s incredibly versatile! Nude ones that match your skin tone fairly closely make it super easy to wear sheer dresses, skirts, and tops without making “tan lines,” which is what I call the color differences between where your slip ends and your skin begins. Under some clothing though, you’ll want to look like you have something underneath, so it’d be worthwhile to get one in black, white, or a nice color so it doesn’t look like you’re going commando — that kind of defeats the purpose of wearing a slip.

Slips are also useful under dresses and skirts that are unlined, so you won’t get any awkward bunching between your legs when you walk (wind + unlined skirt = semi cameltoe) or VPL. They’re also necessary during the fall to keep your skirts from sticking to your tights. If any of this has happened to you, then get one and observe in amazement as your awkward moments sharply decrease from then on out!

My picks: Utilitarian nude – Barenecessities.com, Girly blue lace – Anthropologie, Sheer pleated black – Urban Outfitters.

Half Slips
They’re the same as slips but, as the name implies, are halved. Super useful under skirts with perhaps a lacy edge just peeking out or even as a skirt with another slip underneath! All of the lack of embarrassment as a slip with all the comfort of not wearing yet another layer on top. Plus, letting a bit of lace peek out from under the edge of your dressyour dress is super chic.

My picks: Basic white lace – Barenecessities.com, Fancy blue with lace – Anthropologie, Stretchy “shaping” black – Spanx.

Camis
I’m of the opinion that every girl needs a good nude cami for sheer or lacy tops. Or maybe that’s just me because I’m partial to anything of that ilk (ruffles too, please!). A nice nude colored one is, as always, a good thing to have around, but since camis have become pretty much appropriate for normal outdoor wear, it’s pretty easy to find more than a few super cute options.

My picks: Basic nude – Anthropologie, Lacy black bustier – Anthropologie, Amazing lace – Urban Outfitters

Bum Covers
Last but definitely not least, bum covers are a constant must-have for me — mostly after a few scarring incidences of seeing far too much of a miniskirt-clad girl’s thong-cleaved derierre on blustery days. Knowing I’d never want to be in her place, I always opt for a pair of discreet short-shorts (which I dubbed “bum-covers”) under shorter skirts and dresses. Something basic and tight-fitting generally does the trick. I opt for nude or white-ish since those colors won’t show under my skirt, but you could wear neon so no one will dare think they caught a peek of your bum!

My picks: nude bike shorts, lavender high-waist shorts, neon yellow shorts — all American Apparel.

That’s it, uglies! There are so many ways of staying covered up that I’ll no longer feel sorry for any of you where VPL awkwardness is concerned. Take care!

<3 Wendy

Items in this photo
vintage floral tiered sheer purple dress
thrifted brown belt
Marni lucite platform brown shoes
H&M brown necklace
vintage lacy slip beige intimate

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Oh noes! You’ve caught me in my underthings! Quick, Uglies! AVERT YOUR GAZES!

Okay, so this was quite clearly orchestrated. I’m not actually in my undies proper, but rather just posing (somewhat scandalously) in an underwear-inspired look. Even though VPL (the atrocity, not the label) is pretty much the epitome of bad taste, and even Connie doth protest it as something that never works, I beg to differ.

It’s not that I like baring my ladybits to the public (I have never even been close to pulling a Janet Jackson) nor am I really into sexy dressing (I prudishly blush at the thought!) but somehow, the idea of underwear as outerwear greatly intrigues me. My guess is that it’s because lingerie is so resolutely feminine. Though there are certainly utilitarian undies made of plain cotton, lingerie nearly always seduces with the promise of sheerness, ruffles, pastels, and lace… all of which I am completely digging this summer.

Charles Anastase achieved this look to utter perfection in his S/S 09 collection, with all manner of sheerness, long socks, and bloomers and managed to give off an overall vibe of innocence and even — dare I say — nerdiness despite the blatant sexy connotations of lingerie. I like to think of the collection as something that the Luella girl might be wearing if you forced her to strip. Okay, kind of a creepy way to say it, but violation aside, it’s a very girlish and innocently sexy collection, which I absolutely love.

That’s not to say that you can’t do it in a vampy sexy way. My mind always goes back to this editorial photo whenever I think of underwear as outerwear. Neon undies under sheer but slightly frowsy Victorianesque dresses strikes just the right balance for me. I wouldn’t wear this look as is (you’d definitely get some male attention of the wrong kind), but the idea of bright undies below a layer of sheerness definitely inspired my outfit at right.

Which brings me to the most important part and the reason you’re here: How to pull off this look in the real world. I think with something as daring as this, it’ll take some practice, so start with “Mild” and try working your way up to “Extraspicy” and see how you like it! Just don’t show more than you’re comfortable with.

Mild

Wear a slip (or two) as a dress for a subtle hint of lingerie spice. Just make sure that what you’re wearing isn’t too transparent! Who better to demonstrate this to us than the lovely Aranell?

Zesty

Wear a bustier or corset as a top for a bodycon look that’s not too over-the-top! This would look great with fuller skirts and is subtle enough to not really resemble underwear at all! Slanelle toughens up this look by layering her corset top with black and adding lace-up boots.

Piquant

Wear a crinoline as a skirt for some sweet girlish flair! All the layers will mean that it’s not too transparent, and will be very fun and feminine. If it’s still too sheer, a pair of tights should ensure that your pantyline remains invisible as it should. You can also try pairing it a la Charles Anastase with some thigh-high stockings and garters for a vintage burlesque look. QueenElizabeth pulls this look off to perfection!

Spicy

Wear a pair of bloomers or rhumba panties as short shorts! Both are flirty, a little racy, and a lot of fun! Plus, I can vouch for the fact that the AA bloomers are exceedingly comfy. My fellow lover of AA bloomers, TheStylishWanderer wears hers in a more casual but no less awesome way.

Extraspicy

Wear a sheer top with nothing but a bra underneath! Yeah, this is definitely bordering on pornography, but I think it can be done well. I think this is best done with simple bras (like the AA one I’m wearing)/tube tops so that it looks less accidental. I couldn’t find anyone in the style gallery to exemplify this (for shame!), so to prevent you from only going off my above example, I present you with the always inspiring Miss Susie Bubble instead! Doesn’t she look so amazing yet casual? I’m definitely envious.

If you’re nervous about this one, try layering a blazer or cardigan on top or a simple tee or tank underneath. DEFINITELY keep your bum covered, unless you want to look like you’re open for business.

Now go and experiment, uglies and make sure to have fun with this one!

<3 Wendy

Items in this photo
vintage flatsloral beige hat
vintage sheer lacy beige blouse
aa yellow bra
aa stripy bloomers blue shorts
H&M bow black belt
Rachel Comey oxfords white shoes

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Hey Uglies!

Here’s a super quick and easy pseudo-DIY for you!

You probably have at least a few slightly-too-big-for-you jackets or sweaters that you bought on a whim in the back of your closet, right? Well, instead of waiting for moths to slowly eat them (Happened to one of my favorite cardigans recently. GIANT holes. Was pissed.), try this!

What you need:

1 sweater/jacket in the aforementioned unflattering size
1 shiny, horizontally-oriented brooch; a kilt pin (basically a huge safety pin) would work really well for this too

What to do:

Really, there’s only one step to this. Just pin some of the excess fabric on the back of your sweater/jacket with your shiny little brooch and you’ll instantly have a better fit. MAGIC! Here I am wearing my slightly-too-big thrifted beaded jacket both before DIY-itude (in which I look like I’ve aged about 40 years… oh well.) and after. I know it’s hard to tell, but it was waaaaay boxier and prone to slipping off my shoulders before pinning. Plus, now it’s cute on the back too!

It’ll take a bit of trial and error to find the ideal place, so just keep pinning and trying it on until it looks good to you. I would recommend placing the pin at the center and under your shoulder blades or at your natural waist. Just don’t go overboard and pin too much or you won’t be able to move your shoulders forward when wearing it later!

And ta-da! There you have it! A jacket/sweater that fits well from the front, and looks spiffy in the back too. Plus it only took you all of what, five minutes? So if studding’s got your hands sore and you’re too ADD to shred your tees (I’ll admit to that one), try this DIY and you can still feel productive!

I’d love to see your results, so leave ‘em in the comments if you have ’em! Have fun with this one, y’all!

<3 Wendy

Items in this photo
thrifted beaded bolero blue jacket
thrifted worn as dress lacy white skirt
thrifted black belt
Target black tights
Chie Mihara lime green heeled black shoes
H&M necklace worn as headband gold accessories

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Based on the results from the polls in the last couple of posts, it looks like some of you still aren’t fans of color. I understand that some of you will never be fond of color and will stick to your stance of “monochrome or bust” (which I totally respect). However, for those who are still confused or unsure about how to incorporate color into your daily look, I offer a few tips for both those who don’t have enough color and those who have too much color in their wardrobes.

Dark shades vs. black

Love blacks and greys? Try wearing dark shades of colors instead, like the pieces shown to the right. They are still dark and gloomy and kind of hardcore (if that’s what your thing) and forgiving of stains and post-meal bloat (if that’s what you’re worried about).

Adding colors like these will lend an outfit a bit more visual depth than just black, white, and shades of grey, which can often appear a bit flat when used alone in an outfit. I personally lean towards dark blue (which is a neutral in its own right), purple, and burgundy when I make replacements such as these, though dark green and brown would work equally well for this purpose. Try mixing dark shades for a subtly dynamic outfit. All the qualities you love in darks with all the awesomeness of color! Wendy (in the 2nd picture, not me, hehe) shows this off very well with her use of dark blue and brown with black.

Accessorize in Technicolor

It’s kind of a cliche for fashion magazines to say that you can “punch up” a neutral outfit with bright accessories, but like I’ve found with a lot of cliches, this concept only is one because it’s true. Wearing colorful accessories can make your monochrome (or multicolor) outfit more dynamic. Jewelry, belts, tights, bags, and shoes are all candidates to throw a “punch in the vertical direction” at your outfit. There are two reasons why this is one of the simplest ways to wear color:

1) Accessories are usually relatively small compared to, say, pants. Because of that, even super-bright accessories are subtler than you might expect. It’s a good way to wear bright color without looking too crazy.

2) “Flattering” colors matter much less with respect to accessories than they do with, say, shirts or dresses. It’s pretty much impossible for a bracelet or bag to make you look fat or washed-out, for instance.

In any case, colorful accessories add AWESOME to your outfit, especially if it’s otherwise monochrome. The first picture is my attempt to demonstrate this to you… and yes, I look weirded out because I almost never wear this many neutrals. AriElise does this a lot better than I do with her rainbow scarf which totally makes the outfit.

Add Neutrals

If you have a menagerie of colorful clothing and constantly feel like your clothing doesn’t go together, neutrals are your best friends. I don’t know how many times the addition of a plain black sweater or a simple navy blue blazer has saved my colorful outfits from looking too crazy. This is also why most of my shoes and bags are black, white, or brown.

Adding neutrals to colorful outfits is a great way for you to incorporate both colorful pieces and the staples that you almost certainly have already. And if you’re guilty like I am of never buying neutrals, trust me, they make your outfits SO much easier to put together and more intentional-looking, so it’s definitely worth it to invest in some! Check out fashion_lover’s bright but casual outfit to see how well a dark blazer can balance out a bright floral dress!

A few suggestions:
-Black, grey, or navy blue cardigan/blazer
-Beige/white cardigan
-Black or grey tights (I assume everyone has a pair by now)
-Neutral shoes with an interesting but simple design
-Neutral bag that grounds even the most colorful look

Never Fear!

Keep in mind that dressing in color is pretty hard in terms of getting colors to work harmoniously; you’re not necessarily going to get it right all the time, so just keep trying combinations and have faith in yourself. [Cheese alert] As always, I’ll be skulking around the style gallery and looking for style.

<3 Wendy

Items in this photo
vintage red hat
Polo Ralph Lauren blue sweater
H&M white dress
foley + corinna blue purse
vintage beige shoes
thrifted birds! silver necklace

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First off, if you haven’t read part 1 of this series, go read it now! (I’ll wait.) If you have already read part one and are curious for more, then read on!

So hopefully, after reading the previous post, you have decided that maybe color isn’t such a difficult thing — that with some experimentation, it is workable into your wardrobe. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part, but does it look like there are more colors in the style gallery than before? In hopes that this will continue (either in my mind or in reality) here are a few more color theory-approved ways to combine colors.

Secondary Colors

The secondary colors are green, purple, and orange. They are called secondary colors because each is created from a mixture of two primary colors. I have to admit that personally, I’m not very good with this color combo since I tend to gravitate toward primary-colored pieces. In my outfit photo, I am trying my very hardest to use the few green, orange, and purple pieces I actually own to make a wearable outfit. So if I can do it, I’m sure you can too. :)

To get back to color theory… these colors have about the same amount of tension as the primary colors do, but can be done very well, especially when matched with a few neutrals like I have done (the navy blazer and the beige top). Neutrals might actually be somewhat necessary for you to avoid looking like a cartoon character, though Daphne from Scooby Doo pulls it off extremely well!

Slightly-Off Color Combos

Color combos that are slightly off are hugely appealing to me because they have slightly less visual tension and are easier to pull off than the primary, complementary, and secondary color combos that I’ve shown you already, but are still wonderfully vibrant. Basically you would take any one of the previously mentioned color combos (except for analogous) and you would change one of the colors for an adjacent color on the color wheel. One example would be my outfit in the previous post , in which I substituted pink for red in my primary color-based outfit. It’s a bit subtler but still very colorful.

Other examples of this: fashionfake’s green, purple, and yellow outfit, which would be a secondary color outfit except for the substitution of yellow for orange. Ringo’s blue and yellow combination, which would be complementary but for the substitution of yellow for orange.

Be a Rebel!

In the end, color theory is only a set of guidelines, and you can wear color in virtually any way you please. I don’t know if rules for color in an outfit can really be adequately or holistically explained, so the key is to just keep experimenting and have no fear! MSroboto embodies this very well, with her very daring use of color.

Still kind of intimidated by color? Stay tuned for the final part 3, in which I’ll go over some fun and easy ways to wear color without looking like Rainbow Brite.

<3 Wendy

P.S. Two inadvertent cartoon character references In one post? Must be a testament to my maturity. :D

POLL: Which would you be most likely to wear? Items in this photo
vintage wool beret green hat
vintage 50s sheer ruffly beige blouse
thrifted vintage? printed green scarf
Thrifted Gap wool with pockets! orange skirt
thrifted vintage? leather purple belt
vintage Kenneth Cole purple cutout oxford heels purple shoes

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I know that Chictopians are notoriously fans of black, white, and all shades of grey, but personally, I love COLOR! In fact, during my teenage years, I used to wear crazy Japanese streetstyle-inspired outfits all the time.

Clearly, my style has changed since then, but although I no longer dress in rainbow vomit, I have learned a lot about color mixing and matching from that phase in my life. So that you don’t have to go through a crazy dressing phase to reach Color Nirvana (though if you want to, I’d love to see!), I will pass my knowledge off to you and hope that more colorful outfits will appear in the style gallery soon.

First off, let me introduce you to my friend, Monsieur Color Wheel. Cheery little guy, isn’t he? He will be super-helpful in our color lesson. Let’s start with the basics, which many of you might have learned in grade school.

Primary Colors

The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue; they are called “primary colors” because when mixed together, they can produce any color imaginable They can also look great together; in fact, this is my absolute favorite color combination and I love doing variations on it. As you can see in my outfit at left, I’ve substituted red for pink (a close relative). Some examples of variations can be seen on the left as well. These colors have a lot of contrast with each other, but also manage to balance each other out very nicely and look wonderfully colorful without looking too crazy — at least, I think so!

Analogous Colors

Analogous colors are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. These colors are generally made up of subtle transitions from one color to an adjacent color and can lend an ombre effect if ordered in that way. An outfit with this kind of color scheme is easy to put together without clashing or looking gaudy, and can look completely stunning too. Zanita shows how it’s done with a bunch of textures, and very similar shades of color.

Complementary Colors

Complementary colors are pairs of colors that are across from each other on the color wheel. In a broad sense, the color pairings are blue & orange, yellow & purple, and red & green. Complementary colors are, in terms of visual impact, colors that make each other look as vibrant as possible. Because of this, a complementary color scheme has a high level of visual tension, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You might try an outfit with complementary colors in two subdued hues, or a bright hue and a subdued hue like Emoism . Of course, to truly stand out, you can wear bright shades of both complementary colors and all eyes will be on you!

Because color theory is really too broad of a topic to properly cover in one post, this is the first of 3 installments on color which I hope will be informative and inspiring for all aspiring Coloristas out there (I apparently fail at word creation). Stay tuned, y’all!

<3 Wendy

P.S. Sorry for the slightly technical talk. I swear, it’s really difficult to explain these things, and I’m trying my best.

POLL: Which of these would you most likely wear? Items in this photo
thrifted little boy's blue blazer
Manoush printed silk pink top
vintage tennis pleated yellow skirt
PLV wannabe marni patent platform gray shoes
f21 huge white necklace
Target disco ball headband silver accessories

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