His & Hers: The Blues

     For last week's His & Hers post, Patrick and I styled looks based on a pink color palette. This week, in light of the royal baby mania, it was only appropriate that we put together looks based on one of our shared favorite colors: blue! While I've mentioned several times that my wardrobe is fairly muted, one color that shows up time and time again is blue. Whether it's navy stripes, a blue oxford button down, or a pretty blue print, it's definitely one of my power colors for all seasons. The walls from my childhood bedroom were painted a color that I dreamed up myself. I told my dad (who works at the Kittrell family paint store) that I wanted the color of my walls to resemble faded blue jeans. To this day that is the only color I ever want my bedroom painted.

Hers:

Embroidered top, Groovy's in Rockwall. Boyfriend jeans and t-strap shoes, Gap. Vintage belt and Dooney & Bourke purse. Sunglasses, Urban Outfitters (similar online). Nars velvet matte lip pencil in Dragon Girl.

     It wasn't very hard for me to come up with an almost entirely blue outfit for this look. While I tend to stray away from matching too much, the pairing of my embroidered blouse with my bright Gap flats was too perfect to resist. The color is so striking to photograph (especially against my pale feet) that it ties the look together. I also want to take a moment to appreciate this pair of jeans from Gap. I love a perfectly tailored skinny crop more than anything...until I wear these boyfriend jeans. Seriously, if you're looking for a pair that fits great around the waist and rear but is a true straight, "boy" cut, then these are for you! I have them in two washes because loving the color blue also comes with a serious denim addiction.

His:

Hawkins McGill Barker shirt, Urban Outfitters. Hawkins McGill cut off chino shorts, Urban Outfitters (similar here).  Thrifted Perry Ellis belt. Black leather band watch, Skagen. 

     This outfit strikes me as perfectly Patrick in a few different ways. First of all, the bright shade of blue is so suited to his outgoing personality. Instead of a finished hem, I love that these shorts are cut-offs because it truly shows how laid back he is. Furthermore, we have a running joke that Patrick is essentially like an overgrown golden retriever puppy in human form. While the dogs on his button up are dalmatians, it's still a perfect fit. I was actually the one who had to talk him into the shirt because he didn't think the dog print was very professional. However, he says now that it is one of his favorite shirts.

     I hope you've enjoyed our blue looks today. Instead of thinking of "the blues" as being sad I think of mainly two things: the type of music (hey Dad) and the abundance of hues of the primary color that I have in my wardrobe. What's your favorite color to wear? 

Past His & Hers: Blazers and Grey Pants; White button up; Black V neck; Denim shirt; Flannel shirt; Mixed prints; Emerald; Gingham shirts; Blue oxfords; Big Fish; Suspenders; A Commentary; Rose Tinted Glasses

His & Hers: Rose Tinted Glasses

     For those of you reading this who have known me for years, this is no surprise: I really don't like the color pink. While in my mother's wardrobe, hot pink is something of a neutral, I honestly can't name one item in my own closet that is any shade of the feminine hue. It's funny to me that pink has become visually synonymous with all things girly and sweet because it actually used to be a color for boys. According to the article "When Did Girls Start Wearing Pink?" from Smithsonian.com, the shift to girls wearing pink didn't happen until the 1940s; however, up until that point, after gender specific clothing was established for children, retailers and journals alike advised parents to dress their little girls in blue and their little boys in pink. If you are interested in the cultural and historical intersection with fashion trends then I highly recommend the article for more details.
      All that being said, when Patrick and I decided to shoot pictures for a His & Hers post, we had outfits on that looked nothing alike. However, I recently picked up the sweet shades you see pictured below. Not only is the top frame pink, but they also turn my surroundings into the most blissful cotton-candy colored dream world. While it might be a stretch to say that both Patrick and I are featuring pink prominently in our outfits, my lipstick and sunglasses provide enough of the color for me.

Hers:

Button front dress, J. Crew. Essential Element Boot, Modcloth (one left in a size 7, but Jeffrey Campbell makes a similar style found here). Pink and tortoise round sunglasses, Milk & Honey in Dallas. Chibi Jewels arrow necklace . Black wrap watch, La Mer Collections. 

      While the rest of my outfit is black and white, I thought the pink shades went perfectly with my ankle boots and favorite printed dress. Watching the sunset through the literal rose tinted lenses was the perfect way to end the evening. I knew that red lipstick wouldn't match the glasses as well as my favorite bright pink from Nars. Who knows, maybe I could end up liking pink a bit more after all. I certainly enjoy light pink dress shirts on men...

His:

Light pink shirt, thrifted. Straight leg chinos, H&M. Argyle socks, Target. Brown dress shoes, hand-me-down. 

     There's something so classic about a well-fitting, pastel dress shirt. I prefer oxford cloth over anything that's less casual, but the thin stripes make the pink more subtle. Patrick did an excellent job matching up the colors in this outfit. Now all that's missing is some cooler temperatures and a navy blazer.

(For a tutorial on how to edit your pictures like this one, click here!)

     I hope you've enjoyed this rosy His & Hers post. While we haven't had much of a chance to style looks for this feature over the summer, Patrick and I have made it a goal to start doing this again regularly. It's like a built-in date where we both look nice; plus, I get to explore my love of menswear.
    Past His & Hers: Blazers and Grey Pants; White button up; Black V neck; Denim shirt; Flannel shirt; Mixed prints; Emerald; Gingham shirts; Blue oxfords; Big Fish; Suspenders; A Commentary

His & Hers: A Commentary

What is one thing that you won’t be called when wearing a full circle skirt and a peter pan collar? A badass. 
Maybe this isn’t the look you are going after. Giving off an aura of femininity and charm is certainly appealing. Bows, lace, and tulle are an easy way to update a more casual wardrobe. Traditionally masculine pieces are usually thought of as too casual or sloppy to make the cut, especially in a certain subset of the fashion blogging community.

    I am thrilled with the diversity of content and styles that are available at our fingertips because of the internet. There are blogs dedicated to the lifestyle of a tomboy. On the other hand, there are bloggers who write, repeatedly, about how much they hate pants. I love seeing where my current ideal style lands on the spectrum, but I have a few qualms with some of the ideas I see going on here.

    First of all, I’ve often heard women lamenting the fact that our clothes are designated for women and women only. When women wear something more androgynous or gender bending, they are lauded for the styling tactic. But the thought of a man in a dress? I’m going to be honest here; it seems ridiculous.

    I’m not saying that this should be the case. The idea that men’s clothing is somehow respectable enough to transcend stereotypical boundaries is pretty blatantly against my values. When a female exhibits certain qualities that make her more of a “bro”,which extends to androgynous styling of hair or clothing, why is that more readily seen as cool than an effeminate male?

I don't think the solution here is as simple as men wearing women's clothing. The ideas go much deeper than that. That being effeminate is often used as an insult, even for women ("Stop being such a girl"...ever heard that one?) is a problem within itself. In a lot of ways the fashion industry pushes boundaries to promote more awareness of gender issues. Just take a look at Casey Legler or Andrej Pejic. But if it happened more often, and perhaps without so much fanfare, then this new equalization effect would perhaps have the chance to become the norm- in both style and society.

His & Hers: Suspenders

     Menswear for women is something that I've always admired. Being able to turn a traditionally masculine item around for my own outfits is fun. The aesthetic that it presents is a great break from the more traditionally feminine items in my wardrobe. Sometimes, it's even better when I combine the two. That being said, Patrick and I decided to style an item that I have since vowed to wear more often: suspenders.

Hers:

BDG Classic oxford button down, Urban Outfitters. Boyfriend jeans, Gap. Suspenders and vintage oxford shoes, thrifted. The Essex Messenger in bittersweet, Madewell.

     While this outfit is on the simple side, I felt perfectly "me" all day. Doing a bit of gender bending with my sartorial choices has never bothered me, but I've noticed that the amount of appeal it has comes in waves. I'm definitely gravitating towards less girly pieces. I still love dresses and skirts and dainty ballet flats, but I find myself preferring simple patterns and shapes over outfits with a lot of bells and whistles. However, I am excited to pair these suspenders with skirts and different button up shirts over the coming months. 

His:

Button down shirt, Forever 21. Red skinny jeans, Target. Suspenders and blazer, thrifted. Vintage Florsheim shoes.

    In this case, there isn't a whole lot of contrast between the looks that Patrick and I put together. We both stuck to streamlined shapes and plain colors as opposed to patterns. The suspenders that Patrick has weren't exactly cooperating (you can tell he has pulled the adjusting bar all the way down), so he ended up wearing them for only a short time. They were mostly covered by his blazer during the day anyways. Honestly, I would feel a bit ridiculous if we were running our daily errands looking this matchy-matchy, so thankfully that is only for the sake of this photoshoot!

     I hope you've enjoyed this round of His & Hers! I'm excited to start transitioning into more summer appropriate outfits as the weather gets warmer (although I'm writing this while it's in the 50s and rainy outside). 

     Past His & Hers: Blazers and Grey Pants; White button up; Black V neck; Denim shirt; Flannel shirt; Mixed prints; Emerald; Gingham shirts; Blue oxfords; Big Fish

His & Hers: Big Fish

    This week, instead of doing our normal styling of a similar item to show, Patrick and I wanted to share something special. One of my favorite movies of all time is the Tim Burton directed film Big Fish. I can't believe the movie is already ten years old, as its release date was 2003. It's a visual feast, to be sure, but the story is also one of the greatest love stories of our time. That isn't just limited to romantic love, though. The weaving of the mythical with the beautiful creates a timeless tale that I could watch again and again.
     In particular, one of my favorite scenes in the film is when the protagonist, Edward Bloom (played perfectly by Ewan McGregor), finally finds the girl he's fallen in love with. Although he's only seen her once, he works to find out everything he can about her. This eventually leads to his proposal in the most expansive field of daffodils that I could imagine. Fortunately, Patrick and I were able to somewhat recreate some stills from this scene.

If the video doesn't play, click through to the YouTube link.

     There are a few still shots in particular that stick out to me. Edward Bloom standing in the field, grinning ridiculously. Sandra's face in front of the flowers. And of course, the two sitting in the field together.

     I didn't happen to have a floor length blue nightgown lying around, but I thought my vintage inspired Tommy Hilfiger dress that I bought last summer did the trick. Patrick helped pick out a modernized version of Edward Bloom's navy suit and black tie from his closet. I thought our interpretations went pretty well with the overall aesthetic without seeming like costumes. 

    What you don't see here is that this beautiful field of flowers is located on the side of one of the busier roads in the area. Luckily, several miles of Tennessee roads in this area are covered with this type of field on either side. It makes for some truly stunning photos, even if I was a little bit afraid that we would get called out by the cops. No authorities reprimanded us; however, we did get honked at quite a bit!

    I hope you've enjoyed our not-so-traditional approach to His & Hers this week. We had a blast shooting together and while the flowers are already gone, I'm so glad I could make the vision I had for this shoot a reality.

     Past His & Hers: Blazers and Grey Pants; White button up; Black V neck; Denim shirt; Flannel shirt; Mixed prints; Emerald; Gingham shirts; Blue oxfords