The Easiest Way To Solve The Boring Outfit Problem: Long-Sleeve Printed Tees

By
Shana
-
20
2718

I've been wearing a lot of boring outfits lately.  I think it's the weather.  One of my friends recently remarked that this winter has been "like a bad ex-boyfriend who won't stop calling after you break up.  He drops by with flowers…..and pretends he's changed."

EXACTLY.  (Well said, N.)

So yeah – boring outfits abound.  Like turtlenecks-and-sweaters-like-its-1988 boring.  I think I was into a solid Day 3 of this awful (yet practical!!  so practical in this weather OMG what is happening to me) mom-i-form when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. 

Sigh.

So I added a long-sleeve printed tee and rolled back the cuffs.

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I think I over-sold this styling tip.  "Solved" might be a slight exaggeration.  "Helped make an outfit incrementally less boring when you are too tired to do anything else" is closer to the truth. 

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Luckily, we have Pax to entertain us.

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wearing:

sweatshirt: old Vince…love this eyelet one

tees: J.Crew turtleneck (similar)….splendid tee (keep reading for striped tee recommendations)

denim: Rag and Bone

boots: Clarks Desert Boots in gray suede

Pax: all FabKids

Raines:  FabKids striped tee and soft pants…crewcuts v-neck 

 

On the off chance that you are in awe of my styling super-powers #wishfulthinking, I am going to continue on in this vein:

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Awwww….look at how hard I'm trying.  I'm even wearing a necklace!  #blessmyheart

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wearing:

sweatshirt: old J.Crew…this one is super-cute with a striped tee peeking out

tee: Target, now on clearance

denim: Levi 535s

boots: old Nine West…these are the best, these are (slightly) cheaper

necklace: old necklace…this one would be fun

bag:  Moopshop

 

 

But in all seriousness, I think a bit of pattern at the sleeve does help, Mamas.  It helps to make a sweatshirt and jeans look a little more intentional.  Not ground-breaking, but one for those days, Mamas.  THOSE DAYS.

 

The trick is to find a long-sleeve layering tee that still looks cute when you take the sweatshirt off.  Here are a few that fit the bill…

(clearly I have a stripes problem…to make up for it, here's a long-sleeve polka-dot tee that I overlooked in my never-ending quest for more stripes.)

  Longsleevetee

TOP:

1. Scoop-Back Ballet Tee, $22 at Nordstrom

Love the graceful neckline of this tee.  I'll bet you can nurse in it!

2. Michael Stars Long-Sleeve Tee, $62 at Piperlime

Perfectly slouchy, love the graphic take on stripes.

3. Free People Leopard Printed Top, $58

This tee has sold out everywhere else and for good reason:  it's sofreakingcool. 

MIDDLE:

4. Gap V-Neck Striped Tee, on sale for $14

The v-neck saves this tee.  I'd order a size up for a slouchier fit (and a lower neckline).  

5. Vintage Havana Lace-Back Tee, $58 at Bloomingdales

The front is perfectly drapy, the back has this sexy peek-a-boo lace panel.  Yet the panel is small enough to not have to worry about special bras. 

6. Long Sleeve Breton Tee, $38 at Boden

This is the closest thing I've found to those amazing St. James tees, but at less than half the price.  It comes in the standard white/navy as well….but I keep thinking about this yellow for Spring.  Either way, you can't go wrong!

BOTTOM:

7. Gap Mixed-Print Tee, $26

It's like an Edith Miller for J.Crew knockoff.  

8. Striped Peplum Tee, $58 at Anthro

For post-partum Mamas and layering under swingy, oversized sweaters.

9. Hive and Honey Lace Peek-a-Boo Top, $59 at Piperlime

Love the clean black-and-white stripes, and the bit of lace at the bottom.

 

Spring?  We need you.

xo,

S

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20 COMMENTS

  3. Yessss! I ordered the gap stripe/camo tee weeks ago because it reminded me of your jcrew camo tee. It’s a ballsy look for me, but I’m ready!

  4. Seriously! If I Pin one more pair of destroyed boyfriends with heels or – heaven forbid, sandals – before realizing that hypothermia would set in before I made it to the end of the driveway… NO MAS! My four-year old son says “I’m ready for summer. Who’s with me?!?!” I say “ME!!!!”
    BUT. S, you make a flippin sweatshirt look COOL. Whether it’s the pixie edge or, um, the OTK boots, perhaps? Stylin, Mama. Stylin.

  5. Mama, you are just looking gorgeous, especially out from under the wigs (as lovely as they are). Your hair looks intentional and so COOL. Bless you heart, indeed. 🙂 And I’d totally forgotten that I’d purchased that Target long sleeve in your second look and I felt surprisingly hip until I recalled that you told us to buy it in the first place. 😉 Oh well, no one here knows?

  6. Oh Shana. I love you. First of all, these are my outfits on good days! Good days I say!!! I’m inspired by you but am a seriously boring dresser myself, and have been wondering as I gape at your gorgeous style, “but what about the days where you just CAN’T?” I don’t know if this will sound alien to you, but I actually have days where I WANT to look boring. Like just no one look at me today, please. So even if you’re not feeling this, it’s good to see you have your more days, and your less days, even if my more is your less.
    Second, STRIPES! I never get tired of them. If I have any personal style whatsoever, it’s stripes. Love it.

  9. Oh my goodness I am so right there with you except I think I’ve stopped trying (stayinin pjs on days that allow and wearing sweats BAH!! ). It is totally the weather. 60 degrees then we get snowed in like every week. Thanks for inspiring some extra creativity. Love that leopard print shirt.

  10. This posting is so timely for me – just 2 days ago I was searching your past posts for ‘what to wear when you’re sick of winter clothes but it’s still too cold and wet for Spring clothes so what do I do??’ This idea could hold me over for a few more weeks so thank you!! Love your blog, your IG, your writing – so funny and true and relate-able. Keep the great ideas coming! Reading your stuff is a fun and much needed break in my days 🙂

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