More Chambray: Music City Style

I don't watch a lot of TV in real time. With Netflix, Hulu and all the streaming video websites, I can't remember the last time I actually watched a TV show on an actual TV. The great thing about most of those websites is that you can catch up on an entire season in a matter of weeks (or days, if you're home with the flu or just plain lazy).

One of my guilty pleasures last year was the show "Smash" about the mounting of an original Broadway musical. The acting was terrible, the writing was worse, but the production numbers were spectacular. One of my coworkers and I used to secretly re-hash each episode, because we didn't want anyone to know that we were obsessed with such a terrible show. I guess the cat's out of the bag for me, now that I'm posting it here on my blog, but I'll keep her identity a secret. This season, the show is even worse- the new characters are just irritating and the plot lines couldn't interest me less. And those plot lines that I hate so much? Well, they've pretty much put a stop to all those glorious production numbers that are basically the sole reason I watch the show.

I complained about that to my coworker and she recommended I check out another show- "Nashville." She was right that I would love it. It's right up my alley- the songs aren't production numbers, but there is a lot of singing, a lot of musical performances. I love country music, too, so that's a bonus. And even though I'm born & bred Yankee girl, there is something so alluring about western wear. I love cowboy boots. I love denim and chambray. I love that casual, country vibe that comes from western wear. I even like the cheesy "fancy" western wear- the embroidered shirts and jackets and the "dressy"cowboy hats.

I was intrigued by the idea of a chambray shirt in my wardrobe before I started watching this show, but now that I keep seeing all these gorgeous TV stars in perfect little country-western outfits, I think I'll be dreaming about chambray until it's officially a part of my wardrobe.

There was the one from yesterday that looked pretty great, but I walked away from it. Now, I'm really starting to think that might have been a mistake. If I go back to get it and it's no longer there, I'll need a back-up plan. I think one of these may make due:

Shibori Chambray One-Pocket Shirt, Levi's, $64

Western Shirt, Levi's $68

1969 Western Shirt, Gap, $49.95

Women's Short Sleeve Chambray Camp Shirt, Carhartt, $36.99

None of these are as appealing as the shirt from yesterday AND that one is the least expensive! The more I shop around, the more I think I may have made a big mistake! Aaaahhh!!! Well, if it doesn't work out that I find the perfect chambray shirt, I guess I could find something else to obsess over.

Favorite Fabric: Chambray

The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and I have the perfect fabric for this time of year: chambray.

The technical definition of chambray is a woven natural or synthetic fabric with a colored (usually blue) warp and a white or unbleached weft. I know what you are thinking: "What on earth are warp and weft, Renee?!?!?" Warp is the vertical part of the weave and weft is the horizontal. But who cares about that? I care about the fact that it is a lightweight, soft, comfortable fabric in a lovely shade of blue that looks like faded denim. And I always prefer it when it is made with natural fibers like cotton. Natural fibers are always better than synthetic. Since the denim with denim trend is so popular right now, chambray is all over the place. I don't personally recommend actually wearing jeans with a denim shirt or jacket, but I do recommend stocking up on fabulous chambray pieces while they are readily available. Like these:

3/4 Sleeve Chambray Safari Shirt, Banana Republic, $59.50

I like this shirt because it has interesting details- the epaulettes on the shoulders, the flaps on the pockets, the button flaps that hold the sleeves up- they are all great and make for a far more interesting shirt.

Pin-tucked Chambray Dress, Gap, $69.50

Can we talk about how fantastic this dress is? It was MADE for me! But it was made for you, too. It is perfect for just about anything. You could wear it running errands, or to a cookout with your family & friends. It will look great with flats, heels, even a pair of low-top converse for a little bit of a hipster vibe. Dress it up! Dress it down! It's the new LBD: Little "Blue" Dress! In the winter, treat it as a jumper and layer a turtleneck underneath with tights.

Button- down Skirt, Levi's, $29.90

I am not normally a fan of light wash denim, but because chambray is lighter- like cotton- this skirt works for me. The flowy nature of the fabric makes such a difference. I also like the gentle gathering- it creates a nice a-line without being too full. Definintely a flattering skirt for any body type.

Western Shirt Dress, Gap, $69.50

I know that you all are probably sick of hearing about how much I love dresses, but how can you deny how fabulous they are? This dress is absolutely charming and I would love to spend a summer afternoon in it! I also love that it's a shirt dress. When I think of chambray, I don't actually go immediately to dresses. To me, chambray is mostly about shirts. Unfortunately, most chambray shirts are boxy and not flattering at all. So I appreciate that this is a flattering, more feminine version of the boxy chambray shirts I'm so accustomed to seeing.

Converse Shirred Top, Target, $24.99

Fortunately, chambray pieces are available in less structured shapes for an even more comfortable, casual vibe. Because this top is so flowy, so different from the structure of a typical chambray shirt, I would actually be fine with pairing it with dark- and ONLY dark- denim- jeans, a pencil skirt, capris, walking shorts- all of the above would work with this top. In addition to dark wash denim, you could try crisp white, or my personal favorite pairing with blue- chocolate brown.

But chambray isn't just for the ladies. Oh, no. It's actually very common for men's work shirts- as in construction and building, etc. But it works just as well in fashion as it does in function. Check it out:

Sun-Faded Chambray Shirt, Gap, $49.50

Converse Black Chambray Shirt, Target, $24.99

Now go out and get yourself some chambray, everyone! It's the new black!

Style Collage for (Real) Men

Shirt: Gap, $44.50

Jeans: Levis 527, $59.50

Shoes: Helly Hansen via Endless, $54.97

Hat: Target, $14.99

Sunglasses: Sunglass Shack, $19.99

Belt: Old Navy, $15

Watch: Fossil, $85

It's true- it takes a real man to be confident enough to wear pink. To pull it off, keep the rest of the outfit masculine. I paired this pink button-front from the Gap with cool jeans and some hipster-esque accessories. If the hat and shades are too much for you, skip 'em. If you'd feel better with a black rocker t-shirt under the shirt, go for it! Make it your own, but trust me, guys, you need to try pink.

2/25/1020 UPDATE: A couple of days after this post, my coworker Ken wore this to work:

Notice not only the use of pink, but the mixing of brown and black (the cuff and shoes, respectively). I believe he also had a belt on, but I'm not sure of its color. The point is, mixing black and brown is perfectly fine. In fact, had he worn brown leather shoes, that would have been a little too matchy-matchy with the leather cuff.

Obviously the cuff and the denim help keep this look masculine, but the rolled sleeves and open buttons at the top and bottom of the shirt also help keep it casual and easy. Nice job, Ken!  

It's a Big & Tall, not a Big OR Tall!

"It's a Big & Tall, not a Big OR Tall." I once said that to my boss when he complained about shopping at Casual Male XL. My boss is really tall, but he doesn't necessarily fall into the big category. Finding clothes that fit well is tough for him, but he does ok. I tease him most days because his wardrobe consists mainly of khaki pants and blue oxford shirts. So if you're reading, this one's for you, Andy!

For starters, all you men out there should know that King Size Direct offers Big OR Tall as well as Big AND Tall clothing. Now on to the style advice.

For anyone not blessed with the body of a supermodel, the key to looking good is FIT. I'll say it again- FIT. I'm using all caps when I say that FIT IS IMPORTANT because I can't stress it enough. The proper FIT will take 10 lbs off your frame instantly. I know a guy who lost over 100 lbs. When he got down to a certain size, the pieces I'd selected for him felt "tight." He wanted all the seams let out and the garments loosened up. I told him "No." Because, you see, he'd spent his days as a larger man wearing baggy clothes, because that's what most large people do. When he trimmed down, he wanted to continue doing the same thing, but what he didn't understand is that when he wore baggy clothes, no one could tell he'd lost all that weight. Fit makes a difference. Every. Single. Time. There is no exception to this rule. Have I beat this dead horse enough? Can we move on to a new subject? Or better yet, how about we move on to my recommendations.

For starters, gentlemen, please invest in a good pair of dark wash jeans. Dark wash is ALWAYS more flattering and slimming. Banana Republic offers Big & Tall sizing (up to 44W and up to 36L) in this fabulous jean:

And of course, there's always the world leader in jeans, Levi's offers the 514 in Big & Tall sizing (up to 46W and up to 38L). The 514's are a slim fit. Key word: SLIM. Please note I did not say "Skinny." I'm not asking you to wear skinny jeans. (In fact, the only people who can really pull of skinny jeans are the people whose thighs don't touch. More on that another day.) Back the term "Slim." It's what all you Big & Tall and Big or Tall guys should be looking for. Slim also means streamlined, fitted, sleek. Add these adjectives to your fashion vocabulary. And while we're up in your vocab business, remove these words: Baggy & Relaxed.

While the 507 and 527 do not come in an inseam measurement longer than 34, I am still going to recommend them because their cut (a.k.a. FIT) is exactly what you should emulate when shopping for jeans AND pants.

The 507 and the 527: 

Do you see how the shape of the jeans actually hugs the shape of the leg? In other words, the thighs are wider, then they taper in at the knee,widen back out directly below the knee and then fall straight down. This is what you should look for when shopping for jeans and pants. However, keep in mind that jeans should always be a little more snug than pants. And as for length, ALL pants of this cut (FIT) should have a break at the ankle. In other words, they are long enough to have a bit of extra fabric at the TOP of your foot, but not the back. The back of your jeans (and pants) legs should be about 1/2 inch from the ground. This will allow for enough fabric to create the "break" in front. Any more and you look sloppy, any less and you look like Urkel. Well, not quite, but you get the picture.

Now that we've covered jeans, let's move on to shirts & jackets. Obviously, finding the right length is what can be most difficult for you guys out there, but I also want you to consider- you guessed it- FIT!!! Look for a slim fit when shopping and you'll always be a tad more streamlined that you were before you discovered the wonderful world of slim fit. Most men's button-front shirts have a box pleat in the center back. Alternatively, they may have two side pleats rather than one center box pleat. In either case, the pleats are there to help the fabric drape more evenly and fit a man's back. Unfortunately, the end result often means good fit across the shoulders, but the rest of the shirt hangs away from the body from the chest down, resulting in a boxy, oversized look. This is NOT good. A slim fit shirt compensates for the pleats and tapers in from the chest down. Believe it or not, you don't have to spend a fortune for a fine looking, fitted shirt. Target offers a line called Red Level Nine with this exact fit and the shirts run in the $20-30 range. They also come in nice prints like these:

I want you gentlemen to pay particular attention to the first picture. Notice how the shirt is tucked in, yet it does NOT "blouse" out of the pants. This is due to the slim fit.

Express for Him also offers well-fitted button-front shirts, but they don't have a Big & Tall line. The largest shirt size they offer is XL, which will help some of you, but not all of you. They do offer an inseam up to 36 in their jeans, though, which is a nice surprise to some of you, I'm sure.

Gentlemen, if by reading this post, you take anything away from it, I pray it's that you understand the importance of FIT. It may feel awkward and uncomfortable at first, but it won't take long to grow accustomed to the new feeling and trust me when I say it will make a huge difference in how you present yourself to the world. Leave me a comment to tell me about your shopping experiences and what frustrates you. I'll be happy to help you solve your dilemma.