Shorts with tights - a fashion experiment I've been wanting to try for awhile now. The end result? I'll let you you guys be the judge. On the one hand, I feel like a fearless fashionista in this look, and tights with shorts is pretty practical when you live in a cold climate. On the other, I felt a bit like I was wearing a costume. Not sure this particular look is "me" and I wouldn't feel comfy wearing it out the door, but I will definitely be trying shorts with tights again so stay tuned for round two. Shorts with tights - do you say yay or nay?
Inspiration photo: FabSugar
Shirt: H&M, old
Scarf: c/o Ross, $13
Shorts: c/o The Unique Closet, $30
Tights: Hue from TJ Maxx, $5
Boots: Cynthia Rowley from TJ Maxx, $85
Ring: My Stella & Dot website, $49
Watch: Michael Kors, family gift
I'm having trouble getting past the hat!
ReplyDeleteI think you look great in the shorts with tights look. Not at all costumey.
I think the shorts with tights looks good, but I would redo the whole top of the outfit because I think it's a little too much going on. Not in love with the hat, and not loving the green with the black and camel. If you still wanted to keep the leopard scarf, maybe a black/camel/cream top with the shorts and tights. Just how I would style it! But again, the shorts and tights looks cute!
ReplyDeleteI love it! I went to Italy last November and the shorts and tights were super popular!
ReplyDeleteI love it! I was in Ireland for Xmas and everyone was wearing this look! I've been on the hunt for nice wintery lookinig shorts since I got home.
ReplyDeleteI love it! I just tried this look for the first time over the weekend. I played it a little safer than you, but I must say this is really cute!
ReplyDelete-xoxo
Kisses from Kierra
http://sophistikated1992.blogspot.com/2012/01/thug-life.html
I would nix the hat, but other than that, I think it's a great look for you!
ReplyDeletebottom half is great.. top half has too much going on. The hat reminds me of quakers. Would be cute but not in this applications
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteum....NAY.
ReplyDeleteThat has is why it is coming across costumey. Remove the hat and you are golden.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in Ireland a few months ago, it seemed like every other girl was wearing cutoff jean shorts with tights. Being a 30 something, I'm not sure I could pull it off.
ReplyDeleteI'd say lose the hat and switch to black shorts and it's a much more workable outfit. But I like the idea behind it, and I hope I can rock shorts and tights soon! Love the scarf!
ReplyDeletei really like the shorts, tights and booties. I like the green top and how the scarf 'calms' it down a bit, but i think the outfit would look better without the hat : ) as always loving your blog!
ReplyDeleteI like the shorts/tights combo. But you have way too much else going on in the outfit. Ditch the hat, and either lose the scarf, or keep it but with a less bold color in the shirt. I like a good pop of color, but not in an outfit that already has some unique twists.
ReplyDeleteLove the look, but not the hat.
ReplyDeleteLove it! I have always liked the look but am never daring enough to try it - too bad since I do live in a cold climate.
ReplyDeleteI like the look except the hat. But Everything else if fab!
ReplyDeleteI love the shorts/tights combo and have been wearing them for a couple years now. I like to get the skirt/tights look but not having to wear a skirt sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI like the shorts and tights combo but I would do a different top, without the hat. :)
ReplyDeleteHmm, I think the stripes in the tights and hat are distracting. If the tights were opaque, maybe it would've turned out better. I still think you look great though!
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of tights with shorts but honestly....this look is just NO in my book. I mean you always look great, but I think you can do better with this idea.
ReplyDeleteI love everything but the hat. Another fashion blog I read did shorts&tights recently, and I'm loving both of the outfits! I definitely wouldn't be able to pull it off until the spring (although the weather in NY right now is almost spring-like), but I guess that gives some extra time to get the gams shorts-worthy!
ReplyDeleteOBSESSED with this look. and tights with shorts is so chic. love love LOVE it!
ReplyDeletei would take away the hat and scarf. the shorts with the tights look adorable though!
ReplyDeleteNix the hat, wear a more neutral/matching top. Let us know if you re-do the outfit. I love the shorts, tights, & boots. LOVE YOUR STYLE!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the shorts and tights combo, even more than shorts and no tights!! Tights are my new BFF!!
ReplyDeletethe bottom half with the shorts and tights looks great. the rest of the outfit doesn't work
ReplyDeleteI think it looks hot, but where the heck would you wear that!?!?! Maybe no hat and hair in a high easy bun.
ReplyDeletefitfashlife.blogspot.com
I think you did the rights and shorts look very nicely-- the shoes helped the two to go together. I would lose the hat though since you're wearing a scarf and a noticeable watch... But I will say you look so cute!!! I like that you have fun taking risks with fashion :) recently started following your blog and I love it!!
ReplyDeleteI like the shorts and tights look on you. But like a lot have already said, the hat is too much.
ReplyDeleteI think fashion should be more effortless. I am guilty of overdoing it completely, but I have always tried to remember that you don't want people to see an "outfit" but simply that you look elegant and classy. This outfit is a bit "fussy" to me... A little over acessorized with the hat and all. But I do appreciate your style for sure! You of course could wear a paper bag and you would look awesome!
ReplyDeleteI think if you nixed the hat and pulled your hair back (something I notice you don't really do, ever.. why's that? just curious...) it would give the same polished effect of the original inspiration pic. With your hair down it kinda looks like you were afraid to really commit to the look - make sense?
ReplyDeleteTo all shorts with tights in general? Or just this example?
ReplyDeleteLOL no Kristen, I don't understand that at all. I am seriously so not interested in hair and makeup it's not even funny. I never, ever notice hair when I'm looking at an outfit. I I do mine the same way everyday and like it! I think of it as keeping a blank canvas for the clothes.
ReplyDeleteWhy I don't wear it up though: it gives me headaches. I have WAY more hair than one person ever should on their head and I can't leave it up all day without being in pain. :-( And yes, my hairstylist thins it for me. It's still too thick though.
Thanks Julie! This outfit is definitely not my style though. I'm more of a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl. :-)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I totally agree! As I said, this outfit feels like a costume. It's way too much going on at the same time in my book.
ReplyDeleteLori, I had the same thought! Even if I could work up the nerve to the leave the house, I wouldn't know where to wear it, other than maybe a fashion event... or out shopping in London.
ReplyDeleteAnna, yes that was the purpose of today's post. This first try was a fail! (And there is no way I would leave the house in it.) I like to share the whole journey with you guys though, not just the perfect parts of it. :-)
ReplyDeleteTotal fashion blogger fail on my part... I thought I was putting on my regular 'ole black tights and when I realized they had a stripe I was lazy and just left it for the picture. :-)
ReplyDeleteI saw the same thing in Europe! Shorts and tights is the norm over there for sure!
ReplyDeleteWoah- Flashback to the 90's. I wore shorts with tights all the time as a kid. In fact, my family and I just watched old home videos where my mom is rocking high waisted wool shorts with tights that made her butt like 4 times the size it actually was- haha. However, I like the more updated shorts and tights look you came up with. Like others, I don't love the top half of the outfit, but the bottom half has potential.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little on the fence here. I'd be so scared to try it, but feel like I may like it if I do!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a very common trend in the northern parts of Europe. I'm from Denmark and wears it All the time. Mostely because its too cold for bare legs but also because i am 31 and dont have legs like a teenager anymore :) So - love the outfit and think you can pull it of even at 30+
ReplyDeletei wear shorts with tights all the time when i go out - i love it! maybe try a plain pair, without a pattern. :)
ReplyDeleteJ! I love you girl! This outfit is hot! The tights with shorts thing, is the chicest way to wear shorts in fall/winter! I wear shorts and tights too, and think it is super comfortable. The hat is a bit too much, and that is why you feel costum-y and that something isn't quite right. And, I think sticking to a circle scarf would be better for the upper half. You can still wear that scarf, but wrap it around and tie it in back. The green and camel totally works! Nice color combination. I wore gray and a funny looking green on my outfit post today, and it is definitely stirring up some imaginations out there. LOL! Take a look and let me know if you like it! xx
ReplyDeletePip
http://chicstayathome.blogspot.com
I'm not really a fan in general on anyone. While it's trendy it's just not practical for me. Kind of like boot with a peep toe!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in London a few years back, practically ever girl rocked shorts with tights. The brown are pretty bold with it but I love black wool shorts and tights. And some girls can totally rock the jean shorts and tights too but I think that's a hard one!
ReplyDeleteI love shorts with tights... but I agree about the hat and maybe rolling the cuffs like the inspiration photo...
ReplyDeleteYay! Also, otherwise I can only wear shorts maybe 2 or 3 weeks of the year. I would agree that it might be a combination of things in this outfit that makes you feel like its a costume-- I think the shorts + tights combo is enough of a look that the hat may be too much. Those shorts are super cute!
ReplyDeleteI love that you are so willing to experiment with new combos and move out of your comfort zone! But I will have to give this a nay... I'm just not really a fan of shorts unless it's warmer weather and styled more casually.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I think of shorts and tights, I just have bad flashbacks to elementary school in the 90s. Oh, the things we tried.
ReplyDeletehttp://stylishsass.blogspot.com
I can't co-sign. I don't like the hat with this outfit. There's a lot going on here....too much. Ex. patterned tights. If I rocked shorts with tights I would keep it black on black, and I'm normally not that safe/boring.
ReplyDeleteKelly, this is an outfit fail. So it sounds like you are co-signing? (aka agreeing that it is a fail?)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of the idea. On anyone. It's like wearing Ugg boots with shorts, or a winter hat in summer. I just don't like the idea of taking a seasonal item and trying to make it work out of season. That could also be why I don't like peep-toe boots. :)
ReplyDeleteYay to shorts with tights, but I think you could try solid opaque tights with no pattern. I think it's important that the shorts either be cuffed or blouson-y to work, which yours are. Love all of your experiments!
ReplyDeleteLoose the hat and the outfit is great :)
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to try this but I can't find the right pair of shorts for it! I need to keep hunting. You look fantastic!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. I have a pair of wool shorts that are obviously meant to be worn in colder climates, so I always pair them with tights. It's a good practical winter look.
ReplyDeleteTiffany
http://shoeschampagne.blogspot.com
i actually think you look great except for the hat. and i say that in the nicest way. i love the hat, just not with that look.
ReplyDeletei think you are rockin the shorts with tights though! xo
The short and tight look is terrific if you can pull it off... and you did! Looks good on you.
ReplyDeleteWith your legs I say YAY! :) However, imho I think with hair up instead of the hat and with black top would this outfit look better. But you are beautiful in any outfit X
ReplyDeleteI love shorts with tights! As a general rule, though, I match the color of the tights to the color of my shorts to lengthen my legs. It creates such a chic, sleek look. I think this same outfit would be ultra-adorable with black shorts instead of camel.
ReplyDeleteHey J! I like the shorts/tights combo... I really want to try this look for work with a shortish skirt. I have a quick question for you- how do you know if a clothing item will hold its form? I seem to have this problem a lot with jeans. I find they really stretch out and by the end of the day they just look like a baggy/oversized mess! I am really trying to update my wardrobe (on a budget!!) and only want to buy something if I know i'll love it. Any advice?! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteLove the shorts and tights look! You could totally make this work if you lost the hat and wore your hair up. It's too busy with so much stuff going on on top ;) Love the color of your shirt too! So vibrant.
ReplyDeleteI am currently living in Seoul and EVERYONE wears shorts with tights here it's become completely normal to me... I might have to adjust what I think it normal in terms of fashion when I get back to Canada... I love this look!
ReplyDeleteMandy, this is a great question! I'm honestly still trying to figure it out myself. Some super-stretchy jeans seem to snap right back into place, but I also swear by 100% cotton jeans and think those hold up really well too. It's the jeans in between that seem to have trouble staying put, and I wind up putting them in the dryer every time I wear them to get them back into shape!
ReplyDeleteI think the hat makes it look costumey, but other than that, I really like it. Actually, I think I'd prefer plain black tights because it would be one less thing going one, but I think with slight tweeks, this outfit is a winner! Maybe that's because I live in Japan where shorts and tights (as well as shorts and thigh highs) are exceptionally common (even when temps are in the 30s!), but I love the look and have been wearing it myself lately. It's everywhere here! I tend to stick with neutrals when doing it (real neutrals like black, brown, gray, and navy) because the styling itself feels pretty intense so I think the simple colors keep it from being So! Much! Outfit!, but I do like your green shirt with it.
ReplyDeleteHi Lovely!
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xoxo ❀✿ Daisy ✿❀
http://daisylva1.blogspot.com
I love elements but not the whole. So I think it was a great experiment. Maybe its that the green shirt has a sheen to it. I prefer the more matte finish in the inspiration photo. I actually like the hat with it as well as the color and print combination. Its just that shine that makes me think it's close but not a perfect mix.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the look (not the hat), but I don't think its for me.
ReplyDeleteI already look A LOT younger than my age so I think on me it would make me look even younger.
I just *l.o.v.e.* your shorts with tights look............ (although, I have to admit, I'm also liking the bottom-half of your outfit more than the top-half!!) Just as a thought, the black/tan/GRAY colors of your September 20th, 2010, outfit look so good together, J., that I was wondering whether your STEEL-GRAY cargo vest might perhaps work----(worn over a pale-neutral shirt instead of green)----with your shorts and tights, (as Above)? (In the Summertime, I think lightweight vests can really "dress up" a tee shirt and a pair of shorts; so maybe a Vest-And-Shorts-With-Tights-Outfit would work in the Wintertime!!)
ReplyDeleteI agree...its a lot going on in one place. When I compare it to your inspiration photo, though, the 1st photo doesn't look too busy. I think it was the addition of the hat and the stripes on the tights. Maybe solid color tights and no hat...love the scarf, too!
ReplyDeleteHi J! I actually think the inspiration pic is super cute. Your outfit would work also, but the hat and scarf are throwing it off a bit. The green color works, but the sheen of the shirt makes it appear a bit "cheap" (for lack of a better word). The key to this ensemble would be to keep everything else, besides the shorts, simple. Work in your leopard bag, chunky black necklace, and a black turtle neck, and your set! I <3 your ideas, and try to use your blog as an example for my own! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAgree with previous posters. Great outfit, sans hat. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHi J! I feel the same way as you with hair and make-up, especially since I'm so clueless about it! But I realize that my hair and face ARE part of my ensemble, and can make or break my outfit the way shoes can. So I'm trying to learn and put more effort to it, watching hair tutorials on YouTube, etc. Its hard, but i remember how hard it was for me to learn to inject color into my wardrobe when I first started to read your blog last year. By now im such a natural at putting outfits together and I CRAVE color! So, im confident that one day I'll have several go-to hairsyles I could use everyday that works for me and my outfits.
ReplyDeleteI've heard once that "your hair is your best accessory," but I say it's your face! So a good smile and hair and make up (not overdone, of course) will really make us shine.
I don't know if I fully agree... I think hair should be polished and not messy, but other than that I don't see any need to learn new hairstyles. Same with makeup. I have one look - "natural" - and I don't like wearing any more than that. I do think a little makeup is important but don't ever feel the need to experiment. I'm comfy just being me with just a tiny bit of makeup.. :-) ps. To see the 5-minute routine I do everyday, you can watch the video here: http://www.jseverydayfashion.com/2010/12/video-my-5-minute-makeup-routine.html
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of shorts and tights is completely fine. I don't think it's too much different than a skirt, really. i never do it, because I simply have no shorts it would work with! But I have a German friend who does it all the time, and she looks adorable.
ReplyDeleteI think it's just the details throwing off your look. Opaque tights, circle scarf, bun (and no hat), and cuffed sleeves would make this really cute, I think! I really hope you redo the look sometime and post it.