Un-Fancy

Outfits: Summer, summer outfits

one romper x two ways

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I rarely buy clothes impulsively. I’m a careful and calculated shopper. You know me, I’ve got my capsule planner in hand and I don’t usually stray from my pre-planned shopping list.

A romper was not on my shopping list the day I found this one.

But as soon as I put it on, I knew I was taking it home.

There were so many reasons (it doesn’t show sweat or stains, the shorts are the perfect length, it’s nice and loose, but it’s got that belt that defines my waist) but the thing that really got me was that it’s as comfortable as pajamas.

Aaron and I have been traveling a whole lot this month, and this romper has been so comfy for those long car rides. Then whenever we get to where we’re going, I can hop out and feel cute just like that. Although, I do want to let you know that it does wrinkle a bit, especially if you’re sitting for a long time, like in the car. Personally, it doesn’t bother me. It fits with the casual, summertime vibe. But just want to let you know.

While I can just throw it on and go, I’ve been challenging myself to style it more intentionally. Here are two of my favorite go-to looks with it right now:

LOOK 1: ROMPER + LAYERS OF ONE COLOR

This look is casual and playful, with summery elements like a straw hat, lace up sandals, and a slouchy bag in natural tan. I’d wear this to a fun patio dinner or happy hour with friends.

I wanted to create a layered look without actually adding clothes — sometimes it’s just too hot for that. So instead of adding layers of clothes, I added layers of that soft tan color through my accessories — one on top (hat), one in the middle (bag), and one on the bottom (shoes). It brightens up the whole look.

This whole layering color thing can work well with a dress too. Or even with a monochromatic outfit, say black jeans and a black tank. You can start with a plain base, but lighten it up and add interest by layering in a single color with accessories.

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01 / Romper by Madewell (almost sold out) / similar on sale / and one more

02 / Hat (old) | similar

03 / Sandals by Sseko (made responsibly) / Laces by Sseko

04 / Bag by Meyolo (made responsibly + my sis-in-law owns this shop!)

05 / Necklace (old) / similar in gold

06 / Bracelet by Moulton (handmade in USA)

 

LOOK 2: ROMPER + VEST

This look is a little more subdued and polished. I went with an all-black palette to emphasize the texture and color of the denim vest. The vest changes the whole vibe of the romper — you can see the sleeves are more pronounced and the top of the romper appears more structured.

I’ve been struggling to style this vest lately, and I’m really excited that it worked so well in this outfit. Hopefully, that little win will help me come up with more ways to style it into the fall.

This whole “put a vest on it” thing also works exceptionally well to change up the vibe of a dress too. If you’re a little bored with one of your dresses, try adding one on top and see what you think. It might help you see it in a whole new light.

I’d wear this to a concert and I could even add some open toe booties if I wanted to get a little fancier.

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01 / Romper by Madewell (almost sold out) / similar on sale / and one more

02 / Vest (old) / same vest in lighter wash / similar

03 / Bag by Marc Jacobs | similar (made in USA)

04 / Shoes gifted by Nisolo (made responsibly)

05 / Necklace (old) / similar in gold

06 / Bracelet by Moulton (handmade in USA)

 

How about you? Have you ever tried layering color with accessories or popping a vest on top of an outfit to give it some interest? Do you ever wear rompers? Do you just throw it on and go or do you get a little more technical with the styling? I’d love to hear how you make it work for you.

xo

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Comments

  1. This is the CUTEST! It looks so comfy! I don’t wear rompers but I feel awesome in my shorteralls and I style them similarly! They’re so versatile and there’s something about only having to put on one piece that is so nice.

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      • Hey Caroline, I have a question I cannot find an answer to on the FAQ page. I’m recruiting several friends to try a capsule with me, but believe it or not, many of them checked their closets and don’t even own 37 pieces total as it is!! Where would you recommend starting in that case? We are minimal already and may need a different prompt than the majority of over-shoppers;) would love to see a blog post for those of us in this boat!!
        Brynn

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        • Hi Brynn! That is so rare (and refreshing) to hear. Not many people these days have such a small wardrobe, without first doing a lot of work and reflection.

          So I guess the first thing I would do is ask yourself why you want a capsule wardrobe in the first place. I don’t see how it could be to cut back on shopping! So maybe it’s to hone your style? Or to practice investing in more high quality pieces? Or perhaps to coordinate your wardrobe so that you have a lot of mix and match items?

          I believe the steps for you would still be the same — clean out your closet and get rid of things your not wearing, use the wardrobe planner to visually set your goals, and go from there!

          If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask! :) Good luck. xo, Caroline

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  2. Ahhhhhhhh! I bought this romper when I saw it on your blog a few posts ago. I had no intentions of getting a romper, but this one is just SO good. I have no regrets. Totally agree on how it feels like PJs, and yes, it does wrinkle just a bit, but it’s definitely not a dealbreaker. Love seeing how you styled it with a denim vest! I also have one of those hanging in my closet and am struggling with how to wear it (despite the millions of denim vest ideas I pinned on Pinterest), so this is perfect!

    I think rompers may be here to stay. :-)

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  4. I don’t really wear rompers any more (getting older…) and the weather is not often hot enough here (UK). But it does look lovely on you!

    I know what you mean about buying something new, I usually have a list of gaps in my wardrobe for the season, but every so often I buy something a bit different that I really love and wear loads. I think once you are sure about your style you develop a good “eye” rather than just buying impulsively.

    Now I see Madewell deliver here, I need to remind myself that I don’t need any more clothes this summer…

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    • Tanya, I think you are so right. Once we get some practice and take our time shopping, we do develop an eye for more practical impulse buys. That’s a great point! :) xo, Caroline

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  6. Nope, I’ve never worn rompers. I do like the look of some of the jumpers on the Madewell site. But they would be too long on me.

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    • Hey Carol! If you like the look of rompers, you might want to consider matching separates. They have the look of a one piece, but can also be mixed and matched. Much easier to fit as well :) xo, Caroline

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  7. I think you know I’m a wee bit obsessed with rompers. A whole outfit with the least possible effort. Can’t beat that! This one is so cute on you! <3

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  8. i love my denim vest. i do wear it over a dress frequently as you suggest. some other common ways i style it are over a tank top with a maxi skirt and sandals or over a t-shirt with skinny black pants and vans.

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  9. Your romper is really a very nice piece!

    Rompers were a thing in the late 70s. I don’t remember what we called the ones that had long sleeves and pants legs instead of shorts legs but those were popular as well. My Grandmama made me one for the fall/winter season out of a beautiful fabric in shades of brown. It was fabulous! I rocked it with a pair of platform shoes and a funky belt! It was also the biggest pain in the behind clothing item in my closet to wear. Why, you ask? Because you practically had to get undressed every time you needed to go to the bathroom! And trying to hang on to your purse AND shimmy out of your romper AND keep it from touching the floor while you were doing what you do in a bathroom stall……too much drama, lol! Never wore another one after that! Although my stepmother gave me one for Christmas in the late 80s, maybe early 90s? Anyway, they had come back in style again. I thanked her for it, hung it up in my closet where it collected dust until I donated to Goodwill!

    I believe that the romper/catsuit comes back into fashion about every dozen years or so. I prefer my bathroom stall experience to be less stressful, ergo, I don’t wear them, lol!

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  10. Love the look! (Or, more precisely, looks.)

    One question, tho. I would think that using the restroom on a road trip would be a little awkward. I’m guessing that this would involve unbuttoning all of the buttons and then somehow keeping the garment off of the floor. (?)

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    • Hi Kris! I suppose it does take some skills! Haha. It can feel a little silly when you’re practically naked using the restroom. But no, in all honesty, I don’t find it that complicated. The romper sits somewhere around my knees and I haven’t had any issues with it falling on the floor yet. :) xo, Caroline

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  11. I’M KICKING MYSELF FOR NOT BUYING THIS ROMPER. I wanted it so badly but couldn’t decide what size to order and then it was gone from the store before I could try it on! It’s great and I feel like it’s very versatile for summer spring and fall in Texas… and let’s be real, maybe even winter.

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  13. I think rompers are so cute, but I’m building up my first ever professional wardrobe, capsule style, so I’m desperately trying to rein in the urge to impulse buy one! Layering to add color over a neutral dress is one of my go to ways to make an outfit feel more put together and less like I overslept and prioritized coffee over clothes.

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  14. Just love these outfits! I happen to have the silk romper you posted a link to and the accessories to pull off both looks, so thanks for the inspiration! :)

    I actually have a question about the “Ginger” flare leg jeans you’ve been wearing lately from 7 for all mankind. The brand’s website says to size down due to stretch. I was curious if you sized down when ordering and if you’re happy you did? I’m trying to decide between 2 sizes. Thanks!

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  17. i have been keeping up with your blog for some time… journeying right now through defining my style and creating a simple, minimal, functional wardrobe i love. though our tastes differ, your outfits are an inspiration to me! you have a way of making pieces i’ve always gawked at (like rompers or ankle boots) look totally classy. i look forward to each new post!

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  18. I love the look of rompers! Sadly I didn’t get on the romper train until late in the season, couldn’t find the right one for me, so now that’s something that’s lacking in my closet. Maybe next spring! In the meantime, I can half-tuck a cute little black top into my black shorts and do a faux-romper look, lol

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    • Hey Taryn, I think the faux-romper look is the next best thing — nothing wrong with that at all! Plus you can mix and match the separates with other items. Good call :) xo, Caroline

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  19. Is love some ideas on where to find quality coord outfits (the two pieces that can look like one). I have a long torso, so rompers are often too short on me. I’ve only seen the coords in cheaper (poorly made) stores and websites. Any suggestions?

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    • Hi Amanda, I know what you mean — I’ve seen them in cheaper stores too. One of my favorite companies that carries coordinating separates is Ace + Jig, though they are pretty expensive. Nordstrom and Asos Eco gets some once in awhile, although I just glanced and didn’t see anything I was crazy about. Everlane has these striped tops and shorts: http://bit.ly/2aQGzVB But it’s something I think I’ll have to keep researching! Wish I could be more help :) xo, Caroline

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  20. I have a romper from ASOS that I got a couple years ago and I absolutely love it! I wear it all year round because I put tights on underneath and/or a chunky knit sweater vest on over and it still looks cute.

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  22. I wasn’t a fan of rompers (on me) …. until I popped into Madewell during their semi-annual sale and tried this one on (the last one in the store!). You are absolutely correct- it’s amazing! It was the first time I found a romper to be comfortable AND cute! (Though I still can’t get the hang of having to take it all off to pee….) I love the way you’ve styled it here. I’ve been wearing it with gladiator sandals and fun bracelets, but I can’t wait to play around with it some more. Your vest look inspires me to get a vest now, though I’d probably go more the army green route.

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  27. Rompers are just the best when you want to have the ease of just slipping into something without thinking about whether it matches, but don’t want to have a restricted range of motion. Love the sandals you paired with both ways!

    Angelina Is | Bloglovin’

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  32. This isn’t super related to the post, but I’ve been wanting to ask this for awhile. What do you suggest for someone who works a job wear they have to wear business casual…do you suggest two capsules, one for work or one for play? The struggle is that there is some overlap…like I can wear some of my work tops on the weekends too, so I don’t know how to approach it. Any advice would be wonderful!

    (also, this is showing up in all caps…I am hoping that is just a style feature of the site and that it will change when I post it…I am definitely not trying to yell and my caps lock is off…)

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    • Hi Sarah! I’m glad you asked — I have recommended doing two separate capsules to several people who need work and play clothes. I would still suggest cleaning out your closet and then filling out the wardrobe planner. That way you can see on paper what items can be used for both work and play (you might be surprised). If you need two capsules to make life easier, absolutely do that! If you can keep your numbers small, with a tight and tidy closet, give that a try. Mabye put some items that you’re unsure about into storage as you make the transition. Hopefully it makes getting dressed easier in the long run. Good luck! :) xo, Caroline

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  33. If anyone is looking for a good selection a well priced rompers to try, Target has a great selection right now. I too bought one out of the blue when I was floating through their clearance section. Mine is an off white lace one with spaghetti straps. I wasn’t sure if I should get it b/c I just had a baby so my body is still changing and sometimes looks odd in clothes that normally would be flattering. But I tried it on and it was so comfortable and just an easy outfit. I feel like romper come as practically complete outfits by themselves. Which is great when you have a full time job and little kiddos like I do! I don’t have to try at all to make it look like I put effort into my outfit. Below is the link to the one I got on clearance in store.

    http://www.target.com/p/women-s-crochet-romper-mossimo/-/A-50350495?lnk=rec|pdpipadh1|related_prods_vv|pdpipadh1|50350495|0

    -side note, they make awesome beach cover ups! ;)

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  34. Hi Caroline :)

    Disclaimer: I’m obsessed with one-piece anything: swimsuits, jumpsuits, and my fave: the romper. There’s just something so effortless, yet pulled together about them, and I can’t wear one without feeling like Susanne Somers from Three’s Company. The ONLY downside is the bathroom sitch, can you relate, haha? But it’s worth it because they’re one-step dressing so you don’t have to worry about pairing it with anything. And I love them as a summer-to-fall transition piece. I’m planning on styling mine with stacked-heeled knee boots and an oversized denim jacket for the pre-fall season.

    – AB | http://www.thegococollective.com

    Reply

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