New Look 6035 Aqua Vest

Fierce pink, purple and yellow flowers floating in a field of aqua! Ditsy, meadow flower sprays are not usually my choice, but give me a hint of neon, a playful design and a colour clash and I'm rolling in clover. This is one of the reasons why my morning task of coordinating an outfit for work can be so challenging, with hangers filled with colour, prints and an eclectic mix of styles.  

Actually it's also one of the reasons I started this blog, so that I could begin to document and view the different styles I put together, the key looks and co-ordinations that work for me.  A bit like a more contemporary version of taking Polaroids of your outfits and pinning them to the closet door.

The vest top pattern is New Look 6035 (there is also trousers and a jacket to play about with). Virtually no shaping on this top at all, it is an absolutely basic, straight sided vest with a scoop neck and slight gathering at the neckline.  This means the style is not fitted around the body and so no fastenings are needed, it just pulls on.  The fabric, a mixed fibre, has a good drape and flows quite nicely.

I've inserted two little bra strap stays in the shoulders, which you may have noticed from previous posts is a recurring addition to my tops.  Wandering bra straps are a major bug bear of mine (did I repeat myself here?!).  I've finished the neck edge of the vest and armholes with some very bright yellow, cotton bias binding, picking out the same colour within the fabric print and providing a strong visual border to frame the chaos within.

I have worn this with jeans and also layered it with a v-neck khaki top to show just a little of the colour peeping through.  However I like it best of all when it's paired with this geranium red pleated skirt.  

The pinky-red red is reflected in the edge of the pink flowers on the top and the clear aqua colour is also complimentary to this particular red. The skirt has good strong lines with the pleating and a simple a-line shape to stop the whole look becoming too blowsy and out of control.  I like the length of the skirt, just below the knee, which works well with flats too and looks swingy, summery and relaxed despite the high volume shade.

Skirt is Primark, shoes are Clarks, sunglasses from Bench. Bring on summer days in the mega watt meadow.