Summer has pretty much ended, and this outfit is something I wore almost a couple of months ago, but still worth sharing! Funny because the last Stylesheet I shared was called In the summertime. 😛 I am wearing the same sandals from that outfit because they have continued to be really comfortable to walk in.

The puff sleeve top in this outfit was a step out of my comfort zone and I purchased it late last year (when summer was just starting in Australia). I was really on the lookout for some kind of off-the-shoulder white cropped top for summer, something a bit more “romantic” but not too feminine. In the past couple of years I’ve realised that ornate or soft and relaxed fitting clothing, or things with delicate trim or frills are not my best look. But I wanted to try something simple in colour and shape, and in a neckline and cut that I’m familiar with. This linen top was a fun number for summer, and I liked the way it hugged just at the top of my ribcage. I think my upper midsection is one of the parts of my body that I don’t mind exposing and I feel pretty neutral about, so I paired the top with my favourite checkered shorts. 😁

I do have a couple of faults about the top that make it less than ideal from a practicality perspective. I find that I need to use fashion tape if I want the top of the bust line to stay put. Otherwise it just keeps bunching under my ribcage. I mean, like with any bras or sports bras that don’t have banding under the bust, it can feel like my top half is spilling out weirdly? Even though the sleeves are elasticated at the top, they have a tendency to slip down. I like wearing it as an off-the-shoulder top as well, but the elastic on the sleeves means it is more flexible than fitted, so things don’t really stay in place as much as they could if the top was structured differently. Maybe this is just me being fussy, and maybe it’s just because I’m small-framed that I have these minor issues. I also have the biggest back and shoulders, so getting the top over my head was a bit of a pain. It would definitely have been more comfortable if it was the kind that zipped down the side.

I am pretty broad-shouldered and I do feel like the puffy sleeves and neckline exaggerate my broad shoulders in comparison to my legs (my inverted triangle shape). In reality this doesn’t bother me, but I don’t like it in some of the pictures. 😆 I think there might be a better way to do my hair or wear the top, or whatever I wear the top with. Something just doesn’t feel super balanced here, haha.

I honestly don’t have much to say about the shorts because I keep wearing them time and time again, and I love them. They are still very comfortable, have wide enough legs that I don’t feel restricted, have pockets, and are in a print that I find very easy to match with other items, even in winter. I’ve been thinking recently that I might embrace wearing shorts with tights more in winter, since I seem to have come to that point in the cycle of disliking jeans again. 😅 What’s new, G? I really think I need to put my foot down about jeans, because I make the same complaints over and over. I think jeans are just not the most comfortable item of clothing for me, and of the jeans I have, I already find some of them completely fit for purpose. I should stop looking.

So… as my Stylesheet posts seem to get shorter and shorter, I think a big part of the reason is that I am buying less clothes and continuing to wear the same things over and over. I don’t think it’s as evident purely from my Stylesheet blog posts, but it definitely is to me, as I take photos of my outfits almost daily and I notice myself repeating outfits. Maybe to some people who might follow me on Instagram and view my stories frequently. That said, one small item I wanted to discuss is the triangular shaped tourmaline stone ring I have. I had been eyeing a handmade jeweller on Etsy – Gracie, who is based in Victoria, Australia – and her pieces are honestly beautiful. I have a thing for stones with a bit of aqua, a bit of blue-green, and this tourmaline ring made of sterling silver just called my name. With a tiny size of US 3.5, perfect for my tiny fingers, I decided it would be a nice piece to take on my adventures.

I waved my hair for this outfit, but I suppose it is barely visible because it’s tied back a little. I can’t decide if I prefer my hair wavy or straight. I definitely got it cut short with a big intention of curling and waving it more often. Although that hasn’t happened, I like changing it up every now and then.

I honestly don’t think I’ll be all that keen to try more romantic, bohemian, or draped style of top. This is maybe the second time in the past three or four years that I have tried something like this and actually kept the item. It’s usually a risky experiment on my part, because I know full well that more feminine styles don’t suit me, and that loose fabrics, cuts, and silhouettes can swamp my frame and figure. On the contrary, I also do not like wearing super tight clothing because it can look and feel awkward on me as well. I know what looks best on me, and I do like experimenting with things outside my comfort zone, but I know and have been experimenting enough to tread carefully.

This top lacks the structure I usually need in a top, and although it is more structured than other tops I’ve tried in the past, it still doesn’t 100% satisfy the criteria for something of this style. The cropped style is great, the neckline isn’t an issue, and the colour and the slight stiffness of the fabric are OK. If I were to look for something similar like this in the future, I think a bustier or something made of stiffer, more structured fabric but still giving off a slightly feminine vibe would suit me better. I will still keep this top, of course, but it isn’t going to determine the future direction of some of my wardrobe choices.

That’s it for this post! 💁🏻‍♀️ Many thanks for your attention! 🌻

Outfit details

• Top: Dissh (Saunders white linen crop top)
• Shorts: Tussah (Kora shorts – no longer available)
• Shoes: Easy Steps (Georgie Sandal in Tan)
• Sunglasses: Gentle Monster (Papas – no longer available; shop similar My Ma design)
• Necklace: created myself with a herkimer diamond and silver chain
• Rings: Saint Valentine (Picasso ring and the gracie collection on Etsy (one of a kind piece)
• Nails: Personail [referral link for 20% off] nail wraps (Sky blue; glitter style no longer available)

Footnotes

📸 All photography by Nicholas Cooke. (on my iPhone 12 mini)

I named this outfit Summer’s end, since it is an outfit suited for warmer weather, and it suits the time of year it is in Australia, from a seasonal point of view. 😅