Maybe Matilda: PSA: This Top

Thursday, August 28, 2014

PSA: This Top

I can hear you loud and clear—all of you saying, “Enough already with the professional magazine-quality photos, the enviable modeling skills, shot after stunningly perfect shot!” But what can I say? When you have been blessed with gifts like these—the gifts of standing awkwardly off-balanced, avoiding looking directly into the camera, children who creep into the background—I cannotwillnot hide this goodness under a bushel.

pink top + aztec leggings // www.maybematilda.com

I thought about cropping Forrest out, but he’s bringing the awesome in such impressive quantities, it just didn’t feel right to leave him out: the mismatched jammies, the manly choice of plaything, the homemade dress for manly plaything (he brought me a scrap of felt and demanded that I tape it around her to make a ‘fancy red dwess’—whatever you say, kid).

Oh, a point. Right. Let’s see if I can find one.

The patterned leggings everyone was wearing last winter? I avoided them for 2 reasons: 1) Jeff couldn’t refrain from commenting on how dumb and unflattering he thought they were eeeeevery time we were out together and saw someone sporting them, and 2) I’m not so sure I love the idea of Spandex clinging fervently to my buttocks and displaying their every detail to the world.

But, in response to #1: when I saw them on sale recently for $6 and tried on a pair out of curiosity and discovered how gloriously soft and silky and comfortable they are, I experienced a beautiful moment of truth in which I realized I don’t particularly care if Jeff likes my choice of pants (I can’t hear you, naysayers who insist leggings are not pants! I’ve got my fingers in my ears and I’m humming!) and to address point #2: well, I guess I just needed to find a shirt long enough to keep the goods under wraps.

Easier said than done—my shopping is limited in time (really, I’m not bringing two kids out with me) and money (need I bring up our budget yet again? I think I needn’t), and most of the tops I found that were long enough were either a bit shapeless/unflattering, or too pricey for me right now. I happened to be wandering aimlessly through Walmart recently, as one does, and stumbled into a top that fit all my pair-with-leggings requirements.

pink top + aztec leggings // www.maybematilda.com

Let’s break it down:
Butt: covered!
Color: score! (I love this vibrant pink, and it comes in a few other colors as well)
Fit: loose enough to offset skintight leggings without being a shapeless bag!
Details: roll-tab sleeves, partial button front (bonus: easy to nurse in, doesn’t require a layer underneath), pocket, box pleat in the back
Price: $12.94!!!

pink top + aztec leggings // www.maybematilda.com

I love it paired with fun patterned leggings—the loose fit keeps me from feeling too exposed even when I’m wearing something form-fitting on the bottom, but it definitely has some shape—and it works great with skinny jeans, too. Need to try it next with a snug knit pencil skirt.

I like this shirt so much, in fact, that I went back a few days later and bought it in two more colors (black and yellow. And, if you’re curious, I’ve now washed and re-worn this shirt, and it seems to have come through the washer and dryer swimmingly without any noticeable shrinkage!).  And lest this sound too sponsored, rest assured that Walmart doesn’t know who I am, and I bought this shirt (and then two more of them!) all by my big-girl self. I just couldn’t resist tossing out this little PSA: if you’ve been holding back from jumping on the leggings bandwagon because you haven’t found the right top to pair them with, or if you just find yourself in need of a comfortable, loose-fitting, cover-the-butt tunic-y-ish top, and are shopping on a budget: here you go. Perhaps you’ll like this one.

Top: Walmart ($12.94) // Leggings: Fashion Corner (they were on sale for $6 when I bought them a week or so ago) // Sandals: Target (old!)

21 comments :

  1. Your husband sounds just like mine in the fashion department, LOL! My hubby is always making comments on the latest trends when we're out and about anywhere, haha! Love your leggings! Very cute!

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  2. See, I'm still a firm believer in leggings not being pants. But I also believe that they are okay as long as your butt is covered. Too bad I just banned myself from buying clothes for awhile because that shirt is super cute!

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  3. Very cute! I still can't get myself to wear leggings as pants. I basically wear them as if they were tights, with skirts or dresses that would be acceptable to wear without any bottoms at all, but that either I'm too cold or shy to wear without something. But I love the pattern on those, and the shirt has the perfect butt-covering properties!

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  4. Love love love! I love the pattern leggings... on everyone but me because I'm heavier than I should/want to be & I'm definitely pear shaped... BUT MAYBE I could try this top with a pair but I think I want one (or two) of those tops no matter what ;)

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  5. I ordered some patterned leggings two winters ago that never came. I've tried contacting the company with no luck. They took my money, didn't send the item I ordered, and refuse to refund my money or even email me back. Grr... It made me so mad that I haven't been able to think about finding another pair without bringing all the angry feelings back. BUT, yours are so cute that I just might give them another try!

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  6. Love, love, love this shirt!!! The color looks great on you too! I'll have to see if they have any in the orem walmart. I'll also have to get some new skinny jeans 1) because the ones i do have are maternity ones and i don't need those anymore!!!! 2) leggings, sadly, do not work for my body type.
    Glad you have this awesome new(ish) outfit lol

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  7. Printed leggings are my favorite! PS you crack me up!

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  8. Oh no!!! What company was it? Need to make sure to avoid them myself!

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  9. I think someone needs to start a movement to have ever pair of jeans end in a stretchy elastic panel--like maternity pants, but for non-pregnants. I think it would be genius.

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  10. I don't know . . . I'm no expert, but I feel like most people can get away with more, style-wise, than they think they can. But I have to admit that, as I'm saying that, I generally stick with a limited range of stuff I feel comfortable in and don't branch out a whole ton :-P

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  11. Ah, yes. I remember The Great Closet Purge of 2014.

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  12. Ha, yes! I grew up with 3 brothers and I swear, I can't remember them ever commenting on girls' clothing styles, so I deluded myself into thinking guys didn't notice/care/have opinions on that kind of stuff. Guess I was wrong :-P

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  13. It was a Utah based start-up called Something Shiny. They had one of those KSL deals on Facebook, and the leggings were only $20! I really wanted to support them, and it was such a killer deal. The leggings were so cute and I was really excited to get mine, but paying $20 for a big fat nothing...not a killer deal. At all. I just have to think of it as a donation to a local company, because if I think about what actually happened I get so mad! They will get exactly ZERO of my dollars after that.

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  14. Why hasn't someone come up with that yet?!? Those would be awesome!

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  15. You have such a cute style, and I love reading your blog! Have you heard of Paparazzi accessories? I'm a consultant and think you would love our $5 accessories. Very cute and super affordable! Something you are all about!

    My site is www.paparazziaccessories.com/27178 or you can find me on Facebook www.facebook.com/PaparazziFashionbySheena

    I'd love to send you a piece of our jewelry. Contact me if you are interested! Hope this isn't too weird to write to you about!

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  16. My husband does the exact same thing with patterned leggings!! And I'm always thinking, "huh. I kinda like em...." not to mention I guess he does that with a lot of fashions.... hahah. Men. I dunno what people's deal is with hating on leggings and saying they can't be pants. I try my hardest to LIVE in leggings during pregnancy, haha! But I'm with you--- my butt MUST be covered.

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  17. You are seriously too cute. These look great on you. I would need a knee length shirt to make me feel comfy in the leggings as pants trend. But you work it.`

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  18. YES to leggings during pregnancy! They are a godsend.

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  19. Such a disappointment! You have a much better attitude about it than I would ;-)

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  20. Okay, I have another post/question about leggings. I got some for a costume and thinking that I can wear them around the house too (the husband is a firm believer on them not being pants lol) So they came in the mail and I tried them on! You can most definitely tell that I wear garments :( you can see every line. The leggings I got are just a solid color, which I'm sure doesn't help. I actually have this problem too with all of my jeans, but it's not this bad. Do you have any suggestions at what I can do??

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  21. Totally know what you mean, and I have that problem, too! I have a few ideas . . . I haven't tried this myself, but I had a friend who swore that her secret to wearing skinnies (so I assume this would go for leggings too) without garment lines was to wear the longer, capri-length garments. She said she would actually put them inside the pants, and then put them on together (so the garment bottoms wouldn't roll/bunch up from pulling the pants over top). Also, fleece-lined leggings. Way thicker, so they smooth the lines out. And, like you said, I think leggings with a pattern hide the lines better. They're still there, but not as noticeable. I just figure that as long as they're not TOOO insanely obvious, anyone who notices thee lines and knows what they are probably can commiserate and suffers from the same problem ;-) Good luck!

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