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.

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.

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!!!

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!)