Welcome Allison McGevna, 31, of Inside Allie’s World, who is joining us as our resident curvy-girl style blogger. She was featured in the December/January issue of PEOPLE StyleWatch and contributes her thoughts on finding the perfect outfit to the site each week. This week, she dishes on creating a balanced masculine/feminine look. (And if her items are sold out, we’ve linked to similar styles below — happy shopping!)
Courtesy Allison McGevna
Lately, I’ve been really into creating a masculine/feminine look with my outfits. It feels really modern and interesting, and it makes playing with the pieces in my closet more fun! I always want to feel feminine and show off my shape in some way, so this is a great challenge. Plus, when you make your clothes work harder, you really get more for your money. For this look, the menswear-inspired piece I chose was an Ashley Stewart chambray button up.
RELATED: See even more wardrobe tips from Allison here!
I’m really into chambray right now. It reads effortlessy cool, plus it’s lightweight and great for summer. This top has a bit of a rugged, edgy vibe for sure with its cuffed sleeves and distressed look, and it’s a bit shorter, just skimming your hips, which is nice for girls with a wider lower half like me. It’s definitely a more casual piece, but with jeans it feels a little blah, so I wanted to try and dress it up a bit. Because of the boxier cut, the shirt can feel a little boyish, so adding a feminine element to it was important.
I chose to pair this shirt with a fitted floral skirt from Buffalo Jeans by David Bitton. I bought it at JCPenney (one of my fave places to shop!) for around $36. It’s cute, trendy, and the colors really go with the top. The skirt has some stretch to it, so it works on curvier figures, and I love that it skims my shape. Finding a way to show your figure is really important when you’re doing the masculine/feminine thing. The floral print feels inherently girlie, which is also great for the mix. Big, bold prints are such a trend for spring, but they can be intimidating for plus girls. I say go for it. But if you’re a little anxious, a mostly-neutral print like this against a black background is a bit easier to wear.
I paired the look with a pretty necklace from Aldo (similar style), and my fave Louboutins (similar style) for a fun high/low mix, and an added girlie touch. I’m also going to try to wear this shirt with skinny jeans or trousers, or open and tied at the waist over a skater dress. Again, menswear-inspired pieces can be so cool and classic, but you have to be careful with your proportions and create that balance. Embrace your curves and show them off, ladies!
Do you experiment with menswear-inspired pieces? How do you style them? Sound off below!
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