The answer to that question is, of course, everything. Everything goes with vanilla… ice cream. But vanilla crocheted cropped sweaters can be a bit more problematic.
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| My grandmother taught me to crochet squares very similar to this pattern. |
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| Try #1. Okay for colour, bit too snug around the middle age middle. |
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| Try #2. Better. Good enough to go shopping and look for a long loose tank |
Try #3. I swapped the cream camisole for a black one, crepe joggers which I bought at Aritzia in 2015, and my black, suede Paul Green flats from last year. The joggers have lovely flat pleats in the front which help hide middle age middle. And the cami has a band of extra stretchy fabric in the stomach area which smooths out all the ripples. The bottom four inches or so of the cami is loose and looks good peeking out from under sweaters and such. It’s called a “Yummie Tummie.” I know. Dreadful name. I bought it at a store here in Ottawa owned by a former student, and when she called into the dressing room, “Ms Burpee, try this Yummie Tummie under that top,” I barked back: “I am NOT wearing anything called Yummie Tummie.” Ha. Turns out I loved it.
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| Try #3. I like this look okay. |
I like this outfit. I love black and cream or black and white. I’d probably wear this with my structured black and white Kate Spade bag for a lunching lady look.
I tried the sweater and cream cami with my striped A.L.C. midi-skirt. I tried it with my pink Elie Tahari cropped pants. I tried it with my black, cropped Rag and Bone pants. I didn’t like it with any of them. That’s okay. I’ve lots of tops to go with those bottoms.
And this week, I’m going shopping to find something else to wear with my vanilla crocheted sweater. I’m using these shots from Pinterest to inspire me.
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| Shots from Pinterest to give me ideas. |
I have a gift certificate from Escape, a lovely shop in downtown Ottawa. I won the gift certificate at a lunch/fashion show a couple of weeks ago. Maybe I’ll find a summery dress or a long loose tank to wear with my sweater. Or even a pair of summery khaki or tan pants? Who knows, I may just get lucky. This store is totally new to me. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Meanwhile, I may not be the picture of cutting edge fashion in this outfit. But I am definitely the picture of contentment. With my clothes. With myself… at least this week. Ha. And certainly with the spring sunshine.
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| Spring sunshine feels so very good. |
All this talk of vanilla has made me hungry for ice cream. Maybe for dessert tonight with some strawberries and a shot of chocolate sauce? Vanilla ice cream goes with everything. It’s so easy.
21 thoughts on “What Goes With Vanilla?”
It's a pretty top Sue, and who doesn't love vanilla?! I love all the lights and whites together pops of red. But know what you mean, I have a few long camis and they show up my zips and buttons, so the idea of your Yummie Mummie oops, Tummie, sounds like a real winner.
New with me? I'm trying to stock up on a few short sleeved Ts and some chinos – it's a work in progress. Hugs, x.
Thanks, Mary. I am determined to find a long cami or tank that does not cling. Wish me luck:)
I’m liking the black best too & it shows off the cut out pattern on the jumper . I’d look grim in that jumper though . The ‘ Twiggy ‘ figure I used to have has blossomed too much I’m afraid & top heavy figures can’t do short , pale jumpers with high necks . You don’t have that problem . Yummy tummy tops sound interesting – do they do yummy bummys too ? I’ve branched out this week & bought some new soft trousers in a fine grey stripe by a company called Two Danes ( not expensive , so worth a little experiment ). Weird on the hanger , sort of wide legs going in at the bottom but I rolled them up abit & I like them , I think . Wish Max would stop calling them my clown trousers .
Wendy from York
Ha… my lower Twiggy is still intact and at war with my upper non-Twiggy parts. I'm questioning the wisdom of buying that sweater, now. Wondering if I was lulled into a false sense of my security by the fact t hat I always used to wear cream cotton knit sweaters, I may have been looking at my past self in the mirror!
Those pants sound interesting. I've never heard of Two Danes.
P.S. Men always seem to know exactly what NOT to say and then go ahead and say it:)
Love the black and cream combination you are wearing…it's a favourite colour combination for my wardrobe and a versatile colour scheme that looks elegant and well coordinated. Looking forward to seeing what creative cream-on-cream look you can find that minimizes the trouble spot around the middle which many battle. On the dessert front I select chocolate all the way although a decadent vanilla ice cream topped with fresh strawberries from a market garden is a gastronomic treat! Enjoy the shopping challenge and we'll wait to see what gorgeous find you come home with! Cheers, Alayne
I'm hoping that I will have good luck at that new store. Or maybe in the Eileen Fisher section of Nordstrom. I usually avoid EF because of the neckline, but if I'm wearing the sweater over the tank or dress the scooped neckline shouldn't matter. Fingers are crossed.
I like Spanx simply for the name – sassy. Yummie Tummie, not quite as much. Hahahah! The black under the cream sweater and the ivory both look great. But I admit that the ice cream is what I really crave. Oh ye evil temptress, I haven't even had breakfast and already my thoughts stray…
That name got up my nose partly because it reminded me of the term "yummy mummie" … which I think is offensive to women. Ickk. Imagine thinking that it's okay to call women "yummy" in this day and age?
Very cute & I definitely can't see any ripples – you look great. Thanks for sharing. Jacqui Mmmabstylish
Oh… they are there. Ha.
i really like your new jumper but i noticed the pinterest pics you have are all loose top layers and your new top is reasonably fitted. this might be whats causing your lack of enthuisiasm? it looks really pretty with the black though.
Maybe. The sweater was styled at the store with a long silky tank like in the photos, but it didn't fit me properly and it was very expensive. So I'll keep looking for something similar but a bit more simple like the Eileen Fisher ones.
Love the title. What goes with vanilla? Luscious warm dark chocolate sauce or that's how I like mine. As lovely as the cream on white with the red accents, I really like the cream over black. Love the cuffs on the pants. The shoes' ties criss crossing over your feet and ankles add pizzazz and glamour to the overall look. I like the effect of the black cami peeking through the weaved pattern of the sweater. Sexy without trying to be. Contentment in one own style is a good thing. It beats missing turns and taking detours all over the places in that vast wilderness of Style and Fashion. Amelia
Thanks, Amelia. Style and fashion are indeed a vast wilderness…and sometimes we take wrong turns when we're in uncharted territory.
I definitely like vanilla in all its forms 🙂 Especially as clotted cream on top of ice cream!! Gorgeous new sweater Sue … I like how you’re styling it with trousers. Hoping you may show us it over a dress as well. I tried this look a year or so ago but guess I didn’t find quite the right sweater… I’ve got a shorter boxy cotton one and a longer cotton lacy one( light cream and ecru) but somehow it’s a case of what works in my head, doesn’t work as well on my body, … again !! 🙂 They tend to make me look chunky!
New in my wardrobe? … I’ve decided to introduce some yellow … a deep and golden shade, rather than “lemon” I’ve bought some espadrilles ( I’ve the same ones in other colours, they’re so comfy) a cute, cotton pouch/clutch and a linen tunic style dress in pale grey/ yellow/white … it has lemons in the print! Not 100% sure that I’ll keep the dress though, as although it will be lovely for holidays, I can’t see me popping it on to walk to town or any of my usual day to day activities … I’m usually much more conservative.. very few prints in my wardrobe, except for scarves.
Rosie
I’ll try and put them on IG so you can see them … that’ll be a first for me!
You should do that, Rosie. II'd love to see a shot of that dress. The reason I liked my sweater is that it's not too boxy, and yet not fitted at the bottom. I'm off tomorrow to see if I can find the perfect tank (or dress) for underneath. Sometimes my problem is that I have a very specific idea of what I want, and come home with nothing. I may add some more yellow to this season. My old yellow sweater made me realize how much I love yellow.
Hi Robin,
I tried to respond to your comment yesterday, but the computer was glitchy and it disappeared. But you are right about middles…. mine is the bane of my wardrobe:)
I love vanilla,too. Your sweater is nice and I hope that you'll find EF longer camis
I've cropped my silk Palmers underdresses and it works fine under shorter sweaters
Crocheted things are lovely but they are difficult to style in a right way.I have vanilla crocheted cardigan (:-))
Dottoressa
I seem to recall a comment you made about leather pants and a cream or white sweater… started me thinking of white sweaters for summer. Mine is certainly a work in progress. If only I could wear wide-leg pants.
My diet has gone well except for the middle. What us with that tummy chubbiness I can hold in 2 hands still. Oh well. I love your red pops look. Cream on white is very Scandinavian as Mary said in her blond on blond post last year. I think you look elegant in the black look. Don't knock it. I like it a lot.
Thanks, Anna. I like cream on cream on white too. I just need a looser under-pinning. Still looking:)