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Yellow Girlfriend Chinos Redux

Hello and Happy First Day of Fall!!! 🍂🍁🌾

When you work in the fashion industry (I had to stifle a giggle when I typed that… but I suppose that is what I do) and you start styling fall outfits in July (thank you, Nordstrom Anniversary Sale) it feels surreal to finally be able to legitimately welcome Fall.

I guess I should have saved the rust colored sweater outfit to post today or something more fall-ish, but instead, I’m giving these yellow girlfriend chinos another try.

You may remember these pants from this post. There was quite a lot of discussion in the comments about whether or not they worked and why, and I took some of that input into consideration when creating this look. I still don’t love it… or the pants… but it’s getting there.

First, a caveat. I said in that post that I was wearing a size 6 and I didn’t think I could size down. I still don’t know why they look like skinny jeans on the model and like boyfriend jeans on me, but I discovered when I put them back on for this look that they are actually a size 8 and a tad roomy even in the waist area, where pants tend to be tightest on me.

All that to say, I do think they’re too big, and I should probably have the 6. That would help with some of the extra volume, so I stand corrected on that point. Still, despite how they fit the model, they are called girlfriend chinos, which typically means a looser fit.

The first thing I did when I put them back on was to cuff them. Already, that makes a big difference. Then I swapped out the long-sleeved relaxed stripe top for a thinner, more fitted striped tee.

Unfortunately this tee has that infamous curved hemline, which I think is terribly unflattering. It cups a woman right where she tends to carry a little extra stuffing in the belly area and adds visual weight — I think that is most visible in the picture below. I always front tuck this top, and I’m not sure why I didn’t during this shoot. #liveandlearn

I added a denim jacket in a medium indigo wash that does several things — it breaks up the stripes so I hopefully don’t look like a bumble bee (ha!), it brings the formality down a bit and keeps the look casual, and it creates some structure and shape through the waist area (always a good thing!)

As an aside, I LOVE this jacket. I’ve liked the looks of it on the Nordstrom website for years, and it finally went on sale a few weeks ago, so I snagged it because I donated my old medium wash denim jacket last summer and never replaced it. My dark wash jacket is nice, but sometimes a medium wash looks better. This jacket is SO comfortable, and the fit is fantastic. It has just the right amount of shaping through the waist, and I also like the white stitching with the silver buttons. It keeps the look light and casual. For size reference, I have a small.

Don’t forget, this is Triple Points time at Nordstrom (ends tomorrow, 9/23) so it’s a great time to stock up on essentials (makeup, underwear, etc.) or to make a bigger purchase you may have been holding out on. See all my Nordstrom Favorites HERE!

Finally, I chose white Converse to keep everything light on the bottom so there is a low contrast between the pants, the color of my skin, and my shoes. That elongates the lower body and keeps the look from being too choppy.

The black bag is probably too harsh — I chose it because the top is black and white striped, but I think a grey bag would look better.

So yeah, I think overall this is a marked improvement over the last look, but it could still use some tweaking. Also, I’m willing to admit this outfit looks more like spring than fall, but yellow is a trending color for fall. Maybe I should have tried a burgundy top or something… I dunno, but I think I like this shade of yellow with lighter colors.

What do you think? How did I do?

similar tee // girlfriend chinos // denim jacket // Converse // necklace // earrings // bracelet

photo credit: Alison Cornell

Be sure to visit Cyndi to see the fall outfit she’s styling today!

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36 Responses

  1. I understand how some colors remind of us spring, and fall….etc…but I’ve been trying to step outside those ideas and change things up!! It’s fun to incorporate other colors for any season, and as long as you were comfortable with the temperature, I think this is perfect.
    In fact, I almost dislike shopping at this time of year because most clothing is so dark and dreary and not good colors on me!!
    So I say, bring on the yellow!!
    OXOX
    Jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com

  2. I LOVE this outfit! And yes, it’s cooler today, but I think with the warm weather we’ve had, it feels more like spring than fall outside. This is definitely something I would wear to school. Spring or Fall. 😉

  3. I think these pants are cute and would look great with a denim shirt front tucked, a belt and ankle booties.  I also think they would look great with any more fitted top front tucked and a belt, with a shoe or bootie with a slight heel.  Maybe they would feel more like fall then.🤔😊

  4. I like this look much better!  The other one was ok but it did need something “more”.  Cuffing the pants, adding the jean jacket and changing the footwear to converse fit the bill!  It does look kind of springy but it works for fall too.  Maybe add a burgundy handbag instead?  

    And by the way …. today it’s going to be 74 in North Texas – woohoo!  Although it’s been raining almost non-stop since yesterday – give and take I guess.   🤪
    But I do wish we had more of a fall season so I’m jealous – ha ha.   Our fall lasts about 2 days.  🤣

    Have fun watching your son and daughters band performances.  

  5. I think the striped tee and converse give it a summer look, not what you were aiming for. I would pair them with a front tucked shirt or sweater for a more fall look. And, add booties!
     Can we try this again? It’s an experiment that we can all learn from. How to transition a summer garment to a fall look. 

  6. Definitely like the look better this time! I do tend to agree that the yellow of the pants is a bit of a “spring” look. But what do I know? I ordered a pair of blush jeans from Loft to wear now & into fall/early winter & I love them! Would you consider posting your rig pics on the blog or FB, for those of us who don’t use Instagram? Enjoy your day with your kids! 

  7. I have an outfit very similar to this one. and I love it. The relaxed fit as a welcome change after wearing snug fitting pants most of the time. I would choose a two tone tan/khaki messenger bag. 

  8. I like this look a lot better… It still says spring to me… but I think its just because the pants are a lighter yellow… and the stripe tee… love adding the jean jacket and converse. Always a favorite go to.
    Have a fun weekend and enjoy the band

  9. I’m glad I’m not the only one who hates curved hems. They are so unflattering on my body. I buy many of my shirts from Old Navy and their quality control is iffy, so half the time the curved hem is uneven too! It so frustrating to me when I find a shirt I really like but the hem is curved.

  10. Jolynne…i liked the yellow pants the first time you posted them. It’s a nice put together look. You can wear this Spring, Some Summer, if it’s a little cool and definetly In the fall. I would probably add a neutral color pair of loafers. That would be perfect. I liked the way it fit you before as opposed to now. I just Love the Look! Have a Great Weekend!! Stay Cool!! Linda

  11. Yes, this outfit is much better!  Like you, I am still getting used to wearing boyfriend/girlfriend jeans and figuring out what to wear with them.  I feel like that wearing a more fitted top is best to best to help balance out the fullness of the jeans.  I can’t believe your high today will be in the 70’s!  I’m so jealous; it’s not even 1p yet and it is 95 on our front porch.  We are having lower humidity, thank goodness.  Enjoy watching David today, then your daughters marching band performance.

    1. Thank goodness for lower humidity, but 95 in September, yoiks!!! Yesterday it suddenly felt like fall here, and today it’s chilly and rainy. I’m not even going to complain about the rain because it’s only 59 and at least I can wear a rain coat without sweating.

  12. First let me start by saying that I admire you trying again with these pants. But as I was reading though your post, my thought was that it looks more like a spring outfit than fall and then I got to the paragraph where you said the same thing lol. I would wear the top pieces with olive pants instead and just wouldn’t invest in the yellow pants. 😟

  13. I love this redux! I have those pants (in khaki color) and I had to take them to my tailor to have them taken in as I ordered my regular size 4 but they were too baggy (especially after wearing them all day). After alterations they fit more snug (not tight, just fitted) and I prefer them this way. I still roll the cuff and wear with converse or slides. 
    PS- saw your new foyer rug on instagram and think it’s beautiful! I love the added colors it brings in making your entryway something extra ☀️😊

  14. I love this look… I’m surprised that the fall colors this year are kind of “springy” but overall liking most of it 😉

  15. I still don’t love the pants on you, but I agree this is an improvement.  And I love the fact that you restyled it instead of giving up and tossing them in the give away pile.  Anyway, here are my thoughts: I love the jean with the yellow, and I like the pants rolled up with a little ankle and the cute little sneaker.  I also love the jean with the black and white stripe (I guess I just love the jean jacket – need to figure out how to style that on me (I bought one, thanks to you, but always end up putting it on and taking it off again cuz I feel silly in it)).  And yeah, the pants look big.  It’s a cute look, but I’d like it better with yellow skinny jeans.  😉  

  16. Yes much better but…..I still am not crazy 
    About yellow in the fall.
    Still love our dark skinny jeans…
    Yes please show us the foyer rug..
    Colors sound beautiful.

  17. I give you props for showing a different style. However, I feel the pants look a bit dated, and unflattering on you. Makes you look bigger than you are. Something about the color doesn’t really work. No matter how many times you style them, it’s a No. 

  18. I like the outfit. I still think a denim/chambray shirt and some aninal print flats would be adorable with the pants and might bring a more “fallish” feel. 

    1. Oooh, I like both of those ideas. I didn’t think about the leopard shoes… of course, i thin I’ve styled leopard shoes 3x this week already. Haha! they are so good for fall, tho.

  19. First, much better on the outfit. I like the rolled cuff for sure. It’s all good but I’m not a fan of the yellow for Fall. It still looks spring to me. Put this whole outfit away and bring out in the spring and you will like it. :). LOL. I thought of you today as my husband and I were at the Oregon State football game. I was thinking of your son getting on the marching band. Oregon State has a good one. You should be proud he made the cut. I don’t have Instagram. Can you share your foyer rug sometime on the blog?  Sounds great. 

  20. Much improved! I like the casual vibe with the rolled cuffs and sneakers. For those who think it says Spring, it could always be paired with a fall colored top. 

  21. I love the way you cuffed the pants and wore converse and added denim. I think all those details really made the girlfriend chinos work. I also like that the striped tshirt is kind of unexpected. Burgundy might be a great color to combine with yellow but I think the stripes are fun. It’s good to know that a front tuck fixes the issues with the cut of the tshirt. You give so many great tips. I didn’t think these pants would be something I would like to add to my wardrobe but styled this way they definitely would be fun to try.

  22. This is a much better outfit even though I am still not a big fan of yellow pants. After reading all the comments and all of the suggestions for styling these pants, it seems to me that this would be a good idea for a new series. Post an outfit and then do a followup post showing some of the ideas that were suggested. This would be a great way to show how versatile some of these pieces could be. You could feature an item on Monday and then follow up with the restyled looks on Friday. Anyway, keep up the good work!

  23. Thanks for trying this again. I like this look, but agree with you about the front tuck in the t-shirt. I think this might be more “fall” like with a burgundy sweater and bag (I can see some people said the same thing!) If you do the burgundy on top you could accessorize with leopard scarf and/or shoes. I am not sure about booties, I would keep to flats.

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