fashionista — Blog Posts — velvetandsequins

For the longest time I have been trying to find the perfect set! The struggle I always came across was that either the top was too cropped, something was see through or the set was really fun but not something I would actually wear out in public. Luckily this cute set from Forever21 ended up coming back in stock and I bought it right away! The key with sets is to find the option where you can buy the top and the bottom separately. I wasn’t sure about my size so I ended up buying the top in two sizes. I’m honestly super happy I did because I ended up picking the larger of the two. The great part about sets is that you can style them so many different ways which I wanted to share with you all below!

Look One

The first and simplest way to wear the two pieces is together. They were literally made for each other and so it is pretty much guaranteed that they will look cute together. Kind of like a romper or a dress except that it is cute in half so you don’t always have to wear it as your whole outfit.

Look Two

Another way I styled this set was by pairing the top with jeans and a hat. It is a great way to transform the outfit for fall and you can easily add a sweater or jacket if it is cold that day. The funny thing is that seeing this outfit alone, you would have no idea that the top is part of a matching set. It really just looks like a cute top that you paired jeans with. When picking out bottoms, I made sure to choose ones with a similar rise. The shorts are high waisted so I paired the top with my high waisted jeans so the hem would hit at a similar spot.

Look Three

The third outfit I created was using just the shorts. i paired them with a neutral colored top since there is already a pattern on the shorts. Although I could have added a different crop top, it can be hard to find one where the hem hits in the same spot with the high waisted shorts. I love crop tops but I like when the do not actually end up showing my stomach. To avoid this problem, I picked a longer tank top and just tucked it into the shorts.

SHOP THE POST

The best items to have in your closet are statement pieces and then closet staples that you can build upon. For awhile now I have been looking for black cropped pants/culottes. I finally found this pair on Forever21's website and the amazing thing is that they are only $10! What a deal! This past weekend I had fun styling them with other items in my closet to create three easy but different looks which I have shared below!

1. Business Casual

For this look I paired a cropped white button down with the pants to help dress them up. I also added slip on mules which are not only comfortable but also look fancier than some of my other types of shoes. I picture this look being suitable for a work day or when you have a meeting since it is formal enough while also staying on trend.

2. Athleisure

I've recently been trying to get more into the athleisure trend and had a fun time building an outfit with these pants that looked sporty but casual. I added a black sweater with varsity stripes on the sleeves and paired it with a nicer baseball cap. It's hard to tell but my hat is a light blue suede. For shoes, I matched my sweater with my classic Adidas sneakers to stick with the black and white stripe theme. This outfit would be perfect for a day of errands where you are on the move and want to be comfy but still stylish.

3. Dressed up casual

When I picture dressed up casual, I picture the type of outfit I might wear when going to brunch with friends or maybe doing some shopping. To add some color to these pants I paired them with a floral blouse and some heeled sandals.

SHOP MY OUTFITS

THE PANTS

The exact pair I am wearing is the first link but I have also linked some other options as well! Technically these culottes are called "shorts" on the Forever21 website but fit me perfectly because I am so short. Therefore if you are taller than 5'3" you might want to check out some of the other options

WHITE BUTTON UP

VARSITY SWEATER

FLORAL BLOUSE