NAS Round 3: Top Hit

Believe it or not, the NAS presale had been running for a full week before I had anything more than bras and knickers in my shopping cart!

(I know. Especially after my huge June shopping spree, this stretches credulity. But I swear on my mother's wedding gown, it is true! Sveta will vouch for me.)

Ah, yes, it's a far cry from the $6,000 I ordered in boots last year. (Only to return everything except the Munro Robyns and Donald Pliner pointy toes.) 

I blame it all on Angie.  "If you could suggest just ONE thing I should try..." I whispered....

Obligingly, she came up with two: The Smythe Houndstooth jacket (henceforth to be referred to as The One That Got Away), and the Equipment Sloane sweater that Lisa has already modelled for us. 

Well, the Smythe was sold out in my size. And I'm just as glad. It's a pricey jacket and I already bought two pricey jackets this spring. For fall, I have other priorities to meet. I'll look for some fast fashion toppers to add variety, and I will aim to buy "my" Smythe another year. After all, I live in Canada, just down the road from them. It should not be too hard to track one down.  :) 

Meanwhile, the Equipment sweater was in stock. It crossed the border with me  yesterday. 

I must say, when I saw this pullover online I was not impressed. In fact, it didn't interest me in the least. 

"Too busy!!" "Too silly!!!" "Too fussy!!" "I don't need another pullover!!" 

But Angie speaks, and I listen. If there is one thing I have learned in my time on YLF it is: THAT WOMAN KNOWS HER STUFF!!! 

The tags are off! Here are a few potential stylings. 

1.  Simple, with faded denim BFs. I'll wear with booties rather than sandals in the fall. This will probably be the way I wear the sweater most. 

MUST FIND A REALLY GREAT TAUPE BOOTIE. Leads appreciated. 
Ideally not the Pettys - I like them but would like a different style for my taupe. 

I do still have my Reports and still love the comfort (but not the round toe so much). Also, I don't like wearing them except with cuffed pants, which limits versatility. 

2.  Matchy-matchy. With SE Pettys, and the BR cream jeans from the winter. 

3.  Wildcard pairing with my Halogen seamed pencil skirt from last year's NAS and my La Canadienne boots. The undertone of the sleeves has a very slight pinkish cast to it which I thought the skirt might bring forward. I think it worked! 

Of course it will work with black trousers and skirts (I have both). And my charcoal wide legs. And if I had any ink, it would work with that. 

Colours are a bit dull -- I tried to brighten. It was raining this morning and grey. 

Was Angie right? :)

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54 Comments

  • marianna replied 9 years ago

    Angie is always right! That sweater is absolute perfection… I love it so much! I want one! I bet you'll enjoy this piece a lot.

  • Alana in Canada replied 9 years ago

    I love it with the middle boots, best, but, if, as you say the colours are off, that may be why!
    What an odd shirt. But, you know, it is amazingly versatile--look how well you've done with just three looks. Fascinating.

  • Tanya replied 9 years ago

    Angie is ALWAYS right!

    The sweater was made for you, you look gorgeous in all the outfits.

  • MsLuna replied 9 years ago

    Suz, these are excellent finds! LOOOOOOVE the sweater! I'm a sucker for these types of sweaters these days but I can never find one that works. Glad I can wear them vicariously through you ;)

    I agree that you should get taupe booties! I think this is a colour you would certainly look great in!

  • cciele replied 9 years ago

    I didn't like the sweater much on the model, but on you, Suz, wow! Perfect! Angie knows here stuff :)

  • Aida replied 9 years ago

    Wow #2 and #3 are brilliant. The sweater looks super ^^ Of course Angie was right :D

    EDIT: I had these taupe booties marked to check out, but it looks like many other ladies had the same idea! Not sure if anything your size will come back in stock, but it's a possibility.

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 9 years ago

    Well, it's just beautiful, Suz. You look so good in all these outfits with it. Great find!
    I would love to find your taupe booties for you. Will keep an eye out.

  • Janet replied 9 years ago

    Great sweater on you!

  • Sveta replied 9 years ago

    Ooh, Angie DOES  know her stuff! It is AMAZINGLY beautiful on you - no wonder the tags are off!
    Hmmm, maybe I will come down to spending more on knitwear next year too..for now I have to admire it on you (an Lisa and Angie of course).
    Well done!

  • Transcona Shannon replied 9 years ago

    I think my chin just hit the floor! This is beyond PERFECT on you Suz. Love all the stylings.

  • Peri replied 9 years ago

    Hey I really like the wildcard pairing! Good job thinking of that!

  • E replied 9 years ago

    Delicious! Went through my head at the first outfit, then I clicked to the second and thought 'Delicious!!!' and then the third was 'OMG, SO delicious!' I love that it can go from casual to fancy, and that the cashmere is so sensible for your climate (what do you mean you don't need another pullover? you live in Canada, for heaven's sake). Yay for Angie! Yay for Suz! :) 

    My taupe booties are lace ups from Timberland, so I don't think they'd be your style. But good luck on the hunt!

  • carambola replied 9 years ago

    Love the sweater on you. All 3 looks are great.

  • Deborah replied 9 years ago

    Suz it's a gorgeous sweater and was made for you.  I particularly like it with the white and with blue denim, it kind of edges and makes sure the sweater looks modern.  The third pairing is borderline for me, I hope you don't me me saying?  The colour scheme is quite interesting and cool but I would like to see the sweater maybe worn at full length but slouching?  Does that make sense?  The way the sweater is sitting at the it's hem near your waist just looks a bit meh. 

  • kellygirl replied 9 years ago

    OMG! Love the sweater. So pretty, Suz!

  • Suz replied 9 years ago

    Thank you all - -and thanks especially to Angie!! 

    Actually, E. I would like some lace up boots and I have long admired yours. And I like that Timberlands are waterproof. But I think I need a "regular" bootie first, then the lace up, if that makes sense. This may become clearer in another post. 

    Aida, thank you for that suggestion! Those ones look a bit higher heeled than I would like. Ideally I would want something between the Pettys and the BPs and not quite as rugged as the BPs, either. Those ones would look amazing on you -- the belting would tie in with your hair (or darker elements in outfits) and would suit your weekend style a lot! 

    Alana, it IS an odd sweater. A very unusual pattern mix and very subtle colours that have a great deal of "depth" and complexity in real life. You wonder, when you look at the sleeves -- are they cream, or pale grey, or mauve, or wintery white...they are ALL of those. 

  • Aquamarine replied 9 years ago

    The sweater looks so much better on you than on the model. Love it and all your stylings.

  • Gigi replied 9 years ago

    Wow, the pic with the model doesn't really do the sweater justice. It looks really flat in the photo. But on you it has depth and looks gorgeous!

    I do love how the skirt brings out the pinkish cast in the top.

    Great buy for you!

  • Cerinda replied 9 years ago

    I vote for 2 and 3 but suspect that sweater would love to do anything you told it to!

  • abc replied 9 years ago

    What aquamarine said! I had written off this sweater based on seeing it on the model but now seeing it on you all bets are off. Click click click buy buy buy ... Sigh sigh sigh haha

  • Suz replied 9 years ago

    Thanks, Deborah, for your honesty. I can play a bit with the line, although it's not an oversized, but a fluid sweater and I think it would just cut me in half visually if just pulled to its full length -- and it might lose that feeling of relaxed elegance, also. So maybe this won't work as a pairing, but I did want to give it a try. I can always look for pants this approximate colour if it seems as if the skirt won't work. 

    Does it really look "not modern" or does it just look too classic for your taste with a pencil skirt? Or too ladylike with all the flowers and mauve? 

    Note that if I were to wear this combination, it would not be for a bar-date with my writer friends (not that I go on many of those, LOL.) I would wear this type of combination if I were taking my mother out to lunch or to a doctor's appointment. 

    To all -- yes, Angie said it really looked awful on the model. Just imagine how great it will look on her!!  She will know how to make it look amazing. 

  • Mona replied 9 years ago

    How can Angie not be right and how can you not look good in this lovely piece? It is definitely a gorgeous pullover, the color combination and print is so unique. Goes well with your taupe neutrals. Brilliant! 
    Would it go with navy too?

  • kerry replied 9 years ago

    Love this sweater on you in all of the renditions. I'm surprised because online it looks blah. As I'm on my own bootie hunt, I found these ... :)

    http://www.ronwhiteshoes.com/s.....?sel=47746

    http://www.ronwhiteshoes.com/s.....?sel=47766

    http://www.gravitypope.com/sho.....sion-zelle

    http://www.gravitypope.com/sho.....3345-3874-

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 9 years ago

    Here are some bootie finds, too.

  • Joy replied 9 years ago

    Like you,I've learned that Angie knows her stuff. I'll bet that you find yourself reaching for this pullover all the time this winter. Seeing this on you helped me see that the neckline is not so big as I thought it might be since the model is wearing it over a buttondown.

  • Eliza replied 9 years ago

    That sweater is amazing. It is one of the many times when an Angie rec makes all the difference. It could so easily not be right, if one were to go with a description or photo, yet it is magical on you.

    I have a hunch that this special sweater will serve you extra well in terms of comfort, versatility and being a real lift in the thick of winter. I found with the bounty of knitwear, and my more casual routine, that for the first time in years last winter I was leaving the house without a jacket under my winter coat. I love how well that works. I have lots of jackets, but think a couple of awesome sweaters would carry the season for me at this point. So glad your tags are gone! Enjoy it.

  • Lisa replied 9 years ago

    I KNEW this sweater would look fab on you!  You can really rock these types of muted colors.  I like all 3 looks but #3 is my favorite because the boots look like they match the sweater. 

  • Suz replied 9 years ago

    Eliza, thank you. I suspect you are right. I have been indulging for the last year in what Claire calls the "Urge to Upgrade" and it has resulted in some beautiful purchases. But I'm still at the point in my wardrobe building where most of my "investments" are on the quiet side. Well...let's face it, I'll probably always be there since I do prefer a minimalist look. 

    But all simple and no statement makes for a boring closet. This sweater makes a quiet statement, which is pretty neat. 

    You're so right about wearing knits on their own under coats. I did that last year, too, for the first time in many years. 

    Yes, Joy, the neckline is not loose. I think they must have put a larger size on the model. 

    Wow, Kerry and Firecracker -- those are some nice options -- thank you! Off to browse them. Kerry, did you get any yet? 

    Mona, thank you, and yes it will absolutely look great with navy and ink. I don't own any navy or ink trousers (imagine!!) other than denim, I mean. I guess that is another wardrobe hole to fill. :) 

  • Alassë replied 9 years ago

    It really pops in the middle pairing!

  • kerry replied 9 years ago

    Ugh, no, not yet Suz! I was hoping Jackie would have a review of the Munros. Still thinking - also considering the grey Brujas that dashielle bought and were an Angie pick.

  • jackiec replied 9 years ago

    Oh Angie is brilliant isn't she?!

    Suz you look gorgeous, and these snaps are so great. Of course my favourite is the pairing with the BFs and the sandals. But the bookending with the Petty's is outstanding, and paired with the pencil skirt is just brilliant! Well done! I'm sure you'll be able to pair it with lots of things in your closet, for sure. So excited for you b/c this is a homerun. 

    :) :) :)

    ETA - I know, Kerry, I should have had my Munros today - BOO! If I can somehow sneak a drive back across the border tomorrow I will, but I have a million things to do at home this week. Might not be able to review for close to 2 weeks. ugh.

    The grey boots that Ann has are awesome. I saw them in person and could personally be tempted - she says they are SO comfy. Not sure that the shaft is the style you're looking for.

  • Gracie replied 9 years ago

    Angie was right, the sweater is a statement item, I love it with the white jeans and the skirt the best. You wear the mixed pattern well.

  • Tina replied 9 years ago

    Oh dang it. Love it so much with the SE Pettys that I may have to add it. (Anything to let me wear those snakeskin print boots more.) I haven't opened the box that came today because I've been working, so I'll see what works from what I already ordered. If I could stand the idea of the mall, I'd go to the store. I'm going to have to eventually to return shoes I bought earlier this month. Maybe I can get my hubby to go. He picks out things for me I'd never think to try.

  • Tina replied 9 years ago

    Double dang. It's cashmere and I can't wear it. I must be the only person in the world that cashmere feels scratchy on -- and don't even talk about wool, angora or mohair.

  • Caro in Oz replied 9 years ago

    I love the sweater on you in all the pairings. Because of the fit & quality it reads modern classic to me. I'm not a pattern person but if I could find a knit or top that had "my" neutrals in it I'd be all over it too. It's such an elegant way to pull an outfit together. Great buy :)

  • texstyle replied 9 years ago

    The sweater is fantastic on you Suz - and look how well it fits into your wardrobe, Yay! :-)

  • Beth replied 9 years ago

    The sweater is fabulous in all three iterations, Suz! I'm surprised at just how versatile it is.

    And Angie is always right. I have this internal voice that frequently goes, "but...but...well...but..." sometimes, and I've learned to tell myself that when Angie makes a suggestion, I need to just Shut Up And Put It On. And she is right. 

    :)

  • replied 9 years ago

    That is a gorgeous, yummy sweater, and it looks so good on you Suz! Who knows what happened to the neckline when they pulled and stretched it over a white button front shirt for the catalog shoot! I like how you'e styled it much better. The semi tuck really makes your legs look super long with the white jeans. I'm curious what it would look like a little longer, like Deborah said, but I think in the end I would prefer it scrunched up or semi-tucked. 
    The pattern is busy, no doubt, but I love it and the soft, sophisticated neutrals it contains. It think your new sweater is a winner!

  • Karie replied 9 years ago

    Angie is right again! I love the sweater, especially in #1 and #2. It really does look sooooo much better on you than on the model. The pattern mixing on the sweater is trendy and unique. 

    I am on the hunt for beige or light tan booties. Here are some taupe ones I saw on Zappos:

  • Inge replied 9 years ago

    Angie and you were both RIGHT!!-)

    It is truly stunning on you, Suz (if mine looks even half as good on me, I'll be super chuffed). The colours are your colours, and the mixed pattern makes it unique and eye-catching. Love all your stylings too (how fantastic is it, e.g., with the white jeans!). I can already see this is going to be such a versatile piece in your wardrobe. Excellent purchase.

  • Suz replied 9 years ago

    Ooh! Thanks, Karie!

    I think I am looking for a bootie that does not exist. Not super dressy (the Ericas read as dressy to me...) and not super casual (the SEs read as super casual.) A lot of taupe booties are darker on the toe (ombre) and I understand why (to protect them from getting all stained there anyway -- make it look intentional, right?) -- but I actually don't want that effect. 

    Thanks, Claire! I will play with the length of the sweater. Maybe I have it pulled too high in the photos. I have to say it was stinking hot yesterday when I tried it on and my patience for "arranging" was minimal....

    Beth, Tina, you both made me chuckle...

    Thanks Caro, Jackie, texstyle, Gracie

  • replied 9 years ago

    It's funny, I loved that sweater from the moment I saw it in Angie's picks. I'm a big fan of Equipment and their pattern mixes and love, love, love the way you look in it in pics 1 and 2.  With cream, it's a stunner on you.    My thought on the skirt issue is that it can take that tumble into frump territory  on ANYONE a little too easily because of the busy print.   Because of the hyper femininity of the colours and pattern, I love it best with a tougher bottom and boots.  I bought a pair of taupe ombre-toed Rag & Bone booties last year and wore them to death.  Can't wait to pull them out this fall again.  I know what you mean about the ombre toe looking a bit dirty or something, but it honestly protected the look  of the boot from our winter snow, slush, salt and general misery.  I think you'd find them really wearable.  But back to you - this sweater sits beautifully on you, looks great with jeans and cream or winter white bottoms and is an obviously luxe piece!  Wear it and love it! I think I might too :)

  • Keturah replied 9 years ago

    I love them all on you...but my favorite is the wildcard! The skirt is such a fetching color of wine/plum, and then the grey boots just knock it out of the park for me! 


    Great picks! You always look amazing, Suz! And yes...Angie is always right ;)

  • Angie replied 9 years ago

    (Sorry to only get to this thread now - busy with a client till late yesterday. Thanks for the awfully kind words). 

    Suz, I'm THRILLED you bought the little darling (poor thing was soooo badly styled online - the shame of it all). It was made for. Killer to the power of Killer on your very radiant self. I like it best with the faded blue jeans - just so yummy. I can eat you up. 

    *chomp, chomp, chomp* 

    We are sweater twins. This was Greg's favourite piece I brought home from this years NAS. He thinks it's absolutely beautiful. And he is soooo NOT a floral person - let alone two patterns in one piece. So there you go. Very telling - I think. 

    Enjoy beautiful lady. xo

  • UmmLila (Lisa) replied 9 years ago

    Excellent pick for you, Suz.

    Taupe Rachel Comey. Sizes limited/final sale, but maybe: <http://www.thedreslyn.com/rach.....038;utm_ca>

  • BethL replied 9 years ago

    That sweater is made for you, Suz. It's absolutely perfect. I like it best with your faded jeans, too - the juxtaposition of elements is fab. Enjoy it!

  • Beth Ann replied 9 years ago

    So very pretty.  I'm not sure if it's just late, and I have no good words, but I think it's nice to see such a truly pretty piece -- muted and sophisticated, yes, but really feminine too.  Sometimes another eye -- particularly one as skilled as Angie's -- can bring such unexpected beauties into our wardrobes.

    Oh --- and I'm searching for booties that don't exist, too!  Only mine are black!

  • Jen W replied 9 years ago

    Really lovely! I too am wardrobe building and have reached the point where I need to add a few statement pieces. You've made this look so elegant and fun simultaneously, I'm inspired to work up some bravery and try a few statement pieces myself. Fantastic purchase!

  • rae replied 9 years ago

    Gorgeous on you - love it with the pink skirt. I hope you find your booties - why is it that taupe always seems to have that ombre effect you mentioned? There are plenty of tan and beige without it...

  • Astrid replied 9 years ago

    I love all three looks! The sweater has the perfect colors to fit seamlessly into your wardrobe and it's definitely fun! Good buy. :-)

  • AJ replied 9 years ago

    Echoing everyone on how fab that sweater is for you!

  • Sal replied 9 years ago

    It is lovely indeed....I love it with both pairs of jeans, very stylish but different.  Stunning.  Lucky to have a piece that you love.

  • Lucy replied 9 years ago

    Stellar, as everyone has said. Gorgeous on you. You must be super pleased :) 

  • lyn67 replied 9 years ago

    Yes!!! I had exactly the same thoughts:

    "when I saw this pullover online I was not impressed. In fact, it didn't interest me in the least.

    "Too busy!!" "Too silly!!!" "Too fussy!!(...)"

    But Angie speaks, and I listen. If there is one thing I have learned in my time on YLF it is: THAT WOMAN KNOWS HER STUFF!!!"

    So, I kept all these for myself...and still eagerly waiting for her outfits IRL:-).

     And now....I'm  trilled AND impressed! This sweater looks trully beautifull IRL!

    Congrats Suz, for cutting the tags off!:-)

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