Episode 9: Playing Dress Up with Suttles and Seawinds

Playing Dress Up With Lynn and Vicki!

This week we had our fun try-on with the styling professionals at Suttles and Seawinds! Both ladies are 5'5". Vicki is a medium on top and a large on the bottom. She is short-waisted. Lynn is a small on top and a medium on the bottom and is longer waisted.

 You can find all the pieces these lovely ladies tried on at this link!

Tops (by length)

Boxy Top

Lynn: 

Lynn found that the Boxy Tops felt a little short on her because she is long-waisted. Although the style is short, she would style it to her comfort by wearing something underneath for arm coverage or pairing the top with a pair of high-waisted jeans so she could give the Boxy a french tuck. Despite the style not being for her, Lynn likes the Boxy top as a layering piece for all seasons and absolutely adored the colour palette of the one she tried on.

Vicki: 

Vicki agreed with Lynn that the Boxy felt too short for her as she felt it highlights her tum because of where it landed. She also agreed that she would style it with longer underpinnings and high-waisted pants to complement the look! We have found that the Boxy Top style has a smaller size range than our other pieces because we make this piece with the small remaining portions of the sari after making the other styles. On our upcoming trip to India, we plan to work closely with our team on figuring out a style similar to our front tie style in length without the tie for those who love the Boxy Top but not the length. 

Kimono Sleeved Top 

 Lynn: 

Lynn was drawn to this Kimono Sleeved Top because she loved the colour and the embroidered trim on the back of the piece up-cycled from the sari lining. This colour was so flattering on Lynn and brought out the beautiful colours in her features. Although we can all agree that Lynn looks great, she said she wouldn't buy the piece for herself as she loves pieces with a bit more going on with the fabric or the embroidery. When discussing styling the kimono-sleeved top for those with narrow shoulders, viewers shared that using shoulder pads could help improve the drape. 

Vicki:

A fan of blue! When Vicki picked out this beautiful piece for herself, we noticed a colour pattern in her taste! She loved the fabric but would not choose this style for herself because she felt it needed to be longer and made her appear wide. We played with the versatility of the Kimono Sleeved Top by tying the sleeves, which adds more structure to the piece and weight for a different drape. When styled this way, Vicki liked the top more and would try the Kimono Sleeved Top styled this way with a longer underpinning. We suggest trying the Kimono Sleeved Top with the Orange Village Hi-Lo if you find the top too short as well. 

Hi Lo Top

 Lynn:

Lynn really liked the Hi-Lo top! She thought it was an effortless style, perfect as a beach cover-up or for going out at night! She also shared a style hack, tying the corners and making it asymmetrical for petite ladies, as Lynn has narrow shoulders. Lynn would also love to try styling the Hi-Lo top with a belt! 

Vicki:

Vicki absolutely loved the print and the colours! We were trying to figure out the decade of the print as it was just so cool -- possibly from the 80s or 90s. Vicki loved that the Hi-Lo top looks fancy with minimal effort! They looked fabulous; it was a yes for both ladies!

Side Tie Top 

Lynn: 

Lynn was a fan of the Side Tie Tunic and was really able to show her style through the piece! She styled it long and untied as an easy outfit to wear to the beach, then looked fabulous as she tucked it like a blouse, which she thinks would look great with wide-leg pants like the Bryn Walker Casbah. Lynn even used one of our scrunchies to create a knot on the inside of the piece creating a different drape. The Side Tie Tunic style was a yes for Lynn! We think that a sheer fabric would also look great on her and give a better drape since the one Lynn tried on was a thicker weave than usual.

 Vicki:

Vicki tried on a very flattering side tie, showing how much the difference in thickness of the fabric really affects the drape! Unlike Lynn, Vickie loves the feel of the Side Tie tied as she finds the structure with the ties flattering. This style was a big yes for Vicki; she also loved the versatility of the neckline!

 

Waterfall Top

 Lynn: 

Lynn and Vicki tried on the Waterfall Top next. This is one of the store's newer styles, and we absolutely love it. The waterfall top has two panels at the front to give a more column look, so you don't look boxy, with great slits that give you easy access to pockets and create a beautiful drape. Lynn loved this top and found it was another great style to play around with! The Waterfall Top Lynn tried on was all black on one side, and when the all-black is front-facing, there is a beautiful marigold flower print on the back for a pop of colour. Lynn said she would style this piece with a belt or by tucking the front in for a mini hi-lo look.

Vicki:

The Waterfall Top was also a fan favourite with Vicki as she came dancing toward the camera! She loved the colour and how it brought out her features. In her words, it is so much a yes! And she loved the sheer fabric!

Short Kaftan Tunic

Lynn: 

The next style we tried on was the Short Kaftan. Lynn found that the style was too much fabric on her and preferred the Kaftan when she could style it with a tuck or a pinched look. She tested the same elastic hack she had tried earlier with the side tie tunic and found that it made all the difference! She loved the gorgeous embroidery of the piece. Still, she ultimately decided that she would only wear the Short Kaftan if she could pin it in a way so that it did not feel like too much fabric. Lynn tried on many pieces made from a crepe fabric when trying styles, and we found that she often felt overwhelmed by these styles. We think sheer silks would be better to highlight her figure. 

Vicki:

Vicki absolutely loved the piece and the fabric! When wearing the Short Kaftan, Vicki prefers to style it with the v-neckline to the front. She felt very fancy and loved the minimal effort it took to feel and look so beautiful!

Layering Pieces 

Shrug 

 

Lynn:

Lynn loved the Shrug style and was a fan of how it drapes so that the fabric is visible from the front, but when layered, it won't hide the top underneath. We found the material beneath, and posture does affect how the shrug sits, but we have style hacks that can help to keep it on, like pinning or tucking the bottom inner seam! Lynn surprised us by creating a beautiful cowl neck scarf on the spot with a shrug in a fantastic style hack! She then tried on a second shrug cause the fabric just called her! A piece with beautiful embroidery and a pattern that features people and temples. She looked even better in the sheer fabric!

Vicki:

Vicki loves the Shrug and, specifically, the purple fabric! We noticed that Vicki had already started figuring out her SariKNOTSari style as she gravitated towards the sheer fabrics when picking pieces. When styling this piece, Vicki would wear the Shrug with a dress if she wanted something that would cover her shoulders but elevate an outfit. Vicki also surprised us with a style hack by creating a large blouse scarf by putting both sleeves of the Shrug over your head. These professionals are keeping us on our toes!

Poncho 

 Lynn: 

The Poncho was another style Lynn loved for its versatility, and she looked fantastic wearing it asymmetrically! She showed us many style hacks, like tucking the sleeve through the neckline or trying the bottom of one sleeve to create a different asymmetrical look. However, Lynn really blew our minds by styling the Poncho as a scarf and creating a French loop tie! she put the Poncho around her neck, put her hand through the neck hole, grabbed the rest of the scarf and pulled it through, securing it perfectly, and it looks beautiful! You can also put one corner of the Poncho through the neck hole, then tie the two sides together to create a beautiful knot! Lynn really is the Poncho pro!

Vicki: 

Vicki loved the design and look of the Capelet Poncho, and she looked just as marvellous in it! Vicki tucked the ends of the front of the poncho into the sleeves of her underpinnings to prevent the piece from spinning; what a good idea!

Kimono Sleeved Jacket 

 Lynn:

Lynn loved the fabric she chose for the Kimono-Style Jacket; she gravitated toward the pattern because of the two designs on the front of the Jacket. The juxtaposition adds a fun and funky vibe to the Jacket that Lynn loves to look for in her fashion! She loved this style and, despite having a narrow figure, she didn't "feel lost" in the fabric, which many of our petite customers are concerned about when considering purchasing the Kimono Jacket style. Lynn liked to style the Jacket by running the belt through the arms of the Jacket and then wrapping the belt around her waist in the interior of the Jacket. By doing so, she felt more comfortable with the created shape and found the arms weren't restricted. Lynn also played around with the style hack we got from our lovely customer Jackie Newell and made a gorgeous blouse that looked very French! So creative!

Vicki: 

Vicki tried on a crepe silk kimono sleeve jacket, which was one of the few crepe silk pieces she tried on during dress-up! She also liked the style and found it very flattering, especially when tying the belt on the inside like Lynn. Vicki also tried the fun styling hack of tying the bottom of the slits in the jacket together, creating more of a curved line in the front.

Cardigan

 Lynn: 

Lynn really liked the Cardigan style; it was an added plus that we had one in one of her favourite colours! Lynn is already quite familiar with the Cardigan. She knew immediately to drop the V at the back between her shoulder blades to get that angled cut in the front. When the Cardigan style is pulled too forward, you can lose the shape the hem creates, and you will instead get more of a straight cut along the bottom. Lynn also tried the styling hack for the Cardigan to make a jacket with lapels, a styling trick that Lynn liked and felt was very flattering!

Vicki: 

Vicki looked terrific in the Cardigan and loved the style! Vicki created a beautiful look using the Cardigan by tying the ends crossed behind her neck to create a lovely shawl/poncho combo that was so elegant! The Cardigan was a big yes for Vicki. 

Vest 

Lynn: 

Lynn loved the Vest, especially when styled as an asymmetrical top! She found the asymmetrical styling of the Vest very funky and such a creative way of playing around with your clothing! A styling trick Lynn would love to try would be to belt the Vest to create a gorgeous top to pair with leggings or over a dress.

Vicki: 

The vest was such a yes for Vicki! She absolutely loves the drape, colour and style! Just gorgeous!

Kimono Sleeved Duster

Lynn: 

When Lynn tried on the Kimono-Sleeved Duster, she was surprised by such a gorgeous pattern as she said that it was one she wouldn't have picked for herself but loved the colours. Lynn styled the Duster by tying the knot across the back rather than the front to leave it open. This is an excellent idea if it feels like too much fabric, as it cinches the waist and any excess fabric. She also shared that you could tie it across the back through the sleeves, tying the knot on this inside of the Duster at the back if you aren't a fan of the belt or ribbon showing. What a fabulous idea!

Vicki: 

Vicki loved everything about it! The colour, the pattern, the drape- all beautiful! Vicki likes to tie the belt on herself without including the Kimono-Sleeved Duster, as she likes the flow of the silk when it isn't tied down.

Dresses

Midi Length Kaftan 

 

 Lynn:

Lynn loved the Midi Length Kaftan, especially the beautiful yellow colour and fabric! She also loved the minor detail of the tiny flowers we use to mend our pieces to upcycle the silks and give them a new life! For styling the Midi Kaftan, Lynn said she would love to try belting it; however, it may limit arm movement. If you are interested in styling the Kaftan like Lynn but are also concerned about arm movement, we suggest bunching or pinching the fabric to the side or center, as Lynn did with the short Kaftan.

Vicki: 

Vicki fell head over heels in love with this piece and the pattern. Vicki shared that her whole life has been about lovely prints, and the Midi Kaftan she tried on was just breathtaking!

Boxy Babydoll

 Lynn: 

When trying on the Boxy Babydoll dress, Lynn felt like it was too much fabric for her; however, we thought there was a chance that the navy patch in the center of the piece was throwing off how it looked as it drew your eye to the center rather than across. Although it is not pictured, Lynn tried on a different Boxy Babydoll dress afterwards, and the new pattern made all the difference! In this style, she needs a fabric with a design that moves to carry the eye across in sheer silk.

Vicki: 

Vicki chose the same fabric for her Boxy Babydoll as her kimono jacket, which means she chose two of the three pieces made from that sari! Vicki really liked the style as she has some Boxy Babydolls at home! Another plus about the piece that Vicki tried on was that it was made from crepe silk, so you dont have to wear anything underneath if you want to carry the dress over into warmer seasons!

Self Pocket Tunic Dress

 Lynn: 

Lynn loved this piece! She couldn't get over the gorgeous colour pallet and the perfectly soft silk this dress was made of. Lynn said she would wear this dress over the Babydoll because it has a similar look without the excess fabric.

Vicki: 

Vicki tried on a blue sheer Self Pocket dress and loved it! All you need is a slip and a lovely necklace, and you'd be ready for an event! Vicki thought this dress would be beautiful to wear to a wedding!