style guide: how to dress with a pixie cut

lime yellow blouse :: H&M (previously worn here; similar here) | yellow & gray floral skirt :: H&M (dying over this one) | wedges :: charlotte russe | messenger bag :: francesca's collections | floral cuff :: vintage | earrings :: wal-mart | sunglasses :: charlotte russe | pocket watch necklace :: nine via urban wear (similar)

While my affinity for dresses and skirts has always been transparently apparent on the blog, my collection has rather suddenly and exponentially multiplied since my transition to a pixie cut (at least four skirts and three dresses in the first three weeks). The short crop certainly took some getting used to, but now that it's grown a bit (almost two inches - my sister measured my roots) I love the shape, messy look and complete lack of blow drying time. A long list of pros usually evens out with an equally weighted list of cons, however, and the boyish cut has definitely required a major style adjustment to avoid looking boyish. Most of the advice I've found online I've deemed complete rubbish, as it generally seems bent upon preventing me from wearing some of my favorite pieces - enter, therefore, my own list of tips and tricks for dressing with a pixie cut:

how to dress with a pixie cut:

11 tips for your 5 favorite pieces

A. The Collar
Traditional style wisdom dictates that the oxford collar is menswear inspired, and therefore off limits to a woman trying to avoid any hint of masculinity in her appearance. What I have found, however, is that a sharp, crisp collar frames my face and highlights more feminine features.
1-What to look for: Straight lines, crisp angles, clean palettes
2-What to avoid: Floppy, sloppy and dirty

B. The Blazer
Another piece stolen from the boys, the blazer can be a tricky one for a freshly pixie cut gal to navigate. Structured silhouettes with a nipped in waist are a relatively safe bet, while boyfriendy cuts are a bit more difficult - just remember: the looser the blazer, the skinnier the pant. When possible, go cropped.
3-What to look for: Structure, nipped waists, cropped lengths
4-What to avoid: Anything too 80s

C. Oversized/Boyfriend Silhouettes
On the tails of the boyfriend blazer, we tackle oversized silhouettes in general. Like calories in ice cream, anything that conceals the natural shape of your body is going to add points to the boy column when sporting a pixie cut. Achieve balance by belting your waist and/or opting for an extremely well-fitted or feminine opposing piece (like super skinny jeans with an oversize sweater, or your BF's shirt with your favorite mini skirt).
5-What to look for: Interest. Balance. Slightly rumpled perfection.
6-What to avoid: Anything that looks like came off of your brother's floor.

D. Shift Dresses (or any loosely fitting dress)
Shift dresses, once a staple in the closet, may seem like a shapeless enemy to a girl fighting to prove she's a woman. A simple answer? Belt the waist, shorten the length, and wear the skinniest, sexiest stilettos you can find. Let your legs do the talking
7-What to look for: Side panels and shorter lengths
8-What to avoid: Midi length and uninteresting fabrics/patterns/colors

E. Trousers
I've yet to don my favorite tuxedo trousers since chopping off my locks, but I may have finally figured out how to style them with my new pixie do: a perfectly fitted black v-neck tee. As with oversized silhouettes, the key here is striking a balance between highlighting feminine features and sporting androgynous duds.
9-What to look for: A high-waisted fit that gives your feminine figure definition
10-What to avoid: Baggy, ill fitting/too long cuts that look frumpy

But my #1 tip for dressing with a pixie cut?

figure it out your own damn self.

When I lopped off my hair, I Googled myself silly - and nothing I found was particularly useful. Everyone has their own opinions on what looks good with what and on who, so while it's great to get some tips, the best thing you can possibly do is go to the mall/Goodwill/your favorite locally owned boutique and try everything on. And I'm serious - EVERYTHING. Try on things you hate, things you would never wear, cuts and shapes and fabrics and colors that you never thought would flatter you. Try on things that didn't work pre-cut and things you don't think will work post-cut. When Google and the fashion interwebs failed me in my hunt for a pixie style bible, I spent hours at the mall, doing exactly this, and I was wildly surprised by my results.

The bottom line is, different things are going to work for different people. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to style, and the only way to find yours is to go search for it. Not look. Search. So get going already.


P.S. Don't miss my recap of Salt Lake City's Fashion Night Out + photos from #MohawkFriday in yesterday's post.

P.P.S. Be sure to check out this post on the Lucky community!