I was interested in how to wear ruffle tops because it’s something I would have never thought to try years ago. Growing up my mother liked all things feminine and girly, and I did NOT! One of these days I’ll tell you about the pinafore dress from Switzerland, LOL!
Quote of the day: “Doubt yourself and you doubt everything you see. Judge yourself and you see judges everywhere. But if you listen to the sound of your own voice, you can rise above doubt and judgement. And you can see forever.” Nancy Lopez
I liked this quote because too often we think we can’t combine styles, colors or even materials. And those days should be banished. Instead let’s experiment and listen to the sound of our voice as it was before hearing the “rules”.
Once I grew up and was working, my style was much more conservative and what I’d describe as “serious”. I felt like I had to look the part of a cosmetic dentist, which to me was professional and somewhat masculine.
Ruffles had no place in my closet because of this thinking.
Let’s just say that my clothing style has evolved since retirement. And it feels so good to try different things and experiment. Which is why I love to showcase it here and push you to try things too!!
Enjoying what we wear has never been easier with online shopping and inspiration at your fingertips.
This Ruffle Top
The only reason I purchased this ruffle top is I’m part of a group of women on Instagram who buy the same piece (different colors depending on our preference) and then style it. (See the Instagram post here where the other women’s names are linked if you’re interested to see the other looks.)
BTW, the ruffle top is still available from Target in many different prints. Beware, in the print and black versions you certainly don’t notice the ruffles as much. That could be a good or bad thing.
To me ruffles mean girly, feminine and somewhat dressy. So my first thought of how to wear ruffle tops was how I’d expect most of my friends to style it. I paired it with a black pencil skirt and heels. Of course I had to add in a totally different color with my purse and earrings.
But then, I thought it’d be fun to show different styles with the blouse YET keeping the bottom half the same color of black. This is a little different than my normal color recipes. It’s more a style dichotomy recipe.
Jeans But Dressier
One of the opposites of dressy is more casual, so I grabbed a pair of black jeans. These black jeans I consider a tad more dressier than skinny or distressed jeans, so it was a nice compromise.
I added a burgundy belt and my “Bristol” pumps from Walking Cradles. (These shoes have a heel that is less than 2 inches so super comfy). The plaid purse and tassel earrings carried the burgundy into the outfit.
Insider tip: This belt is a self belt from a dress. I try to remove all self belts and hang them with my belts (instead of on the piece itself) so I can wear them with other outfits.
Sassy Way of How to Wear Ruffle Tops
“Girly” evokes thoughts of being a good girl, so wouldn’t it be fun to pair the top with something sassy instead? I pulled out my black shorts (which I have worn this summer) along with fishnet stockings and OTK boots.
Super Casual
Luckily the top was long enough that I felt comfortable wearing it with a pair of black leggings. The leopard and snakeskin came out for the footwear and accessories, and I was good to go.
Insider tip: If your top isn’t quite long enough for comfort, don’t give up on it. You might be able to layer a longer cami or tank top under it.
Edgy Ruffles
One thought of a dichotomy with the ruffles was something edgy or hard as opposed to girly and soft. For this outfit, I pulled out my black faux leather skirt. These “Shine” snakeskin Walking Cradle ankle boots were the perfect footwear choice.
Other examples of how the 3 of us have worn leather skirts
Black Leather Skirt Outfit Ideas at Mauzies
Leather Skirt 3 (With Silk)
Getting Wild with your Leather Skirt By Adding in Animal Prints
Ruffles Go To Work
Could you wear your ruffles to work? Of course that all depends where you work. It certainly would be easy enough to hide them under a blazer. However, I wanted to see if I could make the other elements look office appropriate.
For this style of outfit, I wore my black pants that I wore to work almost weekly along with patent oxford shoes. The “tie” is actually a beaded necklace that my mom gave to me.
How to Wear Ruffle Tops As Boho
Ruffles and boho seem as extreme as you can get. So I chose this fringe skirt to show off a bohemian vibe. Obviously I was loving animal prints with this color combination because this time I grabbed my zebra print heels, belt and earrings.
You too can DIY a skirt to look like this:
How to Make Your Own Fringe Skirt
So what do you think? Would you wear this ruffle top any of these ways?
I even wore it under a maxi dress as part of a monochromatic look.
Photo credit:Rob Filogomo
Thank you
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