The Good Girl Gone Blog

Today's guest post is from my dear blog friend, Kate, from Suburban Sweetheart. She's such a doll, honestly. She even sent me a photo of a creepy guy friend of hers who was on Jdate to make sure I never went out with him. Apparently, he's kind of a player and Kate did not approve. Additionally, I love Kate because she loves brunch. I love brunch. Ted Mosby (architect) loves brunch. Brunch is amazing. I want to get brunch with Kate.

Ahh, this paper is starting to get to me- keep the guest posts coming. Email me: alanadanielle88@gmail.com

Everyone’s got different strengths, right? That’s what my mom used to tell me when I’d royally screw something up, like the time I scored a goal for the other team in kindergarten. Can’t be good at everything, Kate. Especially soccer.

But this isn’t about soccer. This is about fashion.

Clearly, one of Alana’s great strengths is fashion. Have you seen the girl’s outfits? The yellow shoes?! The birthday dress? Or the fact that she had an interview for an internship at Armani? My own closet is hanging its hanger-laden head in shame.

OK, that’s not true. I’ve got style, albeit a little offbeat. Just last month, a very respectably stylish boy (with whom I may or may not have been on a date!) told me I have good style. And he would’ve seen me blush with flattery had we not been inside a very dark speakeasy (Who says DC isn’t cool?)

Still, like many, I struggle with style. I’ve never been one of those girls who’s consistently pulled-together. I’m disheveled; I roll up my sleeves & manage to wrinkle everything. I oppose ironing & forget to pick up my dry-cleaning. I feel constricted in anything too tailored or structured. And on top of all that, I’m a little bigger than your average would-be fashionista, which means I have to shell out extra if I want to find fashion that fits, instead of just shopping at Dress Barn. Which I love. But forget I said that.

My general uniform goes something like this: skinny jeans, plain fitted tee, long cardigan, flats, cool jewelry. Modify as appropriate. (i.e, in colder months, substitute boots for flats & plain fitted sweaters for plain fitted tees. In cooler months, the cardigans are short-sleeved & sometimes the jeans are capris. Very varied, you see.)

No one ever says “OMG THAT CARDIGAN IS AMAZING,” but no one’s nominated me for “What Not To Wear” yet, either.

Last month, during a trip to NYC, I took a fashion risk. Long an opponent of the leggings-as-pants trend (perhaps only because I cannot pull it off myself?), I scoured SoHo for – & ultimately purchased – a pair of denim leggings. Yes, jeggings They have pockets & a zipper & a button & even that brown stitching that most jeans have, making them look like… really tight jeans. They feel like pajamas, which is both amazing & admittedly lazy. They fit refreshingly well into boots.

So, these leggings. Gross? Great? I can’t tell. In an attempt to determine which, I’ve worn a few times, but only when my friends weren’t present. I’m scared of: A) being the hypocrite who bashes a trend then falls for it; B) being the chunky chick wearing leggings as pants in public; C) donning anything with the name “jeggings.”

G3B readers, I implore of you to weigh in on the debate that rages within me. Are denim leggings acceptable? Ever? What are the rules here? Did I fall prey to Topshop’s hypnotic powers or did I make a respectable lower-half investment?