Puffed Up Consequence

 
This post may be regarded as Apex Directrice — the Directrice at her highest (most concentrated? most absurd?) moment.

 
 
 
Witness a Top of Substance and Volume that calls to mind such influences as: Anne of Green Gables, Mary Todd Lincoln, Ellen Olenska nee Mingott (a girl who wore black satin at her coming-out ball), and Miss Norcross-Stokes. It has satisfied my craving for volume and goes perfectly with my mustard pants and ultramarine velvet slides.
We’re all getting a little weird

Speak for yourself! Not everyone fell into this trap
 
 
 
 
I do love watching a trend accelerate from modish to absurd.
 
What started as puffed sleeves (also called puff sleeves) in 2018 has grown and grown and now, in late 2021, we all look like we are wearing floaties for the pool.

Floaties? It’s not a bad idea
Paired with an asbestos suit, I’d be ready for anything

 
A colleague of mine from the South told me that as a Tri-Del, she was a repeat bridesmaid in the early 2000s and had to wear numerous dresses with sleeves that were “puffed and stuffed” — i.e., not simply puffed, but filled with tulle to keep the sleeves inflated.
 
I think about this a lot.
Tell me more about this stuffing and puffing

A quick search on Amazon turned up many possibilities for stuffing and/or flotation devices as daily-wear.
 
Basic floaties
Novelty floaties

 
 
These particular sleeves are made of a light fabric with a surprising amount of structure. The ruching — achieved with a channel, cord, and toggle, provides additional architectural support.
Sleeve standing

Sleeve waiting
Sleeve posing

 
 
 
So great is the volume of this top, in certain photographs my head appears to be quite far away from the sleeve.
 
Note that my head is out of focus while the sleeve is sharp. Remarkable.
Sleeve and head appear to be in different zip codes

 
 
The Photographer was so captivated by these sleeves that he took a dozen interesting photos to capture their many profiles and shapes.
I asked him to capture “the negative space”

 
The sleeves are a different fabric than the body. It’s a plaid with some texture (puckered) and some color variation.
 
I honestly can’t tell if the plaid is black-on-black or if a very dark blue is involved.
I don’t know what I am seeing or wearing

 
 
I want to wear this top every day.
PLAID!

Another interesting angle
 
 
Can you understand my preoccupation?
 
Switching gears: How do we (The Directorate) feel about coveralls? I had planned to sit this trend out, but a switch went off last weekend* and now I feel that I must have a pair. Thoughts?

 
 
Clearly this top does not require jewelry, but I did try a few necklaces (including this and this), before settling on my dear cameo.
Cameo by cameo

 
Top: Brogger
 
* It happened like this. I was reading about the clothes that Selena Gomez wears in Only Murders in the Building and followed a link to a website for a women-owned company based in Portland Oregon that makes gender-fluid clothes.+ I am really enjoying Only Murders (it’s a great watch for apartments/interior design and clothes) and Selena is as cute as a button. Did I also recommend The Chair? Because that’s great, too.
 
+ I have resisted the purchase of a marigold yellow faux fur jacket because that seems very unnecessary to me. Tempting, but impractical.

8 thoughts on “Puffed Up Consequence”

  1. If the company you refer to is Wildfang, I have recently discovered their coveralls and I am in love. The comfort is amazing and the pockets are mindblowing. They are fast becoming my consistent off duty wear. They also have a collaboration with Nordstrom’s BP house brand as well (and a few might currently be on sale FYI).

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    • It is!!! So I should order m’self the coveralls? I was thinking black w/orange top stitching. They made a beautiful dark green, but that color is sold out.

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  2. I think the placement of the Cameo is perfect. I used to take a silk blouse, it had straight set-in sleeves, no puffs, to the dry cleaner and it would come back with the sleeves stuffed with tissue.

    I don’t care for “overalls” the ones with the suspender-like straps holding up a bib, but “coveralls” I do like.
    I have a pair – short-sleeved with a drawstring waist – in a cotton twill that is not too stiff.
    I like to wear it on trips. They’ve got lots of pockets and are comfortable on flights. I always wear an undershirt with it, so I can leave it partially unbuttoned, and so when I use the restroom I’m not totally exposed since you have to unbutton the top to sit on the pot.

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  3. Those sleeves are quite the feat of engineering! I like the subtlety of the black/blue on black.
    You’re the model of restraint to forego the marigold faux fur jacket! It’s the kind of thing I’d love to wear a few times. I’m suddenly reminded of a mustard yellow faux fur coat that I contemplated about 25 years ago. I returned to the store several times to try it on, but ultimately never pulled the trigger. I bought a much more practical wool coat in a wonderful cinnamon brown.
    As for the coveralls, I love the look but I have to say that my fifty-something bladder prevents me from even trying a pair on (are coveralls “a pair”, like pants?). I worry about having to carefully manoeuvre the top half every time I visit the loo. Sorry if this is TMI.

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    • Not too much TMI! We must be candid about the pros and cons of these important questions so that each member of the Directorate can act fully informed.

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  4. Yes Shopgrrrl – Coveralls with buttons are the bane of the over-50 woman HOWEVER, I pulled a Directrice/Fatima move and installed a hidden zipper all up the front, using the buttons as a faux closure. Thus, when nature calls, it’s an easy and quick undoing. I felt so accomplished figuring this out! And I love these olive green coveralls – I wear them on long car trips as well!

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