The off-the-shoulder sweater dress and off-the-shoulder sweater. It's timelessly sexy and on the right girl, timelessly chic. It's easy to find images of girls from Seoul to Tokyo to New York to London looking effortlessly classy in these. From the moment I first saw one - and it's been a long, long time - I wanted one. I've seen pictures of normal girls (i.e. not models) on the street in Japan and Korea with oversized sweaters hanging off one shoulder, paired with long necklaces or a cute belt, being made fashion mag gorgeous just by letting their sweater drop off one shoulder. Western designers have tidied up the look a little by adding ribbing to the top to make it - in some cases - office suitable.
And every time the topic was brought up, I've wanted one more and more. Think of the possibilities! An oversized, comfy sweater dropping lazily off one shoulder can convey images of chilly fall days and hot mugs of apple cider. To me, it would also say "cuddle!" like nothing else, and because of that it could end up being the sexiest article in your wardrobe. Paired with a really short mini and comfy tights, it screams sexy in one of the most innocent ways possible. And a sweater dress dropping off one shoulder, worn right, doesn't end up looking skanky like some western girls have looked in them. No. Worn right, the off-the-shoulder sweater dress can speak clear volumes of sophistication and class. If it's just baggy enough up top, and maybe worn with a tiny, delicate belt and a nice pair of sunglasses, the classic piece becomes *very* chic. I wonder at the possibilities wearing this with flats instead of heels for a simple, but still really elegant look that's not *aggressively* sexy (unless that's what you're going for, then by all means, let this dress sex you up!).
Again, I'd always wanted one. You only see them occasionally, peeking out from the occasional runway photo or being hinted at in passing in an article of Glamour, sort of like a blurry image of Audrey Hepburn passing by in the background of a photo of someone else in an album full of photos of other people. The inspiration struck me the other night in meditation (of all places)...I pictured myself in a coffee shop with my darling girlfriend, coming in out of the chill in a classy, just-a-little-baggy-on-top black sweater dress, dressed up just a little with a tiny belt, sheer stockings, and peep toe heels. If the image sounds over-sexy to you, believe me, it wasn't. That image was sexy in the most reserved way. I enjoyed every sensation of that visual, and then made the intention that I'd have the sweater dress I wanted. I didn't know *how* it would come to me...I just had faith that it would.
It's been a couple days today since that image first came into my mind and inspired me, and my grandma decided to come upstairs with a magazine she typically orders her clothes from. I know she just wanted to bond with me, so when she asked me what I thought of certain things, I tried to answer in the most positive way possible. And then I started showing her websites with the things *I* wear, and I said, "If you find an off the shoulder sweater dress, especially a black one, let me know. I'm dying for one." She agreed, and I looked on ebay, just out of curiosity. I couldn't help but notice that most of these were simple cowlnecked sweaters.
"Hmm," I thought. "I have lots of those. I think I'll play around with them."
Sure enough...the black Forever 21 cowlneck top I have, worn either totally off one shoulder or most of the way off, makes a gorgeous off-the-shoulder top. Paired with my stretchy black skirt (also from Forever 21), rolled up just a little, it becomes a seamless, sexy sweater dress.
I couldn't believe my eyes. I'd made the intention that I get my sexy off-the-shoulder sweater, and I was wearing it. Not only that, but I'd already *had* it in my wardrobe!
Once I started looking, I found about three or four other articles, including one Banana Republic brown sweater dress that might actually look *better* worn off one shoulder, and a beige sweater from the Limited that you just about *have* to wear that way. I'll probably binge this fall and winter and stretch my sweaters just a little, wearing them like that.
So the moral of the story? I guess it just goes to show that when you make intentions...they often happen in the weirdest, most unexpected ways. And they most *always* happen.
Now all I have to do is get those heels. <3
