You know the drill. You buy that fabulous outfit, it finally arrives in the mail, you put it on trying to contain your excitement only to realize…your body parts are in all the wrong places. When you’re petite, and your boobs are right above your hip bones for example, clothes don’t always fit the way they do on the models in the pictures. Such was the case with my new H&M tie belt cardigan, but I was determined to make it work for me…
Christmas Dinner & The Mirror Marathon
My husband bought me this chunky knit cardigan as part of my Christmas present this past December. H&M, chunky knits, and neutral colors are all things I love – good job, husband! But when I put it on and tied the belt, just like the model in the picture, something didn’t look right.
Being an eager beaver, I insisted on wearing it right away to my family’s Christmas dinner. But I WAS FIDGETING WITH IT ALL NIGHT. I tied the belt, I untied the belt, I tied it to the side, I tied it in the back. I rolled the sleeves, I unrolled the sleeves. I ran to the mirror in my mom’s house half a dozen times before giving up.
Despite fidgeting with the cardigan all night long, I knew I still loved the cardigan. It was a beautiful, cozy cardigan. I just needed to figure out how to make it work for me.
My Little Tweaks
During my trials and errors at Christmas dinner, I remember feeling better when I untied the belt. It sat too low on my short torso and created a bubble-butt effect under the belt. But untying the belt and having it drag by my feet seemed silly. For some reason, I was tied (no pun intended) to the idea of keeping the belt on because that’s how the cardigan came. But why? If the belt wasn’t working for me, I should just take it off! For now I’m leaving the belt loops on. They’re not that noticeable, and one day I may find a way to wear this cardigan with a belt.
I love the cozy feel of rolled up sleeves on a sweater, but I always struggle to get the perfect roll – and yes, there is such a thing. How deep do you want the cuff? How many times do you want to roll the sleeve? Where do you want the sleeve to end on your wrist? So many combinations! I found that my favorite roll was to initially cuff it at the wrist seam, and then do one more roll of the same depth. It looked so much cozier, and more well-fitted because the sleeves were no longer bunching from the extra length.
This has now become my favorite sweater in my closet! It’s warm, it looks effortlessly chic, and it’s so easy to throw on. All it took was seeing it differently than the way the model wore it online.
I hope you enjoyed seeing how I styled my new H&M tie belt cardigan (minus the belt)! Until next time…
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Thanks for reading!