OOTD: Getting loud about spring!

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woman wearing a bright yellow cardigan sweater with a watermelon motif and bright floral corduroy shorts, standing in front of the gate to a farm field.

My mother once described my style as "loud" - and even by my standards, this outfit is SHOUTING! The weather here is starting to edge into summer temps and that means I can finally break out the shorts I made a few months ago during the depths of winter!

They are definitely a statement piece, so they're the starting point that the whole fit is centered around.

close-up of corduroy fabric with pink flowers on a blue background, and a Simplicity sewing pattern for making shorts and skorts

[floral corduroy fabric: thrifted | sewing pattern: Simplicity]

These shorts were the second garment I ever finished after I started taking sewing classes. I'd had the floral corduroy fabric on hand for a few years after finding it at a thrift shop and I saved it for just the right project. I've always loved corduroy garments and I have a hard time finding shorts with a fit I like, so it seemed like an obvious choice.

When I picked out the sewing pattern it looked like it would be pretty simple and straightforward, but it turns out this was not really a beginner pattern. I struggled and I struggled HARD, but eventually I got there!

I found the perfect pair of leggings on Amazon to match the color of the flowers on the shorts. I wasn't sure how well it would match when I ordered them, since colors can look different online than in real life, so I was delighted when they arrived and it was so precise it's like the two were *made* to go together!

screenshots of BaiRetro's Etsy and Instagram showing her crocheted watermelon cardigan pattern

[watermelon cardigan crochet pattern by BaiRetro: Etsy | Instagram]

As if the bottom half of this outfit wasn't already loud enough on its own, I realized that the colors in the watermelon cardigan I crocheted for myself in 2021 matched up with the colors in the shorts. I mean, I kinda *had* to put them together at that point, right?? (It was a lil to hot out for the extra layer but I didn't let that stop me!)

This sweater was actually the first one I ever crocheted myself! Prior to that I'd made plenty of hats and scarves and the occasional blanket but for some reason never jumped into any garment projects, which is a bit odd considering my obsession with collecting quirky, colorful sweaters.

top view of feet wearing vintage blue crocodile print Doc Marten boots with bright pink leggings

[boots: vintage Doc Marten | leggings: Amazon (affiliate)]

I finished off the fit with a thrifted green tee, my vintage blue croc print Doc Martens (I've had them since the late 90s!), and a thrifted vintage necklace.

This look is what happens when I start making my own clothes. Things get a little wild!

What do you think? Is it too much? Just right? Or should I go even bigger on the styling next time??