Bonjour, mes chéries! How were your weekends? I had an eventful close to my last week of school ever. After performing in my two final dance shows and running around with my friends through the night, I needed to go on lockdown and on a cleanse. Craving a bit of nature, I confined myself in the conservatory and botanical gardens right by my campus. Come follow me as I tour you of the place that has served as my oasis for the past four years!
I was browsing through Banana Republic’s surprise sale a few weeks ago when I bumped into an alumna who was visiting for a recruitment event for her company. She had pulled this jumpsuit off the rack as I was questioning whether or not it was something worth trying on. She’s tall and lean with a model-esque figure and looked stunning in it, albeit the 0 draped baggily on her. She urged me to try it on. After much encouragement, I cautiously agreed.
Banana Republic’s sizing has definitely changed overtime, or I’ve lost a lot more of my circumference than I thought I did, because everything I purchased that day was at least one size down from what my normal size is. The size 0 jumpsuit was not only huge but way too long for me.
Luckily, the shopping gods heard my cry for help. A woman never picked up her size 0 petite on hold and it was passed down to me from a fashion forward and keen sales associate caught me from the corner of his eye as the large jumpsuit was swallowing me up and slid me the petite 0. Although it’s still a bit baggy at my waist, the rest of it was a perfect fit.
And. It ended up being about 70% off.
After purchasing this jumpsuit, I started to wonder when I would ever wear it anyways. When in New York, I always stick to the monochromatic color scheme of all black. Although there are enough traffic cones around the city for me to blend in on the streets, I hate calling attention to myself in New York; I’d much rather blend in without any extra attention, thank you very much. Why the hell did I even buy this orange jumpsuit then?! I always told myself that the only reason anyone should be in bright orange head to toe is if they are in a jail cell. I guess the spring 2017 color trends really tested that statement.
My mom always says I got the love for this shade from her mother, my grandma, who actually owns a lot more orange than a normal person would now that I think about it. Despite the bright candy orange being “in style” at the moment, bright orange is quite a daring color to dabble with in general. I figured if it’s genetically embedded in me already, why not just embrace the loudness? I slipped it on and walked all the way to the conservatory, ignoring the stares of those passing by. There’s not many people out there brave enough to try this color anyways, so let them bask in my boldness.
Overall, I’m happy with the fit. There is room for me to indulge on my Saturday brunches in the city without it showing through the jumpsuit.Like every woman who secretly likes the attention, I don’t think I’ll mind the stares too much as I bring this with me into the next chapter of my life. If I hurt their eyes, they can always look away ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Although the wide leg cut can make me look much larger than my actual size at some angles, it still does so in its own kind of flattering way. But no big deal, as a tighter pull on the waistline could solve the issue easily.
Shoutout to the alum for encouraging me to try the jumpsuit on, and merci beaucoup! As for you all, thank you for coming along on this tour. Although the 5pm closing time forced me out of my voluntary confinement to the gardens, I’m glad I paid it a visit. With a large paper that determines whether or not I graduate staring at me in the face, I will be busily confined to my laptop for the next week and away from nature’s beauty. But no worries, mes chéries. I’ll be lurking around and popping back into your notifications with a new post very soon…
-E.
Jumpsuit: Banana Republic
Shoes: JustFab.com
Jewelry: Francesca’s cuff earrings, Kate Spade bangle, pearl necklace was a gift from my mother
Based in New York City, Erica Huang is the creator and voice behind Bouge & Rouge. This blog is a playground of her thoughts where she invites you to join her on her journey through her 20s. Erica shares her lifestyle, fashion and beauty tips, adventures, and personal thoughts with the goal of inspiring others to always persevere and be unapologetically yourself.