reader question no. 17: the vintage ysl blouse.

Today's question comes from my sister Sarah, who's prepping to spend her first Valentine's Day with her beau since they got married in September. They're headed to one of our favorite fancy haunts in downtown Omaha, and Sarah would like to wear a vintage YSL blouse she's had for a while--she just can't quite figure out how to work with it.

These blouses, I think, are some of the easiest YSL pieces to find in thrift stores (at least in the Omaha Metro). And while they have a classic secretary style--puffed shoulder, blouson cuff, pussy bow--they don't have a classic fit. Sarah has several of these, and some fit her better than others; the heart-print blouse in question is, however, rather loose:

Bagginess aside, the other thing to watch out for with vintage blouses such as this one--which is relatively new to the vintage scale--is a dated look. Counter the poufiness with crisp tailoring, bold footwear and the creation of a waist.

First, I decided to play with the obvious secretary theme, because sometimes, the obvious theme is the most successful (and in Sarah's case, it's a natural--she rocks sexy secretary better than anyone I know). Trim basics tone down the blouse: A classic cardigan will nip it in, and a sharp pencil skirt (a must-have for every closet) offers understated grounding. Patterned tights and oxfords are timeless counterpoints.

I've mentioned my jealousy of my sister's small collection of cropped trousers, haven't I? Here, I pick a pair with pleats and tapering to again offset the top's volume, nipped this time with a wide waist belt. The same effect could be achieved with a high-waisted paperbag trouser; I like the cropped variety to add a little airiness to what could otherwise be an overwhelming amount of fabric.

I really like the idea of pairing volume at the top with something form-fitting and slight below, but Sarah doesn't prefer miniskirts. Instead, I went with a little pair of pleated shorts, which offer some movement and coverage while still letting the shape of the leg counter the top. A little tweed jacket offers contrast in shape and print, and vintage-inspired heels make this look more eclectic. One of the easiest (and, on the other hand, most challenging) ways to modernize vintage items to pair them with varied textures, prints and shapes; keep things in the same color scheme, match large and small prints, and make sure to include solid base layers to pull it off.

I couldn't help but include a leggings look--I see a voluminous top, I think leggings. It's probably the result of being a child of the '80s and early '90s; the danger in doing it is looking like a child of the '80s and '90s. Modern legging looks get help from those aforementioned tailored items, in this case an angular jacket that accentuates the waist. Similarly angular heels carry the idea from top to bottom.

I hope these ideas help, Sarah, and I hope you and Matthew have a lovely night tonight. Feel free to let us know how the outfit turns out--we'd love to see it. Thanks for the great question!

If you have a style question, send it along to onlyatyleremainsthesame{at}gmail{dot}com. Include photos of specific items and a few details about your personal style with the question, and I'll do my best to help you out! Thanks for asking and, as always, for reading.