I’ve put on a few pounds lately, and getting dressed hasn’t felt quite as easy. Tight clothes tend to suck the fun right out of it.
So I headed into Nordstrom to try on a few things — not a full makeover, just some pieces that feel better for where I’m at right now. As I tried things on, one theme kept coming up: how proportion impacts your style.
Not just hem lengths or pant widths — though those matter. It’s how shape, texture, and balance quietly shift how you feel in an outfit. That’s what I paid attention to with every look. And it changed what I liked, what I didn’t, and what I’d actually wear.
This post isn’t about trends. It’s a real-life try-on, through the lens of proportion — and why it’s one of the most helpful tools in your style toolkit.
If you’re new here, welcome. A dressing room try-on is me, in the store, trying on new arrivals so you don’t have to guess what they really look like. These are quick snaps in store lighting, with honest thoughts on fit, fabric, and whether they’re worth considering — all from the perspective of a woman over 50 who knows her way around a fitting room. I am 5’4″ with broad shoulders and straight hips. I weigh around 146. You can see my other try-ons here.
Outfit Lessons From The Fitting Room On How Proportion Impacts Your Style
Why This Sweater and Jean Combo Works So Well
This Vince Camuto cropped sweater (I’m wearing a small) surprised me in the best way. I gave it a soft front tuck…just enough to show the waistband of these Wit & Wisdom Sawyer straight-leg jeans in a 10 petite. That tiny styling tweak instantly balanced the look and made my legs feel about two inches longer.
The sweater comes in 3 colors and is available in regular and petite sizes, which is always a bonus if you’re not built like a department store mannequin. It’s soft, lightweight, and has a clean neckline that layers easily under coats.
The jeans are equally versatile. They come in 2 washes and are also offered in regular and petite, which is why I keep coming back to Wit & Wisdom. The petite rise hits me right at the waist, and the darker wash adds some polish. These are a great length to wear with sneakers, loafers, or ankle booties.
If your usual sweaters are starting to feel a little shapeless, try switching up the length. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Even a soft front tuck can shift the whole silhouette and let your proportions do the work.
A Cardigan That Feels Like a Knit Jacket – And Works Like One
This Splendid Margo Cardigan (I’m wearing a small) is a softly textured knit, but it has the structure of a lightweight jacket. The dropped shoulders and boxy shape give it an updated feel, and the color is a soft ivory that works well with other warm fall neutrals. It’s available in regular sizes only in 4 colors.
I paired it with the Kut from the Kloth Ana Corduroy Flare Pants in “Eggplant” (size 8 petite). These have a high rise and gentle flare, which helps balance hips and shoulders. They come in multiple colors and have a longer inseam than usual (even in petite), so they’re meant to be worn with a low (1″) heel.
This look is a quiet lesson in balance. The cardigan’s shorter length defines the waist and keeps the silhouette clean, even with the volume of a wider leg. It’s an easy way to wear shape and texture without losing structure.
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Volume-On-Volume Without Losing Shape
SANCTUARY FAUX FUR JACKET size S
This outfit plays with volume, texture, and subtle tonal contrast. It works because the textures pair well without overpowering each other, and the soft, neutral colors blend in a way that feels intentional…not matched, but harmonious.
I’m wearing the Eileen Fisher Wide-Leg Ankle Pants in “Rye” (size XS), paired with the Cotton Cashmere Sweater in “Reed.” The two pieces don’t match, but the slightly different undertones add depth and keep the look from feeling flat.
I added the Sanctuary Colette Faux Fur Jacket in “Choco Chip” (size S) for warmth and contrast. The slightly warmer and deeper color grounds the look while the heavier texture adds visual weight without feeling bulky. Because all three pieces are soft, unstructured, and in related tones, the silhouette stays clean-looking with a refined, quiet-luxury feel.
None of the fabrics are bulky or stiff, and the layers work together smoothly for a tonal, softly structured outfit that feels elegant and comfortable at the same time.
A Softer Way To Wear A Bold Print
BRUSHED CASHMERE SWEATER VEST size S
This outfit is a quiet study in proportion — not just in the usual sense of length or volume, but in how pattern, texture, and color interact to shape how a look feels.
I’m wearing the NYDJ Wide-Leg Jeans in a muted Vine Leaf leopard print (size 8). The fabric has a bit of weight, and the print adds visual interest — but the soft coloring keeps it from feeling loud. The 29″ inseam is perfect on me for flats or low booties.
On top, I layered the Brushed Cashmere Sweater Vest and matching Cardigan in a heather gray (size small). The fuzzy texture is soft and cozy, but it also adds contrast to the printed pants without competing with them. The silhouette stays clean, and the lack of extra details — no buttons, no hardware, no bold seams — helps everything feel calm and pulled together.
This look works because the visual weight is evenly distributed. Nothing is fighting for attention. The soft colors, relaxed textures, and simple lines keep the outfit feeling modern and polished — even with a wide-leg printed pant as the starting point. When the pieces work together like this, you don’t need to add anything else.
Cropped Length and Smart Balance
WIT & WISDOM “SAWYER” STRAIGHT LEG JEANS size 10 petite
This outfit might look simple at first glance, but there’s a lot working quietly behind the scenes to make it feel modern and flattering.
I’m wearing the Marine Layer Bouclé Jacket (size S), the Cloud 9 Reversible Sweatshirt (size S), and the Wit & Wisdom “Sawyer” Straight-Leg Jeans (size 10 petite). The jeans hit right at the top of my foot — not cropped, just a clean, full-length line that works with flats or low boots. That longer length creates a nice vertical base, which is balanced by the shorter cut of both the jacket and sweatshirt. When tops are too long over straight-leg jeans, they can visually shorten the body.
The bouclé jacket adds soft texture, and the stripe on the sweatshirt is subtle. To be honest, I did not try to reverse the sweatshirt, so I can’t speak to that detail.
Nothing about this outfit is dramatic, but the proportion is quietly right—proof that when each element is considered, the whole thing just works.
Why This Matters
Every outfit in this post started with a basic question: why does this work? And again and again, the answer came down to proportion — not just length or volume, but how texture, shape, pattern, and even neckline or hem placement quietly shape the whole look.
Sometimes it was a cropped jacket balancing a full-length pair of pants. Sometimes it was a soft texture softening a bold print. In every case, the goal wasn’t to follow a formula — it was to find visual balance that feels modern, comfortable, and quietly pulled together.
Proportion isn’t a rigid rule. It’s a lens — one that helps you adjust, layer, and style your clothes in a way that supports how you want to feel. And once you start seeing it, it gets a whole lot easier to answer that question in your own mirror.
Do you think about proportion when you’re putting outfits together, or is it more of an instinct? I’d love to hear how you notice it in your own wardrobe.