Intermediate level bell sleeves

OUTFIT DETAILS:

Activity: School concert and mom-son museum after school date

Top: LOFT, purchased in store last week (exact in limited sizing, similar)

Skirt: thrifted (similar)

Shoes: Crown Vintage via DSW (similar)

Bag: thrifted (similar)

Earrings: gift (similar)

Lip: NYX soft matte lip cream in Sao Paulo (exact)

This bell sleeve trend is a brave new world for me.  I recently "dipped my toes" in with a less voluminous, more drapy chiffon version (see this post), but when I spotted this top in the clearance rack at LOFT  - the only one and 40% off the sale price (okay, not that rare of an occurrence at LOFT...) - I thought I'd at least give it a try.  I also liked that it included the lace-up trend, but at the back of the shirt (sorry, my picture attempts of the back detail didn't turn out), since I've never liked lace-up front shirts.  I've worn it twice so far, and gotten so many compliments each time.  My husband even commented positively on it, which surprised me, since I categorized bell sleeves as one of those fashion items only women understand.

Anyway, suffice it to say that I seem to have managed to pass the exam for beginner level bell sleeves and have moved up to an intermediate level.  Or, as my six-year-old son says, "I'm on the next lebel, Mom".  I'm not sure I'll ever advance to an expert level, as I have found that cooking, writing and other life tasks are somewhat more difficult with voluminous sleeves....  But for a bang for your fashion buck, go ahead and jump in!

If you're ready to advance to the next level, here are some adorable options for you: