There are some style phases you grow out of, and then there are the ones that quietly hang around forever. If you ever had an emo, goth or alternative phase, there is a good chance part of it is still lurking somewhere in your wardrobe, probably waiting for an excuse to come back out.
This outfit is exactly that kind of look. It has skulls, chunky boots and a slightly darker edge, but it still feels grown-up, feminine and easy enough to wear in real life.
The starting point is the black and pink skull cardigan from Yours Clothing. The bright pink stops it feeling too heavy or costume-like, while the black background keeps that alternative feel. I also like that it is a proper statement piece without needing much styling around it. The cardigan goes up to a UK size 28 too, which makes it a much more useful option for genuinely plus size wardrobes.
I’ve paired it with light blue wide-leg jeans, also from Yours Clothing. These go up to a UK size 36, which is exactly the kind of size range I want to see more of. The lighter denim helps soften the black cardigan and keeps the outfit feeling casual rather than overly dressed up.
The shape of the jeans is important here too. They are wide through the leg without being dramatically flared, so they give the outfit a relaxed modern silhouette and work really well with the chunkier boots.
The black belt adds a little definition at the waist and helps break up the cardigan and denim. It is also plus size friendly, which matters because finding belts that actually work with a larger waist can be far more difficult than it should be.
For the shoes, the dark platform ankle boots bring the alternative side of the look back in. They have enough height and chunkiness to balance the wide-leg jeans, but they still feel wearable rather than like something you would only pull out for a night out.
Then there is the bag, which is probably the least subtle part of the outfit, in the best possible way. The black embossed skull design, studs and skull clasp lean fully into the theme, but because the rest of the outfit is quite simple, it works rather than competing with everything else.
The pink watch is the little detail that ties it all together. It echoes the pink skulls on the cardigan and stops the whole outfit becoming too black, too serious or too “trying to recreate 2007.”
This is the kind of outfit that would work for shopping, coffee, lunch, casual weekends, going to the cinema or just those days when you want to wear something with a bit more personality.
Basically, your inner emo never really left. She just discovered wide-leg jeans, better handbags and sensible daytime plans.
