Layered Shirts

I've been really trying to look at the items in my closet in a different way that I do normally. I think after awhile when you see a certain shirt or pair of pants you begin to picture them with all of the things you tend to consistently wear them with, and than you find yourself falling into a comfortable rut. I've been trying to look at each piece individually and see what else it can bring to an outfit. That's what happened with my favorite yellow shirt, but completely unintentionally. I was folding my laundry as it came out of the dryer. I folded my blue pants and placed them on top of the dryer. I folded my neutral based flower shirt and put that on the pants, on top of the dryer. As I folded the yellow shirt it hit me, those three pieces look great together and I would normally never think to put them together. My pants are normally reserved for office wear, my flowered shirt is saved for weekend occasions like family parties and the yellow shirt is one of my favorite comfy shirts saved for layering under sweaters and jackets. I didn't have time to grab a necklace yesterday morning, and couldn't decide on the perfect shoes. I was running late, but I was really happy with my shirt choice and so I left with only 3/4 of an outfit. I was even intrigued when last night my professor told me "my shirt was nice". I had originally received this shirt as a Christmas present last year from my mother, and thought the material was great, but it hangs funny in the front. Combined with the empire look created by the brown floral ribbon on the edge it tends to make me look a little pregnant, a look most women who are not with child try to avoid. The shirt however may not give that as it's first impression, instead I have impressed upon myself that it does. When I mention that I fear it makes me look pregnant most of my friends and family have given me the puzzled look with the slight head tilt to the right, and a simple, " I guess , but I didn't until now." Lesson learned. Keep my mouth shut about my fears with certain pieces of clothing, and consider other uses for great pieces of wardrobe.