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Home » Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #35: A Print or Pattern Neutral Top

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #35: A Print or Pattern Neutral Top

November 15, 2021

The randomly chosen comment from last week’s scarf give-away was #47:

Jacqueline Croydon – please send me your mailing information, so that I can send you YOUR NEW SCARF!!!

Note, I’m working on another scarf for Wednesday, which I also have in my hot little hands, to give to one of you…

Now, down to The Weekly Timeless Wardrobe!

Solid colored clothes are the core of any functional wardrobe, but woman does not live by solids alone! If you love florals, or stripes, or prints with dragonflies in them, you should NOT neglect these feelings – this is how you personalize your wardrobe!

Dark plum floral shirt – L.L.Bean; earrings – Adornia; dried violet sweater-blazer – J.Crew; ivory corduroy pants – J.Crew; bag – Medea; boots – Free People

A print doesn’t have to be gaudy or loud – this shirt is beautifully subtle and elegant:

Navy dotted shirt – L.L.Bean

If you really want to wear something printed or patterned, but don’t know where to start, this is the time of year when plaid shirts are abundant. Flannel is never a bad choice in November, in the Northern Hemisphere!

Plaid oxford shirt – L.L.Bean; earrings – Kate Spade; green sweater – Caslon; knit cords – L.L.Bean; necklace – Talbots; clogs – Fitflop

If you’re not interested in wearing layers for holiday events, a beautiful floral top can do a lot of the “dressing up” work for you…

Earrings – Milou Jewelry; headband – Tasha; tunic – Johnny Was; pants – L.L.Bean; bracelet – The Met Store; velvet loafers – Banana Republic

Today’s Common Wardrobe was inspired by the plaid shirt and the Fair Isle sweater – mixing cool and warm colors works for many of us! If you’re shy about wearing camel above the waist, don’t discount the beauty of camel pants…

ivory tee shirt – Lands’ End; waffle knit tee – L.L.Bean; gray heather tee – Lands’ End; heather sand turtleneck – J.Crew; plaid shirt – Paige; camel cashmere sweater – J.Crew; Fair Isle sweater – J.Crew; gray v-neck sweater – Caslon; gray cashmere cardigan – L.L.Bean; stone pants – L.L.Bean; gray knit cords – L.L.Bean; skirt – Tommy Hilfiger

This little wardrobe gives you options for “all warm” outfits or “all cool,” depending on what your mood suggests:

Do you mix warm and cool colors? I used to have a pair of brown pants that I wore with black sweaters ALL THE TIME, with a black and brown scarf. I’m still thinking of the usefulness of a pair of stone twill pants in my wardrobe…

love,

Janice

p.s. Today’s flashback, to 8 years ago, is just a simple gesture of kindness that I observed. It still makes me happy…

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #35: A Print or Pattern Neutral Top

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11.15.21 14 Comments

Tags: cool weather, tops, Weekly Timeless Wardrobe
<<How Can I Find My Own, Personal, Basic Wardrobe?Start with a Scarf: Mumbai Paisley silk scarf – Echo>>

Comments

  1. Sheila says

    November 15, 2021 at 4:41 am

    Good morning! Back in Stormy Seattle. Although the temps are mild, it’s so windy and rainy the above navy and green outfit seems particularly appealing this morning. I do like almost all of them though. I’m wishing I’d taken today off to recover from my “vacation”. And I’m also pondering having my colors done again. Someone mentioned it last week (I think) and I haven’t had mine done in quite some time – and now that I’ve gone gray I’m wondering if they have changed – because clearly the autumn colors (some of them) no longer suit me. Although I’ve almost come to the conclusion I have too much purple, that print blouse is really tempting. I think you’ve used it before? And I remember being tempted and resisting…. Have a good day everyone!

    Reply
    • Alice says

      November 15, 2021 at 6:20 am

      No such thing as too much purple, or so I tell myself ;)

      Reply
      • Sheila says

        November 15, 2021 at 7:00 am

        I think it’s because I’ve worn it every day for the past week… I need variety… and I was feeling very rumpled living out of a suitcase ! :)

      • Beth T says

        November 15, 2021 at 8:18 am

        I heartily agree, Alice ?

  2. Diane Smith says

    November 15, 2021 at 6:10 am

    I have that wonderful Talbot’s teal and burgundy floral button-up! It’s so great with my cool winter wardrobe.
    The only time I can say I’ve warn warm and cool colors together is a black and tan striped tee with tan chinos for warm weather and that top with black cords and a long cardi for cool weather. Impossible to give up that combination!

    Reply
  3. Beth T says

    November 15, 2021 at 6:18 am

    Congratulations to Jacqueline for winning the scarf. Lucky lady.
    Yes, the purple outfit is me to a tee, though I’d wear light grey or dark ocean blue trousers. I noticed that the pattern has teal blue in it. Love the colour of the lilac pink cardigan. I have a jumper the same colour. Apparently, it’s a Pantone colour this season.

    Reply
  4. Karen says

    November 15, 2021 at 7:46 am

    These outfits makes me smile. Especially the green sweater set. Where does everyone get their colors done? Maybe a helpful article someday?

    Reply
  5. Rebecca says

    November 15, 2021 at 8:14 am

    The green sweater set is a thing of beauty. I might have to get myself that necklace.

    Reply
  6. Morag Wishart says

    November 15, 2021 at 8:46 am

    You can do a quick quiz on the Kettlewell Colours online website. I am a soft summer. They have lots of different bits on their blog too. AND Fantastic colour choices!

    Reply
    • AK says

      November 15, 2021 at 8:22 pm

      Thanks, Morag. I was having trouble recalling the name of this marvelous website.

      Reply
  7. Lorrie Orr says

    November 15, 2021 at 10:40 am

    Love that pink/lilac cardigan. It’s pretty and looks so cozy, too. With all the pouring rain and ensuing darkness here on the west coast (Canada) just now, lighter colours appeal.

    Reply
  8. Sally in St Paul says

    November 15, 2021 at 12:05 pm

    That first orchid + ivory outfit is gorgeous (and did make me think of BethT!). I love the widespread availability of these sweater-blazers! The two piece green bead/chain necklace is brilliant (though for me it goes on the DIY list rather than in my shopping cart).

    I do like warm + cool colors in a single outfit. Grey and navy are gorgeous with rust or cognac, for example. Black works beautifully with a lot of warm colors, including camel and warm (or cool, for that matter) browns. But I am not as sold on the grey + camel combo, such as the grey skirt + camel sweater, though I’m not sure why.

    Is it just me or does stone strike anyone else as not particularly warm? When I click through the link, the “heritage stone” seems like a cool beige and the “khaki” seems like a somewhat warm beige. I think that’s why I wasn’t crazy about the stone pants + camel sweater combo. The camel sweater is VERY warm to my eye. I don’t even like it with the khaki version of the pants. I think warm beige/brown colors are tricky, and I find them difficult to wear together (though I don’t wear them all that often). I find something like camel much easier to wear with a cool, dark color (black, navy, etc.) than with another warm beige…though a dark warm or cool brown doesn’t sound difficult. Do any readers in the warm/spring/autumn kind of category have tips for us?

    Reply
    • Janice says

      November 15, 2021 at 1:55 pm

      I think stone is definitely a “cool” beige – that’s one of the things that attracts me to it so much!
      hugs,
      Janice

      Reply
  9. Carol says

    November 16, 2021 at 9:17 pm

    I look ghastly in warm colors and don’t like any of them enough to have to bother with that “don’t wear near your face” workaround. I’m rather relieved as it makes shopping that much easier for me.

    Reply

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The Vivienne Files is a unique personal style blog with carefully-selected capsule wardrobes based on color palettes drawn from works of art, nature, and more. It helps women buy less clothing, and to love what they buy. Read more...
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