Archives for 2024

2024 - Page 13 of 13

Need a Wardrobe Plan for Summer? Start with Art – Blue on White, White on Blue by Paolo Quaresima

January 17, 2024

Since the temperature here is a whopping THREE DEGREES Fahrenheit, let's help a heroine who is planning her summer wardrobe!

We're going to try something kind of new - assembling a 4 by 4 Wardrobe by choosing four 4-piece clusters! Each cluster will give her at least 2 outfits, and all of the clusters will be able to work together. This is a good approach if she wants to shop (or closet-shop!) gradually, and if she's finding that clothes in her favorite colors are proving hard to find...

She wants navy, she wants white, and she wants accents of bright blue - maybe this painting is a good starting place:

One thing I've been assured - our heroine doesn't like white leather goods! I can understand that; ... View the Post

What to Wear When It Is FREEZING? Japanese 24 Seasons: Shōkan – Small Cold

January 15, 2024

If the weather forecast turns out to be true, (as it WASN'T when we were promised piles of snow!) it should be bitterly cold in Chicago as you read this...

Even if you don't leave your home, you might feel the cold. There's truly a limit to how warm you can get your home when the temperatures are in Fahrenheit single digits. Add in our big walls of windows, facing Lake Michigan, and we have the choice of dressing warmly, or making the electric company rich beyond imagining!

So let's bundle up!

If you're staying inside, or maybe just dashing out to the mailbox, you can wear warm wool slippers. And don't discount the merits of wearing a warm headband - you can pull it down over your ears if you need to go to ... View the Post

A Bold Travel Capsule Wardrobe: Start with Art – The Dream by Luciano Cian

January 12, 2024

The Clients Are Nervous... She sold the initial contracts... And now that it's time to actually execute the project, the staff assigned to the work are worried about how the clients have been acting. Sigh...

So she's going to travel with them, and spend a day - maybe two - with everybody. Just to make sure that the clients are happy, and that they understand that these very technical staff are part of the same organization. Yes, they're a lot more... conventional... than she is!

The clients were maybe expecting everyone to be as colorful and unconventional as their salesperson...

So she packs up a few things and books a ticket with the rest of the crew:

She's actually not ALL that "out ... View the Post

Five Outfit Ideas, based on Echo 100 Limited Edition scarves

January 10, 2024

New scarves from the Echo 100 Limited Edition series, released for their 100th Anniversary!

These scarves - even if they don't suit my very personal tastes - never disappoint. Such a wide range of ideas, styles and points of view. They're a delight...

Let's start with a scarf that I managed to overlook - amazing, since it's black and white, and I love it!

Even though I'm showing this scarf with a black and white outfit (my style to the millionth degree!), consider the possibility that this scarf could be treated in the same way as a necklace in onyx, set in silver, platinum or white gold.

Imagine wearing it with a red dress.

Or a bright blue shirt and black pants.

You get the idea...

This is ... View the Post

Start with Art – Hydrangea 1918 by C.F.A. Voysey

January 8, 2024

Flu still lingers, but I had enough "oomph" to spend some time looking at this beauty:

Technically, this should be called "Start with Wallpaper!" because that's what this is... I will maintain 'til my dying breath that you can choose (or find) your favorite colors almost anywhere.

Maybe not in garbage, but I'm not ruling it out!

My thinking here, from the very beginning, was that beige and denim/chambray would be this heroine's neutrals, and the green and lilac would be her accent colors. But I suspect that using beige and green as neutrals, with blue and lilac accents, would also work...

The colors I've chosen are for those who don't feel strongly about the duality of "warm/cool" colors - if you really ... View the Post

January 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 2

January 5, 2024

I'm not 100% over the flu yet, but I'm certainly well enough to share these paintings, and their wardrobes, with you!

Let's get the blues, eh?

For the first few months, I'm going to make certain that this heroine has all of her necessary navy garments, and her white essentials. I think TOO much mixing of blues, too soon, could make things difficult... Let's try to be at least a bit practical!

Well snoots, I forgot the painting!

She entered this year with these lovely core garments and accessories:

Yep - another irresistible scarf! Dark jeans, two perfect tee shirts, and I love a good sweater vest...

I don't wear navy - haven't since shortly after grad school - but I could travel with these 8 ... View the Post

Not the Best Start to the New Year

January 2, 2024

I have flu - you're not going to get to see the second trio of wardrobes until Friday...

But I found something beautiful for you - Morning Glories by Suzuki Kiitsu. This is a detail from a room screen that you can see here...

love,

Janice

p.s. Have you had your flu vaccination? I've been jabbed, but have succumbed anyway... ... View the Post

January 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 1

January 1, 2024

Happy New Year!

Let's go! I'm going to try - for the first few months - to be logical and methodical about building these wardrobes, rather the way an adult might go about buying clothes...

Just in case you want to look back to where we started, this will take you there!

Let's start with this most elegant painting:

Last month/week, we started this heroine out with the most basic of garments - but still enough for a couple of outfits!

Since this heroine lives where it's pretty cold, she thought that dark pants might be logical - it could snow! Maybe...

And she wanted an accent cardigan...

At this very early stage, she has an almost foolproof wardrobe; getting dressed in the dark might not ... View the Post