June 25, 2025
Sometimes, when you’re packing, it’s just easier to go back to the very most basic options. That’s certainly true with colors; if you’re packing core is navy, red and yellow seem like perfect accents!
So let’s start with these two scarves:
Our heroine has made a few changes to her navy wardrobe core. This part of your packing can be as conservative or as relaxed as you need, of course!
Tee shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – Sierra Winter Jewelry; cardigan – Faherty; bag – The Sak; skirt – Lands’ End; loafers – Minnetonka; chino ankle pants – Lands’ End; shorts – Lands’ End; sandals – Talbots
To go with our red floral scarf, our heroine has chosen a timeless linen camp shirt, and a striped tee! She might wear the scarf with the striped tee shirt, if she’s feeling in that mood.
Linen shirt – Alex Mill; earrings – Grosse; linen headband – Alexandre de Paris; scarf – Lazyjack Press; tote bag – Madewell; striped tee – Alex Mill; sandals – Jack Rogers
Her yellow clothes make a sort of twinset, with the matching tee shirt and cardigan. And yes, she’s got two completely different floral prints going here; maybe she won’t be in a scarf mood some day, but WILL be in the mood to carry a floral tote. She likes having options!
Tee shirt – GAP Factory; earrings – The Pink Reef; tote – Ted Baker; scarf – Elizabetta; belt – Free People; sandals – Farm Rio; cardigan – GAP Factory
When our heroine assembles her travel capsule wardrobe the night before she leaves, it’s bright, cheerful and clearly very versatile:
Because this is primarily a work trip, our heroine works her way through LOTS of outfit choices, just to be sure…
With all of the uncertainties inherent in travel, it’s reassuring to at least know that you’ve packed as well as possible!
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, I was pretty ambitious, using a painting by Sir Frederic Leighton as our inspiration. Lots of brown, orange and touches of green…
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This is such a fun take on maximizing a navy blue base wardrobe. I love both red and yellow and just don’t wear either one enough. This is a color duo I’d love to expand in the next few years. I turn 60 in December, and I’ve always been a pink and orange woman.However, as I look begin to look forward to my next decade, I’m wondering if these two, that I’m already attracted to, might be a nice direction to move into over time.
The only thought I had was, what do you all think of a couple of scarves that contain both yellow and red in them? That way they’d sesueway into wearing the colors together. I was recently gifted with this scarf, as seen below, and just haven’t worn it yet. I can completely see wearing the yellow cardigan with the red and white tee, along with this scarf. What do you all think? https://www.lusciousscarves.com/products/ladies-mixed-wildflower-print-frayed-scarf-cream-yellow-and-red
absolutely!
and it’s interesting about this lemon yellow – i normally don’t do yellow ever, but ended up w a yellow t as an experiment this spring & have been surprisingly delighted with it. it’s such a hapoy color that i like having it out even when i’m mot wearing it!
Lilbear,
I love your comment, “i like having it out even when i’m mot wearing it!”
This is so true! I set out my outfits a day or so before, depending on my schedule. I have certain outfits that I set out early just so I can look at them and enjoy them longer than the day I’m actually wearing them.
I recently bought a mulberry colored merino shirt. It pops so beautifully with my purple skirt that they have been sitting out for nearly three weeks now. It’s severe Whappage for me!
Ellen s,
The scarf is lovely and what a great way to expand a limited wardrobe.
Great find!
Yep, this scarf would make wearing red & yellow together easy!
hugs,
Janice
Ellen, I just had to say I turn 60 in December too! I think the scarf and tee would be a fun combo! :)
what a pretty scarf and what a good way to pull the colours together
Sorry! Segue way! Please excuse my chunky fingers!
I believe the normal word, as opposed to the branded scooter thing, is just segue. The pronunciation is Spanish (Italian?) rather than English!
That yellow twinset, or one very like it, features in an ad on the New York subway this week!
Ellen yes I imagine the striped tee and the scarf would sit very nicely together, and the cardi. Janice I think the floral scarf and floral tote may work well together too. I do enjoy harmonious pattern mixes. But sometimes they work in theory but not so fab irl so try ons would be essential.
I love the lookback to “Flaming June”. Pre-Raphaelite art is one of my favourites. This has me in mind of “a languid maiden” from Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘Patience’.
Re-reading the comments provides an interesting discussion on how to achieve a Luxe Look on a modest budget. Perhaps the key is not to buy on the spur of the moment or buy because “it will do” but to have a more considered approach. Make a list of the luxury items that you might like to add to your wardrobe and wait until they cross your path whether in a sale or charity shop. You will be far more likely to wear an item that “fits the bill”, multiple times, rather than the “will just do” worn once but doesn’t quite fit with other things. .
Beth T, you make an excellent point. I really have to rein in my impulsiveness.
What a happy wardrobe, love primary colours. That yellow scarf is beautiful!
A great way to cheer up a drizzling day here.
Your throwback to the painting “Flaming June” by Sir Frederic Leighton made me smile. It’s one of my favorites since seeing a print in the home of a friend. I was fortunate to see the original in 1998 at the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Measuring just shy of 4 ft. x 4 ft. the painting takes your breath away!
what a pretty scarf and what a good way to pull the colours together
This is so beautiful again.
I love red and wear it often, so I recently bought a red patterned skirt; it fits so well in my wardrobe.
It’s very hot here at the moment, and I’m wearing skirts every day (and photographing my outfits).
I really enjoyed the review, too, and the comments are thought-provoking.