October 1, 2025
I can’t believe it’s October – we’re still wearing summer clothes in Chicago! But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t prepare for the weather changes…
Let’s pause for just a moment and admire this painting. I’m concerned that in our pursuit of lovely wardrobes, we might lose sight of the beauty of art.
This month, our heroine had two goals. Well, her primary and probably ONLY goal here is to purchase things that are both lovely and useful for her wardrobe! But she also wanted to pay attention to her Weekly Timeless Wardrobe table to try to purchase things that were “expected” to be in her wardrobe. Secondly, she wanted to try to even up the color balance in her wardrobe between the browns and the blues! Sounds like a rugby/football match, eh?
She had TREMENDOUS success!
Navy tee – Lands’ End; striped tee – Lands’ End; earrings – Talbots; floral shirt – L.L.Bean; navy cropped pants – L.L.Bean; scarf – Jessie Zhao New York; navy sandals – Naot
All of her Autumn and Winter garments IN THE HOUSE! This is not truly an important goal – it’s more of a guideline – but there’s still satisfaction in finished anything you’ve set out to do.
Yes, sandals and cropped pants might feel anachronistic in October, but there will be warm weather next year! Heck, she could wear these today in Chicago… And these things will only be more expensive next spring, right?
This group of clothes haven’t changed this month, and they didn’t need to!
This page, on the other hand, looks fresh and great! I love those three print shirts in the second row…
Yes, her jewelry and scarves are lovely. I truly love this heroine’s jewelry:
I feel the urge for navy sneakers? Anybody think that she could use both those AND a navy handbag?
I always really enjoy assembling the range of outfits that are newly possible after each heroine goes shopping. A solid, dark-neutral tee shirt is possibly the most versatile garment you can own – you don’t even WANT to know how many black tee shirts I have…
And here you can see where a pair of navy sneakers might be useful. There’s certainly nothing wrong with the gold sneakers, but maybe navy would be better? Or maybe she needs navy short boots… hmm…
A printed shirt in your favorite colors is always a workhorse garment – under things, over things, on its own…
As we move to the last two months of these wardrobes, I’m quite happy with this one. But her Weekly Timeless Wardrobe list suggests that we look for a TON of warm-weather clothes for the next two months…
So do we stick with trying to complete a wardrobe according to that template, or do we indulge in holiday clothes? Or try to do a bit of both?
What do you all think?
love love love,
Janice
earlier installments of posts that go into the building of this wardrobe can be found here: Christmas Day Preview, January additions, February additions. March additions, April additions, May additions, June additions, July additions, August additions, September additions
p.s. Ten years ago, we were looking at “8 Bright Accents.” On this date, we paired them with olive…
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Oh, this wardrobe is fantastic.
And I’d hang every single piece in my closet.
There are very few hot days here. It’s even supposed to be freezing this week.
I’m still hoping for a blue dress or skirt (maybe for Christmas?)
And yes, to blue shoes… my most worn shoes. I recently bought a pair of barely worn blue ankle boots at a flea market.
Such a nice collection. Perhaps this heroine lives in a cooler climate. She would probably benefit from holiday clothes in the next two months.
Another vote to abandon the template and indulge in holiday clothes. And although these are not necessarily my colors, this wardrobe is stellar.
“Yes” to navy leather goods AND to a dress and/or skirt (as suggested by Maria, above)!
Navy is my dark neutral and I struggle to find comfortable navy shoes and accessories. I found a navy purse on sale a few months ago and I felt like I’d won the lottery!
I always enjoy when it’s the time to keep working on the paintings each month. While I’m not a fan of the shade of green here (I don’t care for muted tones like this), I can see this working with a rich forest green, or, even an emerald shade. I wear lots of navy, so I find this wardrobe very inspiring!
Now onto the next two months: YES…. On holiday wear. I would LOVE to see how you can dress up navy, green and brown to make it look festive and fun. I find this wardrobe to be more practical (which is great), but less exciting. How can you say “Ho ho ho” in these colors? I’d love to see!
Love this wardrobe! Especially accessories. Now the weather is turning, or supposed to be, I appreciate the brown more. I would think a navy tote for carrying presents would be good. And navy sneakers for shuffling through the leaves. And since the availability of warm weather clothes will be limited, I’m all for holiday-wear! A dressy navy top, perhaps. I don’t wear skirts or dresses, but I think a dressy navy skirted outfit would please those who do.
Yes to the navy sneakers and handbag! Also yes to the holiday attire. I really do love how this wardrobe is shaping up. Well done, Janice!
Yes to navy sneakers and maybe ankle boots! Love this wardrobe, love the green/blue, the print tops, the Jessie Zhou scarf and the seabird scarf. There were months where this wardrobe seemed just so dark to me, better now. I seem to be a voice in the wilderness, but I would rather see every day clothes vs two months of holiday clothes.
Good point re holiday clothes versus everyday ones. I think it would be nice to add a couple of special items that could be worn with the regular clothes for the holidays but to focus more on the other 350+ days of the year (factoring in the days when a holiday item might be wanted.
Maybe a whimsical animal brooch could help with that. I forget the company Janice often finds cute, but not twee, brooches but I’m sure they’d have something for this.
Are you thinking of Fable England?
https://www.fableengland.com/en-us/collections/brooches?srsltid=AfmBOooaVjksozNrkRByuT5O5Mrp2-seECqRenUz5UO94oj7nf_-ZE2S
Absolutely yes, to the navy sneakers, short boots, and bag! As for the template, I do love templates but I think it will be difficult to find sleeveless tops in the next couple of months. So maybe instead, focus on finding a really great navy dress or skirt set, and those three patterned tops and the one textured one. This wardrobe is gorgeous, but we’ve got all the basic, plain, and functional garments already. Now is the time for the fun stuff!
Both! Navy sneaks AND navy short boots make sense in this wardrobe. I think any of the colors in cashmere with a holly or snowflake brooch or a holiday silk scarf brings holiday vibes. A velvet blazer in navy or brown? Silk trousers, cashmere sweater?
These additions helped lighten this up! I have the Ecco marine blue soft 7 sneaks and they are amazing! She needs those! I also think a dress and or skirt in navy would be welcome. Perhaps a navy dress and a dark denim skirt? Which means she’ll also need navy pumps or dressy loafers depending on the dress style. The sneaks and the more casual loafers she already has would work well with the dark denim skirt. Yes to a navy purse. I have one. It’s simple and small and works for me.
I love the Jessie Zhao scarf. What does printed on both sides mean versus double sided? It looks like there is a choice for the navy and on line it looks like there is a white version. But I didn’t see how to chose one color from the other. Just wondering if anyone has personal experience with her items.
I have a scarf of hers that is predominately green on one side and blue on the other. I don’t remember if it was printed on both sides or double sided in the description.
Yes to navy ankle boots and purse. Maybe she will celebrate the holidays someplace very warm like a resort at Costa Rica or go on a ski vacation over the holidays. Nothing better than a hot spring resort in winter, one of my favourite destinations, so lots of possibilities to play with.
Janice, your questions are great! I just spent an hour with this wardrobe on one side of my brain and my closet on the other side thinking how I dress for the holiday season and how this heroine could dress. I think she needs a few more items. I am not at all a dressy person, but a swishy skirt or a top with eye catching design can make a difference. Then showing how the new pieces work with what’s there. And yes to the shoes and bag.
Perhaps she lives in a cool climate – or just doesn’t like to wear shorts or sleeveless tops. She might think she has enough summery garments already.
Stunning wardrobe – and those accessories! Swoon!
Maybe a compromise position on some of the holiday outfits – yes to holiday, but perhaps ones that dont SCREAM winter holidays? So, dressier fabrics that can work all year? (like that navy swingy silky skirt :D) I often find for winter holidays that I use sleeveless tops + a layering piece, some people keep the heat up HIGH for parties and I find myself overly hot. Happens annual at my Thanksgiving crew’s place … I finally learned to dress for summer with a heavy coat and lined boots for transit!
I loved the new additions, then scrolled down to the beige/brown clothing image and was like, Ugh, this wardrobe :D The new items seemed to fit a palette with navy and white so I mentally had changed it to that. I like the darker brown so I could probably sub soft white and denim/chambray for the beige pieces and be happy with it.
Life has gotten so casual that I’m curious about what “holiday clothes” means these days for people who don’t get a kick out of ugly Christmas sweaters and such. Do people still routinely do dressy holiday parties? (My sister attends one for work every couple years and rents her outfit each time. Pretty much no one I else I know attends anything where a pair of pants and a sweater wouldn’t put you at the average dressiness level or higher for the event.) I can see having a piece like a velvet blazer that works equally well for normal wear as dressy wear in such a small wardrobe, but I wonder about the wisdom of devoting closet space and $$ to pieces that lean formal-dressy UNLESS the heroine is the kind of person who will happily wear e.g. a silky or lacy skirt year-round in day-to-day situations.
I’d be good with seeing “holiday clothes” as long as the pieces really fit the style of the heroine’s overall wardrobe and we can see how to make them work other than 2 weeks of December. This heroine, for example, clearly has a style that leans casual.
I actually don’t own any Christmas-themed clothes. At Christmas, I always go out to dinner with my siblings and family and dress up. (Or for a company dinner.)
I have brown pleated front trousers and a plaid blazer that’s very versatile. I also have a dark blue skirt that I’ve worn with a striped tunic in the summer and with a lace top and ankle boots in the winter. I want to wear my clothes several times a year.
I remember Janice discussing that dressy clothes could be one’s everyday “uniform” in style, but made in dressier fabrics. So, velvet or silk jeans, or satin blazer/jean jacket, for example. This was a really useful idea for me. I am someone who doesn’t want to see anything in my wardrobe that I only wear once or twice a year, & I don’t want to have to be dressy in a tight or structured dress, which is not part of my everyday wear. For a winter Christmas, I’d have navy velvet in a top and skirt, that I could wear with other things as well. But we have a summer Christmas, so it’s a linen or cotton sleeveless shift dress with sandals, all the way!
I really like this wardrobe, & was curious, because I don’t like brown at all. But I have finally realised that this is a very cool brown, which I am mentally translating into charcoal, thus discovering an entire wardrobe in my colours! I’m a big fan of the print shirts, and the scarves, and I would definitely want some navy or marine sneakers!
Adding a vote both for holiday-ish clothes and the navy shoes etc. This is the wardrobe I’ve been using as inspiration all year, so seeing it finally wound up is going to be interesting!
totally agree that she needs just a touch of glam… am thinking those keyhole sleeveless tops as a column over their partner skirts might go a long way with perhaps a velvet or cashmere scarf or blazer… she could add polish with her pearls or those lovely teal & gem earrings, and maybe grab a dressier pair of shoes or boots, or put some shoeclips on her ballet flats depending on her climate… alternatively of course, she could go get some serious bling, beaded cardigans & tall boots, but i’m not sure that’s her style…
I love these colors as well! As others have said, the “holiday” items could be the same colors, just a more “holiday-ish” fabric?? I too, don’t wish to have a garment just for holidays.
Would someone here – please remind me what the Yellow Stars in the grid, symbolize? I think I am having a brain cramp today! Thanks!
The yellow stars indicate that these are the pieces Janice just added to the wardrobe – how the new additions for the month fit into the overall wardrobe plan – hope that makes sense!
Love this wardrobe! I’m interested in looking at some of the jewelry you’ve featured but cannot find any links in the post. Thanks!!
You need to look back to all of the earlier posts about this wardrobe to find the month during which the jewelry was added. All of the links to all of he earlier posts are at the bottom, by my signature.
hugs,
Janice
Please forget the (very useful) template and get some dressier clothes. I never wear shorts and seldom sleeveless tops. But I dress up regularly. I’ve been following this wardrobe remaking my own this year and it’s been fascinating. I’ve discovered that I really detest navy clothes that don’t perfectly match and have moved toward navy as an accent colour instead of a neutral; I love the brown, ivory, dusty teal. It’s incredibly helpful to have this painting as my primary inspiration when I’m shopping. I’m wondering about next year, as I replace worn clothing, would it work to add in black as a neutral and discard navy altogether? Thanks so much for this series.