January 21, 2026
This post started with a BUNCH of emails in which I tried to encourage some of you to at least try a button-front shirt from Lands’ End. For literally decades, I avoided button-fronts like the plague, because I’m short, short-armed, short waisted, and generous endowed…
You know how this works out – buttons that gape, sleeves that hang down to your knees. That feeling that your body is not built for this world!
These shirts might work. They do for me. I wear Petite Large, and everything is just right…
Seecond, the temperature is punishingly cold right now. A bright color or two might be nice, eh?
Finally, I realized that the clothes that stay in my closet all 12 months are my button-front shirts, which I wear under things in cold weather, and then OVER tee shirts or tank tops in warmer weather.
So here we go!
If I wore navy, I would have bought this shirt the second it was released:
Shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – Mint & Lily; sweater – Seasalt Cornwall; scarf – Jessie Zhao New York; sneakers – adidas; bag – Zanatany Concepts
Why yes, there are LOTS of sneakers in this post. They come in every color imaginable, if you’re willing to look long enough. And they are – without question – the most common shoes in the marketplace. I saw enough sneakers in Paris to supply most of Iowa…
Is it pattern mixing if you wear your striped shirt with a striped sweater?
Shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – Anthropologie; sweater – Lands’ End; scarf – Jessie Zhao New York; sneakers – Gola; bag – Rachel Zoe
I’ve got enough shades of blue here to satisfy most people…
Shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – ana luisa; sweater – Lands’ End; scarf – Jessie Zhao New York; sneakers – adidas; bag – Moda Luxe
I’m smitten with this scarf – anything that has architecture in it wins my heart!
Shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – Anthropologie; Deep Lake sweater – L.L.Bean; scarf – Squaïr; flats – Margaux; tote bag – Lands’ End
Although I wouldn’t give this scarf back if it was given to me… And FWIW, Jessie Zhao New York has a bunch of scarves on sale! She also sells swimwear and coverups…
Shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – Anthropologie; cashmere sweater – J.Crew; scarf – Jessie Zhao New York; sneakers – Reebok; bag – Staud
I love this color…
Shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – Anthropologie; Glacier Teal cashmere sweater – L.L.Bean; scarf – Squaïr; shoes – Xero; rich teal tote bag – Lands’ End
Were I going to add a color to my wardrobe, I’d probably choose this one. I’ve flirted with pink in the past, and it’s hard to go wrong. It tends to look nice on almost everybody…
Yes, this scarf is on sale too!
Shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – Genevive Jewelry; sweater – Seasalt Cornwall; scarf – Jessie Zhao New York; shoes – Josef Seibel; bag – Brahmin
A warm variation of red, and earrings that hint at the upcoming holiday without hitting anyone over the head with schmaltz…
Shirt – Lands’ End; earrings – I’mmany London; cardigan – Lands’ End; scarf – Jessie Zhao New York; shoes – Vionic; bag – Mansur Gavriel
I’m not sure I’m actually finished with these kinds of posts; for those of us who have the core of our wardrobe well established, a fresh color can make a lot of difference!
love,
Janice
Love these colours? Save them to Pinterest!
Jessie Zhao for the win. I am, as usual, deeply impressed by your ability to find items for these groupings.
It takes hours! But I listen to French pop music, single along, and scroll, scroll, scroll…
hugs,
Janice
I love this. To be totally honest, this is my “uniform” for work spring, fall and winter….a button down (or occasionally a turtleneck on the coldest of days), a sweater and a scarf, along with sneakers or booties. As a teacher, I don’t have to wear a suit, or suit-like clothing. But, I’m not a young teacher, who is comfortable wearing pajama bottoms to work every day. When I first started teaching, we couldn’t even wear pants, so I had a plethora of skirts and dresses. Even after this requirement changed, we still had to wear collared shirts for a decade. I understand that clothing requirements have changed to be more casual in many other fields too. But, I still like to look pulled together and professional. I love the look of a pullover sweater and a button down…it just brings that home, especially paired with a nice necklace and a scarf.
I also love that you could wear every single one of these sets with the same bottoms, be they khakis, jeans or dress pants. You don’t have to invest in more bottoms to get get use out of these sets. It’s terrific! My two favorites are Coral Red and Serene Blue. I could happily wear all of these! As much as I loved the two yellow shades yesterday, yellow looks just awful on me. I wish it didn’t, because I’m a fan! However, I can every single one of these colors being pretty universally flattering to most women.
Great picks, Janice!
What a beautiful beautiful post. The clover and red would look best on me, but all the colors are just gorgeous and I’d be tempted to try any of them.
Aren’t they all nice? This is something I learn and re-learn when I do these posts – any color can be beautiful if you just commit to it and are patient to find lovely things…
hugs,
Janice
To quote your lookback, it’s as much about the collection (the whole post) than it is just one set of items.
Being patient is one of your very best gems of advice.
There is so much merchandise in the world, there’s NO REASON to compromise. You just have to wait, and keep looking. And looking. And looking!
It’s frankly kind of shocking how much clothing there is in the world…
hugs,
Janice
Love all the colours and I am really smitten with the idea of French 5. However, does it make sense to keep the 5 pieces together in the wardrobe or to hang like with like. I have always hung, for instance, sweaters with sweaters and trousers with trousers but I do forget just what I have and what goes with what. What do others do? Or am I overthinking again.
It’s not overthinking – it’s thinking just enough! I keep a written inventory, so I remember what I have. Usually. So I keep my things sorted by type. It works better for me, partly because my closet is structured so that there’s a designated spot in which I can hang “long” things like pants, and a different area opposite where shirts and sweaters are hung. And then shelves where tee shirts, cotton turtlenecks and heavier sweaters live…
It’s only overthinking if it bother you!
hugs,
Janice
I do a mixture. All the pants together, in groups of colors, and all the shirts in order by color and type. So right now, for instance, I have all my teal-based shirts together in this order: button downs (if I had them for this color, which I don’t), turtlenecks–print first, then plain; long-sleeved tees, print first then plain. Sweaters I keep folded in cubbies so I can see them all, cardigans in one place and pullovers in another. I don’t bother sorting them by color. I wear sweaters almost all year long at my office, so I know what goes with what very well. If I were on a budge, I would have only six or eight sweaters I could wear with everything, and just rotate them. But I like more variety than that so I have too many. Anyway, this system might work for you!
Hi. First time commenting and yes I’m another Ellen.
While I typically group clothing like most people here do, I understand what you are asking Cherry.
I am a visual person (meaning it literally has to be in my line of sight). So, in this context, hanging my new French Five clothing items by category would visually scatter them in my wardrobe because there are actually only 2 items of clothing in the new accent colour.
To focus on accent colours effectively (especially if I’ve invested in new purchases), I think I’d have to rearrange all my hanging items into colours instead of category. This would cause me to see colours instead of categories. (I’m only thinking tops because all my bottoms are dark neutrals.)
I’d probably keep accessories stored in categories because I’d know what I was looking for having chosen the colour (and might stumble on new combinations when looking at all my accessories).
As I’ve written this, I’ve realised I’m using different words to agree with Gail’s beautifully expressed reply.
Now I’m off to rearrange my wardrobe by colour.
In my wardrobe, I sort by broad colour groups for dresses, skirts, trousers, shirts/blouses and jackets/coats/chunky cardigans. All these need to be hung on coat hangers.
Non-buttoned tops, knitwear, lingerie and nightwear are in chests of drawers. I still try to sort by colour groups. However, if a blouse in the wardrobe is worn with a particular jumper, then I would put the jumper on the shirt hanger to keep them together. I tend to hang jackets in dresses as it takes up less room.
As a stay at home mama who loves classic, pulled together, I want to love collared shirts! But most of the ones I’ve bought sit unused in my closet until I declutter it. Collared shirt dresses are another story! I guess everyone has their own version of essential clothing!
I used to be the same way until I learned to get picky. I realized I don’t like anything too stiff… so my chambray button down has a little drape (I think there’s rayon in it) and I have a couple of soft, stretch corduroy button downs, a couple of rayon ones for summer that are short sleeved and my flannel one is a very thin, drapey flannel, not a beefy thick type. And honestly not one plain white button down because I don’t look good in white or cream and they are too stiff. So maybe you just need to figure out what you might want in a button down?!?!
I love all of these! I am steering my shoe wear more to sneakers for comfort, the sporty vibe and safety (low bone density has created a need to feel the ground securely beneath my feet). I donated the couple of Lands End button front shirts I had because the sleeves were way too long. I have since tried their petite size and the sleeve length is perfect! These shirts are perfect in every way; 100% cotton and great travelers! A great post….again!
I second the endorsement for Lands Ends button downs. I have turned all of my friends onto these. The shirts wear beautifully and seriously do not wrinkle even when folded in a suitcase for a two-week trip. I wear mine year round: either under a sweater or over a thin turtleneck in cooler weather, or over a t-shirt or camisole (or on it’s own) in warmer weather. I have one that’s a tunic length that I’ve even worn as a bathing suit coverup.
Like Janice, I am short and busty, and the petite version of these shirts fits me like a dream.
I’m afraid I gave up on Lands End button-downs. Their bust-hip proportions are way off for me. I’m usually two sizes smaller in the hips, and if I buy a size that fits my shoulders, the lower part of the shirt is very baggy. A shame, because they’re nice shirts, but not made for everyone.
I am a curvy petite small (in some Land’s End styles, XS–which is hilarious because and XS in most other companies is a willowy reed) and I agree on sizing at Land’s End button downs–I finally found some that fit me! However, I discovered this way that I really don’t like crisp, fitted button downs. If I had to wear one, that’s what I’d buy. But I don’t have to wear them, so I don’t. If you are a similar shape and it’s not the “crisp fitted” part about button downs that bothers you, DO give Land’s End a try!
I love all of these colors! It’s a challenge narrowing down to only one or two. Your accessory choices are gorgeous!
I do wear navy and I did buy that shirt! I just love the colour combination.
Lovely colors ahead of spring, could wear most of them. Knowing your body type is key. I’m a curvy tall with long legs and arms. So I avoid tops, cardigans and jackets that end at the high- or mid-hip. Those make me look unbalanced, all legs. Being long-legged isn’t the challenge it was when I was a skinny teen. If you found a pair long enough, you prayed they wouldn’t shrink in the wash and become high-water pants that you would have to rehome.
As for storing clothes, the method is determined by the space. My blouses, dresses, dressier pants and jackets are hung but the rest goes in cubbies and drawers. Tops are grouped in cubbies by types – tanks, tees, 3/4 tops, long-sleeved tops, turtlenecks, sweaters, flannel shirts. When there is an abundance in one of those categories, I do sub-categories as in warm colors, cool colors and neutrals. The good things about cubbies are you can store a lot efficiently in a small space and see the choices at a glance without moving hangers. Casual pants are folded and stored in a drawer a la Marie Kondo’s approach, all visible at a glance like spines of a book. Can you tell I’m a folding nerd? As for wrinkling, I have a “steaming station” and use that setup almost daily. Quick and easy in a small amount of space.
I also keep my button front shirts for year round use. My favourite white one is from JJill and has a perfect crispness to it. That being said, lately I reach more for the purple plaid.
On the closet discussion, I find grouping by type works best for me. But, I’m OCD enough that they are then placed in colour order within the type. Lucky for me, after years following along here, the number of items and the colours are quite pared down and I love the ease it brings each morning.
Thanks again for the morning inspiration.
While I liked all of the first of these posts, I love love love this one! I would happily wear any and all. I am not shopping this year unless I really find a huge whappage piece. I have more than enough. But, I do love these button front shirts and yes Jessie Zhao for the win. Also want to say thank you Ellen for not wearing pajama bottoms to work. Great job Janice.
All these sets are beautiful, i could happily live with any one of them. The accessories are beautiful and really are what makes them sing. I need to learn how to do this (sigh). I hate being burdened down with purses, bags etc but I see how they contribute to that polished look.
Hi Dee – if you dont actually use purses/bags (your comment made me think of a time in my life where my coat pockets/ jeans pockets were my bag), maybe try for a bracelet in your accent colors? I find that its a question of where all in the body you keep the color – for example, if i’m wearing all neutrals but want a pop of red: earrings + bracelet + socks or shoes will give me a “top of head”, “middle of body”, and “lower body” sense of coherence. (easily replaceable with necklace, belt, shoe or scarf, trouser..). Just a thought if you are rocking that “bag-free” life!
I love all the blues and the gorgeous deep pink. I should like the aqua greeb jumper but it needs to be slightly brighter in hue. Yesterday, I noticed in my local supermarket, clothes in some of the colours you featured on Monday.
I go back and forth from hanging blouses/tops together and pants together to sometimes pulling together a couple of tops to go with each of several pairs of pants so I can easily grab an outfit. I may or may not add a scarf. Other times I have worn a particular cardigan for a week, each day with a different top and pants that work. Most of the time sweaters are folded in one area, tee shirts are folded in drawers, and scarves are a hodge-podge in another drawer. I need to do better, especially with scarves. Lately I have worn tees less, and I used to wear tees and scarves a lot. I seldom use the pretty purses I have collected. I just use the same black purse. Thanks for remindig me that a pretty purse adds a lot.
Thanks to all who replied. I tried the colour method but it looked messy and I am a neat freak, so I have rehung as before but separated each category into each colour. Thank you Gail f and everyone.