April 29, 2026
I’m sure that the wise heroines among us have already thought of this – combining two “beige-based” travel capsule wardrobes to come up with a larger wardrobe with two accent colors.
Let’s include this painting:
and this one:
That gives us this color palette – obviously this should work out pretty well!
One neutral cluster that we’ve seen was this:
Shirt – J.Crew; earrings – Charlotte’s Web Jewellery; tee shirt – J.Crew; cardigan – J.Jill; pants – J.Crew; necklace – A Weathered Penny; bracelets – Saachi; tote bag – L.L.Bean; shorts – J.Crew; sandals – Sam Edelman
The second painting-inspired wardrobe had this just slightly different neutral cluster:
Shirt – J.Crew; huggie hoop earrings – Monica Vinader; necklace – Anthropologie; tee shirt – J.Crew; pants – J.Crew; bracelets – Nordstrom; tote bag – L.L.Bean; shorts – J.Crew; loafers – Easy Spirit
There was a “faded sage” wardrobe cluster:
Seersucker top – L.L.Bean; necklace – Sita Nevado; earrings – 2028; sweater – L.L.Bean; seersucker shirt – L.L.Bean; chinos – L.L.Bean; seersucker shorts – L.L.Bean; crossbody bag – The Sak; sneakers – adidas
And we have a cluster in a pretty coral:
Earrings – The Met Store; necklace – The Met Store; sweater – L.L.Bean; scarf – J.McLaughlin; gingham shirt – Lands’ End; tunic – Lands’ End; bag – Michael Kors; pants – L.L.Bean; flats – Jeffrey Campbell
The perfect things to add to a wardrobe that included ALL of these clothes would be a madras plaid shirt in beige, coral and sage, or a floral tee shirt that included those colors. Maybe a print skirt?
But I struggled to find anything REALLY perfect, so I opted for adding some accessories:
Square scarf – Henelle; earrings – Jennifer Behr; twilly scarf – seree; bead necklace – seree; beaded bag – Maeve
Now, when we put all of the clothes and accessories together, you can easily see how this would be a perfect wardrobe for summer in a cool climate, or for spring for most of us. And it’s still only 14 garments! You can go a long way with a small wardrobe…
How do you wear these pieces? You’ve seen some of these outfits before, and some of them are fresh combinations of our heroine’s two accent colors:
I need to study this for a while – I have TWO trips coming up to Europe in the summer, and hot-weather packing is NOT something I do well…
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago I pondered a three-dress travel capsule wardrobe. That might be my solution to hot-weather packing!
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A lovely combination. I would feel limited for summer just having one S/L t-shirt and one S/L blouse. Perhaps swapping one or two of the long-sleeve shirts for a short sleeve version.
That is what I was thinking too… but I’m going through pre-menopause and the hot flashes are real!! I really do like how the colors turned out together!
This is brilliant! The colors really mesh! Also, it’s no bad thing to have a wardrobe just a little unfinished. The quest continues. I do like the variety of accessories. The finishing touch to pull it all together. It would be interesting to see how this transitions into summer.
Also the more I see of the art, the more I like it. Visit here for the clothes and stay for the art, lol. Or is it the other way round…
One outstanding principle of curating a wardrobe we’ve learned here is that a solid foundation of neutrals can be pulled in multiple directions with accessories and accent colors.
I’m picturing a different heroine pairing that off white cluster with red or blue or bright green. Maybe apricot or peach.
I am not a happy hot weather traveler, so I’m looking forward to the outfits you choose for your trips. I like to be all covered (no shorts) and I hate sweating. I took a fall trip to Southeast Asia and was ill-prepared for the heat and humidity.
Janice, I wonder if you would consider creating a capsule where the only shoes are varieties of sneakers.
I’ve seen so many sneaker-adjacent shoes (sneakerinas?) the i love the idea only buying forgiving sneakers ….even wearing them to more smart occasions.
I have a concert performance coming up and my black low profile sneakers may be what peeks out from under my all-black concert attire……
Chris, I actually like the sneakerish idea you have there. It’s what I actually wear. And birks…
I like these two wardrobes so much better combined. I guess I may be a two accent girl. I hope someone runs across a print garment for this heroine and shares it in the comments.
Well, you have now sold me. I was not a huge fan of either of these posts individually…not because you didn’t do an amazing job, but I just felt they were both too limiting or too drab. Now? I’m all in. While the faded sage and coral didn’t look ‘happy’ to me individually, now they look glorious together. It’s still very soft and mellow, but the complete wardrobe looks more…well…complete.
On a completely different note, you had posted a bunch of outfits to go with a yellow cardigan not long ago. I always thought I couldn’t wear yellow…but since buying my yellow cardigan, I’ve gone bonkers for yellow. It’s my new accent color for Spring and Summer. I’d love to see a yellow accent wardrobe with navy, tan and white. Pretty please?
Oh, I love these two wardrobes together as one! Talbot’s has a madras long-sleeve shirt that is a bit brighter but I think would harmonize with these colors. It’s called picnic madras. There are also different length shorts and a pair of flip flops. https://www.talbots.com/modern-classic-shirt—picnic-madras/P262075332.html?dwvar_P262075332_color=STRAWBERRY%20ICE%20MULTI&dwvar_P262075332_sizeType=MS#q=madras&start=1
I didn’t know that what we call a checked shirt in the UK is also known as a Madras shirt. I’m intrigued to know how that moniker came about. Mind you this particular pattern also reminds me of a picnic tablecloth. The worst insult that you can level at an English woman wearing a patterned garment is that the pattern reminds you of “an old tablecloth” or worse “Grandma’s curtains”!
Janice,
I have followed you for years but have never written a post. I leave for the Adriatic coast of Italy (3 hrs. from Bologna) in a week and have a question about packing scarves. I have a beautiful Hermes scarf that I keep in its original box. How do you store your Hermes scarves at home and also when you travel how do you pack them?
I am using your 4×4 travel capsule for this trip which I learned from you several years ago.
Mary Ann
I treat them like any other garment. All of my scarves are in a vintage suitcase that belonged to my mother; when I pack them I just fold them between other garments. Silk is very durable, and I would rather wear my things and run the risk of a spot or stain than never get to wear them!
Drag it out and toss it in your bag. Wear it with joy!
love,
Janice
Very pretty. I also enjoyed the look back with the three dresses😉
Love what you have done here combining the two small wardrobes i to one. It is really too bad that Bean doesn’t have a skirt to match the sage seersucker top. Lots of folks can wear the matching shorts, unfortunately I am not one of the them but would happily wear a skirt instead.
I absolutely love this wardrobe! Please keep looking for the print skirt, since I have been looking for one in these colors for a few months now and haven’t found it yet!
Beautiful. Completely contented now.
The combined wardrobes are so pretty! This reminds me of a watercolor painting of roses that my mom painted for me.
So pretty but does not read coral at all on my screen. More pink but just as lovely. Garnet Hill has some tees and other pieces in “spicy coral” which might work.
Janice,
My “ cup of tea “ !