June 22, 2026
A week in a branch office. Guaranteed to be cold during the day, so it’s not like you can take normal summer clothes. Plus, there will be executives there, and we have to pretend that we’re MUCH more serious than we really are!
Our heroine has no idea where to start – until she digs into her scarf drawer:
This gives her a color palette with two classic neutrals, and the sky blue and leafy green of summer! Perfect!
She will travel in a navy “suit” with a pretty blue tee shirt. Comfortable, but completely appropriate if she arrives at the office and is immediately confronted by a swarm of the suity types…
cardigan – Alex Mill; earrings – Pip Pop; scarf –The Met Store; linen pants – Alex Mill; clear blue sky tee – Lands’ End; loafers – Bandolino
Her navy top and skirt are silk, so she’s perfectly prepared for any dinner plans that are thrust upon her. A cardigan keeps her warm, and appropriately “second layered” in the office:
Vicuña cotton sweater – Lands’ End; earrings – J.Crew; navy silk shirt – Everlane; silk skirt – Everlane; scarf – The Met Store; pumps – Franco Sarto; handbag – Radley
And she decides to bring along some brightness! Yes, maybe she will wear her navy skirt and pumps, if things feel stern and conservative…
Green cardigan – Boden; earrings – Talbots; navy cotton top – L.L.Bean; bracelets – Talbots; linen skirt – Boden; green handbag – Talbots; sandals – Naot
To round things out, she chooses a relaxed column in her neutral camel, a cardigan that matches her light blue tee shirt, and a print tee shirt just so she can feel like a normal person on her return flight:
Clear sky blue cotton cardigan – Lands’ End; earrings – Unaloe; worn teak tee – J.Crew; worn teak pants – J.Crew; floral tee shirt – Chico’s; sneakers – Adidas
When she stacks it all up, it’s a “Whatever’s Clean 13” Wardrobe! Well yes, it would be possible to put together a weird combination from these clothes, but you would have to deliberately TRY…
It was very easy to find five more outfits hidden within this combination of garments – kind of like a treasure hunt!
Flexibility is important for this business trip – she doesn’t know if she’s walking into a happy, relaxed environment, or a stressed and stressing pit of jockeying for position in the face of layoffs.
Working for a living isn’t easy!
Love,
Janice
p.s. Five years ago, we accessorized two spring wardrobes – one in beige and rust, one in beige and green. Accessories are ALWAYS where the real fun is found!
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Wow! Love this! Perfect colors for summer. Beautiful clothes. The two neutrals can be used most of the year, in different fabrics. And I see other accent colors as well. As always, great accessories.
Janice, this is exceptional. It’s polished and professional, without being matronly or old fashioned. It’s also elegant and comfortable looking. I think this would work very well for most women in professions that require a degree of closet decorum. Honestly, I wish more people would dress nicely at work. I am shocked by how many people wear hoodies and pajama bottoms with crocs at work. To me, clothes are one way of showing respect to yourself and to the public with whom you’ll be interacting. It’s a form of politeness, as my grandmothers would say.
I also just want to say “WOW” about this scarf. It is so beautiful I have no words. The color palette it provides is also delightful. Museum stores at ANY museum are truly hidden gems for shoppers.
There isn’t a suit jacket anywhere but it still manages to feel fully polished. And I love the colors. Posting this one directly on my closet wall!
This is beautiful! That green outfit took my breath away.
Splendid!
Janice,
This is my favorite Whatever’s Clean 13 template ! 4 bottoms, 4 toppers, and 5 tops, though rebellious me might also add a plain ivory or off white tee . 2 neutrals and 2 or 3 accents float my boat !
My 2 favourite neutrals and that green is to die for, just fabulous.
I sure hope you cancelled your Paris trip! I spent the longest week of my life in London last month when it hit 95 degrees!
Love the color palette, and the choices are wonderful for polished/professional but not overly stuffy or structured. The scarf, pretty print top, and wonderful accent colors add so much to this capsule. I cannot look at the tan J Crew pants without thinking “scrubs,” however. I get it that it’s intended as a comfortable casual option, but I think for a travel capsule, I’d probably sub in a pair of pants that are comfortable but could be worn in the office as well as casually.
This is a lovely scarf. There are quite a range of blues and greens that you could pick out.
I’m under the Red warning for the heatwave in the UK tomorrow and Thursday – essential travel only and health warnings for everyone. It got to 35C today but it feels hotter when you are out of the shade.