November 6, 2026
Let’s take a brief moment to enjoy this painting, and our heroine’s color palette. This was a great choice of inspiration; she has so many accent colors that a really “navy-heavy” wardrobe doesn’t feel dark or sad:
To me, this many tops just feels like a mountain of clothing! And then I walk into my closet, and realize that I own much more than this… something to think about from time to time:
On the other hand, this modest collection of bottoms feels comfortably disciplined:
I can make no comment about how much jewelry, or how many scarves, any heroine owns; my inventory dwarfs that of any sane person!
Our heroine has a wide-ranging shopping list this month:
- Something soft to layer under crewneck sweaters,
- A dressier, but not silk, white blouse,
- An accent sweater with a v-neck that can be worn alone in her non-work life, or layered, for work, and
- a dressy skirt, preferably in a print or pattern.
Voila!
citrus cashmere v-neck sweater – Alex Mill; earrings – Macy’s; tuxedo shirt – Alex Mill; white cotton turtleneck – L.L.Bean; beaded bag – Maeve; taffeta skirt – Boden; green velvet flats – Boden
When she realized that she would be able to find dressy shoes, a pretty handbag WITH a handle, and some matching earrings, she decided to jump on them now. Waiting until closer to the winter holidays isn’t always the best of ideas…
After this shopping adventure, our heroine’s 56-piece wardrobe template is as close to flawless as one can get!
Adding these four pieces to her closet doesn’t make it look noticeably different. Once you have a certain critical mass of clothing (maybe 32-40 pieces?), no single addition should stand out like a sore thumb. Unless you’re looking for a bold new accent, of course!
Her accessories are wonderful. Truly, these are the things you buy that really show your taste and preferences:
This is unquestionably our most discipline heroine – she buys NOTHING without a plan. She has important goals, and her wardrobe plays a (small, but essential) role in getting her where she wants to go. Her new outfits aren’t limited to these, of course:
Shopping for holiday attire will be interesting for this heroine, since she has already added the very festive taffeta skirt to her wardrobe. Hmm….
love,
Janice
Would you like to look back to the very first purchases this heroine made? All of the posts about her can be found here: Christmas Eve Preview, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
p.s. Ten years ago, we Started From Scratch with a wardrobe in olive, beige, rust, ivory and teal.
Love these looks? Save them to Pinterest!
BEAUTIFUL skirt. Gorgeous in plaid, gorgeous in teal.