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Dream SPECIFIC Wardrobe Dreams!

What's your dream wardrobe?

Be specific. Imagine that the first cool fall day has arrived (if you're in the Northern Hemisphere), and that you open your closet/armoire/cupboard door and you see it: the Dream Wardrobe.

How many outfits?

What are they? A grey mini-skirt with a grey tunic sweater, grey tights, and silver flats? A simple black wool dress with an amazing paisley scarf and low-heeled black suede pumps? Dream specific dreams.

And then write them down, or draw them...

Now distill these various outfits down to their necessary component parts and pieces.

Now figure out what you already own...

Your shopping list then looks like this:

For me, personally, my autumn purchase plan is the ... View the Post

Four pack: Tan, with THREE printed items

August 26, 2013  

The travel outfit is always the most important decision when packing a tiny suitcase.  In the worst travel outcomes, you can be stuck wearing this outfit for a REALLY long time.  Even if everything goes perfectly, this is the outfit in which you arrive - your first impression at the branch office, or the hotel, or with the relatives.   As much as I adore textured and patterned cardigans, for the Four Pack, I'd stick with a solid-colored cardigan.  This amazingly beautiful sweater might get a lot of action, if the weather proves to be cool, and a solid makes it easier to coordinate other items.  

   Now you have a variety of choices!  This doesn't exhaust the ... View the Post

Four pack! Navy, Grey, etc.

August 23, 2013   One of my very longest-standing readers recently asked me about packing with only four garments - which of course is entirely possible.  She also requested a variety of colors, rather than my usual four by four of one color. This is easily enough clothing for a 3 or four day trip - even longer, if you have laundry facilities available, and you could easily pack in a tote bag.  Keep the 2nd pair of shoes light and flat, add just a few accessories to keep things lively, and make sure you've whittled your toiletries down to the absolute necessary minimum.  

Cardigan – Dear Cashmere, blouse – Isabel Marant, trousers –Dorothy Perkins, loafers- Rebecca Minkoff,, earrings – NightFox Jewelry, cashmere ... View the Post

Packing a Four by Four Capsule Wardrobe: Navy, Tan and Coral

August 19, 2013   I've had a ton of questions from readers about packing for trips that include multiple cities, and a variety of activities.  And I've also had a few requests for packing navy, tan (or khaki) and coral.  So I endeavor to answer questions and fulfill requests with this post.   As usual, I like to start with the travel outfit that includes a couple of capsule wardrobe essentials - I'm always a fan of a cardigan, long pants, loafers, and a big scarf.  Simple stud earrings don't get caught on things when you're sleeping on the plane.  Dark colors are good because they don't show wrinkles or spills, and a cardigan gives you the layering option for when the plane is cold.  

Gold ... View the Post

Transition: Phasing out a secondary neutral

I repeatedly make the questionable choice of including beige or khaki in my summer wardrobe... sigh...  it's not a great color for me.  So here, in addition to addressing the idea of moving toward warmer clothes, and buying with a purpose, I'm also showing a move from one color in a wardrobe to a different one.Remember, this was the summer Whatever's Clean wardrobe:

 First, because I'm starting to really feel like beige isn't working well, the 2 beige pieces are going to take a back seat. And of course white linen pants aren't going to go too far into the fall...

 Here's where grey takes the place of beige, and a pair of jeans will replace the white linen pants.

 Second step:  the ... View the Post

Transition Summer to Fall: Tan and Brown Accessories

August 10, 2013   A few simple accessories will help you get into the autumn mood...  While the tote bag I show is technically supposed to be a beach bag, it's so incredibly well designed that I wanted you to see it!  It could easily be used through most of the year - where did we get the idea that we could only use certain materials at certain times of the year?  If you're not a scarf person, you might want another necklace or two; if jewelry isn't your thing, then you can go nuts with scarves...  To each her own very personal and beautiful preferences!  

  love, Janice

  ... View the Post

Transition: Whatever’s Clean in Brown and Beige

Quite a few people have asked me to show how to move from a beige and brown wardrobe into something with more brown.     

The Whatever's Clean Summer Wardrobe in Brown, Beige and White

The first three garments to phase out are the sleeveless beige linen top, white linen pants, and the shorts.  Remember, you can do these in whatever order you prefer, and that "phase out" does not have to mean "put in some inaccessible place for the next six months".

[/caption] In October, we can choose to find replacements for the white tee shirt, the beige linen dress, and the beige linen skirt.

[/caption] And in November, the last of the linen "bottoms" are due for a rest, and the white tunic is ready to take a ... View the Post

Transition: Whatever’s Clean in Navy and Pink

Ah, we're all pretty interested in how to shift from warm weather to cool.  Even if it's not yet time to actually WEAR cool-weather clothes, it's nice to have a plan in which we can do a bit of shopping and look forward.  So starting in August, we have this wardrobe:

Sleeveless and shorts seem like natural items to phase out (although that sleeveless navy top, with the navy cardigan, really is 12 month...).  So these would be the garments that would be slowing down:

Add in some jeans, a striped jersey, and a long-sleeved pink shirt in a pretty floral...

By October, you've got to say goodbye to the white pants, and it might be time to look for something to take the place of your white tee shirt, and your ... View the Post

Capsule Wardrobe Project 333 for a new season – shifting white tops

Another gradual change for my Project 333 wardrobe - the white tee shirt will give way to a simple white blouse. If you haven't had luck purchasing a button-front shirt, I can't encourage you enough to continue to try them on from time to time. Companies continue to tweak their cuts, and it's very possible that you will be able to find one that fits you perfectly. When I did my gig working in the bakery last year, I had to wear a white shirt EVERY DAY, and I found that Lands' End made petite styles that fit me as if made to measure. Now that I own FIVE of them, they are definitely going to get rotated into my fall and winter wardrobe.

And they're ideal for wearing scarves...

White Shirts for Cool Weather

Outfits with a white ... View the Post

Transition: Whatever’s Clean shifts from Summer to Autumn, in Beige and Green

Hypothesis:  You've had a lot of success with a small "Whatever's Clean" wardrobe, and you'd like to be able to make a seamless transition to cooler weather.

First off, shorts and sleeveless tops just feel wrong when school starts and the calendar rolls over to September.  So these would be the first three items to phase out.  

[/caption] In October, it might be time to give up linen pants and your simple white tee shirt.  

[/caption]   For November, these three are ready for a break:

[/caption] But of course you don't HAVE to put the nine replaced garments away - they'll still work well for layering.  Except the shorts - accept that most of us can only wear shorts in November in the ... View the Post

Capsule Wardrobe Planning for a New Season, and learning from success

Everybody talks about learning from failure, but there are some excellent lessons to be learned from our successes, too.I've been really loving my summer wardrobe, and thus have decided to carefully think about the garments that I'm wearing frequently, and consider the possibility of finding a cool-weather version of those garments.  Building on my summer successes, if you will.

First and foremost, I'm wearing a black tank FREQUENTLY.  The logical shift for cooler weather, to my mind, will be a long-sleeved top with a similar cut and a similar neckline. Something like this:

So my favorite summer outfits will transition like this!  A simple tank and skirt, with a cardigan over my shoulders, will become more like a ... View the Post