Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature
April 15, 2015
It was pointed out to me that this lovely nubuck suede jacket (thanks, House of Fraser!) would also look lovely with navy... so I'm taking us on an imaginary long weekend in Paris this time...
love, Janice
Looking Back:
2014: Chic Sightings: Dots! 2013: Project 333: My First Week in "My" Uniform 2012: Packing: Brown and Turquoise ... View the Post
April 9, 2015
I clearly am doing something wrong in the blogging world, because after blogging for 4 years, I just NOW have received my first "swag" i.e. a gift from a retailer! Other bloggers seem to be swamped with gifts, but that's not my experience... sigh... But the lovely people at House of Fraser sent me this gorgeous item, pictured below! It's nubuck suede, which is the best stuff available! Well-made, too... When I lived in Ireland, I remember that when you absolutely wanted to buy clothes, your best option was to hop onto the LUAS tram, and take it south to the Dundrum Shopping Center, where the only House of Fraser in the area was located. Their store was like an oasis of nice things in an absolute SEA of ... View the Post
March 13, 2015 Sigh... The happy owner of this lovely bag wanted me to style it with bright colors. Believe me, I've been working toward that goal for a few days, and it just never looked good... But this bag is ideally suited as a way to integrate earth tones and black into a lovely warm-weather travel ensemble. And of course... the bag's no longer available. But you really should check out the Longchamp site from time to time, because they always do special editions that are wonderful. Some day, they might have something perfect for you!
Yes, the earrings are bamboo styled. You don't want to overdo that kind of thing, but I thought a bit of matching would be sort of ... View the Post
February 14, 2015
It's so easy to do - you see a bag you adore, and the next thing you know, you're struggling to use it...
Bag - Estellon
love, Janice
PS - For more in the Maximize Your ROI series, check out the following articles:
Maximize Your ROI: Orange Boots Maximize Your ROI: Black and White Houndstooth Check Flats Maximize Your ROI: Leopard Flats Maximize Your ROI: Estellon Striped Handbag Maximize Your ROI: St. John Collection scarf ... View the Post
February 13, 2015
You clamored for leopard shoes - I hasten to respond! If these shoes were mine, I'd be seriously looking at one of these bags - there are LOTS of options...
As I so often find, these items look particularly nice when aggregated. Toss in a white shirt and maybe a black dress (as well as another pair of shoes!) and you'd be well outfitted for travel!
love, Janice
PS - For more in the Maximize Your ROI series, check out the following articles:
Maximize Your ROI: Orange Boots Maximize Your ROI: Black and White Houndstooth Check Flats Maximize Your ROI: Leopard Flats Maximize Your ROI: Estellon Striped Handbag Maximize Your ROI: St. John Collection scarf ... View the Post
February 11, 2015
As I mentioned before, I've received a couple of questions about what to wear with a special pair of shoes. When I saw these, I KNEW I was going to have fun, given my abiding love of all things black and white:
A little fearless mixing of stripes is the perfect foil for these simple flats. And a classic black dress with just a hint of white would be madly useful through the summer.
Putting dots with the houndstooth of the shoes seemed like a fun idea, and the pleated shorts are a lot more forgiving than the super-short shorts that seem to be everywhere! The red dress is easy with the black and white shoes - and a bag in a MUCH larger houndstooth pattern keeps things amusing.
Any bright color works ... View the Post
February 7, 2015
It might be the request I receive most frequently: "I just bought ______ and I don't know how to wear it!"
As much as I'm a big fan of planning purchases and having a deliberate wardrobe scheme, I'm not immune to the reality of the "coup de coeur" - that French kick in the heart that screams to you and will not be denied. And I think that these impulses that overwhelm can be a good way to indulge in an accent color, or a change of wardrobe direction.
Take, for example, these stunning boots:
These are oh so NOT my style, but I can see the appeal. And one of you, dear friend, fell for their charms.
Now what to do? I have a plan. Of COURSE I have a plan!
Consider, while you're still carrying these ... View the Post
January 31, 2015
Fear not, I'm FAR from finished with Start With Art. (frankly, it's a theme that I will never stop doing - it's just too beautiful, and too much fun)
But there are so many really lovely cashmere sweaters on sale right now - for those of us who are growing MADLY tired of winter, and our winter clothes, this is a great time to grab a well-considered and carefully integrated new sweater into our wardrobes. (mine is a red cotton cabled crewneck, which will have legs far into the spring...)
If you're in the market for some winter clothes to brighten up the end of the season, it's well worth browsing sites like The Outnet, Saks Off 5th, or Neiman Marcus Last Call. Major retailers are dying to ... View the Post
December 28, 2014 When you think of a tweed coat and pink accessories, how do you imagine them? It's great fun to remember that there are so many options available...
love,
Janice
Looking Back:
2013: From Desk to Dinner Party: Pastel Silk, Some Earrings, and a Nice Bag 2012: What to wear with a scarf: Hermes Reve de Corail 2011: A Field Guide to Winter Sounds ... View the Post
June 12, 2014
You really can't swing a dead handbag these days without finding racks and racks and RACKS of floral garments, bags and jewelry. Normally, there are always at least some floral items available at any time of the year, but this summer it seems that it's easily the dominant theme. And many of us are wondering if this is something we should consider; is this a trend that's worth pursuing? Good question...
It's important to remember that there are a wide variety of floral prints, and you might want to evaluate the options before you discard the whole idea of flowers. Consider these various views of the "floral" theme:
For many of us, this is what we consider when we think of floral - big, glorious, ... View the Post
June 11, 2014 Floral garments are everywhere this summer - any sort of skirt, blouse, tee shirt or dress your heart may desire is out there somewhere... But I receive emails every day asking how a floral garment can be incorporated into The Common Capsule Wardrobe. Let's look at this problem in some detail. First off - the gorgeous blouse with which you fall in love - is it in colors that bear at least a passing resemblance to the rest of your wardrobe? Or does it include a substantial portion of a neutral (or two)? This blouse might be the first glimpse of rose/dark pink that your wardrobe has seen in decades, but at least it has a lot of neutral khaki in it, and enough black details that it can be worn ... View the Post
April 24, 2014 Warm accent colors with navy and beige? Absolutely!
I've changed up the cardigan again - this one is a splurge and a half, but the navy and coral are beautifully presented here:
And just to show some other possible choices, I've picked out a new skirt and a pair of outrageous summer pants. I personally would wear these pants in a heartbeat, but your mileage may vary!
This gives you this 24-piece wardrobe; isn't it fascinating how changing just a few of the garments makes so much difference in the overall feel of the ensemble?
As always, lots of possible ways to wear these - from the most casual, to reasonably dressy activities.
love, Janice ... View the Post
