Beige Archives - Page 17 of 57

How Do I Know I Have Enough Accessories? Revisiting Double Vision 1974 by Edwina Sandys

September 20, 2019

It's one thing to get a good work wardrobe sorted out (as we did for our heroine on Wednesday), but how do you know that you've got the accessories that you need, and moreover want?

Let's remember our source of inspiration...

Our heroine's going to have to go back to work in her office, after years of being able to work from her home 95% of the time. She's got her clothes sorted, but she's not sure about her accessories...

So she pulls together 5 outfits - 1 for each bottom in her work capsule wardrobe - and then determines what accessories she would wear with each outfit.

First up, she knows that she will be wearing her black pants a lot...

And she knows that her tan pants will be important, so ... View the Post

Revisiting Double Vision 1974 by Edwina Sandys

September 18, 2019

She spent most of the summer at the beach house; she had been allowed to work from home for years, so she was able to work while sitting on the balcony, looking out at the shore...

You'll Have to Work in the Office... Since the acquisition, she knew that things would change, but she hadn't expected this. But they're giving all of the staff who had been telecommuting a small bonus to re-establish their commute. (or their office wardrobe?)

So she reverts back to her favorite painting, and starts planning...

She knows that she will need some neutrals, so she gets a great cardigan blazer, some washable wool pants, and a really cool coated denim skirt! But she's determined to include her favorite red and tan ... View the Post

What Pants Go With my Warm Neutral Tops?

September 13, 2019

Last Friday, I sang a small serenade in praise of stone-color cotton pants, as a vehicle for getting more mileage out of a LOT of garments... And some of you asked - rightly - if they would work well with warmer colors...

Yes, but not as well as these:

I think that these pants will go with almost any other color, but I particularly wanted to see how they would work with these neutral colors...

Some are more successful than others - of course! - but I think that these pants are a good possibility if your wardrobe has some "orphaned" tops in warm shades...

These colors are perfect together:

If you're moving from cool colors - especially black - to warmer colors, these pants might help you ... View the Post

Start with Art: Revisiting Persia, by Helen Frankenthaler

September 11, 2019

Back at the beginning of the summer, our heroine managed to finish the report to which she had dedicated 3 months of her life. Far from being chastised for her work's inadequacies, she was warmly praised, and given 2 weeks of vacation and a well-deserved bonus...

She loves this painting, and tries to use it as her guide and inspiration for her wardrobe:

The Luncheon Speaker Now, her proposals have gone corporate-wide! And she's heading to the launch luncheon at the home office to speak about her work...

The overall dress code of her company is VERY casual, but she's been advised by some of her supervisors that the home office can be dressier. Not that anybody can be specific about what that ... View the Post

I Want a Different Pair of Pants…

September 6, 2019

When you focus on a color palette for your clothes and accessories, you spend money smarter, and you have a much more versatile and coherent wardrobe. But sometimes you might want something... different? Some variety? A change of pace?

I'm feeling that way these days... I'm happy wearing blue jeans, black pants, and the occasional pair of white linen shorts... but what could I add to my wardrobe that might be practical and useful?

This color is called "stone," and is a relatively cool color... So I thought about what other neutral colors could be worn easily with a pair of pants in this color...

If you already have your core sweaters, tee shirt and other pieces in your neutral colors, these pants fit in ... View the Post

September 2019 – 12 Months, 12 Outfits – based on 6 Hermes Scarves

September 4, 2019

My favorite post of the month! Although I love everything I give you, I must admit...

For new readers, the thesis is this: in January I choose 6 Hermes scarves from the new season, and then, for a year, I add a new outfit each month to six gradually growing and developing wardrobes. It's fascinating to see how the wardrobes evolve...

Even though the weather is still quite warm (in the Northern Hemisphere, that is!), this is honestly the time to start getting your fall and winter outfits together. The selection is best now, both for styles and sizes. And having these outfits ready for that first cold day gives you both a sense of security AND something to anticipate! (it's good to have something wonderful to ... View the Post

The Weekly Timeless Wardrobe, Week 5: Jeans or a Denim Bottom

July 29, 2019

I think it's about time we found something to wear below the waist, don't you think? For most of us, jeans or something similar seems the most logical place to start. When I was young, jeans were mostly for the young, and even up until about 5 years ago, when I traveled to Paris I seldom saw anybody over the age of 30 wearing jeans. But now? Jeans, in good condition - no holes, clean but not crispy pressed (no creases!) are seen on almost anybody...

As always, I have some thoughts about what to look for.... And as always, these are GUIDELINES, not hard-and fast rules. Nobody is entitled to tell you what to wear unless you're somewhere that requires a uniform. Otherwise, we're all on our own! (which makes building a ... View the Post

The Weekly Timeless Wardrobe, Week 3: An Accent Top

July 15, 2019

Time for some fun!

This wardrobe addition could be in ANY color of the rainbow, and a whole bunch of colors that aren't in any rainbow...

I'm going to show you a handful of ways to incorporate an accent color into an outfit, and then next Monday I will show you essentially the same outfits, with different accents! For most people, 2 accent colors is a good number. Some of us manage just fine with 1, and others among us will want 3 or even 4. Don't beat yourself up if you find that limiting the colors in your wardrobe is difficult; everybody is different, and has different comfort levels! What matters is that you're moving toward having a wardrobe plan, and toward getting better use from the clothes that you ... View the Post

Start with Art: Red Pears by Helen Lundberg

July 12, 2019 It Finally Dawned on Her...

If she just carried her tote bag onto the plane, she could take the really cheap airline to visit her family. And since she visits them every few weeks, her savings could start to add up quickly! So she asked her mother if she could leave some clothes in the guest bedroom...

(no prizes for guessing the answer...)

So now, she can wear whatever appeals to her during her flight, and keep a stash of hot-weather clothes down there!

Her color palette is very muted, so she can wear the same things frequently and not be madly conspicuous. Not as if anybody in her family would ever notice, or comment!

For her current trip, this is what she will have at her disposal. ... View the Post

Start with Art: Vocal Fabric of the Singer Rosa Silber by Paul Klee

July 10, 2019

If you have information about Rosa Silber, please share; I couldn't find anything in English about her! We can certainly conclude that she inspired Paul Klee...

An Unusual Prescription But the conductor, the director, and her personal physician all agreed - go to the resort and sit on the veranda for 12 hours a day for the rest of the week! She needs warm, humid air in her throat and lungs...

She's singing the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, starting next weekend! This is NOT the time to have her voice get weak and faint... but it's just that it needs rest. Rest? She can DO that...

It's only a 3 hour drive...

Maybe she will be able to eat her meals on the terrace? She can't go into the sun - even ... View the Post

The Weekly Timeless Wardrobe, Week 1: A Light Neutral Top

July 1, 2019

We could talk all day about why I'm starting with this particular garment, but I finally determined that I had to start somewhere, so this makes as much sense as any other!

If you're interested in buying a tee shirt like this, consider getting one in your dark neutral, as well as your accent color(s) at the same time. Lots of retailers have discounts on multiple purchases, or will have some sort of site-wide discount in the next few weeks. Get on the mailing list of your favorite tee shirt source, and strike while the price-cut iron is hot!

I want to make this really clear, right from the start: I'm NOT telling everybody to rush out and buy this particular tee shirt! I'm suggesting, rather, that you ... View the Post

June 2019 -12 Months, 12 Outfits – based on 6 Hermes Scarves

June 3, 2019

I'm sitting in a kitchen in Washington DC right now, where it is HOT!!! Putting together outfits with summer dresses felt just right...

This just feels cool to look at, doesn't it?

I'm still smitten with this - maybe it's all the stripes?

While dresses aren't as versatile as separates, there are still at least a few options with any dress...

Still loving this color scheme...

Technically, they call this a kaftan, but let's not haggle over terminology...

All looking good...

One might wear this dress often in hot weather!

I still find this palette intriguing. It's not common, but it seems to work well!

Such a classic dress...

Even though this is an unusual ... View the Post