cool weather Archives - Page 20 of 49

Start with Art: Construction by Max Weber

October 13, 2021 Difficult...

Very early in her career, she became instantly famous (at least in architecture circles!) for her innovations in combining unexpected construction materials. She discovered new synergies of strength and flexibility that changed the industry...

Since then, she has deliberately cultivated a reputation for being a difficult partner in projects. She's actually a lovely, kind woman, but she finds that she is treated with more respect if everyone approaches her with a certain... trepidation?

Her wardrobe reflects her interest in combining things in unexpected ways; she might show up for a project summit dressed in a soft, approachable way:

But she knows that she's going to want to surprise ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #30 – A Print Long-Sleeved Tee Shirt

October 11, 2021

Ah, some prints! Even those of us who normally introduce prints into our outfits with a scarf will need a printed garment from time to time...

A pretty tee shirt can be a great excuse to buy a cardigan, sweater, sweatshirt or jacket in a color that you love... (why yes, this purple corduroy shirt-jacket cries out to me, although I don't need it!)

And you never have to tuck these shirts in - this one is actually a tunic:

(and this one isn't long-sleeved - these rules are pretty flexible!)

The various colors that appear in a print can make it easy to assemble your outfit - match a color with your pants or skirt, match another color with your 2nd layer, and you're done!

So what might a ... View the Post

October 2021 – Six Scarves, 12 Months, 12 Outfits

October 8, 2021

Life is almost back to normal; thank you SO MUCH for your patience, your kindness, your generosity, your lovely messages...

Before I jump in, I want to explain what I'm thinking with all of these white turtlenecks! But I really can't... I just kept feeling like each wardrobe needed 2 things - a bright accent color, and then a clean, bright neutral top to wear under it!

Many of us love accent colors that don't necessarily flatter us - this white turtleneck (or a white shirt with a collar) can change the impact of a color on your complexion dramatically.

And many of us find ourselves called upon to wear colors (because of work, sports, schools...) that aren't our very best. Breaking up the impact of something (like ... View the Post

Chic Sightings: Black Column with Warm-Toned 2nd Layer

September 29, 2021

Autumn's arrival is still sort of iffy, here in Chicago, but I am seeing more women wearing lovely fall clothes on the cooler days! What a nice break...

One thing that really jumped out at me a few days ago was seeing lots of women wearing a column of black - often a black dress - with something over it that was ivory, beige or camel.

I think a lot of us who live in black (or navy, or grey) tend to think that we can only wear cool hues with our neutral. But that's not at ALL true - what about a woman with dark brown hair with no hint of red or warmth, but clear amber eyes. (I'm looking in the mirror for this...)

And what's a woman to do when you're thrifting and you see a gorgeous camel blazer or sweater, but ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #29 – An Accent Color Long-Sleeved Tee Shirt

September 27, 2021 Happy Birthday Belovedest!!! I had to get that out of my system... he's such a wonderful man...

Ahem... back to accent colors, and simple tee shirts to bring some brightness and interest into your wardrobe:

This is a color to keep in mind if you're ever tasked with choosing the team tee shirt color, or smocks for the volunteers, or anything where a group of women are going to be dressed alike. This is a color that doesn't look truly horrible on anyone, in my humble opinion. And it goes with all neutrals, so nobody should be unable to pull together an outfit... (of course, some people do not really WANT to be part of a group, but that's a whole different issue for you to diplomatically smooth ... View the Post

September 2021 Start with a Bracelet: The Cozy Lynx Bracelets

September 24, 2021

Finally.... She's going to go up to the cabin, and she's NOT LEAVING until the fireplace works properly...

She's saved money through the pandemic for just such a project, and it occurred to her (in the middle of the night, as such things will) that this would be the best investment she could make.

Winter in the cabin. Without frostbite. Without frozen water in the mornings.... sigh....

She knows that she will need warm clothes for this trip - there won't be any heat at first, and the people working on the fireplace will be in and out.

Her first thought is to pack her usual denim and shades of grey; then she looks at her favorite bracelets, and tweaks her palette just a bit!

She picks out her ... View the Post

Start with a Sweater: Sailcloth Fair Isle sweater from L.L.Bean

September 22, 2021

It wasn't a complicated request, but it has someone stumped: "Can I build a small wardrobe for going back to my office, using this sweater as the inspiration?"

My answer to most questions: Heck yes!

First things first - what colors are in this sweater, anyway?

A pretty straightforward color palette!

Let's start with a couple of outfits that our friend had in mind, and then a couple more that I imagined. You know that I'm always going to find a pair of ivory corduroy pants if at all possible:

Our friend very much wanted a light blue shirt - and I was able to find one that seems to be very close to the same shade as found in her sweater!

I love a grey shirt - I can't explain it at all! ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #28 – A Dark Neutral Long-Sleeved Tee Shirt

September 20, 2021

I'm a big fan of long-sleeved black tee shirts, as I learned just today as we were moving... There's nothing like having a couple of young men pile ALL OF YOUR CLOTHING in front of you to make you swear off of shopping for at least a week or two!

But these come in handy in all kinds of ways - warmth, a dark background for jewelry or a scarf, a sobering touch with a lively sweater...

If you're not a fan of black, maybe charcoal heather is more your speed!

This is very much the same outfit as last week, with a different tee shirt, earrings that match, and boots that do pretty much ALL of the work... holy handbags of Buddha, those are some boots!

Here I kept the same pants, switched the sweater to ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Secret Garden in Autumn by Fetolia

September 17, 2021 Subtle....

She doesn't need to be recognized. She never cares if she turns heads, or if she stands out in a crowd. When she travels, she blends into nature, and takes pictures that are hard for others to take, because they disrupt the peace and quiet...

She's taking a long weekend to a small town a couple of hours away from where she lives. All kinds of raptors have been seen in the fields and wooded areas near there.

She loves to photograph raptors; their speed and precision thrills her...

She wants to look reasonably nice - she does have to go out for dinner every night! And she needs to be warm-ish, but nothing outrageous. She will unfold her little chair, prop up her camera, and sit. Quietly. ... View the Post

I Love It, But Will I Wear It: Camel Silk Skirt

September 15, 2021

You asked, and so I will try to help! One among us is having a serious internal conversation about this skirt - it seems to check all of the right boxes for her wardrobe, but she's still hesitant. Are there really that many ways to wear a camel skirt?

Frankly, the answer is HECK yes...

This is the culprit:

This skirt has a LOT going for it - a classic color, in a pull-on style which can be worn as dressy or as casual as you want, in silk, which can be worn every day of the year. (yes, you might want a warm slip and some heavy tights...) It's lined, it has pockets, and IT'S MACHINE WASHABLE! What the heck else could we ask for - someone to come over and iron it for us?

Just off the top of my ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #27 – A Long-Sleeved Tee Shirt

September 13, 2021

The weather here isn't entirely on board, but I'm READY for cooler weather! We are changing apartments this week (yes, we probably will stretch the project out to last multiple days!) and I'm going to take advantage of this to re-organize my closet for autumn...

This first outfit is nice and cozy, but our heroine kept her summer earrings... We do what we must to survive the winter!

This week's garment is the simplest thing imaginable - something in your lightest neutral color (which doesn't HAVE to be light at all...) and long-sleeved. Maybe you live in an area where long sleeves just never get worn? Substitute the longest sleeve you wear; these are just guidelines; I NEVER tell you what to wear! ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Homecoming Mum by ImageDiary

September 10, 2021

When ImageDiary released this scarf, it was meant to be a "one of a kind" piece. I bought it immediately, but realized that she really SHOULD make more than just one... it's that beautiful!

So Scottie has agreed to have 5 more produced, if there are orders for them. This scarf is huge, and breathtakingly lovely. Trust me... This Year, She's Going... After her book was on the Times Best Sellers list for most of the winter and spring, she began to get invitations. She expected that.

But when she was asked to be the Grand Marshal at her college's Homecoming Parade, and flip the coin for the big football game, she was... conflicted.

College wasn't the party and socializing fest for her that it can be for so many ... View the Post