Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature
December 18, 2014 Many of us are preparing for holiday trips of varying lengths, so today I felt like putting together something that just oozed luxury and subtlety. These rich, beautiful colors, fabrics and textures make a quietly elegant statement, without gaudy logos or overdone ornamentation.
love, Janice ... View the Post
July 1, 2014
One thing that I've noticed after many years of wearing clothes is that I feel like my capsule wardrobe is better balanced if I have more "tops" than "bottoms". Two to one seems a pretty workable ratio for me, and so in search of this it's time to grab a couple more blouses, tee shirts, or sweaters. This is an ideal time to introduce a pattern, if you wish, or to bring in more of your accent colors. If you found that you really preferred wearing light neutral blouses, those are perfect for this step. And a necklace... Some days when I'm walking in downtown Chicago, I make a point of looking specifically for necklaces, and I'm always kind of shocked that I don't see very many. A ... View the Post
January 7, 2014 Many readers asked me to work with a Picasso painting, and I happily oblige. These outfits are based on beige, just as the painting is literally on a beige background. Accents of red, orange, yellow, a touch of green, and you're set for almost anything! My guiding adjectives for this project were warm, saturated, and clear, with unexpected bursts of bright against the toasty neutral.
This is a wardrobe that could see someone through much of the summer!
love,
Janice ... View the Post
July 31, 2013 Start with these beautiful scarves (mixing a cool blue with a warm russet red) to choose a small, uncomplicated travel capsule wardrobe that would see you from a dressy dinner to a very casual day sightseeing. Enjoy!
love, Janice ... View the Post
May 1, 2013
The best time to evaluate the success of your packing plan is the day after you return; theoretically you're not exhausted (ahem...) and you can still remember what choices and decisions you made on your trip.My results were very mixed on this trip:
I did NOT pack enough underwear. Don't ask me how this happened, but let's just say that it was really handy that I was visiting relatives. I've gotten so accustomed to assuming that my normal suitcase stash will be complete, that I didn't actually pull out my pajamas and undergarments and check them...
Two pair of black pants were perfect - one was cotton twill (which I wore for all of the yard work) and one pair was silk, which I wore for more ... View the Post
Today, I'm guest-posting (have I recently mentioned what an HONOR this is?) over at A Femme d'un Certain Age. My project is to take seven really basic pieces of clothing (from L.L.Bean), and snazz them up with a great coat and some amazing accessories. It's great fun... ... View the Post
As holidays creep up on us, many of us will be making short weekend trips - 2 or 3 nights - for family visits. Not having to worry about what you will pack might make these trips a bit easier...
Cardigan – Mauro Grifoni, tee shirt – Jane Norman, scarf – Faliero Sarti, pants – Jil Sander, loafers – Garbo, gloves – Barneys New York, coat – Ted Baker, tote – Bruno Cucinelli
maroon sweater – Acne, jeans – AG Jeans, rose quartz necklace – Econe, ring – DeLatori, cream blouse – Orla Kiely, Plaid shirt – Ralph Lauren, rose earrings – Alex Monroe, watch – Michael Kors, rose sweater – Dries van Noten, skirt – Moschino C&C, boots – Cole Haan ... View the Post
Our hotel was perfect. It's rare that anybody can say that with complete sincerity, but in this case, there was absolutely nothing we would have changed.
The Pavillon des Lettres is a 26-room hotel, designed around the theme of authors. Rather than numbering the rooms, they assign each of them a letter (hence the 26 works our very well). Each room is then dedicated to an author who's last name begins with the letter of the room.
We stayed in Ibsen. It was very small by the American standard of "one must be able to square-dance in one's hotel room" (yet another reason to pack lightly!), but exquisitely designed, quiet, and comfortable.
Anybody who believe that Parisians are rude has never stayed at this hotel ... View the Post
Come visit my guest post at A Femme d'un Certain Age. It's sort of classic and conservative on the surface, but when you peel off the more traditional outer layers... ... View the Post
Over at A Femme d'un Certain Age, I posted a nifty little travel ensemble. Come visit!
striped tank – Second Female, tee shirts – J. Crew, white drop earrings – Max and Chloe, red cuff bracelet – Intermix,
white zodiac bracelet – Adesso, yellow necklace – Maxmara, sunglasses – Albert Maysles, Red skirt – J. Crew,
chambray espadrilles – Soludos, chambray capris – Old Navy, white sandals – Michael Antonio, white linen pants – Wallis Fashion,
chambray shirt – Old Navy, dress – Komodo, tote – Forever 21, red sandals - Worishofer ... View the Post
A dear reader asked me for some suggestions about what to take for a summer on the coast of Maine. She has these garments (well, garments very similar to this) that she currently really likes:
white linen shirt – Ralph Lauren, orange striped tee – Debenhams, navy striped tee – Sandro, purple striped tee – Splendid, white shirt – Marc Jacobs, white & dark wash jeans, denim jacket – Adriano Goldschmeid, black shirt – La Garconne
And she told me that she really likes blue, so I suggested the following additions (some of which she may already have), as well as some essential accessories. A few possible combinations follow. Enjoy! and dream of the beach...
Blue cardigan – Paul Smith, white tee – La ... View the Post
