taupe Archives

March 2026 – Building a Wardrobe Based on Winter Cottonwoods by Georgia O’Keeffe

March 2, 2026

Ah, this is what Chicago has been looking like recently - bare trees, drifts of old snow, sun peeking through at sunset:

Our heroine is very fond of the stems, the roots, and the "unattractive" working parts of plants. Her goal, and her passion, is to make all plants acceptable, and no plant a pariah.

Her very subdued wardrobe is based upon these colors:

At the end of February, she has assembled as 12-piece capsule wardrobe, which is almost completely foolproof. Our heroine doesn't really have a lot of time to spend standing in front of her closet, debating what to wear!

Who among us has that time?

Any person who lives in rhythm with nature knows that you have to deal with what's right in front of ... View the Post

Like Unusual Accent Colors with Classic Neutrals? Start With Art – In Vaudeville by Charles Demuth

September 26, 2025

If things go REALLY well, I'm flying back from London to Chicago today. I'm writing this on the 17th, so if things are sold out or if something is haywire here, I apologize! I will fix it next week... xoxo, J

We looked at this painting a long time ago, and I still think of it often. The colors are like nothing else!

This could be quite a complete wardrobe in ivory, taupe and black, of course. But adding yellow and rosy coral is a real departure from what one might expect...

Our heroine's going to a dance competition - having talented children occasionally requires hitting the road for a few days! They're going by train; the dancer in question has a LOT of gear to bring, so packing small is in our ... View the Post

Start with Art: Sport Coat by Pierre Mourgue

May 26, 2023

Okay, this is NOT at all in season, but I couldn't resist! I suspect that we will take a look at more of this artist - I'm quite smitten... Family, and Sport

Once upon a time, when a woman was attending a sporting event in the autumn, she would dress like the women in this lovely painting. Now, our heroine is using her colors, and her calm confidence, as her inspiration!

From time to time, one will be invited to see a family member do something sporty - a niece or nephew who plays football, or American football. Or any other number of sports - there are a lot of possibilities!

Our heroine wants to appear calm, relaxed and pretty. Not such bad goals, eh?

She can absolutely bet her entire retirement ... View the Post

Start with a Bracelet: Legendary Lynx Bracelets by Fierce Lynx Designs

December 19, 2022

It Was - Literally - Decades Ago... It was her debut novel, and it was a blockbuster. She really never needed to write another book...

Of course, she keeps writing. And winning awards. (oh, she wins awards...)

And appearing at book conferences, and signings, and literary conventions and all that sort of thing!

She tries to keep a pretty low profile. She dresses in her usual "writer who lives in a little house on the edge of a little town near a big city" style, in subtle, neutral colors...

She rather likes her chosen style! Comfortable styles in slightly dressy fabrics...

But she's not kidding anybody - her fans will find her!

She has to admit, in her deepest heart, ... View the Post

I Love It, But Will I Wear It? Grey (?!?) Twinset

October 31, 2022

It's described as grey on the Boden website, but it really looks more taupe to me, and to the reader who wrote to me with her concern...

What do you do if these sweaters arrive in your home, and they're lovely and fit beautifully and you really like them, but they're a color that is completely new to you?

My first thought is to treat this color like an accent color; if you can find shoes that match, it's a bonus!

The cardigan could be worn over any other color with the same intensity and saturation i.e. any soft, kind of muted pastel...

Of course, you can always wear the 2 pieces with pants or a skirt in your favorite neutral...

Yes, you've seen this skirt before! I've found that my pleated ... View the Post

Start with Art: Pink Gladiolus by Jane Peterson

June 15, 2022

Six Days a Month They moved WAY out of the city back in early 2020; if they didn't have to go into the office, it made sense to move someplace more remote... Much safer, back then...

But now, they're telling her that she needs to come into the office six days each month. WHO is going to be keeping track of this, one might wonder.

She doesn't HAVE office clothes, now. What she used to wear doesn't fit, and the way she dresses now on a regular basis will NOT cut it; life on a farm is NOT life at a desk!

So she's going to create the world's smallest work wardrobe (well, close!), based on a painting of her favorite flowers.

She starts with her most serious outfit - the sweater-blazer tends to make ... 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

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

I Need Accessories For Client Meetings and Dressy Evenings! Start with a Scarf: Vintage Rose by KathKath

November 22, 2017

Yesterday, we left our heroine with a really lovely 16-piece wardrobe, but pretty much in need of more shoes, and at least a couple of pieces of jewelry. (okay, this is not NEED in the biological survival sense, but more need in the "being appropriately dressed for business" sense...)

So, as I love to do, let's work through one accessory at a time and assess the possibilities.

This very simple outfit cries out for a necklace, at least to me:

The same necklace can of course be worn here, but I'd like to see my heroine with a softer, more rounded handbag. A briefcase is essential, but not every day...

Okay, I'm the first to admit that floral boots aren't likely the next thing that this ... View the Post

I Need a Wardrobe For Client Meetings and Dressy Evenings! Start with a Scarf: Vintage Rose by KathKath

November 21, 2017

Yes, you saw this scarf a long time ago - KathKath actually gave me one to give away to one of you! But now they've made this beautiful pattern available in both silk and a cashmere blend, AND in both rectangle and square shapes...

Our heroine is long past the point where she worries about wearing pink to an interview. A floral watch and slightly floral earrings are just part of her personal style; if her potential employer doesn't think they're acceptable, she's the wrong fit for the job! (oh, the years it took us to get this much confidence, eh?)

In order to make sure that our "working from home, occasional meetings and dressy dinners" heroine doesn't get carried away ... View the Post

Build a Travel Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Demoiselle Cranes and Lotus by Jessie Arms Botke

July 19, 2017

I could use paintings from this artist for WEEKS! She had an amazing career, and her body of work is beautiful - graceful, colorful, yet true to nature. Genius...

Please be aware, when looking at paintings online, that a LOT of work has been "touched-up" by people gone mad with Photoshop. If something seems wildly out of the normal style for an artist, look for multiple versions of the image. Especially once something gets to Pinterest, it is widely circulated, even though it might NOT be authentic. This is also true if you see a photograph of a bird that seems unlike anything found in nature - some of those pictures have been really altered... sigh... Same Lake House, Different Weekend... "You know that there are ... View the Post

Can Wallpaper be Your Wardrobe Inspiration? Heck Yes!

July 14, 2017

One of you sent me some images of William Morris wallpaper and fabric ... oh, what lovely fun!

If you have a few minutes to spare, I can't encourage you enough to take a look at their wallpaper and fabrics. They might not be your style, but they are so lovely, creative and distinctive. The William Morris company is particularly adept at using themes and ideas from nature, and many of their products would make excellent inspirations for a wardrobe.

When I saw this, I thought of a lovely heroine who drives, uphill (!) to get to her family's lake house...

The Lake House "Make sure my cardigan is on TOP of the grocery boxes - I'm going to need it when we get up into the mountains!"

"If they have ... View the Post