January 30, 2017
So far, so good for my year without shopping!
I bought one thing in early January, using a gift card that I received for Christmas. I’ve been searching for a hands-free way to carry essentials when I travel, and I never have much luck with crossbody bags. When I saw this very modestly sized – but not twee – backpack, I knew it would work well. It holds my travel toiletries, my tablet, and my backup phone battery, so it’s just about perfect. So far…
I really like it’s low key look – just the one logo, simple leather zipper pulls etc. And I’m the kind of person who always gets confused when I have a bag with lots and lots of pockets. “You’ll be so organized…” Nope, I’m just rummaging around trying to remember what I put where. This has a bit of a sleeve in the (striped!) interior, to keep my tablet in place, but otherwise it’s the small exterior pocket for keys and small stuff, and one big gaping maw for everything else! Time will tell, eh?
backpack – Herschel
I’m not changing my building blocks for February; they’ve been fine so far, and I don’t know that it makes any sense to tinker with success:
Ah, here’s a change!
First off, why a brown sweater? Well, before I went to Paris, back in December, I was sorting through my scarves, and I ran across an old Hermes scarf that I haven’t worn in ages. Brown and black…
So when I was in Paris, in the really cool Uniqlo store on the Rue des Francs Bourgeois, and I saw the table of cashmere sweaters on sale for 59,90€, I immediately thought of brown. Thus, here it is!
And I think that many of us in the Northern Hemisphere use Valentine’s Day as a way to sneak a lot of pink and red into our wardrobes! For me, although I know rationally that the days have been getting longer since before Christmas, I don’t believe it’s true, in my heart of hearts. So anything that brightens up a day is worthwhile. Tans have faded (and should stay faded forever!), hair that lightens in the sun is growing out, and we all need a bit of flattering color near our faces!
The star cardigan? Cozy, warm, whimsical. February also needs whimsy!
sweater – Uniqlo; tee – Other Stories; tee – L.L.Bean; cardigan – J.Jill; star cardigan – Rika
As I did last month, I’m showing a few ways that these pieces can come together and be worn. These 17 pieces would make a pretty varied travel wardrobe, if I go anywhere this month. (oh please, let’s just stay home a bit…)
earrings – Majorica; scarf – Hermes; loafers – Trotters;
scarf – Hermes;earrings – Lord & Taylor; boots – Munro;
scarf – Hermes; earrings – Majorica; boots – Munro; bracelet – Majorica
boots – Born; scarf – Nordstrom;
boots – Munro; earrings – Lord & Taylor; bracelet – Hermes
shoes – New Balance; headband – J.Crew
scarf – Hermes; boots – Born; earrings – Majorica;
loafers – Trotters; earrings – Lord & Taylor; scarf – Hermes;
earrings – A Mano; scarf – Hermes; boots – Munro
earrings – Majorica; boots – Born; necklace – Majorica;
necklace – Majorica; boots – Munro;
scarf – Nordstrom; shoes – New Balance
earrings – Latelita London; boots – Born;
brooch – vintage; boots – Munro;
boots – Bogs
I think I’ll survive another month without shopping, no problem.
love,
Janice
p.s. If everything goes according to plan, I’ll be back to normal work in time to do February 1st’s 12 Months, 12 Outfits post on time. If I’m delayed somewhere, somehow, I’ll try to post something just to keep you in the loop. You know I’m hurrying to get back to work, and to you all!
More from my 2017 Year Without Shopping Series:
- My Year Without Shopping – January 2017. The Reasons, The Method, and The Rules
- My Year Without Shopping – February 2017
- My Year Without Shopping – March 2017; What do you buy when you aren’t shopping for “clothes”?
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Love the additions for February – I always need a bit of red – an while I don't own anything in brown, I do now own a 3 sweaters in that caramel, rich tan hue which I've come to love with black – and I can even add some red accessories to brighten things up.
I think the only items I would add to your current wardrobe is a few more t-shirts or plain shirts to wear under sweaters.
I have bought no new clothes in January – not so much as a pair of socks. I am glad that I will have a couple of chances this week to get out of my jeans and into a bit more "dressy" clothes" for a more formal luncheon and dinner.
I love that Hermès scarf in black and brown and the outfits with it.
Years ago I had a wonderful backpack. I think it was a Donna Karan knock-off, but at the time I didn't know who Donna Karan was, so that selling point was lost on me. What I loved was that it was nylon (so very lightweight) and the zipper ran up the middle of the back. So you had to take it off to get into it. Very reassuring when in a crowd that somebody wouldn't be able to open my backpack and make off with my wallet.
I agree on the Hermes scarf. I wondered about the backpack security for traveling. I have a really nice Vera Bradley black quilted backpack, but I have been afraid to use it when traveling. It goes along as a daypack instead.
I stayed on track as well, really without much thought. The black/brown Hermes scarf is beautiful, and if there is anything that would tempt me, it would be a scarf like that.
I think I'm in love with your accessory collection. It's been a great inspiration to me, though our style is somewhat different. I think with accessories like that you could make an old flour sack look chic, and when they are added to your thoughtfully built wardrobe, the results can't be anything but stunning.
As for wearing pink in February- I know my pink Hermès De Tout Coeur (that I first saw here, btw) is going to be worn a lot in February…
-Sara K-
Janice,
As I am a " warmie " and my black is brown, I have found that almost any accent color that can be worn with black can also be worn with dark brown.
me too. My dark neutral is brown in the winter and khaki in the summer. But everything Janice is doing applies.
So simple yet so stylish, love your wardrobe for February! What do you do with the rest of the clothes? Do you separate your current items from your wardrobe-at-large?
An congrants on staying strong with the shopping!!!
It strikes me as humorous that as you are adding a little brown to your wardrobe, I am carefully adding a little black!!
Deb from Vancouver
I think a year of shopping would be too difficult for me…
I don't buy a lot in any given year now that I am retired…but to say no spending would be like a red flag !
I haven't bought any clothes since September 23, and I'm not missing shopping. Rather odd, considering the size of my wardrobe! My challenge for February is No Black. My only exception will be when I have a work-related top that cries for black, rather than navy or denim.
I love the brown and black. Such a refreshing idea.
And, actually, could you say more about your thinking when you chose your Building Blocks – what you consider to be essential as a basic set of building blocks? And what you are thinking about when you choose your Targeted Items?
Great scarf and great wardrobe! Can anyone enlighten me on where I might find the skirted leggings shown? When I click the link, the skirted leggings appear with a much shorter skirt. I like my skirts to hit just above my knee and I am a 5'2.5" petite.
These aren't nearly as short as shown on the model; mine are a couple of inches above my knees. But I don't really care too much about length with these because the leggings underneath are complete opaque.
Any readers know of other good sources for skirted leggings?
I'll look around; if I see more I'll use them on the blog.
hugs,
Janice
https://www.pyramidcollection.com/itemdy00.aspx?ID=51,4208&T1=PB5164+XS NOT a classic style, by any means, and I cannot vouch for the quality, but that is the first thing that popped in my head.
Since this is an old post you may not see this, but I’m going back through your wonderful blog and learning a lot on the way. I did get a chuckle out of this post however, due to your ‘oh please, let’s just stay home a bit’ remark. Well, here we are in 2021, doing exactly that. That’s life sometimes, feast or famine. The various lockdowns have given me time to ponder my wardrobe and apply your ‘less is more’ philosophy, and I appreciate you sharing your wisdom and experience. Here’s hoping that we’ll soon NOT be staying home, and that we’ll now appreciate even more the opportunities we have to see the world.
Haha! I’ve read your comment in early 2023 and, like you, I couldn’t help but note irony of Janice’s heartfelt wish to stay home. I was tickled with that idea too when they told us to stay home for two weeks to help “flatten the curve” but even I – an introvert – soon tired of it.
I’m so grateful every time I go out and visit people!