Did you know that each month of the year has a flower associated with it, which is supposed to then be “the flower” for people born in that month?
I didn’t know until just a few weeks ago…
So let’s look at this! It’s not going to be as easy as finding birthstones, but what the heck – let’s see what’s out there…
If you’re patient, there are, in fact, quite a few different items that have a carnation “motif,” or that are carnation pink in color… If you look really closely at many brocade fabrics (especially those of antique design) you’ll see “gilly flowers” which are either going to be carnations, flat out, or close enough to work… This isn’t an exact science!
Were I born in January, I’d be madly tempted to make the brooch shown here a signature accessory…
watch – Movado; earrings – Oscar de la Renta; ring – QVC; blue square scarf – Tory Burch; lipstick – Yves Saint Laurent Rose Carnation; dress -Tomcsanyi; carnation bracelet – Shari Dixon; brooch – Luz Camino; beige blouse – Erdem; navy shirt – Lands’ End; navy down scarf – Lands’ End; red scarf – Tory Burch; skirt – Temperley London
Because there wasn’t a ton of stuff around with carnations on it, I decided that I was going to take advantage of the fact that carnation is also a shade of pink! This might be a way to address that “dear oh dear, a beloved person gave me a sweater (blouse, tee shirt) for the holidays that is in a color that I NEVER wear… How can I make this work?”
It happens to us all… at least if someone gave you something in this color, you can know that it goes with every neutral, and that it’s flattering to almost all of us!
sweater – Banana Republic; scarf – Valentino; socks – Free People; loafers – BP.; pants – L.L.Bean; bag – Rebecca Minkoff
How perfect would the floral handbag above be with the Vintage Rose scarf wardrobes from last month? You’re quickly going to notice that the perfect scarf can make ALL of the difference…
sweater – Banana Republic; scarf – La Fiorentina; socks – Francesca’s; boots – Hunter; corduroy pants – L.L.Bean; bag – Shinola
Soft pink with navy is classic…
sweater – Banana Republic; earrings – Kendra Scott; scarf – NYC Underground; bracelet – Ona Chan Jewelry; loafers – Naturalizer; pants – L.L.Bean
If you’re really NOT a scarf person, you can also use a piece or two of jewelry to tie together your outfit… Or maybe some floral loafers!
sweater – Banana Republic; pendant – TJMaxx; ring – Effy; bag – Furla; loafers – Kenneth Cold Reaction; pants – Banana Republic
Speaking of floral loafers – check THESE out!
sweater – Banana Republic; earrings – Christabelle; scarf – Nordstrom; bag – Mansur Gavriel; loafers – Badgley Mischka; denim pants – Eileen Fisher
I really like the way the pink softens olive… And remember, when you’re looking at pink, the currently very available “rose gold” looks great with pink! And check out the subtle floral boots…
sweater – Banana Republic; earrings – Pomellato; scarf – Faliero Sarti; bag – Ted Baker London; boots – L’Artiste; corduroy pants – L.L.Bean
I have to admit that I love carnations (okay, I love all flowers…). When I was in high school, I ordered carnation SEEDS from Gurney’s Seed Company, and grew a carnation plant on the windowsill of my bedroom. It had ONE blossom, a tiny, insanely fragrant pink blossom…
love,
Janice
For more from the birth flower series, check out:
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So pretty. I love that you included socks!
We used to grow 'pinks' in the garden when I was a child – such a fabulous smell.
Alice
Beautiful post Janice. Would it be possible to do little vignettes for each of the items in the first slide – with neutrals, outfits for different occasions, different shades of pink? Thank you, Sharon U.K.
Not a pink person but a January baby so maybe will give one or two of these ideas a whirl. Good idea for a series !
Love the pink and brown but the link for the llbean brown trousers doesn't work.
Fixed – thanks for letting me know!
hugs,
Janice
This would blend really well with yesterday's travel wardrobe. This is a great idea for a series, looking forward to April – daisy and sweet pea! Linda M
Janice,
I am a January birthday “ kid” and so the pink and brown and pink and olive resonate with me ! But — that Valentino scarf is to die for !
I kept looking for the brooch in the first example and only saw the Carnation in your example, but when I clicked on the link , I saw that the carnation IS the brooch !
This is soooooo pretty! I'm tempted to wear a long sleeve pink tee with white pants today. Why not!! Even 4 days before Christmas.
While I'm not a fan of carnations (their scent makes me sneeze), I am a fan of that beautiful shade of pink, in fact I own both a pullover and a cardigan in that shade and yes, it goes with just about everything and I always feel wonderful wearing it. This will be a fun year of flowers.
Thank you for all your hard work Janice – and a very Merry Christmas to you and your husband.
I found myself clicking on lots of footwear links – and I do NOT need new shoes! Apparently I have a fondness for floral shoes that I was unaware of until reading this post. I'll have to keep that in mind when planning my spring/summer wardrobe.
Thanks for a great article. And I hope to read it again.
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I love the pink with brown, and that scarf is so tempting. Your year of flowers is off to a great start. I can't wait to see what you do with violets for February (my birth flower), as I am not at all fond of purple and rarely wear that color. Happy holidays, Janice!
There are so may things to love in this post. The pin is astounding! The floral shoes with the diamonds. Oh my. The golden dress with giant carnations. And the reminder of the scent and beauty of carnations themselves. Happy Birthday in January and thank you again for all the delight you bring us daily.
Wardrobe planning is a combination of practicality and beauty. This blush pink is not my color, but this thematic floral palette is soul satisfying. Thank you.
Such a lovely wardrobe using that blush pink! My birthday is in April and the flower is sweet pea. I love this photo of sweet peas: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/794885402953806544/ Plus I wear all these colors!
Darn, January is my birth month but carnations are so common and plain! Great idea for monthly posts though.
I am definitely not a pastel and pink person. Neither floral, so I was curious to see what your advice was. For me olive with pink would work really well. Thanks! You also have two posts about blue and teal. Those colours are bad for me as well. If I ever get something in one of these colours, I will go straight back to your posts to see how I can make it work for me.
Greetje