February 25, 2019
Honestly, if I could tell you with any degree of certainty what the weather is going to be in May in Ireland, I would be doing something to make a fortune, like buying penny stocks and selling them for millions of dollars. The weather requires that level of omniscient genius!
But you can be strategic, right? Let’s start with a beautiful photograph of an Ireland shore, to help define a color palette:
Okay, time for strategy. First, you can’t take ALL of your wardrobe with you, so you have to make some smart choices. If we accept that it’s not possible to pack for every possible kind of weather, I submit that it’s smarter (in the spring and summer) to carry with you clothes for cooler weather, working with the assumption that if the weather gets unexpectedly warm, you can easily buy tee shirts and shorts. (I have a tee shirt that I bought at Marks & Spencer on Grafton Street in Dublin 13 years ago…) Conversely, if the weather turns cold, you could be pressed to find warmer clothes, except for lovely Irish sweaters! So that’s how I’m going to proceed…
First, a cluster based around jeans and a cozy cardigan. If I was traveling around Ireland with this cardigan, I would probably have to buy a really nice brooch…
thermal tee – Uniqlo; striped tee – Banana Republic; cardigan – Barefoot Dreams; jeans – Lands’ End; short-sleeved tee – The North Face
Even though I’m going to focus mostly on warmer clothing, you definitely want to consider taking a pair of shorts in May.
The variety of tops keep you covered – literally – from a warm day to quite a cold one. Worst case scenario would be a tee shirt, plaid shirt, AND fleece top with the grey jeans above. Add a rain layer and you should be able to survive the coldest May day Ireland has ever seen…
tee shirt – James Perse; fleece top – L.L.Bean; shorts – Lands’ End; plaid shirt – L.L.Bean; print tee – Uniqlo
Next, I’m building around a pair of pants that have a built-in function to roll to capri length and be fastened. Also, here’s where I include really important piece to remember – you’ve GOT to have something water-proof! Of course, if you pack a jacket like this, the sun will shine every day, and you won’t see a drop of rain…
The pink tops are ideal for layering with the grey pieces from the first cluster, or to be worn on their own. I’m starting to really love pink!
band-collar shirt – L.L.Bean; baseball tee – Alternative; pink tee – J.Crew; hiking pants – REI; rain jacket – L.L.Bean
At this point, you could easily just pack 12 of these pieces, and wear 3 on the trip, and be finished!
But maybe your agenda is more dressy – you might plan to spend a lot of time in Dublin or another city. Maybe a business meeting with a genealogy researcher? Some lovely dinners? You might want to pack dresses…
striped dress – Uniqlo; drawstring dress – Uniqlo; chambray dress – J.Crew
If you made that choice, you would need a bit larger suitcase, but you’d have this as your travel capsule wardrobe:
On the other hand, maybe you’re planning to do a LOT of hiking. My personal experience is that I do okay with shorts even in cool-ish weather, so long as I’m active, and the top half of my body is warmly covered. (my thighs work hard!) In that case, you might want to include a few more outdoorsy garments, like these:
sweater fleece – L.L.Bean; charcoal tee – Icebreaker; blue tee – Project Social T; shorts – Kuhl
Yes, I’m a firm believer in the power of a fleece top!
Your hiking-focused wardrobe looks like this:
Or MAYBE… You’re going to pack a big suitcase, and take everything! I’m not telling you not to – you know your plans and your preferences. This might be just right for you…
Of course the limited color palette is key to getting all of these pieces to play nicely together. But it’s important to remember to give yourself options – both long-sleeved and short-sleeved tee shirts, 1 or 2 shirts that button up, a nice warm cardigan…
Let’s see how our outfit possibilities work!
Don’t forget that you can wear a sweater or other top over a dress, and treat it like a skirt and tee shirt…
I personally might include all of the hiking gear, and just 1 of the dresses. Which one? Oh dear…
love,
Janice
p.s. Do you want to see accessories for this trip? I would be happy to do so, if there’s interest…
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Actually I don’t think any of the dresses is dressy. All three of them are casual in my book, and not one of them is dressy enough for a meeting or going out for dinner.
I think the accessories would make the difference in the relative dressiness of the dresses – chambray or stripes by definition keep it a little more casual but a solid colored dress with the proper necklace and shoes (and scarf?) could work for dinner or a lecture or casual meeting. (Of course, you could choose this palette and create it with different level of refinement overall.) So accessories please, Janice! Love the photograph – and I wish this could be my wardrobe!
This is my base color palette, so it’s good to see a vacay wardrobe in it. I would enjoy an accessories post. The drawstring dress comes “With removable chest pads.” What is that about?
… in case you find yourself stuck inside a video game … ?
Easy to do in Ireland …
Takes the place of a bra for those of us who only need a bit of modesty, without support. I can see the logic…
hugs,
Janice
Thank you thank you thank you for May in Ireland! :-) Such great ideas – now to plan it with clothes already in my closet! xoxox
I just love the colors. I could easily do this one. Some of the ones you do, I like to see it all together, but its just not me. This one is me. :-) I could easily do this on one or both of the spring break trips coming up with my kids. But not a whole wardrobe – I also have a trip planned to cheer on my son’s sports team. That trip will be all red and black, with blue jeans.
Though it looks like you have thought a great deal about this, and it’s a wonderful spring palette, I suggest a light cashmere stole (like Eric Bompard’s “voile de cashmere”) or one of those cashmere ponchos that button up the sides so you can unbutton it to a shawl. Because, it’s the damp. In evenings in those maritime environments, cashmere makes the difference between me in a cellar bar or on a patio, hugging myself because I’m not quite warm enough, or having fun. And we want you to have fun!
I take multiples of same item, such as two pairs of same techno-fabric trousers that dress up or down, and 3-4 white or grey v-neck tees, scarves to change it up. A ‘dressy enough’ top or two; done.
One could always wait ’til they were in Ireland to buy a lovely wrap at Avoca, maybe…
Always good advice – your comments are worth their weight in gold!
hugs,
Janice
Congratulations, once more, for this Irish spring project, Janice !
Which can be perfect for other spring and holidays projects.
I admire very much your colours choice, and, as always, your sense of “practical things” (“votre sens pratique”).
A special mention for the Uniglo T-shirt representing “The Wave”, by Hokusaï : I’m going to buy it (as several clothes mentioned on your project).
Please, oh yes, propose us, now, plans for accessories !
Such a pretty colour palette! This casual capsule would cover just about anything I’d be doing on a trip. Would love to see accessories for this one. Thanks!
I love the color palette. The casual nature of the outfit hits my lifestyle. Yes, I’d like to see you wave your accessory magic wand. patval
Love how casual and fun this capsule looks. I’d love to see accessories! Now that I think about it, this capsule wardrobe is really all I need for my life (not just vacation time) since I’ve retired.
Janice,
While these are not “my” colors , the cluster format has me doing a happy dance , as that is how I think when I pack! One main neutral and two accent colors, plus perhaps some off white in a top — easy peasy ! Love, love, love it !
Gorgeous palette, love those soft colors. Will look this over very carefully as I pack for my English trip in May. Bring on the accessories!
PB
Yes, please show us the accessories as they take casual up a notch when required. Love this colour palette.
Good point about the ease (and lower cost) of buying a a tee shirt if needed instead of a sweater. Accessories? Yes please. I have also discovered the trick of a second top over a dress to make it into a skirt. I would pick the drawstring dress for that reason. When I go to hot places, I love to bring and wear dresses. However in a cool place, I rarely need or want to wear a dress. Most people and places are so casual now that some great accessories are enough to dress up an outfit, IN GENERAL. Good point about the cashmere stole Duchesse: good on the airplane too. I would use higher neck crew neck tops since they will often be worn under the fleece pullovers. That way you get to see the color peeking out. If you could find a plaid shirt without the collar, it wouldn’t be so bulky under the fleece. This is such a great and do-able capsule. Thanks, Janice.
These are my colors with a little less grey and a little more denim. Please show us the accessories! You are an inspiration.
Love these colors together, and I’m planning a trip with similar weather concerns right now.
These cluster ideas are wonderful, Janice! And yes, please show us accessories. Question, using this color palette & making the tops perhaps a bit dressier (& eliminating the shorts), would your idea of packing for cooler & preparing to buy a warm-weather top or two if needed work for Paris in April? I know that one hates to shop in Paris, but if one must…..
This wardrobe, dressed up a bit away from the hiking gear, would work well in Paris. Unless you’ve got really spiffy dinner plans, you will find that much of Paris is quite casual. I personally would opt for the longest shorts you find comfortable…
hugs,
Janice
When I tried to look up your other posts about Ireland, I found more with Google than with your Archives. Not sure if the problem is that I am doing something wrong or with the Archives connections. I am planning a trip for summer and love your suggestions for museums, food, and shopping as well as for packing.
I am planning a trip to Ireland this May, and these colors are all my wardrobe colors, so YES! I would love to see the accessories for this wardrobe! Thanks, Janice!
Oh yes, please do show accessories! I really love this set. Very nice!
I’m just wondering (completely hypothetically of course!) if you could be tempted to think about a five day, early summer, sightseeing break in Naples and the surrounding area, for someone who prefers brights to pastels…Even the capsules I could never wear give me ideas about my own clothes, thank you for what you do its always interesting.
What happened to the tropical scarf post that we received an e-mail about on Sunday. Would like to see that post , and a post with scarves and jewerly to match.
That’s tomorrow’s post – I must have hit a wrong button because it briefly posted, rather than being stored for future publication. My moments of internet illiteracy are always eventful!
hugs,
Janice
Thank you.
Today’s capsule wardrobe came at just the right time. We’re going to Ireland the last week in March and then on to Scotland for a week. Will we need to take a puffy winter coat as well. I bought a couple of base layer things to warm up for the days and nights just in case.
Linda Jacks
The colours you’ve pulled from this photo are so lovely. Packing for cooler weather with the option of buying for warmer weather is a great approach! We’re going to the Czech Republic and Hungary in July and I think I’ll be packing mostly for warm weather, with the option of buying for cooler weather.
Yes, please, do show accessories – you find some really unique things.
I never travel without waterproof rain pants. Where I live, and in fact in Ireland where some relatives live..Dingle area..rain can come at you sideways.