May 25, 2020
I’m still ready for warm weather, and the weather in Chicago is still not ready for me… But I can plan – when it finally gets warm, I’m going to be ALL SET!
Red print sleeveless polo – Lands’ End
As I try to do most weeks, here are some tops that will look good with wardrobes based on these scarves. When one is building a wardrobe around the colors in a scarf, it’s difficult (but important) to remember that every single garment won’t be worn WITH the scarf – especially in hot weather! So you needn’t be worried about how you might arrange the scarf with these various necklines…
Tying a scarf to your bag is always the easiest option! Or tying it around your ponytail, or worn as a headband, or even a mask! Has anybody gone full-on silk scarf mask yet? (I really should, shouldn’t I?)
mint green “A” Floral scarf – Aspinal of London; white cotton top – Banana Republic; Earth Mandala scarf – GISY; green top – Express; shield scarf – Aspinal of London; black top – Banana Republic
Yes, for those of you paying VERY close attention, three of these top are the same – the black, brown and pink… It’s an easy and flattering style available in a bunch of colors!
navy lion and peacock scarf – Aspinal of London; brown top – Banana Republic; mustard “A” Floral scarf – Aspinal of London; grey tank – Eileen Fisher; Magenta Robins scarf – Aspinal of London; pink top – Banana Republic
Remember, nobody can make you wear sleeveless garments!
I like this outfit a lot – layering 2 “collared” shirts can look great:
Flower earrings – Zenzii; navy linen shirt – J.Crew; floral sleeveless top – Lands’ End; navy shorts – L.L.Bean; sandals – Børn
Keep your eyes open for the perfect print! In a summer top, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune, or last for 20 years…
Earrings – BaubleBar; forest moss cardigan – Lands’ End; sleeveless blouse- H&M; forest moss shorts – Lands’ End; waterproof sandals – Ipanema
I would wear this outfit tomorrow, if I thought that my kneecaps wouldn’t turn blue from the cold!
Earrings – Julie Vos; linen cardigan – Halogen; sleeveless top – Express; white shorts – Lands’ End; sandals – Ipanema
This is just plain cheerful, as well as timeless…
lapis & quartz earrings – Rituu Agarwal; cardigan – Marks & Spencer; striped top – Vero Moda; navy shorts – L.L.Bean; sandals – Easy Street
Here’s another example of how useful a really good white cardigan can be…
Rose earrings – Sasithon Saisuk; white linen cardigan – Eileen Fisher; yellow floral top – Tommy Hilfiger; arctic gray shorts – Lands’ End; gunmetal sandals – Taryn Rose
What a nice opportunity this is to introduce a print into your wardrobe!
Earrings – Set & Stones; pointelle cardigan – Halogen; sleeveless top – Calvin Klein; black shorts – Lands’ End; sandals – Naturalizer
I have to include Lands’ End sleeveless shirts here – I’ve got a few that I’ve had for… six years? and they’re still in good condition and I still love them…
White, black and pink tanks – Lands’ End; sleeveless white shirt – Lands’ End; linen cardigan – Halogen; shell pink linen shirt – L.L.Bean; striped tee – Banana Republic; striped short-sleeved sweater – Max Mara; pink cotton cardigan – Lands’ End; black cropped pants – L.L.Bean; black pants – L.LBean; black skirt – Lands’ End; shirtdress – Banana Republic
Nearing the end of the list… I’m getting nervous about accessories!
I have to share something irrelevant to clothing and accessories – The Aria Code podcast! If you like opera at all, this podcast is wonderful. They analyze ONE aria, including in the conversation a singer, and at least 2 or 3 other really interesting people. Sometimes it’s an historian, or a writer, or the director of a production of the opera – always someone who can help you better understand the opera as a whole, and the particular aria as a part of the overall work.
The production quality is exceptionally high, and the content is excellent. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
love,
Janice
p.s. Four years ago, we were looking at another one of those theatrical portraits by Natalia Gontcharova – this one brought us to a wardrobe in black, white, green and orange – not something we see every day!
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The darker brown top with the lion and peacock scarf is wonderful. Thank you.
Janice,
I am loving the print tops and the sandals in this post, though I would need sleeves — great Summery vibe ! I recently tried wearing turquoise flip flops with a large band across the bridge of my foot and learned that if I want color in my foot area, it has to be very subtle , or I should stick to neutrals. I am height challenged, and the attention to my feet just shortens me even more , darn !
Finally, some warmer weather headed our way this week ! I need to work on toenail polish !
Hi Shrebee,
I’m short (er, height challenged) as well, and I love wearing colorful sandals and shoes generally. I think the shortening effect came more from the placement of the large band than from the color. I always look for shoes that show more of the top of my foot – a vee shape is more lengthening, I find. Don’t give up on fun colors!
Hi Janice,
If you lived in the south like I do, (New Orleans, LA) you would not be pining for warmer weather. We have had it since early March.
If you do go full on silk scarf face mask, a word of caution. Do not wear lipstick. You would not want to try to clean a grease stain from your favorite scarf. By accident, I wore lipstick with a cotton mask I made. Now I have a nice purplely smudge where my mouth hits the interior of the mask.
Hah. I wasn’t thinking last week and applied lipstick in the car on my way to an appointment. Now the mask I wore the entire appointment has lipstick on the inside. I am hankering after silk scarves to wear bandana style – I think it has to be more comfortable than quilting cotton.
Janice,
Would you consider doing an accessories feature for pandemic times?
Needs may vary depending on a woman’s activities and sensitivities. I’m in a mask frequently and have had to put away all earrings except moderately sized studs and huggies, and earrings are more important than ever. Masks cover our smiles as well as lipstick and blusher that might liven our faces. We are left with our eyes, ears, and foreheads.
Because of all the hand washing as well as a being potential virus targets, I’m forgoing all bracelets and all rings except my wedding ring, and I often consider putting it away for now. I wear a watch most days but shouldn’t and may give that up as well.
Our hot, humid summer is usually not the time for any necklaces except light ones with minimal metal, or for scarves except the occasional square knotted as a bandana, or a gauzy long linen worn grudgingly and infrequently because it is another layer. But with the virus around, I don’t wear any long scarf or necklace, only a small square knotted at the neck that I can throw in the wash if I feel particularly virus exposed or sweaty after wearing it.
Winter allows for more substantial scarves and necklaces, still kept close and not dangling or flowing. Summer is just extra tough this year with no bracelets, rings, or longer or dangly earrings—the core of my usual summer accessory collection.
I do wear nice hair clips or bands to pull my hair on top of my head or back in a pony tail.
Shoes are down to sneakers and walkable flats.
Bags are minimal—I leave them at home or in the car and out of the virus zone as much as possible and away from my touching hands, and use a practical small crossbody when I must and a larger tote to keep in the car for when I must be out and about.
It’s a lean time for accessories, at a time when those of us who are in the mood for some style and polish are in need of safe and practical oomph. I expect to have all these precautions for the long run, not for a few more weeks.
I would love it if you could feature mask-friendly earrings, maybe masks themselves, short summer-tolerable necklaces and scarves, walkable shoes, maybe belts (I love them as a summer accessory but know you don’t usually feature them), maybe hair accessories, and any other accessory wisdom you have for these times. Maybe an accessory set for each of the annual scarves, or for some select neutral plus accent combinations.
Your eye for loveliness would be a great help.
It’s a beautiful warm day again today in my corner of the UK. I was awake all night as I’m not sleeping well so I went for a walk @5am round the lake at the bottom of my road. It was lovely and calming with the birds twittering in the trees. Not another soul about, though I’m glad I dont live closer – the geese were making quite a racket!
I also have lipstick smudged on the inside of the mask I use to go shopping – force of habit.
The tops you’ve featured today are so pretty. I just wish I had the arms for sleeveless tops. I particularly like the navy set and the white, grey and yellow, particularly the floral touches of the earrings and grey sandals.
I love the unexpected cognac brown top (which would also look terrific with the shield scarf) for a summer wardrobe. So perfect for the right person, and it was transition beautifully into autumn. I am a big fan of print tops for summer, where they add a lot of interest and don’t need much accessorizing. My current favorite is a drapey sleeveless blouse in slate blue/grey with coral/salmon pink leopards on it…it always steals the show.
Your blouse sounds wonderfully eye-catching. I look at kooky prints on vintage-style dresses and wish I had the confidence and aplomb to wear them. Perhaps if I was 30 years younger…
There’s no better time than the present to give a kooky print a try if you have an interest!
Have you considered purchasing a “kooky” print tote bag to carry your groceries? It’s an easy and inexpensive way to quickly try out a fun print. If you aren’t comfortable carrying a tote bag then a dress would probably make you feel self-conscious. But if you love it- you can try something a little more daring.
Hey, thank you very much for the link of the opera podcast! Wonderful.
Yes I meant to thank you for that too. I’ve mentioned it to my husband who loves opera. He listens to music and talks about music whilst he’s writing.
Early on I did use a silk scarf as a mask, before I had purchased any. I figured it had a very tight weave.