February 12, 2021
We’ve looked back at the original Stress Dressing post, and quite a few of us realized that this might be worth revisiting in our wardrobes for this “dead of winter, middle of pandemic” situation…
I didn’t include dresses this time – I think that the probability that one of us is going to need a dress isn’t all that high! And since so many of us are still spending so much time at home, I didn’t include a bag either…
My goals were warm, comfortable, somewhat versatile, and uncomplicated. Let’s look!
Mask – AFRM; ribbed turtleneck – H&M; earrings – Daphine Oli; heather acorn cashmere hoodie – J.Crew; camel v-neck sweater – Club Monaco; saddle skinny jeans – L.L.Bean; wrap-style knit top – 1.State; boots – Sorel; knit cords – L.L.Bean
Loosely speaking, this is a list of what I might look for when I build this for myself:
Even though we’re home most of the time, there’s still no guarantee that our wardrobes will be flawlessly maintained! Suddenly, we realize that we aren’t relaxed nor happy getting dressed. For the worst of the days, let’s try to be ready!
Mask – Lands’ End; smolder blue flannel shirt – Patagonia; earrings – Madewell; navy quilted zipped sweatshirt – L.L.Bean; classic navy cabled sweater – L.L.Bean; dark wash jeans – Lands’ End; white turtleneck – Lands’ End; boots – Blundstone; fleece-backed slim-leg pants – L.L.Bean
You will notice that these six-piece wardrobes are more relaxed than the “office job” version I did years ago. A light neutral top, or a printed shirt, won’t make these wardrobes substantially less versatile, and might make pulling these together a lot easier.
Masks – Frye; plaid shirt – Polo Ralph Lauren; wood earrings – Francesca’s; espresso cardigan – Barefoot Dreams; java cashmere turtleneck – Theory; dark cement twill pants – L.L.Bean; oatmeal cashmere sweater – Reformation; boots – Rockport; black coffee knit cords – L.L.Bean
I think it’s worth considering including a favorite sweater, or earrings, in this wee wardrobe. A new mask? Let’s all be honest, some of our masks are getting a bit droopy and sad looking…
Mask – Emma Wallace; houndstooth sweater – Ted Baker; earrings – Kendra Scott; cashmere zip hoodie – L.L.Bean; stretch button-front shirt – H&M; black jeans – L.L.Bean; striped tee – Lauren Ralph Lauren; boots – UGG; knit corduroy pants – L.L.Bean
Of course, if your favorite neutral is tough to find, you can choose garments that all blend together beautifully; I think that blended shades of a color in an outfit look richly textured and interesting:
Masks – Frye; light sage green flannel shirt – H&M; earrings – 1928; loden turtleneck – Beachlunchlounge; deep olive cotton zip hoodie – L.L.Bean; Dark loden corduroy pants – L.L.Bean; Havana sage green tunic – Banana Republic; boots – Timberland; deep moss jeans – Style & Co
Wouldn’t you look forward to the day you pulled these grey pearl earrings out of your wardrobe?
Merino wool gaiter – Icebreaker; grey denim shirt – H&M; grey pearl earrings – Saranarat; heather charcoal cardigan – J.Crew; slate marl turtleneck – L.L.Bean; gray jeans – H&M; charcoal heather turtleneck – Lands’ End; boots – Børn; dark gray heather fleece-backed pants – L.L.Bean
Arranging a little cluster of clothes and accessories that will make your life easier is maybe the smartest thing that you can do in your wardrobe, eh?
love,
Janice
p.s. Six years ago, we looked at a work of art, and were treated to my favorite dress EVER… green velvet!!!
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Absolutely love this formula for a mini capsule, especially using a light neutral top and a printed shirt. Maximum versatility in a minimum number of items. It’s a keeper!
Although I never wear brown I find myself most drawn to the very first cluster. It immediately grabbed me with it’s feeling of warmth and coziness. Or maybe I’m just getting tired of darker colors!
Somehow I lost an hour this morning and had to very hastily get dressed to go out. I’m grabbed thick grey marl jersey trousers, thick grey marl cowl neck with a sky-blue ribbed polo-neck underneath as I like to wear a colour which above the cowl.
I bought the grey cowl neck, a few years ago, from a budget chainstore. It’s cosy, comfortable and stretches to accommodate several layers underneath. When it’s washed, it bounces back into shape. I wear it a lot.
Added to these basics were black warm ankle boots, grey long wool coat and ivory faux fur trimmed fleece hat and grey wool/suede warm-lined gloves.
I didn’t need a scarf as the polo neck and cowl neck of the jumpers filled the neckline of the coat. I also didn’t have time to think of jewellery but all my winter coats have a brooch pinned to them. The grey coat has a grey metal and sparkly brooch.
It’s a beautiful clear day but freezing cold with a biting wind. I wore my mask outside to keep my face warm!
Always enjoy reading about your outfit, Beth T. This is also a good example of how having a stress-free capsule (whether that’s a sub-capsule like Janice is showing or just a very coordinated capsule that works stress-free) is helpful not only for the BIG stressful situations, but also in prosaic conditions when you just need to get dressed quickly. It occurs to me that this formula of blended neutral plus a pop of color near the face would work very well as a Zoom outfit also (possibly with statement earrings as well if staying in un-masked).
These are fantastic – I will have to try and build one in my own wardrobe. I especially love how all fo the boots work so well!
This is one of my favorite posts! The simplicity of the sets, yet each offers at least 10 3-piece options. The first two are my favorites, but each are appealing in their own right. Well done!
I respectfully disagree that none of us need dresses right now :) Knit dresses / sweater dresses and leggings are my lockdown wardrobe – the perfect combo of “comfy enough to lounge at home” and “not ashamed to open the door when the delivery guy comes”! I would love to see this wardrobe with a dress or two.
Dresses – especially the cozy sweatshirt dresses and sweater dresses – are certainly useful for many of us – I just wasn’t sure one would be right for such a small wardrobe! But everybody gets to choose their own number and configuration! Just so long as we all take care of ourselves by trying to be prepared for things we know will cause us stress…
hugs,
Janice
Emily, I hear what you’re saying about the ease and versatility of a dress and leggings. For me, whether this capsule would include 2 pants, 2 skirts, or 1 of each would depend strongly on whether I want it to work for staying in, going out, or both. In the winter, the most stress-free option for going out (for me) is a skirt, leggings, and tall boots. With pants, I have to judge how much snow I think there might be at all points of my outing and whether/how much additional snow might fall while I’m out. In pre-pandemic times, I basically never wore pants to work during the snowy season (which can run from October-April here).
In some ways, I think the absolute most stress-free 6 garment capsule would be about 4 dresses appropriate to the season and 2 layering pieces. It seems that some people don’t like dresses, or don’t think they would like them for the pandemic, but seriously, a knit/sweater/sweatshirt dress or tunic with leggings is the single most comfortable outfit I know. Dresses are kind of magical because people read them as more “dressed up” than their fabrication/construction/etc. would suggest just because they are a dress.
I find dresses can be hard to fit because a single garment has to work across all of the body’s curves, but when you find one that fits well…mwah! If I valued minimalism or stress-free dressing, a wardrobe with a lot of dresses would be my strategy.
I really love these groupings, especially those that have a tonal, blended look and those that include a printed top. While I don’t typically care for a monochromatic look where every piece is exactly the same shade, these blended groupings are very appealing to me. I think they have a rich, elegant feel and much more visual interest, as well as being much easier to build. I am especially drawn to the warm camel, dark brown, olive, and gray collections. I confess that I am really inspired to put a few of these together for the days where putting an outfit together seems to take entirely too much mental space (which seems to be most days right now). I also like the idea of expanding this for warm weather in a few months once stores have stock in for the new season. It occurs to me that you could do the Crazy Eights idea by using a blended color palette, too. Also, thank you for the link to the olive jeans by Style & Co. I am always looking for jeans in colors other than blue or black that are full length (as in at least a 31-32″ inseam) and, if not bootcut, at least a straight leg that will work with my boots for work.
I think that when any of us feel up to tackling the assembly of one of these wardrobes, we should do so! Preparing for the unexpected is a way we can take of ourselves in these… interesting… times.
hugs,
Janice
I love these little capsules—this is very close to how I dress all the time in winter, minus the turtlenecks. I did find all the colors lovely except the grey, which looked a little sad to me. It’s one of my neutrals, so I wear it all the time, but I guess I like breaking up the grey a bit more with plaid or a pattern or a much lighter ash grey in the mix. I have also used a darker grey-brown in coats and boots to break up the grey that way as well; it suits my coloring better than the charcoal you show here. I wish I could wear the camel or the olive green! Those are so beautiful using the pieces you’ve shown.
I love this format for a mini capsule, even the ones in colours I don’t normally wear. Perfect for the winter months in Scotland. And thank you for reminding me about my grey pearl earrings, an anniversary present from my husband, many years ago. I will find them and start wearing them regularly.
I created some similar groupings in the fall, knowing that I would be staying with a friend after her knee surgery. I didn’t know how long she would need me, and by having things hung together in my closet, I was able to grab another set as needed. I hung at least two coordinating tee shirts on the hanger with each flannel shirt. I made the addition of a short sleeved tee to each group since my friend kept her house very warm. (She was spending hours sitting with cold water pumping around her leg from an ice machine.) We also have intermittent warm spells. I felt remarkably well coordinated whether running to the drugstore, grocery, or meeting physical therapists who came to my friend’s home.
I appreciate the thoughtfulness and usefulness of your groupings and selections. I have the personal computer problem of not being able to open Nordstrom references from my search engine. I need grandchildren on call to help me!
Pro-tip for avid readers of TVF: It’s always worth it to run check out an item Janice shows in a color you don’t wear. Often, you’ll find the same item in your color. Also, these are such versatile little capsules for that day-to-day routine. There’s no reason we can’t look pulled together and be very cozy indeed! Workhorse items I noted: dark wash jeans- dress ‘em up or down. Plaid shirt – I have them in cotton, flannel and Pendleton wool. (Pair with a cashmere or fine wool hoody, pullover sweater, cute cardigan, denim jacket, blazer, puffy vest…and even pearls if you’re being whimsical!) UGG boots- they’re like chicken noodle soup for the feet…comforting and warm. Mine get a lot of use. And throw in some UGG slippers! (Mine are ten years old…probably time for a new pair.) In a nutshell- The Vivienne Files is a stellar focal point for finding the pieces you’ll get the most out of. Happy Valentines Day to all, and especially to Janice.
AK, case in point for me today…that marvelous H&M turtleneck sweater in the camel set is available in a beautiful dark green-teal version!
Janice,
I am concurring with several of your other readers that the tonal selections here are my favorites — the varied values of the darker browns and olive greens are appealing to me the most . While the first grouping relates to my preference of colors, I still like mixed values within an ensemble the best .
I also agree with the addition of a print or two within these groupings of two pants, two tops, and two toppers, plus accessories — great mix and match options with so few pieces !
I gasped with delight when I saw this! You all know that the first Stress Dressing article from Janice is one of my favourites and something that really helped me through some difficult times. And here’s the updated version. What a joy to see. Janice heartfelt thanks always. Each one is beautiful! And so practical.
I just happen to be wearing my grey Majorica pearl earrings today, very similar to the grey capsule which not surprisingly is the one I am drawn to. Greys from deep charcoal to the palest almost chalk white always blend with everything else I own from accent colours to my other favourite neutrals in navy, black and white. The scarf is gorgeous.
The olive green group is stunning & I’m enjoying the rich tonal play in each group.
Wow what a terrific update.
Hi Janice and Everyone: I really like the secret formula of wardrobe pieces for Six Piece Stress-free Dressing. I believe this is akin to a post titled something along the lines of “Whatever’s Clean Monday.”. So for most of my typical neutrals I have 1 pr pants ( knit or jeans), one skirt or dress, one long sleeved shirt, one short sleeved shirt, and one sweater of some type.
I have a couple of multi-color sweater tunics, which is the epitome of chic and comfortable (esp w fleece leggings).
It is midway through the 21 pc Wardrobe Challenge of Burgundy/Navy/Cream (ivory)/ camel (tan) and I have come to the conclusion that I need more pullover sweaters.
I luuuuved your original stress dressing post. Black was, is, and every shall be my brain-in-park wardrobe choice, and I went out and acquired reasonable facsimiles of the clothes you chose. (I was a little late to the party to get the actual clothes.) This time I’m on time for the party, and the camel collection speaks to me…
This Stress-Free Dressing post is up there with the Common Wardrobe, Weekly Timeless Wardrobe, 4×4 and Whatever’s Clean…
Yesterday, I had to dress in haste because I lost track of time (a common occurrence these days). This morning was an early start for a medical appointment. So I put on yesterday’s grey jersey trousers, a paler grey marl polo-neck top and my roomy lilac cardigan.
It occurs to me that having the components of these basic functional core capsules in our wardrobes makes for stress-free dressing every day. Choose one or two of these neutral sets plus and a few accent and patterned garments that go with both and you would be well set up.
Whilst sorting out my wardrobe over the past year or so, I have unconsciously created a stress-free wardrobe which combines grey and dark blue neutrals with purple/plum pink, and teal as accents.
The majority of my clothes are now, as Janice says “comfortable, somewhat versatile, and uncomplicated”. In my late 50’s, I don’t want to have to think what to wear every day. My wardrobe mixes and matches so that I can get dressed or pack in haste and still look decent from ‘Whatever’s clean’.
My accents are added with accent coloured tops, bottoms or second layers and/or scarves and jewellery. A few tops or second layers have a pattern (floral, polka-dot or paisley) on a neutral or accent background so they always fit with the overall scheme or form the basis for a blended capsule to go away.
However, I do agree with others that a dress and/or a skirt, whether patterned or plain could be a versatile addition to this capsule. A dress with a jumper or cardigan over the top with boots is a simple outfit. My bugbear is finding tights that fit my larger than average but short legs that don’t wrinkle round my ankles.
There was a time in my twenties when I rarely wore trousers because I couldn’t find them to fit. Skirts, blouses and dresses made up the majority of my wardrobe along with nice shoes, neutral jackets and coordinating cardigans/jumpers. Even at university, I rarely wore jeans but I had corduroy pull-on trousers for hiking.
In my thirties, scrabbling on the floor with small children and walking a lot made trousers and flat shoes more practical. I have never worn leggings as my legs are best covered up!
Dresses and skirts then became reserved for best and occasions when I could transform myself from being a mother to something resembling a well-dressed woman!
However, I now wear mainly trousers and rarely wear dresses/skirts even on special occasions. One of the main challenges for me is now finding appropriate footwear that fit my awkward wide feet and look right with dresses and skirts. With dodgy ankles, I prefer to wear ankle boots for support. A few years ago, I realised that I could wear my smarter heeled ankle boots with my longer dresses and skirts so I have some versatility there and don’t have to wear just court shoes as was the style in my twenties.
Personally, I rarely wear dresses in the winter mainly because I find they get in the way, are either too long or unflatteringly too short and can be cold on the legs, even indoors. I wear more dresses and skirts in the spring and summer as I can go without tights and dresses are so much cooler on a hot day.
Oh Beth I love your outfits and so relate. I was thinking about why I don’t wear dresses much and I finally realized it is the shoe problem. I’m 64 and my wide feet don’t fit well into most nice shoes that I would wear with a dress. With age some painful bits are worse. I’m biting the bullet and buying some of the cushy soled sandals of Birkenstocks type for summer. They cost more but if I can get back to wearing my dresses at least in summer— bare leg cool comfort— it’s worth it.
I wear skirts ONLY. I would have loved a skirt option or two!!