April 12, 2021
Before we go anywhere, I MUST tell you about Red Thread… They make just a handful of garments – mostly black pants. But they make them BASED ON YOUR BODY… no sizes!
When you start an order with them, they send you a link that guides your phone through the process of taking 2 photographs of you – pull on your swimsuit, or leggings and your swim top (that’s what I did…) and the phone tells you what to do. It’s sort of weird, but fun!
And in 2 weeks or so, you have a pair of pants that fit amazingly well. I ordered the ankle pants, which are styled a lot like ski pants – they have stitched creases in the front and back, and deep pockets of sturdy fabric, with zippers on the pockets. The fabric is ponte knit – one of my favorites. These would be amazing for travel…
They aren’t cheap, but for pants that fit, and that you could legitimately wear weekly, they’re worth a look…
But first – RECYCLED denim cropped pants!
Heart-themed bobby pins – Madewell; Beach Glass tee shirt – L.L.Bean; earrings – Panacea; cropped RECYCLED denim jeans – COS; sandals – Birkenstock
Yes, this is essentially the same outfit from last week, but with capris and snazzy beach glass-colored sandals!
For those of you who’ve never ordered from COS, I can say that I’m a big fan. They have a store here in Chicago, and a couple in New York. I bought my very favorite tweed dress from them about 5 years ago, in Paris…
Does anybody remember how denim blue became a neutral color? I can’t think of a color that you can’t wear with jeans, and you can’t say that about any other color I can think of…
Olive green, with floral sneakers? Heck yes!
Earrings – Chico’s; tee shirt – Stateside; sunglasses – Quay Australia; shoes – Keds; cropped RECYCLED denim jeans – COS
Capris are great for those days when it’s warm, then it’s cool, then it’s warm…
Linen shirt – L.L.Bean; tank top – Lands’ End; belt – Lands’ End; sandals – Journee Collection; cropped RECYCLED denim jeans – COS
Black? Of course… The bag is an indulgence, but it’s pretty perfect here:
linen muscle tank – J.Crew; cropped RECYCLED denim jeans – COS; hat – J.Crew; bag – Stelar; sandals – J.Crew
Red is such fun to wear in the summer – for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Bastille Day….
Compass red polo shirt – Lands’ End; cropped RECYCLED denim jeans – COS; mask – DIOP; bracelets – Alex and Ani; sandals – Aetrex
It might be because it’s almost REALLY spring in Chicago, but I was drawn to lots of green today!
Knot earrings – Candela; bracelet – Talbots; flip flops – Lauren Ralph Lauren; green juniper tee – Halogen (1174529); cropped RECYCLED denim jeans – COS
For reference, here’s the master list!
Are you ready for warmer weather?
love,
Janice
p.s. EIGHT years ago (dear oh dear, that’s a long time…) I shared a whole bunch of different ways to wear a petrol blue cardigan. It still works!
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My capsule wardrobe and I are ready for spring. It is snowing again today, a winter jumper came back out. I should have stayed with my Lenten capsule!
Warmer weather? The UK has had sleet and snow for the last few days! It was snowing when I woke up today! At this rate, I won’t be wearing summer clothes until May.
Light denim is such a good neutral for many summery colours. My accents would be lilac, pink, coral and aqua and floral. Thanks for including belts in the accessories as I’m in need of them now.
I don’t wear capris as my legs are short but wide leg culottes do suit me.
They look like a skirt and are comfortable and smart to wear for all occasions. I have several pairs in different weights of material.
However, I find denim generally too thick and hot to wear in summer, though wide leg jeans or denim culottes (if such a thing exists) might be an option). I have linen trousers but would like a pair of wide leg denim blue or chambray trousers or culottes.
One day soon, I hope the weather will get warmer….
Even in south east England it is still cold and alternates between sunny and sleety. It’s bananas! I decided to just go ahead and wear a summer dress for the first time today to cheer me up but with leggings and a big cardy!
I agree that denim goes with nearly all colors. As a retiree I can wear it a lot. And there is lighter denim for warm weather, although it is not usually all cotton. I have a pair from lands end and they are quite comfortable. These crops remind me of a pair of Levi’s I shortened myself to crop length. I need to dig them out…
Morning! Although it’s been colder than normal here, this week a “heat wave” is supposed to come in – with weather in the 70’s by end of week. Our teaser week we get every spring prior to the rest of the remainder of the cold rainy spring that’s typical. I don’t wear capri’s- I feel they cut me off. I’ll sub a linen skirt or an alternate pair of pants. I’ve considered trying a pair of wide legged pants, but never quite made the jump. BTW – as I was heading home from Hawaii on Friday the attendant complimented me on my lovely outfit. I started laughing as I realized the mask, topper, pants, and ruana were all first seen on VF. Not in the same outfit like I had them – but clearly you’ve been an influence!!! I actually got quite a few comments on various outfits I wore during my time there – so thanks again Janice!!
PS Like the black outfit the best – very smart. Saw a number of women wearing outfits like this while away.
As much as I enjoy this post, that post featuring the Petrol Blue cardigan really blew my socks off. So elegant. Would you please consider posting more often dressier outfits like the Petrol Blue one which are affordable? Even though I am staying at home more, I still like to dress up. :)
Today all ‘non-essential’ shops reopen in England. This includes clothes shops, charity shops, homeware shops and bookshops. I am going to a small local high street to sample this new freedom (with a face mask).
Hi Janice and Everyone! I prefer capris over cropped myself. Of course the length of capris vary with the store where you but them. Let’s just say, for me, anything that reaches to 1-2″ below the knee. I like all the combinations and the red just shouts Summer Picnic.
Warm weather is here in the capital of Canada. I wore shorts both days this past weekend. Here it gets too hot and humid for any type of jeans in the summer, but I do love the outfits.
Love all the outfits! However being long of waist and short of leg I find that I need to wear full length pants (29 inches) or a skirt (22 inches). Skorts and maxi skirts / dresses also work. No shorts for this 75-year-old. Of course “Gym capris” are a different story but those are typically formfitting and come right below my knee. All that being said proportion is obviously an issue.I would substitute my 22 inch A-line denim skirt for the cropped pants.
Janice,
My topic has nothing to do with cropped pants, but rather a humongous thank you for your years of posts that have instructed my packing methods ! This past long weekend we traveled to Maryland from PA ( first travel since 2020 Covid) to celebrate my husband’s birthday at his daughter’s house . Packing was so easy least ! 2 pairs of pants , two coordinating tops for each bottom that worked with both bottoms and three toppers totally . I probably could have only packed two toppers, but I was not sure of how many days we would actually be staying . It was all interchangeable except one warm colored top with the one cool colored topper . My packing has “ come a long way, baby” ! So big big hugs and thank you’s ! !
iPad typo after the word easy — and I thought that I had edited before posting !
Agree! Went to Nashville, Tennessee for grandbaby’s birth, expecting to stay 4 days. My DIL asked me to stay longer with grandson in NICU and she wanting help once home. Because I packed ankle length jeans, navy pants, jean shorts and both white and blue short sleeved as well as long sleeved tees with a soft indigo cardigan I am set for the extended stay.
I find these jeans confusingly named because they don’t seem “cropped.” If you look at the model, unless she is about 5′ tall (hahahahahahahaha), they are longer than a typical ankle length jean. The length for a size 27 is 28.5″, which is getting close to a full length pant. They are just old school, all cotton, straight leg, perhaps too short mom jeans…which I guess can be a thing, but I would be surprised if there is a significant group of people who were alive in the 80s who wants to revisit this particular unforgiving yet baggy-ass silhouette. (If you do, great…you do you. This wasn’t my best look as a 5’6″ size 1 in 1987.) I’m struggling with this as the choice for the “denim cropped or capri pants” garment in WTW, which suggests an above-the-ankle crop at minimum for warm weather comfort.
However, I agree that blue denim is the ultimate American neutral and that a lighter shade for spring/summer is nice. I just can’t help thinking how easy it would be to find/buy a pair of jeans that fit well and crop them at your preferred crop length, leaving the raw hem. For bonus sustainability points, buy them second-hand or use an extra pair you already own (which also compares very favorably with the COS $99 price point). In a warm climate, chambray crops would be even better.
This said, with different crops, I love the olive version. The earrings and Keds are spot on.
It hit 90 degrees here this week, so our days for cropped pants are numbered, but I have a pair of ankle pants in light denim from AG (bought off Poshmark) that have made this spring so much easier getting dressed than it used to be. It’s not a category I’ve bought for before the last year or two. For me, I find ankle pants and knee-length knickers to be the most flattering. Basically, cropped pants need to hit a few inches above the knee or ankle—anything else cuts me at an awkward point on the leg. I also like that they can be worn with almost any footwear—boots on cooler days, lace up sneakers, and sandals all look fine with mine.
Thank you for the intro to Red Thread! Genius! They’re in Eileen Fisher’s price range, so not really too spendy.
I swear I may wear my new pants every day, without exaggerating too much…
hugs,
Janice
Olive T outfit is my fav! Love this and will save to pinterest for shopping inspiration. Will definitely be cool-granny with that look, which to me really is ageless.
Do agree with others about capri/cropped. It seems now cropped is just above the ankle, and you can roll them for another inch or so. I haven’t yet exposed my ankles, it’s still too cold!
I am rereading old posts and just found this one about Red Thread. This is brilliant… new sizes for life?!?! I might have to save my pennies and try it!