April 26, 2021
Ah, let’s start with a version of my FAVORITE travel outfit…
Earrings – Bling Jewelry; scarf – Lafayette 148 New York; cardigan – COS; striped silk blend tee – Vince; loafers – Clarks; socks – Columbia; ponte pants – Spanx
Even though it gets to be quite hot here in Chicago, I find that I often need a cardigan or jacket when I’m indoors – because of air conditioning, or outdoors in the evenings when the wind turns and blows in off the lake…
This week I chose this black cardigan at least in part so that I could introduce you to COS – a store that I discovered a few years ago in Paris. They now have locations in a lot of countries, and they also do mail order…
My all-time favorite tweed dress came from COS, as well as a couple of tops and a jacket that I quite thoroughly love – I’ve had excellent luck with buying from them!
We all know how versatile a cardigan can be, but I can’t resist showing this black cardigan with a range of colors:
Earrings – Kate Spade New York; cardigan – COS; silk narrow scarf – Pig, Chicken & Cow; light ocean tee – L.L.Bean; sandals – OluKai; cropped pants – L.L.Bean
I just ordered these drawstring linen pants to replace my ridiculously faded and threadbare linen pants from the past few years!
Opal earrings – En Route Jewelry; cardigan – COS; bag – Kurt Geiger London; linen tee – COS; sandals – Birkenstock; linen blend pants – J.Crew
Black and brown – heck yes!
linen tee – COS; earrings – Cult Gaia; skirt – Biancoghiaccio; cardigan – COS; bag – Hobo; sandals – Geox
Even if you’re dressed in very light colors, your dark neutral cardigan might still be just right with your outfit:
Striped Irish linen top in graphite stripe – J.Crew; earrings – Talbots; cardigan – COS; bag – T Tahari; white linen pants – J.Crew; sandals – Louise et Cie
And if you’re going to go completely NUTS with purple (and why wouldn’t you, when you find things that work together this well?), a dark neutral cardigan can be a nice simple addition to your outfit:
Butterfly earrings – Kendra Scott; cardigan – COS; violet chalk tee shirt – L.L.Bean; skirt – H&M; tote bag – DKNY; sandals – Free People
Here’s the master list of Weekly Timeless Wardrobe garments, for those of us following along at home…
I’m SO READY for warmer weather… Is anybody else languishing in the world’s longest, coldest Spring?
love,
Janice
p.s. Eight years ago, I pondered the idea that a denim jacket is a “must-have” item for every woman; what nonsense, eh?
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At last— a new reminder of how chic and versatile black and white can be, especially for those of us winters with grey hair! I still have a few of your older black and white posts and love them all.
Love Love Love the black and white. Next favorite would be the olive, although my own closet is full of purple :) Having followed WTW last year, I find myself “set” on most of these basics this year. Picking up some new accent colors mostly in a periwinkle blue has been fun for me. Thanks for this series!
P.S. We had two weeks of record breaking nice weather here, before it went back to our usual chilly rainy spring- I wasn’t even tempted to put warmer clothes away because I know better!
I have too many cardigans in a myriad of neutral and accent olours. I tend not to wear really dark colours in the Sprinv/Summer preferring light to mid tones. I love the purple t-shirt outfit, though my neutral would be grey.
The sparkly blue earrings and lilac abalone butterfly earrings are so pretty and I’m on the lookpout for a purple bag for autumn.
The older I get, the lighter my suitcase. Thank you for your wonderful posts helping us to coordinate versatile capules that allow us to remain chic without breaking our backs…or bank accounts.
Start with a neutral and build…wish I’d worked that out 50 years ago!
ps COS is now in Australia, too.
Thank you for the look back about denim jackets. A few years ago, I bought a lilac denim jacket on a whim and I love to wear it on summer days when it is sunny but cool and windy. It is more structured than a cardigan but less formal than a blazer, though I do have a denim blazer.
However, I find myself attracted to blazers again as we come our of lockown. I seem to be reverting to the dress/skirt/trousersand blazer/jacket combo of my twenties.
I also have a couple of suedette biker style jackets which have a softer look than ‘leather’ on a middle aged woman.
Just wondering if you could develop a denim jacket/blazer post as an alternative to cardigans?
I was also having a discussion with a friend about post-lockdown footwear to wear with dresses/skirts – comfortable but not high heels.
I did enjoy looking back at the denim jacket post. They don’t work at all for me, but colors in “twill” are another story. I’m happy to say that I added an olive green twill utility jacket and now a like coral one to my wardrobe. They’re longer, softer and have a waist. It is a rare day when we don’t need a jacket, and these work so much better for me.
Also, I am tired of those must-have lists. They’re just as bad as the ones that say, “Women over 40 should not wear/do this” articles.
I had a short denim jacket I never ever wore. I purchased a gold corduroy jacket this last fall that I wear all the time. And then, this spring, happened upon a soft, faded (almost white!) blue over sized kind of 1980’s style denim jacket that I just love. Definitely the “hardness” factor!
I dressed for the warm spring weather that was forecast, but instead it’s a rainy, windy 44 F here. I’m now thinking that the lightweight cotton/rayon cardigan I’m wearing over a sleeveless blouse should have been upgraded to something warmer.
And how magnanimous, the featured cardigan goes all the way up to a size M/L. COS doesn’t want a penny of my money, I guess.
My black cardigan is the go-to item, summer or winter. My only suggestion is try to find one with no buttons for even more flexibility. My other summer go-to is a white jean jacket. They both travel with me in summer to cover chilly mornings or evenings.
I love that site! The clothes are great, I just wish I had an idea how they look on actual people because those models are even taller and thinner and more stick-like than usual.
I’m quite diametrically opposite to the build of their models – I’m the original sturdy girl! But I have pretty good luck with their clothes; it’s not to be expected, for sure!
hugs,
Janice
I loved seeing two brands in your mix today. First, I agree that COS can have some really great items. I also enjoyed seeing OluKai in the mix. I can tell anyone in the group who has back issues: these are THE BEST for walking and arch support; they also last forever.
Hi Janice and Everyone! Just catching up on the last 2 posts and comments.
I bought a lightweight v neck black cardigan from LE, which I think will live year round in my closet. Actually, I loved the style so much that I bought a grey, and plum one too.
Two weekends ago we took a road trip to visit family, and I plundered a number of bargains at the local thrift store. I picked up this absolutely gorgeous infinity scarf that has one panel of plain plum/magenta stitched lengthwise with a peacock feather pattern in the reeds on another panel. I know it sounds crazy, but it just about goes with everything in my 21pc wardrobe challenge for A pril.
We are going to SF in a couple of weeks and I have my essential common wardrobe in olive, so now I am thinking of accents (and sleeve lengths ) to go with it.