August 23, 2021
As I sit here writing this, even shorter pants feel like they might be too much! But since we can’t spend our entire lives nude (can we?), we should be prepared to cover our knees sometimes…
Yes, this is the same cardigan! But the whole purpose of this ongoing exercise is to show that your wardrobe can be built gradually with garments that will all work together. Yes, you can have lots of accents, but this core will make your life SO much easier…
Cardigan – J.Crew; earrings – Nordstrom; Henley t-shirt – J.Crew; bracelet – Madewell; sandals – Gentle Souls by Kenneth Cole; wide-leg linen pant – J.Crew
I tried really hard to scrub the background from these pants, because I think they’re so lovely – such a great color. Ignore the ragged edges of the image!
Short pants – whatever you want to call them – are great for the transitional time of year with cool mornings, when having your legs mostly covered is somewhere between pleasant and essential:
Bright blue tunic – L.L.Bean; floral earrings – Kenari; Ocean Imagination bandana – Jessie Zhao New York; bracelet – Aoy; black cropped pants – J.Crew; ballet flats – FitFlop
And for days when you have to look like an adult, but it’s still pretty hot out, these can come in handy, too!
Blue moonlight tank – Caslon; blue agate earrings – VUE by SEK; white linen pants – J.Crew; white cardigan – L.L.Bean; bracelet – Sterling Forever; ballet flats – Lucky Brand
This week’s example of a Weekly Timeless Wardrobe for Summer is inspired by the ocean and hot, hot, hot weather…
White lace-trimmed top – Everleigh; white linen top – Lands’ End; green jasper pleated top – Halogen; blue cool tank top – Halogen; chambray tuxedo shirt – J.Crew; blue cotton linen cardigan – Eileen Fisher; rich turquoise and lake tees – L.L.Bean; white cropped pants – Lands’ End; blue smocked top – Treasure & Bond; patchwork seersucker shorts – L.L.Bean; white chino pants – J.Crew; dress – Nordstrom
Here are a few examples of how this wardrobe might unfold…
Have you got you summer wardrobe fully sorted, now that summer (in the Northern Hemisphere, of course!) is nearly the end?
love,
Janice
p.s. Seven years ago, I celebrated reaching 10 million page views! If you want to see me at the age of 3, playing a song flute, click through to admire the photo…
Great post and thank you for all the stylish selections of capris/clam diggers or whatever one wants to call them. Excuse my small rant, but as a woman in her 60’s that has had a complete knee replacement with a scar to match, I do not wear shorts in public. My legs are actually decent due to a lifetime of exercise, including daily 3 mile walks and a 45 minute swim. I also now live in south Florida which is hot and hotter. I wear shorts around the house and on my walks in our development, but I always change to capris when I go out for an errand. I was told by a “fashion blogger” years ago that women shouldn’t wear them because they are unstylish and not flattering. This same woman couldn’t understand why she got a rash from a new blouse and that maybe she “should have washed it before wearing it.” Anyway, I told her capris were stylish for Sophia, Audrey, Grace and Liz so they’re good enough for me. Rant over, am going to shop some of your selections later today.
I too wear crops or capris instead of shorts when out and about. I would rather be unstylish than inappropriate or embarrassed. Besides, style is what you make it.
Isn’t it lovely that we are all have different perspectives, unique mind sets and yet can all learn from, and enjoy, this blog. Like Suzanne, I am in my mid 60s, complete knee replacement in January and (unlike Suzanne) wear shorts and above the knee skirts and dresses all the time. This is how I have always dressed and I don’t feel my scar is that prominent. I’m so glad that my knee works, I’m pain free and I can go out and about and see people that I just don’t worry about it. I also am not comfortable in capris. I like cropped pants (above the ankle) if I can’t wear shorts or skirts. Vive la difference!
I am very close to 2 women who have had knee replacement; 1 has a horrible scar that’s legitimately worth hiding, and one has a wee hairline scar that you have to point out for someone to see. I’m eager to get my knee(s) replaced to see what kind of scars I get!
hugs,
Janice
About going nude… Since we’ve been living in an alternate universe lately, we started watching science fiction, namely “Deep Space Nine,” a “Star Trek” successor. Once I got past the “beam me up” and “holosuite” stuff, I was into the ways it commented on things we take for granted. For example — The Ferengi people treat their women pretty much equally, but — they’re required to be nude when they’re at home. Ferengi sons react to clothed mothers the way we’d react to nude ones. Shall we call it a naked look at social mores we take for granted?
Thank you for the most unexpected comment of the day! A naked look indeed… :D
I’m always sorting out my summer wardrobe. I just don’t seem to care for summer offerings the way I do fall and winter. I’m not sure if it’s the colors? In any case, it’s still warm here – and likely to be at least through September, and since I’m always looking for lightweight pant options I can wear to work, I’m going to check out a couple of these. Thanks!
Did you ever do the speaking engagement, Janice? I do hope you achieved that dream!
I have done some speaking, but not nearly what I dreamed of. But now, since I’m with my mom all the time, it’s not going to happen!
my next life, maybe…
hugs,
Janice
Tell you what I think? I think you are some kind of genius, is what I think. Week in and week out, you show new ways to think about how we dress, and how to go about putting it all together. I have been a slow learner, but I finally think I’ve got the hang of it. I still have too much, but now I have a framework for adding and subtracting. BTW, I love it that you never get sidetracked into advising about personal style, e.g., what looks good on this or that body type, whether things are or aren’t trending, etc. Such things are difficult and need attention, but I read everything you write for different reasons–mostly because you never judge; you teach how to make better decisions, not what decisions are better.
Personally, I don’t mind ankle or full length pants in hot weather, if they are loose enough and made of the right fabrics. They are versatile, and I get to eliminate the shorts category and greatly limit the category of crops and capris. I wear linen every chance I get, and I love cotton pants–nicely cut but bedsheet-weight fabric–though they are hard to find. I’ve been known to repurpose well-made pajama pants in core colors for everyday wear.
Thanks for what you do every day.
Take a look at pants at Uniqlo – they do a line of pants that are printed, that are lightweight. They consider them lounge clothes but I see them on the streets all the time. Look at these:
https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/women-cotton-relaco-3%2F4-shorts-434530.html?dwvar_434530_color=COL10
hugs,
Janice
These are lovely combinations! Re the capri/cropped trousers controversy, here are my two cents: i like to check that the pant ends at a flattering part of my leg. If the pant falls to the widest part of my calf I feel stumpy and wide. If it falls an inch or two or three above my ankle i feel sleeker especially with a nude/low contrast colour shoe. This may vary for people of different heights and shapes?
I recall reading something by a clothing pattern expert who said there is something about how a pant leg “hangs” at different lengths that can be more or less flattering to the female shape.
I think it’s worth trying out various lengths to see what looks best to our own eye.
Sometimes I just key in on a phrase in your posts that are the essential operating guidance. Today, I am focused on that part about showing us that we can build gradually. Patience and discipline are quite rewarding. It’s so nice to know that just about anything I buy will come home and create 3-4 new looks!
As always, I’m loving your ideas and selections! I got my morning chuckle today when I checked out the white lace-trimmed top. Their description was “eyelet tired sleeveless top” ;-) I was thinking about sewing something similar, without the bottom tier, but if it’s “tired” already…
I do like the top, though, and I have a bunch of leftover lace. Not very summery here (Portland OR) today, but it’ll warm up again and ankle pants and sleeveless tops will be nice!
I saw a chic sighting today – young woman, petite frame, wearing a black floral skirt or culottes, pink jumper, lighy grey coat, low block heel ivory ballet shoes with a buckle, and a black and pink floral mask that coordinated with her skirt/culottes.
Full length wide leg suit me best to cover my generous thighs and calves. Failing that, midi or ankle length wide culottes. Though currently, I’m wearing straight leg cotton trousers that are generous in the leg. I wear cropped trouser pyjamas though I’ve gone back to long length to protect me from mosquito bites, to which I’m allergic.
Side note on a totally different topic—cruising through Instagram today and by chance a new fashion profile flipped by. I thought of you immediately, Janice, because this lady focuses on how to wear scarves, Hermès in particular. She can be found at the handle : scarflookbook.
Her photos are stunning! When you have time and need a picture pick me up take a look.
If you can’t get scarf tying ideas from her, you’re just NOT going to get ideas! Thanks for sharing – I’m following her now!
hugs,
Janice
The other day, I found a couple of magazine articles that I’d saved from the 1980’s on tying scarves and wraps. Worth trying something new. I remember using scarf rings and brooches to secure scarves and wraps. I still have them.
I use scarf rings all the time! I don’t use brooches because I’m too much of a sissy to poke holes in my scarves… But the rings are genius…
hugs,
Janice
Jenny thank you, I just followed her too. I love scarves.
I love the serene oceanic hues of today’s WTW. I prefer a narrow silhouette in short pants, though the ones that hit at my best point (right under the knee) work even when they are a bit wider.
That capsule is gorgeous. It’s full of perfect dusty blues and beach glass greens on crisp white that seems so right for late summer. I’m particularly fond of that soft blue Caslon top with the blue agate earrings and white capris.
Lovely capsule today! I look awful in any kind of cropped, capri, clam digger, ankle pant, whatever you want to call them. Something is off in proportion with all of those, so instead I wear full-length pants in cool weather and slightly above-knee skirts, skorts or dresses in warm weather. I often purchase ankle pants in Talls just to get a longer inseam.
I love a slim ankle pant that I wear with flat shoes. – nancyo
Janice,
Could we re-visit the beautiful Echo black/blue Snowflake scarf, that you also own? I would like to see another post for this for Soir de Neige a Terajima. I am trying to see how this would work for a Garde-Robe du Mois capsuel for this Fall using this scarf.
I second this! Would be a fantastic capsule :-)