October 24, 2022
This is just about the time each year when you realize that you’re going to need to wear a sweater (or sweatshirt) just about EVERY DAY. If that’s what you’re facing as autumn peaks, and winter starts to make itself felt, maybe you deserve a really NICE sweater…
If you start buying cashmere sweaters when you’re 30, and you buy 1 per year, you will have almost 3 dozen of them by the time you retire! Not a bad wardrobe to wear through your “golden” years, eh?
It goes with every neutral, and probably flatters almost all of us – what’s not to love about burgundy/wine/merlot/berry?
Sweater – J.Crew; garnet earrings – Delatori by Alor; scarf – Susi Bellamy; necklace – A Blonde and Her Bag; bag – Clare V.; boots – Donald Pliner
Of course, if you look good in gold, WEAR GOLD! It’s so lovely…
Sweater – J.Crew; earrings – Eden + Elie; scarf – Urban Medley; bracelet – Eden + Elie; velvet-trimmed bag – Maria Maleta; velvet loafers – J.Crew Factory
Frost can be beautiful…
Autumn and winter do NOT require that you wear dark colors:
Sweater – J.Crew; earrings – Aureus + Argent; scarf – Un Poco; necklace – Aureus + Argent; bag – Anima Iris; moccasins – Minnetonka
You may live somewhere that allows beige shoes all year; in Chicago, these would be RUINED the first wet day…
Sweater – J.Crew; jasper earrings – VUE by SEK; scarf – Elizabetta; necklace – Jurate; clutch bag – Betsy & Floss; loafers – Birdies
Why yes, frost can be beautiful…
If you’ve ever been tempted to try camel in your wardrobe, this sweater might be a good way to do it. You don’t want to test-drive a new color with something cheap and tatty, because you’ll never know if it was the color that you didn’t like, or just the nasty garment! If you get something beautiful, and it still doesn’t work out, then you know that it’s the color for certain… (and you find a dear friend to whom you give the sweater!)
Sweater – J.Crew; earrings – Ella Palm; scarf – Elizabetta; necklace – Kendra Scott; bag – Bembien; loafers – Cole Haan
Beautiful green is a holiday color for many of us – this might be a chance to dress for the holidays without wearing earrings that look like wee reindeer…
Sweater – J.Crew; earrings – Joy Dravecky; green neckerchief – Elizabetta; jade beaded necklace – Jackie Mack Designs; bag – Cadelle Leather; loafers – Boden
Remember, freezing cold weather is great for people with allergies!
If we’re going to live through winters, we may as well enjoy getting dressed, right?
love,
Janice
p.s. Eight years ago, a travel capsule wardrobe for a weekend was based on the colors of a photograph of chrysanthemums!
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Beautiful colours brighten my existence during cold months.
I’m looking for a dark red (burgundy/wine) jumper or chunky knit cardigan for winter. Something marled or flecked – soft and muted. Perhaps I might go proper shopping with my daughter.
Not sure about autumn being allergy free if you are allergic to mould spores like me!
I adore sweater weather! I have several of those JCrew sweaters. I generally need to size up to get the looser fit I like. Wanting to test drive chocolate brown I recently ordered one in the chocolate heather (I think that’s the name). They are 20% off right now with a coupon code. Have a good Monday everyone! We are having spirit week at the school and today is pajama day –
I am truly coveting that burgundy Susi Bellami scarf. It’s gorgeous but soooooo spendy. Also loving everything in the turquoise colorway. I live in Central Tx so I don’t really need the scarves or cashmere…….
Love the opening picture, frost descent. I would focus on that for a new sweater inspiration
Oh my! I am deeply impressed at your handbag/scarf combination with the aqua sweater. That is a moment of inspiration.
What do folks suggest is the best surefire way to keep moths from eating all those cashmere sweaters if you don’t want to use chemical mothballs?
I pack my sweaters in plastic bins and use a lot of dried lavender in summer, but this year, one of my cashmere sweaters got huge holes in it anyway. All the other sweaters were fine.
Apparently moths love cashmere. So three dozen cashmere sweaters could be a real feast for them!
When we had a chest freezer back in the house 12 years ago I would hand wash my sweaters , towel squeeze and lay flat to dry before storage as moths like food spots and oils however small.
Once dry I folded them up and put into gallon size ziplocks and squeeze out the air zip shut then toss into the freezer for a few weeks. Kill any larvae and eggs by freezing.
Later if I needed space for other things I would put the sealed bags in my dresser. Some years they stayed there till fall.
I tried cedar, didn’t do much. My freezer method works but it’s fiddly and when I didn’t bother the moths came back.
Thank you for the freezer recommendation.
I always keep the last small leftover pieces of handsoap and let it dry. I then place the pieces of soap between my linens and seasonal clothes I pack away (it must be clean, of course). I never had something eaten by moths, but I don’t have cashmere or 100% wool. Perhaps use it after you had it in the freezer?
What beautiful colors — I feel inspired to find cotton or linen sweaters in these combos! IMO, buying cashmere as a long-term investment is a mistake, as my cashmere items only last a season or two before they get moth holes or they pill or my cat scratches or … life happens. I’ve also found that I recently seem to have developed a wool allergy, which extends to beautiful cashmere. Sigh. Odd how you can wake up one day and suddenly be allergic.
I am also in the “substitute cotton” category because even cashmere irritates my skin (which has a hard enough time in the winter). The two green sweaters are my favorite with aqua as the runner-up. The pale green set is overall gorgeous to me…I like seeing the green with burgundy and cream. I would absolutely wear those beige loafers in winter…INDOORS. As soon as winter precipitation starts, I only wear dedicated boots outdoors. The idea of wearing a nice shoe in snow/slush/ice/salt is terrible. I see too many men wearing and destroying their dress shoes every winter and it’s a shame!
Such beautiful clothes and colors. Your posts always satisfy! I would love to invest in a beautiful scarf in navy and kelly green. Do you have any recommendations for a rectangle scarf in the $50 price range? Thank you for all your time and effort in creating these beautiful fashion collages.
I really love the grey and camel combo… so pretty!
I also avoid cashmere and wool sweaters because of moths. JCrew Factory typically has sweaters/cardigans in cotton that are similar in style to JCrew cashmere sweaters/cardigans.
JCrew is now running a 40% off promotion and I ordered a couple of their oversized cashmere wraps. As I wrote in my previous post, I rarely purchase cashmere or wool items because of moths but make an exception for scarves and wraps which are easy for me to care for and store.
Hmm, love cashmere sweaters, but once the few I have left wear out, I’m done. The one I miss most was an off brand…something Scots or Scotland, but very solid quality…after 20 years, it was just starting to pill. So, I just wear plain wool now over a blouse. Love the aqua and emerald today!