August 28, 2023
Let’s assume, for the sake of fun, that we know what our core neutral wardrobe color will be for upcoming cool weather (in the Northern Hemisphere, of course!).
But most of us are going to want to add something to accent our wardrobes for the upcoming 6+ months of sweater weather…
I’ve already found mine – I bought the Lands’ End Velvet Plum Heather cashmere cardigan THE MINUTE it was available. I didn’t wait for it to go on sale, because it had real, serious whappage, and that means grab it now!
I could have purchased the crewneck, but I already have a purple crewneck sweater – in a different purple! – so this filled a wardrobe gap, and also sang sweet songs of cashmere to my heart…
But there are lots of colors available right now – let me show you TEN that I saw and liked!
The first that caught my eye is this glorious green – it would be beautiful with navy, or beige, or brown… AND THOSE SHOES!!!
Bright evergreen Donegal cashmere sweater – Lands’ End; earrings – Nadri; necklace – J.Crew Factory; scarf – Mur by Ayca; ballet flats – Anthropologie
Of course I found more purple that I really love – I’m convincing myself that I don’t need the pearls, or the SHOES!!! (I clearly need to dig out all of my cool-weather shoes and reacquaint myself with them – I’ve been wearing sandals almost every day for months…)
Cashmere crewneck – L.L.Bean; earrings – Scream Pretty; pearls – Shar Oke; cashmere scarf – Arte Cashmere; oxfords – Miz Mooz
Burgundy goes with literally every neutral except maybe white… And it’s quintessential autumn!
Deep wine cashmere sweater – L.L.Bean; garnet earrings – Mounir; garnet & pearl necklace – Gemondo; silk scarf – Ilona Tambor; loafers – G.H.Bass
Camel! Well, they call it honey brown, but still… Rich and classic…
Honey brown cashmere sweater – L.L.Bean; earrings – Lonna & Lilly; pendant – Natori; silk scarf – Mur by Ayca; boots – Rag & Bone
If you love blue, take a look at this jewelry! And the lovely scarf…
Indigo heather cashmere sweater – L.L.Bean; sodalite bracelet – Alexis Bittar; sodalite pendant – Alexis Bittar; small neckerchief – Elizabetta; shoes – Arcopedico
Some of us do NOT want a dark accent for cool weather! This pink calls to me… sigh…
Shell pink cashmere sweater – L.L.Bean; earrings – Bounkit Jewelry; morganite pendant – Kamaria; silk scarf – framhŪs; loafers – Steve Madden
Olive green! With olive leaf jewelry! I see you, woman with freckles and russet hair…
Cashmere sweater – L.L.Bean; leaf earrings – Marcia Moran; leaf necklace – Marcia Moran; skinny scarf – Ilona Tambor; boots – Bos. & Co.
If you love pink, but you want a somewhat warmer shade, here you go! Matching loafers! And a gorgeous necklace…
Vintage rose cashmere sweater – L.L.Bean; earrings – Vintouch Italy; scarf – Faliero Sarti; necklace – Serabondy; loafers – Marc Jacobs
Stand out in the crowd – wear a bright color! This is so flattering to so many of us…
Dark royal cobalt cashmere sweater – Lands’ End; earrings – Kendra Scott; necklace – Soko; cotton scarf – Mur by Ayca; loafers – Herstyle
And one more bright color, just because we can! If you live somewhere that never gets bitter cold, ballet flats can be worn through a lot of the year; I wear mine well into the autumn, with opaque tights…
Hot pink cashmere sweater – Lands’ End; earrings – Loft; necklace – Panacea; scarf – Luna & Avery; ballet flats – Jeffrey Campbell
If you’re working on an accessory family, please take your time! There are tons of things available in the world that will work with your favorite color, but you have to look and look AND LOOK to find them…
love,
Janice
p.s. Seven years ago, we looked at how to wear a simple navy dress with pastel accents.
If you have a good neutral “Core of 4” neutrals (cardigan or jacket, tee shirt or shirt, sweater, pants), an accent sweater with accessories, and a dress with an accent cardigan, you have a travel capsule wardrobe!
Like this wardrobe? Save it to Pinterest!
I love all of these, but, alas, my closet and my budget aren’t big enough for them all. I am very tempted to get the dark royal cobalt sweater. It’s a favorite color for me. As my finger hovered on the button to put it in my cart, I realized I’m in the process of knitting a ruana in that very color. Not cashmere but merino and silk, so still soft and plush. So maybe I just need the accessories?
Thank you, Janice.
Fortunately (for me) I have a nice wardrobe of sweaters in my accent colors! Those purple shoes are absolutely amazeballs. I also really like the denim blue shoes. ahhhh I used to be able to wear pretty shoes. Even though it’s been hot here (PNW) there are signs fall is coming – turning leaves, and slugs coming out. We are supposed to have a break in our weather this week, which will be very nice for us. Just a lovely post. I love sweaters and sweater weather. Thanks Janice! Also want to remind you of that owl scarf from Pig, Chicken and Cow. I would love to see what you would do with it. Have a good day everyone!
The olive really calls me. And those olive suede boots! So tempting.
I’m not looking for sweaters at this point, but it occurred to me these great colors could also be long sleeved Ts. That’s what I thought they were at first without my glasses on, lol. Sweaters last me forever but I need to refresh Ts and turtlenecks every year. The accessories are amazing. The shoes! 😍
That olive green scarf with the little bunnies on it is adorable!
I agree, Rebecca – it’s wonderful!
Lovely post, and sweaters are
my winter uniform. Just added a cobalt blue one this year.The wonderful accessories you’ve presented have me day dreaming about what I might ‘need’ to aquire.
Cheers!
I’m not even half way through with my closet assessment, but already found I’ll be needing a couple of sweaters. My belovedest is encouraging me to not keep anything I wouldn’t take if moving out. Is making total sense! This post for sure will help me find inspiration. I’m loving the pinks especially.
Cheers and blessings!
Vermont to North Carolina-not a good move for lovers of cashmere. Wish Land’s End still had their cotton cardigans. Somehow, they’re hard to find. And cotton colors are not anywhere near as wonderful as delicious cashmere colors. Sigh.
Virginia B, I’m in TN, and I wear cashmere cardigans all winter. Maybe we keep our house cooler than most? The Lands End sweaters are warm, but I don’t find them oppressively hot. Just my experience.
I love the cotton cardigans from Lands’ End and was horrified to think they might have been discontinued. So I checked, and they still have quite a variety. I especially like the long open front ones.
This is one one of my favorite types of post because there’s something for everyone. I love the evergreen, the purple, the fuchsia, the royal blue, and the olive. And the necklaces are fabulous!
However, it’s not quite noon here in Florida, and it’s already 90° with a heat index of 99°. How about a wardrobe for someone who wants to freshen up her “endless summer” wardrobe with a few dressy casual items like lightweight third pieces for overly chilly restaurants?
That first dark green grouping is the one in which I love every piece, but the skinny bunny scarf (of course) and the amazing purple oxfords (click through to see all the colors – there are many) are tied for favorite item.
I’m that strange person in Minnesota who wears cotton sweaters all winter long and just layers as necessary. It helps that I run warm. I like cashmere in theory but I finally decided that I wasn’t willing to tolerate the itchiness (I realize that cashmere is supposedly not itchy but I am very sensitive) so I gave away my cashmere sweaters.
I would wear/have worn burgundy with white in winter and like the combination, especially when I step down in value from white through pink to burgundy for lower contrast. I have a structured, lined white straight skirt that seems like it shouldn’t look right in cold weather, but it actually works quite well with matching tights + ankle boots in black, navy, burgundy, or grey. It’s not for everyone, but I really like the white as an unexpected pop of bright (non-)color in the seasons against the typical dark winter colors.
Agree re cashmere. A few years back I broke down and took 10 (10!) sweaters to the thrift shop b/c I just never wore them. Have switched to merino wool instead. Same great colors, but no itch. Also lighter.
Same – but I can’t do wool. No cashmere, no Merino… and cotton just doesn’t take color with the same intensity :( Unpopular perhaps, but I love Acrylic for that reason – no itch, can be super vibrant in color … but usually cheaply made/sewn, so the “style” isnt what I want it to be!
Layering is KEY – and silk/ silk blends are warm and non-bulk-adding.
I also love burgandy and winter-white or ivory – I think it looks super sharp! especially for a party (the only time you’ll catch me in white bottoms)
I sometimes have wondered if I’m the only one who can’t wear cashmere – thanks for chiming in!
Ezzy, I think the fact that cotton has less color intensity when dyed is probably a positive for me with my soft coloring, but I can understand wanting that rich color. I have a couple acrylic (or acrylic blend) sweaters too but can only wear them in the absolute coldest weather because I tend to overheat in them.
The hot pink accent Luna and Avery scarf is available at https://www.lunaandavery.com/shop-scarves. This bright accent just grabs me this morning. I have an orphan purse near that color. Wonder which things I could add to bring the purse into use!
While most wools cause me to itch, merino is the exception. I can even wear merino base layers.
Janice, I can only get to this article through your email. When I go to the homepage of the website it doesn’t show up. I’m not sure if somehow that’s a glitch on my end or not. Just thought you might want to know. I only figured it out because I tried to go in first through the link I keep on my homescreen for your site and was sad to see no new post. Then upon opening my emails I found this gem!! I have tried it again a couple ways and don’t see this post unless I go through my email link. Thanks for the pretty sweaters today… I am going to make a new navy pullover and cream cardigan for fall. And I am on day 89/100 on my dress challenge so I’m having fun planning all my new outfits to wear them with!
Loved absolutely all the pieces! French 5’s can add so much to neutrals. Like the reader in FL I am looking at cotton options and long sleeve tees and praying it will get cool enough for them!! Such fun to see what you find and then go through my wardrobe and plan.
Thanks for the cardigan comments from sew librarian and book goddess! I feel as if my cashmere just didn’t earn it’s keep…is it more humid over here, maybe? The other thing is that Land’s End used to have nifty new colors every year, in just Pima cotton, I think I have all the same basic colors that they carry now. But will keep my eye out. I went over to Pima long sleeve T shirts, which are still to be had in quite a few colors, phew. And work well with Janice’s accessorizing post of today, for which I thank her!
Sandy, you & I must be related! I am usually able to keep sweaters for years, but tees & turtlenecks wear out fast. I am partial to the 1st green – so pretty. The camel is nice too. Just a voice on the shoulder…my question re the pearls you love Janice is, are they a piece you would keep and wear forever and do they expand your options enough that the cost would be worth it? Personal opinion here, but you seem to have fallen for many purple items in the last year, so maybe the pearls would be a good single item addition. I haven’t pulled out my warmer pieces, but am wishbook shopping new items to see if there is something that I really love enough to buy it as a refresh piece. Have seen many likes, but no big loves that would make the final cut. Arwen, you are lucky to have a belovedest that feels like that. Mine looks at a faded, stained, moth-eaten sweater that is too small and says that it’s perfectly good…for work…in a nice office…where people are in and out all day…where there are mean coworkers. Anyway, thank you ladies and Janice. I have a wishlist to rework again after seeing today’s inspiration items.
Dear Kari, I’m lucky indeed, although must say that if I ask about a particular item… It’s the same as you! Pants 3 sizes bigger and he’s like: that looks great! But if I tell him without showing anything he says: if you don’t love it enough to bring it for travel or to a new apartment, let it go! If I want an accurate opinion on a specific item, I need a videocall with my mom!
Well I can’t blame you for buying that very first purple sweater – it is gorgeous! I am definitely looking to add a purple grouping to my fall/winter wardrobe. I can’t afford that one but I will be keeping my eyes open.
I love the deep green, the burgundy (and I would absolutely wear it with white!), the purple, the cobalt, and of course the fuschia! Thank you for the cool weather “French Five” inspiration. It is still hot here, but I will keep these groupings in mind.
I’ve been wondering about a small winter capsule based on a winter white or cream neutral with main accent an icy pale blue and secondary accent of a very light blue-green and a light medium brown with golden copper undertones. Does anyone think that would work? I have a few pieces already in these colours & hope to add a few more in the next 2 years. Thanks.
I think that would be quite lovely IMHO
Something like this, but with cream rather than taupe? https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2015/11/start-with-art-part-two-golden-stairs.html/
Sounds light and pretty. [Personally I’d add an accent on “the other side” of the green/blues like a pink or orange (from your description, likely a pastel version on the cool side of the spectrum) but that’s because I am a color magpie and seem to need to swap between pinks/reds/burgandy/purple and blues/greens.] If you’re perfectly happy being on one side of the color wheel all the time, those colors sound great – white/ivory as your light neutral, coppery-brown as your dark neutral, and accents of icy blue and pale blue/green. lush fabrics that make you feel swaddled? perfection!
PS. Janice – those purple pearls are AMAZING. Considering your love of purple… and pearls … if you don’t have a piece like that, I’d get it. talk about whappage!
“If you have a good neutral “Core of 4” neutrals (cardigan or jacket, tee shirt or shirt, sweater, pants), an accent sweater with accessories, and a dress with an accent cardigan, you have a travel capsule wardrobe!”
I am going to remember this next time I have to pack!
I’m glad I clicked through on the purple oxfords; the Ocean color is the perfect dark teal for me. I find myself hoping that you reconsidered and got yourself a pair in that gorgeous purple. It strikes me that you won’t find that fabulous color very often.