April 5, 2024
The second half – I hope you like them as much as you did the first three wardrobes!
First is this subtle, somewhat muted painting…
At the end of March, our heroine didn’t have much for olive in her wardrobe! This is excusable though, because she had had some good luck finding the camel that’s so predominant in this painting. Sometimes, you add what you an find to your wardrobe, and wait for other things to become available…
So she shopped mostly for green:
Olive short-sleeve sweater – L.L.Bean; cabled sweater – L.L.Bean; bracelet – Forever 21; flax linen shirt – J.Crew; sandals – SoftWalk; shorts – L.L.Bean; tote bag – Betsy & Floss
Just these three new green garments bring a new balance to her wardrobe, with almost equal distribution among beige, green and black. If she ever runs into a lode of rust, she’s going to go a wee bit nuts!
She’s quite excited by the possibilities brought to her wardrobe by her disciplined shopping….
I can heartily endorse the cabled sweater from L.L.Bean; I own two, and they are essentials in my wardrobe…
There’s someone on Instagram who posts a Rothko painting each day – it’s fascinating! The more you look, the more you see…
Our heroine might admit that she’s got quite a lot of pink here, at the end of March:
Although she went shopping with a plan to get black and ivory clothes this month, she realized that she would be silly to pass up such a perfect linen dress… Sometimes, you have to reconsider your plan, if something crosses your path that ticks all of your boxes!
Vest – Alex Mill; earrings – Adornia; stripe-sleeve top – Vince Camuto; black shorts – J.Crew; pink dress – J.Crew; sandals – Sam Edelman; tote bag – Brix+Bailey
Even with the pink dress, her wardrobe now looks a bit more well-distributed. If you find that you just plain and simply can’t add neutrals to your wardrobe, you may want to consider that you’ve chosen the wrong neutrals. I don’t know that I would ever advise bubblegum pink as a neutral, but I’m not your mother – do what makes you happy!
One of the nice things about owning enough neutral clothing is that you don’t have to struggle to figure out how to wear your accent colors. They’re accent colors – rather than neutrals – because their role is to ACCENT your neutrals… Without neutrals, you’re stuck!
I’ve realized – if I didn’t live in a city, THIS might be my painting inspiration:
This sixteen-piece wardrobe would be great for travel to destinations from cool to moderately warm… I could do this:
This heroine was on the lookout for another blue top, a light neutral cardigan, and something else that was practical and struck her fancy. I think she did quite well!
Camp shirt – Alex Mill; earrings – Talbots; cotton/linen cardigan – Alex Mill; soft blue haze top – Lands’ End; skirt – Alex Mill; canvas bag – Quince; sandals – Splendid
This wardrobe now works well for a wider range of climates, and feels a bit lighter, in keeping with the arrival of spring:
It’s worth considering, when you buy warm-weather tops: “can this be worn under a sweater, jacket or sweatshirt in cooler weather?” Buying less means you can buy better quality, and add that little bit less to the “way too much clothing in the world” problem…
After these additions, I think I’m probably most likely to fall in love with the “all blues” wardrobe. It could be replicated in of black, white and black/white print…
hmmm….
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, I introduced you to a new favorite French style book; I had it off the shelf just a few days ago and I still really like it!
Like this article? Save it to Pinterest!
Great additions all around. The one that is most *me* is the Magill, while the one I admire most and wish suited me is the Denis. The Denis is similar to one last year that I tried to replicate in my closet. It did not turn out well. As to the rust items for the Denis, I doubt if there will be much available till summer heading into fall. I wonder if a range of rust related colors would work, like lightening to terra cotta, salmon, maybe all the way back to peach. Just a thought…
Had the same thought a few days ago…to think of hues in a range or family instead of absolutes. Reference the Denis and Nash pie palettes in today’s post – some of slice colors feature graduated colors, similar to what you get on a paint strip. Using a color family worked for my home interior ranging from ivory for the ceiling and trim, light yellow for the hallway, and butter yellow for the kitchen. Once you figure out what colors work for you, paint strips would be handy to have when shopping. And they’re free at home improvement stores.
I just love the Nash pallette! I’m wearing an appropriate outfit now and think I really could pull together a whole collection in these shades.
Ditto Sandy B. The Magill looks most like my closet, but I do love the look of both the Denis and the Nash. I flirted with those colors a few years ago (black, brown, olive) when you did the Tree of Life scarf. Which I have and still love, but hardly wear now. I found I craved more color. I also can highly recommend the LLBean Cable sweaters. I have 2 – 3 and just love them. Thank you Janice and have a lovely weekend everyone.
Here is the link to the olive short sleeve sweater: https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/128205?page=womens-midweight-cotton-slub-henley-sweater-womens-regular&bc=&feat=olive%20short%20sleeve%20sweater-SR0&csp=a&attrValue_0=44730&searchTerm=olive%20short%20sleeve%20sweater&pos=1&imgt=41
It dismays me that J. Crew dresses are so short. I solved the problem by ordering the tall size, even though I’m barely 5’7”. Nobody wants to see my knees. Just a tip in case someone else hasn’t thought of this.
Great suggestion!
I’ve known how smart you are for years now – you continue to prove it! And to share your good ideas with us is so generous!
big hugs,
Janice
The Denis manages to include every color I do not wear, lol! Of these three I prefer the Rothko, but the yellow gives me pause. Still loving the all blue and the O’Keefe gray-and-red from Wednesday. I think I could put those together (with the reds fading into pinks) and be happy. Overall, a well-presented and huge effort on your part, Janice. Surely, there’s something here to appeal to everyone.
Janice,
A lightbulb moment for me ! The Nash and Denis , or Lane and Parc , are the clear winners here for me, minus the black garments. My self discovery is how “ quietly” and “ woodsy” I dress , seeing the visual color representations here ! Yes, neutrals or near neutrals , such as tans, browns, olive green or denim blues , are clearly my core , with varied accent colors . As a mood dresser, some accent color days are brighter than others — or not ! As a country living preferred lifestyle, these colors represent my environment as well as personal preferences. Huh ! It just all fit together for me as of this post . I knew this at some level, but seeing the two color groupings really confirmed it for me . Thanks for that revelation , as well as travel color capsule schemes !
This is lovely to look at. The blue wardrobe and the Nash are my favorites. My closet is kind of a merge between them, changing the brown for black -which I use as an accent color mostly in pants and striped tees -, less bright blue in favor of denim blue.
BTW, the link to the shorts in the first wardrobe goes to the cabled sweater.
Cheers and blessings!
Ps. Janice, hope you’re doing well, prayers for peace and strength going your way!
The Nash, Mcgill, and Dennis wardrobes, in that order, are by far my favorites this year. If one muted the McGill to fit the tone of the other two so their pieces could work harmoniously together, you would have an almost perfect series of seasonal wardrobes. Especially if there was some soft pink thrown in somewhere. I’m in love!!!
Magill, sorry I cannot spell today! Lol
I’m firmly in the Magill camp but am fascinated by the Rothko wardrobe. I’d like to be friends with someone who could pull this off. I reckon they’d be a lot of fun!
I have to admit that I really like all except the Klee. Just personal preferences nothing against Janice’s fab work. I think the Rothko needs some pink shoes! they could be the pop of color with black and white or just go all out pink. If you love it why not? I find it interesting how many readers and Janice liked the all brown wardrobe last year and now seem to like the all blue this year.
Funny, I am drawn to the Klee and Nash but have throughly enjoyed all of these wardrobes. I love how well they all fit and see my own wardrobe could use a bit more balance. Thank you Janice, wishing you a lovely weekend.
Oh, I think the Nash is winning for me right now. Especially if I could swap some of the white/light pants for jeans. Then perfect! I think I would go a little heavier on the green shade… it might be hard to find right now. I have noticed in my own wardrobe that usually in the spring I want the brighter shades but this spring every time I wear them I feel a little clownish. Not sure what is happening to me!!
Of these three, the Nash is my favorite but I would definitely be swapping in more light blue/chambray/denim for much of the ivory/beige (certainly both pants options).
These three wardrobes really hit mark for cohesiveness, versatility and elegance.
The advice from Janice (among many gems) is that sometimes you just have to wait to get the right color. I think it’s VERY worth it to wait.
To have so much of that bright pink for winter and early spring is a treasure! Thanks, Janice – and the “Barbie” movie! But almost anyone (even many males) love that same color pink for late spring and summer and into early fall! So no, definitely not too much pink, especially looking at her inspiration art!
The white center Rothko capsule may just be my all time favorite. Well done, you!
The Rothko is a bizarre combination which somehow works. Although, exactly colour matching is important. This is not a blended wardrobe.
Nash continues to be my second favourite. I agree with Sallie in St Paul, that chambray/light denim would be good addition. Although there is not much blue in the sky, the impression is of blue light.
Oh, the Denis and the Nash are really my favorites.
If you can’t find rust-colored clothing on Denis, you can also add a bag and shoes in that color.
oooh… THAT’S an idea…
hugs,
Janice
The link for the J. Crew flax linen button down top in the Denis painting goes to an olive green handbag.
I do love the colors in this wardrobe, and can’t wait to see more warm weather pieces over the next few months! Thank you for all your hard work.
Fixed it – thanks for letting me know! I can’t always see these from my side of the internet fence!
hugs,
Janice
This month the Rothko is my favorite. I love the varied silhouettes