September 11, 2024
She’s working for a political campaign! And thus far, she’s been wearing summer clothes, of course. But heading into the home stretch of this ENDLESS election (seriously, must this take 2 years?), she needs to pack and all-purpose suitcase for cooler/cold weather…
The temptation is this plaid suit. She loves the plaid, and she’s not at all nervous about wearing something this bold. But she’s still pondering if it makes sense to buy both pieces:
My approach to helping her with this decision is to show her outfit options using either the blazer or the pants… Her possible colors include the touch of yellow and bright blue found in the plaid, but I think frankly she’s going to be a lot happier keeping things simple and sticking with navy and white and ivory!
The easiest way to wear this blazer is with a solid column of navy; her top could be a tee shirt or a blouse, rather than the turtleneck:
Blazer – Boden; red cashmere scarf – Fraas; navy turtleneck – L.L.Bean; navy pants – L.L.Bean; cashmere socks – & Other Stories; loafers – G.H.Bass
In a similar vein, wearing the plaid pants with a lovely navy sweater, some gold jewelry and some red accessories is simple when you’re getting dressed at 6 a.m. and going to be out and about ALL DAY…
Cashmere turtleneck – Alex Mill; earrings – Talbots; bracelet – Talbots; bag – Campo Marzio Roma 1933; loafers – Anne Klein; pants – Boden
When we were emailing, she hinted that a dress or skirt would be useful. Nothing is less complicated than a classic shirtdress!
Blazer – Boden; earrings – Nellou Jewellery; scarf – Nordstrom; dress – Lands’ End; bag – Persaman New York; shoes – Linea Paolo
Every last minute of this campaign is not dressy – a sweatshirt and down vest will be great for days when one doesn’t have to look too “official.” A different role in the campaign might change these tops to something like a white bow blouse with a navy sweater vest…
Hat – Paul James Knitwear; scarf – Polo Ralph Lauren; sweatshirt – Alex Mill; navy vest – Lands’ End; chukkas – L.L.Bean; pants – Boden
Jeans can go a lot of places if they’re darker, and in the “current” silhouette of wide legs… And a ruana is always handy if it’s going to be chilly!
please note, there is NO SUCH THING as a travel scarf. All scarves are travel scarves. Unless you find one that has its own passport, or pays for its own ticket….
Blazer – Boden; cashmere sweater – J.Crew; gloves – Style&Co.; ruana – Echo; jeans – J.Crew; boots – Blondo
A late meeting after you all get to the hotel? Go ahead and wear your slippers, but look like an adult across the table…
Polo sweater – L.L.Bean; earrings – Talbots; necklace – Talbots; socks – UGG; slippers – Minnetonka; pants – Boden
To get to that magic number 13 (just kidding…), and to have a couple more choices for tops, I’m tossing in another turtleneck, and one of these EXCELLENT white shirts. They are seriously durable, and don’t need ironing…
This is what I’m suggesting she could wear/pack for the last 8 weeks of travel. I know they have access to laundry (there are volunteers who actually come into campaign offices and pick up laundry from the traveling staff! Heroes…), and I’m pretty certain that she’ll grow sick of this, insofar as she’s paying much attention at all to her clothing.
That’s the joy of being busy – you don’t pay attention to what you wear, and you therefore don’t mind repeating outfits. When you travel and see different people every few days, nobody but the people traveling with you will see your repeat outfits. And your co-workers are all doing the same thing as you – nobody is doing this work with a steamer trunk of clothes in the bottom of the bus…
I’m pretty certain that this wardrobe can’t yield a really ugly outfit. It might be the source of something inappropriate, but there’s not much I can do to help you with that!
What other options are possible? Lots, but here’s a few…
Have you ever volunteered for a political campaign? Years ago, I discovered that I could FIX shredders, rather than having to buy new ones! You just never know what you might be able to do…
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, we built a wardrobe in black, sage green and muted pastels…
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This is a wonderful capsule. I would definitely add sneakers and a denim jacket. The plaid pants remind me of a pair of navy plaid Pendleton wool Bermuda shorts I owned a long time ago. They were so classic and preppy worn with a navy sweater, navy knee socks and beautiful Old Maine Trotters loafers. I might even wear that blazer with a denim shirt, tan cords, and western boots. So many possibilities!
And, yes, I’ve volunteered for many political campaigns since my mother (a precinct captain) took me door knocking with her when I was two!
How cheery! Would brighten a gloomy winter day.
This wardrobe is evidence of why I continue to be amazed at your ability to construct beautiful, creative, and wearable combinations.
I love both the blazer and the pants, but I am not sure I’d be brave enough to wear them together. What I adore about the outfits you’ve created is that they’re all so wearable and cohesive, without feeling costumey or kitchy.
Yes, as long as the blazer and pants aren’t worn together, this ends up being a lovely wardrobe!
This is amazing. Lucky person to have a wardrobe like this! Thank you Janice.
I thought these were pyjamas at first glance 🤣
I’m going to quote you on the travel scarf 🧣 You are so right!
Still fascinated how you put everything together…you make it look so easy!
Thank you
PS I too can fix shredders
This reminds me of the plaid worn by 1970’s school girls who were fans of the Bay City Rollers. I hope that her campaign stylist is on hand to prevent her being tempted to wear the jacket and trousers together! You have done a great job to make this outfit wearable in different ways without looking kitsch or having “old lady with a headscarf” vibes. The chunky gold jewellery is chic and modern.
However such bold colours whilst they scream “Look at me!” could be a distraction on the campaign trail, particularly the trousers which remind me of ones worn by golfers. I know that plaid trousers are in, my daughter has a pair, but I can’t say that I like them. The jacket is OK but edging on the side of frump in a blazer style. This could be taken off on arrival leaving a chic outfit underneath. I know that US political campaigns are very different to British ones! Our hustings will be announced at short notice, tend to be in a draughty church hall, presided over by the minister as a neutral official. We get very little glitz and glamour.
I like plaid as a pattern but prefer it in nightwear – I used to have a red plaid nightdress and pyjamas. If I wear it at all it will be as a monochrome scarf/wrap like blue and ivory or purple and ivory. I have a plaid scarf in teal, blue and ivory which is a bit more adventerous.
I wouldn’t have the courage or panache to pull off this plaid jacket let alone plaid trousers.
For lovers of plaid, Boden have this pattern in a kilt, pinafore, maxi dress. Accessories: plaid shoes, evening bag and hair bow too. Imagine a sleek black evening dress with the plaid evening bag. She could wear plaid pyjamas and slippers at night too. The suit also comes in green and purple plaid with wide leg trousers just in case she wants a change!
I had to look as the idea of the purple and green plaid excited me, especially with the wide legs. Much to my disappointment, it’s kind of olive and muted red-violet, no matter what they call it. But now I’m on a quest to find a brighter version!
I think I would add a navy blazer. It would look awesome with the plaid pants and red turtle neck.
Who is marketing a scarf as being a travel scarf? This is new to me. I cannot imagine how it would be pushed. Do they say it’s lightweight for you carryon? It passes airline requirements? 😂
I love using a plaid suit as the heart of a capsule wardrobe! I would probably use a blue plaid and wouldn’t wear the suit pieces together. That shirtwaist dress is wonderful!
Wow! Not gonna lie, this is NOT my style … I agree with the commenter about having had PJ’s like this as a child. I think i could pull off the plaid pants (and love the outfits you made with them) but the jacket would be too bold for me; perhaps I don’t have the confidence to rock that look. The other thing that threw me a bit is that the navy running through the red on the plaid itself reads as green or olive to me on my computer screen… If i swap in some of the navy for olive, that works better, which is great to know if someone gets smitten with a plaid with olive in it.
Having said all that, I LOVE every single remix look you put together. This is another part of your talent – you put such a great grouping together that even if some outfits are “not to taste” for an individual, the rest are still cohesive and lovely! I bet one could swap the plaid pattern for any 2 pieces in a pattern combining red and navy and this wardrobe would look excellent. Paisley, florals, polka-dots, whatever… Janice you are a genius! Your wardrobes are always so inspiring.
The one bad outfit would be…wearing them together. Reminds me of that appraiser on the US Antiques Roadshow.
The pantsuit gives me Vivienne Westwood vibes. Very retro. I’ve always assumed that on the campaign trail everyone except the actual candidate is supposed to fade into the background. Hence all the navy suits. However, i like this wardrobe as a demonstration of how a plaid suit can be separated and enhanced with solid colors.
Ugh nearly $500 for something lined in polyester. A sweat box that needs to be dry cleaned. That would work well on the campaign trail.
I love all of this! I feel like it would be a fantastic holiday capsule too. I can see the plaid blazer and the gold jewelry at a Christmas party.
Could someone please box up that lookback & send it to my house?!? Sigh. That sage blazer is to die for!
(Yes, I’m in Camp Neutrals – I did own and love a red buffalo plaid fall jacket way back in the when, but other than that… my personality is loud enough without my suit shouting too!)
Haven’t you heard? Plaid is the latest neutral! 😂😂😂
🤣. Not in my closet!
I recently saw a similar plaid suit on a model and thought “pretty, but too limited.” Wow, was I wrong. This is so cohesive and creative. I would never be caught dead in head to toe plaid but I like each piece individually. Some women can carry this off though.
I love everything about this capsule! In fact, I could pull this together from pieces I already own. I love vibrant colors but I would not wear the blazer and pants together. I don’t think “my” plaids match but that doesn’t matter as I do not wear them together. My style words are vibrant, effortless, and confident and I think this capsule embodies them all.
Oh my goodness, you’ve knocked this one out of the ballpark. I love tartan/plaid and when I saw this…….. Youser. Now I would never wear them together, that’s just not me but as separates I’m all in. Funnily enough, when I woke up this morning my first thought was I wonder what Janice has for me today ( my birthday). 😁
Happy birthday! 🥳
Thank you ☺️
I have a set of pajamas that look almost exactly like that, only fuzzy lol.
My initial thought was “Uhhh. No. To Christmasy.” Too my surprise I also liked all the remix outfits. This encourages to sew a pice of fabric I saved from my moms stash. All the same colors as this but with navy rather than red as the dominate color.
I was late looking at Monday’s post. I also liked the cool medium brown with the lighter blues. I have always been drawn to those. I think that fair isle sweater would be lovely with navy and even with a brighter navy skirt or pants or dark jeans and with a bright burgundy stripe or check shirt underneath. If I lived in the cold frozen north I would be very tempted by this!
I really like this! I would struggle wearing plaid as a suit, but I know a few people who would rock that look! I had a plaid blazer similar to this way back when wearing pants required a lady to wear a jacket to work and remember wearing it with all kinds of colors taken from the print.
From all the other comments, it looks like I’m in the minority as I would wear the suit. Of course, I’d give it a retro punk spin with platform Docs, a band tee, messy hair, and sunglasses. 😎
The tall boots would be super necessary as the 28” inseam is far too short for me. Even the “long” is only 30”, and I need a minimum 32-33”, more if I plan to wear a heel. And I’m only 5’8” – not super tall. Has anyone else noticed how much shorter inseams have been getting lately? This was a massive issue for me back in the day, started improving 10-20 years ago as pants got longer, and now it’s going back the other way. 😢
YES. It’s not just you. My favorite inseam is 33; everyone now likes to make things at “ankle length” (28). I’m 5’6”-5’7″ – depends on when we’re measuring! – and I also find it very frustrating. I definitely view the “tall” ones as well to try and get a little extra length – but imagine, if us not-so-tall ladies are frustrated, what our 5’9″+ sisters are feeling!
Also – rock that retro, full suit look! :-D i bet you’d look awesome.
Off the topic of today’s post….
For no other reason than my head is turning to autumnal ideas, it occurred to me that a capsule wardrobe based on Kathleen Kelly’s (the Meg Ryan character) outfits in “You’ve Got Mail” would still work today. The shoe styles would need to be updated but her outfits were pretty timeless. I’ve always loved her style of simple skirts and sweaters and her pyjamas were great too!
✏️ 🫖 🍁 🦊 🌼 NYC152 📚
Just a silly musing that few may even see because it’s later in the day and traffic is probably low now.
I would not wear this plaid suit, even as separates. The pattern is way too gaudy. (“Are you wearing the clothes or are the clothes wearing you?”) As others have said, look like Wee Willy Winkie jammies or a Lumberjack.
This capsule has too much traditional/classic and not enough trend/chic, making it overall frumpy. I like the wide-leg jeans, they are chic. You could use a pair of heels in this capsule to help reduce the frump.
Odd comment as the oversize “Jammie” look is what’s trendy
I agree the idea of monotone + 1 loud piece isn’t trendy. But neither are most politicians (women or men) or their “staffers” as we call them in the US
I’m not saying I love the look – I would do red white blue differently. But I don’t think your criticism is on point either
I had a pair of pants almost identical to these in my collage years and loved them!
Oh, Janice, you are a magician. My first glance at today’s suit, all I could say was OH! and then Really? (Personal opinion only, not my style but, obviously right for other folks). But, of course, as I looked through the outfits I was awed by your ability to create a cohesive and smart capsule. Ta Da! You never disappoint.
My first thought on seeing this pantsuit was, “Wow, I wouldn’t be surprised to see something like this at Keeneland”. For those not from Kentucky, Keeneland is a race track in Lexington which hosts a 3 week meet in the fall and another in the spring. It is a great place to drink bourbon, eat burgoo and people watch! Personally, I cannot wear something so bold, but the young sorority girls in Lexington can definitely rock this!
I love the pants and jacket together! And I like the separates options also. I think it’s quite difficult to do red, white and blue well, but this is lovely, Janice!
Back in 1964-65, I wore my aunt’s red/green tartan plaid skirt suit with a button down shirt and one of my father’s fat solid green ties to jr. high school. I was beyond cool. The suit was vintage and fab, groovy, mod, hip, far out. So I would definitely buy the jacket and pants and wear them together. Even at my age.
I had a red plaid blazer (Ralph Lauren?) just like this one in the early 90s. Of course it had shoulder pads :). I actually prefer stripes to checks near my face. However, I’d wear the pants.