February 26, 2025
Of course, our heroine from Monday is going to need some accessories for her work wardrobe – shoes, at a bare minimum! And it’s certain that she’s going to be carrying a pretty big bag, since she has to carry her laptop, her mouse & mousepad, her power cords, and anything else she needs at her desk each day.
Here’s the art which inspires her:
Here’s the wardrobe with which we left our friend:
cashmere cardigan – Lands’ End; tee shirt – Lands’ End; skirt – J.Crew; chino pants – Lands’ End; Chambray shirt – J.Crew; jeans – Alex Mill; cashmere vest – Boden; wool-blend pants – J.Crew; turtleneck – L.L.Bean; striped tee – Old Navy; striped shirt – Lands’ End; White tee – L.L.Bean; Bright poppy cashmere sweater – J.Crew; red blouse – J.Crew; mid-calf skirt – Eileen Fisher; ponte knit dress – J.Crew
As much as our heroine would have loved to fill this part of her wardrobe with small sharp things, she (for the most part!) has stuck to normal, acceptable choices. If anybody asks about the skull earrings and necklace, she plans to launch into a lengthy Stoic philosophy speech about Memento Mori…
Her method is obvious, but seems to work well. Start with six outfits, that include all of the “bottoms” in your wardrobe, and accessorize each of them. At least you know that you have the right shoes.
So let’s start! Yes, I know that the motif is actually a logo, but I still really like this scarf:
Why yes, it’s a tiny skull…
More skulls! But these are small…
I can only assume that Van Cleef & Arpels lost the copyright to the clover design, because I see them everywhere…
In the event of a cold spell, or a deep desire to NOT wear pumps, our heroine is keeping her tall boots in her wardrobe for work. And if you look really closely at the blouse, you’ll understand the earrings!
This scarf is small, but very pretty. And yes, another skull!
Just for fun, let’s look at all of her accessories, gathered together:
I could survive with this! I just don’t know how it would be to actually have to show up in an office and behave like an adult…
love,
Janice
p.s. Today’s flashback is to someone who could inspire today’s heroine – a negotiator who seems pretty mild-mannered, until you look closely at her jewelry!
This was the original post about the negotiator…
Like this wardrobe? Save it to Pinterest!
I could easily wear every shoe you’ve selected – just in brown or tan. It’s a relief to see her bag will be large enough for disinfecting wipes. The subtle take on edgy is just right, subtle enough for plausible deniability that she’s got a subversive streak. 😏😁
Love the skulls! Small and tasteful enough that if someone really noticed, well they have too much time on their hands. Definitely a boost for our heroine. Reminds me of a Stephanie Bennett Henry quote, “Life is tough my darling, but so are you, so are you…”
I really enjoy your very fun and inspiring outfit ideas based on art. I appreciate that you find items from affordable brands like LLBean too and love all the scarves. Keep up the good work!
The skulls leave me cold and seem immature, and less than chic compared to the rest of the wardrobe which is really lovely. There is edgy and there is questionable taste. The skulls might even go against a strict dress code.
Can you imagine a lawyer or judge wearing these items? Maybe more appropriate to a goth teen working at retail.
Interesting in the flash back that there is a reference to clients being ‘crazies’… (inappropriate word smithing ?), with attitude like that she’d be out on her studded butt if we had called her in to negotiate.
Wow, Anonymous, are you okay?
I understand your point and agree. I’ve worked in too many offices, with very different levels of formality, to think that the skulls are a good idea. This does not mean the jewelry wouldn’t be fun to wear in social settings. I just don’t think they convey the proper message for a real office setting.
I also understand why Janice selected them and maybe for a woman that only plans on working in the office for 10 – 12 more weeks, the messaging does not matter that much. And if it gives the heroine some sort of satisfaction, then by all means enjoy while you can.
I do agree with your take, Anonymous. I probably would have used softer words, since Janice is so wonderfully creative and most likely works harder putting these posts together for our enjoyment than most people work spending 40 hours in person in an office.
I can’t resist referring to the post from 7-24-11 entitled “Wardrobe: Things You Will Never See” (I can’t figure out how to link, but just search “skulls” or search for the post. You’ll find them at #7)!
That post was signed “Vivienne”, so I’m going to assume it may have been the original French lady who decried the skulls, among other fun fashion touches like platform shoes, 13+ years ago. ;-)
The look back at that post was unintentionally hilarious. I can say that I’ve honestly seen all of those things (although not at once) in the office within the last year.
I think it just highlights the passage of time and change of culture. It HAS been 14 years! After all, does anyone think or expect that the fashion of 1968 would look like the fashion of 1982? Autres temps, autres mœurs…
OMG these are really lovely and complement the wardrobe so well. My two favorites are the Michael Nash floral earrings and the little skull earrings–so cute! I also love the bow earrings with the red bow shirt.
Umm… as noted, there are some lovely pieces of jewelry, the vast majority in fact, which are classy, elegant and in perfect taste! So just like when a color scheme doesn’t suit my preference I mentally edit the selection.
I wonder if our heroine has a Grateful Dead playlist going in her head? As a kid who grew up in San Francisco, across the street from the free concerts in Golden Gate Park, this seems, to me, like a whimsical take on a grown up, secretly Dead Head wardrobe! Cheers to you Janice for bringing a touch of something out of the ordinary to our lives. To our friends who seem unhappy with this, I recommend choosing different accessories, and cheer up!
“The wheel is turning and you can’t slow down, you can’t let go and you can’t hold on…”
My thoughts as well, particularly the small scarf that has large and small Grateful Dead symbols. I found the suggested accessories really well balanced the wardrobe, and wish “the heroine” much luck in her search for a new more enjoyable workplace…
The skull accessories strike me as what Alison at AskaManager calls a “know your office situation.” In some offices requiring this level of dress, they would be a mistake; in others, adding some mildly edgy personality in your accessories would be just fine. If you spend all day in an office by yourself, no one may ever even particularly notice the skulls; in a more public-facing or group setting, they could be quite visible. This isn’t something you’d wear on your first day in a new job, or first day back in the office after a long absence, but every heroine will have to determine the acceptability of it in her workplace for her particular role for herself. In any case, the little skull touches are a lot of fun and could easily transition to retirement in 10-12 weeks hence. And any readers who share the heroine’s fascination with skulls and are attracted to the “polished skulls” vibe will be thankful (wait, polished skulls sounds weird! y’all know what I mean, though, right?).
I have to agree with commenters in the previous post who suggested dark wash denim as the optimal choice here. Even in a more business casual setting, I think immaculate dark denim is the way to go because it absolutely reads as dressier and more professional. It’s not impossible that a heroine’s workplace/role would span professional suiting type pencil skirt and pumps down to light wash/faded denim, but I would always err on the side of having my blue jeans in a “dressier” cut/wash for a workplace where the other items are appropriate.
The colorful clover earrings, floral scarf, and red socks outfit gets my highest approval due to the cheerful color factor, but I can understand why there’s so many neutral accessories in this wardrobe. Re: the earrings, I did a double take when I first saw the earrings because I assumed they were the Van Cleef & Arpels original thing, which is crazy expensive. (I don’t know how expensive, but my rule of thumb is that if a company advertises on the back cover of The Economist, they are crazy expensive.) Obviously a lot of companies just flat out ignore intellectual property rights in creating dupes but I would hope that Nordstrom is on the ball enough to know that these dupes are legit.
I would love to see how our heroine could integrate these pieces into her retirement wardrobe once her job wraps up.
The office/professional environment certainly has changed over the years. Now when I walk into my local bank in the UK (if you can find a branch), I’ll be no longer be served by people in smart uniforms or suits. They are wearing clothes that look as if they’ve come from the gym. They do look a bit scruffy. Worse is older men wearing white shirts without ties (scrawny necks on show). Then there are the piercings, tattoos, and all manner of weird jewellery. The days of dress codes seems to have gone – everyone should be allowed to express themselves. I try to ignore what they wear as long as I get good service.
I like these accessories. Skulls can convey bravery and toughness and they are subtle. You’d have to be standing very close to figure out what it was, especially if you wore the earrings upside down. If I was feeling rebellious, I would have studs on my footwear and bags. The Van Cleef style earrings are reminiscent of a shape seen in Tudor jewellery.
Times and office dress codes have certainly changed and I think every item here is appropriate for most work settings. I think some retired people are out of touch. Great choices Janice!
Why take a swipe at “retired people” (which we all hope to be someday)? Some millennials, GenX, GenZ, billionaires, etc. are also clueless, but dividing us by such categories is pretty out of touch as well.
No swipe intended as I am retired myself. Apologies that I offended you.
Interesting how diverse and emotional the responses are to this capsule wardrobe with accessories. I live in the US Southwest where Dia de los Muertos imagery is prominent year-round, so I didn’t even blink at the skulls. And these are really small. I like the capsule in general and love the colors, which are common in my current closet.
Thank you Etain, for explaining this to Janice,’s readers. This painting is Southwestern , and Southwestern accessories where not shown. I have felt for many , many years that we as Southwestern Americans have been pushed aside by others in these comments, when we voice our wardrobe likes to Janice. I often feel that we are a voice crying out in the wilderness to Janice. Love Janice’s work on this. Excellent!
To each, her own! This post certainly seems to have struck some nerves – in all directions. Which is the point, really. I was recently at a large high school’s dance recital & was startled by the absolute, uncompromising uniformity of style choices that I saw on the students in the audience – same sweatshirts, leggings & gym shoes, same hair & makeup. I love that the stories here show heroines creatively responding to whatever moves them, whether it’s art, animals, work or the weather! No two VF heroines would likely find each other’s wardrobes perfect for their own circumstances, but there’s a ton to learn from & be inspired by in each one.
Baroness Lady Hale of Richmond is a former UK Supreme Court Judge. She is known for her brooch collection which began when her husband said that her formal suits and black dress needed livening up a bit. The first brooch he bought her was a spider. One of her spider brooches became infamous when she wore it in 2019 to rule that the prorogation of Parliament was unlawful.
Madeleine Albright, the former US Secretary of State, was renowned for her brooch collection or pins as she called them. She often used them to ‘send messages’ or to reflect the mood of an occasion. I can’t see a skull but there are several spiders and snakes. It is an incredible collection https://readmypins.state.gov/see-the-pins
I also recall that both these ladies were of diminutive stature yet they commanded respect and attention.
I’ve taken 24 hours to process the drama over the skulls. I cannot believe the level of rudeness over this issue on this page and I’m quite horrified by it. Are the skulls my jam? Nope. But, will I show respect and tolerance to others who feel differently? Yes. At the end of the day, this is Janice’s blog and she can put whatever she darn well pleases.
This is not Twitter (X) or Reddit. We’re not talking about politics or religion. Janice created a post about accessories to go with the Georgia O’Keefe (which, in and of itself, is a skull) painting. No one is forcing another human to wear these suggestions, but to take broad, snarky, nasty comments about people who don’t care for them is just as rude.
Take a breath and be kind.
I couldn’t agree more! Janice does amazing work, and it’s only to be expected that no one person will like everything! And if we did, how awful would shopping be? Oh, the decision fatigue!
But seriously, as someone who has worked in a office for the last couple of decades, the standard for office attire has changed so much that it’s startling, especially if one has been disengaged from it or never was engaged or someone who went to the office every day. It’s pretty much anything goes now, except for too much skin. For example, I’m wearing my platform Uggs to my very serious business manager job today and no one will even notice. Of course, I am wearing them to balance out the height of the boot on my other foot (due to recently broken ankle), but the point stands. ;)
Well said 👍🏻.
If all anyone has to worry about in the world is whether someone is wearing a skull accessory or not, then you must be living in a different reality! My world is facing much bigger problems.
I personally find the wardrobe and accessories beautiful and innovative. Bravo Janice!!
Such Fun Right!
Mary b you made the point I was trying to make so much more eloquently. Thank you.
Very nice selection of accessories that you can also swap out. (also the accent color through French 5)
These shoes are fantastic. My red patterned coat would go very well with the wardrobe. (unfortunately too small)
The last two posts have made me think hard about updating my wardrobe. I’ve worked from home for nearly 5 years now, and the only items I’ve refreshed are my leggings, t-shirts, and the odd blouse. I need to find a balance between my personality and some key dressier pieces that will transition into any season.
Love the wardrobe and accessories, including the skulls – I think they are beautiful!!. I had a wonderful trip to Mexico last year (Oaxaca) and was blown away by how they decorated the skulls of the deceased (loved ones) in ancient times. I really enjoy your blog and the effort you put into it. I have learned so much from you and I really wish I had discovered you years ago when I was working in an office and needed the guidance. You really give us all something to think about and translate into our own experience/life. Thank you.