March 29, 2917
Could be a dream, could be a nightmare, could just be a sweetheart – the enigmatic nature of this image is striking:
L’Ombre by Pablo Picasso
When I saw L’Ombre in the Picasso Museum last year, I knew that I would want to share it with you all!
Her Work is Complicated Enough, Thank You…
She’s a psychiatrist. A shrink. She sits, quietly, and listens to people. Takes notes. Tries to formulate the perfect, pithy question to open up the hidden pain in her patient’s mind, and help the healing start…
sweater – L.L.Bean; cardigan – L.L.Bean; denim shirt – J. Crew; tee – Lands’ End; white shirt – Lands’ End; sweater – Simply Be; khakis – L.L.Bean; skirt – L.L.Bean; jeans – L.L.Bean
She’s always watching people, listening to people, learning from people. So she doesn’t really want to spend a ton of time worrying about what she’s going to wear – it just plain and simply isn’t all that interesting to her!
She does, however, grasp that she has to be dressed every day, so she tries to be organized and to have a plan when she purchases clothes:
Her favorites colors are an eclectic mix, which she manages to pull together pretty beautifully, given the minimal level of effort she puts into her wardrobe plan!
cardigan – Magaschoni; sweater – Fat Face; blue ribbed tee – Sportmax; mint tee – J.Crew; blue top – L.L.Bean; cropped jeans – NYDJ; pants – Marks & Spencer
She likes to think that dressing casually puts her patients at ease, and that wearing familiar silhouettes keeps them from obsessing about what she’s wearing. And she derives great comfort from the accent colors that she’s chosen, grounded in nature as they are – bark brown, spring leaf green, and the blue of a springtime sky.
She never struggles to get dressed – THAT would be a waste of time that she really wouldn’t tolerate…
When she has a particularly difficult work day, she reminds herself that her accent brown color could always be called cognac… And calling for cognac after a hard day might be just the needed cure!
love,
Janice
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The art work is definitely a bit surreal but I really like the capsule that you have developed.
After the mind trip of looking at that painting, it was only appropriate that your protagonist would be a psychiatrist.
One thing that always annoys me with clothing photos–and it's totally NOT YOUR FAULT–is when they look wrinkled. I wish the retailers would photograph the clothes hanging, on a manikin or at least smoothed. I do not want to look wrinkled (beyond nature's work), and when I see a T-shirt full of ripples and wrinkles I reject it out of hand. The ones you show on manikin look so much better. (Don't feel like this is a cry to search for clothes on manikins; it's a cry at retailers!)
I wonder whether anybody else has that reaction, or is it just because I live in the land of well-pressed wardrobes?
You are not alone…
She is wrong. I want my psychiatrist to be dressed as a professional woman. This wardrobe speaks to someone just out of college who has not yet established herself professionally.
"She is wrong" seems to be a rather judgemental statement. Personally I prefer my mental health practioners to be approachable which this wardrobe is for me.
I like the scarf and the colors in the casual wardrobe, except the brown. The temperature of the brown seems to suit the brighter blue, but out of place with the other colors for my eye. It could just be how the colors are translating for the individual pieces because it looks fine in the color wheel
Janice,
Rather than looking at the colors, my mind is going to the mathematical formula of it all, which I am enjoying quite heartily ! Starting with the neutral slot machine of nine pieces, 3 bottoms, 3 tops, 3 toppers, then adding the 7 accent pieces of 2 bottoms, 3 tops, and 2 toppers to complete a 4×4 ! So understandable ! Color wise, I see matching tops and bottoms, and/or toppers and bottoms, and a white twin set. I agree with the above reader about the brown , while it's in the painting, it seems too strong of a warm color to pair with the mint green. Perhaps if it played more of a minor role, in leather accents instead ?
I really had to stop and think about Mary's comment about professional dressing. Finally, I decided that more formal professional dressing conveys the message, "I will fix it" while this casual wardrobe conveys "Let's work on this together." My new medical doctor wears this casual wardrobe, and I do feel more in partnership about my health with her. So, I have concluded that "professional" wardrobe is defined by context. As a retired professional woman, though, it is still difficult for me to view denim in the workplace. On another note, I think this cool-toned wardrobe really needs the cognac to add some warmth.
Thank you, Memee, for expressing this so well. While denim is part of my "professional" wardrobe, I would stay with the khakis for meetings.
I work in a creative field so there's a bit more leeway with what I wear, but I agree that jeans can at times be a little too casual in a professional setting. My solution? I have ankle pants in the same colors as my jeans. Most days I can wear jeans, but if an important meeting is on my agenda, I'll go for the ankle pants instead (and most likely change into the jeans when I get home).
As a former teacher, we struggled with this concept all of the time! I, personally, am a "jeans and denim" lover!! I tried every way I could to find colored jeans to wear, or professional looking denim items to wear, as I am most comfortable that way. There are very professional looks that can be put together with denim and Jeans. I think it's all in how the wearer puts it together and acts while wearing the ensemble. I was always happiest on the days I could also be comfortable at work! As a person who now works from home, jeans are a regular part of my daily and even dressier wardrobe. I am excited to see more ways to put together a wardrobe with them as a base, while adding in other pieces to coordinate and expand the wardrobe!! :) Can't wait to see the rest of the additions to these collections! :)
This issue comes up again and again at my place of work (I run a crisis intervention and medical services center). Dressing "approachably" is very important for our psychiatrists and MDs, and dressing "professionally" seems to work best for our administrative workers…the therapists and counselors all dress more "artistically", and that seems to work well to help clients find the right match with whom to work. A comfortable, happy employee is my main focus in such a stressful environment, so whatever makes the person feel their best gets my endorsement.
Fascinating insights, thank you Throckmorzog! – nancyo
This wardrobe is similar to my own, including the cognac accents. There is something about the juxtaposition of the deep warm cognac with the cool sky blue that is so calming to me. One of my favorite combinations.
I love the brown in this capsule! I think it compliments the other colors well! Maybe if Janice had called our heroine a therapist instead of a psychiatrist the wardrobe would have "fit" better?? I am in love with that brown cardigan!!!
What a lot of analysis we have in the comments today! In general I really like this palette and it's similar to what I wear most often. I am retired now so,for me, it's what I would pack for a casual, outdoorsy holiday. I love it!
A polished, tailored and understated wardrobe says 'professional' to me so I too was surprised by these choices – the garments, not the colours. The basic wardrobe does look a bit daggy at first viewing but as Taste of France says, the problem is in the photos, which make the clothes look wrinkly. Then Memee's thoughtful comment made me rethink my first response again. I think she's nailed it perfectly. Here is someone working *with* people, not Ms Fixit. I really enjoyed the colour choices too, they're an unusual combination. The brown says, 'Beautiful leather satchel and/or shoes' to me. I'd be interested in Janice's thoughts about accessories.
Robyn in Tasmania
I love, love, love your blog! I've been planning my wardrobe with your help for several years. A coordinated wardrobe makes it so much easier to pack for a trip, or just to get dressed in the morning.
This post is just what I needed when I did a search for "khaki". We spend most weekends and several weeks at our camper in the summer and fall. I prefer to have a separate wardrobe to keep there. It makes it much easier to wash, pack, and return the clothes to the camper. I usually use the faded and worn (but still serviceable) clothes from my at-home wardrobe from the year before.
My Spring/Summer 2016 wardrobe included white, navy blue/blue jean, ocean blue, and aqua. White just doesn't work at the campground, so I was looking to switch to khaki for the white. My problem is that I need to wear a camisole or tank under my t-shirts, and I look washed out with khaki, cream, or ivory by my face. I was very pleased to see you use white with khaki. I will be able to use my white camis/tanks under my aqua and ocean blue t-shirts.
Another color that doesn't play well with my coloring is that coppery brown. What would you choose as an alternate for an accent? The palette I had for last spring/summer was okay, but an accent could help make it pop!
I think substituting navy for the copper brown would be lovely, and still very versatile! Then you could substitute the 2 white tops with something in pink, or blush, or a darker rose, or lilac…
I'm going to visit navy and khaki for hot weather sometime very soon – stick around!
hugs,
Janice
Thank you for your quick reply. I did throw in a navy camisole, t-shirt, and long-sleeve t-shirt. I'll keep an eye out for tees in those other colors.
I set aside two outfits for going to church: (1) ocean blue capris and cardigan with a white and blue sleeveless blouse and khaki flats; (2) same cardigan and flats, navy capris, white t-shirt, scarf with navy, white, ocean blue (or) necklace if too hot for scarf.
Looking for a lighter weight navy fleece too.
I love your website, and I am I am loving all these comments! With this Picasso scarf, and your color palette, I can visualize how super and understated a coppery brown Brunette or a redhead psychiatrist, wearing this color palette and wardrobe would look!
…and I can’t wait to see the unusual and exciting accessories you would add to accent this capsule! Thank you!