November 13, 2019
By the time you read this, I should be back from a long weekend in Paris. Yes, 4 days… (in fact, literally the moment I was getting ready to walk out the door to the airport, I was SMACKED to the floor with back spasms, and have spent the entire time since then sacked out in bed, or sitting in the jacuzzi in my building, trying to recover… sigh…)
It was somewhat impromptu – friends were going there, and we talked so much about what we might do if I was going to be there too… I’m weak!
This painting sings to me. It feels like black, white and denim, which is my entire wardrobe right now! (I’ve lost interest in accent colors for myself – I can’t explain why!)
My original plan was to pack all dresses, but then I realized that there was a rugby match that I might attend, and that changed everything! Once I decided that I needed to pack jeans and sneakers, I decide to just pack all pants and sweaters…
earrings – Mikimoto; sweater – Michael Kors; pearl necklace – Olga Hinojosa; cotton turtleneck – Lands’ End; tote – Mulberry; watch – Movado; boots – Blondo; velvet pants – Lands’ End
These, of course, aren’t exactly my clothes, but you could pick me out of a lineup based on what I’m sharing with you…
Got to have some stars, right? And I really like these lantern pants! They are indeed short, but with black socks and my (VERY water-resistant) Blondo boots, they are cool. I enjoy the occasional cool break from tradition!
star sweater – Banana Republic; star earrings – Bloomingdale’s; moon & stars ring – Wadarat Supasirisuk; crossbody bag – Allsaints; lantern pants – Eileen Fisher
I have to wear stripes at least once a week or my heart shrinks…
hoop earrings – Halogen; white shirt – Lands’ End; striped sweater – 1901; loafers – Fitflop; black corduroy pants – Lands’ End
And I’m still in the middle of a big crush on this cardigan. This outfit screams to me of sitting in a cafe taking notes on what catches my eye in the crowd…
The “normal” rules for Paris have changed – athletic shoes are fine. Jeans are fine. You still don’t want to look like a total slob, but you don’t have to worry about getting dressed to the teeth anymore.
cardigan – L.L.Bean; tee shirt – Lands’ End; sequined infinity scarf – Eileen Fisher; sneakers – Adidas; jeans – Lands’ End
I always toss in a couple of extra shirts when I travel. If I’m stranded for a few days in Paris (a woman can dream, right?) I will be ready!
white tee shirt – Lands’ End; black shirt – Lands’ End
This wardrobe might bore the socks off of most people, but I find it thrillingly complete and concise. After looking at colors SO MUCH OF THE TIME, black and white comforts me and gives me a personal clarity that I need.
This is, as far as I can tell, a completely foolproof, “get dressed in the dark” wardrobe. There might be different combinations that I prefer, but really nothing is off limits!
While on paper (pixels?) it looks dreary to have 4 pairs of black pants, in “the fabric,” these are all quite different – denim, corduroy, velvet and boiled wool. These are the kinds of subtleties that keep me from getting bored, but that are hard to “feel” on a computer screen.
I’ll have some other jewelry with me, and a couple of Hermès scarves, which will add a bit of interest to these outfits.
Friday I will share a bit of what I saw there!
love,
Janice
p.s. 2 years ago, we looked into the possibilities of a fool-proof suitcase in navy and grey, with purple accents… For all of you looking for a wardrobe for a casual trip, this is worth a re-visit!
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I’m a fan of black and white myself, so it’s always fun to see the wardrobes you put together for yourself!
I’m in love with that striped 1901 sweater, but it seems to be sold out in my size. Oh well!
Keep an eye on the sweater – I’m think 1901 might be a Nordstrom proprietary brand, and they may get more of them in! Or call one of the big Nordstrom stores – maybe in Seattle? – to see if they have it in stock. Things come and go…
hugs,
Janice
I am new to your blog and love it. Do you buy all these clothes every week?
Being in Canada it is expensive now to even buy from Lands end because of our low dollar but I love the ideas and the challenge of finding similar items here!
Great happiness, I don’t buy 20 pieces of clothing a year! I use the photographs from the websites of the retailers, and put them all together in wardrobes using PowerPoint. I like the neat and clean way the pages look; I hope everyone else does too!
hugs,
Janice
While French women don’t dress “up” as much as they used to, it’s even harder now, because you can’t just rely on the formal option to look nice but must also consider the quality of the material, the cut, possibly the brand (but that is the least important…inexpensive/vintage but good fit beats expensive brand that doesn’t fit). You have to be put together, coherent but not matchy-matchy. It’s an aesthetic tightrope.
I met up with a lawyer friend recently. I love her. She is a French cross between Claire Underwood (House of Cards) and Kamala Harris. Shoulder-length bottle-blonde hair (she’s my age and that blonde ain’t real. But she looks great). On her fingers, diamonds so big I wondered how she could type. A silk scarf, of course. Three bracelets on one wrist, clanking madly. Multiple necklaces (with the scarf!). Strict, tailored jacket. Then she stood up and … she was wearing jeans! Clearly they were ironed, but they also were faded. And she had on killer Louboutins. I could go for all of it but the heels. Anyway, she projected power. Whether that was enhanced by or in spite of the accessories, I haven’t decided. And the jeans–I think they are the thing that says she rules and doesn’t need to abide by rules.
As I said, it was much easier when we could just put on some nice clothes.
Well stated! Being dressed coherently, with some sort of overall “look,” and wearing clean, well-pressed, well-fitting clothes is key. But I’d like to think that we look like that all the time, right?
hugs,
Janice
Janice,
I knew that something was “ off” this morning, when I sat down with my cup of tea and checked out your blog, but with no new post ! A double whammy for you — no Paris, and back spasms — I’m not sure which was worse ! Possibly one made the other even more unbearably so ! I do hope that that your back has now quieted down !
Thanks to you, I have finally started to really take a good hard look at what is really in my closet for Autumn/Winter and I have observed 5 neutrals plus what I call basic colors, though others might include them as neutrals. Dark brown, rust brown, taupey tan, and tan, along with navy blue, recently reintroduced. The two “ basic colors ‘ are denim blue for more casual wear and olive green.
When I pack, I always make sure that I have a cluster of 4 in one of the darker neutrals, usually a pant, topper, and 2 tops, then repeat with a lighter cluster. Often I then do another cluster with either a medium neutral or one of my two basic colors, which gives me 12 pieces. I then add two twin set accent garments : one warm, and one cool color, for a total of 14 items, and then throw in an a “ wild card “, either another pant or another top or topper , Within those cluster tops, I try to include a solid and a print, if possible . The solids are my background for scarves or necklaces. Often one or more of the toppers shall be my textured items.
So I end up with 4- 5 toppers, some of which are layered together, like a sweater vest layered under a cardigan or jacket , 5-6 tops, and 3-4 bottoms. This is for a week. Yes, it is a lot, but I love the variety of outfits, as a result ! I like “ table top” dressing, where what you wear visually above the table is what changes the most . So this falls somewhere between a “ Whatever’s Clean 13” and a “ 4×4 “ . For shorter trips, I obviously take less over all .
Since we do a lot of driving trips, I have also learned to divide up my number of outfits into just what I take into the motels each night or nights along the way, using compression packing cubes ( not the kind where you push out the air — makes wrinkles ! ) within a duffle bag and a small rolling tote for overnight essentials . I have the trip divided into several duffle bags of different colors, so that I know which bags go with me which nights ! That way I am not dragging an entire suitcase, albeit a small one , into and out of a motel on each leg of the trip . If I want to repeat wear any of the garments, I just transfer that particular packing cube into the next duffle bag . Flying requires another mindset entirely !
Oh, and I want to thank you for the idea of trading out the weekly wardrobe seasonal pieces ! As the weather has suddenly gotten much colder ,my early lighter weight and shorter sleeved Autumn pieces have already gone back to storage containers, some unworn due the shortened temperature season , as well as the more orangey and olive colors. As the season deepens, so do my accent colors into more of the burgundy, rust,cinnamon, mustard and teal colors.
Here comes a very gentle hug and a good piece of French chocolate ! Be well, my friend !
Oh and what I observed in a “ Cracker Barrel” restaurant waiting line recently while we were in transit from North Carolina. An elderly couple , probably in their 80’s, both beautifully dressed. She was “still a blonde “ , with carefully done facial makeup, wearing leopard ankle boots ,a black turtleneck and black pants, a long sleeveless black vest with leopard collar trim. and several bangle bracelets and a coordinating pendant .
The gentleman was in a blazer, crew neck sweater with shirt and tie ,trousers and polished shoes . They were obviously over dressed for the circumstance, but it was lovely seeing them having taken such great care as to how they presented themselves in public !
Thanks for the chocolate – chocolate is medicinal, isn’t it?
And about your colors – I think that tan, rust and brown REALLY count as 1 color – just shades of that same color. I can make excuses for almost anything, I swear!
Belovedest and I are going to Paris next month, so I’m not completely crushed about this setback. I’m really just terribly happy that I wasn’t on the plane when this started; I don’t think any airline in the world has enough alcohol on board to get me through an 8 hour flight in this kind of pain!
hugs hugs hugs,
Janice
Janice,
Ah , a sliding scale of values of my browns , a new thought for me, thanks !
Perhaps some anesthesia for the entire flight, or else they might have needed to land the plane for the poor lady screaming in the aisle seat with the arching back — owwww !
Alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol. Maybe mixed with sleeping pills! Risking death would be almost worth it…
xoxo
Oh Janice, I’m in Provence right now and starting to worry about getting home. There is a national strike scheduled for December 5th and there are indications that it could go on for quite a while. It affects all the trains and the Air France ground crews, so far. The whole country will be affected, but especially Paris.
So do keep your eye on the news since you mentioned wanting to go to France in December. Could be chaos.
Hope you are recovered by now. That was terrible.
So sorry to hear you have been in pain Janice and missed your trip – hope you feel well again soon!
Oh my dear, so sorry to hear about your un-trip to Paris. Blah; I hope your back is feeling much much better! I LOVE the combo today . . . I was just revisiting my 2-week list for Ireland/Wales last May and still quite satisfied how I pulled it off :-) xoxox
So sorry to hear of your back pain! The timing of it adds insult to injury, but I agree, recovery is best done at home. At least another trip to Paris is in your near future :-). I hope you are feeling much better by now!
I agree about not being as interested in accent colors. This past week I decided that with regard to my cold weather wardrobe, jackets, vests, cardigans, scarves, gloves, jewelry, and purses as accents are in my future. Color will be bundled like your French 5. last year I had bought several lovely sweaters in some accent colors that I will enjoy wearing while they hold up, but am thinking of not replacing. I will focus on texture to create additional interest and keep it from looking boring.
We’ll see! I may change my mind and that’s alright too!
Thank you for sharing this Mondrian. Using “strong” black and white but still looks calming.
First of all-I hope you’re feeling (lots!) better-missing Paris sucks, but you’ve got another trip coming up, and Paris is fun at Christmas…or ‘almost Christmas’.
This is the absolute opposite of anything I would choose to wear-this much black and grey depress me. Two of my least favorite colors. I know most of the world disagrees with me. Have you noticed home decor/interior colors lately? It’s an absolute SEA of grey! :/
Oh well-more pink, yellow and blue for me! ;)
Lovely post! When you are feeling up to it, I would love to see the ‘all dresses’ wardrobe you might have packed for the weekend.
The friends that I was meeting there BOTH packed all dresses (as far as I can tell from their Instagram photographs!) so I’m going to interrogate them when they get back and get some ideas…
If Belovedest and I weren’t going to Paris in December, I’d be tempted to pack all dresses for that trip… But we walk MILES every day, and my legs might freeze!
hugs,
Janice
I’m one of those people who need colors, but I don’t find this wardrobe boring in the least! If anything, the black & white background makes the details stand out… I’m perpetually in love with your starry pieces :)
I’ve learned not to question the “phases” I go through with my wardrobe – if I feel like I need/don’t need something, I trust the feeling.
I’m sorry you had to miss your adventure, I hope you’re feeling fine and rested now!
That’s a super practical wardrobe and I appreciate the different textures. That’s what I do too for traveling. But, yes, I’d be bored and depressed with no colour at all. I’m in France for two months with a similar wardrobe in grey, black and a bit of white, but I’m grateful every time I put on One of the two wine tops I subbed for grey and black ones. They are still pretty neutral, but are a nice change. I love the days I put on my blue scarf or red hat that I threw in just for variety. Scarves and hats are small enough to pack, necessary this time of year, and brighten up my day.
I’m so sorry you missed your trip to Paris but what a gorgeous and perfect travel wardrobe capsule.
I love neutrals. There’s something so soothing and freeing about such a group. It all goes together, no stress and it’s always elegant.
And it’s the kind of background that I can add a beautiful colour accent on top of to showcase the colour when I want. If I don’t want colour it stands alone with the different textures, prints & jewelry.