November 20, 2019
Always one of the best days of the month!
THAT Phone Call…
She knew when the phone rang that it wasn’t great. But a couple of weeks taking care of a loved one isn’t a curse either – it’s a privilege, and she’s going to treat it as such…
It’s not a dressy thing, but she still wants to look nice; she isn’t going to have to do any really difficult manual labor. A bit of cooking, a bit of laundry, a bit of keeping her dearest one entertained and comfortable…
washable wool cardigan – Banana Republic; washable wool turtleneck – Banana Republic; grey corduroy pants – Lands’ End; grey jeans – Lands’ End
As soon as she looked down at her watch, and her bracelet, she knew roughly what she was going to pack. Grey because it’s easy and neutral, and lovely, pretty accent colors to brighten up the days.
grey hooded sweater – L.L.Bean; grey cotton v-neck sweater – L.L.Bean; white tee shirt – Lands’ End; grey knit pants – L.L.Bean
She knows that if she starts with a good core of neutrals, she won’t have to spend much time picking and choosing clothes every morning. There are certainly more important things to do in life, and on this trip, she will have plenty of those projects!
Maybe the satin blouse isn’t 100% practical. Sometimes, you indulge….
plaid flannel shirt – Banana Republic; satin blouse – Banana Republic; berry ¾ sleeve tee – L.L.Bean; moc turtleneck sweater – Leith; berry cabled sweater – L.L.Bean
She won’t need scarves indoors, but she will want them when she’s running errands. And there are very few good reasons to skip having a handful of pieces of jewelry when you’re away from home. You never know what might make you feel more like yourself, and what might brighten up the days of those around you…
cashmere & silk scarf – Nordstrom; silver hoop earrings – Kendra Scott; Nurturing Lynx bracelet – Fierce Lynx Designs; solid cashmere scarf – Faliero Sarti; blush pearl earrings – Peter Thomas Roth; round crossbody bag – Madewell; watch – Olivia Burton; short boots – Mia; socks – And Other Stories; grey suede loafers – David Tate; pink chalcedony and garnet pendant – Neeru Goel
It’s a lovely wardrobe; practical for what she needs to do, but with a warmth and softness that echoes the love that she feels in her heart as she takes on her responsibilities…
Maybe an extra tee shirt or blouse would be handy, but since she will be doing laundry often, she’s not worried about running out of clothes…
Life throws all sorts of challenges at us all, and having your wardrobe in order makes facing these things down just that least little bit easier, doesn’t it?
love,
Janice
p.s. SEVEN years ago, I shared a lovely royal blue and grey “Six-Pack” long weekend wardrobe that still looks as fresh as it did back then…
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Smart! Yes, that phone call is a big one. Being organized when there is so much going would help a lot. Even though you might spending a lot of time cooking and cleaning, there may also be visitors or doctor appointments. Someone might even invite you out for dinner. How nice to have something lovely to put on.
I think that unless you’re going to Venice to help dredge out the canals, you need something pretty. Actually, you might even get to dine out there, so you should ALWAYS have something pretty with you. Maybe you can put it on when you’re alone, just for a change of pace!
hugs,
Janice
I’d want to add a second shirt perhaps cotton.
Janice,
A simple and stress free plan for quick packing ! Thanks, Janice !
I wish I had discovered your blog back when I was caring for my dad …. it definitely lifted his spirits when my mom and I took the trouble to look put together and pretty, and your “whatever’s clean 13” formula makes it easy.
Also, you have a genius for finding clothes that stand the test of time. That wardrobe from 7 years ago doesn’t look dated in the slightest! I am a lot more comfortable investing in pieces like that than in anything overly trendy.
That’s my biggest goal for The Vivienne Files; I’m always appalled by the quantities of clothing that get tossed into the trash after just a few months. We can do better…
hugs,
Janice
Love this one! Every last piece. It’s a beautiful color scheme. The cobalt pieces would integrate seamlessly with the grey basics. You know, for those of us who crave variety. Bookmarked.
This is a lovely palette, with a nice variety of textures and styles. Thank you for the example!
So heartwarming! As an 81 year old active woman, I enjoy putting thought to my wardrobe. After reading your sweet story, I began to wonder about having a special palette, or capsule of clothes in case I am the one being cared for! Wouldn’t it be good to know there are lovely colors and maybe a bracelet or two for the hours spent recovering?
I had the same thought, Joan. Some comfortable but pleasing convalescence clothes would be useful at all sorts of times (after a long hike, for example). A pretty pyjama set or nightdress + robe would be good too. I’ve settled for warmth and comfort as I’ve got older and feel the cold more, but that needn’t exclude looking nice and feeling put together. More cheering for the carer also, perhaps.
I bought my mother, who lived in assisted living but also had stints in a nursing facility, a “model’s coat”- it’s a button-front, knee-length cotton housecoat like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Swirl-Floral-Pansy-Models-Lilac/dp/B00V53C25M/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=model%27s+coat&qid=1574343792&sr=8-3
She lived in it; it was pretty, easy to put on, and much less to manage than pyjamas. It opens easily for exams but is dressed enough to receive visitors. Terrrific piece.
My mother is still living at home, but she lives in these also! They really are both attractive and terribly practical…
love,
Janice
Joan Cecile,
How wonderful to have your wardrobe planned out ahead of time. This would be good for surgery recovery or an extended illness too. Your caregiver(s) can then easily help you look your best in order to feel your best without bothering you with confusing questions. I think this is a marvellous idea.
I love this palette so much, it really suits my coloring of dark ash blonde hair (with a “Lily Munster” streak that frames my face), hazel eyes, and light warm skin that has become increasingly cooler. I started working on a similar capsule last year. Finding compatible grays is a REAL challenge. Since I need warmer “pinks”(probably mauve) in light and medium shades , it’s going to take awhile to build. I’ve discovered that wearing a monochromatic gray look is a little dull and have found that carefully selected jewelry makes all of the difference :-). Including textural details helps quite a bit as well.
Recently, I’ve been contemplating a wardrobe of only neutral-colored shirts, blouses, sweaters and pants. To incorporate color and add interest, I would add accent colors with my jackets, cardigans, vests, scarves, and jewelry. Upon proof-reading, I realized that is an iteration of your French Five concept. What do you think? My overall color ideal is light and I need low to medium contrast or the clothing will overwhelm me. I think this could really work for me, but I would love your (and your readers) thoughts on this idea. I’m a little worried about getting bored with this, but the simplicity is really appealing to me. My other accent color is muted turquoise and various shades of green.
I particularly love the scarves and jewelry you selected and wish I had the budget for them ALL! One thing that I notice is that your heroines don’t seem to wear hats. I’m such a hat lover, I never leave the house without one :-).
Thank you for this, it really brightened my day, I enjoy each and every one of your posts. I like to refer back and read all of the comments. I also enjoy perusing the archives, such a treasure trove of inspiration!!
Your wardrobe idea sounds lovely! Gray basics with accents of warm pink, muted turquoise, and green in your jackets, cardigans, scarfs, etc. will give you variety and interest, while providing a simple way to pull together outfits. – nancyo
I spent years avoiding grey because it reminded me of my hated school uniform. But as I got older, I had to wear more muted and soften the colours I wear. I too have dark ash blond hair which is going grey and now white.
I rediscovered grey a few years ago as it compliments my softer colouring and hair. I wear all shades from silver to charcoal. Greys look great with lilac, mauve, pink, burgundy and lighter shades of blue from sky blue to turquoise. I buy a lot of accessories – scarves, costume jewellery and bags in charity shops or vintage fairs and usually spend between £2 and £10 which is very cheap. If you’re lucky, you’ll find designer brands.
Have fun growing your wardrobe – I’m sure you’ll look fabulous.
Agreed, grey and navy have to be the most versatile neutrals. Having spent years putting together wardrobes using every neutral I can think of, I still find those 2 to be the easiest with which to work. And the range of shades of grey gives you additional options… I keep telling myself that I will eventually migrate my wardrobe from black to grey. Someday. Soon. I’m sure. Just any day now…
hugs,
Janice
Thank you! I, too, enjoy shopping for vintage clothing and accessories ?.
That sounds like a great plan. I think Janice did an article about using grey. I learned that the most important thing in matching greys is that you need to stick to either all warm greys or all cool greys. For me, I now know to look for the cool ones. Since you already know that you look best in the warm pinks or mauves, getting warm grey pieces would probably make coordinating your plan simple. Sounds like you’ve put in a lot of careful thought and have already chosen enough accent colours to not get bored. It would be nice if you could somehow show us your results.
I’d like to do that! I’m thinking a Pinterest board might be the easiest way. What do you think?
One word … GORGEOUS! Love everything about this wardrobe!!
Bravo for a wardrobe that still looks great 7 years later!
I was called to Florida often. I prepared a “Go Bag” with cosmetic kit, sleepwear, lingerie, swimsuit, and cash for incidentals en route. Then just threw in the clothes. I always brought a box of individually-wrapped chocolates or similar treat, to offer to staff or visiting friends.
I also levelled up: no jeans or casual t-shirts. It was important that I look “nice” by Mom’s standards, because she introduced me to everyone… sometimes several times a day.
Thanks Janice for writing such a sensitive and inspiring blog for both carers and those we care for. Even when my Mum was in a nursing home, she was still interested in choosing and wearing outfits that were ‘put together’. She had an extensive wardrobe and the nurses loved getting her ready in the morning. They also had a hairdresser who came once a week to do the hair of the ladies and gents. She also did manicures for the ladies. We all need a boost and looking nice even when you are unwell is uplifting. I’m even colour co-ordinating my nightwear but my pale green dressing gown has to do – it was my Mum’s.
Surprisingly, a warm scarf or shawl can be very handy when you’re sitting beside a hospital bed af night. I remember heading out for what I thought would be a day trip, that turned into a “days” trip. The hospital gift shop had a ruana which was like a warm hug.
Every time you do wardrobes based on these bracelets, I love them. The problem is choosing which colour. This pallet is particularly soft and flattering.