September 20, 2021
I’m a big fan of long-sleeved black tee shirts, as I learned just today as we were moving… There’s nothing like having a couple of young men pile ALL OF YOUR CLOTHING in front of you to make you swear off of shopping for at least a week or two!
But these come in handy in all kinds of ways – warmth, a dark background for jewelry or a scarf, a sobering touch with a lively sweater…
Sherpa-lined shirt – L.L.Bean; earrings – Akola; raven blue tee – L.L.Bean; scarf – Chan Luu; boots – Easy Spirit; sable corduroy pants – L.L.Bean
If you’re not a fan of black, maybe charcoal heather is more your speed!
This is very much the same outfit as last week, with a different tee shirt, earrings that match, and boots that do pretty much ALL of the work… holy handbags of Buddha, those are some boots!
earrings – Ralph Lauren; heather muslin sweater – J.Crew; rich coffee tee – Lands’ End; boots – The Office of Angela Scott; jeans – J.Crew
Here I kept the same pants, switched the sweater to a different color of the SAME sweater, and toned the tee shirt to the pants. Pearls pay homage to the ivory sweater – I NEVER think that pearls are too dressy!
Sailcloth sweater – L.L.Bean; earrings – Marie June Jewelry; forest moss tee shirt – Lands’ End; dark loden corduroy pants – L.L.Bean; bracelet – Lele Sadoughi; hiking boots – Teva
This week’s example of an Autumn Weekly Timeless Wardrobe is all about grey and purple. “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple…”
Why wait?
White and charcoal heather tee shirts – Lands’ End; striped tee – Banana Republic; moon & sun printed tee – Ninemoo; floral shirt – Duluth Trading Co.; cotton rag open cardigan – L.L.Bean; heather grape cashmere sweater – J.Crew; muted purple corduroy shirt – L.L.Bean; purple rose poplin shirt – Banana Republic; coal grey cords – J.Crew; grey mom jeans – H&M; knit skirt – Treasure & Bond; dress – Benetton
As always, you aren’t going to go naked with these 13 pieces in your closet!
I have a hunch that after I get all of my clothing settled into my new closet, I’m going to have a blog post to explain some new strategy…. I’m going to NEED a strategy!
love,
Janice
p.s. Seven years ago, a brown and orange suit was the center of attention!
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I had to chuckle at your first sentence (about being a fan of black long-sleeved t-shirts)….I’m wearing one this morning! LOLZ!
I’m a late bloomer in terms of enjoying the merits of the long-sleeved tee but am now fully sold.
There is nothing like moving house to bring you face to face with the amount of stuff you have. You certainly will need a new strategy if these young men have put your clothes into your new wardrobe… Will you be able to find anything?
I must congratulate you on continuing this blog in the midst of a move. I am sorted on the grey and purple front but those colours together always bring me joy.
I’d love a warm lined shirt in the winter but I only see them in the boys/mens section as they tend to wear them instead of a jacket and they are padded too. I could see myself wearing the first outfit for a country walk. My check shirt is off-white with navy and pink. Perhaps I shall have to shop in the teenage boys section….
I was also a late bloomer to the long sleeve t-shirt club not wearing them until my 40’s as I favoured blouses or shirts. Polo/turtle necks I’ve worn since I was a teenager. Now tee shirts – long and short sleeves – are my favoured garment. They are so easy to put on, stay put, don’t get crumpled and wash well.
Total fan of long sleeved tees. Is it ok to say I just finished wearing the same navy/white striped tee for three days in a row? With one son leaving for the Air Force today, and the other for college, all I managed this weekend was a tee and sweats. I too love purple and gray – though that first plaid shirt would fit in my closet nicely. I’m adding some gray basics this year – have to wear some color near my face, but otherwise the gray works. Back to the tees, because the library is so cold, I frequently wear them as a layer underneath my blouses, even if I then add another layer on top (sweater or jacket). All about the layers for me. Have a good day everyone!
PS.. I just ordered those sable cords this weekend. I love LLBean cords. I bought three pair last year, and two more in different colors over the weekend.
I live in long sleeve tees in cooler weather. They are more practical than button up shirts which have the potential to gape. I wear them as a base layer under everything.
I especially love the Lands End forest moss items. It’s just the right shade of olive for my soft autumn coloring.
beth t, try looking for a ‘shacket’. They seem to be quite popular this year (for women too!) and it’s basically a shirt/jacket. Generally they are plaid and have a light lining. Definitely just the thing for woodsy treks!
Hi Janice-
A beauty of a post today-many thanks for the Duluth Trading floral blouse-just what I was looking for!
Speaking of items I am seeking, can you please explore the reasons behind the dearth of V-Neck tops for women-from t-shirts to pullover sweaters, this has been the hardest things to find! We are “told” to look for this style to elongate our look, appear slimmer, hide a large-ish bust but where have all the V-Necks gone?
Thanks-have a great day!
If I could answer questions like that I’d be embarrassingly rich, and would have to spend all of my time giving away my money!
But you’re right – some years all you can find are v-necks, and other years they’re nowhere…
And don’t EVEN get me started on those times when everything is a boatneck; if I wanted my bra straps to show, I would wear my bra OVER my tee shirt!
hugs,
Janice
Thank you for your reply, Janice! I really appreciate you taking the time to address my concerns. I have learned so much from your posts over the years and this time, I learned that I am not crazy or just missing something…have a great day!
There’s at least one v-neck on each website linked above. Plus Eddie Bauer has quite a number of v-necks usually, as does Lands End. Also consider scoop necks, which are much less overtly ‘sporty’ and are very flattering. V-necks tend to show cleavage which i personally don’t want, and so I have mostly switched to scoop necks.
Hello and thank you for your comment about V-Necks, I really appreciate it!
I will give the scoop neck idea a try. I have a long-ish torso so don’t have the cleavage issue that you mention with most of the v-necks I wear. I do have an issue with the selection and quality of things from Land’s End lately-I was a loyal customer for many years so I am sad about what has changed-at least my perception is that they have changed. Have a great day!
Oh and where are you finding my favourite scoop neck because they have been very absent the last few years. A high round neck is so unattractive with my double chin (which only appears in Photos!). Round necks also feel too constrictive.
It’s just a fashion thing like those bizarre shoulder cut out tops… I’m assuming the swings and round abouts of fashion will return to scoop necks soon enough.
Hooray for dark brown! And those boots! I love the polished wingtip look. My heavens, if I had the money to spare, those would already be on their way to my house! I would love to find something similar closer to my price point.
Janice, Those boots are beautiful!! If only I could ear heels!! I find long sleeve tee’s and long sleeve mock turtleneck tee’s are necessary for cold eather under suede cloth shirts, flannel shirts etc. I don’t ear my long sleeve tee’s ithout a over shirt because I find they dra too much attention to your chest. I even buy a size up, hich does help!! Thank you for alays pointing out the most practical items I kno I forget at times!! You keep me coming back day after day!!!
A white long-sleeved T is my absolute must-have, but the dark neutral version is not far behind! I also liking having accent colored ones. The LS T is SO much easier to layer under a cardigan + scarf than a stiff button up shirt that it is a fall and spring staple in my wardrobe.
The purple/grey wardrobe is lovely but I would definitely need at least one more accent color to be happy. I have a white scarf with a grey, light purple, and light orange/coral print that I use to wear purple and orange/coral together, for example.
What color(s) do you wear with grey and purple?
Sally, I wear aqua green, mint or teal green with shades of purple.
…. and don’t forget pink! I wear mauve, orchid pink, fuschia and plum-pink or magenta.
It is the tone and saturation that you have to blend.
Navy! and green:) with a tonally appropriate purple (i.e. eggplant with emerald)
sometimes yellow. sorry, forgot to add that in the original.
Janice, I agree!! Pearls are NEVER too dreey for any outfit!! I also feel the same for diamonds and gold!!
Love the comment about purple. A few years ago I had the opportunity to purchase a pair of black suede shoes or the same style in deep purple. I went with the practical black but I still dream about those purple suede shoes!
Long-sleeve tees – It’s taken me a LONG time to come around to that!!! I’m not personally a huge fan of t-shirts in any sleeve length; I prefer a fine knit. I currently (thanks pandemic!) own ONE long sleeve black tee (Uniqlo heattech – would recommend as a layering piece). I do own two 3/4 sleeve striped tees. What works for me though, is a long-sleeve “sweater” in a thin knit. Especially useful since these days a lot of sweaters are thinner than they used to be!!! So while the label says ‘sweater’ the weight/heft says ‘t-shirt’ and the styling says ‘a little more refined’. They are really too thin to layer something under, so they work as a base layer, with long sleeves, much as a t-shirt would. Works for me! Just sharing it here in case it resonates with someone else – I think Janice’s old posts on “customizing the classics” is what helped me to understand that “my long sleeve tee is a long sleeve thin knit sweater”. Thanks for all you do Janice!!!
PS. echoing the frustration about lack of v-necks above; the only ones I can reliably find are in wool/merino/cashmere, which I am allergic to!