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Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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21 Garments for 21 Days – Starting with 2 Scarves!

January 28, 2022

I don't know where the specific number - 21 - came from; if someone can point me in the right direction, I will be thrilled to credit the inventer!

But I also want to pause for a moment to consider the real intent behind all of the various "# Garments for # Days" wardrobes that are in circulation.

To me, the whole point of these is to provide a clear structure in which - for a specific period of time - you can test-drive what it feels like to have a clearly delimited, reasonably small wardrobe. 

It started - in a big way - with Project 333. 33 items total (with a handful of caveats) for 3 months. Lots of people who have tried this have come to realize that they don't need to have a huge wardrobe, and that a ... View the Post

January 2022: Six Scarves, 12 Months

January 5, 2022

Let's GO!!!

First up is black...

Last week we started with 5 essential garments (well, essential for most of us!):

As soon as I saw this "rust red" - I know that this was where I wanted to start! To me, this color is very close to the color of warmly brown leather... maybe brown earrings would have made sense here but I didn't see any that impressed me, so I opted for these timeless black ones!

These 6 additions to the original 5 garments give you something that can legitimately be called a wardrobe! It's not huge, but for a long weekend, this would serve you well:

You've now got at least a few outfits...

Next is our soft, warmly-colored wardrobe:

Since I couldn't find 5 beige ... View the Post

The 2022 Scarves!

December 24, 2021

Finally! I have looked at more scarves than one might even realize EXISTED in the world... and I have made my choices!

This year, our scarves are rectangles. After spending years looking at square scarves, this is going to be an interesting change. I know that I've heard from many of you that you prefer rectangles, and find them easier to wear; I hope that these appeal to you!

Also, these are NOT silk scarves - many are silk and wool, or silk and modal. I have scarves in both of these blends, and I find them both very wearable. Don't let the wool dissuade you from considering a scarf for warm weather; it's not big, hairy, bushy, tweedy overwhelming wool...

Here we go:

This year, we are going to wear ... View the Post

6 Scarves, 12 Months: Evaluating the Last 2 Wardrobes

December 6, 2021

Why yes, this is supposed to be the last installment of the Autumn Weekly Timeless Wardrobe. Welcome to my life of confusion!

Frankly, once I was in the groove sorting these wardrobes and looking for additions to each of them, I just kept going. When I was more than halfway through THIS post, I realized that I was too far along to really be able to finish the Weekly Timeless Wardrobe in time! 

I know you understand.... Thank heavens!!!

It's time to address the grey and brown outfit - the bane of my blogging existence for the last year:

If I was starting this one over again, the clothing would be grey, a bunch of shades of pink, and white, and the leather accessories would be brown. That would be both ... View the Post

6 Scarves, 12 Months: Evaluating the Second 2 Wardrobes

December 3, 2021

Another session in which we consider the strengths and weaknesses of 2 of our scarf-based wardrobes; I have to believe that if you can get dressed every day, a wardrobe isn't a complete failure!

But if you struggle, and if you feel awkward when you get dressed, then maybe some improvements could be made. This is something that NEVER ends - your life changes every time you take a breath, and with time, your wardrobe needs and preferences will change.

What can we learn, and remember, from knowing this?

(a) You will never have a perfect wardrobe - quit beating yourself up for trying to get there! (mine's not perfect, believe me!) and

(b) there is no garment, and no group of garments, that will get you to your ... View the Post

6 Scarves, 12 Months: Evaluating the First 2 Wardrobes

December 1, 2021

Don't forget - if you have an Advent Calendar, today's the day to start! 

(we have a Bonne Maman jam and jelly Advent Calendar - fun AND sweetness!)

And it's also time to look back at these wardrobes to see where I did well, where I went off the rails, and what we all can learn from this exercise!

First, the black print scarf with accents of pink, gold, and (ha!) purple:

I don't regret choosing this scarf, but I DO regret trying to include purple as an accent color. Purple is never easy to find - generally it shows up around this time of year, briefly. I'm pretty attuned to purple since the highlights in my hair are purple, and I can assure you that you have to be patient if it's a favorite!

This ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Mumbai Paisley silk scarf – Echo

November 17, 2021

Yes - ANOTHER SCARF GIVE-AWAY!

This lovely object is 36 inches square, and SO lovely... Leave a comment and it might be yours! Creativity Requires Discipline At least that's what she believes. Years ago, when she committed to designing jewelry, she made the very startling choice to limit her work to silver, gold, black onyx and pearls. Well, she will use mother-of-pearl if it is truly ivory...

Over time, her wardrobe came to reflect the same colors that she cherished in her work...

When it's time to go to the annual One of a Kind show in Chicago, she knows exactly how she will pack!

She deliberately packs a column of charcoal grey, as well as wears her black column. These small choices can make ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Garden Party by Echo

November 10, 2021

Big Important Notice!!! If you leave a comment today, you will be entered into a drawing to WIN THIS SCARF!!! The lovely people at Echo gave me one, and I'm giving it to one of you...

It's a huge silk square - I think 50 inches - and it's soft and fluid, so that it's easy to wear. I don't have any photographs of the full scarf; if the weather clears up here I will try to take one, but just trust me (and Echo) on this! 

And OH YEAH, it's sold out...

It's normal where she lives to wear black all of the time, but when she goes to visit her family, she knows they worry about it...

So she's worked out a system! Whenever she is going to visit family, she focuses on black columns, and accent 2nd ... View the Post

November 2021 – Six Scarves, 12 Months, 12 Outfits

November 3, 2021

I'm sure we all have different experiences with this right now, but Chicago has finally gotten to cold weather. Real, honest to goodness "gloves and scarves" cold...

No need, quite yet, for waterproof boots, but that will be soon enough!

Even though the cold weather season gets shorter each year, it still arrives, and we either have to be prepared to dress for it, or prepared to stay in OUT of it...

So let's look at coats...

This first wardrobe has ZERO purple, so far. Purple is terribly hard to find - I look for it all the time, and one is more likely to find burgundy or maroon or lilac or almost anything but TRUE PURPLE.

Just sayin'...

But it's a coat - if you wear it fastened, it doesn't much ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Butterfly Classic Silk Scarf by Debbie Millington

October 29, 2021 You're a WHAT?

First graders. Teaching them to pronounce lepidopterist is quite fun...

Explaining that you don't study leopards is also amusing...

She's actually on her way to a solar energy conference, but she was invited to visit an elementary school to explain her work, in the same city (just an hour away from home), so she's doubling up!

As hard as it might be for her to be bright and stand out, she's wearing bright blue for her young audience:

They all talk about how important butterflies are, and how they grow, and what we can learn from them. She actually gets very good ideas from small children...

But NOW, she gets to (has to?) explain to a bunch of solar types how the structure and ... View the Post

October 2021 – Six Scarves, 12 Months, 12 Outfits

October 8, 2021

Life is almost back to normal; thank you SO MUCH for your patience, your kindness, your generosity, your lovely messages...

Before I jump in, I want to explain what I'm thinking with all of these white turtlenecks! But I really can't... I just kept feeling like each wardrobe needed 2 things - a bright accent color, and then a clean, bright neutral top to wear under it!

Many of us love accent colors that don't necessarily flatter us - this white turtleneck (or a white shirt with a collar) can change the impact of a color on your complexion dramatically.

And many of us find ourselves called upon to wear colors (because of work, sports, schools...) that aren't our very best. Breaking up the impact of something (like ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Secret Garden in Autumn by Fetolia

September 17, 2021 Subtle....

She doesn't need to be recognized. She never cares if she turns heads, or if she stands out in a crowd. When she travels, she blends into nature, and takes pictures that are hard for others to take, because they disrupt the peace and quiet...

She's taking a long weekend to a small town a couple of hours away from where she lives. All kinds of raptors have been seen in the fields and wooded areas near there.

She loves to photograph raptors; their speed and precision thrills her...

She wants to look reasonably nice - she does have to go out for dinner every night! And she needs to be warm-ish, but nothing outrageous. She will unfold her little chair, prop up her camera, and sit. Quietly. ... View the Post