Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature
March 10, 2015 Another cold week, but I managed well! But my weight is shifting, and so I'm going to have to get some new clothes! My upcoming spring French Five-Piece Wardrobe is going to have to do a lot of hard work...
Yes, I wear my Munro boots a lot! They're amazingly comfortable, and I can walk a lot in them. Munro is known for making "comfort" footwear, but these don't look like mumsy marshmallows... love, Janice ... View the Post
March 9, 2015
The all-grey wardrobe based on the photograph Rose, by Ansel Adams (see it here) prompted lots of excellent questions about using that wardrobe as a base for accent colors. Oh yes, I could think of at LEAST 10 accent colors that would work beautifully with these grey items... I chose this vaguely named blush, peach, apricot, whatever color to show the possibilities. I kept the core grey jacket, trousers, skirts, dresses, shoes, and even a couple of tops, but I swapped out the jewelry for the warm "rose gold", and tossed in a few lovely scarves. An accent color changes everything, doesn't it?
love, Janice ... View the Post
March 7, 2015 A couple of days ago when I first worked with this painting, someone suggested substituting black for the brown that I used. Since black appears in the painting, this wasn't a misuse of the painting, and it produced some lovely ensembles. I kept the same sweaters and blouses, in order to use the identical accent colors, but I substituted everything else. The accessory theme today is flowers!
love, Janice
... View the Post
March 6, 2015 Not everybody wants a monochromatic wardrobe, but for those among us who find this idea comfortable, and even exciting, the opportunity to experiment with texture is irresistible...
This woman has been in business long enough to be in charge. Long enough to love her grey hair. Long enough to know the power of simplicity...
If you have a moment, note that many of the accessories have a circle theme; that's the kind of thing I love to do! Our executive packs fearlessly for a long trip. She has people who handle her bags...
love,
Janice ... View the Post
March 5, 2015
These colors made me want to create outfits for a woman who was strong, confident, and who could stand up to the vividness with appropriate exuberance. This is a woman who considers red boots to be a neutral... oh yes, she likes boots!
The neutral beige can come in handy on a day when one wants to be a bit less confrontational, or at least settle into the background more than usual.
If you're struggling to find a scarf that combines particular colors, check out Valezhki on Etsy. While Etsy is rapidly becoming yet another dumping ground for mass-produced Asian junk (think of ebay...), there are still some talented crafts-persons to be found there.
And while ... View the Post
February 26, 2015 As soon as I did the earlier version of this painting (found here), people emailed me asking that I use a different mix of colors, and that I do a business travel version of a wardrobe. So I'm combining requests here - I hope it works out!
I kept many of the elements of the original travel outfit, just swapping out the sportier tee shirt with something just a smidge dressier, and then coordinating earrings and a scarf with this new top.
love, Janice ... View the Post
February 25, 2015 Another week with incredibly cold weather. For those of you who live in warmer climates, you just have to take my word for it that this weather is exceptional, even for Chicago. Consistent lows below zero or in the single digits, days upon days of highs MAYBE in the teens. Dry dry dry air, wind to knock you over... just lovely! I actually love winter, but this is even more extreme that I would prefer. But we carry on, in style! As before, if I can link to my item, or something substantially similar, I will provide a link. The absence of any link means I couldn't find anything close enough...
I know I've mentioned it before, but these Bogs boots are the WARMEST I've ever owned. They're ... View the Post
February 19, 2015 I love this painting! And I still marvel at how many decidedly winter-themed paintings have been suggested to me in the last few weeks! Any other paintings you want to see? Leave a comment, and I'll do my very best.
You could certainly include a warm, dark golden brown here, and rust as an accent...
For these colors, I was thinking of someone who had to travel overnight for a special dinner. Not necessarily a work event - possibly a family fete? But this is definitely ideal for some cold travel in order to get to a lovely festive occasion. (note that in defiance of the cold, I included a floral-trimmed scarf, and floral ... View the Post
February 17, 2015 Week #2 is an ongoing effort to dress when the weather is brutally cold. I find that I'm liking wearing dresses more and more, for the speed and the uncomplicated sleekness they bring. Someone asked me about tights... Tights should be as easy and as comfortable as leggings or yoga pants. (Yoga pants especially are considered the most comfortable garments ever made!) Keep trying different brands and sizes of tights until you find some that don't dig into any part of your body, but rather hug you warmly and softly. You will then be able to pop on a dress in a heart-beat and be read to roll! Some of you were interested in where my goodies were purchased, so I'm including a caption that shows brands. ... View the Post
February 12, 2015 From the very first moment I launched the original post about this painting, I KNEW that I was going to have to look at this again, and pay full attention to the beautiful blue and green at the top of the canvas.
I decided to make this really simple, and concentrate on the opulent feel of the painting as much as the luscious colors.
I pictured this as someone who has to travel overnight for a quite formal event, and then make their way home the morning after. This whole capsule is all about velvet, brocade, cabled cashmere, and ornate jewelry. Sigh...
It wasn't at all easy to find these colors and textures, but I'm ... View the Post
February 9, 2015
Yes, three DIFFERENT readers sent me links to three different paintings about ice skating. What are the odds? (100%...) Some people have mentioned that they (a) don't wear cardigans, (b) want to have as many outfit options as possible from a 4-Pack, and (c) have to wear a skirt or dress for travel because they go directly to their work obligation upon arrival. I've tried to address all three of these concerns here, while at the same time giving a feeling of coziness to help with the inherent chill of winter business travel.
Square scarf – Hermes, earrings – Giuliana Valz-Gen, turtleneck – Brunello Cucinelli, skirt – Tulchan, watch – Skagen, tote bag – ... View the Post
January 31, 2015
Fear not, I'm FAR from finished with Start With Art. (frankly, it's a theme that I will never stop doing - it's just too beautiful, and too much fun)
But there are so many really lovely cashmere sweaters on sale right now - for those of us who are growing MADLY tired of winter, and our winter clothes, this is a great time to grab a well-considered and carefully integrated new sweater into our wardrobes. (mine is a red cotton cabled crewneck, which will have legs far into the spring...)
If you're in the market for some winter clothes to brighten up the end of the season, it's well worth browsing sites like The Outnet, Saks Off 5th, or Neiman Marcus Last Call. Major retailers are dying to ... View the Post
