Transitioning to Spring (2009)
It snowed today. Most of the day. And it’s spring break here, so no regular activities; the irregular activities we had thought of didn’t work out. So, in an effort to break the grip of lethargy, I decided to clean out my drawers, switch over to spring, and take inventory of what I need.
Cleaning out my drawers was the easy part. Actually, switching over to spring took nearly no effort whatsoever; the trouble is I have almost no spring clothes. What I’m really hurting for is “just get dressed” stuff. And inspiration.
What are you wearing around the house this spring? Or whatever time of year it’s 50 and raining where you live. 
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Wardrobe Therapy Weeks 2 & 3
… the dash-through version. Aka my entire everyday winter wardrobe in a single post. Refer to Convertible Everyday Winter Template for details on my winter uniform template.
Tops (which would have been week 2). Some discussion of the colors of and their combining took place recently back here.
Primarily leisure, three cashmere turtlenecks: light coral pink, light heather gray (my “sweatshirt“), and dark heathery brown. Or melanin hemoglobin color, hair color, and eye color. I also have an ancient merino wool turtleneck, which looks exactly like the brown one pictured here, presently employed as a painting shirt (not like for painting the house, but for attending watercolor class and for painting sets down at the studio).
Exclusively leisure, five pullover sweaters: light fair-isle, brown cotton thermal vee, gray merino vee(mostly for “painting”, see above), black crew (almost scoop), and oatmeal heather vee. Not terribly exciting, are they?
Although when combined with one of these shirts, most of which cross back and forth from leisure to casual, the color combos get a little more interesting. Surprisingly, I have discovered recently that the oatmeal heather is exciting with the white or pink, okay with the print, and downright boring with the brown. Hmmm.
I have two cashmere cardigans, and I’m not certain where they fit in the process. By spells they turn up with dressier stuff, but I wouldn’t be afraid to wear them for knocking around either. Especially the pink one. Purchased at Value Village for $1, it’s already been through several winters with me as a crew neck; but when recently it began feeling a little snug (okay, it was a torture device), I cut the front open, serged it, and … voila! A cardigan!
Bottoms and jackets, week 3.
To qualify to be pictured here, the jacket had to fit. My paisley didn’t qualify on the basis that over any of the blouses pictured here it becomes a torture device.
The charcoal trousers have a matching jacket, but it doesn’t fit well. I am considering paying real money to have it altered, as the trousers fit fabulously.
My winter jean collection, from left: flannel-lined straight legs, really old bootcuts for tucking, less old bootcuts for kneeling on the floor with the kids, and my good dark skinny jeans.
Phew! I feel virtuous, having posted something tangible and fashion-related. And my everyday winter wardrobe’s not in bad shape either. Now, for the sake of discussion, would you suggest one item to add and one to delete from this mix?
Updated to add: Karen outdid herself and sent in a polyvore. I love this stuff! Thanks Karen!
Related Posts:
Convertible Winter Everyday Template
Another one of those ‘duh’ moments, as my friends of another generation say, “I could’ve had a v-8!”
Has winter arrived in your region? (Not you. lol) I know for some of you winter doesn’t necessitate adding many clothes, but here in the Great Northwest the sky has turned gray and my feet are cold. From today on, white takes a backseat and heather gray moves up in my wardrobe.
But the real “aha!” was this: the convertible everyday template (for my personal style idiom, winter 2008/2009).
- around the house: jeans + collared shirt + sweater, pullover wool or cashmere
- out & about town: jeans + collared shirt + blazer, velvet or washable suede or maybe tweed
Upon rising, I can “just get dressed” for whatever I am doing first, knowing that later in the day I need only change my top layer (and shoes) to remain situationally appropriate.
Have you had a convertible template you used successfully?
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Do You Look Hopeless?
From a recent email:
I always wonder –and maybe you can ask the question on your blog – why do people lose all hope and start dressing in those terrible old lady clothes?
(Referring, I assume, to the “elastic-waist pants, boxy top, earth shoes” uniform template. And let me just say that I don’t believe people are generally critical of those who can’t wear heels, etc. We can all agree to be understanding about that, can’t we?)
Pondering the question, next to everything else that currently resides in my brain, I noticed the following similar themes (it’s my job to notice patterns):
- the use of the term “lose all hope”
- longer, floral dresses are known as “I give up” dresses
- quite a few of the “types” (a more complimentary and probably more accurate term than “caricature”) in Trinny and Susannah Take on America
, which we discussed here previously, seem to have given up; from “my kids are my life” right down to “this has always been my best look”.
- In Staging Your Comeback
Add in the following, from private discussions I’ve had:
- one beloved friend feels like a failure for being (insert age) and not knowing what to keep and what to biff.
- a reader wrote, in response to the What Do Your Clothes Say About You discussion, that she wasn’t sure what her best look is.
- bodies change as we get older, necessitating different styles for comfort.
- polyester never dies.
My conclusion: I’m afraid alot of women are unintentionally giving the impression of being hopeless in matters of personal style. In other words, they think they look fine, like I would if I wore the long, pretty dress with the small print. :)
Please, correct me if I’m wrong. Why do you think people wear “old lady clothes”?
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A Timeless Transitional Template
Here in the mountains of the Great Northwest, Fall is a lamentably short season. Beautiful, but only about six weeks. Hardly deserving of an entire wardrobe of its own; nonetheless it’s a time of year when most of us want something new, fresh, and exciting.
Throw in a daily temperature span of about 40 degrees and the only sensible thing to do is layer. True, layering is a big look this fall, but allow me to propose a perennial wardrobe template for managing the transition from summer to winter:
new jeans + summer top + winter layering piece (jacket, sweater, etc)
In my mind, it works for me. Now I just need to get my clothes out of the freezer and try them on.
In the meantime, what will you be wearing this fall? And what are you certain you will NOT be wearing?
Slowly but surely, my jean jackets having been making their way out the wardrobe door. The blue denim has lived with my camping clothes for two or three summers now, and I didn’t wear the white denim one at all this summer. Biff! But I suspect my chamois washable suede will remain a fall wardrobe classic, living in the back of the closet only when it seems dreadfully out of style. Not yet!
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Fashion Lab: Boxy Tops
Some time ago we were discussing the uniform typical of some of our moms:
elastic waist pants + boxy top + “earth shoes”
Hoping to address this topic delicately and helpfully, without being unnecessarily hurtful or judgmental, I would like to once again quote the illustrious (although I really should look that word up first) Imogen Lamport, from her article The Long and Short of It, which explains how to work with vertical body proportions (aka length-balancing):
Baggy or boxy clothes will make you look bigger (they do that to everyone) …
The proof (I used pictures of a plus-sized model because it’s just more illustrative):
Comments?
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My Simplified Summer
It wasn’t retail therapy, but this past Saturday I found myself alone downtown on other business, a few blocks from the mall, with a few hours to spare. As I was in need of some shoes with better support, Nordstrom was my destination; and lo and behold - it was the half-yearly sale!!!
In the course of painting sets for the show we are involved with, my Chacos met their demise (or at least the long-awaited demotion). Now they are hiking sandals. When I need to look respectable, I will be wearing these:
(Unfortunately my size was not in stock, they should arrive tomorrow … at which time I will know how much I paid for them. he hee. I know they were on sale.)
My simplified summer color palette:
- white
- coral pinks: icy pale to bright to almost-red coral
- accent: dark brown
My simplified summer shoe wardrobe:
- leisure: Chacos
- casual: the pictured Sofft Adara dark brown patent wedges
- business: I don’t need business shoes
- social: dark brown vintage lizard peep-toe slingbacks
All are dark brown. I have a belt, now I just need to decide on a purse.
My simplified summer uniform templates:
- leisure: I’m still working on this one, but could it be anything but shorts and tee?
- casual: after working downtown for two days, I am firmly decided on this one - short-sleeved pants, aka bermudas + short-sleeved shirt + removable jacket. I am just so much more comfortable in pants than in skirts.
- business: I don’t need business clothes. Honestly, out here in the West, business casual is pretty much good for everything.
- social: sleeveless sheath. I have two black and one pink, and I wouldn’t mind making myself another, perhaps a print. I also have permission to raid the fabulous skirt wardrobe of one of my daughters.
What are you wearing this summer?
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On Being Content
Oddly enough - ever since my recent purchase of a winter weight, casual lifestyle segment, upper layer - I have noticed in my wardrobe ruminations a feeling more rare than it ought to be: contentment. While I am still without the *perfect* pair of jeans, I am content to wear what I have. And every day I have a clean cashmere sweater to put on!
Wardrobe development concepts contributing to contentment:
- The development of a uniform template. Underlying the success of this concept is the necessity to actually own at least one of each piece. These will often be staples.
- Knowing how many of each piece I really need.
In pulling links for this post (on an absolutely gorgeous, sunny, late winter day here in the mountains of the Great Northwest!) I was reminded that spring is typically my most challenging season. I’d love ideas from readers! Spring’s coming. What will you be wearing?
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Winter Tops for Smart Casual
Christie’s question concerning smart casual winter tops, which came in response to my post on the six levels of casual:
I also need better ideas for smart casual winter tops. I have a semi-wrap merino wool sweater which I like, but it seems to have shrunk in length.
I like to be warm, so I look for non-bulky wool sweaters. But my first layer under sweaters usually is just a tee, so that’s kind of boring.
My off-the-cuff answer:
I was just thinking that I could get a couple of slim turtlenecks and just use them for the boring t-shirt part, topped by a snappy jacket in velvet or suede or wool. I have also been using drapy silk blouses under my v-neck sweaters and liking that.
You see, typically I think of assembling an outfit, or a uniform template, in terms of
The Base (pant, skirt or dress) + The Top + The Layer
Brenda Kinsel suggests considering each zone as a room in a house. The larger the room, the more furniture (line breaks, detailing, embellishments, bells and whistles) you can put in there.
Based on the fact that shorter hip-length fitted jackets, the more pockets and detailing the better, are the hands-down best length/shape for me, I’m toying with this variation on the “formula”:
The Base + The Top Layer + The Connector
The top layer being the jacket, sweater, sweatshirt, etc and the connector being the top underneath which makes it all work together. Which really makes perfect sense, as the character of an outfit is created by the jacket … which I am now in the market for more than ever, for two reasons: one, I have laundry snafu’d all my favorites right out the door and two, Fall/Winter clearance.
So I don’t know if I helped you, Christie, but you certainly helped me!
What say the rest of you lovely people? Other than that I over-analyze things. Isn’t that the point?
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Reader Question: Tips for Transition
Christine writes:
I hate jeans, mostly because I can never find a flattering comfy pair. I think I finally did, but after a few days of wearing them I’m feeling kind of dull. I’m a skirt and dress wearer but sometimes it’s hard to transition, from summer to fall for example. Some days bare legs and sandals feel too bare but it’s not time to drag out the tights and boots.
I also look dreadful in black so that cuts down a lot of skirt and dress options that make the transition easier. Suggestions anyone?
Although I am not a skirt and dress person everyday, because of what I wear to church I can still relate. Transitional seasons are certainly challenging.
Here are some ideas. Readers please add your suggestions in comments!
- Nicole’s suggestion: lightweight tights and peep-toe shoes to make a summer skirt transition into early fall.
- Similarly, I have been thinking about adding footless tights to my summer skirts with sandals. Here’s my trouble: my summer skirts (all pictured here) are unlined. Unlined skirts stick to tights. But, Christine, perhaps you have some that would work or, alternatively, don’t mind wearing a slip.
- Another thing I have done, tell me if you think this is weird, is to wear my summer skirts, bare-legged, with knee-high boots. On second thought, don’t tell me if you think it’s weird. It just works for me.
What works for you in this time of transition?
