Somehow, winter set in without my having had a chance to properly “plan” for it. And whereas normally in January I’m well into a spring-forward frame of mind, we’re having a hard-core winter this year and I have to expect it to hang around awhile. So there’s no mood board, or make list, or any of my usual strategizing to be had. There’s just looking at what garments I have to work with (below) and figuring out how to put them together (coming up) for optimal warmth and comfort.
I actually have a whopping five (technically six) new seasonally-appropriate things in my closet since the last of the Wardrobe Planning posts —
– I started and finished my grey Cline pullover and my ivory cardigan
– I finished my natural wool pants
– At Elizabeth Suzann’s December sample sale, I scored a pair of clay canvas Wide Clydes, as I like to call them (they are decidedly not Culottes!), and a navy canvas Clyde Jacket that for some reason was abandoned before receiving sleeves. ($38!!) I adore it.
– And oh yeah, number six was that grey wool sleeveless tee that I haven’t managed to wear yet. Itchy.
And there are two things outstanding: the blue Bellows currently on my needles, which I hope to complete by month’s end, and the purple lopi pullover-to-cardigan conversion, which I’m more motivated to actually act on!
So apart from those two standing in the wings, here’s the full cast of Winter characters—
STARS OF THE ENSEMBLE
ROW 1) fisherman sweater, grey pullover, boiled wool pullover (J.Crew 2014), striped raglan pullover, yoke sweater
ROW 2) vanilla Improv cardigan, camel cardigan, purple cardigan, black Improv cardigan, black Sloper turtleneck
ROW 3) white linen shell, striped muscle tee, chambray tunic (made for me, unblogged), grey wool tee (questionable, see above), black gauze shell (and tee equiv)
ROW 4) chambray button-up, plaid tee (me-made, unblogged), silk smock (Elizabeth Suzann, 2017), denim vest (J.Crew, ancient), navy canvas vest (Elizabeth Suzann sample, 2017)]]
ROW 5) natural wide-legs, canvas wide-legs (Elizabeth Suzann sample, 2017), camo wide-legs, dark cropped jeans (J.Crew Point Sur, made in US, 2016), denim wide-legs
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS AND CAMEOS
My Cowichan-ish vest and Anna vest, my State Smocks, my lone ratty old turtleneck sweater (H&M men’s, 2012), and a ragtag bunch of t-shirts, flannels and other jeans.
I’m in good shape! Outfits coming up …
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PREVIOUSLY in Wardrobe Planning: November sweater weather
Maybe gift the purple lopi sweater? I don’t really see a slot for it, so to speak, in your gorgeous wardrobe.
I would be wearing it right now if I’d gotten around to the conversion yet!
I love the “Part Wolf” T-shirt!
It’s my all-time favorite. And I can tell a lot about people by whether they totally get it or ask me to explain, lol.
Where are the jeans you made this summer?
Yeah, the dark jeans in the line-up are sort of a stand-in for any of my three pairs of dark jeans, which is all I have in the way of jeans now. Since my two old faded pairs are both basically too delicate for regular wear at this point, I’m left with *only* dark jeans in my closet, which is a challenge for me. I really miss and prefer the color of faded denim. But since I’m planning for each of my three current jeans to last a good long time, I’ve made a decision to break them in successively, so I won’t wind up back in the same position again in however many years. The ones pictured are 2 years old (worn tons and washed maybe a dozen times, if that), and are starting to show some fade patterning, so I’m wearing them the most. Then there’s my 1-year old pair of Imogene+Willies, which I’ve worn a bit and washed a couple of times, and are still showing no signs of breakage in the dye molecules as of yet. Once they start to break in a little (maybe another year?), I’ll start working the me-mades into the rotation. Since they’re the newest, they’re basically on hold so they’ll be around the longest.
But I’m also just not wearing jeans a lot right now. I’m too in love with and spoiled by the elastic waist wide-legs. Which is good for the longevity of the jeans.
Love your neutral palette, and the simple shapes. This winter is definitely bringing wardrobe challenges. Here, on the north shore of Lake Ontario, we’ve regularly been having daytime windchill temps in the minus 30s Celsius (at minus 40 F and C converge). Pants, especially loose ones, just aren’t warm enough because they allow air to circulate around the legs. My “uniform” consists of Sonya Philip’s Dress #1 (I have a bunch in various fabrics) or Dress #2 combined with appropriate cotton Ts underneath, leggings, and either my Lopi long coat (Audrey’s Coat), Glenora jacket or my new so far unnamed tunic sweater. Oh yes, and a scarf or my Neck Thingum. That’s indoors. For outdoors, add a long down coat, boots, handknitted woollen legwarmers, two pairs of mitts and my Yule Tam. Only two more months of winter to go!
I’ve definitely had to embrace real socks with my boots, so I have more lower leg coverage than normal, but even with it being genuinely cold this year, I’m just not out in it much. I have a carport, drive to work, park right in front of my building and walk straight in. So I’m never outside for more than a few minutes at a time. I’m the sort who just leaves my coat in the car in case of emergency most of the time.
That’s pretty much how we lived when we were in Wash, DC. But here, we live in a very walkable community and I can get to everything I need on foot, so clothes that will deal with serious cold are a necessity.
Love emccarten’s uniform!! Sounds like my Chicago wardrobe!
I am all ears to these winter clothes scenarios, and yours are so lovely! I lived in Boston from 2008-2010, and I was miserable from November to April. We’re on a circuitous route back there over the next few years; I am determined to do better this time.
Also thanks (cough, maybe) for introducing me to Elizabeth Suzann. I feel like I could quite happily buy one of everything and never need clothes again.
I have a handful of things from her, acquired over the past few years, and they’re such great building blocks. The black silk Artist Smock above is, surprisingly, one of the hardest working garments in my closet. I’ve worn it in the woods of Squam with jeans and sneakers, and out to dinner in Paris with black pants and silver shoes. And everywhere in between. I never travel without it — it takes up no room in a suitcase, doesn’t hold a wrinkle, and goes anywhere. So to me, it’s the ideal of a smart investment piece, even though it cost less than so many synthetic mall clothes these days.
Nice! So many beautiful textures and shapes. And I especially love the dashes of purple in amongst the creams, greys, naturals, etc. As someone who has loved purple since childhood, I enjoy trying to fit this color into an adult wardrobe and make it look a bit more sophisticated than it sometimes can–so I like seeing the way you do that as well.
I do like a spot of lilac here and there.
At least you have manymany potential layers for all levels of cold, and they are all attractive!
Thank you. I am in surprisingly good shape after the past few years of working at it!
I really like the last item under supporting characters. It’s a grey wrap/scarf. Would you mind sharing where you got it?
I got it at Churchmouse a couple years ago.
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