For an introduction to the 6 Scarves 2021 project, see this post.
For a description of my method, see this post.
A check in with our winter matrix shows that the burgundy, black, and brown colors have filled out trios of bottom + top + topper, which is terrific. I'm also glad to see teal starting to make an appearance.
x = solid piece
T = tonal piece (i.e., tonally works with this color though it is a different color)
O = ombré piece
P = print piece (not ombré)
Despite this wardrobe having four eye-catching print skirts, the overall balance of solids and prints seems reasonable:
Bottoms: 4 solids / 4 prints
Tops: 5 solids / 3 prints
Toppers: 5 solids / 0 prints
Our accessories group continues to be smaller than many of the other wardrobes, but there is some nice variety here. I also like to check for solid scarves; three of them is a good place to be at this stage, I think.
We made progress in our color palette in March by adding brown and teal pieces to the mix. More teal is clearly needed, and cobalt and white remain unrepresented. (No white T? I'm kind of surprised!)
When building outfits from this wardrobe, I was able to include all of the garments in eight outfits, one per bottom piece. That's fewer outfits than I expected; perhaps the wardrobe is more cohesive than I'd thought it would be. We'll start with two columns of color. Outfit #1 is an interesting example of that because...well, it's really a column of burgundy/maroon down the center of the body with the striped T showing on the arms. The column is interrupted under the knee by tall black boots, but clearly maroon ankle boots or flats could be worn instead.
Outfit #2 might feel like a lot of color, but this monochromatic base outfit in a semi-neutral feels relatively low-key to me. I like seeing the burgundy complemented by brown leather in the earrings and boots; that seems a little less common than burgundy and black but just as lovely. And the inspiration giraffe scarf takes prominence against the burgundy background.
I wasn't sure how the burgundy jeans and teal scarf would work together in Outfit #3, but I like this outfit a lot. It's a very simple outfit, but the individual pieces really come together nicely. The scarf is a somewhat lighter/brighter shade than the plaid in the shirt; ditto the shoes compared to the pants. To my eye, these somewhat more vibrant yet coordinating colors take the somewhat dark base outfit in a spring-y direction, which feels right for March.
In our last peek at this wardrobe, we saw this gold striped scarf with an unexpected teal sweater and burgundy jeans combo. In Outfit #4, I decided to try another sweater and jeans combo with the scarf, this time maroon and brown. I love how a many-hued scarf like this can add a sense of cohesion to a color-blocked outfit...even when the colors of the garments aren't present in that precise form in the scarf. Though the brown leather earrings were an obvious choice, I opted to try bringing in a bit of black (also present in the scarf). Brown and black are not a very comfortable combination for me, so I'm taking a baby step here.
Outfit #5 is another variant on the Sally style theme of girly + tough. It's just such a pleasing way to wear a floral skirt. I'm definitely feeling burgundy tights to blend into the boots here.
Every time I pair an accent color with brown, I want to say some form of "this brown + [color] combination is less common than black + [color]." But brown is such an under-utilized neutral compared to black, it's probably true of any color you name. It's unfortunate because brown is truly lovely. I enjoy a brown + shades of pink combination--in this outfit, especially that rich burgundy-wine scarf against the deep brown--and isn't brown such a great pairing with a nature-based print?
The addition of this teal pullover sweater in March was a huge boon for the wearability of this cool-toned skirt. Sure, I have put this skirt with burgundy, and I think it can work despite the floral print being more of a purple/lavender color, but the teal is very calming to look at here. I like wearing this skirt with black, particularly in the winter; the floral print, while colorful and summery, is outlined in black, which makes the addition of black garments and accessories feel natural and not forced.
And finally, Outfit #8, which I feel inordinately fond of for some reason. Are you surprised to see this skirt worn with black? It's not obvious, but the teal-blue areas of the skirt have some very dark areas that are, if not truly black, so dark as to be functionally black. I think what makes this outfit punch above its weight for me is how the various beautiful watercolor-esque hues of the skirt stand out so much when everything else is black. Plus you know I can't resist a good print mix, and to my eye, the simple dot scarf relates nicely to the skirt by repeating the white but doesn't compete with it (or at least not very much by my standards!).
Let's take a look at a few ways I have worn the teal and purple/pink floral skirt. First, last March, a couple weeks into the pandemic, I took advantage of a warm day in my apartment to wear this skirt without tights. Shocking! My bare legs are never exposed this early in the year. I really like both the sweater (a burgundy/pink marl) and the scarf (a pink ombré) with the skirt, but maybe not the sweater and scarf together. I mean, it looks just fine, but I think next time, I would try a different scarf...or as a spring outfit, with a gold necklace.
I was extremely pleased with how this May outfit turned out. The top, cardigan, and flats all picked up different colors in the skirt (I know white is sometimes not considered a color, but for outfit purposes, surely we can treat it as one), and the super-fun necklace has all/most of the colors of the skirt, as well as a few more just for kicks.
I seem to like this necklace + skirt combination, don't I? For this early summer outfit, I pulled out a couple different shades of teal for a top and ballet flats and boom, outfit done.
Now let's turn our attention to the star of the show (I first wrote "star of the shoe" but that's not right!): Nora the English Angora! Is she a super-fuzz bun or what? This month we introduced Francoise the French Angora to the Gina menagerie and learned that the Angora rabbit was split in separate breeds in 1939, very late in Angora history. One might well ask, what was the other Angora breed it was split off from? Yep, the English Angora. (Today there are 11 different Angora breeds.) Unlike the French Angora, which has a wooly coat on the body but a smooth face, the English Angora is wooly all over. She also has adorable ears that are folded over at the tip.
The rabbits associated with the Nelly wardrobe are very different from each other, aren't they? The tiny brown Netherland Dwarf, the moderate sized skinny English Spot, and the wooly white English Angora. It's a fun-looking group!
What color(s) do you like to wear with brown? Or do you avoid it?
In my next post, we will look at the last of our Jan-Mar recaps and March Hares: the #6 Grey & Navy, Sophia wardrobe.
I link up with:
Shelbee at Shelbee on the Edge (2nd Monday; 3rd Thursday)
Mica at Away from the Blue (Mondays)
Debbie at My Random Musings (Mondays)
Leelo at Beauty by Miss L (Mondays)
Roxanne at Glass of Glam (Mondays)
Laura at I Do deClaire (Tuesdays)
Emma at Style Splash (Tuesdays)
Jess at Elegantly Dressed & Stylish (Tuesdays)
Gail at Is This Mutton? (Wednesdays)
Shelly at The Queen in Between (Wednesdays)
Jodie at Jodie's Touch of Style (Thursdays)
Carrie at Curly Crafty Mom (Thursdays)
Ada at Elegance and Mommyhood (Thursdays)
Jacqui at Mummabstylish (Thursdays)
Suzy at The Grey Brunette (Fridays)
Nancy at Nancy's Fashion Style (Fridays)
Michelle at My Bijou Life (Fridays)
Erika at A Little Bit of Everything (Fridays)
Rena at Fine Whatever (Saturdays)
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