6 Scarves 2021: Jan-May Recap, #2 Navy & Beige, Darcy

For an introduction to the 6 Scarves 2021 project, see this post.

For a description of my method, see this post.

With the weather warming up and summer on the way, this bright, fresh color palette is looking just right.

Let's build some warm-weather outfits incorporating our May additions to the capsule. First up are the admittedly goofily-named neon coral watermelon ankle pants. Using this scarf as a guide, I added the teal striped T (and navy knit blazer for extra warmth or professionalism, depending on what the day has in store). To pick up the white in the stripes and scarf, white faux pearl earrings made less stodgy with the addition of bunny ears. (By coincidence, pearls are currently in vogue, the more interesting the better; fun pearls are a cornerstone of my style all the time.) And for an extra dash of print mix amusement, the striped blue knit flats.

Outfit #2 is one of those combinations I would never have put together were I not working with these capsule wardrobes, but I kind of like the result! As just a color-blocked yellow "suit" with dark coral tank, this outfit feels a bit random to me. But when I put in the scarf containing a variety of yellow/pink/coral colors, it has a more cohesive look. Yellow stud earrings are an obvious choice, and sometimes it's fine to just go with what's obvious, especially if you are stretching yourself in other ways in the outfit. A 3/4 sleeve cardigan is perfect for showing off a bracelet, and I liked the warmer tone of this mostly-gold bracelet with the yellow + rust combination. And you probably could have predicted by now that I would add an "interesting shoe" to finish things off. I'm sure my full wardrobe has many fine choices of shoe for this outfit, but I don't think I could do better than these leopard print flats.

There was no question that May's navy/coral floral T would be paired with the coral skirt (added back in March). Put on a pair of navy flats and you could call it a day. But it's easy to add a trio of beaded stretch bracelets to jazz things up a bit, and a navy scarf can be worn in a variety of ways, including as a shawl or wrap over the t-shirt.

Outfit #4 includes another of those clear-cut combinations: May's light floral blouse with January's aquamarine pencil skirt. I admit, these two-piece warm-weather outfits can feel strange to put together. That seems odd, perhaps, but I find that adding that third layering piece elevates an "I just put on a top and bottom that look OK together" combination to an intentional outfit. I guess making a third piece fit in the puzzle signals that you're paying attention and just pulls things together. But it's silly to lament the lack of a layering piece when you still have accessories to add! Since accessories (other than shoes, in most situations) are 100% optional, wearing accessories that work with or contrast interestingly against the base outfit can have the same effect. In this outfit, I took the "work with" route. I started with the aqua/silver necklace to repeat that color in the outfit for the third time. For the bracelet stack: silver to repeat the necklace metal, gold and yellow to tie in with the mustard-y flowers, and rose gold to match up with the pink-ish coral flowers. Then the leopard print flats (which truly do function as a neutral, just more interesting) finish things off.

I have had this navy floral skirt for a good while now (since Feb. 2018) and I have worn it 15 times. But I have almost entirely ignored the fact that it contains yellow because other than a pair of mustard flats and a yellow necklace, this wasn't a color in my wardrobe for a long time. Well, that changed last summer with the addition of the light yellow trio of tank, cardigan, and ankle pants from CJ Banks. So Outfit #5 is a combination that is obvious for this capsule, but revolutionary for me personally. I kept accessories simple: a bold gold-tone pendant, yellow and orange seed bead bracelets, and navy flats.

Finally, Outfit #6 is a bit warmer than the other outfits we've seen because I live in Minnesota and do not trust that chillier days won't arise now and again. (This past week with a rainy, windy, cool period definitely demonstrated the wisdom of that!) I was interested to use these yellow ankle pants and ivory sweater to create a light base outfit, which is something that is appropriate for my personal coloring but feels a bit out of my comfort zone. Our inspiration scarf and unexpectedly-coordinating resin earrings bring a touch of color to the portrait area. The gold-tone bracelet picks up on that hint of gold in the earrings, and of course I like the leopard flats with the yellow and gold. I would definitely wear this outfit!

As I did with the Gina wardrobe, I have also put together outfits with all the other garments in the capsule and can share them at a seasonally-appropriate time.

Now's the part where we review the entire wardrobe and think ahead to June additions. (Yep, June's additions were finalized long ago when this capsule was put together in a three-day blitz, but I don't remember what's coming in June and I find it interesting to evaluate as we go.) I've already identified short-sleeved tops as a priority for all the capsules as we enter summer. This wardrobe already has the summer-appropriate yellow cardigan, but another vest or cardigan would be welcome for layering. And I surprise myself a bit here because this is so much the opposite of my usual issue, but yes, for once I think we are looking good on solids but could use more print garments in the wardrobe! We also could bring in the beige from the color palette; that's a nice summer neutral.

And how about our accessories? More aqua scarves! OK, no, we are well and truly set in that category. Scarves and/or necklaces that are NOT in the teal/aqua color family would be welcome, though.

Our garment spotlight for this post is the navy/white micro-stripe skirt we added in February. Let's see it in action for cold, warm, and very warm weather. First up is a layered outfit for Minnesota's coldest month, February. It's unusual for me to wear a scarf draping like this in the winter, but with the mandarin collar on the vest, having the scarf wrapped around the neck isn't always necessary, and I no doubt was thinking that the scarf would frame the pendant nicely this way. (That's one of the best things about a scarf; you can adjust it for your needs at any given moment. I promise that this blog is not sponsored by the international scarf industry. I am just a big fan!) I really like the combination of navy, light blue, and cognac, and it came together a bit differently in this outfit from my norm.

Moving ahead to the warm summer weather of July, our striped skirt is paired with my beloved navy sleeveless rabbit blouse (from the Disney Alice in Wonderland/Lauren Conrad collection at Kohls in 2016) and this smart navy jacket with the fringed edges. The blouse has a soft strip to tie into a bow so I usually do that and skip the necklace. Instead I put on a set of coordinating bead bracelets. Even though the green flats are a different shade from the green grass on the blouse, I liked the pop of color they brought to the look.

And finally a simple outfit for the heat of the summer: a bold tropical leaf blouse, striped skirt, a gold tiered necklace, and the same green flats as before. (I LOVE the combination of green and navy, but sadly, none of the six color palettes in the 6 Scarves project contain a true green! This wasn't intentional; it just shook out that way.)

And because there can't be too much rabbit content for my taste, let's review our rabbit menagerie as well. Beige, white, and orange are all going strong. And look at all these bunny loafs! Surely there are other rabbit poses we could introduce here. Any guesses about June's rabbit addition?

Do you tend to be a third piece dresser? How do you bring interest to your outfits when a top and bottom (or a dress) is as much fabric as you can stand in the hot weather?

In my next capsule wardrobe post, we will look at the Jan-May recap for our third wardrobe: #3 Navy & Grey, Lily.

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)