With the official first day of summer behind us, the warm-to-hot weather has arrived even here in Minnesota. It's definitely time to get this wardrobe into a summer-compatible mode!
Here is where we left things at the end of May. Depending on where you live, you may experience heat stroke looking at jeans and long-sleeved cardigans, but these pieces are still in play for me (though only on the cooler days of the season, and I did remove the dusky rose cardigan that is too warm for June-August). I like to roll up my sleeves on a cotton or linen cardigan or a long-sleeved button up shirt as a summer layering piece.
The current collection of accessories is looking quite good! But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop adding them because I find that especially for a capsule wardrobe, the accessories make the outfit.
When Janice added items to her wardrobes for June, she focused on two summer tops, a pair of shorts or cropped pants, bracelets, sandals, and a tote bag with the idea of being ready for a farmers' market visit. My additions overlap quite a bit with hers. This time I'm going to show the new items by adding them as outfits.
Outfit #1 is a classic nautical summer outfit in navy, white, and red. This striped top is a bit different from the traditional Breton style in that it has two different stripes: narrow stripes on the arms and a bit wider stripes on the torso. It's made from a bit thicker cotton knit than most t-shirts, which I like because it has very good structure for wearing as a stand-alone top (without a topper) and sits a bit loose to the body (so air circulates). I thrifted the anchor print scarf specifically with this kind of outfit in mind. DIY bracelets in paper, stone, and metallic beads and my floral Keds complete the outfit while adding yet more prints to the look. The very tight color palette makes this mix of prints look cohesive.
Navy/white double striped top - Lands End - 2X - $15.99 - 5/2019
Navy polished capris - Croft & Barrow/Kohls - 20W - $19.99 - 5/2018
Navy/white/red anchor scarf - thrifted, ThredUp - $4.80 - 12/2019
DIY navy/red/gold bracelet set - made by me - summer 2022
Navy floral Keds - Rifle Paper Co./Modcloth - $56.74 - 7/2020
Outfit #2 retains the navy capris and floral Keds from the previous outfit as the basis for an Independence Day look that is extremely similar to what I wore for July 4 last year. This is another fun print mix look with stripes, checks, florals, and the somewhat less common Uncle Sam owls print.
Red/navy striped T - CJ Banks - 3X - $4.88 - 9/2020
Same as above: Navy polished capris - Croft & Barrow/Kohls - 20W - $19.99 - 5/2018
DIY red/white/blue/gold hoops - made by me - summer 2021
Navy/red check button up shirt - thrifted, Target/Goodwill - XL - $5.99 - 9/2019
White Rabbit pocket watch pendant - Zad - $32.26 - 11/2015
White/red/blue Uncle Sam owls scarf - thrifted, ThredUp - $2.40 - 12/2019
Same as above: Navy floral Keds - Rifle Paper Co./Modcloth - $56.74 - 7/2020
For Outfit #3, we will change color palettes slightly to navy, white, and pink but stick with the tight color palette print mix theme, this time with a floral top and striped skirt. The cardigan, DIY bracelets, and necklace bring in a variety of shades of pink that blend well with each other and the multiple pinks in the floral top. A pair of versatile nude-to-me flats completes the look.
Navy/pink/olive knot top - Croft & Barrow/Kohls - 2X - $17.33 - 8/2019
Navy/white striped knit skirt - St Johns Bay/JCP - 2X - $13.60 - 11/2019
Light salmon pink cardigan - thrifted, Woman Within/Goodwill - $3.74 - 10/2018
DIY navy/bright pink/silver bracelet set - made by me - summer 2022
Pink swag necklace - Kohls - $13.99 - 5/2016
Nude rockstud flats - Wild Diva/Amazon - $19.99 - 7/2016
Outfit #4 is my stab at the extremely popular "Coastal Grandmother" trend, based on beige, white, cream, and light denim/chambray; natural fibers like cotton, linen, and cashmere; chinos and capri pants; shirt dresses; classic button up shirts; straw hats; and tote bags. All this beige with no color is definitely not my typical style! But as it happens, I had already planned to add these two beige pieces and the chambray shirt to the wardrobe this month, so it was easy to put them together into a CG-ish outfit that I would actually wear! The accessories bring in some of my favorite elements and give this outfit a me vibe: the zoological motif, mixed metals, multi-strand seed bead necklace, and studded pointy-toed flats.
Chambray sleeveless top - Liz Claiborne/JCP - 1X - $13.49 - 2/2018
Beige skimmers - thrifted, Terra & Sky/Goodwill - 2X - $3.99 - 9/2019
White butterfly earrings - CJ Banks - ?
Beige cardigan - thrifted, Target/Goodwill - XXL - $3.74 - 2/2018
DIY mixed metal bracelet set - made by me - summer 2021 & winter 2022
Cream/beige multi-strand necklace - CJ Banks - $6.59 - 2/2021
Same as above: Nude rockstud flats - Wild Diva/Amazon - $19.99 - 7/2016
For today's garment focus, I am sharing some summer OOTD featuring this floral print top...which of course I love because navy-based floral prints are a More Me thing. The white in the print is great because it mixes easily with navy and/or white (which are prevalent in my overall wardrobe as well as this capsule). The multiple shades of pink and green make it wear well with a variety of specific pink accents and multiple olive/aloe/sage neutrals. And the knot feature gives it more shaping and drape than a typical knit top. It works equally well layered over as worn alone.
This late July 2021 work-from-home OOTD pairs the top with my other navy/white (ivory) striped skirt...this one is a lined skirt that I call my "micro-stripe" skirt because the stripes are so thin that they disappear at any distance, giving the appearance of a textured, desaturated fabric. I wore my "fancy" nude shoes, a pair of Cole Haan wedges built on Nike Air cushioning for comfort. And of course I completed the outfit with a colorful layered necklace look, which is my summer go-to: a short necklace with many colors of crystal, two seed bead strands, and a DIY faux pearl tassel necklace.
This early August 2020 OOTD is based on the floral top and the navy capris that were also added to the capsule in this post. The accessories bring in a lot of color to the look! The layered necklace features the same DIY tassel necklace as the previous outfit plus a green faux druzy necklace, a gold chain, and a rhinestone tennis necklace. My bracelet stack includes gold and rose gold bracelets from Amazon, DIY pink seed beads, and a trio of DIY navy/pink/white seed bead bracelets that I made to coordinate with this top.
Here is another August 2020 outfit, this time with the beige skimmers also from this month's capsule additions. (It's nice to see that the floral top works with all of the bottoms added with them.) This outfit is accessorized primarily with gold, though there are a few colorful pieces in the layered necklace. The green necklace from the previous outfit and the pink and green seed bead strands from the first outfit reappear in this somewhat elaborate 7 piece #neckmess.
Going back to August 2019, this is an in-office work outfit which is simpler than my typical weekend/WFH looks. The navy pencil skirt from our capsule gives a more professional vibe, as do the nude wedges, and that green necklace shows up yet again. This yellow-green cardigan is not a great match to any of the specific greens in the top but it coordinates well regardless. The variegated shading of the flowers and leaves in the print makes it so easy for other shades to blend right in. (The color in this photo is kinda wonky; my legs don't typically look quite that pink!)
This September 2019 in-office outfit is just right for that transition season when the mind thinks "fall" but the weather says "still pretty much summer." The olive cotton pants and maroon flats are comfortable in warm (no longer blazing hot) weather but have an autumn color palette. The full length pants are also a nice seasonal change from the cropped and ankle pants that dominate true summer dressing. The denim shirt is a lightweight alternative to a traditional denim jacket. The necklace repeats the navy and maroon/burgundy tones from the floral print.
For our new rabbit mascot, I have selected this creamy wooly bunny with dark points...hello, Willy! I asked her if she's our Coastal Grandmother, but she refuses to dignify the question with a response. It's interesting that several species, including rabbits and cats, have this type of coloration in which the dark pigment is concentrated in the areas of the body that are the coldest, such as the nose and ears.
The addition of a cream/beige rabbit to our menagerie seems appropriate, since we have finally added that color to our wardrobe capsule this month also. I'm enjoying the variety in this rabbit capsule!
Does the Coastal Grandmother aesthetic appeal to you? What do you think of that name?
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I love how you plan and put together your outfits.
Thanks for linking with #pocolo
I want to put more Coastal chic looks: I photographed some (and wore one) for a future post but I need to do more!
www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
No bunny would ever succumb to the coastal grandma, haha!!! XOOX Jodie
www.jtouchofstyle.com