Janice's brown & grey start-from-scratch wardrobe veered in an unexpected direction immediately in January with a not-matched-but-blending T and cardigan in a bright pumpkin-y orange with brown pants and loafers...which is a very un-Sally color combination! But it boils down to a twin set in an accent color and pants in a neutral. Does this palette give rise to any expectations of how the Nelly wardrobe might get started?
If you were thinking black pants, I don't blame you; that would make so much sense. But much like the black & grey Gina wardrobe, I started with the dark pink accent color instead! I had already allocated the wine/mulberry items to the Gina wardrobe, leaving a nice set of burgundy items for this one. We can begin with two versions of a "suit," two footwear options, and a cheery polka dot scarf that helpfully includes multiple shades of pink...items from different brands, across different eras, i.e., not designed to go together. Although these items are not perfectly matched in color, I find that they work well as a grouping. I am trying to embrace looks that combine variations of a color across a range rather than always striving to match, and we are going to see that reflected in the choices for these wardrobes...sometimes with quite a bit of success, sometimes less so.
Burgundy sweater vest - Karen Scott/Macy's - 2X - $19.99 - 12/2019
Magenta polka dot scarf - thrifted, Goodwill - $3.99 - 7/2016
Burgundy knit skirt - thrifted, Lularoe/ThredUp - 3X - $13.20 - 7/2020
Burgundy skinny pants - ana/JCP - 22W - $9.79 - 1/2020
Maroon ankle boots - Dolce Vita/Nordstrom - $93.76 - 11/2014
Maroon flats - Payless - $16.99 - 6/2015
Much as the Gina mulberry wine options were complemented with grey additions, the Nelly wardrobe is getting a selection of garments in the black neutral to mix and match with the burgundy. These just feel like January color combinations to me. I like the variety of textures added here: a simple cotton sweater in a marl pattern, a classic striped T, a luxurious velvet vest, and of course our satiny inspiration scarf.
Black/white marl pullover sweater - Karen Scott/Macy's - 3X - $9.96 - 7/2020
Black velvet vest - thrifted, Coldwater Creek/ThredUp - 2X - $14.00 - 4/2020
Black/white striped long-sleeved seamed T - ana/JCP - 2X - $5.59 - 1/2020
Black/brown/gold giraffe scarf - thrifted, ThredUp - $2.39 - 2/2020
Let's round out our January additions with a bonus plaid shirt that brings in a second of our accent colors with this dark teal, the mixed metal bracelet that is so familiar at this point, and some black accessories.
Dark teal/mulberry/tan plaid shirt - CJ Banks - 2X - $8.04 - 6/2020
Black/silver teardrop earrings - ?
Black scarf with white dots and trim - thrifted, Kate Spade/ThredUp - $1.50 - 12/2019
Black tooth/claw necklace - Outfit Additions - $28.00 - 11/2013
Gold/silver chunky stretch bracelet - CJ Banks - $9.99 - 12/2020
So far, we have one neutral (black) and one accent color (burgundy) well-represented in this wardrobe with hints of white and a second accent color (teal). On to some possible outfits!
Outfit #1 is an immediate oddity in that it's a January Sally outfit without a scarf! This one is clearly targeting a not-as-cold day (and might have a nice warm underlayer beneath that shirt). Let's show this jewelry some love: in addition to the fierce necklace peeking out from the collar of the shirt, perhaps a subtle roll of the cuff will display the bracelet to best advantage.
Outfit #2 brings us back to Sally January basics: a pullover sweater, scarf, and ankle boots. This dotted scarf is indeed the same one shown above, just styled into a faux-finity version by tying the ends together and wrapping around twice. The broad white edging on the scarf can be featured or hidden, depending on how the scarf is wrapped or tied.
In outfit #3, the skirt "suit" gets its first outing with a striped T layered underneath. I have already discussed my great appreciation for the quilted or puffy vest as a winter staple, but I like all kinds of vests, in all kinds of seasons (as you shall discover). This sweater vest gives me a bit of a 70s vibe without feeling like I'm wearing a costume. I like the look of a bright or printed sleeve sticking out from a vest, and of course I'm all over that striped T + printed scarf combo. Black tights or burgundy tights? Either one should work, but I'm leaning burgundy here.
Outfit #4 brings in the velvet vest, which is a new thing in the Sally closet. I think a lot of people associate velvet with fancy dress and the holidays, limiting its applicability to their wider wardrobe. But I'm finding that it's more versatile than that; it can easily make its way into many different business casual work outfits. (I like black tights for this one.)
Outfit #5 is another case in point. Both the pencil skirt and the skinny pants have a narrow bottom silhouette, so they are a natural pairing with these longer vests.
Does the idea of a necklace and a scarf worn at the same time strike you as strange? I have a few core versions of the necklace + scarf look that I rely on regularly. One of them applies here: the shorter necklace and the long dangling scarf. Here are the styling steps for the long dangling scarf. Step 1: Pull a long (oblong, rectangular) scarf out wide in front of you. Step 2: Position the center of this long scarf at the back of your neck. Step 3: Pull the two long ends forward so they dangle on either side of the front of your body. You are probably familiar with those steps from the beginning of a bunch of different tutorials on how to tie scarves in the manner of the criss cross bow knot, the ascot knot, the basic loop, the double rainbow, the tree pose (wait, that's yoga), the one-legged monkey (I think I just made that one up), etc. But for the long dangling scarf look, this beginning point is also the end point. Reflect on that profundity if you dare.
Even without a pair of black pants, the Nelly wardrobe seems easy to generate outfits from so far. We will see how strongly that feeling endures as more colors from the palette are added.
For the seasonal wardrobe matrix, recall that in each season, for each color category, I can mark what has been added each month:
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)
I'm not entirely sure why black/white is added as its own "color" in this chart; I guess it made sense at the time!
Do you have a color combination that says "January" to you?
In my next post, we will look at the last of our January additions: the #6 Grey & Navy, Sophia wardrobe. Time is moving fast as this blog attempts to catch up with the calendar!