My Autumn Wardrobe in Watercolor

Birthday Dresses

 

Our little girl and her baby cousin (my goddaughter!) share the same birthday (our daughter will turn eleven on the day Vivienne turns one!).  One of the traditions that we have for our daughter is to buy her a special birthday dress and this year, I was able to find matching birthday dresses in the clearance section of April Cornell!  Aren't they lovely?

On a Gloomy Tuesday...

 

Today was sneaker shopping day.  Two children found what they were looking for and we ended up ordering Little Man's online.  He's disappointed to have to wait, but it'll be worth it when they arrive!  Homeschool gym class starts on Thursday and the children cannot wait.  Gym day is their favorite.  

Father John is finally starting to really feel like himself after his surgery on September 1st.  Today was the first day that he did a full day of work and though he is tired, he was able to accomplish quite a bit.  It's amazing how much surgery takes a toll on a person.  We are so thankful that he was healed and is doing well.

Though it is still warm and humid outdoors, autumn is just around the corner!  I was able to snag the very last beeswax pumpkin candle at our health food store today, which makes me very happy.  I'm looking forward to lighting it for the first time on Thursday morn.

Linen Tunic Dress...

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I ordered a linen tunic dress over a month ago and it finally arrived yesterday!  It is absolutely lovely and just what I was hoping for.  I special ordered a longer length (44" which hits me right below the knee).  I should have ordered a size down, but my bust measurement made me worry that a large wouldn't be big enough.  I've dropped it off at the dry cleaner to be taken in and in a week it'll be just right!

Drawing and Tidying

 

 

 

My new favorite thing to do is to draw my clothes.  I still have to add my jeans, boots, shawl, and light coat to my autumnal wardrobe page.  I'm no artist, but there's something soothing about drawing things out.

 I've been happily wearing the chambray skirt that my sister made for me last week.  It looks so nice with all of my three-quarter sleeved target shirts and my summer sandals.  I wonder how long it will be before I can trade them for my beloved tights and boots. 

 I organized my closet tonight, putting away some of my summer clothes (mainly the things that are white) and carefully folding and hanging everything nicely.  I still have to go through all of the children's clothing putting away the warm weather things and bringing out the cold weather ones, but there will be at least a few more weeks of warm weather to enjoy.  

Late Summer Wardrobe...

 

We have a few more months of warm weather and things were feeling a little stale.  I ordered the linen tunic in early August (it should arrive in mid- to late- September), tried a new combination of skirt, sweater, and camisole after seeing Matushka Rebekah Bethany wear recently, and Kate and I are hoping to sew some chambray Everyday Skirts in the next couple of weeks.

Summer Wardrobe...

I haven't done a wardrobe post in awhile (here's the last one), but have been very inspired by the ten item wardrobe that Jennifer L. Scott advocates on her blog and in her books.  As longtime readers know, I have always aimed for a small wardrobe for myself and for our children.  I am a very plain dresser, so it wasn't difficult to round everything that I use on a daily basis up to do a little photo shoot.  

I have been very inspired by linen for awhile now, but this is the first time that I have really integrated it into my summer wardrobe.  I have three linen skirts and a pair of wide legged linen trousers to wear this summer.  They are all from J. Jill and have either been purchased on Ebay or at deeply discount prices from the online store.  I really love that J. Jill offers clothing in tall sizes (only online)...  it was wonderful to pull on the trousers and have them actually fit my long legs!  Most pants that I try on are high waters on me.  The fifth bottom that I have for this season is a pair of long shorts (similar, here).  The army green color is versatile and I love the length (just above my knee).  All of my shirts are from Target and are boat-neck 3/4 sleeves.  They have several choices in their store currently (these are a mix of shirts from this year and from last year). 

I was able to upgrade my bathing suit and went with a suggestion from a friend.  I chose a navy blue tankini and it goes well with a navy blue and white cotton tunic I use as a cover up.  I am excited that my hat from last summer is still holding up well, as is my beloved tote bag.  The sandals are Born and were my Pascha shoes this year (and hopefully a few years to come!).  As for jewelry, I have been experimenting with dangle earrings for a few months and it has been a fun way to dress up my outfits.  Since it is so hot, I often don't accessorize with much, so the earrings add a little more personality.

What are you wearing this summer?

The Ten-Item Wardrobe...

I have been reading Jennifer L. Scott's wonderful blog, The Daily Connoisseur, for awhile now and I was very excited to see that she recently gave a TedX talk, which is available on YouTube.  Enjoy!

Outfitting the Children...

We've been going through lots of clothing lately...  boxing up things that are more warmer weather or that no longer fits, sorting through baby clothes for my little nephews and big girl clothes for Lucy, and taking stock of things that we need.  

For the past four years, we have made the conscious effort to keep our wardrobes small.  Having fewer clothing has meant that I have to do laundry more often. Washing, drying, and folding a load of clothes each day has become a part of our routine. We have also had to learn to take care of our things a bit more carefully by wearing aprons when we do something messy and folding or hanging up our things when they are not being used or put in the hamper.

Here is my cold weather clothing list for each child: 

5 Everyday Outfits (dresses, trousers, tops)
1 Nice Outfit for Church 
Fleece Jacket or Vest and Coat
2 Sets of Pajamas
Sneakers, Boots, and Rain Boots
Hat, Mittens or Gloves, and Scarf
Underpants and Undershirts (enough for the week)
Socks, Tights, and Leggings (extra socks and tights!)

We are slowly working our way through our lists, buying a little here and a little there.  It has been interesting to see our children's different styles emerging...  we have a little artsy fashionista, a cowboy, and a monochromatic dresser on our hands.  For the first time, I have had requests for jeans from all three children (up until now, I have avoided jeans just because I don't really like them), which I have honored.  Our daughter is branching out from skirts and dresses and is asking for some pants (which is a little bittersweet, to be honest!).  Interestingly though, all three still like to match, which is really cute!

What are your autumn wardrobe plans?  Any favorite items that I should check out?    

Autumn Wardrobe...

Wool Plaid Shawl

Boatneck Tees with 3/4 sleeves

Warm Topper for Blustery Days

Knee-length Knit Skirts with fold over tops

Bootcut Corduroy Trousers

Fancy Dress

Lightweight Raincoat

My Autumn and Winter Handbag

Brown Leather Boots

Wedding rings and earrings (the earrings are worn one pair at a time)

Watch and bracelets (the bracelets are worn one at a time)

These items are the workhorse staples of my Autumn wardrobe this year.  I really tend toward wearing the same favorites day after day, and these photographs reflect that.  I do have other things in my wardrobe to mix it up when I need to, but my friends will tell you that these clothes are probably worn every time they see me!  I really like the colors that are represented here (black, white, navy, charcoal, silver, brown, and camel).  Anytime I deviate from this palette, I don't feel comfortable.  I have been mixing black and brown/camel for a few seasons now, and I love it!  I used to be a very black shoes/black handbag sort of girl, but I have come to realize that camel works a little better than black for me because it looks good with either black or brown.  

Some other things that I wear on a regular basis:
Cardigans (black, navy blue, turquoise, and cheetah print)
Oblong scarves for covering my head in Church
Black Leggings
Black Tights (opaque and lacy)

Some things that I'd like to add over time:
Boatneck tee with 3/4 sleeves in white with black stripes
Corduroy skirt (in the same color as my cord trousers) 
Dark brown cardigan
Wool coat
Quilted jacket
Camel leather brogues
Camel leather boots
Shearling boots
A Chunky Charcoal Gray Cowl (working on that now!)

Annual Upkeep
I take my jewelry to a jeweler that I trust to be checked, repaired if necessary, and polished.
My boots and handbag go to a local cobbler to be polished and repaired if necessary.
I bring my wool scarf and coats to the dry cleaner to be repaired and cleaned.

I'd love to see what's in your autumn wardrobe!

Wedding Clothes...

As any woman knows, dress shipping can be a little stressful even under the best circumstances.  My sister's wedding is rapidly approaching and so my sisters and I headed out to try on some pretty bridesmaid's dresses.  Juliana wanted the dresses to be cream colored and have some texture.  Happily, there was a lot to choose from and two of us got our dresses one night and the last sister's dress was procured about an hour ago!  

I found this Lauren by Ralph Lauren jacquard dress in Bloomingdales.  It was on the clearance rack to begin with and the saleswoman mentioned that it would be further reduced two days later, so I bought an expensive and well-made dress for a song!  I am so happy with the cut (my favorite part are the pleats that hide my tummy a bit).   I plan on wearing these (rather uncomfortable) tan peep-toe flats for the wedding and then changing my shoes for the reception (which is going to be held in a barn!).

It is exciting to be adding a fancy dress to my wardrobe...  this is one bridesmaid dress that will be able to be worn after the wedding!

25 Ways to Wear a Scarf...

I'm sure that everyone has seen this but me, but I thought that it was such a great how-to video for scarf wearing!  I love the look of scarves and oblong ones are my favorite!  I have a bunch for head covering in church and it would be nice to incorporate some of these techniques to use my scarves to their full potential outside of services!

Summer Essentials...

  

I have been really enjoying three of my favorite summer essentials these past few days!

It has been quite hot here and having a light summer bag to toss everything in has been great!  This tote is easy to wipe clean, but the fact that it has a chic handle and flap made of gorgeous caramel leather, seems to elevate it from a beach tote to a respectable handbag.  This is my second Longchamp tote (the last one was navy) and I really like how the bag wears as the seasons pass.  The black and caramel colors of the bag look great with everything in my closet!

 

I try to remember to put on my sunglasses every time I step outside and these are the nicest pair I have ever had. It seems that I am more sensitive to bright sunlight as I get older.  I really like how these sunnies look...  I put them on and feel a little glamorous!

When I saw these flip flops in Marshalls, I was excited!  They are made by Born (such comfortable shoes!) and look great with just about everything from a simple skirt and tee to my more dressy clothes.  Though I have always admired shoes with flowers and other embellishments, I was always hesitant.  I did want to draw too much attention to my large feet and I also didn't want to tire of the style quickly (especially if they are a more expensive shoe!).  I do not have to worry about either of those things with these flip flops!  They are a perfect color (almost a neural) and make me feel summery and elegant. 

What are your summer essentials this year?

Bathing Suits...

I finally took the plunge (ha!) and ordered a new bathing suit last night.  I know that bathing suit shopping is torture for most women, but I try to make it as painless as possible by just shopping online.  The biggest problem that I have had with suits in the past is that they have not been large enough in the bust area, and so this time I went with a Land's End swim suit in black that boats a larger size and more support for that area.  I am looking forward to receiving it in the mail!  Next on the agenda is to find a sunhat and a pretty bathing suit coverup!  Any suggestions?  I wonder if a simple men's button-down shirt would look good or just ridiculous.  What suit are you wearing this summer? 

Children's Simple Spring Wardrobes...

I know this is early, but we have been having an unseasonably warm winter here! With some spring things starting to show up in the shops, I was inspired to work on our lists this evening.

We have been having great success with the pared down wardrobes that we have been using the past few seasons. Though we could probably eliminate one or two of the dresses/skirts/pants/shirts, I am comfortable with the amount that we have for each child... occasionally, we have days when laundry isn't done, and if we have a few extra things to wear that doesn't become a big deal. I think that babies need more, while big kids might need less. My children tend to like to wear the same things over and over, so this works for us!

Here is what our children's wardrobes will consist of this spring:

Sugar Plum

5 Dresses

2 Skirts

3 Tops

Little Man and Button

7 Bottoms (we really like roll up pants best)

7 Tops

Everyone Has:

1 Dressy Outfit (which we will get for Pascha [Easter]... will become our go-to Sunday outfit after Pascha)

Lots of leggings, tights, socks, undies, and undershirts (these are the hardest for me to keep up with!)

2 - 3 pairs of pajamas

2-3 sweaters and fleece jackets

1 rain coat

1 pair of rain boots

1 pair of sandals (we are going to try Salt-Water Sandals for everyone... I feel like they will eliminate the need for Sunday shoes and a casual sandal for everyday)

1 pair of slippers for chilly mornings and evenings

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Are you planning your warm weather wardrobes yet?

Keeping Warm...

I've been thinking about keeping the little ones warm these past few days. I am particularly concerned about our littlest. Button is prone to sickness (he has been sick every other week since August due to neutropenia) and so we've been dressing him in layers: hat (even indoors), undershirt, long-sleeve shirt, sweater, pants, socks (look at the wooly socks my sister Kate knitted him!), and slippers or shoes.

Though our older children tend to be warm during the day, I am having trouble keeping them toasty through the night and first thing in the morning once they are up and about. They are now wearing undershirts under their pajamas and I will be getting them some slippers to wear with their socks once they get up. Now the trick will be to get them to not kick their blankets off at night!! Hopefully that will be enough to keep them warm.

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Here's Some Food For Thought:

Kyrie had some beautiful posts on Warmth last Autumn
Auntie Leila had an excellent entry entitled How to Dress Your Child in Colder Weather

Sugar Plum's Autumn Wardrobe...

Shirts

Skirts and Dresses

Leggings and Tights

Boots

With the addition of a sweater, socks, pajamas, slippers, and a hooded rain jacket, Sugar Plum is all set for cooler weather!

Little Man's Autumn Wardrobe...

Shirts

Corduroy Trousers

Sweater

Pajamas

Boots

With the addition of socks, slippers, and a hooded rain jacket, Little Man is all set for cooler weather!

Button's Autumn Wardrobe...

Longsleeve Onesies

Cotton Pants

Warm Sweater

Pajamas

Warm Shoes

With the addition of socks, slippers, and a hooded rain jacket, Button is all set for cooler weather!