Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Reader's style challenge - spring capsule wardrobe variations

Reader's style challenge submitted by ilsa via blog comment:

As I have told you my “coup de foudre” for this SS was “Au coeur de la vie” ... at the end it was  [the] rose vif/orange/violet that I brought home... (Ref. H002235S 09)

So I wonder if you can play you magic again and suggest some capsule combinations...

As always thanks in advance for your kindness.

Regards from Barcelona

Congratulations on your beautiful new scarf, dear ilsa, and many thanks for the challenge! The CW you chose is amazingly versatile, as it consists of many different colors... warm yellow and orange, rose, pink, sky blue, ecru and beige, in addition to strong and cool fuchsia and turquoise tones, and warm browns and reds.

This gives many options, especially since the colors are in the warm and cool spectrum (a good source for finding tops in the exact right shade is Kettlewell Colours, where many of the colored capsule pieces featured below are from). My suggestions are of course limited to my own wardrobe, but I hope they give an idea on the many different ways to go.

#1 picking on the warm pastels

 



#2 - bringing out the warm yellow and mustard shades




#3 - creating a neutral base. The scarf is 'tied in' by a pop of color from the bracelet and shoes

 

#4 - picking up on the turquoise and teal details, and teaming with summery and fresh accents

 

#5 - similar to 3, only focusing on the scarf's blue/grey/white elements as the neutral base





#6 - Black, pink and ecru




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70 comments:

  1. Wow and wow! You really did 'tie-in' every color within this lovely silk!. Lucky for the style challenger to have these style sheets to refer to! Amazing fete to work this into your own wardrobe...perhaps it will be a Spring purchase for you? You never cease to amaze,dear friend!
    Have a wonderful run up to the weekend, T xx

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    1. You are right, my dearest friend, the limitations of my own wardrobe was the biggest challenge here! So happy it worked! Have a most wonderful and fab week ahead xx

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  2. Dearest MaiTai,

    I love this post!!!! Thank you so much for the different sugestions! They are all gorgeous! I feel like searching for the different colours in my pink scarves and starting to play.
    No one like you arranges the photographs in such perfect hamony with eachother. <3
    The result is beautiful!!! Thank you so much for one more precious lesson and "muchas gracias" to Ilsa for this great style challenge. Spring hugs, Manuela

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    1. Moito obrigada !!!!

      It's a beautiful momento of our trip to Lisbonne

      And I totally agree with you the arrangament of the pics it's splendid!!

      Ant to the spring !!!!!!

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    2. Yes, thank you Ilsa, great question and super practical know-how from MT in reply, which I'm sure we will all emulate. s

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    3. Hope you had fun with your pink scarves, my dearest Manuela! Perfect timing for spring <3 Agree with you and S on ilsa's question, it has been a great challenge!

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  3. Wow ... I'm rethinking this colourway based on your combinations. I thought it was 'limited' in what it could be worn with but you have definitely opened my eyes. Beautiful ensembles.

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    1. Me too, not in a month of Sundays could I have seen so many options in that scarf, I think Mai Tai needs to run courses!

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    2. PS that is such a great idea - a MaiTai style course in the South of France! Count me in! s

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    3. Oh what a great idea! Let me be a participant in the course, too. Where to subscribe?
      Claudia

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    4. Count me in too! Simone

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    5. I remember, some years back, we did not manage to persuade MaiTai to write a book. Now, it seems the campaign for the course started - please, note my vote for it too! Will participate even in the middle of the summer (big sacrifice in my terms :)
      Lea

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    6. Hermès, Provence, Summer, friends.....

      YES!!!!!!!!

      Just say when... please...

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    7. A scarf party...oh the fun we'd have!! Everyone must bring their favorite scarves, and a local specialty from their country for our dinner. I'll make sure to get the champagne on ice!

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    8. How exciting this idea!!! I could be there in about 12 hours. My car is ready to start! I would bring our famous and very delicious german bread. The only thing I need is a fixed date...
      What a wonderful dream...
      Claudia (and car)

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    9. Hope the tank is full! And yes, bread would be wonderful! Pehaps a couple of
      'Kölsch' too? See you!

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  4. Ce foulard est magnifique et comme toujours vos associations parfaites!le plus difficile reste le choix du bon foulard: tellement de choix de modèles et de coloris chezH qu'il est difficile d'en choisir un seul!Amitiés.Véronique

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    1. Bonne chance pour trouver votre coup de coeur, chère Veronique!

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  5. Beautiful and versatile scarf, congrats, dear Ilsa. MaiTai, you are the best stylist in this world - providing helpful "lessons" how to dress in a nice and interesting way. I have spent an hour putting combinations together using my own cupboard - so interesting when the clothing becomes a source of inspiration and play.
    I have skirt and long wrap of Kettlewell colours - very nice and stylish, good quality, highly recommendable.
    The last thing - I am missing your face and smile in this post...a proof you are a magician on your own.
    Hugs, Lea

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    1. Happy your closet play has been fun and productive, my dear Lea! Also glad that you are pleased with your Kettlewell pieces. In spring, the long wrap is a perfect casual substitute for a blazer, can't wait. Hugs x

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  6. What a beautiful pink scarf and I love the way you have styled it. Great colour combinations.

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  7. Dear Mai Tai,

    I'm speechless!!!!

    The outfits are so amazing and the pics so beautiful

    You are really gifted!!!
    And I have similar pieces in mywardrobe ( minus the Birkin) but I still have great expectations in this field!!!!

    Thanks again for your time and kindness

    Regards from Barcelona !!!!
    As you say "It's play time"...

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    1. What a super challenge Isla! What a fantastic response and style file you have received from our uber stylist! Wardrobing around a scarf,instead of the other way around, is not that easy! But, dear Mai Tai has made it look easy,breezy! Happy playtime with your lovely new scarf!

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    2. Dearest ilsa,

      Thanks so much again for the fab challenge!

      I very much enjoyed it, and it is wonderful to see that so many others did too <3

      Have fun with your beautiful scarf, and the happiest of playtimes!!

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  8. Very beautiful combinations, you harmonise the colors as nobody does.
    I am a novice, and I have not much ideas..You are so creative !
    Bravo
    Anne Marie

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  9. Eek! I can't believe this. I have been saving up to buy my next scarf and am now only a week away from ordering this very one. Fantastic post - it will really help me to work out what to wear. I just hope that the scarf is not sold out online before I can get it!

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    1. Oh no! It has now disappeared from the UK Hermes site! Have been saving up for this one. Does anyone know if it might come back?

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    2. So sorry to hear about the unlucky timing! It's worth to keep checking the site, it might come easily back. Good luck!

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  10. as always you have nailed it! Love all these combinations x

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  11. Clever you - very practical guidance, so helpful, thank you so much dear MT.

    Quick question, rather basic, but just wanted your opinion - I am about to order from Kettlewell based on your recommendation of them. I find with many less expensive garments (and sadly some that are top end!), that they tend to shrink/lose shape/twisted seams etc when machine washed, even on a gentle cycle. So, I end up hand-washing a lot of things, simply because I don't want to spoil them. Can I ask you - do you machine wash your Kettlewell or do you recommend hand-wash? Thanks and sorry for rather boring domestic question in the midst of such loveliness! If you had the time to answer I'd be interested! (I am fanatical about looking after my clothes!). sx

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    1. I own quite a few unexpensive clothing items, and some of them have outlived their higher priced wardrobe siblings by far! All my Kettlewell pieces have been holding very well, and I always wash them in the machine, on a gentle cycle x

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    2. You are kind to reply, thanks for that. Practical information for me. Yes, I have a mix of costly garments, and many less so, which like so many people I pick up from Zara etc, and you are right, some of them do wear better - but not all! Thanks again!

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  12. Dear Mai Tai - I would have passed over that scarf because it offered too few options for wear. My goodness, was I wrong! I can't get over how it looks like a different scarf in every photo, and how the clothing colors make the non-pink colors jump out. Thank you for an excellent lesson!
    For my birthday, I received my first Hermes scarf - Della Cavalleria in green. Would you consider using this as your next reader challenge?
    Welcome back from you trip - you were missed!
    Ann

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    1. Thank you Ann, so happy you enjoyed the demonstration. Many congratulations on your precious scarf, no scarf will ever be as special than the first one<3 I could not find a picture of the green CW online, and my wardrobe pieces in green are limited! So for the moment it will be difficult to take this challenge on, but maybe this changes once I see the scarf :-) Good luck!

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  13. Wow you are so talented!! I just love the looks you put together and there is truly not a bad one in the bunch...very chic!

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    1. So happy you enjoyed the sheets, many thanks!

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  14. Dear MaiTai,
    absolutely beautiful - fantastic combinations!!!
    Take care,
    Bine

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  15. J espere que la personne qui vous a envoyé le defi est contente car les mariages vêtements foulards sont très très nombreux et tous si bien ensemble Bravo pour avoir relevé encore une fois un tous petit défi pour vous .
    Belle fin de semaine .
    Bises.
    MYRIAM

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    1. Chère Myriam,

      I'm indeed very happy with the results.. As we all expect, once again our dear MaiTai has pass it with flying colours!!!!
      I feel very fortunate indeed to have came acrros this fabulous blog 3 years ago!!!

      Just pure serendipity..

      I'm going to feel part of our"sisterhood" every time I'll be wearing this scarf.

      To MaiTai!!!!!

      Regards from Barcelona

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    2. Chére ILSA
      Il est vrai que notre MAI TAI est de très bon conseil .Bravo pour votre foulard il est très beau pour ma part je ne possede que des foulard bicolores donc plus facile a associer
      Amicalement MYRIAM from FRANCE

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    3. Chère Myriam, je suis ravi que les résultats vous plaît!

      Ilsa, here's to scarves, fun, and our happy sisterhood!

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  16. Fabulous post, dear! The magic of Hermes and MaiTai! I have this scarf in cw 21, and can see how I can very easily use the same outfits that you have posted, minus the pinks. Beautifully done, dear. Must check out Kettlewell soon!

    Congratulations, Ilsa on selecting such a beautiful, versatile scarf!

    Warm orange hugs, dear
    CS

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    1. So nice to be siblings with you (mine is a mousse) my dear CS, and so happy the sheets were useful! Have a wonderful Sunday xx

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  17. P.S. Sigh...wish I had your coral and pink shoes. It's one of my favorite color combinations. Now that spring is official here, hopefully we'll see them more often. :-)

    CS

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    1. Hope you'll find a similar pair one day soon!

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  18. I would love to know how tall you are, please? I am 5'11" and often tops/sweaters/blouses are not long enough. I like very much the pieces you feature from Kettlewell, but am hesitant to order.
    Thank you!

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    1. CCE, I am tall, as well, and the pieces fit beautifully!

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    2. I'm 5'7. You could ask KC's customer service for advice on their longer styles (the owner of Kettlewell Colours is taller than me, and everything she wears looks always perfect on her). Good luck!

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  19. My jaw has literally dropped to the floor! WOW! You breathe every bit of life into this scarf! Perhaps you can help me with my newest silk, Wa' Ko-Ni in cw 15. I'd like to wear it with pieces that transition from Winter, as well as with Spring and Summer outfits. Any suggestions?
    Many thanks...looking forward to more posts like this!!

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    1. Congrats on your new beautiful carré! Like the scarf above, it offers many possibilties because of it's rich and varied CW. You could pick on the warm reds, deep oranges, browns and bordeaux, or on the cool greens, pastel blues and whites. Most of these are not in my wardrobe though! Stay with dark combinations for winter, and change the top or bottom into one of the lighter colors for summer. And then there is black, of course.. chic all year round!

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  20. Dear Ilsa, what a beautiful colourway on your scarf! Mine is red and green, but there is a little pink and now I am inspired to play with that. Dear MaiTai, it's delightful how you paired the pinks with neutrals. It's my favorite of all your wonderful looks.
    Warm aloha,
    Fifi

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    1. Dear Fifi, hope you are having a great time playing with the secondary colors, all the best!

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  21. What a lovely scarf, adore it and what great styling by you MaiTai - partic like the mustard one and the black and ecru, you have a great eye. Bon Weekend! xx

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    1. Thank you, Blighty! Hope you had a lovley weekend too xx

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  22. Hi MaiTai!
    You have such an eye, I'm impressed!
    My winter wardrobe is mostly red/grey/black, and my Point d'orgue in black fits with it perfectly.
    Do you have any idea how I could make this scarf work with a spring/summer wardrobe? Beige doesn't suit me well ;)

    Melora

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    1. I am really sorry, but I only have a very vague memory of the black Point d'Orgue's other colors! A touch of white (jeans, shirt or a t-shirt) always adds a quick and easy summery touch, and should go well with your red/grey/black winter colors too. Otherwise, try to pick up on some of the lighter/brighter colors of your scarf. Wishing you the best of luck!

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  23. Dear MaiTai,
    simply amazing again!
    You colour combinations are to die for:-) and you are simply the best!

    Best wishes, Barbara
    Barbara

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    1. Thanks so much, dear Barbara. So happy you liked these!

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  24. Wunderbare Kombinationen, wirklich stilsicher, chic und elegant und doch sehr tragbar ! Einfach toll !

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  25. Love this post. DH brought me back les Faceties de Pegase in those beautiful pinks oranges
    and neutrals from a trip last week. I came back to your post so many combos will work with it. Thanks for some great tips.
    Love a pink cardi. Will definitely work that one in!!, xx

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    1. Congrats on this beauty! What a sweet DH you have <3

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