Privilege Blog

Brown Pants, Brown Shoes, And More Than One Top, Or, Saturday Morning at 10:36am

I did some shopping in September. That’s a photo I took recently to text to a friend. Feet up! I’d asked her about brown thick-soled lace-ups that weren’t boots like my Timberlands, and she said “Grensons” and I listened. Just had to show her the results.

Backing up. As I’m sure you remember, in July I took advantage of my friend Sue’s color analysis services pre-launch and found out my skin is well-suited by warm, dusty tones. AKA Autumn colors. (I don’t say I “am” an Autumn, because I believe I can also wear cool dusty tones, but let’s just say the door has opened wider to browns, tans, wheat, olive, and mustard.)

So I wanted a pair of brown pants. Although the dusty mirror above makes my legs look a haunted, I’m just wearing Eileen Fisher ponte lantern pants, also brown. The combination makes me happy. So I’ve worn it with several tops. Here are some of them.

First, sweater by Patsport, AKA my son. Ivory with forest green lettering, “STALWART.” (The vibrant purple BLACK LOTUS tank is my favorite of the items now available on his site.)

Recently, with marine blue tee from Vince, necklace by Wendy Brandes. Pearls and lug soles forever.

Also, a dusty pink Eileen Fisher tank from the summer (no link), wheat-colored Société Anonyme cropped corduroy jacket from a while back.

And finally, an olive American Eagle sweatshirt with a kind of cut-out (embellishment? detail?) at the shoulder. (No link available. It seems to have vanished into a haze of young woman faerie dust.) I am proud of at least experimenting with a younger brand. No truly original personal style can be achieved without making a fool of yourself every once in a while. (Speaking of which, that thingie on the floor is not my underwear, it is my glasses-cleaning rag. There are limits, even to foolishness.)

So these are my “loose pants” looks and I’m giving them a workout. While I can’t give up jeans altogether, we have too much history, me and denim, I can’t base a wardrobe on them any more. Too much structure. Add the “going-out” dresses I’ve collected over the years, and all the “staying-in” sweatpants that don’t cost $ 200, plus bathing suits and exercise/hiking gear, and I’m done. It took almost ten years, but I finally figured out how to dress in retirement.

Until, of course, the next stage of life, which I cannot predict and therefore cannot buy clothes for. Funny, that.

One more thing. Sue has now formally begun taking in-person color analysis clients. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, I highly recommend you give her service a whirl. Very satisfying.

Have a very good weekend, my friends.

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18 Responses

  1. Love these outfits and of course, adore the shoes with them. For context, when would you wear these outfits? I’m asking because I’m still struggling with how to dress in, not only retirement, although I never went to an office, but would you wear this to go to the market, or to your grief counseling work, or where? Your son is so talented, his knitwear is frame-able, true works of art.

    1. Kathy, the shoes! I love them. Pretty comfortable too. I was wearing these outfits for either afternoon expeditions with my husband, like shopping, or just going into “town,” (i.e. our Main Street) or out to early dinners. When I go to the market, during the weekday, I’m generally in my Levis “Mom” jeans, or my workout tights/leggings.

  2. Hmmm…I’m going to have to look up those EF ponte lantern pants – nicer than athletic wear but more comfortable than jeans? You made me laugh at eyeglass cleaning rag – I’ve collected bunches of them and they lurk all over the house.

    Have a great weekend!

    1. Jane, here’s to the lurking eyeglass rags;). As long as they don’t start leaping from their hiding places and scaring us. Sue at One Femme and Frances at Materfamilias also love those EF pants. Quality endorsements!

  3. Thanks so much for the shout-out, Lisa! I love that you’re having such fun experimenting with colors.

    Aren’t those EF pants just the best? I love mine.

  4. I often wander into American Eagle. They skew younger, but the have anybody size ranges that give them an egalitarian appeal.
    I like the brand’s Cousin, Aerie, that does leisure and underware.
    Are the shoes soft? I am past oxford-ish shoes that are wonderful once you’ve worn them years and had your feet rubbed raw by their edges.

    1. Rose, I was surprised by American Eagle, I admit. As for the shoes, they aren’t all the way soft, but neither are they hard like Doc Martins these days. I like to wear them with thin socks, then I can walk really easily. If I wore them without socks, for much more than errands in town, I’d be chafed I’m pretty sure.

    1. Maryellen, thank you! And in a way that’s what I mean, the pink may be more cool than warm but it’s dusty, which is the key for me.

  5. At age 80, I am definitely in “the next stage of life” after retirement that you mention, and here’s how you dress: keep your clothes simple and your jewelry fabulous, dahling!

  6. Loving your color combinations! I struggle to get out of my athletic leisure wardrobe unless I am going to an occasion with friends… I enjoy your looks for inspiration.

    1. Elizabeth, I agree. I’m never dressed with any polish when I’m home. Unless we think matching sweatpants and sweatshirt counts:). And thank you!

  7. Oh, it’s nice to be back to outfit posts (at least once in a while)! It’s been probably a decade since I realized I look better in brown than black (as a former redhead, I’ve always worn a lot of green). But I look at those ponte trousers and think “cat hair magnet.” Do any pet owners have experience with them? My own favorite brand for “interesting” shaped trousers has long been Porto: https://porto-sf.com

    1. Rebecca, Sue has a dog, I don’t know if she’s had dog hair problems…I do love that you have a favorite brand for “interesting” trousers! And yes, a good outfit chat now and again can be so restorative;)

  8. I drop in on your blog occasionally. Sorry to disagree with everyone. I think you looked much better as your old funky self, as evolved over a lifetime of experience and different influences. Expressing who you are. These new colours are depressing-and I was actually distressed by a glimpse of some embossed flowers on questionable mauve fabric, possibly from your last post? Agnes b would suit you, possibly not easily available in the US? Also Margaret Howell/MHL, though very expensive (good sales). Muji. Cos, And Other Stories, etc. APC. Etc….
    All the best.

    1. Margaret, you feel that I am no longer funky? So odd, I feel funkier than ever! The questionable flowers were on a fern green sweatshirt. But, they amuse me;).

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