Chic Sightings: Grey Coats, with Brown Leather Accessories

Another one of those unexpected, but really eye-catching, uses of accessories to breathe life into dark outerwear, on dark days.

Duffle coat- Yves Saint Laurent, messenger bag – Fossil, boots – Cole Haan,  down jacket – Moncler, shoulder bag – nette’ leather goods,  boots- Steve Madden

Collarless coat- Dosa,   cross body bag – Fendi, boots- MIA, nylon car coat – Aspesi, shoulder bag – My Choice, buckle boots- Timberland

Chic Sightings: Blue and Grey

Blouse – Tory Burch,  Suit – Linea,  pumps – Natan,  sweater – Kenzo,  scarf – Nordstrom,  jeans – J. Brand, canvas shoes - Keds

Earrings – Ippolita,  peacock print sweater – The Elder Statesman, skirt – Uniqlo,  boots – Paul Green, scarf – Missoni,  dress – Uniqlo, earrings – Novica,  pumps- 9 West

Chic Sightings: Brown and Blue

Jacket – Fairly,  Suede jeans – Mother,  scarf – Hermès, loafers- Adam Tucker, silk blouse – Maliparmi, earrings – Novica,  skirt – Lover, boots – Steve Madden

Sweater – Stella McCartney,  scarf – Pierre-Louis Mascia,  Skirt – Nomad,  ankle boots – BP,  necklace – Novica,  dress –Stella McCartney,  slingbacks  - Perlato

Blouse – Aglini, bracelet – Julia Failey,  white jeans – Proenza Schouler,  flats – Cole Haan,  sweater – Marika Charles, earrings – Betsey Johnson,  trousers – Rochas,  oxfords - Munro

Chic Sightings: A Simple Black Dress, a Cardigan, and SNAZZY shoes

Our weather has been all over the place here in Chicago - highs in the 80's don't really feel like early autumn...  But a lot of women are taking this in stride by wearing their favorite black dress with a cardigan in the morning when they leave for work, and then shedding the sweater if the temperatures climb.  Cleverly chosen shoes are the key to these simple ensembles!

Cardigan – Chinti and Parker,  Grey pumps – Everybody,  teal cardigan – House of Fraser, teal-trimmed pumps – Carolinna Espinosa

Black & brown pumps – Softspots,  brown cardigan – Paul & Joe Sister, camel cardigan – Burberry,  Camel and black pumps – Enzo Angiolini

Grey cardigan – Massimo Alba, Floral slingback – J. Renee,  maroon cardigan – Sonia Rykiel,  pumps – Marvin K.

Dress – Stefanel  (this dress is also available in khaki,and in grey...)

Chic Sightings: Beige Cardigan, 6 different outfits

Now that we can occasionally pull out our sweaters in Chicago, I've noticed that a LOT of women are wearing a simple beige wrap cardigan in all sorts of lovely ways:

Cardigan – Alpha Massimo Rebecchi, Tweed skirt – Stella Jean, ivory sweater – Stefanel,   taupe suede pumps – Naturalizer,  black sweater – Stefanel,  printed skirt – Weekend by Max Mara, black pumps - Sofft

Cardigan – Alpha Massimo Rebecchi, Grey trousers – Giorgio Armani, grey blouse – See by Chloe,  grey flats – Munro,  navy top -  Shirt C-Zero,  navy trousers – Paul Smith, navy fabric loafers – Munro 

Cardigan – Alpha Massimo Rebecchi,sleeveless sweater – Stefanel,  beigejeans – Frame Denim,  booties – Gentle Souls,  floral tee shirt – John Galliano,  copper velvet pants – Brunello Cucinelli, buckled boots – Lucky Brand

Chic Sightings: Purple and Navy

A variety of shades of purple, but all of them using navy as their neutral, from the most simple choices of navy pumps with a purple dress, to a very dressy silk blouse and velvet skirt ensemble.

Earrings – Nikki Baker,  dress – Malo,  pumps – Trotters, scarf – Esther Bonte,  blazer – Aspesi, pants –  Cedric Charlier, loafers - Geox

Scarf –  Joanna Allsop,  sweater-  Armani Collezioni,  skirt – Pauw,  boots – Nine West,  amethyst bracelets – Lagos,  amethyst earrings – Lagos,  cardigan – Malo,  skirt – Sofie D’Hoore, navy suede pumps - Clarks

Blouse – Aspesi,  clutch bag –  Georgina Skalidi,  velvet skirt – Vanessa Bruno,  satin sandals – Nina,  tunicsweater – Alberta Ferretti, scarf – rag & bone,  leggings – Uniqlo, flats - SoftWalk

Chic Sightings: Turquoise and Navy

This first outfit is what got me looking for turquoise - the pieces are all really simple, but the color combination was striking, and the proportion of the long tee shirt, the cropped cardigan, and the modestly longer shorts was both pretty and unique.  Once I started to focus on looking for turquoise with navy, I saw it quite a few times!

Tee shirt – Proenza Schouler, navy cardigan – Dorothy Perkins,  shorts – Jil Sander,  flats- Splendid,  dress – Diane von Furstenberg,  cardigan – Fedeli,  scarf – Hermès,  pumps – Trotters

Jeans – 7 for All Mankind,  tee shirt – Proenza Schouler,  earrings – Barbara Rybarova,  canvas shoes – Keds,  blouse – Michael Michael Kors,  pants – Max Mara,  bracelets – Vivien Frank,  shoes – Cole Haan

Cowl sweater – Diane von Furstenberg,  skirt – Marni,  scarf – Little Fool Handwoven Textiles, boots- BP,  sweater – P.A.R.O.S.H.,  tweed skirt – Lanvin , necklace – Lilla Balazs, slingbacks – J. Renee

And as I've noticed before, when you started to actually collect clothes in these colors, it becomes an effortless capsule or travel wardrobe!

Chic Sightings: Grey and Teal/Petrol blue

Scarf – Hermès, Sweater – Stella McCartney, Corduroy pants – John Lewis, sneakers – Superga,  sweater – Paul and Joe, jeans – 7 for All Mankind,  scarf – Artillerylane, loafers – Burberry 

Dress – Issa, necklace – Alexis Bittar, pumps – Nina ,  blouse – See by Chloe, labradorite bracelet – Sikara,   skirt – Ermanno Scervino, marine blue flats – VC Signature

Tee shirt- Sandwich ,  scarf – Antagoniste,  cropped trousers – Moschino Cheap and Chic, flats-Adrienne Papell, blouse – Damir Doma, earrings – Alexis Bittar, skirt – Marc Jacobs, cardigan – Miu Miu,  pumps - Tsubo

 As before, I find it striking that if you commit yourself to a favorite color, and carefully assemble a few outfits to reflect this preference, you then have  - almost without trying - assembled a travel capsule wardrobe.  Yes, there are a lot of shoes here, but they're mostly rather flat, and would pack easily.  Three scarves, three pieces of jewelry, and you have dozens of options!

Chic Sightings: Grey and Yellow

I saw a couple of these outfits late last winter, and then didn't see the color combination again until this week, where I spotted it a handful of times.  This is a great look to collect if yellow flatters you...

Sweater – Jules B., Shorts – Trussardi, sneakers – Superga , sweater – Stella McCartney,  jeans – 7 for All Mankind,  earrings – Linnie McClarty  oxfords – BC Footwear

Sweater – Tom Scott,  cropped trousers – Moschino Cheap and Chic, flats-Adrienne Papell, earrings – Dorus Mhor, blouse – Chloe,  skirt – Marc Jacobs, cardigan – Miu Miu,  Bracelet – Eleanor Bolton 

Dress – L’Autre Chose,  scarf – Terracotta New York,  pumps – Nina, yellow sweater – Antonio Marras, skirt – Opening Ceremony, sandals – Biala

What a fun capsule travel wardrobe this could be!