Anchie, you look great. That outfit doesn’t have much crispness, but it does have a lot of structure, following the shape of your body. Maybe all the folds of the scarf prevent you from seeing that outline. Try wearing it as a triangle on your upper back, tied around your neck, and see if you like how that looks/feels.

You look fab! I see no frump!

Anchie, I think you are being too hard on yourself, crunch up those sleeves to show more arm and let the top underneath hang below the cardigan. MsMary's outfit does not look as dark that way.
Wearing a traditional cardigan makes me feel like I am turning into my grandmother and one step away from a shawl! I have begun to feel drafts! Talk about feeling old! Knit jackets are a good solution as they have the structure of a jacket with the comfort and warmth of a cardigan.

Perhaps this is not a look you prefer, but I don’t see anything that even hints at frumpy. I see stylish and confident.

Anchie and frumpy don't belong together in the same sentence. You do not look frumpy. I have always been an admirer of your style.

You do not look frumpy but I completely relate to the feeling about cardigans. They don't give structure - they take it away. Good for around the house (although I prefer pullovers) but I feel better in blazers outside.

I tried compering and analysing MsMary and my outfit to figure out why I like hers but not mine and I think problem is in the length of my cardigan. It is too long, covering most of the top, so the outfit looks much darker and has different proportions.

Lesson for the next time - I need more structure, more colour and some lighter colour neutrals. This time I tried to be too practical, ignored my style preferences and packed only soft, casual items in dark neutrals. But only four more days before I return home, so it is not the end of the world.

No grump! Point is, that’s not the “ look “ that even comes to mind. Your outfit looks well- fitting and stylish.
I would think more about color and texture-shine. Of course, Black does not photo well so I think it can be a danger to dress for photo shoot rather than life.
Business travel capsules also to me often skew black/ soft for practical reasons and it’s actually a good thing to be able to put together a “ decent “ outfit series in a carry-on!