Why didn't they make the cut? Most of the time, I found something that suited an overall outfit better, even though I liked the individual piece here very much (green high tops I'm looking at you). Otherwise, it just didn't match my inspiration from the painting. Subtle pinstripes might have worked, or a seersucker, but they were never found.

I finally quit looking at the color block items after a few months. I thought they'd be a slam dunk with the painting, but I ended up not using any of them. Held side-by-side in a collection, the higher contrast just didn't bring out the feeling I get from the painting. I learned to quit trying around May, LOL.

You'd think a pea coat in an ocean-themed collection would be obvious, but the metal buttons didn't work, and I ended up going an entirely different direction with the outfit that month (November) when in frustration with forcing a solution with a coat that wasn't working, I started looking places outside my usual survey and found the sweater set.

If I'd chosen a LBD (navy, not black), the party coat would have been a fun add. I was still coming to terms with the navy in February and probably passed by a dozen nice ones. The puffer could directly swap with the one I ended up with, in fact it might be a better choice with a subtler color and longer length; I got swept up with the festive brights in December. The skirt was just too hard to make into an outfit, I passed on the ruffled top for something more angular. I chose the Aran sweater in a different color, this one looked too "homespun" but the aqua did not. I still go back and forth on the perforations in the shoes (round holes, not square), and the distressed dirty-looking sole on the otherwise perfect booties bothers me.

If there had been more months or multiple garments in an outfit, the sage loafers, the short sleeved sage knit top, the EF tunic and the Burberry plaid would all have fit in just fine. The Burberry plaid in particular really belongs, with the asymmetry, subtle colors. I just preferred the ombre effect of the one I chose to go with the vest I wanted in October.

I still love the aqua metallic Converse. If my feet could be happy in them, I might own them, but they never made an outfit I was happy with when put next to the inspirational painting in a collection. So it's probably just as well to have passed.

As a reference, here are Ocean Park Clothing and
Shoes and accessories collections for all the things I did choose. December has links to each month's post. Thanks for reading this navel-gazing post.