Keen as Mustard

Cardigan: Target
Blouse: Sportscraft
Skirt: Dream Diva
Boots: Reiker Antistress via Shoebuy
Belt: Fiorelli
Earrings: Epiphanie
I’ve had this mad ongoing lust for mustard (the colour, not the condiment) for about the last year and a half, but it’s virtually impossible to find, especially in more generous sizes.
It’s an odd colour – certainly not the most flattering, and not everyone can pull it off. To be honest I’m not even sure that I can, but I’m having a really good stab at it.
It’s been bitterly cold in Melbourne over the last few weeks, and I feeling it particularly badly at the moment as I no longer have Himself being a mobile windbreaker (he’s very tall) and keeping my hand warm in his own.
To my chagrin I’ve discovered that most of my cardigans (traditionally an item of apparel designed to keep oneself warm, no?) have 3/4 length sleeves and are made of some super-stretchy cotton blend which has surely been developed especially to allow the wind to whistle through.
I found this cardigan on the clearance racks at Target. The buttons are comically large and it’s a rather unflattering length, but it’s 100% wool and cost me under $20 so I’m happy.

27 thoughts on “Keen as Mustard

  1. I am having a love affair with mustard at the moment as well. I have this lovely top I found in Susanne Grae back in March… let's see if I can find it. Bah, it won't let me img a pic in… linky here (hopefully that works…)

    You actually spurred on my need to get a denim skirt from the one in your post. I found this at Kmart and was happy 🙂

    I've been gravitating towards more yellows and oranges lately – I knit, so I keep thinking "Oooh, what could I make with this!?" 🙂

  2. It's funny to see you wearing cute boots and a cardigan whilst we are wearing strapless dresses dans flips flops in the other side of the world!

  3. You look adorable but at the risk of sounding like my mother, don't your legs get cold not wearing tights with skirts/boots/flats this time of year?
    I've tried to go without them but having freezing thighs on a blustery day is not worth it 🙁

  4. I love the pattern on your white top! I agree with mustard. I love it too. But it's definitely a very "fashion forward" colour. The last time I wore a mustard jersey my workmates were calling out "Colonel Mustard in the ballroom with the candlestick!"

  5. That's certainly not a mean mr mustard on you, it's lovely and a colour you can add to your repertoire. I am looking for a cardigan in the perfect shade of blue, which in my head is a muted cornflower blue.

  6. Lilli I have a question and I'd be ever so grateful if you'd answer it… What sort of camera do you use for these fabulous pictures?

  7. Never mind, I just realized that the picture is clickable (is that a word?) You look fab as usual 🙂

  8. If you don't like the buttons, swap them out for cooler ones–its amazing how much a garment can be improved with decent buttons. You can put little stitches in the buttonholes to close them up a little if you go with smaller ones.

    My favorite jacket ever came from target and had hella ugly brown plastic fake leather buttons on it. I swapped them for marbley grey and white plastic ones and suddenly the jacket was FANTASTIC.

    Since the coat was on clearance and the buttons were pricey, the buttons ended up costing more than the coat. Totally worth it, though.

    And furthermore–you are cute as hell, I love your clothes (especially oh my GOD that red dress a few weeks back, not to mention the very recent red skirt with the pleats *swoon*), breakups are awful but you'll get better bit by bit. Sometime in a little while you'll be all fixed up, and then suddenly it will be like that first day after you've had a bad, bad cold when you really just feel ALL BETTER and then you can jump over cities and walk on water and shit.

  9. hell, if i saw that cardigan for $20, i think i would have bought two. it is perfect on you! and goes so well with your blouse, which i love too.

  10. Must check out the Target clearance, not that I need any more clothes! Love the mustard, you're rocking it.

  11. I think it's cute! You could always change the buttons if you don't like them…..I often mix and match vintage buttons on a cardigan to change it's whole look!

    p.s. yeh what's up with the 3/4 sleeves on cardigans – doesn't that defeat the purpose?

  12. I think the mustard works so well with the blue/denim. The shirt is fantastic to tie them all in together!!

    I adored mustard in the early 90's but it certainly doesn't suit me! Lucky you though… it looks great!

  13. Hi sweet lilli. I have been reading for about a month, and prior to stumbling upon Frocks and Frou Frou am ashamed to say was going through a really dowdy phase…my clothes are usually carefully picked with love and a sort of fanatical fervour and yet it seemed I had suddenly gotten too busy to really put together an outfit with any sort of care. I was turning my lovely clothes into a mere covering 🙁 I think it was a multitude of things that were robbing me off my creativity, but I am glad to say you have restored it Lilli and now I am ready once more to take on the world – proud of my wardrobe, my shape and myself! Everything is not instantly better but it is certainly a good change. So thanks. And I am thinking of heading to the East of our beautiful world soon, so if I am ever in Aus I am looking you up for a shopping trip!
    Thanks and love
    Hayley

  14. You look great in mustard! It's very inspiring to see your outfits, as they are so stylish!
    Would you mind if I linked to your blog on future posts on my blog?
    I really like your work

  15. you look adorable! i've been in love with mustard yellow for a while now too… and i'm in the same boat! never really sure i can pull it off but i go for it anyway haha

  16. I was just debating the wear-ability of mustard on saturday. It makes me look like hell, but its darling on you!

  17. The mustard works for you Lilli. I have a photo somewhere that makes me shudder, in which I am wearing white jeans and a mustard skivvy. It was the early 90s OK!

    It is SOOO not a good look on me, especially as the jeans being form early 90s are somewhat high waisted add the skivvy and it's a disaster for a busty short waisted gal like me.

    You on the other hand have managed to wear mustard with aplomb.

  18. Yes, you DO pull off mustard. I definitely understand your obsession.
    I have been obsessed with grey for the past year. It came out of no where, especially since I love my colors.
    Also, cardigans are one of my favorite pieces of clothing. So versatile! So many colors! Whoa, calm down.

  19. Ah bubblebeeknits – you look really cute in your ensemble. Good find wit the Kmart skirt too – they do some great staples, don't they?

    Hi Vanoue, yes! And I'll be in strappy dresses and sandals when you're in gloves and coats! But we meet in the middle in autumn and spring.

    Hi Sarah – it's all about the pantyhose, babe! But yes. My knees still get pretty cold!

    Oh that's harsh ana b.! At least it sounds like they have a good sense of humour.

    Hi Sally – a muted cornflower blue you say…? I'll keep my eyes peeled!

    Thanks so much, bethamint!

    Hi A. It's a totally basic point-and-shoot digital camera – A Canon "IXUS"8015. I just prop it up on the balcony and use the timer. Thank God it seems to be at exactly the right height!

    Hi Pomegranate! Welcome! I'm glad you found me!

    Hi Lisa, yep – I was pretty happy!

    Hi Dany, since I started wearing more than one brooch at a time (!!!) I've suddenly discovered that I LURVE them! They'll be popping up pretty regularly I think – I'll reference them if they're new, but a lot of my brooches are so old I can't remember where they came from!

    Hi slowe! Ah, you're so nice – thankyou! I will definitely look at replacing the buttons. It also gives me a good opportunity to go and visit Buttonmania ( a mad little hidden shop in Melbourne devoted entirely to buttons)

    Thanks Bec! I probably didn't really *need* it… but I was cold, and it was cheap. I actually did buy two cardigans (I made it three today, shhhh!) so I'm all cardiganed up for a while, lol!

    Thanks Owlish. Every so often you find a winner, huh?

  20. Hi Mummabee. I like the idea of finding some old buttons. Give the cardigan a bit of a vintage feel…

    Thanks, Deborah-Lee. Mustard *is* great with denim. Did you see bubblebeeknits' photo in the first comment?

    Hi Hayley – that's such a lovely story! I'm so glad that you're finding some inspiration. Definitely give me a call if you're ever in Melbourne and need a shopping buddy. I'm always up for it!

    Hi Luinae – I'd be honoured to be linked to More Magic Always! Thankyou for reading!

    LOL, go Graybird! I've been making a concerted effort to step outside my comfort zone wardrobe-wise, it's great to hear that it's working!

    Hi Claire, thanks for that! It must be admitted that this is the sole mustard yellow item (currently!) in my wardrobe… I may have to expand upon that!

    Wow! Thanks for looking for me, Kate! I'll keep my eyes on them!

    LOL @ D_H. If you'd seen some of the fashion atrocities *I* committed back in the 90's…! I don't think that anyone should feel responsible for outfits they put together further back than six months ago. No doubt we'll be looking back at 'Harem" pants in the not too distant future, going "Oh noes!"

    Hi Sumner. Aren't cardigans awesome? And yet it's such a challenge finding a flattering one! I picked up quite a cute red one from City Chic today – keep your eyes peeled!

  21. Lilli, how about accessorizing your 3/4 sleeve cardigans with long gloves?
    As always, your OOTD is wonderful.You should do a tutorial on how to accessorize (for those of us who are accessory-shy)

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