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5 Ways to Style A Camel Turtleneck Redux

I’m starting a new series for the new year that combines two of my most popular features — 5 Ways to Wear a classic wardrobe item and modern updates to older outfits.

Basically, I’ll be going back through some of my old 5 Ways to Wear posts and updating those outfits. I figure this is a good way to recycle old content and keep it current, while also encouraging us all to shop our closets and get more wear out of the classic wardrobe pieces we’ve already invested in.

I may style some new wardrobe pieces 5 ways as well, so if you have any requests, let me know. I’m starting with the series I did last January, 5 Ways to Wear a Camel Turtleneck.

Since I just did this post last year, I don’t have any drastic updates to these looks, but I did tweak them a bit with what I currently have in my closet.

The sweater I was wearing in most of the outfits from last year is this Nordstrom Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater in a size small, but for this year’s pictures, I’m wearing the C by Bloomingdale’s Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater in the medium. It runs a little small, so I sized up to a medium for a more relaxed fit. I like the cool undertones in the Bloomies sweater, but the Nordstrom sweater is good too. Both are on sale right now. If you can’t wear wool/cashmere, I rounded up a few non-wool options.

5 Ways to Wear a Camel Turtleneck

Outfit #1 was a workwear look with black pants and snake print pumps. I topped it off with a black wool coat and carried a black shoulder bag with a chain strap, both of which are in keeping with the color palette and the overall level of formality of this outfit.

camel turtleneck (S) // Spanx pants (M) // Sam Edelman pumps (8) // reefer coat (4) // necklace // similar Kate Spade shoulder bag

I still have all of these pieces, and I would totally wear this outfit as-is, but I still wanted to recreate it for this post, so I wore my Vince Crop Leggings instead of the Spanx The Perfect Black Pant Back Seam Skinny Pants. Both are really good pants, but the quality of the Vince is slightly superior, both in the look and feel of the fabric as well as the fit.

They’re a serious chunk of change, but I managed to score a pair when they went 25% off over Black Friday weekend, so that helps. I’ve already worn them quite a few times in the past month, and they’re a wardrobe staple I plan to keep for quite a few years. That said, the Spanx pants are very flattering and comfortable and a solid choice for a pair of classic black pants that you can wear for work, special events, or casual wear.

Here’s a side-by-side so you can see the sweater front-tucked vs untucked. I like the proportions better in the front-tucked version, but either works.

My wool reefer coat is several years old, and it looks like it might be getting discontinued, but any classic black wool coat will work with this outfit. And the snake print pumps are also discontinued. The snake print trend was huge for a couple of seasons, but it’s also a classic when it comes to footwear, especially pumps. I will keep these and wear them because they align with my personal style and complement my neutral wardrobe.

camel turtleneck (M) // Sam Edelman pumps (8) // reefer coat (4) // necklace // earrings // shoulder bag

Outfit #2 was something I might wear for date night, or to meet a friend for lunch. I paired my camel turtleneck with washed black skinny jeans, and I topped it off with a black leather jacket and added leopard flats for interest.

camel turtleneck (S) // similar leather jacket // similar black jeans (6; option) // leopard flats // earrings // belt // similar black crossbody

Again, this is an outfit I’d still wear today, but I styled it with loafers instead of pointy toe ballet flats. They’re a little more modern, and more readily available. I also added a necklace. My leather jacket is a few years old, but I still love it. I didn’t find a lot of siilar options, but I linked what I could find.

camel turtleneck (M) // similar leather jacket // similar black jeans (6; option) // leopard loafers (8) // necklace // earrings // belt

For another variation on this outfit, I swapped the leopard loafers for black boots. I love how the trim around the sole of the boots coordinates with the camel sweater.

camel turtleneck (M) // similar leather jacket // similar black jeans (6; option) // Blondo boots (8.5) // necklace // earrings // belt

Those jeans bunch around the knees because they’re getting pushed up by the boots, so I would probably actually wear this look with this slightly shorter pair. I also really love this wash and the one ripped knee for texture and interest.

camel turtleneck (M) // similar leather jacket // Good American crop jeans (6) // Blondo boots (8.5) // necklace // earrings // belt

Outfit #3 was the look with slim straight bluejeans and a black quilted vest — perfect for running errands or a coffee date with a friend. I chose black boots to bookend the look and a black shoulder bag to keep the same color palette throughout.

camel turtleneck (S) // similar vest (budget option) // AG straight ankle jeans (28) // Vince Henderson boots (8) // Everlane studio bag // sunnies (option) // necklaces // earrings

Again, I still have most of the components of this outfit, but I did pass along my J.Crew excursion vest last year because it was starting to show signs of wear. I like this season’s style a lot; if it goes on sale, I might grab one.

I updated this look with my faux leather puffer vest and Blondo Dagger lug sole boots. Inventory is getting depleted with the Daggers, but Blondo just brought out this similar style. And I’m sorry to say, the faux leather vest I’m wearing is sold out. I haven’t had much luck finding something similar that I like enough to recommend, but there is this and this… do with that what you will.

camel turtleneck (M) // faux leather puffer (S) // AG straight ankle jeans (28) // Blondo Dagger boots (similar option) // earrings // tote

I love how this tote complements the camel and black in this look. In fact, it would look great with any of these first three outfits.

Outfit #4 was a casual look with white jeans and snake print slip-on sneakers. I wore a denim jacket on top and added a leopard print belt for a little more interest. This time I grabbed my LV Neverfull because I like how the shades of brown complement the look without overpowering it.

camel turtleneck (S) // white jeans // Vince snake print sneakers // denim jacket // similar belt // earrings // necklace (option) // LV tote

In this case, I do not have these sneakers anymore, and I’ve replaced the denim jacket with one that’s a tad longer and not quite as fitted. I also couldn’t find my white skinny jeans, which is a bit of a mystery.

I thought I had the Good American Good Legs Crop in white, but the only pair of white jeans in my closet is the Mother Insiders shown here. These always seem kind of summery to me, with the raw step  hem, but I guess there’s no reason they’re any more summery than white skinny jeans, so I used them to recreate this look.

camel turtleneck (M) // white jeans (28; budget option) // denim jacket (S) // P448 sneakers (39)

This looks a bit off to me, I think because the cropped jeans and white sneakers don’t balance out the heaviness of the turtleneck and jacket on top. I decided to swap out the sneakers for ankle boots, and this looks more balanced to me. What do you think?

camel turtleneck (M) // white jeans (28; budget option) // denim jacket (S) // booties (8.5)

Finally, outfit #5 was another casual mom-about-town outfit, this time with light wash cropped jeans and fashion sneakers. I topped it off with a cozy sherpa. All the other outfits in this series have a strong black component to them, so I was trying to incorporate some other light neutrals into this final look.

cashmere turtleneck (M) // Levi’s 724 (29) // GapFit sherpa (S; option) // P448 sneakers // gold hoops // LongChamp tote

Since I don’t have any of these items anymore, except for the turtleneck, I had to drop back and punt… as my mother would say.

I went with my AGOLDE Toni jeans this time because I really like the combination of light wash denim with camel, and I wore the P448 sneakers I got at the #NSale last summer because they have some beige and camel tones in the print on the tongue.

My sherpa isn’t a great color with the camel, though. I really prefer the GAP one from last year and the camel ribbon accents with this look.

cashmere turtleneck (M) // AGOLDE Toni (28) // KUT from the Kloth sherpa jacket (S) // P448 sneakers (39) // necklaces

Just for kicks and giggles, and because I didn’t love the sherpa with the camel turtleneck and the light wash jeans, I swapped out the sherpa jacket for a plaid wool coat.

It works; I actually like the juxtaposition of the sneakers with the coat, but I would probably be more likely to wear this outfit with cream loafer mules, like this.

cashmere turtleneck (M) // AGOLDE Toni (28) // plaid coat (S) // Vince Camuto loafer mules (7.5) // necklace

I also added the necklace back in, for an extra point of interest. It’s a subtle detail, but both the necklace and the hardware on the shoes combine silver and gold metals. Fun, right? (I realize the necklace is a huge splurge; it was a gift. But there are lots of mixed metal necklace options for less.)

Here’s one more variation on this look… I swapped the straight ankle jeans for full-length straight leg jeans and added a light grey suede bootie (the color is Cloud Suede). These almost read as cream or white, and they blend in well with the colors in the coat.

cashmere turtleneck (M) // NYDJ Marilyn (4) // plaid coat (S) // Marc Fisher Alva in Cloud Suede (8) // necklace

I’m sorry this coat isn’t available, but you may be able to recreate this look with another plaid coat, or even a solid. Wearing a camel coat with a camel sweater is actually quite a classy combination. I usually think I need a contrast, but that isn’t really necessary.

Okay, so I realize that’s a lot more than 5 outfits! And yes, I realize all of these looks are fairly neutral. For some reason, I really like camel best with other neutrals, but you can certainly wear it with colors too. I should have put my oxblood leather moto jacket with it for one look.

If you don’t like camel, you could sub almost any neutral into these looks. Grey is an obvious choice, but oatmeal or black would work too. In fact, most colors would work since the rest of the outfit components are neutrals. And of course, a crewneck or v-neck sweater is also an option, if you don’t like turtlenecks.

My biggest challenge with this type of post is that I rarely wear skirts and don’t have an in my wardrobe currently, so that limits me to pants and jeans, but I did try to style outfits that would work for a variety of occasions. I hope it was helpful!

I’ll be back tomorrow with What I Wore Lately, and next Tuesday I’ll be doing another 5 Ways to Wear post. I was thinking of re-doing the moto jacket next… unless you have something else you’d rather see. Let me know in the comments!

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25 Responses

  1. Thanks for the post. Just yesterday I received a camel crewneck sweater (not much into turtle necks). This gives me a few ideas. I should just bite the bullet and order myself a black wool coat.

  2. I love this post (and my personal style is similar to yours so I’m happy I found your blog). I’m looking forward to more “5 ways” updates, I’m highly allergic to wool and cashmere, though; can you include some good-quality non-wool alternatives to the gorgeous cashmere pieces you often feature? Thanks!

  3. I really appreciate these posts! It’s not rocket science to build an outfit around a turtleneck sweater, but it’s helpful to slow down and unpack the hows and whys and to see a number of looks in one place. I actually LOVE the KUT sherpa with the sweater! I’d likely swap the sneaks for Ugg boots to keep my ankles warm in our cold winter temps (and likely a hoodie sweater for the turtleneck,) but I love the soft monochrome palette. I also love the last look with the longer jeans & booties– so chic! 🙂

  4. I enjoyed the variations! I especially liked the black vest outfits, and the lighter neutral ones. IMO, the white jeans look better with the boots. Great post!

  5. Love these looks. I need a cool color camel also, as camel really isn’t a great color on me. I don’t anymore, but these outfits are making me want one. 🙂 By the way….why did you get rid of the GAP sherpa?. Its really cute on you and very cute with the contrasting ribbing. If you respond to this email post, I would be able too see if the registering I did awhile back worked. Don’t know why its not letting me go with my email now to register. Testing, testing. LOL

  6. Oh, I REALLY enjoyed this post! I hope that you will keep doing them throughout the year. It is so helpful to see how you tweak outfits from the past, to make them current and suitable to your change in style preference. I’m glad that Becca is better and was able to start back to school. Have a fabulous day!

  7. This is probably my favorite post you have done in awhile. I have the first camel sweater from last year and found it on the bottom of the pile of sweaters. I had a funeral to go to this morning, and had planned on wearing a skirt until I saw it was only 22 degrees outside, and then I saw your email. I got out the sweater, and paired it with the same Spanx you wore last year, except these are the newer ones with a wider hem. I paired it with a pair of black chelsea boots, my black leather jacket, and a red, black, and camel plaid scarf from JCrew. Incidentally, I have ordered the b I ack JCrew vest a week ago and can’t wait to try that outfit and all the others. I would love a 5 ways to wear a moto jacket, and any other 5 ways you can come up with. This is why you are my favorite blogger! I am inspired and excited to put new outfits together!

  8. I loved this post last year and it’s so good again. Camel is such a great neutral! I’ve worn versions of your outfits to the office pretty much every week this fall and winter. No socks and cropped pants are not an option here in winter but everything else works–thank you.

  9. I love this post!! Like others have asked…please keep them coming! I’m trying to invest in more pieces that can be worn multiple ways. I love the black leather jacket and vest options the best! Glad to hear Becca is feeling better 😀

  10. Great post. It’s fun to see what works and what doesn’t. I really need a camel sweater! Also, I registered way back to be notified when you reply to a comment and never have received the emails. I just checked on one I commented on a few days ago and saw you replied, but didn’t receive notification. I tried to sign up again, but it said I already have my email registered. Wondering if there is something else I should do?

    1. That is so annoying, I really don’t understand why it works for some and not others. I just checked and you’re definitely registered. I will reach out to my tech team and see if they have any insight.

      1. I just came back to check on a whim to see if you replied, and you had. If you ever asked me a question in a reply, I’m sorry if I ignored you. Ha ha. Hoping it all gets straightened out – I imagine it is annoying for you to not have it work right. I read your blog on both my iPad and my computer if that helps. I’ll just try to remember to come back if I’ve commented.

  11. Always find your post helpful putting outfits together. Hope you continue doing this series. Thank You!

  12. Me too — I love all these outfits! Unfortunately, I can barely remember what I reset my Google password to, let alone what shoes JL wore two weeks ago with her white jeans and camel turtleneck. If anyone has a system for referring back to the outfits, I would love to know you do it!
    (Also, I think the Levi’s with sherpa jacket did not work because the jeans are too big on you and sherpa is super cozy but BULKY.)

    1. Yeah, I didn’t like those jeans. They weren’t too big, though. They fit in the waist, they just don’t do much for me. I passed them on soon after. As for cataloging outfits – Pinterest! 🙂

  13. Love this post! It’s interesting to see how such subtle tweaks can really freshen a look. I’ve come to really love the newer jean silhouettes, especially the kick flare or step hem worn with higher shaft booties.

  14. Jolynne, I absolutely loved this post!
    What a fabulous idea, to update previous looks so we can shop to add items we know we will love and are current with what we may already have! Thank you! Happy New Year!
    PS..the Evereve plaid coat, I so wish I had grabbed it! 😩 I always struggle with coat purchases, as our coat season is sooo short here in AZ. High of 70 here today already!

  15. Love this post! Camel seems to be the new popular neutral. I like the cloud boots with the white jeans best.

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