let’s revisit our friend who had the navy and pink Common Wardrobe. Her accessories look kind of like this:
Since this friend is really dedicated to wearing pink and navy as her core colors, it’s not a stretch of the imagination to assume that she has both a solid navy wrap, and one in solid pink. Additionally, I’ve taken the liberty of giving her a couple of pair of sandals – flat, comfortable sandals, in navy, and in white.
Now I got an email from this lovely friend, telling me that she needs a summer dress. Nothing over the top; just something that is legitimately a dress, and that will be appropriate for picnics, family events, and casual evenings with friends. She’s spotted this little gem at L.L.Bean, but isn’t quite sure how she could wear it.
With her core wardrobe of navy and pink garments and accessories, she has a wealth of choices, from really casual with a denim shirt worn as an overshirt or jacket, to relatively dressy with pink accessories. (Theoretically, the shirts could also be worn UNDER the dress, but I would NOT assume that this was possible). This dress could be a great purchase!
Once you’ve chosen your signature colors, shopping can be much easier, and often much more productive.
Just a reminder – these are the garments in The Common Wardrobe of pink and navy. All are from L.L.Bean.
"Once you've chosen your signature colors, shopping can be much easier, and often much more productive."
Thank you for this insight, Janice. I have some time spent this weekend thinking about MY core colors. I'm leaning toward navy & ivory; however I'm not locking in. After all, ivory in winter poses some difficulties.
Do you ever have friends who come up with different cores for winter and summer? Does that defeat the purpose?
Jora
Sometimes the answer for that is to use three colors – two that are more warm weather (navy & ivory) and then two that are cooler weather (navy & brown? navy & grey? navy & camel?). The three colors all go together, really hardcore investment pieces can be in the color that spans all seasons (Louis Vuitton handbag?), and there are always accent colors that will work with the triad of neutrals.
Does that help?
Janice
Ah-ha! We were posting at the same time!
Jora
Great advice, Janice!
Ohhh..I like that dress. So casual. Kind of quilty looking. Looks like you could add different coloured accessories to it such as green, yellow, blue..etc. So versatile.
Could you not wear a t-shirt under this dress? I can picture it.
Probably – especially one of the really tissue thin ones that are so popular right now. I just wasn't comfortable assuming how my friend would choose to have the dress fit; she might opt for fairly narrow and close under the arms, which would make shirts tricky…
thanks!
Janice
I went back and re-read the 'black, white, and pink' posts. I think I have my answer!
navy, ivory, AND SOME OTHER COLOR!
Jora
We must have been typing at the same time!
J
I love these ideas using navy, as I am gradually phasing out black (not good for most of us who are over 60!) and navy is my new go to colour for basics. Although this is very pretty, I don't have much pink in my wardrobe. Would you mind recreating this with navy and coral or navy and green? Thank you so much!
Love this capsule . . . and especially love the patchwork madras dress. (Have been admiring it in the LLBean catalog for a while now.)
Back in the early 1960's, when I was in junior high school, my mother made me a similar dress. I often wore it alone, but she made it large enough so that I could layer a shirt underneath. It was my favorite piece of clothing. How fun to see a similar garment reappear some 50 years later.
I also recall taking the leftover fabric and using it to cover a three-ring binder. (I glued the fabric down first, and then covered it with clear Contact paper.) Just as the dress was my favorite piece of clothing, that binder was my favorite notebook during my entire time in school. I used it until it fell apart.
kris
Janice, you might have posted your last name before, but this is the first time I've seen it- Riggs is my maiden name, and isn't common where I'm from. I'm from the Oklahoma/Arkansas border, with ancestors from Tennessee and Kentucky. Neat!!
Actually, I just started showing my last name today…
Howdy, cousin!
Janice I have been reading your blog for over a year now and a bit shy about posting. But I have to thank you. You have taught me how to look at what I already own with my creative eye. I am 44 with a five yr old and had gotten lazy about mixing it up and actually wearing my accessories again to change up my core wardrobe. Which I pretty much had but never isolated it out to make it easy on myself. This rediscovering my style feels similar to high school when I would lay clothes out on my bed etc….now I do it first thing in morning before the household awakens. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy what you write and the wardrobes you put together- it is one of my favorite parts of my day!