June 24, 2014
Now that we have enough clothes in our capsule wardrobe to put together at least a handful of combinations, it’s time to pause and make sure that we’re truly heading down a path which we like; if we want to change courses, now is the time!
At a minimum, wearing coordinating accessories with your wardrobe will keep you from making that excuse in your mind – “this wardrobe isn’t working because I don’t have the right earrings (watch, scarf, bag); when I get THAT then it will be okay.”
So let’s take a break from clothes and take a look at our accessories. Unless you’re making a completely radical change of colors, you might find that you have accessories already in your collection which will work beautifully with your new wardrobe.
This isn’t the time to go racing out and buy a Rolex in your colors, or an Hermes Birkin… Keep these purchases (if you have to make any) reasonable – nice quality but not over the top. You’re still test-driving these colors at this point, and you don’t want to handcuff yourself to a color combination just because you’ve spent six buckets of money on your purchases! Conversely, you might turn yourself away from the perfect colors if you buy really junky accessories and never feel comfortable with them.
So for navy, I’m thinking of these kinds of things:
watch – Anne Klein, bracelet – Brooks Brothers, earrings – Dorothy Perkins, bag – Halogen, beige and navy checked scarf – Aquascutum
And thus your wardrobe starts to look a lot more “real” with these additions. I find that I can get a much better sense of my comfort level with things now that I picture some earrings and a scarf with the clothes…
All the rest of the color combinations follow – are these starting to look coherent to you?
Black penny loafers – Cole Haan, navy trousers – Viyella, navy wool cardigan – Miu Miu, navy silk tee – Theory, white silk blouse – Nic + Zoe, navy jeans – Uniqlo, bracelet – Brooks Brothers, watch – Anne Klein, earrings – Dorothy Perkins, bag – Halogen, beige and navy checked scarf – Aquascutum
Bracelet – Simon Sebbag, earrings – Toosis, watch – DKNY, bag – Gregory Sylvia, black white red scarf – Vince Camuto
pointed toe loafers – Kelsi Dagger Brooklyn, white cotton shirt – Diane von Furstenberg, black linen trousers – Viyella, black tee – Hallhuber, black cotton and cashmere cardigan – 10 Crosby Derek Lam, black jeans – Current/Elliott, bracelet – Simon Sebbag, earrings – Toosis, watch – DKNY, bag – Gregory Sylvia, black white red scarf – Vince Camuto
I own this silver bracelet with grey pearls – I wear it a lot…
Watch – Fossil, earrings – Majorica, bracelet – Majorica, bag – CK Calvin Klein,
navy and grey scarf – Hinge
navy and grey scarf – Hinge
tasseled flats – Trotters, white cotton shirt – Diane von Furstenberg, silver grey trousers – Viyella, silver grey tee – Hallhuber, grey cashmere cardigan – Jaeger, grey jeans – Rebecca Taylor, watch – Fossil, earrings – Majorica, bracelet – Majorica, bag – CK Calvin Klein, navy and grey scarf – Hinge
Bracelet – Tiraphan Hasub, earrings – Max and Chloe, watch – Fossil, bag – Dorothy Perkins, scarf – Erfurt
Ballet flats – Frye, ivory silk top – Jaeger, copper twill trousers – Lands’ End, caramel tee – Hallhuber, caramel wool and cashmere cardigan – Customer Lovers, caramel jeans – Toast, bracelet – Tiraphan Hasub, earrings – Max and Chloe, watch – Fossil, bag – Dorothy Perkins, scarf – Erfurt
Earrings – Kasturjewels, beaded bracelet – Chan Luu, watch – Timex, tote – Coet,
blue and beige scarf – Paola Pecora
blue and beige scarf – Paola Pecora
tassel loafers – The Flexx, ivory silk blouse – Jaeger, brown twill trousers – Lands’ End, brown jeans – Viyella, brown cotton tee – Uniqlo, chocolate brown fleece cardigan – L.L.Bean, earrings – Kasturjewels, beaded bracelet – Chan Luu, watch – Timex, tote – Coet, blue and beige scarf – Paola Pecora
Wooden earrings – Hring eftir hring, bracelet – Chan Luu, watch – Armani Exchange, bag – Longchamp, zigzag infinity scarf – Brazen
penny loafers – Cole Haan, ivory silk blouse – Jaeger, tan trousers – Hallhuber, khaki tee – Target, tan cashmere cardigan – La Garconne, beige jeans – Morgan, wooden earrings – Hring eftir hring, bracelet – Chan Luu, watch – Armani Exchange, bag – Longchamp, zigzag infinity scarf – Brazen
love,
Janice
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I've been having a difficult time choosing among the emerging navy, grey, and copper wardrobes–and these gorgeous accessories only compound the problem! Beautiful, just beautiful!
I agree in that you are compounding my problem, too. :) but then again, I can easily see how you can hopscotch between the different capsules. You have come up with some wonderful ideas here.
I am still favouring the silver grey although my existing wardrobe is definitely brown/beige.It seems a lot more difficult to find grey articles of clothing than it is to find brown. A grey purse would be a necessary acquisition to my collection as all of my purses are brown or orange. It's fun to watch the collections take shape.
Thank you so much for offering these options, especially in regard to the handbags. I often find that item is the hardest to get right. I also want to say that your readers are very fortunate to have The Vivienne Files as a go-to resource. A couple of weeks ago I was cleaning my closet and was debating whether to send off a cut-velvet taupe jacket that I seldom where. I really didn't want to part with the jacket because I knew it had potential; I just didn't know how to style it. On a whim I searched The Vivienne Files hoping I might find some ideas of how to wear it. Sure enough there were several postings that incorporated a similarly-colored jacket. I am not a packrat when it comes to my closet, but the jacket is staying.now that I was inspired to wear it in new ways.
I want a watch for my birthday…thanks for some great selections!
Classic and oh, so classy ! Love these ideas.
I've been playing along by compiling a fantasy wardrobe, and I noticed something mentioned by another commenter. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a particular item in a particular color. For the color selection step, I originally picked the beige/olive, but as I started to search to items, I just couldn't find the tee/cardigan pair that I really liked. So, I switched to the gray/navy set. If you were doing this for real, it would probably be a good idea to research several items, just to make sure you could find what you wanted.
Or just determine that you're going to be really REALLY patient. I've found that if I look long enough, I will eventually see everything. The volume of clothing and accessories that I see (and reject) in the course of a day is staggering…
I have found that many colors are seasonal, or they only show up every few years. Those are the times to buy high quality items or buy in quantity. I have yet to find a navy purse that I like though.
I love the way these are developing. I've picked the first scheme for inspiration, and actually bought a scarf in the sales that includes all the colours except navy.
Alice
I love the way these are developing. It is giving me some ideas on how to work with my current wardrobe, though I have black, navy and a few grey basics, so I'm starting to dither a bit!
These are very helpful. Thank you
I absolutely love the dark chocolate brown accessories – yum! This is the darker tone in my hair colour so works with a lot of outfits for me.
And I need navy shoes that I like–have never found them.
Accessories, my favourite! I have very little patience with buying the basics – they bore me even though they're necessary. I love colours and accessories and interesting pieces so I tend to gravitate to buying those first and more often.
Adorable post, it makes me want it all.I really like your post! Thanks for publishing such inspiring blog!