wooden earrings – Hring eftir hring, zigzag infinity scarf – Brazen, khaki tee – Target, turquoise blouse – Ralph Lauren Black Label, tan cashmere cardigan – La Garconne, watch – Armani Exchange, bracelet – Chan Luu, ivory silk blouse – Jaeger, striped scarf – Missoni, olive cardigan – Merona, tan trousers – Hallhuber, beige jeans – Morgan, Olive trousers – Isabel Marant Etoile, bag – Longchamp, maroon tee shirt – Linea Weekend, olive ballet flats – Chloe, penny loafers – Cole Haan
Olive trousers – Isabel Marant Etoile, olive ballet flats – Chloe, olive cardigan – Merona
earrings – Dorothy Perkins, pastel scarf – Collection Weekend, navy silk tee – Theory, aqua tee – Reiss, navy wool cardigan – Miu Miu, bracelet – Brooks Brothers, watch – Anne Klein, beige and navy checked scarf – Aquascutum, tan pants – Uniqlo, white silk blouse – Nic + Zoe, yellow tee – Warehouse, beige cardigan – Marella, navy trousers – Viyella, navy jeans – Uniqlo, bag – Halogen, ballet flats – Me Too, black penny loafers – Cole Haan
Tan pants – Uniqlo, tan ballet flats – Me Too, tan cardigan – Marella
earrings – Toosis, nautical scarf – Brooks Brothers, black white red scarf – Vince Camuto, black tee – Hallhuber, blue shirt – Uniqlo, black cotton and cashmere cardigan – 10 Crosby Derek Lam, watch – DKNY, bracelet – Simon Sebbag, white cotton shirt – Diane von Furstenberg, red blouse – Cutie, grey cardigan – Mango, black linen trousers – Viyella, black jeans – Current/Elliott, grey pleated trousers – Alberto Biani, bag – Gregory Sylvia, grey ballet flats – Café Noir, pointed toe loafers – Kelsi Dagger Brooklyn
Beige pants – The Row, tan ballet flats – Michael Michael Kors, tan marled cardigan – Junarose
earrings – Majorica, navy and grey scarf – Hinge, pastel scarf – Twisted Muse, silver grey tee – Hallhuber, lilac tee shirt – Nougat London, grey cashmere cardigan – Jaeger, watch – Fossil, bracelet – Majorica, navy cardigan – Dorothy Perkins, white cotton shirt – Diane von Furstenberg, pink shirt – Fenn Wright Manson, silver grey trousers – Viyella, grey jeans – Rebecca Taylor, navy trousers – Jacques Vert, bag – CK Calvin Klein, navy ballet flats – Geox, tasseled flats – Trotters
Navy trousers – Jacques Vert, navy ballet flats – Geox, navy cardigan – Dorothy Perkins
earrings – Max and Chloe, dark scarf – Erfurt, caramel tee – Hallhuber, coral tee shirt – Warehouse, caramel wool and cashmere cardigan – Customer Lovers, bracelet – Tiraphan Hasub, watch – Fossil, light scarf – Play Mantero, ivory silk top – Jaeger, black trousers – Mint Velvet, bag – Dorothy Perkins, black cardigan – Michael Michael Kors, blue linen shirt – Jaeger, copper twill trousers – Lands’ End, caramel jeans – Toast, black ballet flats – Armani, brown ballet flats – Frye
Black trousers – Mint Velvet, black ballet flats – Armani, black cardigan – Michael Michael Kors
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When you have a core of eight, you are only four choices away from a new wardrobe. I think it is important to figure out your core. I'm working on it. This is brilliant, and really proves that you should focus on the basics.
Karen
Love all these shoes. Obviously shoe choices are a real divide, between the stilletto and bondage shoe brigade and the walking-three-blocks brigade.
Personally I've found it amazing to see a style website with shoes I can wear, with my big, wide, flat feet. Loafers had never ocurred to me as a choice and Janice inspired me to order some metallic loafers which have hardly been off my feet in summer. Also what a pleasure to join my husband in walking another block at times, instead of saying we had to get a taxi.
So, shoes can be divisive but you are making some of us very happy!
Kate
Introducing the second neutral certainly extends the core wardrobe. I'm still following the grey and have worn no floral print for ten days. We met friends for dinner and a stroll through Make Music evening and they remarked how sophisticated I looked. I agree with the previous writer that comfortable shoes are essential. I wore navy and grey sandals by Josef Seibel and my feet thanked me. I am already thinking that this wardrobe will end my heavy luggage blues.
Brilliant series. I am working on the cognac and black wardrobe as I already have shoes/boots in those colors and many of the wardrobe options already. I still need to find a cognac colored cardigan which might not be available until fall. This series has pointed out the importance of a focused selection of accent colors. Thanks Janice.
I'm really enjoying following the navy/lemon thread and checking what I already have; turns out just about everything except two key pieces, the 'higlight' tops (ok I have old tees those colours, but nothing of any quality). It's interesting how starting from scratch has throw a spotlight on these gaps.
Such a useful exercise! Alice
Thank you so much for this series of posts. It has convinced me that I really can build a wardrobe. I had my colors done earlier this year and, aside from purchasing a few tops in my "Light Spring" colors, have been paralyzed. I didn't want to change over my wardrobe in a random way. Now, with choosing my neutrals and color palate, I have an excellent guide to editing. Your grasp of color and style is excellent, and you explain things in such a visual way with your blog. Thank you again, Janice!
I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog every day. It stimulates my thinking. And, I love your biscuit recipe!
While I love the colors picked and I know that what is shown could be a guideline only, I wish there weren't so many choices from British companies. I would like to order from US companies/stores where I can find the clothes and feel the material…
I love your blog and have faithfully looked at it everyday since my sister in-law told me about it 2 years ago. I am always telling people to check out your blog!!
I would love to find more things from the US, but I'm always running up against the difficulty of finding photographs of great clothing that aren't shown on models. Since I show so many garments, I'd have to crop out the models, and then we'd be looking at weird hands and other body parts…
Your British readers are very pleased with the British stores! I don't order online from US stores, but I might actually buy something you recommend from a British store (as long as it's reasonably priced).
You can't please everyone!
PS – I love all those ballet flat. :)
Ohhh,didn't realize that. Thanks for the wonderful ideas!
Your EU readers are very pleased with the British stores (and wouldn't mind German stores, either)…
Greetings from Croatia
I wish your heroine would take a trip to the UK with an empty suitcase and buy a whole new wardrobe there!
This is a really useful and interesting blog, which I am reading through from the beginning.
As soon as I get all my clothes in the same hemisphere (I'm currently in New Zealand), I will be getting my wardrobe organised. I have already NOT BOUGHT several items, so thanks for that!
Linda M
This is just brilliant!
This has been so beneficial. Seeing how one builds a wardrobe (or makes additions to a current wardrobe that needs help) one step at a time and considers what to add next is so helpful. I also like that you show the building concept in different color groups. For some reason, when I see an example only done one time, I have a more difficult time adapting it my needs. Seeing many examples helps me better understand how to apply the concept.
By the way, as you are developing these plans, the gray base wardrobe is becoming my favorite.
This is such a brilliant series you are doing, getting my head round were i need to go, thank you
really enjoying this series. Has helped me locate a 'hole' that needed a piece to round out. Funny that I was missing it for months too & didn't quite know what was wrong, but knew that the capsule wasn't working all the well for me
Sometimes we just don't see the forest for the trees – it's maddening how much time we can spend thinking about these things, and still miss a really obvious truth we need to address!
regards,
Janice
I read the site very carefully.I used to be more than happy to seek out this web-site.I needed to thanks on your time for this glorious learn!! I positively having fun with each little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to take a look at new stuff you blog post affordable silk base closures Custom made Silk Base Closures. We have a variety of lengths, textures & part locations (ex middle part, 2 -part, 3-part, freestyle (no part). Great prices!
Is it possible to have your 2 neutrals be black and navy?
Yes! My neutrals are black & denim. Including a pair of black jeans.
Hi, I know it’s some time since your original post but I love it so much that I am working on my 4*4 wardrobe right now. I was wondering if you have any ideas for people who live in hot climates where cardigans aren’t practical much of the year, unless they are super lightweight? Would layering with a vest or an unbuttoned blouse work? I’m worried it would look too casual.
Regards,
Anna
(In sub-tropical Queensland)
Both of your options would work well; the function of a 2nd layer when it’s NOT for warmth is for visual interest – an additional texture or color to your outfit.
And I don’t think it’s possible to look TOO casual anymore – now that we wear our pajamas to fly, or to the grocery…
hugs,
Janice