After yesterday’s fun with packing capsule wardrobes, I couldn’t resist changing the accent color, just to see how it would look! So let’s revisit the first outfit, and change the shirt color from blue to red (as well as swapping out a different scarf and socks).
I’ve changed the earrings for something more round, so that we can look at softer or rounded shapes for prints and accent items. This, of course, will change our color scheme, too:
Blazer – L.L.Bean; earrings – Narinee; pants – J. Crew Factory; watch – Olivia Burton; shirt – Lands’ End; bag – Deux Lux; scarf – Becksondergaard; socks – Raey; loafers – Munro; suitcase – Briggs & Riley
The 2nd outfit only sees a change of shirt and earrings – as much as I was considering a softer print for the shirt, the idea of a flannel shirt in Ireland and England just makes TOO much sense to abandon!
Jacket – Patagonia; earrings – Judith Ripka; wool headgear – Buff; jeans – L.L.Bean; flannel shirt – Uniqlo; hoodie – L.L.Bean; waterproof booties – Aquatalia
The 3rd outfit – our indoor activities ensemble – gets a great scarf, and some fun socks. Never discount the possibility of socks as an ice-breaker for pub conversation!
Turtleneck – Uniqlo; socks – Paul Smith; scarf – Mila Schon; bracelet – Ippolita; cardigan – Lands’ End; jeans – L.L.Bean; loafers – Munro
As before, for a short (4 to 6 days) trip, this is really everything you need:
The pieces from the 3 initial outfits can be recombined in a few more ways, to give you a feeling of variety, or to be worn in different settings/weather conditions:
But if you’re going to be away for a week or more, you’re going to want to lay out your 3 outfits, and see where the gaps are that you need to fill:
In order to keep our color comparison as accurate as possible, I’ve just changed the colors of the blue items… Okay, I had to change the earrings, because I’m mad about these earrings!
Tee shirts – L.L.Bean; gloves – Saks Fifth Avenue; sweatshirt – Lands’ End; ring – Pandora; earrings – Alexis Bittar
This is the “new” everything – and I think it looks pretty versatile…
The additional 3 garments give us quite a few new outfits – this is just a sampling of how all of the pieces can come together:
And yes, if you wanted to pack BOTH the blue AND the red accents, I’m not going to stop you! It takes the wardrobe beyond the bounds of a carry-on bag, but for a long trip it might be just the ticket…
love,
Janice
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I love this. Though I am so hot, even with a fan blowing on me, that I can't quite bear to look at sleeves or scarves, and I actually winced at gloves.
I saw TWO women at the market on Saturday in Carcassonne dressed head to toe (literally–even the shoes) in blazing red. Not a soft, faded red, nor a deep, understated red. They were both in eyeball-searing fire-engine red. And they looked fabulous. I don't know why a red dress seems like a statement (I have one and get compliments every time I wear it), but a red top and red pants seems like overstatement. Anyway, these ladies pulled it off. One had on a kind of wrap/cape/pashmina thing (which she must have regretted–the mornings are quite cool and fresh, but the sun is blazing by 11). She definitely wasn't a shrinking violet!
This is SO me! I love this bright red and have almost all these pieces (or very similar) already in my wardrobe for he Fall. If I added the blue pieces, plus a couple of navy pants and I'd be set for practically the whole Fall/Winter months.
I've promised to go to our big holiday party at the office this year and I really want a bright red dress and shoes – I'm starting to see Fall clothes in the stores already and red is certainly a big colour for Fall so I'm hopeful.
Good job with this combo Janice.
Even if red is not a color this fall, you should still find no shortage of red cocktail dresses for the holidays.
Janice,
I really like the inclusion of the plaid shirt, because I think of your triple top "secret" for layering with a tee or turtleneck first, then the plaid shirt, and then the red sweatshirt, or black hoodie, or even the blazer ! I kept this tip in mind when I was in the rainy , chilly UK some years ago in August. Super job ! Simple, yet offers much diversity each day ! I think that I might have to do a checked bag with these heavier outer garments though. For 1 week, one accent color in varied amounts will do, despite my love of color – I think it's just variety that I crave, which can be accomplished with mostly neutrals with various silhouettes, levels of formality, varied fabrics, and pattern or embellishments and accent scarves and necklaces and earrings. Speaking of formality, it's so much easier to pack for a trip that offers minimal contrast between daytime and evening dining levels of formality. That is always my packing challenge when on an organized group trip. If it was just hubby and me, I'd wear the same outfits more often, although I guess nobody really cares about my outfits except me anyway !
There's something magical about the black, red, white combo – it always looks so crisp, polished and pulled together to me. I love the combo, but I never wear red. Maybe because "crisp" isn't in my personal clothing vocabulary? Weird how much I love the look but won't even go near it. I strongly prefer this version over the blue one from yesterday. Really the only difference is the red, but as I've said, I won't wear red, so why the strong attraction? I do go for polished though, so maybe that's it. Hmm. Something to ponder as I work towards defining my personal style.
Yay, my favorite color combination! I've been enjoying this latest series so much in all the different color combinations, and then this morning I see this black, white, red awesomeness. And with dark bottoms, too (this is important to me because I just don't do color or light neutral on the bottom). Thank you, Janice, for keeping us entertained, educated, and visually stimulated.
You make it all look so easy and yet, even these changes must take a lot of time and thinking. Its always the details that make the difference between an outfit that is flat and one that is interesting.
Deb from Vancouver
I recreate this in my mind. Long sleeves to short sleeves, trousers to pencil skirts, layering pieces to more tops with different textures… scarves are replaced with statement but neat bracelets… I love this.
-Tharu
This is really fun — what a difference just the color makes! I really enjoyed it!
Love the red!! Always one of my favorite colors! It's amazing how much one color can change the look of the basic pieces!. Thanks Janice!
Thank-you. The coordination concept is staring to sink in!
This series illustrates beautifully how, with a basic core of neutrals, we can add pieces in our preferred accent colours, not forgetting the personal touches in the details that make our own style. It's striking how different each capsule looks with the different colours and accessories. We could have a convention of Vivienne readers, all in the same basics, all customised as Janice is illustrating here, and I bet a casual observer wouldn't have a clue that we had anything in common.
Robyn in Tasmania
This is the loveliest compact wardrobe in red, black and white. I never would have thought to go with such a limited palette but this combination is smashing as well as thoughtfully spare as a capsule. Brilliant!s