November 22, 2017
Yesterday, we left our heroine with a really lovely 16-piece wardrobe, but pretty much in need of more shoes, and at least a couple of pieces of jewelry. (okay, this is not NEED in the biological survival sense, but more need in the “being appropriately dressed for business” sense…)
So, as I love to do, let’s work through one accessory at a time and assess the possibilities.
This very simple outfit cries out for a necklace, at least to me:
sweater – Lands’ End; skirt – Lands’ End; blazer – Lands’ End; garnet floral necklace – Zayd Makarim; pearl necklace – Putu Gede Darmawan; onyx rose necklace – Khun Boom
The same necklace can of course be worn here, but I’d like to see my heroine with a softer, more rounded handbag. A briefcase is essential, but not every day…
cardigan – Lands’ End; sweater – Lands’ End; skirt – Lands’ End; left bag – Frye; buckled bag – Shinola; third bag – Serapian Milano
Okay, I’m the first to admit that floral boots aren’t likely the next thing that this heroine needs! But they are very popular right now, and if she’s ever going to own a pair, this is the year to do it. And what a fun way to bring some feminine zest to a simple pant-suit outfit…
(I almost got in trouble here – I found a pair of STAR boots… which I do NOT need…)
blazer – Lands’ End; shirt – Lands’ End; pants – Lands’ End; first boots – Dolce Vita; second boots – Gabriella; third boots– Sam Edelman
You can go a long way with 1 pair of pumps, but if you’re traveling for business, having a 2nd pair of dress shoes can be handy – especially if it rains, you feel like a change of footwear to wear to dinner, or your feet just cry out for different shoes!
cardigan – Lands’ End; blouse – Giambattista Valli; skirt – Lands’ End; cap-toe slingbacks – Vaneli; patent pumps – Vince Camuto; fabric pumps – Adrianna Papel
While we’re stocking up on shoes for our heroine, she will certainly want some loafers at some point in time…
cardigan – Banana Republic; pants – Lands’ End; hardware loafers – Salvatore Ferragamo; studded loafers – Sesto Meucci; tassel loafers – Ecco
The classic simplicity of this outfit will set the perfect stage for another scarf. And please don’t be dissuaded from these black separates just because this dress looks like it would fit a piece of spaghetti – these items come in a very full range of sizes, including Regular, Petite, and Plus.
cardigan – Lands’ End; dress – Lands’ End; first scarf – Louise Coleman; solid pink scarf – Faliero Sarti; third scarf – Salvatore Ferragamo
Many people don’t even own a brooch, but I figure if you’re wearing a blazer with lapels, those lapels are the perfect place for a little something distinctive!
blazer – Lands’ End; top – Banana Republic; pants – Lands’ End; hand & rose brooch – Hilda Cachi; pearl bar brooch – Nadri; white resin brooch – Kenneth Jay Lane
A classic black dress deserves pearls…
dress – Lands’ End; cardigan – Ralph Lauren; braided necklace – Eloquii; pearl station necklace – Majorica; triple strand pearls – Kenneth Jay Lane
Some days you just want pink earrings…
sweater – Lands’ End; cardigan – Lands’ End; pants – L.L.Bean; top earrings – Stephen Dweck; second earrings – Neetu Barathi; pearl earrings – Buana
While this wardrobe, and this heroine, already has a couple of scarves, it might make sense to look for something a little bit warmer? Or just another scarf, because SCARVES!
sweater – Marks & Spencer; skirt – Lands’ End; first scarf – Avenue; second scarf – Missoni; third scarf – Elie Saab
For many people who work at a desktop, a bracelet can be more of an annoyance than an asset! But at dinner, it can be a lovely touch – especially when it echoes your favorite floral motif…
jacket – Giorgio Grati; top – Banana Republic; skirt – Lands’ End; first bracelet – Coach; second bracelet –Bling Jewelry; third bracelet – TJMaxx
TJMaxx (and Marshalls) might not be your favorites, but they’re worth our consideration right now because they continue to pay their employees in Puerto Rico, even as their stores there remain closed. A humane and generous thing to do in the face of ongoing disaster…
Never EVER forget sunglasses. Your eyes will thank you some day! And of course they’re incredibly handy for looking cool…
blazer – Lands’ End; sweater – Lands’ End; skirt – Iris and Ink; top sunglasses – Salt; second sunglasses – Ray-Ban; third sunglasses – Kate Spade
This last outfit – such a simple but luxurious top, with a lace skirt – just needs another little touch of something lacy to pull it all together. Earrings are SO easy, and timeless!
velvet tee – Madewell; skirt – Iris and Ink; first earrings – Wadarat Supasirisuk; second earrings – Wadarat Supasirisuk; third earrings – Rupadana
As nice as the wardrobe looked with just the clothing, there’s always something about adding accessories that gives a real feeling of style to the entire grouping:
We’ve already seen a stack of outfits possible from this 4 by 4 Wardrobe, but I love to ponder a few more of the possibilities:
Just as a reminder for those of us who are new to this grouping, this is the beautiful scarf upon which the wardrobe is based (thus the proliferation of floral and rose motifs!):
Vintage Rose Scarf by KathKath
love,
Janice
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You have outdone yourself on this one! Simply lovely. Thank you.
Dear, dear Janice, I am more than a little in love with this knitwear. Love that some colour. And love the wardrobe build up journey. Hugs, x.
I love how you've accessorize this wardrobe. The selections add style and express personality without shouting. It all comes together beautifully.
And are you SURE you don't need those star boots? As in they won't be available forever, but you could certainly enjoy them for many, many years. I think you could totally rock them! There is something to be said for statement footwear…
Our heroine is very well equipped to navigate her world with all these delightful options…The Kath Kath scarf is so beautiful…
Now I think I need to go shopping at Marshalls to help them support their Puerto Rico employees…how very kind.
Thanks dear one for the shout-out to TJMax, etc. paying their workers in Puerto Rico!!! I've been trying to spread the word as well. Lovely lovely series!
I'm so in love with this grouping. And the accessories just make the outfits. I noticed that there is a pink-faced watch in the Everything photo, but I didn't see it in the Phase shots. Did you do that just to see if we are paying attention? LOL.. I know how you feel about watches, so I was looking for one!
One request. Could you do this color combination in a casual wardrobe? I'm planning my winter capsule to be black, grey and pink. I'd love to see what you would do with this. And I'm leaning toward pink jeans. I know, not practical maybe, but so much fun!
Thanks again for your wonderful ideas and wonderful loving spirit.
Pat in Sarasota
She wore the watch to her interview, so I didn't need to add it! You HAVE to have a watch at an interview – you don't want to sit there checking your phone constantly when you're waiting…
Casual? Let me work on that!
hugs,
Janice
About that watch.. I should have known better than to think that you would miss something. You are so methodical in everything you do. Thanks for all you do. Your blog is the first thing I check every morning. I'm glad you're back to 5 posts a week!
In Monday’s post you offered to update earlier wardrobes from the Vivienne Files, so I’m going to put forward an idea/wish I’ve had for a few years! Janice, while I always enjoy your posts, I particularly adore your “Six-Pack Travel” posts (3 items to wear in transit, plus 6 items to pack). Why? First, a nine-item grouping is concise and focused: each piece has to pull its weight in multiple ways. (And truthfully, I get confused and overwhelmed studying the larger wardrobes with a dizzying number of choices.) And second, your Six-Packs include interesting and unique pieces that are inspiring and exciting to me (no matter that I can’t afford them; they are beautiful and uplifting in a way that no Lands End basic will ever be, for me).
Several of your very best Six-Pack wardrobes were generous guest posts on Tish Jett’s blog, A Femme d’un Certain Age. “Six-Pack Travel, Based on Black,” posted Nov. 23, 2012 is still bookmarked on my iPad. I consider it to be the ultimate, absolute best travel wardrobe ever. In fact, last spring, before a Paris trip, I came across a skirt that reminded me of the Alexander McQueen skirt in that post; it was pricey but not “designer” pricey and, thanks to you, I KNEW immediately that it was a good buy for me.
So, my request is not so much to update existing Six-Pack wardrobes, but to revisit the concept with a new series of posts.
Thanks so much for all you do! Reading the VF is a delightful part of my daily routine.
P.S. Other readers might like to consult the many Six-Pack Travel posts on Tish Jett’s blog. It would be great if these were included in your “Packing” index.
So lovely! And I love the fact about Marshalls and TJMaxx… will have to stop by there! Thanks for your wonderful ideas.
Just wanted to thank you for the TJMaxx information and add that Home Goods is also a part of that company.
Just have to say — I own that dress. I wore it recently to work and to an after-work banquet. At work I wore it with black tights, black flats, and a colored cardigan. At the banquet I switched to black heels and wore a sheer long-sleeved fitted black shirt dress with large white polka dots over the dress. It worked very well but after wearing it all night I decided it was too large to be comfortable (it was from a charity shop and the sleeves were too long), so I gave it back to charity rather than fuss over it for another occasion. But it is fun to finally have a wardrobe I can do this with. The dress looks great with a blazer or a long or short cardigan. It's very versatile.
I hope Belovedest reads your blog and gets you those boots for Christmas, because if you aren't going to buy them for yourself, someone else really should! You would rock those!!!
Your blog is very useful for me,Thanks for your sharing.
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This is my most favourate of all your posts. It is just so lovely and femine! With all bases covered for work wear. Thank you for the inspiration to be both beautifully and appropriately dressed each day without a massive wardrobe.