March 2, 2018
I can’t explain it, but I’m really fascinated by (bordering on obsessed with) navy and ultra violet together… I don’t own a STITCH of navy clothing – I haven’t since the late 80s – and I’m not about to start buying it now! But I just find it beautiful and… gratifying… in a way that I can’t explain.
How about another 90% Eileen Fisher dream wardrobe, this time in navy? I could NOT find a good photo of a skirt in her navy – which she calls midnight – so I grabbed one from Lands’ End. Remember that different fabrics don’t have to be “dye-lot” matched to be worn together. They should look like they’re from the same family, but not necessarily like they’re identical twins!
cardigan – Eileen Fisher; wrap sweater – Eileen Fisher; jacket – Eileen Fisher; long-sleeved tee – Eileen Fisher; silk tank – Eileen Fisher; striped top – Eileen Fisher; mock collar wedge top – Eileen Fisher; skirt – Lands’ End; white denim pants – Eileen Fisher; wide-legged pants – Eileen Fisher
As should always be the case with a well-chosen core of 10 pieces, there are plenty of potential outfits luring in the small capsule wardrobe…
I had such fun looking for these pieces! I’m particularly smitten with that dash of orange on the borders of the scarf – for those of us who don’t normally wear orange, this could be a great little change of pace…
And that wee bag… sigh…
cardigan – Eileen Fisher; scarf – Dalliance & Noble; ring – Salome; tee shirt – Lands’ End; bag – N’Damus London
Once you add these 5 pieces to your core navy and white, you’ve got all KINDS of options:
I think that this would make a wonderful spring travel wardrobe – you’d be well-equipped for changes in weather, and you could wear either subtle monochromatic looks or really brighten up the neighborhood with violet…
love,
Janice
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The colors are beautiful, but that aside, the silhouettes you show today are so elegant.
Ooohhhh. Navy is my base neutral, and I own all five of these pieces in purple. There are some combinations here that I haven't tried!! Can't wait to get dressed tomorrow! Thank you!
Janice,
When wearing two garments together that are not dye-lot matched , I was always taught that one of the items should be of a different texture than the other so that it doesn’t look like you just got dressed in a too dark closet ! While navy is a color that is now too dark for me as my hair and skin lighten with age, I can see those violet pieces paired with tan and stone colored garments . I am loving this series as it applies to travel wardrobe versatility, a topic always at the forefront of my mind !
Ditto!
Style sister,
Pat
Wow! This post is giving me some needed inspiration. Not only does the navy and ultra violet combination work, but also the gray works well with everything too. Now I want to go to my closet and try out a few combinations.
Whoa, that purple bag is TEMPTING me . . .
Yes yes! I love navy and it has been my dark neutral forever as I've never worn black. Navy is so pretty and so much softer than black. I can't wear purple but what a great combo. Substitute teal here and I'm good to go! Navy is also great with grey of course! Yesterday's post featuring a navy polka dot skirt (a real classic) made me smile. I looked for years for the right navy polka dot skirt with small dots. I found one 15 years ago, which I LOVE and wore a lot – before knee brace and weight gain. Now that knee brace is gone and I've lost even more weight, I'm going to wear that skirt for the first time in over 10 years! I purged all but 3 items in the dress/skirt category because I never wear them. This skirt HAD to stay and I'm glad to finally wear it. Janice Collins, Washington, DC.
I harp on this, I know. That navy from Land's End is ugly: dull, flat and too pale Navy, to work, needs to be rich and deep. Think a sailor's uniform. It should evoke the same response as you'd have to the sailor: yum. Maybe the reason you do not like navy is that most of it is crap in terms of saturation, and the dye is on cheap fabric (even if the price is not especially cheap.) And that Pantone Ultra Violet is too grape. The best violet with navy IMO (and it is entirely subjective) is deeper, like this
https://www.evansencaustics.com/collections/violets/products/manganese-violet-mini-17ml
Lavender can also be beautiful with navy but again, I pay attention to dye quality as much as the fabric. Am I an eccentric?
Duchesse, I have no doubt you are describing a lovely violet, but it looks like royal blue on my monitor. I am equally frustrated when I watch decorating programs on T.V. and someone will describe a paint color as green and I see blue or visa-versa.
Yes, it is no doubt the monitor, because royal blue is… blue. I am thinking of a purpled blue, or vice versa. Not as grapey as Ultra Violet.
Lovely color selection and style. If I could afford to toss (donate) my wardrobe, I would head in this direction when replenishing except for the white pants, off white for me.
In recent years I have re-committed to navy, based in large part on our annual trips to Lourdes where navy is part of our uniform, and now have a decent core of navy garments. It's always been a flattering color for me, but I have to admit that when I am standing in my closet ready to get dressed, I instinctively reach for black first. – nancyo
Sadly, I’m arriving a bit late at the ultraviolet party, and none of the Eileen Fisher items are still available. I’d love another look at the color if possible.
Thank you for your fabulous blog!