May 20, 2024
What do you do about accents and accessories when your wardrobe is very neutral and practical? I’ve been asked this quite a bit, recently…
Say you’re smitten with this scarf:
You can easily see that there are tons of colors possible to emphasize in this scarf, but you isolate this color palette:
Yes, it’s entirely possible that the border of this scarf is navy, rather than black. I’m not quite certain…
Here’s where your questions seem to arise – this is what your day-to-day wardrobe looks like:
Black cashmere turtleneck – Lands’ End; black long-sleeved tee – Lands’ End; black cardigan – J.Crew; chambray shirt – J.Crew; white shirt – Alex Mill; flax shirt – Alex Mill; white tee – J.Crew; black tee – J.Crew; linen tee – Alex Mill; jeans – Alex Mill; natural chinos – J.Crew; black chinos – J.Crew
Yes, these 12 garments are what I refer to as A Common Wardrobe, or “clothes that most of us own in one variation or another.” Years ago, I spent an evening observing a large gathering of advertising people, and quickly observed that all twelve of these garments were visible repeatedly. They were always accessorized with snappy sweaters, or jazzy jackets, and always the most interesting of jewelry and shoes – nothing uniform about this bunch.
The take-away that I had then, and stick with until today, is that creative dressing can often be rooted in a core wardrobe of neutral basics. I’ve updated these just a bit, to reflect the growing populating of unbleached, undyed cotton and linen…
Anyway, this core of neutral with accents should be pretty versatile, but you’re not at all sure, and so you decide to try to visualize how this might work.
A dream French 5-piece wardrobe based on your scarf might look like this (for warm weather, of course!):
French blue linen shirt – Alex Mill; earrings – Harfi; necklace – Talbots; scarf – Echo; wristlet – Amanda West; pink eyelet top – Lands’ End; French blue short-sleeved linen shirt – J.Crew; lilac wrap top – Nikki Lund; scarf – Ralufineart; blue iris sandals – Talbots; French blue linen pants – J.Crew
Yes, both the darker blue shirt and the light blue top and pants are described as “French Blue;” someone needs to standardize these things a little bit!
At this point, your wardrobe would be this:
There are certainly outfit possibilities galore here:
What this desperately needs is to see what your Common Wardrobe accessories are – without a good pair of black loafers, a simple pair of gold earrings, and a darker handbag, many of the outfits struggle…
Should we try again?
love,
Janice
p.s. It seems only logical that I should flash you back to the original “A Common Wardrobe” post, in which I explain where and how I came to notice that “creative” advertising types still follow a pretty logical template for planning their wardrobes. PLEASE NOTE that these simple garments are NOT the only things that are worn – these are only the base, upon which beautiful and distinctive outfits are built!
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Honestly the concept of the Common wardrobe was one of the groundbreaking ideas for me in getting my wardrobe sorted. I’m a peacock and magpie rolled into one so love outrageous dressing and only like to buy exciting eye-catching items. But there was no ease to my wardrobe and when I got promoted to Management I really wanted to turn up every day looking sorted. It took me a several years to collect my common wardrobe and figure out what my version was. And one of the things I love about the common wardrobe is that there is no “Little Black Dress” or “Statement Handbag” or “taupe trench coat” that normally litter wardrobe listicles that aren’t actually useful.
My version of the Common Wardrobe has a grey sweatshirt! And a striped tee shirt…
Each woman has her own essentials, and it’s maddening how long it takes us to (a) figure that out and then (b) find those essentials in the perfect fabric and fit.
But once we’ve got it, we’re ready to be peacocks and magpies!
hugs,
Janice
I love the common wardrobe. And really like the updated version, or maybe just how it’s arranged in the little picture, lol. But it’s a great question all the same. I have a basic, possibly boring wardrobe, but it works for me. Yet with the change of seasons I feel the urge to *improve* it in some radical way. I usually fight it… At most I buy a few T shirts in interesting colors. But what if there was a better way? I look forward with interest to Janice’s solutions. And just my thoughts, but today’s additions would zing if the common wardrobe was navy based.
I totally agree with you there. This would be amazing with a navy base!
My common wardrobe is based in navy, gray, cream and white. My accents are all the softly muted blues, pinks and lavenders, with the tiniest hint of soft, hazy cool green, much like today’s wardrobe. And it all works together beautifully.
It has taken a couple of years to get my wardrobe where I want it to be, and there are one or two items still on my list, but it really works now, and it’s all thanks to what I’ve found here in the Vivienne files. And some top notch thrift and consignment shops for the higher end things.
My next task in building it is finding a few more accessories to round things out. Thats one area I have really neglected.
Pepper, I believe I am going to steal your color strategy, if you don’t mind. It sounds like it could work well for me.
I have the little picture printed and hanging on my gigantahuge cork board – there’s something about this image that’s satisfying…
hugs,
Janice
This is me! Can’t wait to see where you take it from here.
I loved and still love the concept of a common wardrobe. i revisited it just last week. I had gotten stuck in the ‘buy a new wardrobe for summer’ mindset and i was very concerned i wouldn’t wear it. So then i visited the common wardrobe, and realized that purchasing a FEW items for summer would be great, but that a a whole wardrobe would be wasteful. thanks!
I think the darkest color in the scarf is navy, not black. At least that’s what it looks like on my computer. But it’s easy enough to sub navy in for black in my mind. I love the concept of a common wardrobe but seem to gravitate toward pretty colors. I’ve made a concerted effort in the last year or so to add in more neutrals and it really has helped with making outfits. I’d love to see you add accessories of silver metallic to this.
Gosh, I’ve been reading The Vivian Files for a long time! I remember well the common wardrobe posts, some of my favorites. There was a woman who ran a fabric store in California who called these types of clothes “the quiet clothes.” She advocated for quiet clothes with one star piece that stood out against their background. My bottom pieces tend to be neutrals, and I do have most of the neutral top pieces, but I’m apt to reach for a colorful top many times. And always jewelry!
“The Quiet Clothes!” I’m so stealing that – or if you can find the author of this perfect phrase, I will give her happy credit for it! That’s exactly how these clothes function in our lives…
Of course for me, right now – the quiet clothes are all that I’m wearing! I’m in a “quiet life” phase…
hugs,
Janice
It took me a while, but I found the lady’s name – and she still has a clothing boutique in Carmel! Her name is Loes Hinse. I don’t have an exact quotation, but she spoke of quiet fabrics and quiet clothes.
Wow, I know of Loes Hinse as a sewing patterns designer!
I seem to be heading in the opposite direction. I’ve been working off the common core (my version of it) for years now and am so bored with it! Maybe I limited myself to too few accent colors, I don’t know. This spring I am just craving color. Bright bright bright. Orange, Blue, and even Magenta. Some of it is less flexible – the blue seems to work well with what I already had in many cases – but it just makes me so happy. Last Friday I had on a magenta outfit. Head to toe. I don’t think I”ve ever worn anything like it, and I just felt so beautiful.. Which, if you knew me, you’d know I never say about myself. The pieces themselves were so lovely, it would be hard not to feel beautiful in them. IMHO. Still keeping my common core – that’s my workhorse year round, but I’m enjoying the exploration into things that don’t necessarily have to work with anything else. If that makes sense. Have a good day ladies.
Dear Sheila, it’s my third visit to this post in the day and your comment commands me to reply!
Just loved it, I can picture the magenta BEAUTIFUL you walking down the street with a huge smile on!!! Grab that feeling and don’t let go!
Cheers and blessings all!
I LOVE the revisit of the common wardrobe!! Thank you. I’m purging my previous work wardrobe and will be rebuilding starting with filling out my common wardrobe!
The eyelit blouse and linen pants are the perfect summer addition that I’ve been looking for.
Love,
Sandy
My daughter once bought me a Deep Fuschia/Magenta chunky poloneck jumper. She said that it had ‘me’ written all over it! I wear it in the winter and is about the brightest thing I own.
I will never, ever get tired of the Common Wardrobe and reading about the variations on that theme here. I’m so glad to see this post! And YES– accessories would be such a welcome part of this discussion.
I’m with Sheila in that I’m craving more color—LOTS more. So, so tired of functioning with just my collection of practical neutrals. When I’m in the stores, I’m seeing trends that make me think we aren’t the only ones. One of the trends that I love, and think could be a very practical addition to a Common Wardrobe, is matching blouses and skirts. They are almost always in bright colors and/or prints. They can look like dresses, or you can break the set apart and wear one piece or the other with your “quiet clothes”. Janice has, of course, always used the Common as a foundation for the special clothes that make each person’s wardrobe unique, and it’s still as important as ever. It would be so fun to take one or two of these skirt/blouse sets and add them to this foundation and play with the possibilities.
So interesting that you first posted about the Common Wardrobe 12 years ago (and yes, I read it then), and everything that was in it is still absolutely wearable today. I do wear out some of these things from wearing them so frequently, but I replace them swiftly!
Janice,
Will you please do a French 5 for the warm Common Wardrobe ? Thanks !
The French-blue shirt-sleeved linen shirt link takes you to the French-blue linen pants. Would you correct? Thanks! (I am typing on my husband’s account)
I finally got it updated – sorry for the delay. Some days, as I’m sure you know…
hugs,
Janice
It was the common wardrobe, and (even more so) the cores of four, that encouraged my wardrobe into line. In recent years, it’s easy to get dressed, everything goes, and I don’t get bored with the neutrals. I do have a few accent items (teal and lavendar), but this winter I basically get up and get dressed in navy, charcoal and off-white. I am thinking of adding a French five in that lovely pink that recently featured, for next summer (off white and silver neutrals). I loved those pink and orange shades, even though I don’t appreciate Rothko as others do. It is so interesting how some of us crave the colours, and others not so much. I used to have quite a bit more colour in my wardrobe, superimposed on black or grey for the neutral. In my youth and middleage, I would have viewed the purchase of an off-white or navy item of clothing as a wasted opportunity! Not now, it’s the first thing I look for!
I love seeing the common wardrobe again!!! The original series, along with the customizing the classics/ must haves, were really helpful to me. It took me a long time to realize my turtleneck color was navy, my button downs are blouses or thin knits, and I’m still working on customizing the rest. Maybe a breakdown of the function of each piece in the common wardrobe would be helpful? Similar to the description of the weekly wardrobe pieces?
I second this idea!
🥰😍🤩 My favourite colours with navy and ivory or grey and ivory. I love the periwinkle blue and lilac.
I agree. I think a few black accessories would make everything work better together.
I may have liked last Friday’s more, but can see this is practical and pretty. I’m having a lot of transition that makes everything awkward. Hot flashes. New job offer in HQ bldg. Weight shift. My go-to favs that fit are against the HQ bldg dress code. Unplanned wardrobe shopping…
Clearly, you could play with this concept all summer! And we would love it.
There’s an important theme happening in comments I hope newer readers don’t miss. It has taken most of us two plus years to get our wardrobes in order. Patience and purpose are key-especially for those of us who have selected hard-to-find neutrals. But, as they come together, your wardrobe becomes SO easy and you just feel put-together.
You’re absolutely right about the two years or more. Now that you point it out, I realize I’ve seen several people mention it. It definitely took me the full two years!
I used Janice’s Weekly Timeless Wardrobe template to create a spreadsheet for planning my wardrobe, and that was hugely helpful in figuring out what to add. And now I use OpenWardrobe (a free wardrobe tracking app) to track what I have, what I might need, and what needs repair.