May 12, 2025
This was the other Artifact. scarf that was requested as the inspiration for a wardrobe, and I can understand why!
The possibilities here are many – there’s camel in the upper left quadrant, beige in the lower left, and even a touch of denim blue in the middle of the bottom right flower! But I’m sticking with the same black and ivory that we used on Friday, to show the range of possibilities within just a couple of neutrals.
The accent color I’ve chosen couldn’t really be more different – a soft pink and bold orangish gold. It’s easy to feel like your accent colors have to go well together, but that’s not the case.
I’ve kept quite a few of the pieces from Friday for this wardrobe. Maybe this is the same heroine, in a different mood? I did this to show the versatility inherent in a handful of simple, neutral garments. This heroine has the same black cropped pants, the same black skirt, the same two sleeveless tops, and the same lovely tipped cardigan. It’s worth the discipline to make sure that your wardrobe includes these workhorse kinds of things!
First up, this heroine has swapped a black cardigan for a rain jacket, and a tee shirt for a really pretty summer sweater:
Black rain jacket – Lands’ End; earrings – Michael Nash Jewelry; scarf – Artifact.; cropped pants – L.L.Bean; mango short-sleeved sweater – Lands’ End; shoes – Earth
This outfit is very similar to the skirt outfit from Friday, except I put the accent color in the shirt, and the neutral in the 2nd layer:
Black sweater vest – ABLE; earrings – Swarovski; sunset coral pink shirt – Lands’ End; bag – Karl Lagerfeld Paris; linen skirt – Eileen Fisher; scarf – Artifact.; pumps – Vivaia
Yes, this tee shirt is the same color as the shirt shown above! That kind of matchy thing can come in very handy. And of course, we’ve swapped out olive green for ivory, but kept to the idea of pants and a 2nd layer:
Cardigan – Caslon; earrings – Anthropologie; sunset coral pink cotton tee – Lands’ End; linen pants – Madewell; scarf – Artifact.; espadrilles – Life Stride
Three new things here, three that I’ve kept from Friday’s wardrobe:
Ivory and black sleeveless tops – L.L.Bean; earrings – Kate Spade; small scarf – Henelle; cardigan – Alex Mill; striped tee – Lands’ End
Even though there are a lot of pieces in both wardrobes, I think that this looks quite a bit different from Friday’s completely wardrobe.
Of course, you could combine the two wardrobes…
Of course this heroine already has three outfits ready to go, but the real strength of this system is being able to combine and recombine things in a LOT of ways. I’m not saying that you would travel for a decade with only 13 pieces of clothes, but I AM saying that you don’t always need as much as you might think!
This kind of “theme and variations” could go on forever. With neutrals of black, ivory and olive, the possible accent colors are truly endless.
Maybe different accents for each season? Or different ones for warm weather vs cold?
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, we started with a BRIGHT orange Hermes cashmere and wool scarf. This is the kind of thing that you should either wear or sell!
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This is a superb smart-casual wardrobe – just my style. I could easily adapt this wardrobe for my colours. The pink is a beautiful colour and I love the cute knitted jackets. I would be satisfied with the pattern/texture details on the shoes, bag and knitted top. I’ve just bought a new floral navy bag and a denim blue textured knitted jacket from charity shops. Instead of a textured knitted jumper, I have a lilac textured short-sleeve blouse which is perfect with linen trousers.
I’m still trying to track down blue linen trousers for plus size petite. I think I shall be doing a large online order to see if anything fits. I did go into Marks and Spencer (M&S) but since they decided Short length was 28 inch inside leg, they don’t alter the rise for short length. The waistband sits at chest height! Trousers with pockets also just crumple and stick out oddly on me. I have to have smooth trousers.
However, I have just bought a pair of crinkle wide-leg charcoal grey trousers in M&S that have a slight sheen to them. I saw them whilst I was hunting down the linen trousers in my size. They were an impulse purchase but just perfect for dinner out on a summer evening; the opposite to velvet that I wear in winter. I wore them at the weekend with a pink and grey lace top and a silvery cardigan (also purchased on impulse in M&S last summer!). These will have mileage. Pity there wasn’t a loose jacket in the same material to go with them. I’ve realised, after lots of compliments, that soft/loose jackets with trousers are the ideal smart-casual outfit for me. I’m actively seeking them out in charity shops and sales.
I am in LOVE with this! I think this is a pretty, practical and highly useful wardrobe. I can see this being a great capsule to wear on a trip, but it’s equally practical to wear at home….especially if you have a small closet.
I’m currently in a state of flux. I am just about to list my house for sale, but have had construction started on my new (one story!) home about 20 minutes away. While my current house is being shown, I need to keep my clothing interchangeable, but spare, so that I can enough pieces for work, to dress up, but also to pack/move boxes, until I move out. I need my pieces to work together so that I don’t feel as if I’m wearing the same thing every single day, but will look lovely if a potential buyer is opening my closet doors. Admittedly, I do have a lot of clothing, but I’ve packed up 3/4 of it. I’m trying to work within parameters for this summer (and fall) to look polished, but be able to be flexible. This idea you’ve created really works for me for this season of life!
Good luck with your house move. It can be a stressful time so having some stress-day outfits helps. Perhaps having packed away 3/4 of your clothes, you might decide not to reintegrate all of them back into your wardrobe.
I doubt that we will move again as we love where we live though we might have to make some adaptations. I’ve got to that time in life when I just want less stuff around me. I have a fridge magnet with a quote from William Morris as a reminder:
“Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful.” The challenge is making those decisions.
I’ll be honest…I have spent years curating my clothing…and I do live in Maine, so I have four very different seasons to plan for. That being said, I did a HUGE haul out before I packed things into storage. I figured that if it looked tired, pilled or had anything that wasn’t perfect, it was going. I also gave away anything I hadn’t worn in two years. I think that kind of removal, even of formerly favorite items, is essential and moving is a great time to do so!
i love khaki greens, but i think this wardrobe works much better than friday’s – those cream pants make a surprisingly big difference. & to my eye, the mango & pink are much more cheerful partners than the green & pink… suspect if it had been green & turquoise/teal it would have sung better for me. interesting!
Oh, that yellow top is beautiful. ✨️
This capsule seems more harmonious with the black for me. Is it because of the brighter colors?
And since I was interested,
and Janice put together this pretty capsule with the bright colors years ago, here it is:
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2018/01/travel-capsule-wardrobe-inspired-by-dame-au-chapeau-by-natalia-gontcharova.html/
This just goes to prove that Janice’s wardrobes are truly timeless. I would wear every single piece from this previous one!
So me! Thank You Janice for this ….i have a few days on “my own “ and I planned I would take all my clothes out …and do a wardrobe fix/ reorganization….i certainly will keep these colours in mind….i know I have them some where …the pink…te marigold. And that scarf ….tempting and to die for…❤️
I have followed you for years. I have learned so much. I need help. What should I wear to a garden party. I am blond with blue eyes. Love blue and pink. Thank you for considering helping me. I will be turning 80 soon. Judy
Something REALLY PRETTY. The first thing that jumped into my mind is a floral mid-calf dress with flat sandals or shoes. Or a pair of cropped pants in a pretty color with a printed top.
Anybody else have suggestions?
love,
Janice
Those suggestions both sound really pretty! I wore pretty cropped pants and a floral blouse to my daughters college graduation recently and felt really good! I am stumped though on what semi formal dress means for my whole family for a friends wedding we were invited to. Also specific colors were given in the invitation for everyone to wear. (we are not in the bridal party!)
Anybody over the age of 78 can wear whatever they want to a wedding! I think pretty cropped pants and top would be just fine – not denim or chambray, but a lovely print. Being dressy sometimes is more a question of the details – nice flat shoes, a pretty clutch bag, some earrings…
And yes, it’s getting to be a thing for brides to tell you what color to wear to the wedding. I think it’s kind of… nervy, but I’m not getting married any time soon!
Opinions, fine friends?
love,
Janice
Judy, I like Janice’s suggestions, and I would add, wear a pretty hat – with flowers on it! There’s nothing like a hat to direct the attention up to your face. Have fun!
As to the comment about bridal dictates, I’m firmly against turning weddings into personal show-off occasions. Weddings are either religious ceremonies or serious secular occasions where two people commit themselves to each other before their communities. They shouldn’t be turned into photo ops, IMO.
Climbing off my soapbox now….
I had the same quandry for my 60th birthday and my daughter’s wedding two years ago but in different seasons.
My 60th birthday was in June and I wanted to wear a pink dress too, partly because it would be a useful addition to my wardrobe but also as a change to my usual trousers and top. I ordered dresses from the websites of occasion wear brands to try on at home as it is less stressful and I could look at accessories at the same time. I chose a simple midi dress in soft pink with ivory applique flowers (Wallis for those in the UK). This was just right for the party we hosted for 60 friends. I just wore flat sandals comfortable sandals.
I’m not a “formal” person but wanted to look special but also be comfortable at my daughter’s wedding in winter. I didn’t want a warm dress (velvet) because it was a church wedding and indoor reception (both heated buildings). It also had to be worn with a jacket in church but swishy enough for dancing at the reception. Being part of the “wedding party”, she did have a colour theme so I was banned from wearing blue and purple (my favourites for such events) but could wear anything on the plum/burgundy/pink spectrum for the photos of which there were very few group photos anyway (hey ho).
My choice for fancy dress-up events is floral/lace. I tried on so many dresses but nothing was right. One day, with only a few weeks to go to the wedding, I was walking past Hobbs (UK brand that still has high street shops) and saw a burgundy silk floral dress in the window. It was just perfectly “me”. I tried it on and fell in love. My daughter left work early to see it before I paid the large price tag. She loved it too. I had so many compliments on the day which was a bonus.
Depending on the weather, I’m planning to wear one or the other to an 80th birthday party this month.
For Kristi going to the formal wedding, the meaning of “formal” these days is to make sure no-one turns up in jeans! I have found that a smart dress with contrast coat/jacket or a matching trouser/skirt suit is formal enough. Maybe you have an outfit in the back of your wardrobe that you bought for a previous wedding – vintage is trendy. Just modernise or use accent colour accessories to give it ‘edge’. If you have to buy an outfit, keep to your personal style that suits your shape but choose occasion wear brands that have fancier materials/details but above all be comfortable. It is a long day with lots of standing around waiting for the bridal pair to have hundreds of photos taken that involve no-one else – so much for a colour theme! Think about hiring your outfit or look on Preloved occasion wear websites if you wont have an event to wear it again. A brand new lace/chiffon dress that I bought as a possibility for my daughter’s wedding was on the £10 occasion wear rail in a charity shop. I’ve kept it as an evening dress.
I can definitely imagine these colors:
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2022/06/start-with-art-the-golden-stairs-by-sir-edward-coley-burney-jones.html/
Maybe cotton or linen pants with a silk blouse. (I wore them to a party last weekend.) I hope you enjoy.
I have the geologic layers scarf from Cognitive Surplus which is pretty much the same colors, just different ratios, as this artifact scarf.
Thank you for new ideas on how to wear it. I’ll get it & my cream jeans out & see what I can come up with with this post as inspiration.
I think this post and the previous would work with the Klint painting. All so much fun to ponder. Regarding weddings that dictate a color palate (seems a bit bossy). I might choose a lovely accent color that looked good on me. That being said I really try to wear something I already own. I’m more willing to buy something new that I wear frequently; not dressy outfits. I have plenty of those I can pull from my closet. In fact we are going to a wedding in a week and I’m wearing a dress that I’ve had for probably 30 years and haven’t worn in 20. Still fits, silky fabric, that slinky /A-line look, cream w/black floral. This go round I’m pairing it with short western boots! Ta Da as my granddaughter says.
This is such a beatiful wardrobe, thank you! Do you think the scarf would work with camel as neutral as well? What would be your take on the business shoes then? I love your blog, thank you for your work!
I definitely think camel would be lovely with this scarf; I considered using camel as one of the colors in the wardrobe, until I remembered that finding camel clothes in May would be REALLY difficult! For shoes you could get camel ones, or stick with black, or even gold! I love metallic shoes…
hugs,
Janice
If anyone told me black, rose, white and yellow could make a nice wardrobe I would have been rotflol.
But you absolutely did it. I could even picture me wearing it. Thank you for opening my eyes to new possibilities.