I’m going to start tackling the various color schemes you all requested – what a great, long, and wide-ranging list!
This request was for accents of both turquoise and yellow, so the color scheme looks like this:
From here, for a while, this will look very familiar. I am a strong believer in the absolute necessity of investing in a core of neutral garments before you start going crazy with a lot of accents!
I could have included the navy and beige tee shirt I used before, but I’ve got a plan for stripes in another piece, so I chose this great floral top instead.
This is indeed the same yellow cardigan from an earlier post; I own 4 of these cardigans, so I’m a big fan!
I just realized that this skirt has pockets! I love pockets…
I can understand that Basquiat may not be your favorite, but I really wanted to include this tee shirt just to show you the range of possibilities for including accent colors in your wardrobe. Tee shirts are a great way to do this, because they don’t cost a fortune, and they don’t usually last forever – perfect for experimenting!
Once you’ve established your color scheme, keep your eyes open for any garment that includes 2 or more of the colors you’re using. Items like this aren’t common, and can be enormously useful.
Once you have a well-established core of neutral clothing, a cardigan can be a nice way to incorporate an accent color. While a cardigan will last a LOT longer than a tee shirt, it’s also a little bit away from your face, with another color underneath it, so your chances of complete failure are limited.
I changed fewer than half of the garments here, but I think that the wardrobe has a very different feel to it.
Today I’m going to do the first of a couple using navy and beige…
First up, the favorite outfit: (for what it’s worth, the most frequently mentioned accent color from you all was turquoise).
This request was for accents of both turquoise and yellow, so the color scheme looks like this:
From here, for a while, this will look very familiar. I am a strong believer in the absolute necessity of investing in a core of neutral garments before you start going crazy with a lot of accents!
Tee shirt – IDLF Uniqlo
Cardigan – L.L.Bean
Pants – Michael Kors
I could have included the navy and beige tee shirt I used before, but I’ve got a plan for stripes in another piece, so I chose this great floral top instead.
Tee – Austin Reed
This is indeed the same yellow cardigan from an earlier post; I own 4 of these cardigans, so I’m a big fan!
Cardigan – Lands’ End
I just realized that this skirt has pockets! I love pockets…
Skirt – J. Crew
I can understand that Basquiat may not be your favorite, but I really wanted to include this tee shirt just to show you the range of possibilities for including accent colors in your wardrobe. Tee shirts are a great way to do this, because they don’t cost a fortune, and they don’t usually last forever – perfect for experimenting!
Shirt – Uniqlo
Once you’ve established your color scheme, keep your eyes open for any garment that includes 2 or more of the colors you’re using. Items like this aren’t common, and can be enormously useful.
sweater – DKNY
skirt – Neiman Marcus
Tee shirt – Isabel Marant
Once you have a well-established core of neutral clothing, a cardigan can be a nice way to incorporate an accent color. While a cardigan will last a LOT longer than a tee shirt, it’s also a little bit away from your face, with another color underneath it, so your chances of complete failure are limited.
Cardigan – L.L.Bean
Rayon shirt – Uniqlo
Shorts – L.L.Bean
I changed fewer than half of the garments here, but I think that the wardrobe has a very different feel to it.
I have one more wardrobe using navy and beige, and then I’m going to go touring the possibilities with brown!
love,
Janice
I love this yellow cardigan! (And yellow isn't my color)
I've come to realize that strong color gives me energy. I like the idea of dressing in a column, but when I think of wearing a lot of grey or navy or cream, it makes me wilt a little. But it seems a little unweildly to dress in all mallard blue or teal or coral/blush. Do a capsule based on that? When I see your examples, I invariably think, "Ohhhhh, *that's* how you do it!"
I have the same issue. I work around it by wearing similar colors and values (relative darkness or lightness) in the column, such as navy pants and a dark teal top or beige pants and a light pink top. My 3rd layer or accents tend to be a similar color but greater contrast. Lesley
Great tips! I too love a column; more ideas the better.
Pat
I'm a column person as well, learned from side-by-side examples here a while back. Sometimes a column of a bright color works really well, especially if it's a dress or if the bottom is just a skirt–i.e., the color doesn't go from neck to toe.
On another point: why don't all women's clothes include pockets? If you're worried about bulges, just leave the pockets empty! Carolina Herrera is always shown with her hands in her pockets and she is elegant beyond words.
francetaste.wordpress.com
Glad it's not just me!
I'm a column person too and also do what Leslie does, keeping a column via similar values top and bottom, even though they might not be the same color as one another, although not strongly contrasting in color.
Janice, I am loving this exercise ! I'm leaving tonight for 10 days and shall miss my favorite brown, but I'll have to catch up upon my return. Love the tee shirt inclusion for an inexpensive color tryout idea ! Where I'm going tan and stone will be my two neutrals and off white, aqua and coral will be my accents, Yes, I am headed for the warm Caribbean ! Yaaaa ! Catch you in 10 days !
Brown in spring-summer ensembles, YES!
Thank you, thank you, Janice.
A faithful fan,
Pat
Please just put it all in a box and send to me. I could live a year in those pieces. many, many thanks!
I loved that you added the T-shirt! Great way to stay in color scheme and add a bit of fun. Question: how close do you get your Navy items to match?
This is so fun! Now, if you were going to use this as the basis for a bigger wardrobe (say a Project 33) would you stay with these colors or introduce new ones in fours? Maybe another neutral and another accent color that goes with the first two accent colors?
You could go either way – 4 colors is really plenty for some people (I'm down to just black, white and red in my wardrobe…), or you could bring in another bright, like red, and maybe tobacco brown as a 3rd neutral…
There are ALWAYS options!
hugs,
Janice
Yes, I can see doing it either way depending on your own style. I keep wanting to buy more, a habit from when I felt as if I never had anything to wear, but actually wearing LESS! I am paring down now and finding that I just want a few colors every season. But not too few. Still working out how much is too much and how little is too few!
Yes, I can see doing it either way depending on your own style. I keep wanting to buy more, a habit from when I felt as if I never had anything to wear, but actually wearing LESS! I am paring down now and finding that I just want a few colors every season. But not too few. Still working out how much is too much and how little is too few!
I'm just transitioning to a new warmer color palette after 30 years of cool colors! It makes me want one of every color so I can try them out and find what suits me best.
I'm just transitioning to a new warmer color palette after 30 years of cool colors! It makes me want one of every color so I can try them out and find what suits me best.
Thank you for showing classic navy and brown core wardrobes. They are flattering and less stark than the more easily matched and found BLACK.
Thank you soooooo much, Janice. This is just what I am trying to build for spring/summer. Love the yellow cardi. I noticed one of your ensembles included the beige pants, turquoise tee and yellow cardi . As both accent colors are so strong, how would you accessorize to bring together the colors? A scarf with yelliow and turquoise? Jewelry? Or would you just let the combo of turquoise and yellow stand alone, I hadn't thought of that! ..will have to absorb the idea .. the print tee addition is great! Thanks so much, Janice Collins, Wadhibgton, DC
I love the print tee! It is fun! I look horrible in yellow but I have always loved it! Can't wait to see more!
Loved the navy with the turquoise. I probably have enough items in my closet to do that part already. Thanks about your comments yesterday. I have lots of items in the blue/green colour range. Still working on my pale grey neutral unit. Found a suitable jumper today in pale grey with cream and a little silver, which I was very pleased with.
Love this series Janice. And yay! Brown next!
I love the turquoise, especially the cardigan. Looking forward to the brown. I'm loving these wardrobes. Thanks :-)
Janice, I'm enjoying this concept and suggestions. Love the turquoise accent – not so sure about yellow at least for me. I'm learning a lot about how colors, outfits go together and have embraced the matching cardigan/top concept. It's giving me lots more options.
thanks.