This was where we left it on the first of November:
If you want to go back and catch up on earlier posts, check here:
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November.
Here was the first signal to me that this was a pretty well-constructed 11-month shopping adventure; I was easily able to pull out pieces to assemble a really functional Four by Four wardrobe:
This layout, on spectrums of weather and of dressiness, might suggest that this heroine could use something dressy for cool weather…
And when I arranged all of the garments according to function, the only thing that really caught my eye was that there wasn’t an ivory sweater that could be worn on its own…
The shoes also seemed to cover most of the areas pretty well. Since I knew that I was going to pay some attention to dressy cooler weather, I thought that a pair of shoes for that upper left quadrant might make sense – a dressy pair of boots? Something with a detail that’s got texture, or a metallic? Hmmm…
These were my choices. While the ivory tee shirt isn’t strictly a cool-weather garment, if it’s worn underneath something, it would bring a nice touch of shine to an outfit. The ivory cardigan can be worn alone, or layered, and the striped shirt is just a really cool piece!
As much as this is NOT a typical wardrobe, it’s certainly versatile, and quite lovely…
I think these accessories are swoon-worthy… I’m NOT a pastel person, but I think that these have tremendous appeal:
All of our new pieces are very versatile – I love the way this striped shirt dresses up or down so simply:
I think we’ve proven that, with careful planning, even the most unconventional color scheme can work for a coherent wardrobe.
love,
Janice
Like this article? Save it to Pinterest
This is probably my all-time favorite wardrobe. Something I should keep in mind as I look for new eyeglasses (I've been veering toward red).
But can this work with red? As in, sometimes you want to be cool and elegant and other times you feel full of energy? I kind of like having some opposites. I wouldn't want to wear only dark colors, either. Can the two be blended in a coherent way?
Yes I agree that although this wardrobe is cool and calm in an elegant way, it screams for a pop of vibrant colour. I think the Red would look more complementary with the blue if worn near the face and perhaps Green or Purple with the beiges and taupes? Sharon. U.K.
Actually, IMHO that combination of colors works very well, I've worn it myself. Light beige helps in avoiding looking like a candy cane, light blue and white make the ensemble look crisp and clean, and red adds just the right pop of color. I noticed that proportions of colors really matter. You could wear red as a very small accent, such as nail polish, or as a bigger item like a cardigan, and the results would be quite different…
-Sara K-
I love this one. Such pretty colors that I'm tempted to veer into pastels myself.
This is so feminine and classy looking to me. I'm not really into beige or pastels either but I could replace the beige with grey or charcoal and happily wear this wardrobe! 🙂 Beautifully done as usual. 🙂
If I could wear beige without fading in to total blergness, I would duplicate this wardrobe to the last item.
I would be just like you…Love the combination…but always look like I need to make an appointment with the doctor when I even try something like this…… without a bright scarf!
This is also my all time favorite wardrobe. Perhaps it could be spiced up with bright yellow or turquoise. Some more brighter scarves would also bring color. But it is so lovely as is. I wouldn't want to touch it. Interesting, I built a whole new wardrobe of very limited favorite colors: navy/tan/teal/aqua/white after losing 50 pounds. I've worn this for almost two years and really don't want to change and only have added in a bit more color due to suggestions by my husband. I recently purchased a burgandy red velvet top and black silk Wide-leg pants for the holiday season, for example. But for myself, I could live in this wardrobe Janice has put together here all year round. Love it . Janice Collins, Washington, DC
"Lovely to look at"these colors are so subtle and elegant. I have a friend who was a Homecoming Queen, a lovely blond with a voice like velvet, such a warm and gentle personality. She wore nothing but beige, mushroom, or ivory…this wardrobe would be perfect for her. I love how it all goes together so beautifully, you have chosen the perfect shades in each item.
Lovely, but….I would need many more short sleeved tops. In our climate, I wear short sleeve tops 9 months out of the year. I feel, although this is balanced, there needs to be more tops in the warmer sphere. I can wear wool tops a couple of times before cleaning, but tees are a one and done for me. Am I too messy in the summer? probably. Theresa
I adore this capsule!!!
(As soon as I figure our how to change my Google acct name….I will not be anonymous. Sorry)
I love this whole look, very soft and elegant. I agree, just a smidge of red could liven it up, but most days I'd be happy with this quiet and refined look.
ps stop by and enter my giveaway Janice!
I think this is the colour scheme and wardrobe for the woman many of us would like to be … Becky's friend sounds like the one! It's interesting how, from very early on in the process, the colours chosen for each wardrobe have suggested the styles of clothes and the kind of life they are for. They also seem to influence the level of contrast across the wardrobe – the intensity of the colours. More food for thought …
Robyn in Tasmania