The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Articles
    • Starting From Scratch
    • Common Wardrobe
    • Packing
    • Start With Art
    • Project 333
    • 4×4 Wardrobes
    • Weekly Timeless Wardrobes
    • Archives by Date
    • Archives by Categories & Tags
  • Support The Vivienne Files
    • Books, Clothes & more
    • Templates & Color Planners
  • Contact
Home » Can I Use Denim in Place of… ? Substituting Denim for Olive Grey in a Four by Four Wardrobe

Can I Use Denim in Place of… ? Substituting Denim for Olive Grey in a Four by Four Wardrobe

February 22, 2017

 

You asked, and it was a really intelligent question – can I use denim in place of olive green, in a wardrobe from The Vivienne Files?

Heck yes! Neutral colors can be interchanged, especially in casual wardrobes in which rigorous color matching isn’t terribly important. Let’s recreate a recent wardrobe and make this substitution, to see how it works out.

First up – remember this amazing painting by Salvador Dali? I’ve changed the associated color palette to include the denim that we want:

Head of a Woman by Salvador Dali with style notes and color palette

I’m starting from the same point as before – a solid core of grey garments:

Four by Four Wardrobe Starting Point of four grey garments

grey cardigan – Lands’ End; jeans – L.L.Bean; capris – L.L.Bean; shorts – Patagonia

The first difference is immediate – instead of the olive tee shirt from before, I found a shirt that feels very denim-ish!

how to add a denim blue tee shirt to your wardrobe

Tee – Splendid

 

From here, things look very familiar for a few steps:

how to add a grey tee shirt to your wardrobe

tee shirt – Uniqlo

 

how to add a pink long-sleeved tee shirt to your wardrobe

tee shirt – L.L.Bean

 

how to add a pink hooded sweater to your wardrobe

sweater – L.L.Bean

 

Already, you can see that the row of “What I Have” across the top looks really coherent and visually “comfortable” with the denim blue. Adding jeans doesn’t alter that comfort level…

how to add blue jeans to your wardrobe

Jeans – L.L.Bean

 

This is a great shirt, but OH MY GOODNESS, it needs to be washed. Repeatedly. While I completely abhor distressed jeans (I’ll tear my own clothes, thank you very much…), I would like to see this shirt look just a tiny bit more softened and faded. I’m sure that we’re all qualified to take care of that on our own, eh?

how to add a denim shirt to your wardrobe

Shirt – Uniqlo

 

A slightly different tee shirt here, more a cool color palette than the somewhat warm-ish one from before:

how to add a pastel print tee shirt to your wardrobe

tee shirt – Ojai

 

Denim shorts can be tricky – I like the softer fabric here, and the drawstring. It keeps these from looking like our 1970s-era cut-offs…

how to add denim blue shorts to your wardrobe

Shorts – L.L.Bean

 

I debated about replacing this tee shirt, because it still has echoes of olive in it, but I ultimately didn’t want to abandon it, because it includes that pink that matches the sweater so very well…

how to add a bright print tee to your wardrobe

tee shirt – Ojai

 

As always, if you detest skirts, get another pair of jeans, or a pair of cropped jeans, or capri jeans, or whatever other clever name them devise. Pedal pushers? Clam diggers?

how to add a denim skirt to your wardrobe

Skirt – Fat Face

 

Everything else remains the same…

how to add a pink tank top to your wardrobe

tank – Uniqlo

 

how to add a floral sweatshirt to your wardrobe

sweatshirt – M&S Collection

 

So I changed 6 of the 16 garments, and the overall wardrobe impression is VERY different. One of the real beauties of denim is that our eyes are trained to see it as an all-purpose neutral, and thus it feels like it goes with everything. I don’t like to match the denim pieces, because that ends up looking… awkward, to me. But this wardrobe has literally dozens of outfit possibilities…

a sixteen-piece "Four by Four" casual travel or capsule wardrobe in grey and denim blue with pink accents

Do you want me to go back through the grey and olive accessories and change things our for denim? I never mind looking at tons of accessories!

love,
Janice

More from the Salvador Dali, “Head of a Woman” series:

  • How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe with Olive and Grey – Start with Art: Head of a Woman by Salvador Dali
  • How to Choose Accessories for an Olive and Grey Wardrobe – Start with Art: Head of a Woman by Dali
  • Can I Use Denim is Place of… ? Substituting Denim for Olive Grey in a Four by Four Wardrobe
  • How to Accessorize A Capsule Wardrobe with Lots of Denim? Let’s see…
How to substitute denim for olive grey in a capsule wardrobe

Like this article? Save it to Pinterest!

Tweet
Pin928
Share
928 Shares

02.22.17 17 Comments

Tags: 1 Piece at a Time, denim, Four by Four, grey, pink, Start with Art
<<How to Wear Garnets – the January Birthstone? I ALWAYS have some ideas…How to Wear Aquamarines – the March Birthstone. I Have Suggestions…>>

Comments

  1. Taste of France says

    February 22, 2017 at 8:53 am

    Brilliant. At the very least, denim is easy to find in all shapes and sizes.

    Reply
  2. Jazz says

    February 22, 2017 at 9:30 am

    I have inherited a merino-possum toasty warm, deep dusky pink, collared cardigan, much the same as the colour you have used above. I would love to see your take on using this colour in the coldest of winter weather for a smart casual capsule.

    Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2017 at 11:55 am

    Oh, I love this! Yes, please do accessories!

    Reply
  4. Shrebee says

    February 22, 2017 at 1:29 pm

    Janice,
    I think this grouping works better with the denim than with the olive, because of the underlying cool tones all working together . The print tee has blue in it so paired with a denim blue bottom, the olive fades away, I think.

    Reply
  5. Janice says

    February 22, 2017 at 1:29 pm

    Yes please do accessories for this denim and grey! Janice Collins, Washington DC

    Reply
  6. Mama Squirrel says

    February 22, 2017 at 1:34 pm

    Denim, one of my favourites! By "match," you mean wearing the denim with the denim? (Accessories would be great.)

    Reply
  7. Virginia says

    February 22, 2017 at 3:23 pm

    I'm not usually comfortable with denim on denim either, so I really like the "denim-colored" tee shirt. IMHO, heather knits in the right shade of blue carry a strong impression of denim.

    Reply
  8. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    Being a Canadian, the "Canadian tuxedo" always works for me. Yes, please to accessories.

    Deb from Vancouver

    Reply
  9. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2017 at 4:39 pm

    Thank you for sharing this very interesting painting! Grey and denim are 2 of my favorites, and fresh ideas for combining them are always welcome. I would love to see some accessories. Mary

    Reply
  10. Janice says

    February 22, 2017 at 4:42 pm

    Yes please do accessories! Janice Collins, Washington DC

    Reply
  11. kris says

    February 22, 2017 at 5:58 pm

    Three random thoughts:
    1) "Denim shorts can be tricky – I like the softer fabric here, and the drawstring. It keeps these from looking like our 1970s-era cut-offs…" Speaking of 1970s-era cut-offs: I have fond memories of one summer in the late 1960s when I lived happily in a faded chambray shirt and cut-off denim shorts.
    2) Fast forward to today, when I have the same L.L. Bean shorts that you feature. Love them.
    3) Yes, please add me to the list of readers who would enjoy seeing accessories for these clothes.

    Reply
  12. Throckmorzog says

    February 22, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    Accessories for casual is always a bit tricky for me – I want to keep comfortable and very active, but still look finished – love to see you tackle this wardrobe with them!

    Reply
  13. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2017 at 8:26 pm

    I agree that denim – in all its shades of blue, black and grey – works as a neutral. For this wardrobe I'd ditch the pink and keep the olive for a more consistently toned look and because I love dark green (I have green eyes). But that would lose the fun pop factor that the pink provides. You have got me thinking about pink!
    Robyn in Tasmania

    Reply
  14. Beth says

    February 23, 2017 at 1:56 am

    Hi Janice! I just love all your wardrobes. I have a question I wonder if you'd consider addressing? I think, from some of your comments, that you're petite. I'm not, I'm 5'10". I love to see your ideas and when they fit my schemes, I like to consider purchasing pieces. But one of the big issues is where to shop. I don't have experience with Uniqlo, but I do know LL Bean can run short on me. All of this is the long way around of asking if you could do a post(s) on shopping resources? Especially for those of us not in a major city. Also, it might be really interesting to hear from some of your readers about their best sources. Thanks!!

    Reply
  15. The Kitch says

    February 23, 2017 at 2:38 am

    yesm I would love to see accessories for the denim variation! I bought the rose hoodie, and this gives me many new options. I remember a stormy blue grouping you did a while ago and it would work well with this as well. I would also like to swap out summer for winter clothing, as mentioned in another comment, because this sweater is way too warm for summer and fall in Utah. Spring would be ok, and of course, winter…worn indoors. I also like the comment about using some of the olive with denim. This could be a great casual mix. I have blue green eyes, so denim and olive are perfect, odd I have never put them together. I always wear olive with autumn tones. Great comments everyone!

    Reply
  16. Nancy/n.o.e says

    February 23, 2017 at 8:11 am

    I like the denim and gray, and it's a combination I often use as the basis for a travel capsule. In both the olive+gray wardrobe and this denim+gray one, I would be might tempted to add a white t-shirt (or black) as the first step. – nancyo

    Reply
  17. lrlincks says

    February 23, 2017 at 11:23 pm

    I don't wear pink, but this combo is pretty for those who do! I think denim has become a forever classic. The tones and styles change slightly from year to year but denim is here to stay. My kids(all in their 30's)wear denim for all but the dressiest of occasions. My girls consider jeans and a nice top to be dressed up! LOL!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

logo
The Vivienne Files is a unique personal style blog with carefully-selected capsule wardrobes based on color palettes drawn from works of art, nature, and more. It helps women buy less clothing, and to love what they buy. Read more...
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

STAY UP TO DATE

Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

  • Want a Touch of Brown with Your Chambray Tullynally Castle Corridor & Window by Hector McDonnellWant a Touch of Brown with Your Chambray? Tullynally Castle Corridor & Window by Hector McDonnell
  • Want to Pack In Two Moods Start With Two Scarves Frances Valentine and Kurt GeigerWant to Pack In Two Moods? Start With Two Scarves: Frances Valentine and Kurt Geiger
  • Thinking About Accents Six Scarves, with French 5-Piece Accessory WardrobesThinking About Accents? Six Scarves, with “French 5-Piece Accessory Wardrobes”
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 The Vivienne Files | All Rights Reserved - Built with ♥ by RockFort Media

THE VIVIENNE FILES IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR US TO EARN FEES BY LINKING TO AMAZON.COM AND AFFILIATED SITES.