Yesterday, I finally got up the courage to tackle a wardrobe based in olive and grey, and it turned out pretty great, I think. it was based on this most amazing painting by Salvador Dali and color scheme:
But a simple wardrobe isn’t really useful, nor fun, until you add the accessories…
Feminine is Where You Find It
She works outdoors quite a bit – half the time in the lab, and half the time sitting on the ground, counting the plants and animals she finds in a 1 meter square of virgin ground.
Sometimes it’s virgin prairie, sometimes forest…
It’s meticulous work – the difference in finding 5 plants and finding 7 can mean a lot, when you’re talking about the global health of a species…
But she never gets bored – she understands that the smallest wood louse is important, in the grand scheme of things…
Her friends think that her job is very grubby…
They can’t picture doing what she does, although they understand that it’s important. They would want to be able to dress up more, and feel more feminine.
But she knows better. Flowers are everywhere in her life…
Nothing is more feminine than nurturing – and that’s what she does!
She has dreams, too…
Her work is the kind of thing that might, just might, make a really big difference to the world. And she never forgets that!
The smallest flower could be the cure for a terrible illness. An obscure ground cover plant could change the landscape of drought…
A wee pink flowering plant might be named for her some day. THAT would be feminine…
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…
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"Yes, Ma'am!" says the environmental geologist cleaning up bits of the world drop by drop and grain by grain. Good job on the accessories, Janice. Add a couple pairs of sturdy grey pants and some field boots, and this woman could count life anywhere in the world.
I can't see why she wouldn't have ALL the accessories… I love how some are olive, some pink and some black. I especially love the shoes, scarves and jewellery. And look the bags and wallets are great too. Heck the hats have different uses too. Hugs Carol S
Your story is just the icing on the cake for this fantastic wardrobe! In my younger days I did a lot of field biology, and while collecting animal scat or checking rotting chicken carcasses for endangered insects may not be glamorous, it is important and does get one outdoors to enjoy the wonders of nature. I would include a backpack with teresa rodgers' additions, and maybe a simple but durable watch (preferably one with stopwatch capacity for some of the field work I did!).
Great story and this is one my favorite wardrobes that you have ever done. I just love it and i'm a casual life girl. That pink just tops it all off so perfectly.
The heroines of your wardrobe stories are all very different…one wants nothing more than a whole city weekend and nights at the opera, another is sitting on the ground counting flowers, with not one dress in sight. You've made the point before that the "essentials everybody needs" lists are just so much magazine copy, and these stories continue to prove it.
It's so refreshing to see a wardrobe built around a "real" woman's needs. The basics are just that – the basics. It's what you add to them that makes the wardrobe uniquely fitted to your lifestyle and preferences. Big smile at the inclusion of a baseball cap and feminine but sturdy sandals.
Love the pink/grey/green combo. You have created a beautiful, workable wardrobe. Inspiring as usual.
Vancouver Barbara
Lovely, practical. So very doable for my life. LOVE the stories you create!! Oh, and the wardrobes too.
Love this gray/olive wardrobe. Very close to my own…except I accesorize with espresso, khaki, and soft white/ivory. Creates a completely different mood.
I can picture this woman who is essentially feminine taking care of the earth. She is firmly grounded but still has poetry in her heart and on her back. Lovely.
Deb from Vancouver
OMG I love this wardrobe and like the others, I like her casual lifestyle. It is how I dress 90% of the time – very comfortable and casual. My dream is for my husband and I to move to a place of nature. I like the cafe scene but I long for nature more so this story really touches me. Wonderful! – and the pink just gives it the added femininity, also LOVE the Dali painting. I'm considering the Ojai tees – they come in about 13 patterns and are on sale! I'm finally striking out and thinking of prints and these are like beautiful scarves that can be used as accessories. I think I'll go for it! Thanks! Janice Collins, Washington, DC
Great casual, practical wardrobe. Can you do a variation using denim blue in place of olive? I noticed some of the bags and shoes had blue as an option.
I knew her story would be wonderful!! Great accessories Janice! Yes, "basics" should be different for each one's lifestyle! Such great wardrobe building advice!
I'm new to the party and I love this. The story, the imagination behind it, and most of all, the PINK. I love nature and could see myself being the woman who is wearing these clothes; they are in colors I never would have thought of combining. I've only been reading for a short while, but went out yesterday to shop and tried an experiment whereby I was looking to create a capsule. I think your advice probably saved me an hour in the store, and also saved me money with my purchases, two fitted 3/4 length sleeved t-shirts, one in pink, one in navy for my future grey/navy/pink/ivory/denim capsule. Thank you, Janice, for all you do for us. You are what all women should aspire to be. 🙂
Judith
I love the idea of thinking of your work or gardening gloves as accessories. Why not?
Lovely Janice! Just a quick question – I loved the pink hoodie and was going to consider a purchase but read some negative reviews about pilling. I was just wondering if you had experience with this particular item? Thanks!!
I do have the black version of the hoodie, and I love it. Yes, it pills; it's a sweater, and depending on how much friction abrades against the sweater, I have to "shave" it every now and then. But I don't own many sweaters that don't pill, so I wasn't really freaked out by it. It really depends on how much you hate taking care of things like that, I guess.
hugs,
Janice
Gosh Janice, you are amazing. I actually thought this was a bit boring the other day, compared to some of your combinations, but you proved that well selected accessories can really pull an outfit together brilliantly!
Your blog is one of my favourites! Keep up the good work.
Yes, indeedy. Thank you! Very nice for me since my vocation involves, in part, monitoring rare plants right here in the Chicago region, and gardening gloves are among my favorite, necessary accessories.