June 19, 2024
So if you’re going away for the weekend to visit a few vineyards, shouldn’t your wardrobe be based on a “wine-themed” bracelet? (or scarf, or brooch…)
Especially when your favorite neutral is navy!
The weather where they’re going will be warm, unless it’s cool. The days will be hot, or chilly. Nobody seems to be sure what to expect, so she packs accordingly!
earrings – Ninemoo; pocket square – Otway & Orford; bracelets – Fierce Lynx Designs; cardigan – L.L.Bean; top – J.Jill; pants – J.Jill; backpack – Brix+Bailey; sandals – Naot
She knows that they will be going to a nice dinner, and she’s hopeful that there will be a day warm enough to wear shorts. But she’s determined not to pack too much – if she has to wear burgundy pants all three days, so be it!
Our heroine is channeling her favorite author – Laurie Colwin – by packing three striped tops. Laurie was well-known in the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC for always wearing a striped tee shirt! If you’re not familiar with her writing, start here, with Home Cooking. She’s been a favorite of mine for decades…
Earrings – Emberly; bandana – Kule; necklace – Talbots; dress – J.Jill; short sleeve tee shirt – L.L.Bean; tank top – GAP; cardigan – J.Jill; shorts – L.L.Bean; long sleeve tee – Boden; sneakers – ECCO; bag – Talbots; flip flops – Minnetonka
When she spreads everything out on the bed before carefully stuffing it into her backpack, it looks pretty coherent—and very striped!
As all clever heroines will do, she assembles a bunch of outfits just to be sure that she’s not forgotten anything important. (like “real” shoes – imagine a weekend with just one pair of sandals for sightseeing!)
Our heroine suspects that she’s either going to HATE striped tops in a few days or that she (very possibly) will start collecting them. There are certainly worse signature styles in the world!
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, I took the plunge into a “Start From Scratch” wardrobe, beginning with an excellent pair of pants! I still believe that nice pants might be the best place to start a new wardrobe…
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Personally, I would choose grey as my neutral as labradorite has a greyish hue. Burgundy, grey, ivory and silver.
The look-back reminds me that I need to look for a nice pair of navy trousers.
Love this! These are the colours that I am currently building in my wardrobe.
This is the most beautiful of the Fierce Lynx bracelets that you have featured. The colors are rich and speak to me of autumn which is refreshing considering the heat index in North Carolina this week will be 105. Love the color combination.
I could live forever with these colors. Thanks for the ideas.
While very pretty, I would find this collection too dark and dreary for June. I would add in a few white summer pieces, white jeans or a white skirt that would pair nicely with all of these items.
Laurie Colwin! Sigh…She lived in the little town in CT where I used to work as a librarian, and we would see her sometimes. What a lovely person, as well as being a perfectly delicious writer. I wish I could remember what she wore!
What a great little wardrobe.
The items are perfect pieces. It’s a great formula. If you think it’s too wintery, it would be simple to translate this over for warmer clothes. Make all the striped t shirts long sleeved. Not hard to find. Switch the navy shorts for navy corduroy long pants, etc. I don’t wear this beautiful cranberry myself, but it all looks great. The cranberry dress is darling but maybe J Jill will come out with a winter version in the cranberry. Bottom line: this makes a great packing list or home wardrobe guideline. Thanks Janice.
In addition to the throwback post mentioned above, the one from the day before is a good start for choosing color schemes. There are six examples each with 5 colors – 2 neutrals, 2 accents and 1 white/cream/ecru.
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2014/06/starting-from-scratch-color-schemes.html/
These bracelets are always beautiful, and I have a drawerful. However, I almost never wear them. They bang on my desk, interfere with playing musical instruments, and get gunked up and wet when cooking. I’m always taking them off and leaving them somewhere. I vote for more necklaces or brooches.
I have one that I just wore the other day. Unwound I do just wear mine as a necklace sometimes.
Yes, their bracelets are just beautiful. I have at least one bracelet box full of them. Sadly, I won’t be adding this one. I love love love labradorite, but I can’t make the garnet fit into my colors :(
The wardrobe is just lovely, but it seems more autumnal to me. Right now I’m looking for brighter colors. And when did lime green become an “in” color? I’ve been looking for a lime green tank – and finally ordered one for Amazon since it didn’t have to be great, but I couldn’t believe how many were sold out? Lime green?
Yay burgundy! I have on a burgundy floral dress today. I was worried that it was too dark for this heat, but I’m still happy I’m wearing it.
I always think of variations of red, white and blue as quintessential summer colors and I think this fits the bill nicely. I would probably replace the wine colored top with white though to brighten the capsule up a notch. This wardrobe is perfect for variations in temperature as well as events. Very lovely!
LOL! The look back is where I got my start with the Vivienne files several years ago. I’ve learned so much from you since then Janice, and it has completely transformed how I dress. My weight loss journey has been a success, and now I have a very good wardrobe to fit my new size. Next steps? Accessories…lol.
If I wore red still I would be jumping at this capsule. It’s just beautiful. Thank you for all you do to help make the world a more lovely place to be.
This looks like it was made for me! And once again, you’ve got me in trouble, Janice. I bought the bracelet…!!!
Wow, ladies! You always amaze me by snapping up our bracelets before noon. Cabernet Dreams is already sold out, BUT I have more labradorite and garnet on the way. They will be restocked very soon! Be sure to sign up to be notified when they’re back in stock so you don’t miss out on the next round.
I tried to order as the colors are really good for me. I put my name on the notify list so looking forward to getting it. Just beautiful as is the wardrobe! I’m pretty sure I can put this together from the clothes in my closet.
I love all Laurie Colwins’ books. And I love stripes, the French sailor look especially. But a lifetime of a big bust prevented me from wearing any horizontal design. Now that I have made it through cancer, a double mastectomy, and a rebuild, I guess I could attempt stripes. Maybe. But for sure I am going to re-read some Laurie Colwin.
I love Laurie Colwin’s writing! She’s been a favorite of mine for decades too. And what a great wardrobe you’ve put together. I wear navy and burgundy in the winter, but I hadn’t considered it for summer- until now. Thanks Janice!
Especially live @gmail.cothese last 2 posts featuring navy.
And they will transition well into the fall. Thanks so much!
This wardrobe is very well done, but if something happened to the pants, so the only things left were the dress or shorts? No, no, no, that would never do, even if the trip was only 3 days. I’d get lots more use out of a second pair of pants, which could be navy, sturdy but lightweight. The burgundy pants and cardi could do dressy duty, especially if a white silky shell were tucked in.
I really like the mix of clothing here, although I rarely travel with two cardigans. I’m also sucker for stripes, so this really speaks to me.
Haha. :) Aren’t we all different! Viv Le difference! I always travel with two cardigans.
WHY are stripes only horizontal? I might wear vertical stripes but I’m far too top heavy to feel comfortable in horizontal! Otherwise I could see stripes being my look.
This is wonderful. It makes me want to add more burgundy/cranberry to my wardrobe. I did buy 1 long sleeve t shirt last winter and I did like it. But then there are those accent color pants. Hmmmm.
Burgundy and navy is one of my favorite color combos. Love this set so much.
Aha! There is the navy silk bandana! Too bad it doesn’t have bunnies/ducks!
I love these colors and wear them all year round.
Even with a bust size, I have enough striped shirts… even had one in blue/burgundy years ago.
Beautiful wardrobe but not for me. Just cannot pull off burgundy but would be fabulous for those that can. I have a few fierce lynx bracelets and just love them. Thank you Janice for introducing us to these lovely bracelets.
Love the look back.
Gorgeous. Love these colors and that bracelet is fantastic!