July 8, 2024
Someone took a look at Saturday’s post, and decided that they could easily replicate the wardrobe with an accent of pink! She’s even got a scarf in mind:
Although it takes a while to find the perfect pink items, the overall idea for this wardrobe is very simple – remove all blue things – replace with pink!
Like this – same cardigan and pants, different top and accessories:
scarf – Echo; earrings – Swarovski; tee shirt – Nordstrom; cardigan – J.Crew; black cropped pants – Mango; bag – Oryany; flats – Miz Mooz
Please note – everything doesn’t have to be flawlessly dye-lot matched! I try to come really close for The Vivienne Files, because all of the things appear quite close together on a small screen. It just looks better if they’re a good match! But in the real world, your shoes are at the end of your legs (I assume…) and your bag is in your hand…
Let’s not forget that accessories don’t have to cost the moon – headbands, hairclips and fun earrings aren’t going to break the bank:
Earrings – Alexis Bittar; scarf – Echo; sweater – J.Jill; bracelet – Alexis Bittar; pants – J.Jill; ballet flats – Geox
This outfit – cardigan, dress and sandals – could be accessorized a dozen ways. I might do that for a post… hmm…
earrings – Kamaria; headband – Anthropologie; scarf – Echo; cardigan – J.Crew; dress – J.Jill; sandals – J.Jill
You don’t have to have thirteen different pink things in your outfit – simple hair clips that coordinate with your scarf might be enough!
Hair clips – Talbots; scarf – Echo; black top – GAP; ballet flats – Sam Edelman; weekender bag – Béis; white linen pants – Alex Mill
As much as I liked black, white and turquoise, I may like this wardrobe more…
And it’s fascinating to me that a small wardrobe like this has so many different possibilities…
Imagine having all of this close at hand for stressful days…
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, I added accessories to our “How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe From Scratch” wardrobes. OMG I love accessories…
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This appeals to me more than the blue. On my screen, the blue does not look turquoise but just light blue and the black overpowers it somehow. The pink is bright enough to my eyes to balance out the black. I love the scarf.
Your blog is always the best place to start looking for the items to fill wardrobe gaps. The styles are almost completely to my taste and it’s easy to check the styles I love for my own color palette. These styles are just so enduring & versatile. Some of the early palettes emerging on the retail websites dismay me, however. It might be a long dry spell for me in clothing purchases. Tone and value matter a lot for putting my closet together.
I love the J Jill dress because that style really can move in many directions. I never liked or felt good in black. Never. So I checked the dress. Not quite right, but I’ll keep looking. The unicorn neutrals I like are chocolate brown and a bright navy ( not the one so dark you can barely tell it apart from black useless you’re comparing the two in bright daylight at close range. 🤔
I have a simple black knit sleeveless shift (just covers my knees) that I made over 12 years ago that I can wear practically every week. There is no end to how many ways it can be worn. I am finally considering making another with elbow length or three quarter sleeves, because maybe my upper arms could use some coverage!
One that you made and fit to yourself is the perfect dress! And yes, I could see one with 3/4 sleeves; all the better to show off bracelets!
hugs,
Janice
You are right. Anything made to fit you is always better than anything else.
When I knit jumpers for myself they always have a fitted waist shape. They go in at my waist so they are not boxy straight up and down. The jumpers/ sweaters fit me. I make the sleeves to fit below my elbow to what I would call three quarter length. Not just at elbow and not all the way down to a few inches above my elbow but at a point ending a spread hand above my wrist.
Since I first made this knitting pattern many years ago I have used the shape to make many sweaters in different colours and patterns but always the same shape.
If you are like me and routinely shove your sleeves up this length works great and its neat fit looks ladylike.
Susan
For dee and anyone else who can’t find their colours in the shops.
Please look at yesterday’s post where I left a message about dying clothes to get the colour you want.
Best regards
Susan
Have dyed a lot of garments including elbow length gloves to match a bridesmaid’s dress. Back in the 1990s, I did a temporary assignment in customer service at the Rit Dye company, then located here in Indianapolis. Learned a lot! Plus, the lab was clearing out some things, and I got swatches with recipes to create various colors. How could I resist?
Since I don’t typically wear white, I have dyed a lot of white t-shirts (with graphics) to be more in my color palette. Also rugs that faded.
It is easy to dye in a top-loading washing machine, be sure to carefully clean after using. I don’t think it would be possible in a front-loader like I have now. A large kettle on the stovetop will work for smaller things, e.g., the bridesmaid gloves.
“Natural” fibers will take the dye but not synthetics. So wool, cotton, rayon, silk, presumably tencel. Wool is tricky because it might shrink if higher water temps are needed. Dye will not cover bleach spots as bleach alters the fibers. There is a lot of good information on the Rit Dye website, ritdye.com.
How do we find your post? Can you give us a link please.
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2024/07/when-wardrobe-plans-go-awry-start-with-a-scarf-the-emily-henry-scarf-by-echo.html/
scroll down in the comments ’til you find her!
hugs,
Janice
Ooh my mistake.
I meant a few inches above my wrist not my elbow..
Now I have a dilemma – black, silver and turquoise or now, mauve.. 🤔
As always, I love your posts, Janice! This was especially helpful, showing the comparison in only switching out the blue for the pink pieces and keeping the black and white base. What a great way to increase your wardrobe possibilities with only a few changes! Much appreciate your inspiration!
Ohhh I could do this in Navy and White, and just so many different accent colors lol. Pink, periwinkle, denim, lilac, soft blue green, raspberry, pale pastel yellow, bright blue based red, heather gray, cream, stone, the list could go on and on! I might just pull some things from my wardrobe and see what I can come up with.
You are such an inspiration Janice!
I hope your day off helped!
Much love and thanks always.
And I have found a hole in my wardrobe! LOL! I do not have a single pair of white bottoms at all other than a pair of tights and those are socks, not bottoms. Looks like white pants, shorts and skirts are going to be on my radar next.
Thank you debra indy
You gave great info on dying and remembered more natural fabrics than I could.
Also, note that if the clothing is stained it won’t take the dye. And fabric with w combination of natural and synthetic material will dye but to a lighter shade due to the synthetic elements. If the fabric is stretchy like most modern jeans are the stretch part may cause the colour to be less intense. However, my jeans were stretchy and turned out gorgeous. The temperature for using dylon dye is not extremely high. If I remember correctly it was 40 degrees centigrade.
It can be done in a front loader washing machine. That’s the kind I have. You are correct about cleaning the machine afterwards. I had forgotten to mention that. You simple run the machine empty with detergent in but no clothes. It prevents the dye from remaining in it and potentially ruining the next load of washing.
Good luck to any who try dying. Hope you have great results like I did.
I like both the turquoise and the pink but I definitely prefer the brighter turquoise color with the optic black and white. I find that the scarf with its selection of brighter accents does the heavy lifting when pairing the pink with the black and white. I think the coral-orange color from the scarf with the black and white could make a wonderfully bold and dynamic palette.
Love the color you picked here <3 Thank you for sharing!
Susan, love your capsules and wardrobe evals. I’ve never felt right in a scarf. Yours are all so beautiful, but I just don’t feel me in them. Any suggestions for other accessories?