navy Archives - Page 35 of 45

A Four by Four Capsule Wardrobe STRUGGLE in Brown, Navy, Leaf Green and Bright Pink

August 19, 2014

I know from my emails that some of you who are working on Four by Four capsule wardrobes are running into some challenges, and so today I'm sharing with you the hardest wardrobe (so far) that I've done. As we get to each step of the process, I'll tell you what (hair pulling) issues I encountered, and what my adjustments and accommodations to the normal process were.First up, let's console ourselves with the final product:

The more I look at these four, the more I like them...

And these are quite nice too - although the blouse is silk, it's a quite casual style. Thus far, eight really good, classic, timeless items.

But let's be serious - I had NO IDEA that finding ... View the Post

A Four by Four Capsule Wardrobe in Navy, Grey, Teal and Burgundy

August 13, 2014

The Four by Four capsule wardrobe - in which you focus on four garments at a time - is a great way to move toward a complete wardrobe when you can't face a ton of shopping at one time. The fours can easily be pulled from your Step by Step Capsule Wardrobe; this is sort of Step by Step with lots of resting in between steps!

One of the great beauties of Four by Four is that sixteen garments, plus accessories, is a great quantity of clothes for travel...

While these sixteen items could be purchased in any order or combination, I've got to admit that I would be VERY tempted to get all of the solid navy pieces at the same time, and maybe even from the same place. Navy is not a color that can just be ... View the Post

Starting From Scratch Summer Office Wardrobe in Navy and White

August 12, 2014 Yes, it still exists: the office with the strict dress code. Pants only on Fridays. No visible knees, nor underarms. Absolutely no HINT of cleavage... This is even more challenging in the summer, when it can be sweltering outdoors, but the office will invariable be quite cool. The rules are made, and the thermostats are set, by men in wool suits, long-sleeved shirts, and an undershirt. (why, if they dress like this in the heat of summer, do we let them run the world?) But you can still have a great, fun, spiffy capsule wardrobe!

Remember this color scheme? A few weeks ago, I showed a very casual summer wardrobe using these colors. ... View the Post

Chic Sightings: Navy Tunic and White Cropped Trousers, times 6

July 22, 2014

It seems to be almost the uniform of the weekend - roll up the sleeves of a navy linen tunic, pull on some white cropped trousers, and accent with brightly colors jewelry and sandals... The jewelry isn't all precious stones, and the sandals are casual, but the effect of the bright accents was very eye-catching.I think you can learn a lot about your personal color preferences based on which of these looks appeal to you, or which you swear you could never wear!

love,

Janice ... View the Post

How to Build a Summer Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch in Navy and White

July 19, 2014

Someone specifically requested a Starting From Scratch capsule wardrobe in these colors, and many of you have expressed concerns about how to implement this plan if you're dealing with scorching hot summer weather. I really felt like I wanted to go through an entire wardrobe in one post, just to clarify and illustrate one more time how I see this project working. So here you have it! Please note - the white garments here really ARE white - they just show up looking sort of beigy/grungy against the background. I generally don't promote the wearing of mungy clothes...

The first three steps are pretty straightforward: pants and shoes, then a cardigan and tee, then a neutral top and ... View the Post

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch Step 17: A Few Finishing Touches, for now…

July 15, 2014

Many of you have written to me to ask how this capsule wardrobe compares with my earlier 24-piece wardrobe - excellent question!Just as in the 24-piece wardrobe, this Starting From Scratch includes to two core "Four by Four" assortments in your neutrals, it works with two accent colors and a light neutral, and it includes the concept of the "bridge" garment, which is something that incorporates both of your neutral colors and allows you to wear piece from both neutrals seamlessly.

So I decided to look at each wardrobe one last time (for now - I'm sure we'll be back to revisit this concept when trench coats hits the stores, and when there are other requests/needs), and see how things stacked up in terms of a 24-piece ... View the Post

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch Step 16: Evaluating and Balancing our Neutrals

July 14, 2014 BIG BIG BIG EDIT: THIS IS ONLY STEP SIXTEEN... If you are going to make a typo, make a really big one! I had medical tests this a.m., and have been asleep all afternoon; I am so sorry for the delay in fixing this inexcusable error! We're very close to wrapping up our capsule wardrobes, but there are a couple more things we need to do to make sure that our choices will work as well for us as possible. So far, we've added pieces within our color scheme, but we've not been particularly rigorous in making sure that we have a balance between our neutrals. To address this, I've looked at each wardrobe and tried to find the "Core of Four" (two tops and two bottoms, that will ... View the Post

Agnes, or a Work Wardrobe from the ’80’s

July 12, 2014

Back in the early 1980's, I was in graduate school, and I was the manager of one of the departments in a large department store. (I'm still catching up on my sleep!) One of the more interesting and educational responsibilities I had was to "ring up" all purchases made by staff in my department.

I'm telling you this story, because I want to tell you about someone named Agnes. I'm not sure what we can learn from her example, but I still remember her so vividly after 30 years, and I'm quite sure that she was nobody's dummy... Agnes was probably in her mid 50's, employed 40 hours a week (remember the days when retail could be a career?), qualified for 3 weeks of vacation, health insurance, life ... View the Post

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch Step 12: A Winter Coat, Boots and Scarf

July 8, 2015 For many of us, a really SERIOUS winter coat is a necessity in the capsule wardrobe. Realistically, I couldn't get through the winter without my parka that sort of resembles a cross between a sleeping bag and a wee portable padded room... But let's focus on getting a more attractive, more widely useful winter coat. I've chosen a mixture of accent colors and neutrals, and tossed in yet another scarf because it's difficult to have too many scarves! My friend in black and brights wants a statement coat to stand out in the crowd of black - and this blue should do the trick, eh?

My lady in navy is looking for a dark neutral coat, but some pretty flowers for an ... View the Post

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch Step 11: A Complete Outfit, for Balance and Accent

July 4 2014 This is the step in which each capsule wardrobe is going to start taking on a distinct personality, based on personal needs, preferences, and desires. I'm adding a complete outfit to each of the various wardrobes, based on a variety of scenarios that might be possible. Starting with Madame Grey and Navy - she's starting to feel that navy is under-represented in her wardrobe, and moreover, she'd like to get a gorgeous, versatile cardigan and a luxury skirt into the mix. Nothing overly dressy; simple and beautiful are what she wants...

And now her wardrobe is this:

Conversely, our Lady Caramel and Black is longing for something edgier - a leather jacket? A simple ... View the Post

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch Step 10: A Casual Jacket, Top and Shoes

July 3, 2014 So after we've prepared ourselves for those unavoidable formal occasions that crop up, let's have a bit more fun and pick up a few things for our capsule wardrobe to make us more "casual-worthy". First off - a jacket. This could be a hooded sweatshirt (one of my favorites), a denim jacket, leather jacket, or whatever strikes your fancy. Add in a relaxed top, and a pair of casual shoes (maybe in one of your accent colors?) and you've got a LOT more options...

love, Janice

... View the Post

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch Step 9: A Skirt, and Essential Accompaniments

July 2, 2014 Somehow, one of the great mysteries of the internet, this post vanished, and was replaced in its entirety by a post from two years earlier! Happily, I have all of my images saved on my computer, and in the cloud, so I'm able to recreate the look of the original post. I think that my explanation will be much as it was, because I'm still working with essentially the same brain! Any time you notice things that look complete bizarre or inexplicable here on The Vivienne Files, please send me a note: [email protected]. Your assistance is deeply appreciated! Next step in the Starting From Scratch Capsule Wardrobe - you don't own a skirt or dress yet! A skirt is the more versatile of the two, because ... View the Post