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Building a core neutral wardrobe

Mona

Veteran

I have been reading through The vivienne files posts on starting a wardrobe from scratch series and I really liked her idea of starting a wardrobe with two neutrals and two accent colours. Well, lo and behold, turns out that forum member E had already embarked on this idea three years ago http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....l-wardrobe
and now is a proud owner of a large functional wardrobe. Suz is also building her wardrobe along the same lines and if seeing her outfits, I know that she has done a brilliant job.
In order for me to do this, I first have to come up with two neutrals as my core. I am hoping that some of you will be able to help me choose a neutral. I have decided to pick navy as one of my neutrals but am not sure about the second neutral. I look dreadful in grey and black around my face so those two are out. Brown and cream are the two options I am looking into. I also have a few items in white but can white be my neutral to wear all year round?
I am attaching a few items that I have in navy/denim that I already have in my wardrobe. I also own a denim jacket and a pair of slim black trousers. For accent colours with navy, I am thinking yellow and green.
All suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Lafayette 148 New York Pleated V-Neck Top

$268.00 $160.80

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Printed tweed moto jacket

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True Religion Brand Jeans 'Audrey' Boyfriend Jeans (Spring Ink)

$188.00 $125.96

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48 replies

Latest reply was from Mona

MuseumGal

Veteran

Unless you really really love white or cream, I'd use it as your light/accent neutral (top of the pie chart) as Janice/Vivienne does. Brown would be a great second neutral if it looks good on you, especially now that it's coming back into stores. As for your accent colors, do you like and look good in yellow and green? Navy can take any color as an accent, so make sure you use colors that you love and make you glow.

Windchime

Veteran

No advice, Mona, but wanted to say that I've read the same series and have been thinking hard about it. Because I love color very much, it's hard to think of limiting my wardrobe to four colors. But anyway... I also wanted to say that you look amazing in the bright yellow top you wore to the mini get-together with Suz and Karie; I think yellow could be a fab accent color for you!

I'll be watching this thread with interest.

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

Oh, it's such a fabulous series of posts, isn't it? I've enjoyed reading them too, and building my own fall/winter wardrobe based on them.

I would say that yes, white can be a year-round neutral if you can handle the maintenance. When Janice wrote about the not-so-crazy eights, she did a winter white post showing how that would work. In fact, the whole series is worth revisiting if you're having trouble choosing another neutral.

Anonymous

Oh, this is easy!! The Vivienne Files illustrated possible core color combinations. She illustrates taupe as a second primary color. Not one of my favorites because I find it hard to wear.

I would suggest reviewing her blog. She spends a lot of time with colors, color coordination, and color wheels. I am sure you will be able to find a combination you love.

P.S. One of her most recent ones was navy and white. I really liked it a lot, but it seemed very summery to me. You might want to consider a more year round color combination to start off with. Good luck.

viva

Veteran

I love this idea, Mona. I have seen so many people recently referring to this series -- if I had more time and the inclination, I would read the Vivienne Files, but I already spend so much time on YLF. I have no more time to give to fashion!!! haha.

I think I have naturally been doing a version of this over time, and narrowing my palette has been really rewarding. I would think brown would be a great companion neutral to navy, unless you love white/ivory enough to wear it that much. I do wear it year round but would have a hard time making it a foundational color in my wardrobe. It's definitely a secondary color, or accent color, for me.

Good luck! I will have fun reading about what you do!

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I like you in light colors. Whites/ creams sound good to me. And I think burgundy or fucshia would be a nice accent color. Though it might be going a little too close to red white and blue all in combo

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Mona, I had a lot of trouble narrowing my neutrals down, and even my colours, down. In the end, I didn't -- exactly. Instead I ended up looking at it as a kind of continuum. Your Finds show this visually -- the navy can be dark, light, or textured. And I ended up picking more than 2 neutrals. I actually use 4!! (Navy, taupe, grey, winter-white.) Five if you count black, which I use more as a colour or accent.

What I think is best is to pick at least one dark neutral (for you, navy) and one light neutral -- or a neutral that can skew light (could be grey, camel, taupe, white or cream.) And then adopt various shades of that neutral as they work.

So let's say you would like to use white. GO for it! You look sensational in all shades of white and cream, from what I have seen. And they don't have to match, as Angie shows us. My "light" neutral is technically winter white but as you know I also wear optic white and some ivory. I tend to wear white mostly in bottoms or patterns and sometimes toppers or in tops that are layered over (to show the white collar and cuffs or white shirtfront). In summer I can wear more of it.

So for our Looooong winters, your "white" might be cream....for pants you might have to go a bit textured, or look for pants that have white or off-white as PART of their makeup. For example, just look at how much wear you got from those windowpane check BR pants. They were brilliant for you, because the black bookended your hair, while the light allowed you to "lighten up" winter outfits, giving you a real boost.

Meanwhile, you can obviously wear white and cream tops and toppers all year round. White bottoms in summer are a no -brainer and easy peasy if you keep the fabrications washable.

For accent colours, again, I think of it as a continuum. So for me, it's not just "cranberry," or "fuchsia" -- it is all the colours in that approximate family. They blend well together and will look good with my key neutrals (navy, winter white, taupe) and in fact, help me adapt to each season in its turn. (Pair berry with white and you have "spring" and "summer." Pair deeper berries with navy and this is good in winter. Pair berry with taupe and you have fall.

Like Windchime, I am hoping you will keep that yellow as one of your accent colours so I can continue to enjoy it on you!

BTW, I thought of another colour I use as an accent in very small doses -- blush.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I would choose white or cream for you too because I think light colors look stunning on you. And not just because while unpacking I realized I have inadvertently made my colors black, white and light blue!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Love navy as one of your neutrals and agree with others that white/cream can definitely be a year round neutral for you. It's a great color for you and works well with all shades of blue.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It also combines well with blue and khaki, if khaki is another favoured neutral.

Mona

Veteran

MG, A small problem right now is that I have many items in
white/cream in my wardrobe. I would have loved to add brown but I currently do
not own a single item in brown. Given my limited clothing budget, I am hoping
to start this neutral with a few items that I already have, hence the choice of
navy and white. I like and look okay in yellow and green so I think I can experiment
with these around my face.

Windchime, I love colour too but lately I have been craving
some cohesiveness in my wardrobe and I think the best way to do this is with
fewer colour options. There was a post on the forum not too long ago where
someone had mentioned that a good wardrobe of neutrals will let you wear a lot
of accent colours. I don’t remember who posted it. Like MG said, navy goes well
with a lot of colours so once I have my yellows and greens planned out, I can
add in other colours.

Alexandra, which colours did you choose for your neutrals?
Is “not-so-crazy eights” another series on VF? I should explore the blog a
little more.

Sterling, yes, this is what I am after. To choose neutrals
for year round colour combos. I saw her navy/white colour wheel and it looks
spectacular.

Viva, I know it is so hard to pull away from YLF. It is like
an addiction. I used to think white as more of an accent colour but in past few
months, I have worn white like crazy and it makes me so happy every time I wear
it. I think I am going to try and make it my other neutral.

Ummilla, burgundy is definitely a beautiful accent colour
that would go well with both blue and white/cream. I don’t look as good in
fuschia as in burgundy due to warm skin tone.

Suz, I remember those posts when you were thinking about
making taupe your neutral. It is not an easy thing to do. I don’t look good in
grey or taupe but camel would be another good option. It is good to know that we can use various
shades of the same neutral for our wardrobe. May be I can go with navy,
white/cream and camel as my neutrals. What do you think? Also, continuum of
accent colours would definitely open up so many opportunities. Lots to think
about here.

Shevia, light blue looks great with white and black. I hope
to see your new items in action soon on the forum.

Shannon, thanks for endorsement.

So my next question is should I focus to get the core
neutrals in order first and then think about accent colours or should I get
items as they come along?

E

Veteran

For me, it was important to pick 2 neutrals that I liked to mix together. That way I knew I'd be able to wear them with each other, because I don't like wearing the same colour/neutral from head to toe. It was also important for me to have different shades: navy is always on the darker end (unless you're counting jeans too), so I tried to keep my greys towards the mid-light end. That's because I prefer having a bit of contrast in my outfits, but not too much. Having a mid-coloured neutral therefore meant I could wear it with pretty much any colour I wanted.

If you don't care about contrast or whether you're wearing a 'column of colour,' this stuff won't apply to you. Just letting you know what worked best for me!

Plus, I never limited my accent colours, except to the muted, cooler colours that look best on me!

With all that said, what about camel or tan? I bet you'd look beautiful in those colours & they both look delicious with navy or white. I even found a Vivienne files post with that theme: here.

Another way to do so is to look at your current closet & see what neutrals are most represented, since those are probably well on their way to making 'cores' themselves.

E

Veteran

(Whoops! I think we cross posted Mona!)

cheryl

Veteran

I have also been loving that series. I read her blog daily along with YLF and it only takes a few minutes.

It sounds like you have it all sorted with white or cream as your neutral I just thought I would throw out the idea of olive as a neutral for you although it isn't a light neutral.

The light neutrals are where I always get stuck.

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

Mona, I am so glad you are asking these questions--I have the same ones!

This is one of the difficulties I have with the Starting From Scratch series--does Janice (the author of the blog Vivienne Files) actually intend someone to build her wardrobe following the steps in order?

Another one I have is that I am not sure if this is a working wardrobe--or anyone's wardrobe.? I have the sense this is supposed to be for anyone, no matter what their needs--e.g., the style of the clothing will determine their function--but it cannot work across the board, as is, for absolutely everyone. So, you have to think, is this the way you want to build your whole closet? Do you have special needs for work or a given activity?

Doing Steps 1 to 4 right away seems to make a lot of sense. That means you get four core pieces in your first neutral (cardigan, tee, trousers and shoes), jeans and your light coloured blouse right away. With that you have a week's worth of outfits ready to go. (Rather repetitious and monochromatic outfits, but still.)
trousers + cardigan + tee
trousers + cardigan + blouse
trousers + tee
trousers + blouse
jeans + cardigan + tee
jeans + cardigan + blouse
jeans + tee
jeans + blouse

I would do all the accessories as they came up. Ditto shoes--except for the first neutral low-heeled pair--you will need those if you don't have them already.

Step 6 makes sense, next, too, but here you have to think--and choose whether to make it seasonally appropriate. Essentially with step 6, two tops in accent colours and a scarf, you are finally breaking out into some colour and breaking up the monotony of the first core. For me, in building a fall/Winter wardrobe, I may want them to be layering pieces like a long sleeved over sized crew. I know that if I was truly starting from scratch and building in the order in which the steps are given, this would be necessary.
After this, according to the steps, comes a few key pieces in the second neutral (cardigan, pants, shoes) and two more accent coloured tops.

Anyway, I could be here all day, the real question is: what do you need to make your wardrobe work?

Have you seen the worksheets? I bought the large size scribble edition, but there are others. Filling the worksheets in might give you a better idea of what's next for you. (Links to the worksheets are in the sidebar) http://theviviennefiles.blogsp.....hemes.html

Short answer: Do steps, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 pretty much right away to give yourself a direction and something to wear. Pick up other items as needed.

E

Veteran

Alana, did you visit the Sewing Plums website? I could never live in a Vivienne Files wardrobe: they're too Midwestern classic for me. Instead I took the ideas behind it (have your key closet pieces in your key neutrals) & adapted that for me. The Sewing Plums site is really good at talking about how different styles/climates require different key pieces! Here's her table of contents for personal style. The Wardrobe Architect series has a good (free) worksheet for figuring out how you feel about different silhouettes too.

Mona

Veteran

Suz, I thought about khaki but I think it will be a hard colour to find other than actual khakis in summer. No? Same thing for tan and camel. I do not see a lot of sweater/knitwear in these colours.
E, I was hoping you would chime in. I don't mind wearing a 'column of colour' inside or outside. But I do crave variety and for that reason, I want to choose my second neutral as cream/khaki/camel. As these colours look good with navy, I can pair navy trousers with a cream pullover for a basic outfit if I am in a hurry and will not have to worry about adding accent colours. Thanks for the VF link, I noticed that she has actually used different shades of tan which is great. The neutrals that are represented heavily in my closed right now are navy and white/cream so that is a good starting point.
cheryl, I don't look good in olive. It could be an accent colour for me but not core. Do you have a dark neutral in your wardrobe? you can choose a light neutral that goes with the dard one.
Alana, I love your detailed analysis of each step. I am definitely focusing on my fall/winter wardrobe right now. Did you find the spreadsheet useful? I am pretty much covered in my dark neutral which is navy. I have to start working on my light neutral.

Mona

Veteran

My only problem is with Janice using a lot of scarves. I have worn scarves day in and day out in last few years and do not desire them as I used to. I am thinking to add some printed tops to pull things together.

E

Veteran

I don't wear scarves either Mona: I'd rather wear blouses in 'accent colours' or patterns. I also don't really get the obsession with prints that 'link' neutrals & accent colours. From my perspective, the whole point of the neutrals is that you can whatever accent colour you'd like with them without worry! So I ignore that too. (I think it was my post you were thinking of in your reply to Windchime.)

Anyway, it sounds like you have a good plan in place! I hope it works for you.

(And you're welcome to call me Eva instead of E. Whichever works for you!)

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

Mona, I chose black, gray, white, bright (lime) green and bright red. I posted the whole process with pictures on my blog: part 1, part 2, part 3.

Janice has a whole series of the not-so-crazy eights: click here. They are well worth revisiting.On the subject of scarves - you don't need to wear them if you prefer something else. It's Janice's favorite accessory but jewelry works just as well.

And Alana, the best I can tell from Janice's comments on my blog and others', she intends her blog posts to be used as her readers think best. Following the specific steps, adapting an idea, or simply as inspiration. Whatever works best for each person. Janice says she is happy when her readers find her posts helpful.

missvee

Veteran

This was such a good thread to start Mona. I think a lot of us have been following along with the Vivienne files series and starting to wonder how we could apply it to our own closets. I like the idea of picking the first neutral and making sure that you have at least 3 or 4 pieces to start. Navy seems like a good choice for you, although I'm surprised that black doesn't suit you given your dark hair. But you have to like a colour too don't you?
Your second neutral could well be some sort of camel or caramel colour which would work beautifully with navy. I think we both have the Danier jacket in mottled camel - that could be a great piece to start with there. I love wearing that jacket with white or blue jeans - it's a fab neutral.
From there I think your accent colours will fall into place. Whatever you pick will work with either neutral.
This all sounds so great I think I will try to see if it will work for me too :-).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think cream/ white is the way to go. I hear you on khaki. And yes, camel in knitwear is hard to find right now -- although it's amazing how much more of any colour you see when you're specifically on that hunt for that one.

Joy

Veteran

Before I shrank out of it, I had a wardrobe based on navy but I learned quickly that there are so many different shades of navy and I didn't like the way they looked mixed. I ended up buying all the basic navy pieces at once and in the same brand and color so that they would work together. I consider navy and denim as separate neutrals, although there can be overlapping.
I got too bored and, when having to build a wardrobe from scratch, did not include navy except as a color. I can not even limit colors successfully and have come to accept this. I was limiting by season but that isn't working either. Last winter I added several pieces of winter white and loved wearing them. That led to light grays and blush as neutrals too.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Chuckling....Joy, you are an Elegant Eclectic! This is why the whole idea of limiting colours or neutrals is too frustrating!

Mona, I hear you on scarves. Not that my feelings will stop me from wearing them half the winter. I tried to reduce them last year to no avail. The only way I can manage is to wear a turtleneck. One of the problems with having short hair. My neck gets cold.

Mona

Veteran

Eva, I will keep your point in mind while shopping for accent colours.
Alexandra, you have great ideas on your blog. I will go back and read in detail tonight.
missvee, black looks too harsh on me. It used to look a lot better when I was younger. Same with grey, it makes the grey under my eyes so much more prominent. I also have never really cared much for black colour. I prefer brown much more. I did not know that you have the camel jacket from Danier. We are Danier jacket twins! I think camel/caramel will not be that easy to find in sweaters or pants. What do you think?
Suz, I will be on the lookout for camel/tan items from now on.
Joy, I was going to ask the same question actually. Different shades of navy may not go with each other. Hmmmm....buying all the pieces from the same retailer sounds like a good option but I want to use some of the items already on hand.

Alana in Canada

(website)

Veteran

Thanks E! I'll have to find that wardrobe Architect worksheet--I did read her series, but it sort of fell down when she got to the nitty gritty of choosing pieces. As I recall, she referred her readers to Into Mind.

And mid-western classic, lol! I thought the wardrobe was supposed to be French?

Off to red Sewing Plums.

rachylou

Veteran

You're pretty stunning in white, IMO, so I'd go for it. That and a midnight navy.

What sorts of yellows and greens were you thinking?

Mona

Veteran

Alana, I am also reading the wardrobe architect series this weekend. I will not have time before that. Looks pretty interesting!
Rachy, thanks for your kind words. I am not sure what shade is midnight navy. Is it more or less saturated? I am thinking bright yellows and greens but like Eva said, with a wardrobe of core neutrals, any shade should do.

missvee

Veteran

Mona I think there will be shades of camel around in the stores - not racks of it but touches for sure. It's such a classic colour. But the beauty of your plan is that you can buy in the entire camel to white spectrum and the garments will still work as one of your neutrals.
And as for trying to match navies, unless you want or need a navy suit you can always buy pieces with different textures to compensate for the colour variations. Your denim items, for example , should work with all navies.
Also, don't forget you'll have some core pieces in the camel/white grouping that you can use too.

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