On wearing black and navy....

I was playing around last night,
thinking about what clothes to take away with me at Christmas. I have
lots of space, so no issues with paring down to a tight capsule, but I enjoy playing around with capsule wardrobes, so
why not have some fun. So I put some of my favourite outfits and
clothes into a stylebook packing list. Everything I am interested in
taking, ie all my favourite clothes at the moment, are black and navy.
All of them. These are the pieces with asymmetry, edge, the silhouette
and drape I like... as well as pieces that have resulted in my favourite
outfits of late. It makes me wonder if I should give up on colour!
Well, for the winter... I love my colour in the summer. Because of my
hair colour, I get my needed high contrast with that, and don't always
need it in my clothes. And I LOVE black and navy together...it doesn't
show up well here, but many pieces have both colours on them.

Just for fun here is a screenshot of the stuff. No, I won't (necessarily) be taking it all... this is just a compilation of my favs. For fun.

Just musing.... Are any of the rest of you gravitating towards monochromatic looks these days?

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

10 years ago

Roxanna

Veteran

Elizabeth - I am swooning over you wardrobe! The edgy black and navy is so sophisticated and I love the combo with your white hair. Amazing!

Sal

I think that is a great idea! And I love the pieces you have chosen. You look sensational in black and navy.

I think it is mixing in the colour that is the challenge. I do wear black and a bright, but for a few years I avoided this combo a-la "What not to wear". And mixing colours is not always easy. I love denim and a bright colour, and I love white and bright (not so much on me, but on others).

I think the shapes you are enjoying are often more readily available in black; it is hard to find them in a colour. I think Una has had the same issue.

I do not wear a lot of navy (I feel black is better on me) but I do wear a lot of all black looks....often with a different neutral shoe and bag. I feel this is a look that really works for me.

Go the monochrome!

Marley

How fun! Isn't it great when you can come up with a color combination capsule where the pieces all just really work with each other? (Thank you Angie for showing us how to do it!) I too love navy/ink and black together and think that it really "shows" well in your assymetrical pieces. What are the boots in the bottom right hand corner??? (I'm swooning!)

Oh - and also, yes I gravitate towards monochromatic looks these days - but currently mine are more on the light side of things - ivory, blush, white, very light gray or pink, cream, etc.

kerlyn

Great pieces! They look like they would make some elegant outfits. I've been wearing a lot of black and gray lately. I struggle a bit with navy, so I'd love to see how you style your navy and black pieces. They're great colors on you!

Deborah

In a word ....yes!

Love this!! Give up on colour for winter? I have and I have never been happier with my limited colour palette.

Elizabeth P

Sally, ... I think this is why I love colour so much more in the summer, it goes so well with white. Although I do also like the bold saturated colours with black, regardless of "what not to wear".

Since
I posted this, I was thinking more... is it the pieces I like (the
shapes, etc) that just happen to be black, and generally more readily available in
black, or am I truly gravitating towards black. ie what is the
motivator, the colour or the pieces?

Marley, the boots are Valdini. Totally weatherproof, so they get worn a lot!

And yes Deborah, of course I was thinking of you. Totally comfortable in your sea of black and white... it's good to know you are still very happy with that. Gryffin of course is another example. My head space seems to be drifting that way... although I have a friend who ALWAYS says how good it is to see me in colour, when I do wear it.

UmmLila (Lisa)

I like black and navy / dark blue together. Definitely a YLF thing. Like Marley, I'm kind of on a white and blush kick lately.

lyn67

I love monochromatic darks for winter and I always aim to have a column of color in an outfit for more flaterry and calmness. My basic neutral for winter is black&charcoal but love to mix them up with small amounts of navy, citron, cream, burgundy or deep orange(only one at a time, of course) for getting some interest.
Your black and navy capsule is indeed really curent and gorgeous!

Anonymous

Elizabeth, I really appreciated your musing above about what draws us to certain items: colour or cut/shape--or both! I love the pieces in your travel wardrobe and can't wait to see them in action if you have time for pix on your trip. I wish I could create a travel wardrobe like this, it makes things so much easier.

I have recently come around to loving the black-navy combo (as Marley says, thank you, Angie!) and hope to try it out more. I do tend towards monochrome or, as Lyn said, a column for balance. I'm trying to experiment more with print and colour though!

Penny

Lovely! And I share your enthusiasm for the combination - currently wearing a navy wrap coat with black tights and black boots, and I'll be adding a black blazer over my navy dress as soon as I get in to the office. I carry a burgundy handbag for a dose of a beloved color that works well with navy and black.

Category