Weekend Wardrobe: My Version of The Vivienne Files Common Wardrobe

I always enjoy reading The Vivienne Files blog for fresh ideas on how to create a wardrobe suited to individual tastes and preferences.  A case in point is a recent post about putting together a Common Wardrobe of twelve versatile pieces that all work well together.  I decided to see if I could come up with my own Common Wardrobe based on apparel from Coldwater Creek, one of my favorite clothing sites, in colors that suit my warm complexion and casual New Mexico lifestyle.

My color inspiration comes from one of my favorite Georgia O'Keeffe paintings called Rust Red Hills (shown above).  I love the simple abstract shapes and bold colors in this painting, and chose three colors from the painting that I thought suited my tastes well - a denim blue, a creamy white, and of course the rust color that dominates in this image:

Based on these color choices, here is The Vivienne Files-inspired 12-piece Common Wardrobe I came up with for myself:

Clockwise from top left: Vintage Washed Henley in Ranch Blue; Vintage Washed Henley in Copper; My Time Soft Knit Tee in Ivory; Marled V-Neck Sweater in Brown Multi; Vintage-Wash Solid Long-Sleeve Henley in Ranch Blue; Set the Tone Open-Front Cardigan in Midnight Navy; Timeless Denim Shirt in Light Wash; BestCotton Standneck Tee in Ivory; La Joya Burnout Tee in Blue Multi; The Creek Straight-Leg Jeans in Harbor Wash; Hidden Stretch-Waist Chinos in Cider; Denim Anywear ShapeMe Pants in Dark Indigo.

If I were starting my wardrobe from scratch I would most certainly want to start with these items!  While my choices may seem rather colorful for neutrals, I have never really been a fan of the more typical choices.  I find black to be too harsh, and grey does not suit my skin tone.  When the pandemic started I decided to let my hair go grey naturally, and now even the color brown does not seem to work as well with my salt-and-pepper hair color.  However, the above colors still work for me, as does the color olive, which I would add if I decided I needed a fourth color (although I am not sure how well olive works with rust - I may have to look into that!).

I think I will continue to explore options for my new favorite wardrobe colors next week, and perhaps do accessories in the future as well.  My real life wardrobe already has many similar pieces to this Common Wardrobe I created, and I may have to add the few missing pieces and try out the various apparel combinations this winter - who knows, I could become inspired enough to finally edit the rest of my clothing to a more manageable number!