Privilege Blog

Finding Periwinkle At The End Of A Long Black Path

I was looking for a black summer jacket.

On the brown side of my wardrobe, I’ve got the J. Crew Field Jacket in olive/moss. Works perfectly for San Francisco summer mornings, i.e. warm with a chance of fog, or foggy with a chance of warm.  But I had a hankering for a cousine noir, a lightweight woven cotton something or other. I poked around online.

I looked at this. Always a Bottega Veneta fan.

I considered this, for my next incarnation as a downtown sculptress who lives in, um, Antwerp? Perhaps Berlin or Prague?

I loved this, by a Danish designer I’d never heard of before, Henrik Vibskov.

I liked this, if men’s sizes were small enough.

I ordered this. The images is little because I bought the last one and the picture is no longer to be found on net-a-porter.

Please tell me you’ve done something similar, somewhere, somehow. That we’ve all had a moment in which periwinkle becomes the new black?

Images:
Bottega Veneta via Yoox
Junya Watanabe via Farfetch
Henrik Vibskov “Sofie” jacket via Farfetch
AllSaints Mitre Blazer
Blue suiting blazer by Tibi, via net-a-porter

28 Responses

  1. Great selection of jackets, love the BV particularly. Your Tibi blazer is beautiful, but probably won’t stop your longing for a black jacket. Yes, I did the same thing, only sort of opposite. Went shopping for a summer bag, determined to buy one in a great color, and ended up with black.

  2. While I like the periwinkle jacket – I bet it looks smashing on you – I love the jacket by the Danish designer. I would suit my short-waisted, full figure quite nicely, I think.

    And yes, I’ve gone shopping for black before and come back with things like orange and bright green. Your periwinkle is absolutely subdued in comparison. :^)

  3. The idea of needing a jacket in the summer is such a foreign concept to me!

    I have definitely gone looking for one thing and ended up with something else. It usually happens when I am shoe shopping. The best was when I went looking for a purse on ebay and ended up with a mink coat. I found the purse a few months later.

  4. Kate Moss was quoted in either Harper’s Bazaar or Vogue as follows: her go to outfit is jeans with a blazer (black, or periwinkle!) and sunglasses.

    It truly is a stellar substitute for my old get ups that used to involve sweats. Errands, Walmart/grocery runs.

  5. I never shop anything specific. Therefore all my shoppings could be ” periwinkle “, heh.
    Buying clothes online, does not work for me, unless they are one size.
    Had I been you, I would have ordered the Danish jacket. It looks classic, with just the right amount of ” edge “.
    P.S. Is is too late to return the one you ordered from NAP?

    1. “P.S. Is is too late to return the one you ordered from NAP?”

      Damn! If so, Lisa, then just have them put my name and address on the thing, and rerout it directly to ME asap!

      The Danish jacket looks great hanging there on a hangar but, marvelous as it is, I feel it strikes one too many problematic chords. Can’t put my finger directly on it, but let’s start with maternity wear; from there, let’s go on to the demanding jewel neckline; then, as we move on to the Buster Brown buttons, we can’t help but see the options narrow as the demands increase.

      The blue of Lisa’s final decision jacket actually looks gray to me. A gray jacket. With a shawl collar. And a cutaway detail. And a Stella McC resonance. How perfect is that?

  6. Periwinkle is one of my best colors. But black still owns my heart. I think the Tibi jacket you’ve chosen may open up some possibilities and combinations you may not have considered before. A wardrobe enzyme of sorts.

  7. Wow the Danish one caused me a frisson of delight,the quirky shape,but sadly wrong colours for me.

    I went shopping for linen tops & handbag while in London,came home with 3prs of chinos!! Ida

  8. I can already see that jacket looking just lovely on you, particularly with greys and maybe even some lilac.

    I had a similar experience last year, where I had been scouring for a reasonably priced brown leather jacket for months (brown because it would be versatile but not black) and eventually ended up buying an orange one. Which is somehow just as versatile, if not more.

    Sometimes an unexpected colour can be the best grounding piece for an outfit.

  9. Sadly, periwinkle washes me out like crazy — lavenders and light blues are no-nos for me. But it looks like it will be wonderful with your coloring.

  10. The black ones are all inspiring (glad you became aware of Vibskov!) and somehow the idea of a black jacket turned into the periwinkle item that spoke to you and your sartorial needs. It’s such a lovely colour for you!

    This happens to me often but I always stand behind my purchases. I usually forget about my initial idea and just follow my gut feeling.

  11. My response to your opening about ‘looking for a black jacket for summer’ made me immediately think DON’T! And then you didn’t so all is well. I like that shapely, prettily coloured jacket a billion times more than the black ones (especially the first two).

  12. I like the Danish jacket, it would have been flattering on you because you’re tall.

  13. I can remember my “Color Me Beautiful” consultant telling us that a true periwinkle looked good on everyone. It will certainly look good on you! It’s nice to lighten things up for summer.

  14. I think it’s natural to fall back to black too often. Well…it’s natural for me. I once walked through J.Crew looking at everything black and walking by color. I put down all of the black and left the store.

    Now I try to strike a better balance, and once I get used to the fact that I am wearing a “periwinkle” coat as my go-to cool morning jacket, I feel pretty. But, black still has a magical draw.

    I think it’s beautiful, and I hope you’ll enjoy it.

  15. The Danish jacket looks like maternity wear???? Really?

    I love both true periwinkle and black. On a blonde like Lisa in Southern California I can see the periwinkle jacket. On a brunette like Mette in Finland I can see the black Danish jacket. For me, because I do like a little bit of ‘edge,’ I would choose the Danish jacket… in periwinkle! Of course, black would be more practical in my wardrobe :)

    1. Imo, the Danish Vibskov jacket definitely stands out from the others presented. Great with your dark hair too J.W.
      Off topic, Hampel horse has a periwinkle summer rug : )

    2. Well, Mette…they do say that periwinkle is a color made for brunettes and Hampel is certainly a brunette! :)

  16. Periwinkle is so sweet. I love the color. I think my favorite might be the Junya Watanabe even if it isn’t “wearable” to me.

  17. Periwinkle’s mysterious presence will suit you and look forward to seeing what you wear it with! In summer, black by day can look heavy even in linen, but at night it’s a pleasure I cannot forgo. I bought a cool, cutaway black gauze dress.

  18. Whoops…correction…Lisa does not live in Southern California, but the California ‘idea’ still applies… :)

  19. I am in full support of your periwinkle moment. I had a similar one with a Vivienne Tam loose fitting linen “motorcycle” blazer, and have already worn the death out of it this summer. Periwinkle is definitely the new black. You will wear this to death.

  20. I have similar experiences with beige. Every year in autumn I get the urge to own beige things, and every year I buy every colour but beige.

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