The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Archives for 2011

2011 - Page 3 of 16

A retail rebellion

I work in retail, and I'm quite grateful to have any job at all, right now.  But many of my fellow workers are being mistreated, and you can change that.

The day after Thanksgiving is, in the US, a big shopping day - one of the biggest of the year.  In a bizarre effort to increase the amount of shopping done on that day, retailers are opening their stores earlier and earlier each year.  Now, the final straw, Target stores are opening AT MIDNIGHT on Thanksgiving evening!

If you're an employee, do the math.  "I have to be in the store at 11 p.m., so I have to leave for work at 10:30 p.m... I'm going to work at least 9 hours, so I'll have to sleep before I go to work, so I realistically need to be in bed by... 2:00 ... View the Post

Maximize your ROI: leather skirt

Brown leather skirt – Ralph Lauren  

Silk blouse – Hante Hippie, cardigan – Golden Goose, sweater – Ralph Lauren, suede pumps – Sergio Rossi, bow pumps – Clarks, gold disc earrings – Kenneth Jay Lane, necklace – Kate Spade, brown clutch – Maison Martin Margiela, gold bracelet – Citrine by the Stones, scarf - Missoni  

Beige sweater – Oasis, gray sweater  - J. Crew, ivory sweater – Isabel Marant, twist scarf – Hortensia, ombre scarf – Bajra, brown/gray scarf – Faiero Sarti, short boots – Madewell, backpack – Bothos, tall boots – SE Boutique  

Turtleneck – Missoni, pearl jewelry– Kate Spade, watch – Debenhams, yellow sweater – Lela Rose, green sweater – Jack Wills, square scarves – Hermès, ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe – Packing the Last-Minute Suitcase

Someday, the call will come:

Your Aunt Trudi is in the hospital, and nobody else can get there to be with her! or The data servers are all down in Edinburgh - get there NOW and fix them, or The Excel trainer broke her leg - you've got to go to New York tonight to teach the seminar, or Honey!  We're going to Paris TONIGHT for a long weekend!  (this is a dream we share, eh?)

  So somewhere in the back of my mind, every three or four months, I consider what I would do if I got this call.  The best defense, of course, is to have a carefully curated and deliberately distilled wardrobe, so that you just just stick your hand in the closet and grab a handful of things and you'll probably be okay.  And if ... View the Post

Maximize your ROI: brightly colored pants

Pants - Sandro  

Ivory sweater – Carven, teardrop earrings – Kendra Scott, plaid shirt – J. Crew, ankle boots – Common Projects, Beige sweater – Alexander Wang, blue & gold earrings – Amy DiGregorio, black & blue scarf – Diane von Furstenberg,  beige flats – Thierry Rabotin, black turtleneck – Vince, bracelet – Kenneth Jay Lane, black suede loafers – Rebecca Minkoff  

Beige cardigan – Zadig & Voltaire, scarf – Versace, blue silk tank – Kain Classic, lais pendant – Anton Heunis, tasseled necklace – Kenneth Jay Lane, black cardigan – Michael Michael Kors,, white tee – Paul Smith, white cardigan – Ralph Lauren, beige tee shirt – J. Crew, sandals – CO-OP Barneys, cap-toe ballerinas – AK Anne ... View the Post

Not so Crazy Eights: black for parties/holidays

Black velvet jacket – Alberta Ferretti, Sequined tee shirt – Oasis, Black silk chiffon top – 3.1 Phillip Lim, Black embellished dress – 3.1 Phillip Lim, Black washed silk pants – 3.1 Phillip Lim, Embroidered skirt – 3.1 Phillip Lim, Silk tank top – 3.1 Phillip Lim, Black velvet skirt – John Lewis      

1. Pumps – Christian Louboutin, earrings – Kenneth Jay Lane, clutch bag – Marc Jacobs  

2. Brogues – Miss Selfridge, bracelet and earrings – Monica Vinaeder  

3. Pumps – Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, necklace and earrings – Alexis Bittar  

4. Flats – Giuseppe Zanotti, ring – Alexis Bittar, bracelet – Alexis Bittar    

5. Mules – Sonia Rykiel, earrings – Alexis ... View the Post

Prepare to Party: Beaded cardigans

One of the most irksome aspects of this time of year, fashion-wise, is being inundated with glitter, beads, sequins and other shiny baubles that we are supposed to desperately need for our fabulously busy holiday party season.  I'm always either intimidated, or feel inferior, because (a) I don't get invited  to that many parties, and (b) the ones I go to aren't all that splashy!

But it's easy to get sucked into the idea that one should invest in a half-dozen party outfits...

My antidote: I bought a (used) beaded cardigan.  These are readily available, at all price points, and are quite versatile.  See some ideas below.

Cardigan – Steffen Schraut, earrings – Miriam Salat, tee shirt – Donna Karan, jeans – ... View the Post

An affectionate reminder…

Did you take that photograph of all of your jewelry yet?  And email it to yourself?

Someone I know was recently the victim of a very thorough burglary, and of course, her jewelry is gone.  Insurance insists on seeing photographs or receipts before replacing.

It won't take you 10 minutes.  You won't regret it.

love, Vivienne ... View the Post

Ten trivial travel thoughts

in no particular order....

Leggings are not pants.  I don't care WHO told you that you looked fine in them.  You don't. Pearls do not set off metal detectors - yet another reason to wear them! I have never come back from a trip and wished that I had packed more. That said, it's never a bad idea to be prepared for the whims of weather.  Snow on October 29th is a rude shock. Blister bandages.  Yes, they're expensive.  Buy them anyway, put them in your bag, and at the first sign of a "hot spot" on your feet, apply said bandages to the clean and dry foot.  Make a mental note that you should send me flowers. Mom jeans.  Just get rid of them.  Yes, they're comfortable, but they look atrocious. Safety ... View the Post