The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Archives for June 2013

June 2013 - Page 2 of 3

Signature: The same necklace, every day

June 17, 2013  

Among the many perks of blogging full time, I think the best so far is that I get to spend much more time with Belovedest. Particularly fun is either walking to his office with him in the morning, or walking over to meet him after work and then walking home together.  In doing this, I get to see literally thousands of women, every day, either going to or leaving their workplaces.One woman, who either lives or works very near to our home, wear the same coral, turquoise and gold necklace EVERY day.  After I saw her the third time, I mentioned to her - in passing- that I recognized her necklace, and that it seems to be a favorite.  Her reply, with a very moving and wistful smile: "I wear it every day; ... View the Post

Packing from the 333 Capsule Wardrobe, with a few essential deviations from the system

Belovedest and I are off to Toronto for a long weekend of rugby and rest.  I packed pretty easily from the Project 333, except I had to jump ship for the rugby match - nothing but jeans and a jersey will really be appropriate!So I hauled everything out and assembled it on my nifty hanging rack:

The obnoxious plaid thing is my pajamas... Far left is my black jacket - I might wear it on the plane, or pack it, depending on what the weather does.   Then you can see my jeans, and my rugby jersey, and then my sweaters and scarves, tee shirts, and pants.

Everything lays out like this:

  It is quite a bit more clothing that I would normally pack for 3 nights, but the rugby match requires very special garments, and the way ... View the Post

Six accessory “families” – groups of accessories that share an aesthetic DNA

June 14, 2013   Many people asked to see more groupings of accessories- including a scarf and a cardigan - in order to better understand the possibilities inherent in this idea.  When I choose these accessories, I don't necessarily match the colors exactly, or make sure that everything has a "theme" to it (like flowers, or dots, or stripes).  I'm going more for an elusive sensibility - the idea that all of these things could easily belong to the same woman.  To me, that seems like the most logical criteria of all for assembling any  wardrobe, or a wardrobe of accessories.  

 

 

 

 

 

  I always feel that thinking of accessories and ... View the Post

One outfit, six different scarves

June 13, 2013  

It's tempting to starting thinking of each scarf as being "married" to (or at least going steady with) a particular outfit that you own, and moreover, to always reach for the same scarf when you put on a favorite outfit.  I do this often, and I'm trying to break out of this habit, and shake up my scarf/clothing combos a little bit.  So I took one outfit that I wear a lot  (this sweater is linen, so it can be worn through all but the hottest summer months) and tried to see how it would pair up with a variety of scarves.I show Hermes scarves here, but PLEASE bear in mind that this exercise is true of any scarves you own.  Vintage from a thrift store, hand-crafted from a street fair, or heritage ... View the Post

Your Closet >Your Favorite Store

There's one place in all the world where all of the clothes were selected just for you.

They are all your size.

They are all your favorite colors.

They are all the cuts and shapes that flatter you most.

This place has the perfect accessory - the right earring, the ideal scarf, the shoes (in your size!) that complement the outfit to perfection...

This place is, of course, your closet.  If it's NOT like this, you have clear-cut goals to achieve.

And if it IS like this, why are you still out wandering around aimlessly, blindly, in stores that just don't measure up to what you've already accomplished, all on your own? ... View the Post

Integrating a scarf into A Common Capsule Wardrobe: Hermes Coup de Fouet

June 11, 2013   So one of you recently purchased a very beautiful scarf, and now you're feeling.... stuck? unsure?  It's a common situation, and one that's pretty simple to remedy.  

 

This is the lovely object in question, entitled "Crack of the Whip". Striking graphics, and an unexpected juxtaposition of yellow in the middle of the purples and blues - those Hermes people are good... First thing you have to isolate is what color or colors drew you into this scarf? If it was the turquoise, for example, you might find that you already own the following items, to complement your scarf.

  Further, let's assume that you own some version of The Common Wardrobe, a couple of simple dresses, and a ... View the Post

Choosing a scarf – Hermes, in black

June 10, 2013  

Many people ask me how I choose the scarves I buy... (I can hear my mother, replying "Veeeeery carefully!") Most important, absolutely, is that you should LOVE the scarf. Not just like it, not just think that it goes well with your wardrobe - you've got to feel strongly, and perhaps in a way that you can't explain rationally. The appreciation of beauty is a gut-level reaction that can't always be verbalized, and can never be faked. This is as true for an inexpensive scarf picked up at a street fair, just as much as it's true with an Hermes - it should be true for anything that goes into your closet, frankly...

So, hypothetically, you've narrowed your choices down to six different scarves.  All Hermes, all ... View the Post

The die is cast…

My cubicle is cleared - above is what it looked like yesterday afternoon.  My overnight bag, purse and scarf,  office keys, headphones, essential coffee, my LAST timesheet, and my fan...

Yes, my friends, I am going to try to blog, write, and speak full time!

I'm utterly terrified.

But belovedest suggested a few weeks ago that I grab this particular bull by the horns and see what I could do in 40 hours a week that I can't do in 15...

Did I mention that I'm terrified?

I have ideas for my book, of COURSE I'm going to continue to blog every day, and I'd love to find some opportunities to speak to groups about defining personal style, planning a wardrobe, or planning a travel capsule.

Oh yea, I'm really terrified...

Hop over ... View the Post

Another DVF dress; 1 dress, 6 ways

June 7, 2013  

I thought a lot yesterday about the mystique of the Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress. I've never even tried one of these on; I'm super-skeptical about how a traditional wrap dress will work with my short-waisted, full-balconied, and generally no-waist torso. But I browsed through a lot of Diane's other dress designs, and found the beauty below.  This really calls out to me in all kinds of ways - it's got my favorite colors, a much less dangerous décolletage, and some side shirring that seems as if it would be very flattering...

Sigh...    

 

 

love, Janice   ... View the Post

One dress, six ways: A Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress

June 6, 2013  

One of my friends is very committed to her black and white wardrobe, which she accents with jade and aventurine jewelry. When she saw this Diane von Furstenberg dress, she was very tempted, but just couldn't commit - she wasn't sure that she would find enough ways to wear it.Now,I can't make the decision for her, but if she knows that she will want/need a dress in the next year or so for a number of events, she will have ways to wear it...

    aventurine pendant - Tiffany, green wrap - Faliero Sarti, black and white slingbacks - Semilla Scarpe, pearl and black crystal earrings - Majorica, pearl necklace - Slane, black cardigan - J. Crew, black pumps - ... View the Post

Thinking about grey and black; color, and your immediate environment

June 5, 2013

 

The comments about my recent Project 333 post were an interesting conversation about colors, and who's comfortable wearing what colors in what environments.

I'm looking out my window right now, which faces south and west, looking out onto downtown Chicago.  The only colors I can see are shades of grey and beige - even the sky is grey right now.  If you love cities (and I DO love cities), it's a beautiful view. But if you're looking for color, this is not where you'll find it.

I take all of your comments very seriously. I read every one of them, and think about what you've taken the time to say. I gave a great deal of thought to comments which thought that my current wardrobe is dark, ... View the Post