Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature
July 31, 2013 Start with these beautiful scarves (mixing a cool blue with a warm russet red) to choose a small, uncomplicated travel capsule wardrobe that would see you from a dressy dinner to a very casual day sightseeing. Enjoy!
love, Janice ... View the Post
Everybody talks about learning from failure, but there are some excellent lessons to be learned from our successes, too.I've been really loving my summer wardrobe, and thus have decided to carefully think about the garments that I'm wearing frequently, and consider the possibility of finding a cool-weather version of those garments. Building on my summer successes, if you will.
First and foremost, I'm wearing a black tank FREQUENTLY. The logical shift for cooler weather, to my mind, will be a long-sleeved top with a similar cut and a similar neckline. Something like this:
So my favorite summer outfits will transition like this! A simple tank and skirt, with a cardigan over my shoulders, will become more like a ... View the Post
I missed a chance last week to go see this exhibit, so I'm going to see it Thursday, with Belovedest and his mother.
We stopped by the Art Institute of Chicago yesterday, to renew our annual memberships, and to check that we wouldn't need special tickets to see the Impressionism exhibit. And I bought a copy of the exhibit catalog, for one of you.
Send me an email at [email protected], and tell me your name, and your contact information (email address is best). Friday morning, I'll put all of the names on a (hopefully very LONG) list, and generate a random number to choose the winner of the book. Your book is still shrink-wrapped, so you can have that thrill of unwrapping it and thumbing through a pristine book full of ... View the Post
July 28, 2013
I might be the last blogger in the world to be mentioning the Nordstrom Anniversary sale, but it's certainly worth mentioning, IF you have a clear idea of what you're planning to purchase for this fall and winter. Nordstrom marks down selected NEW merchandise for a couple of weeks, before returning those items to their regular price in early August. IF, AND ONLY IF, you KNOW what you need and want, this can be a great opportunity. If you just wander in unprepared, you're doomed - everything looks delectable, and you will leave laden with parcels, flat broke, and confused...
I'm going to show you a few things that are currently on sale, and I've chosen them to reflect the colors that Pantone has advised ... View the Post
I'm back - trying to wrestle all of the technical glitches off of The Vivienne Files, and get lots of exciting new posts ready for you. I have MISSED all of you so much...
love, Janice ... View the Post
July 19, 2013
Navy sweater - Maison Martin Margiela, Scarf – Brooks Brothers, Boots – Frye, Pink sweater – Proenza Schouler, Necklace – Georg Jensen, Sandals – Softspots
Anchor-trim sweater – Lucien Pellat Finet, Pearl necklace – Ann Taylor, Navy suede flats – Brooks Brothers, Quartz earrings – Nikki Baker, green boucle tee shirt – Michael Kors, Hermès vintage scarf, Suede flats – Butter
Navy tee shirt – Paul Smith, Striped bag – TL 180, Pumps – Bettye Muller, White embellished tee shirt – 3.1 Phillip Lim, Leather bracelet – Totokaelo, Striped flats – Jenni Kayne
Tank top – Organic by John Patrick, Earrings – Georg ... View the Post
Realistically, Project 333 makes packing a snap - you don't have terribly much from which to choose, and if your garments were wisely chosen, most of them should go together pretty well. But I always find it comforting to have a plan in mind, when those phone calls arrive. I've had a few near misses recently with having to travel at the last minute, so I'm happy to have the following plan for the balance of the warm weather. Travelling for me almost always involves flying - my relatives are scattered about the planet. Even on the hottest summer days, airplanes are cold (it's always WAAAY below zero at 35,000 feet), so a cardigan, a light wrap, and SENSIBLE shoes are always appropriate.
In these clothes, I ... View the Post
I am on vacation for the next week, and thus will not be able to respond to comments. I have a couple more posts queued up, but The Vivienne Files will fall silent the last week of July. I apologize for the abrupt disappearing act; rest assured that I will be back soon. ... View the Post
July 17, 2013
Even those of us who would rather wear gym clothes sometimes have to go on business trips... so we have to pack in a way that strikes a balance between work-appropriate and our personal style. A tuxedo-ish coat, some dapper trousers, a youthful pleated skirt and a cardigan make up the core around which everything else will revolve.
An accent color is important - purple is used here - another simple cardigan, a snazzy turtleneck, and a silk blouse all work together. The oxfords were irresistible.
The tops appealed to my tomboy side, but they still will look fine with the black suit pieces... And you can't travel without loafers!
Sigh... but a dress will ... View the Post
July 16, 2013
Yes, someone hates what you're wearing. Someone else hates what I'm wearing. Ultimately, there is absolutely NOTHING any person can wear that will be pleasing to 100% of the population.
Okay, maybe the only person who hates your outfit is some disenfranchised 14 year old with purple hair and a bad attitude. But the underlying message is the same - you can't make everybody happy.
We know that about so many other aspects of our lives, but we can lose sight of it when it comes to getting dressed. The idea of choosing a polarizing garment (like my favorite skirted leggings) can be terrifying for some people- they'd much rather wear safe, neutral garments that doesn't say anything, rather than ... View the Post
July 15, 2013
Dress – Oro Pagoda, Scarf – India Flint, Gloves – Buscarlet, Bag – I Santi, Coat – Violante, Pumps – Stuart Weitzman
Printed top – Burberry Prorsum, Corduroy pants – Patagonia, Cardigan – Eric Bompard, Watch – Rotary, Loafers – Cole Haan, Carry-on bag – Tumi
Polo sweater – Eric Bompard, Black jeans – MaisonScotch, Scarf – Barbour Gold, Black cardigan –Barbour, Skirt – Patagonia, Striped tee shirt – Wolf and Badger, Boots – Isabel Marant
... View the Post
But Google has something very BAD going on, and when I try to respond to comments, I get transferred to a page for RIPT;;, whatever the heck that is.
To clarify the sponsorship thing - it's through Nordstrom -I'm going to be posting a lot of my usual links which will route to the product on Nordstrom's site; I will use their site as my starting point for finding items to include in my ensembles. Any purchases will then generate a wee bit of revenue for me. I'm not going to the south of France on these proceeds, but I might be able to pay for my own dry cleaning and shoe repairs... But rest assured that I'm not going to compromise my aesthetic standards just to find something on a fee-generating site - I will go wherever ... View the Post
