August 3, 2016
“Dress Yourself”
She’s been hearing this her entire life – she remember it as a small child. She interpreted it as wearing clothes that look like her! So her grey hair, blue eyes, and blushed cheeks are her color scheme:
Cashmere cardigan – L.L.Bean; sweatpants – L.L.Bean; earrings – Nyoman Rena; scarf – Zadig & Voltaire; watch – Skagen; sweater – Uniqlo; socks – Uniqlo; bag – Le Parmentier; loafers – Tod’s; suitcase – Delsey
(yes, she flies in sweatpants; she irons them, and conceals the drawstring, and nobody seems to be the wiser…)She always gets sent on the “48 hours in some remote country” kinds of trips, because she seems to always be able to get things working better than they had been…
Trousers – Joseph; blue shirt – L.L.Bean; cashmere scarf – Alva-Norge; sweater – L.L.Bean; dress – Uniqlo; socks – Rochas; ballet flats – Walking Cradles; pumps – Calvin Klein; earrings – Colleen Lopez; cardigan – L.L.Bean; bracelet – Kenari; blouse – Zimmermann
And nobody can figure out how she does it, because she’s such a gentle, sweet-looking woman!
Clearly, they have NEVER heard of the iron fist in the velvet glove, eh?
love,
Janice
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These are very flattering colors. And that dress looks like a very flattering cut.
Beautiful. My father always said disarm with charm, which goes nicely with the iron fist in the velvet glove.
Hi Janice, oh how I wish these were my colours!
I posted a couple of days ago to say that I am suddenly unable to read your blog in Feedly and I see that a few other people are having the same issue. Is this a deliberate change on your part? I am not always able to come through to your actual blog because it is very busy and doesn't size to the screen and it lags my devices. It would be a shame if I started missing your posts because of some technical change at your end. Kate
Very soft, feminine colours – so pretty.
FYI Janice I seem to be having a problem this morning. The first square with the travel outfit shows as per usual – the next two squares don't show any of the clothes – the first square does list the clothes and has the links, just the pictures are missing, the second square is completely blank – all of your comments below are readable. Then I can see the next few squares normally – where you show how to combine the different pieces. I've tried looking at these a couple of different ways but the same thing happens – just wanted you to know. I'm sure it's just a small glitch. I'm off to check out that gorgeous scarf!
Hi Janice, Please stop truncating your posts! I've been following you since your first post & love what you do, but since you've been truncating it's very frustrating and I find myself not bothering to read the whole post. Thanks, Lisa
Hi Janice, Please stop truncating your posts! I've been following you since your first post & love what you do, but since you've been truncating it's very frustrating and I find myself not bothering to read the whole post. Thanks, Lisa
I agree with Lisa – please, please revert to the old method! I do click through and have bought items from your post, but need the full summaries available to read more regularly. Thanks so much for all you do, Janice.
This is close to my palette.
Mine is Black, Grays, Khaki, Baby Pink and Soft Blues, and some Lilac.
This allows me to add stronger colors in a single piece, with my neutrals.
So beautiful. I love the message that feminine doesn't have to mean weak.
Gwendolynn
I always get full posts and all the pictures and do not have to click through to anything. I am reading in Chrome on a Win 7 PC without any issues at all.
I personally find these colours a bit soft but could do my version of them – dark brown, coral pink and soft green.
Beautiful colors even though they don't look good on me personally. Like others, I've had trouble the last few days with reading your post on Feedly. I just click through to your website where I have no issues. MacBook Pro using Chrome.
I've been having trouble for a couple months, but I am blaming the ads. I can see everything at home where adblock is on but this site will lock up the computer every time I try to peek at work where there is no adblocker. IE on Win7 both computers. I don't have trouble with truncation or the photos on this site not showing up, just the crashes if the ads aren't blocked.
No problems for me to view your wonderful posts. I am going directly to your website on my surface pro.
These are so not my colours but I really appreciate them for the right people. I think travelling in good looking sweat pants is a very good idea, especially on a 14 hour flight.
Deb from Vancouver
Regarding the technical issues: I've noticed that if I read the blog using my iPad's browser (Safari), and then return to a browser on my Mac (happens with both Safari and Chrome), I get small images, though the text displays fine. If I then make sure I close the window on the iPad, and empty the cache, images display normally. I've pretty much given up using Feedly for any blog because Feedly truncates the posts for all blogs; I have to open the website–Feedly would like me to upgrade to a paid version, and I don't want to.
The colours are very soft and feminine. I actually wouldn't mind having a pair of discreet sweatpants for overnight flights. I bought the LL Bean cardigan in navy a few months ago and I have got a lot of wear out of it. I am tempted every day by your combinations but….MacBook Air using Safari and having no problems viewing.
It's later in the day and on a different computer but everything now is working fine through Feedly this evening (it hadn't been the past couple of days). I will see how it is on the work pc tomorrow.
Lovely, and definitely in my comfort zone.
(On a Mac using Safari, with no issues seeing your posts.) Thanks for all you do!
The style and fabric of that black dress seems like the perfect "basic" dress that can be worn casually or dressed up. I have a hard time finding clothing that doesn't need a lot of alterations, so I'm considering sewing a few core pieces in good quality fabrics and am wondering if anyone has recommendations for sewing patterns that are adaptable (ie: change sleeve lengths or neck lines, etc). It's been years since I've actually made clothing so I'm looking to start again with simple patterns that are stylish.
Lena, I recommend you look at Simplicity's Amazing Fit patterns that often have three sleeve variations as well as separate pattern pieces for bust variations (A, B, C). Simplicity also has the Project Runway series and these come with different collars, sleeves, etc, so you can "be your own designer." I haven't browsed them lately, but there were several good basic patterns a while back. HTH
Sorry for the second post. I forgot to say if you are just getting back into sewing, you may want to start reading at Stitchers Guild, an online sewing community. Lots of advice and knowledge available there. Several Vivienne Files readers are also Stitchers Guild members. Also, I took a better look at the Amazing Fit patterns and I see that they have expanded their range of bust sizes, even up to DD in some cases, so a wide range available.
These colors are lovely. Could you please show more cardigans with buttons or other closures? I like to be able to wear a cardigan open or closed, alone or with something underneath. Thanks, Janice
Ohh, I like the pairing of pink and grey! Love ballet flats, button down shirts and soft cardigans too!
I love that print blouse.
Hi Lena, I've started dressmaking again recently too. I bought a dressmaker's dummy in a sale and it's been invaluable for getting the fit right (I'm a different size from waist up compared to hips down). I call her Diana and keep her in the spare bedroom – she gets dressed up when visitors come.
Janice, this is a very nice colour combo – reminds me of pearly dawns! Like others, I enjoy the dichotomy of steeliness and gentleness – reminds me of my Nana who, come to think of it, favoured these colours too. But this capsule is nicely contemporary.
I read your blog directly from the website in Safari on an iPad mini, and in Google on a pc with Windows 10. No problems at all, though I've noticed that the 'Reply' option has disappeared. The technical glitches must be very frustrating to sort out with the blog company, so commiserations. If only we could all have an IT Department, or better still a teenaged relative on call.
Robyn in Tasmania
I love the clothes and the story! Perfect!
I open the blog using chrome and do not have any difficulties. The only change I see is the reply option is not there under each comment.
I actually love pink and grey