Archives for 2017

2017 - Page 3 of 19

Revisiting A Casual Summer Wardrobe – Seascape by Van Gogh

Almost FOUR YEARS AGO I built a casual summer wardrobe around this painting - you can see that my brain was at that time beginning to come up with the "4 by 4 Wardrobe" concept upon which I now often rely!I was asked to revisit this painting, and I thought that it would be interesting to use the 4 by 4 system, and then to carefully analyze the results in a variety of ways...

I'm always a big fan of making sure that every wardrobe has a solid core of dark neutral garments. If your choose to forego this step, make sure that you have a good alternative plan! Many of us would struggle to get dressed without these core pieces:

Even though this isn't particularly illuminating at this point, I'm still going to put these garments into the ... View the Post

What IS Dressing Up? Taking a Warm Common Wardrobe into the Winter Holidays

November 24, 2017

Of course I've been thinking a lot about what it means to say that you're "dressed up." In the absence of showing more skin than usual, I think I've learned that there are four ways to go about this process:

Anything metallic or sparkly - if you can find a garment in one of your colors that features some sequins, some beads, or metallic thread, the dressiness quotient is automatically raised. Ruffles, bows, or other trim that you would not normally wear. Swapping out an ivory cotton shirt for an ivory silk shirt with a bow at the neck can make a world of difference, while filling exactly the same role in your wardrobe. Swapping for a fabric with more texture or shine. Satin, velvet, lace, or brocade are all ... View the Post

Teal for the Holidays? Three Different Approaches!

November 23, 2017

Happy Thanksgiving in the United States! (well, heck, Happy Thanksgiving to everybody...) I know that I should be plying you with news about "Black Friday" sales, and lots of gifty stuff, but you will get quite enough of that kind of information without The Vivienne Files piling on, right?

So I'm going to respond to the overwhelming demand for teal for the holidays by looking at it with 3 different neutrals partners... Nothing like a bit of excess for today (says the woman who fully intend to have at least 2 desserts, and then work it off tomorrow in the gym...)

First up, three gorgeous teal pieces, paired with a core of black silk:

The blazer is shown with velvet shorts at Nordstrom, if that ... View the Post

I Need Accessories For Client Meetings and Dressy Evenings! Start with a Scarf: Vintage Rose by KathKath

November 22, 2017

Yesterday, we left our heroine with a really lovely 16-piece wardrobe, but pretty much in need of more shoes, and at least a couple of pieces of jewelry. (okay, this is not NEED in the biological survival sense, but more need in the "being appropriately dressed for business" sense...)

So, as I love to do, let's work through one accessory at a time and assess the possibilities.

This very simple outfit cries out for a necklace, at least to me:

The same necklace can of course be worn here, but I'd like to see my heroine with a softer, more rounded handbag. A briefcase is essential, but not every day...

Okay, I'm the first to admit that floral boots aren't likely the next thing that this ... View the Post

I Need a Wardrobe For Client Meetings and Dressy Evenings! Start with a Scarf: Vintage Rose by KathKath

November 21, 2017

Yes, you saw this scarf a long time ago - KathKath actually gave me one to give away to one of you! But now they've made this beautiful pattern available in both silk and a cashmere blend, AND in both rectangle and square shapes...

Our heroine is long past the point where she worries about wearing pink to an interview. A floral watch and slightly floral earrings are just part of her personal style; if her potential employer doesn't think they're acceptable, she's the wrong fit for the job! (oh, the years it took us to get this much confidence, eh?)

In order to make sure that our "working from home, occasional meetings and dressy dinners" heroine doesn't get carried away ... View the Post

Can You Expand a Successful Travel Wardrobe? Revisiting Start with Art – Vernal Yellow by Lee Krasner

November 20, 2017

It might be the time of year, but I'm feeling very nostalgic about looking back through old posts here on The Vivienne Files! So when I was asked to revisit my little tale about an eloping couple, I couldn't resist the chance...

Here's where we left our heroine - wandering around Paris with her new spouse, smiling like a crazy lady, and making everyone around her smile...

They've decided that they want to go back to Paris for a long-ish weekend - maybe 5 days? But they want to be MUCH more casual this time! So she goes back to her original inspiration:

First, she looks at what she already has. PLENTY of bags, I'd say, and quite a few pairs of shoes. I have a feeling that this particular heroine rather ... View the Post

Grey or Wine? What do I Need to Wear for the Holidays?

November 17, 2017

These are so much fun...

Grey is tough! It's really difficult to find things in shades that look good together... But you can easily imagine these tops with jeans, and a pair of nice grey pants will go anywhere short of a barn or a beach...

Little touches like snowflakes on your ears, or a sparkly clutch bag, can elevate the dressiness quotient of a classic outfit:

Of course, if you have genuine grey pearl jewelry, the pearls on your cardigan will not look as nice, but that's not something worth worrying about - it's the holidays!

One of the very best things about choosing a signature color for holidays (or anything else!) is that you can then collect really nice, high-quality things from year to ... View the Post

Navy, Camel and Olive truly can be timeless…

November 16, 2017

I really wanted to look back at another of these wardrobes; they truly were the moment when I began to hit my stride as a blogger and see the goal of "timeless" come into focus.

Of course these clothes would eventually date - in a decade of two! As I said before - they're sufficiently timeless! These images are from a post on December 30th, 2011, and if you saw a woman wearing these clothes today, you'd admire them just as much. Eschew trends and invest in the classics is my motto...

Five pieces of clothing (a cardigan and top, with jeans, pants and a skirt), as well as a piece of outerwear - these are the neutrals around which an amazing number of possibilities revolve... It ... View the Post

Does Your Handbag Reflect Your Life?

November 15, 2017

I just got back from a quick trip to Florida, which I didn't mention to you ahead of time because we were trying (and failing!) to surprise a family member! Oh well, we still had a smashing good time, with an early Thanksgiving dinner thrown in for fun...

So this is a pretty brief post, about a photograph that I've been thinking of for months. I saw this when I saw the Irving Penn exhibition last spring in New York:

I love pretty much everything about this, but I'm particularly smitten with the overall beauty and quality of everything this mythical heroine is carrying - an elegant pocket watch, a wee gold pen, a whistle to summon a cab (!!!) etc. There's so much possible back-story here that I've spent more ... View the Post

Is Classic Clothing Really Timeless?

November 14, 2017

Well, no. There's no such thing as truly timeless clothing... Unless you're still wearing a toga!

That said, I was just looking at a post that I did FIVE YEARS AGO, and I would cheerfully pack and wear any of the clothes shown. Some are still available, and in all cases it was possible to find something similar!

Given that clothing will eventually wear out, I consider that "sufficiently timeless." Can I coin that term?

I love navy with these rich colors; they just feel like autumn...

love, Janice ... View the Post

Is it Possible to Pack a Foolproof Suitcase? What if the Weather is Uncertain?

November 13, 2017

A very dear reader is going on an exciting trip soon - with friends! - for 12 days. The weather could be cold, or it could be moderate and pleasant. What to do?

Plan, plan, plan...

Let's start with something that might be her travel outfit, and build from there:

I know that her jacket is purple, and that she wants to wear navy and grey. From that, I developed these guidelines. Your choice of motif could be floral, or paisley, or plaid, or whatever strikes your fancy (I'd probably try something with stars, knowing me...)

Washable fabrics are logical for travel, and the idea of being able to layer is sort of inherent in our whole project, but still important to remember as we work our way through this. ... View the Post

What do I Need to Wear for the Holidays?

November 10, 2017

A question as old as time - WHAT WILL I WEAR FOR THE HOLIDAYS?

Okay, maybe not that old, but it's still something that many of us wonder about!

It doesn't have to be terribly complicated, if you can isolate a color that you're happy to wear more than once, and you can assemble just 4 pieces of clothing...

My working thesis here is that you can start with just 1 skirt or pair of pants, which are in a fabric that immediately elevates the dressiness quotient of anything from a silk blouse to a sweatshirt. Add in a cardigan with some sort of festive flair, and then a couple of tops. (and yes, you might very well have some of these things already in your closet!)

The cardigan can be pulled on over a ... View the Post