Archives for 2018

2018 - Page 2 of 17

Packing for Paris – Oddly Stars and Stripes…

December 7, 2018

Every time I'm leaving Chicago, I check my pockets (mentally); if I have my passport, my wallet, and my prescriptions, I figure that I'm good for almost anything!

I then look down at what I'm wearing and wonder what I would do if my luggage were to absolutely, positively, forever disappear...

When I'm going to Florida, I resign myself to probably borrowing clothes from my mother, except for buying some gym clothes and shoes.

But going to Paris? That would be an entirely different story! (yes, I'm leaving Monday, for a week...)

So what if I packed in the same way that I might shop for a few bits, to get me through a week in Paris in December?

First, the very important travel outfit! One must remember - if ... View the Post

Accenting Black with 3 Pantone Spring 2019 Colors

December 5, 2018

Of course I wanted to see how a couple of these colors would look with black! I also really wanted to revisit that cool Turmeric color, so I got a different scarf for that little wardrobe...

First, let's start with the world's simplest 4-piece cluster of clothes - the absolute most neutral, versatile clothes for a holiday season:

With these 4 pieces, our holiday heroine has 4 basic outfits, that she can then use as a base for any kind of scarf, cardigan, jacket...

First up, how will this Jester Red look with black? (seriously, as if we haven't all seen a million red and black outfits...)

The boots really make a difference, if you can manage the "accent shoe" thing...

Any of us who lived ... View the Post

Build a Capsule Wardrobe in 12 Months, 12 Outfits – December 2018

December 3, 2018

Our heroines are getting holiday outfits! It might not be what they most need, but it's almost December, and in many of our lives, that means parties are coming thick and fast...

When I looked at this first wardrobe, I realized that our heroine didn't have a black cashmere cardigan! (I know, billions of people make it through life without one, but a wardrobe heroine certainly can make a case for one...)

And yes, I'm going to show you velvet jeans a lot - I am currently wearing a pair, and I'm smitten. They come in eight colors, including emerald green, a stunning bright pink, amethyst, sapphire, and lovely gold. I sized generously but not insanely large, and they fit wonderfully...

This outfit is dressy by ... View the Post

Evaluating a Wardrobe: A Year of “Study in Verticals” by Frantisek Kupka

November 30, 2018

Remember our heroine the negotiator? She's got a knack for fitting herself into situations where there's conflict, and helping 2 sides reach a compromise. (How useful is THAT talent?) When she packs, she tries to give herself a range of options so that she can appear strong, friendly, forceful, or maybe even fade into the background a little bit... What a skill to develop!

She loves this painting...

In fact, she loved it so much that she decided to use it as the core aesthetic guide for her wardrobe!

Back in January she traveled for work, and had to go directly into meetings. A beautiful red dress made her visible without being strident...

When she travels for leisure (as she did back in April), ... View the Post

I have never done this before….

November 29, 2018

Just when you think you know for an iron-clad fact when there will be a new post on The Vivienne Files, sometimes comes up that I have to share immediately!

I bought myself this black and white striped cashmere sweater from Nordstrom when they got marked down to UNDER $60. My expectations were... modest, to say the least - we all know that the quality of cashmere isn't what it used to be.

It's lovely. I'm wearing it right now, with velvet jeans and a windowpane plaid shirt. (we're going to a friend's tonight for dinner...)

Okay, it's not Loro Piana, or Brunello Cuccinello, but it also didn't cost an entire month's rent!

11 colors and 3 different stripes are available. Petites are available too! (that warms ... View the Post

Accenting Winter White with 4 Pantone Spring 2019 Colors

November 28, 2018

Of course I'm going to have to see how a couple of the remaining Pantone Spring 2019 colors look with black, but first let's try something completely different - Winter White!

One thing to remember with this color - all of your clothes don't have to be "dye-lot matched" to look good together - especially if the fabrics and textures are different. Shades of the same neutral can look lovely!

Of course, it's perfectly beautiful to wear an outfit in just these colors:

I'm coming back to Turmeric again with black... this color is fine, but level of dressiness here is a little bit "off." The shoes might be okay with jeans - it depends on the woman!

I think these outfits are fun - certainly at this time ... View the Post

Evaluating a Wardrobe: A Year of Shallow Deep by Wassily Kandinsky

November 26, 2018

Oh how this heroine's life has changed in a year! Back in January she took a pack of 6th graders to New York City - what a brave woman! On a more leisurely note, she went back to New York 3 months later, by herself, to scout out more destinations for students...

Her confidence in planning these trips, and the expertise that she developed, lead to her applying for a job with the State Board of Education specifically dealing with student activities outside of the classroom! When she got the position, she began the frequent trips to the state capital that she will have to make every month or so...

When you look back at these 4 wardrobes, you can see that her style becomes a bit more dressy over time - she has to be ... View the Post

Accenting Charcoal Grey with 4 Pantone Spring 2019 Colors

November 23, 2018

If, for some amazing reason, I ever quit wearing black ALL the time, I can easily picture replacing much of it with dark grey... I just love the way this looks, and the versatility that one would have with this limited number of pieces.

One of the joys of having a neutral core in this color is that pretty much any accent color will go well here! What might not work? Hmmm... lime green? Think of something, and I'll give it a try!

For example, I could probably use any of the Pantone Spring 2019 colors here. For fun, I've chosen 4, just to see how different the ensembles look when it's all pulled together!

First I want to try out this lovely Living Coral. I stand by my thesis that this color will work well ... View the Post

Evaluating a Wardrobe: A Year of Fonds Marins by Lee Ungno

November 21, 2018

You know when you read that this is our heroine's favorite painting that her wardrobe will be interesting:

This heroine definitely has her own preferences, but she's smart enough to have a plan that keeps her wardrobe purposeful and organized:

Back in January this very interesting woman took a trip - packing lots of linen shirts, and plenty of scarves!

And then in April she was on the road again - maybe driving to see a quilt exhibit, or a dog show, or a new arboretum... She has a wide range of interests!

In July she traveled for a family wedding; why do I suspect that she's a lot of fun at any gathering?

It's clear that someone really likes her - she was invited along for the ... View the Post

Accenting Navy with Fiesta Orange or Aspen Gold

November 19, 2018

One of the best things about having a solid core of neutral clothes is that you can completely indulge when you are smitten with a "new" accent color. It doesn't require a massive investment in new pieces to be able to pull together a handful of new outfits that include your new sweetheart color...

Let's say you have a passion for Fiesta! And in the course of indulging yourself in its beauty, you accumulate these items:

Now let's further hypothesize that you've got this tidy cluster of "midnight" pieces that you've carefully assembled over time. This has the infinite value of NOT being black; at lots of events and locations you've set yourself apart from the crowd already!

Now, it's obvious that these 4 ... View the Post

French 5-Piece Wardrobes based on Pantone Spring 2019 colors

November 16, 2018

Of course, there are no new colors. And for what it's worth, these colors don't necessarily show up in store any more or less than any other colors...

That said, I still love looking at these color every 6 months, and giving some thought to what I might add to a wardrobe in order to really solidly bring an accent color into an otherwise neutral wardrobe. (I'm always happy to do another post showing these pieces worn along-side a Neutral Common Wardrobe, if that would be helpful)

And yes, I'm going to evaluate all of the "4 Outfits based on a painting" posts that I've done. They take a while!

In my next life, I want a job at Pantone naming colors...

First up is Fiesta, which is a nice bright ... View the Post

Let’s Talk About Books!

Woman does NOT live by a nifty wardrobe alone! And you've got to step away from the screen sometimes and read... (well yes, reading on an e-reader is still a screen, but I don't count those...)

This is the time of year when a lot of us need gift ideas, or just a good read to curl up with in the cold weather. (you in the Southern Hemisphere need a book for a warm-weather vacation, no?)

And I've got LOTS of books stacked up around Chez Janice & Belovedest. Oh my...

First - the book your best girlfriend that you've never met wrote to keep you focused on being happy, and on being your very best. Fiona gives us all permission to talk to (and listen to!) the woman inside of us who has style and whimsy and exceptionally good ... View the Post