August 2, 2023
My favorite work every month! This, to me, is the closest The Vivienne Files can get to showing how a real wardrobe might grow, month by month. If we all (I mean ALL) carefully planned our purchases to be versatile AND to endure, we could eliminate a lot of waste in the world. At least we should try, eh?
Last month, we left our heroine with a wardrobe of 23 garments; it’s pretty well balanced, except she might be challenged to wear her dress in cooler weather.
Tights and a sweater will get her through, of course, but maybe a skirt would be useful…
Grey tee – J.Crew; sweater – L.L.Bean; earrings – Amadeus; boots – Propet; denim skirt – J.Crew; bracelets – Soul Journey
This heroine added another grey tee shirt to her wardrobe; the shirt she has is pretty sporty, and she thought a more classic one would be useful. And she doesn’t have a green sweater yet, so this one was irresistible…
Now, her wardrobe looks like this:
And her accessories continue to be wonderful…
It’s easy to assume that she will get good use out of her purchases, but a wise woman will assemble these outfits and try them out before making the decision to keep each garment. We all really must quit buying things we don’t wear!
I have a confession: If I were starting a wardrobe entirely from scratch, I think I would replicate this next wardrobe in all of the shades of brown! Yes, I would probably want to quit putting purple highlights in my hair, but it might be worth it…
That’s how smitten I am!
Her 23-piece wardrobe that she had at the end of July could get her through a lot of adult life:
Her camel shirtdress is great to wear for most of the year, but she would like a skirt. A button-front shirt to wear under sweaters, or on its own, is also on her list, and she’s keeping her eyes open (always!) for a beautiful sweater in another shade of brown…
Linen shirt – Orvis; brown pearl earrings – Splendid Pearls; cashmere sweater – J.Crew; boots – Naturalizer; brown pearl bracelet – Shar Oke; skirt – J.Crew
It’s such fun to integrate new garments into this wardrobe; nothing really changes, but with each addition her options increase:
And her accessories are a rich, warm, and beautiful collection!
Once again, our wise heroine is going to see what her new outfits look like. This wardrobe is very close to being a “dress in the dark” masterpiece, but it’s always good to be certain!
Today’s last heroine wears pastels – I could picture dressing this way if you lived somewhere that was warm to hot all year… And if you look glorious in pastels!
This heroine’s wardrobe is pretty. There’s just not a better word I can find…
This heroine is the obvious woman to own an ivory silk blouse! And she only has the one skirt – maybe another would be helpful. Since cooler weather is coming (somewhere, eventually!), she realizes that she doesn’t have a pink sweater…
Pink heart earrings – Little Sky; bracelet – Macy’s; silk blouse – Marks & Spencer; shell pink sweater – L.L.Bean; skirt – J.Crew; ballet flats – J.Crew
Her wardrobe looks essentially identical, which is kind of how it should be; new purchases shouldn’t make your wardrobe take on a new and unfamiliar feeling, should they?
But she made what might be considered a mistake – she now has TWO pairs of light blue ballet flats! But maybe this isn’t crazy – ballet flats wear out quickly, and finding this shade of blue isn’t easy…
Still, these accessories are so pretty… feminine and graceful. Except maybe her sneakers!
Her new purchases work – of course they do! She planned it that way…
Do you like our heroines’ new purchases? Do they change your preferences? I am shocked at how much the Degas wardrobe appeals to me…
love,
Janice
p.p.s. I know that I’ve suggested this to you before, but if you need a fabric shaver, THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT. This is, literally, a wee gizmo that should last you the rest of your life. It recharges, it’s sturdy, it does a great job, and it’s actually worth your money. I love mine…
p.p.p.s. Have you ever read a book that clearly defined your life into “before I read it, and after I read it?” This is how I feel about The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, which I finished last night. I will not change my diet much right now, but I will look at and think about food differently… Plus he’s a glorious writer!
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I love these posts and I love the first wardrobe. ❤️
For next year, what about at least one heroine than adjusts her pallet for the season? I wear burgundy and lots of black in the fall and winter and rose/pink and white or stone with much less black in the spring and summer. Maybe that doesn’t fit with the concept you’re using here but I suspect most of us in four season climates don’t wear the same pieces in July vs. January. Just a thought.
I do the same, Beth. It is shades of blue for the spring and summer and maroon, gray, and black in the fall and winter with orange added to the maroon for football and basketball game days.
Team colors rule in southern college communities.
I’m glad it isn’t just me. While I can appreciate having a wardrobe that is the same colours throughout the year, it’s hard to get behind that concept when you live somewhere with extreme temperature swings between winter and summer. I think t-shirts may be the only item that appear in my year round wardrobe; everything else (sweaters, pants, skirts, dresses) just can’t be worn for 4 seasons. I do love what you are trying to show us, Janice, and I will continue to work to see how I can buy more versatile clothing.
I do a similar thing. I wear much less black and grey and much more white and light blue in the warm months. I also wear many maxi-dresses in the summer that would, to me, look odd in the winter. However, I always find ideas here that I can adapt to my eccentricities. So far, the black and pink wardrobe is my favorite.
I had decided not to buy any clothes this summer and am getting super bored wearing the same outfits all the time. My sweet spot is enough tops to get through two weeks at work without a repeat and 6-7 cardigans/jackets. I don’t have that now, which would be fine EXCEPT, I realized June thru August is the longest period of time I wear a capsule without making any changes. In the fall, I transition to heavier clothes and darker colors. Reverse process in the spring. And I have a separate capsule for the holidays. What’s great about Janice’s method is how adding just a few pieces in a different color completely changes your options. Most of my wardrobe remains the same October – April/May. But just a few items in seasonal colors make a huge difference!
I think that’s an interesting idea.
My wardrobe is small and doesn’t shift that much from summer to winter – even though I live in a four season area. I just add layers to my summer outfits and those layers work with my navy-based theme. Still, I’m very keen to see how Janice would employ your idea. I’m sure I would learn a lot following it.
Oh gosh, these are all so pretty. Not for me personally (I wish!) but just wow! I especially like the first one of this grouping. Looking forward to second half on Friday.
Now that I’ve had more than one cup of coffee, I forgot to add I received the Elizabetta scarf from your post using the art “Night Music” by Chuck Groenik. It is stunning. Reminiscent of the Mountain View Scarf you used for one of the Six Wardrobes a couple of years ago, but in silk and just amazing. It would fit in with that first wardrobe – I’m planning on using it with my navy, and I have a couple of lavender/purple pieces. Definitely cool blues. AND, like the Mt. View scarf, there’s even a touch of green – like a dark pine green – if a person were so inclined. I love my scarves – thank you!
oh gosh, and one more thing – I actually don’t change colors much during the seasons. I change out short sleeve for long sleeve and add layers, but the actual colors don’t change much – I wear a lot of navy……year round.
For me, Navy is a perfect alternative to black just for the reason that black just feels oppressive once the temperatures soar. Black.also makes me look faded and a decade older. I hold out for a bright navy (the one you can distinguish from black at a glance!) it really does work year around, but the extreme difference between summer and winter in Idaho places some items firmly at the back of the closet for a few months. Even my cotton cardigans just can’t be worn in summer—unless I’m entering a building where the ac is set at what Janice calls meat locker temperatures. My other year around neutrals: warm, clear chocolate, dove grey, ivory, camel. I suppose you can really get neutral-type mileage from Oxford blue, bright blue and, for me, lemon yellow!
I like Beth’s suggestion. I do blues/whites n spring and summer with blacks/browns in autumn and winter. In the transitional time between seasons, these color options integrate easily. I just pinned today’s brown capsule to my Vivienne Pinterest board and noted that it is mostly the browns. Now I ask you, “What’s wrong about brown and purple together?”
Hi, I have to agree, the brown collection really appeals to me, too.
Thanks as always for your lovely selection of colours and garments.
With love
Wendy from sunny South Africa.
Michael Pollan’s Food Rules is also a fantastic read. I love the shades of brown wardrobe too. And like the others, I wear different seasonal accent colors with my navy/gray base. Keeps my closet interesting!
thinking about the seasonal color shift – i definitely do that! i’m in dark grey & navy & black all winter, pull out the turquoise & coral in the spring, go more neutral with olive & navy & khaki in the summer, reach for rust & burgundy in the fall… (yes, i’m in a decidedly fourseason climate too!)
I wear blues and grays all year. I may have a small capsule of other colors for the various seasons. For instance, I have a red plaid flannel shirt, and a red long sleeved tee, sweater and down vest which see much wear from Christmas to Valentines. I have shades of pink and lavender tees for summer. So really only my accents change with the seasons. The Degas appeals most to me, although I would have to change the concept to shades of blue. All the wardrobes are gorgeous though.
I absolutely love the shades of brown wardrobe…. So soothing and easy to wear! I assembled something similar last fall and am looking forward to wearing it again this year. I’m also working towards more of a Project 33 approach for each season, which gives me flexibility with the colors I wear but is helping keep my consumption in check.
I think these are so pretty! I love the brown wardrobe too. My wardrobe is always solidly navy, white and denim as neutrals and then my accent colors go from brighter pinks and turquiose colors in the spring/summer to more of berries and teal in the winter/fall. I just wanted to let you know Janice that the book link also goes to the pilly shaver. It does work great, I got it a while back!
I fixed the book link! And I’m glad you are having good luck with that pilly shaver gizmo – it really IS a small pleasure in life to have things like that which work well!
hugs,
Janice
You mentioned versatile and that made me think that the two JCrew skirts can really go through seasons and glide from dressy to something more casual. Pretty tops and scrappy sandals or pumps/ ballet flats with appropriate scarves & jewelry for “occasions.” I would grab a tan denim jacket for the tan skirt or a light blue denim for the blue skirt to bring it into casual. Add cute sneakers, comfy sandals or boots to suit the weather or occasion. You could even go preppy with these…sweater over a collared blouse and loafers. Chambray shirt with western boots? In case you all haven’t checked: those skirts come in a range of colors.
Hi,
Help, please!
I’m walking “The Camino” this October. Days are spent walking, evenings at beautiful Spanish cathedrals. I purchased an Athleta pleated skirt but I don’t know how to pack it in my small carryon, different hotel every night! It’s not like the older broomstick styles, waded up with rubber bands.
Any suggestions from you beautiful ladies would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Pat
The Monet is the winner for me right now…it’s the one I could most readily imagine wearing, though I do like the additional accent colors of the Klee. The brown one is nice to look at but I personally would get bored wearing it in about 2 days, haha. I will say that even for me, two pairs of light blue ballet flats feels extreme (though I can understand the temptation if that second pair fit well and were comfortable).
The trio of stone bracelets in the Monet wardrobe was my favorite addition in the post. I know that Winter Is Coming and stores are all about fall right now, but it is TOUGH to look at tall boots at the beginning of August! Every year I hold out against wearing boots as long as possible because boot season lasts so long in Minnesota.
Yes, to Michael Pollan! I lent Omnivore’s Dilemma to someone and never got it back, sigh. Second Nature is also very fun to read, about his garden battles-from suburbia to the animal and bug-infested countryside.
Maybe he even buys clothes from LL Bean!
My favorite here is Monet’s railway station. Lovely shades of colors!
I just ordered Second Nature from the library. Thanks for the reference!
Well you’ve excelled yourself today Janice. Three wardrobes, a luxurious look back, a useful gizmo and a book suggestion! Thank you for all your tireless work.
I love the Monet, though I have yet to try aqua with the blue-grey. Like Sallie, I’m bemused by your inclusion of long boots in August. Perhaps wellies might have been more practical given the rain that we’re having in Britain.
The Paul Klee is fast becoming a firm favourite because it is so quietly feminine and elegant.
I loved the look back because it reminds us that it is good to have small affordable luxuries and embellishments in our lives.
The book sounds very interesting. What we have for tea (dinner) in our house depends on who is cooking.
I think the Monet is such a soothing color combo and it was my favorite one earlier in the summer. It such a misty coolness to it that I wouldn’t have expected from the painting.
I’m envious of both the Degas and Klee. I so envy people who can pull off those softer, lighter colors but those are exactly the colors I’m ruthlessly removing from my own wardrobe because I just can’t wear them.
I bought that fabric shaver the moment you recommended it and it has proven to be well worth the money, as you said.