Sweater – Burberry Brit, earrings – Astley Clarke, scarf – Liberty London, jeans – Ralph Lauren, boots – Toms, earrings – Miguel Ases, scarf – Paul & Joe, khakis – Vince, ballet flats – Stuart Weitzman
Sweater – Burberry Brit, brooch – Judith Jack, white cotton shirt – Equipment, grey wool pants – Reiss, loafers – Premiata, earrings – T Tahari, white silk blouse – Chloe, watch – Movado, tweed skirt – Debenhams, tights – HYD Cristalle, pumps – Christin Michaels
Sweater – Burberry Brit, tee shirt – Dorothy Perkins, white jeans – J. Crew, shoes – Beirn, rose tee shirt – DKNY, rose flats – Sperry Top-Sider
Sweater – Burberry Brit, bag – Nine West, jacquard pants – J. Crew, flats – J. Crew, earrings & bracelet – Georg Jensen, plaid pants – Ralph Lauren, loafers – Ralph Lauren
Sweater – Burberry Brit, earrings – Hari Jewels, silk blouse – Dries van Noten, grey pants – House of Fraser, flats – Chloe, necklace – Lanvin, shirt – Robert Friedman, skirt – Paule Ka, pumps – Calvin Klein
Sweater – Burberry Brit, earrings – Baccarat, skirt – Dries Van Noten, pumps – Rockport, earrings – Baccarat, skirt – Reiss, pumps – Acne
Janice: I usually just lurk and enjoy but I felt I had to comment because of the criticism you have received. I look forward every day to seeing your exciting posts. Your wardrobes have helped me edit and plan my own. I find endless inspiration for putting outfits together and pieces that help me get more use out of the clothes I have. Thank you so much. Your blog provides great joy to many people you never hear from.
Janet-I think your blog is fantastic! I look at it almost daily.Thank you !!!
Janet, my morning ritual is a cup of coffee, snuggling with my terrier and opening your site. Your approach to style is so much like my French friends'. You show how they accomplish so much with so little and I've learned a lot from you. Thank you very much! Susan in SLC
I began reading your blog one year ago when I was preparing for a trip to Ireland. I was looking for packing trips since I had never traveled abroad before and stumbled across your blog. It may have actually been the first blog that I began following. Since then, my wardrobe and my attitude toward clothing has changed dramatically. I don't need to go out and shop for "a new outfit" every time an occasion comes along. I have pared down and I shop my closet more than the mall. My only regret is that I have given away a few things that recently have made an appearance in the blog. If I had only seen how current and stylish you made them. Live and learn.
Please Janice, disregard the disgruntled. Most of us are in love with your ideas and combinations.
BTW in response of Kristien62, I am going to Ireland this summer when was the post you mentioned?
I went in the fall so the clothing was geared toward the rainy, cool fall weather. But I will find the post and let you know. It really helped to know how many articles of clothing I would need for a 10 day trip. I would highly recommend the posts Janice did last spring for packing ideas. Will get back to you.
Hi- The post was on June 28th. She was doing a fall travel wardrobe for Tish Jett's site, A Femme d'une Certain Age. Check it out. I would also recommend the packing posts she did throughout April, May and June of 2012.
Thank you so much…I know I will be better prepared after looking at those posts!
I started using your blog as a guide for European trip packing. I go one month a year with only a 22x14x9 spinner and a cross-body messenger-type bag. Thanks to you, I am 90% to the point of everything going with everything else. That's mandatory for someone like me who wears plus sizes. I can't take as many things as a person half my size. I have recommended The Vivienne Files to many friends, family members and especially to my daughters and granddaughters. I encourage them to understand the concepts of coordination and less is more that you so expertly illustrate. I even do pictures for my packing guide. For a variety of reasons and with a total intolerance of any kind of wool, I can't wear many of the things you show, but the versatility, color combinations and the principles are what's important. Thank you so much for all your hard work.
Gorgeous, perfectly gorgeous.
That Burberry sweater is gorgeous and the Chloe flat….
Janice, thank you so much for this and particularly for your comment about using a cardigan with a V-neck. I can now justify buying a V-neck cardigan on the basis that it can also be used as a V-neck sweater! Now I only have to decide on which colour….! As suggested, I will wait until I have seen all of these posts before deciding what will fit into my wardrobe.
I didn't see the unkind comments but I want to let you know I love your blog and you have inspired me sooo much!
Oh, they weren't unkind comments – that would be too public. They were emails chastising me for my laziness, to think that I couldn't be bothered to change up every variable in every post EVERY day – 6 days a week.
The Delete button was quickly invoked…
((((Jana))))
Janice
I read amost every day, but if I have to go out of town or miss a day or two it is so exciting to come back and have three unread postings to look forward to. Delicious!
Now that I'm in that phase of life where the internal thermostat is somewhat erratic, I appreciate the versatility of the cardigan. Button it up, and it's a crew/v-neck. Unbutton it, and it's a lovely layering piece. In either case, it comes off with ease (and then back on, then off again…..)
How I survived an erratic thermostat: First layer, a tee shirt or other short-sleeve top. (No sleeveless tops. My upper arms aren't my best feature.) Second layer, a v-neck, button-up cardigan. Never a sweater or anything with long sleeves as the first layer.
Kris
I just love looking at this blog every day and it's helping with making thoughtful wardrobe decisions. Thanks for the effort you put into it!
I just don't understand negative, judgmental commenters. This is a purely volunteer effort and you put a lot of time, energy and talent into feeding our addictive Vivienne habit. Thank you, thank you
Deb from Vancouver
Love your blog!! Loved the posts using LL Bean items. They are so classic and fit my lifestyle. Thank you for a giving us a treat every day.
Janice, I love your blog too and I am in awe of your ability to continually create brilliant posts!
A piece of advice from my stylish-yet-impoverished aunt: a button-up anything can serve as two pieces. I take this to heart so that I'm always inclined to buy the button up even if there is an equally stylish (and in the right color) alternative. (Auntie was stylish right up to her 90th birthday, sadly her last.)
I am another fan, totally addicted and saving opening the new day's entry until I can take proper time over it during my lunch break. I am a relatively recent disciple, and your posts have already got me looking differently at my wardrobe. And for what it's worth, I rather think it takes more effort, not less, to work the same pieces into several very different looks, and make each one look unique. On top of which, in my world that is the way it is (as well as being what this approach to clothes is all about): I do not have a continuous supply of new, single-wear garments but have to .. shock horror…. (whisper) wear a garment on more than one occasion ……….. SO, keep up the good work… please?
I am also a fan. Your blog is the first thing I read every morning.
I haven't commented for ages but have to surface here b/c of some mention of criticism aimed at you, which is incomprehensible to me. You have provided your readers with almost daily, always inspired, and unbelievably clever and useful style advice; you do so with creativity, aplomb, attention to detail, and an unfailing instinct for wonderful color/texture/shape compositions. You are also an ethical and intelligent person to boot. I began reading your blog when I was jobless and you provided me with the inspiration to keep trying to dress well and effectively on a limited budget in a terrible job market. I even used one of your suggested combinations for the interview of the job of my dreams and lo and behold — I got it! I'm now living in my own new home, 10 minutes from the beach, doing my dream job (professor) in a California paradise. Can your outfit suggestion have helped? I think it did! I have loved your blog during the darkest of times and now love it in the best of times — you are a guide and an inspiration for me. To anyone who would malign you or your work I say: try to find a style blog more useful and smart than this one or a blogger more generous, selfless, and truly talented! I adore you and your blog Janet: rock on.
Ooops, I meant Janice. XO
Oh, and I got so passionate that I forgot to mention: I've been moping b/c I could not find a brown v neck sweater this season but realized, due to this post that whoa, I have a brown cardigan that I can use as a sweater! Thank you dear!!
Hi Janice, I have been following your bog for about 12 months now and I have found it to be wonderful! I have begun to "focus" again when buying clothes and really only buying what I know will suit me, what I will get the wear out of and what I feel comfortable in. I've also started to really cull by wardrobe! Lots of "stuff" has gone, more is still to go! Even though my seasons are the opposite to yours (I am in Australia) all the basic rules remain the same and I am getting my old confidence back and dressing in my own style and in my own colours! Now that I am retired, my clothing needs have changed a lot and slowly, slowly I am getting my head around the whole thing. Thank you for your inspiration – I just love looking to see what you have on offer every day and constantly recommend your blog to others! Thanks again!
Doesn't retirement really change your clothing needs and attitude toward clothing? My first reaction was to buy, buy, buy to try and build a casual retirement wardrobe. The result was a bunch of missed-matched articles of clothing and not of the best quality. Then I began giving away and consigning like crazy. That, too, was a knee-jerk reaction. By following Janice's suggestions, I am learning how to work some of my career clothes (what's left) into the casual wardrobe I've collected- skirts with tees and sandals, good slacks with crisp white shirts and loafers for a day of appointments and errands. And boy have I learned how to use scarves!
Love your combinations- you provide such great food for thought- Thank you!