May 14 2020
Remember the accountant? With a man’s first name? Well, she’s been doing quite well; the last big engagement in which she was immersed resulted in 3 people being charged with financial fraud, and a handful of other officers resigning in the dead of night and vanishing…
She was made partner…
Her color palette for her wardrobe is unusual – just when someone thinks that all she wears is black and shades of beige and brown, she trots out some cobalt blue!
She’s got to go back. Yes, during the pandemic. She’s assured that nobody is there, and that this is the very best time to take a team in and go through some of the really old “on paper” records that seem to have been… forged? Expense reports?
Apparently, they would “expense” an entire multi-country trip using whatever currency was worth the most at that time. This should be amusing…
She can drive to the client, so she’s going to power-dress, just to intimidate whomever is stuck in the office to host them. She’s tired of the arrogance among this staff!
pearl & onyx bracelet – Ora Pearls; onyx & pearl earrings – Vintouch Italy; blazer – Eileen Fisher; headband – Lelet NY; bone silk tank – Eileen Fisher; tote bag – Dagne Dover; moth print scarf – Louise Coleman; bone silk pants – Eileen Fisher; gold ballet flats – Aerosoles
They’re only going to be there 2 days – 3 at the absolutely maximum. She she doesn’t need to pack much.
And she’s NOT the person actually going through the documents; her staff will do that. She has to stay nearby and be available to direct, review things that are discovered, and keep everything organized and motivated. So she packs pretty but serious:
Necklace – Halogen; pearl earrings – The Met Store; lapis earrings – Yuka; crossbody bag – Coach; butterfly scarf – The Met Store; blue top – Ann Taylor; ivory cardigan – Lands’ End; black blouse – Lands’ End; black cotton pants – L.L.Bean; brown sweater – L.L.Bean; print skirt – H&M; black ballet flats – Josef Seibel; cognac ballet flats – Lands’ End
The night before she leaves, she double-checks things. She’s thorough – that’s one of the reasons she’s successful…
She knows that some of the vault areas can be cold, so she’s bringing sweaters; she’s discovered that one can wear cashmere pretty much all year ’round when in air conditioning!
Even if it would be for business, I wouldn’t mind tossing a half-dozen garments into a bag and heading off…
love,
Janice
p.s. Six years ago, I shared with you my formula for “stress dressing.” That feels like a timely project right now, doesn’t it?
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I’m totally convinced that if someone in fashion started a year-round line of women’s clothing based on shades of camel, brown, chocolate, etc., they would soon be seeing gold!
I love the art inspiration piece, the story and the wardrobe. Great job!
Erin Roy ,
Add a petite aspect, and I’ll be the first in line !
Perhaps you should write a tv mini series based on a detective with a great sense of style.
Have you ever noticed that actors can often wear the same clothes throughout a film or tv programme, even though the action may take place over several days? Is it because they are supposed to be too busy to change or worse, they change in the office – gross? It gives the impression that they don’t care about themselves.
Perhaps thriller writers and the wardrobe department should take more notice of this and give them a decent wardrobe to work with. I’m sure the characters would be less grumpy.
I hope you continue with this heroine’s adventures in the murky world of corporate fraud. I’m looking forward to the next instalment and another great wardrobe.
Have you ever seen “Luther?” He has a rack in the living room of his home, with his work wardrobe. All the same pants, all the same shirt, all the same tie, all the same coat.
I could live in a uniform, I think? Maybe?
hugs,
Janice
I could live in a uniform, but only with some awesome accessories. On the other hand, with us (women) there are so many shades of subtlety when it comes to degrees of formality/casualty.
Speaking of detectives, has anyone noticed how well Angela Lansbury wore accessories in the Murder She Wrote series as Jessica Fletcher? Yes, the stay-in has me watching old detective shows! In fact, Janice, you’ve got me studying all the characters on my screen for their wardrobe choices.
Do you know, I watched every episode of Luther and never noticed that. But then men often have fewer clothes and wear them for decades. Poirot (played by David Suchet) has an impeccable wardrobe. I’m a fan of Jessica Fletcher as well and she is always so well-groomed. However, the most stylish female detective yet is Miss Fisher 1930’s Australian detective – glamour on stilts! Find her on Netflix.
I admit I was skeptical when I saw the color scheme–it looked so boring! But of course the wardrobe is lovely and perfectly suited to the role and task.
I do wonder whether two very similar lepidopteran scarves are a bit overkill for a short trip, but maybe the heart just wants what the heart wants. (My heart wants that layered necklace and the entire ivory column of sophistication, but will have to settle on looking…if hearts can look, that is.) I do like the sly insinuation that she and her team will be pinning these rogues to the wall as easily as a 19th century naturalist pinned a butterfly to her collection.
The line between “signature” and “too much of the same thing” is something I find challenging!
And I hadn’t thought of the “pinning of the butterfly” aspect, but I suspect that this heroine takes a big of pleasure in finding the cheating and bringing it to justice. My kind of woman!
hugs,
Janice
I love the layered necklace too but find they get tangled up in my jewellery cabinet. I get round this by wearing individual beads and pendants to mix and match. I can create lots of variations and pick up colour accents. You only have to look at the portraits of Tudor women to get ideas of necklace layering.
Portraits of Tudor women–what a great tip!
Great, really the best business wardrobe you have done yet. So smart, unobtrusive but not at all plain. Chic!!
You have the eyes…
Anette
I love this business capsule! I wish I had known about The Vivienne Files before I retired.
This story made me want to stand up and cheer! Brava Janice, Brava heroine! I wonder what our opera singer is doing in isolation—I desperately miss live performance and it seems that is a long, long, long way off still.
Oooh, I should look for her, shouldn’t I?
hugs,
Janice
The best dressed movie detective is Rene Russo as the insurance detective in The Thomas Crown Affair. I believe the wardrobe was created by Michael Kors. The movie is 20+ years old, but the clothes are wearable today.
Hi Janice! Love the cobalt touch with this wardrobe. But I am worried about our heroine: did she pack some masks? And if she is ‘packing’ where is she staying-? Are the hotels disinfected where she is going-? The things one thinks about these days…
I know! It’s hard NOT to think of these things!
I will start including masks in some wardrobe when (and only when) I’m sure that the masks that I’m seeing are “real” i.e. that they’re not just some knucklehead jumping on a tragic bandwagon to make a buck. I want my heroines to be seriously well protected.
hugs,
Janice
Agree with the comment above – this heroine now needs some masks.
Love these colors and the style. Would probably add a heel in there to dress things up a bit. I remember watching Jessica Fletcher back in the day and thinking she always looked so stylish. You could absolutely wear any of her outfits today and look perfectly tailored and appropriate. That’s a lot more than can be said for most of the other crazy 80’s outfits on the show!
lovely wardrobe! – nancyo