April 13, 2022
She’s An Actress…
Red star tee – Lands’ End; black star earrings – Kendra Scott; red cardigan – Halogen; star bracelet – Knotty; black ankle pants – L.L.Bean; scarf – La Fiorentina; boots – Munro; tote – Béis
She’s been a star of a daytime drama for years, playing the good twin and the evil twin…
kimono – Arlo Goods; 4 strand necklace – Talbots; campanula earrings – Ninemoo; pink sweater – Boden; black silk panel tee – Voya; malachite green earrings – Talbots; satin skirt – Topshop; green ballet flats – Boden; black silk pants – Eileen Fisher; green draped top – Marianna Déri; bag – Rejolly; ballet flats – J.Crew
Part of the fun of being friends with her is that her expressions and emotions can run the gamut from intellectually serious to hysterically funny in a matter of moments…
So nobody is surprised that she has included ALL of the accent colors in their “scarf-centric” wardrobe, nor are they amazed to see that SHE bought the kimono, and not the scarf!
It’s still a pretty versatile wardrobe:
Rumor has it that the writers on her show are about to introduce a long-lost triplet…
love,
Janice
p.s. Approximately seven years ago, I shared with you my shortcut to calculating Cost Per Wear for garments…
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Wow! This is stunning. Although the kimono has been modelled on the website by a woman reclining on a bed ie a dressing gown, you’ve artfully teamed it with black silk trousers and lovely jewellery for the evening.
Why should such a gorgeous gown be hidden in the bedroom? After all, a kimono is the same design as a wrap over dress. Years ago, friends came round for dinner and I wasn’t quite ready. I appeared at the top of the stairs in a full length kimono style embroidered dressing gown. My friend thought it was a dress!
The funniest theatre production I ever saw was an outdoor production of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. It was a small cast production and one man played all the twins. Quite hilarious quick costume changes which led to his own slapstick comedy of errors.
By the way, thanks for the link to the Cost per Wear spreadsheet. I’m assuming it’s still available. I’m more intrigued as to how long I keep things for. I rarely buy anything full price – sales and branded goods from charity shops. So most of my cost per wear will be in pence rather than pounds! Most of my clothes have been bought in the last 10 years but I still have the long warm-lined trench coat my Mum bought me when I started work in 1985! It was during the period of oversize clothing so still fits me now, even though it’s a bit shabby but I’ve never found another one long trench with a removable warm lining. I also have dress shoes and handbags that I bought over 30 years ago.
Good Morning Beth T. I have the Stylebook app and it gives me cost per wear and also tells me the last time I logged an item on the calendar. It also tells me the last time I wore an item, and how many times I’ve worn it. All I have to do is keep up with the calendar and log what I wear on a daily basis.
Great to see 4 wardrobes combining red and green (and black) that don’t scream Christmas or even December/winter. Very spring, very individual, very beautiful!
I tried to download the cost per wear spreadsheet (just what I was looking for!), and I got a message that the link had expired. Will email you screenshots, Janice.
I just went back and looked at all the posts together, which was really fun — these aren’t colors that would ever work for me, but it’s easy to see how ANY two accent colors could work with a black base, and it’s really fun to see the same colors in different combinations and sorts of clothes. That said, I find all the wardrobes really dressy. It would be fun to see a wardrobe that is all in “athleisure” garments with jeans and a polo shirt or t-shirt and black blazer jersey as her “dressy” outfit– although it might be hard to find plain t-shirts or polo shirts in those colors. But how about having one of these friends’ daughters or younger sister (a yoga teacher or a young mom) join them for a weekend and use the same color scheme for fun?
Gail Finke, I love this idea and second it!
This has been such a fun series – thank you, Janice!
I agree. The soccer coach came closest to what I would call “real life” or maybe its just because I’m on the west coast – very casual. Years ago when I lived on the east coast (New Jersey) and in the south east (Charlotte, NC) they dressed more conservatively business-like than out here. Very different in styles between the two, but not nearly as casual as it is here. When I left my position as admin to VP at a telecommunications company here in Seattle, we had people coming in for interviews in SWEATS!!! Which is far TOO casual, but an indicator. My brother was a partner in an accounting firm, and I believe he wore suits until he retired a few years ago, so lawyers, accountants, investment people may have a more business like approach that those of us in the communications industry. My husband was in same business (telecommunication) and I can’t remember him every wearing a suit.
Workwear has become so hard to call! I’m a financial advisor who works from a home office. Most days I work in sweatpants or jeans in front of my computer. But when I meet clients, I clean up—usually skirt, top, tights and nice shoes, and some sort of third piece. Then, jewelry and a scarf. I want to look trustworthy and serious, but not intimidating!
I agree with the athleisure request comment. As far as actual shopping those are the clothes I would most buy, even over jeans and chinos. And the types of clothes I have the most difficulty finding. Because of my shape (round) I will not wear leggings as pants. I have had some success with Bean athletic wear, but I feel I’m stumbling in the dark. I need something like a common core capsule.
These were kind of meant to be dressy – this is an urban meeting with opera and fine dining; I can clearly see that my next adventure is going to be much more casual. Happily, Arlo Goods has the perfect scarf…
hugs,
Janice
Aw thanks! I actually came to this blog from 2 others, I think: corporette dot com and also caphillstyle dot com. Although they are very traditional formal workwear, a few of their articles I really like are along the lines of, how to dress for formal work as a goth, or as a punk, or as someone who loves rainbows but does not want to look like a preschool teacher, or someone who loves classic vintage but does not want to look like she’s wearing a Halloween costume. Things like that.
I have been thinking a lot about different “styles” and how OF COURSE your blog is very classic traditional French/Paris classy and sophisticated, but surely there are other kinds of French and Parisian women, too? As an example, I dressed my older son when he was young like a man – lots of polo-style shirts and khakis, tee shirts without words or characters and lots of stripes. Gave away a lot of his clothes. BOOM. Had 2 boys in 2 years! Thankfully a lot of friends have given me their sons’ clothes — not my style at all, a lot of cartoon characters and track pants. Only a few khakis and of course those have elastic waists. Who cares. Still matches and has fun.
But what do these women look like at the gym, or on a weekend at home with only 1 errand or a friend drops by? You’ve got me trying to dress up a lot more, Vivienne/Janice, and I am LOVING my black-white-blue wardrobe (yes, I even got some mix and match pajama sets from Old Navy!), but what do THESE women look like “dressed down”? Would love to learn more from you, if you do feel comfortable with us lovingly “challenging” you! I feel like you’re our teacher, and we’re asking “advanced” questions now!
And on a side note — I am *ridiculously* proud of my capsule wardrobe — any way I can take pictures and send to you, or we readers and commenters can share with each other? (just an idea, you don’t have to reply, but we all love when you do!)
I’d absolutely forgotten this was an urban meeting with opera and fine dining .. NOW that makes sense….
Janice, thanks again for picking up the idea! I think I was also missing the point that the meeting was dressy from the start, but it was a treat anyways. What a great finale!!! Although I was secretly hoping for a more down to earth character, I can totally see this poker of ladies owning the place! Kudos for all 4 stories. Can’t wait for the next more relaxed episode with the Arlo Goods scarf…!
Hello, I feel all 4 wardrobes would combine together well. There is some overlap of the black and the coloured clothes. However, if you took the styles you prefer and put them together it would work. For example i like the open red cardigan (it’s s more wearable to me) rather than the fitted red cardigan with buttons. The black silk trousers are more me than some of the others. It is also nice to have colourful shoes and bags to show your personality. Personally I only own 1 pair of black shoes.
I wonder how Janice would amalgamate these 4 groups.
Regards,
Susan from Dublin Ireland
Oh I love this friend! I appreciate her force of character (red boots!) but got hooked by her whimsical stars. A wink at those around her, a shared laugh. My lessons here? Maybe those red boots and stars. Thank you Janice! So much joy in your choices.
I would love to see a series with these same women who have spouses that decide they will all meet with their various RVs for a vacation at Hoosier National Forest in Southern Indiana. How do the friends handle camping with their styles being so put together? Note there are various artsy places in some of the little towns around the forest so a day that began with fishing could end at a cute craft booth while enjoying an old fashioned ice cream after a dinner at a mom and pop diner. This scenario would be very helpful…4 styles that aren’t typical yoga pant people doing casual while still wanting to be able to look good for a variety of activities and under a limit of pieces with limited ability for laundry. The Mr has gotten the Lets RV bug & I am trying to find a way to put together a comfortable dedicated look for something that is way out of my taste. A day trip to a museum or a quilt show is more my thing. So…yes, please Janice…a casual take might help those of us that struggle with being too dressy. By the way, I really love the green in all the capsules…so spring like and happy feeling…just like a meadow.
OMG I love this story and would subscribe to your fanfiction of Janice’s fiction!!
That’s a good idea / challenge !
This has been such a fun series! I’ve loved seeing different iterations of the same color scheme.
It’s not practical with the amount of layering I do, but that pink sweater with the dramatic sleeves and crochet detail is stunning!
Brava! What a great finish! The clothes are beautiful. And accessories. Inspiring.
Your stories always fire up my imagination. The long-lost third triplet. I love it! Her sisters are good and evil so I’m wondering if she’s comical, chaotic or confused.
I love this wardrobe. The level of dressiness feels comfortable to me.
Speaking of comfort…I get both humoured and a little frustrated when I hear people (who live in very casual and/or athletic wear) say that dressy clothes are uncomfortable. I’ve always found that properly-fitting clothing is usually very comfortable, regardless of the fabric or design. My husband worked in a men’s clothing store years ago and learned about the proper fit of men’s dress clothes and we decided that so many guys hate to wear a suit and tie (maybe bought ten or fifteen years ago – and twenty five pounds ago).
Sorry! Rant over! 🙃
I second the vote to see these friends translate their styles to a more casual weekend.
I love these outfits, especially the red boots! I am a sucker for colored shoes. Thanks Janice for all the fun.
Hello Janice,
I love your posts and look forward to receiving then each day. In fact I just purchased the Land’s End Stars tee from today’s post. For the past several months I have not been able to get to the retailers’ sites using the links you provide. I continue to get an error message, using both Google and Safari, saying the site cannot be reached due to an invalid URL. Are other people experiencing this as well? I assume that you get credit when a purchase is made directly from your site, so I feel badly when I have to go directly to the vendor. Do you have any suggestions how I can fix this. To benefit you?
Thank you,
Susan
Dear Susan,
There’s a link at the top of the main Vivenne Files page that’s called “Support The Vivienne Files” – with links that should take you to most of the retailers that I use. I will check on the links – I usually hear from someone if they have a problem…
Ah, technology is our friend, eh?
love,
Janice
Truly loved this series. I would really like to see it maybe as a quarterly or seasonal feature. Once again you have delighted us with your fabulous heroines and their varied sense of styles. Lovely.
What a great idea Allison, I second the motion!!
I would love to see these four women pose for a group photo to commemorate their adventure. What would it look like to see them all in their chosen opera wear posing at the theater together? Just to prove that the all this could coordinate together.
This was so much fun! I loved reading about these four very different women and seeing how they could all use the same scarf to come up with completely different, very personal and expressive, wardrobes. I kind of relate to our actress, LOVE her style. I’ve been known to rock a kimono and fabulous jewelry to a homeschool park get together. I’m going to have to hunt down those malachite flower earrings and I just may have been convinced to try adding some green to my wardrobe. Some of the suggestions are terrific. I’d love to see a picture of their opera outfits together, and I would really enjoy the camping trip idea.
Janice, I have loved this series! You are such a talented woman. Bravo!
xx
Thank you (blushing…)
love,
Janice
Great tote! Is it small enough to be considered an underseat bag?
You are the absolute star at finding the perfect accessories on the internet! What could be more entertaining than the dual elements of metaphorical accessories and the delicious good twin/bad twin plot? Unless you add that triplet. Will she be good or evil? I’m starstruck.
I really enjoyed this series. It was fun to look at my own clothes and see how I might combine items for similar looks. I agree that stylish clothes can and should be comfortable. I spent 8 months in a hospital gown and in my prolonged convalescence I chose to wear a leisure look that was more stylish and put -together. It made me feel so much better and less in/valid. I embraced scarves to cover my tracheostomy scar and this inspired my colour palette. I no longer need to ‘hide’ a scar but I now have a beautiful range of scarves that bring me joy.