The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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A Grey Capsule Wardrobe with Soft Blue

January 12, 2015  

Unlike last week's All-Black wardrobe, I don't know that an All-Grey ensemble is required at any place of work. So I'm thinking of this grouping as a version of the "what to wear when you don't want to get dressed" post that I did here. My suggestion was to have a core of six matching garments (which would give you at least a handful of outfit possibilities) and also to have a core of accessories that you could reach for - almost without thinking - that would pull everything together, and keep the world from realizing that you dressed yourself with your eyes (almost) closed!So my friend who wears this ensemble, and these accessories, has blonde/grey hair, gentle blue eyes, and a way about her that attracts ... View the Post

A Black Wardrobe with Amethyst

January 8, 2015   She was born in February, so amethyst is her birthstone. And purple has always been her favorite color; could any style choice be easier?  

 

 

Any other suggestions/ideas for how to accessorize this wardrobe? I'm working on blue, and on brights, but I was also thinking of brown/gold... Anything else your beautiful hearts desire?   love,

Janice ... View the Post

A Black Wardrobe, with Silver, Aluminum and Grit

January 5, 2015   This is certainly not a style for just everyone, but I know a couple of women who wear this very urban, industrial style, and who carry it off with great panache! (Imagine a woman with silver grey hair, cut in a very short, angular style. Chiseled cheekbones, a slash of red lipstick...)   One of the things that we have to remember about a unique personal style is that it is, by definition, not for everybody. Realistically, it shouldn't be for ANYBODY other than you. It's hard to chart your own path, style-wise, but feeling quintessentially like yourself can be an amazing sensation...  

 

 

love,

Janice ... View the Post

A Black Wardrobe, with Turquoise, Coral, and Gold

January 3, 2015   A few of you have expressed that you couldn't wear unrelieved black, and that you're quite grateful that this isn't your dress code! You can easily see that it's a challenge to look like "yourself" in a way that's distinct from all of your coworkers if you're all wearing black. That's why I was happy to hear that many people in this uniform are at least allowed to wear whatever accessories strike their fancy.   Today, inspired by my neighbor who wears a turquoise and coral necklace EVERY DAY, I chose accessories that all have turquoise, coral (fake coral, of course) and gold, and which include texture or detail. When you see these items together, you can see the DNA that links them, I hope. And on the ... View the Post

A Black Capsule Wardrobe, with Pearl, Lace, Gold, Filigree and Flowers

January 2, 2015

After thinking long and hard about how I wanted to accessorize the "All-Black" capsule wardrobe, I decided that I'm going to accessorize it in a variety of ways, and give everybody a choice of which they prefer! In this, as in virtually EVERYTHING associated with getting dressed every day, there are no hard and fast rules, and no one "best" or "must-have" way to approach things.

I'm a big fan of finding a handful of key words that define a style, and using those words as a talisman or mantra when I'm choosing items. Using the lace tops as an inspiration, I thought that the first "accessory family" was going to include elements of pearls, lace, gold, filigree details and feelings, and flowers.

Let me clarify - each ... View the Post

It Seems Terribly Soon To Plan Spring & Summer’s French 5-Piece Wardrobe

December 30, 2014  

...but resort wear is now in the stores, and it might be time to starting planning this Spring/Summer's "French 5-Piece Wardrobe."

Don't freak out completely, quite yet. I fully acknowledge that the weather is still winter in the Northern Hemisphere, with much of the worst of cold weather yet to come in Chicago. But excellent personal style is the purview of those who plan ahead, and who aren't stuck on the first warm day trying to find a pair of sandals. By mid-April, a lot of the excellent stuff is sold out, or only available in limited and eccentric sizes...

But most of all, if you have a plan, and you start looking now, you can know EXACTLY what you're going to buy when you finally get around to ... View the Post

Maximize Your ROI: Beautiful Boots

December 11, 2014  

One of your recently purchased a very beautiful pair of new boots, but then began to wonder if you would be able to wear them often enough to get your money's worth from your purchase.The boots are lovely - very practical for walking, but still graceful.  So I have a few ideas...

Boots with casual dresses

Unlike "back in the day" when your skirt had to cover the tops of your boots, it's now perfectly appropriate and acceptable to have your legs show in between boot top and hem of skirt. Tights can match your dress or your boots, or if you're particularly comfortable with the idea, they could be a contrasting color. I'm not going to do that, but I've seen it done to charming effect.   ... View the Post

Assorted Accessories for All Seasons

December 5, 2014   These posts about seasonal colors are so much fun, and I learn something every time I work on one! Today, I started with an Hermes scarf, and then built an assortment of things around the scarf. Some of the accessories are for winter wear, and other are for the entire year.   I only wear 1 watch, but I'm not sure why - there are a lot of beautiful, moderately priced watches available that might add a touch of color or metallic luster to an outfit. While I know that in this day and age many people don't wear a watch at all, maybe a 2nd watch is an option to consider...

Winter Color Palette Accessories

This hat would destroy my hair, but it might be worth it...  

Spring Color Palette ... View the Post

Scarves for All Seasons

December 4, 2014  

Since we had so much fun yesterday thinking about our "official" or self-determined seasonal palettes, I thought I'd pursue the idea a bit more today.   While I've been quite lucky to have been told by trained color evaluations that I'm wearing the right colors, I can easily sympathize with those who get conflicting advice, or who like other colors. Ultimately, I really believe that the happiness that you radiate from wearing colors that you love will overshadow any possible lack of compatibility between you and the garment. That's just a fancy way of saying that you should wear what you want, and you'll radiate loveliness just from being happy.   Your mileage may vary, of ... View the Post