from Scratch Archives - Page 9 of 10

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch Step One: A Nice Pair of Pants

June 18, 2014 Many people would tell you that you should start building your capsule wardrobe with a black suit. And there's an undoubted crowd who would vote in favor of a little black dress. (for me, personally, that's where I would start...) But after wrestling with this question for weeks, I've finally decided that most of us might find the most utility, and the most immediate transformation of our wardrobe, could come from investing in a really NICE pair of pants. Trousers. Even (very unpopular word) slacks... If you've changed sizes, a new pair of trousers that fit you perfectly will immediately elevate all of your old blouses and shirts. If you want to improve the overall quality of your ... View the Post

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe from Scratch: Choosing Color Schemes

June 17, 2014

It's a question that's as old as The Vivienne Files - if you're starting a capsule wardrobe from scratch, how do you start?

What an ambitious question! But after thinking about it for three years, I'm going to give it a try - a step by step approach to rebuilding your wardrobe from the ground up.

Before you buy any garments at all, you've got to make a couple of decisions. One thing you'll have to work out for yourself - which silhouettes suit you best. I'm really not qualified to answer this question for every woman, but I encourage you to address this question on your own; you know better than anybody else in the world what shapes and sizes of garments suit you best...

But the next question - truly critical - is ... View the Post

A “Two Suit” Wardrobe in Navy and Beige

April 17, 2014 Another visit to this concept, keeping the beige linen (I'm SO lazy...) and using navy as our other neutral. I'm going to try to explain the steps for choosing these items in more detail, so that you can recreate what I do in your own closet.

Also, I want to address the question of having multiple pairs of dark neutral pants. Often, we're told that "you shouldn't own three pair of navy pants", but I heartily disagree, because of the wide variety of navy pants that you might own. In this particular example, I've included very narrow navy capris in a cotton fabric, a wide-legged trouser (full-length), and a silk-like palazzo pant. My feeling is that these three pants give three very different outfits when ... View the Post

The Vivienne Files FAQ: What if I Don’t Wear Black?

March 3, 2014 I knew this would be the next question - what if I don't wear black? You have all of the rest of the spectrum from which to choose, but realistically, grey, navy, brown or tan/khaki are the most obvious other options from which to choose. Let's try the same exercise as before, but with warm colors. Say you at least know that you prefer mostly warm hues - and these are your favorite recent purchases:

There's no outfit to be worn from these four - it just simply isn't possible for most of us to put together an ensemble here. But if you started with a basic core of neutral clothes in warmer tones (except for jeans, which are sort of the ultimate neutral):

Then you ... View the Post

The Vivienne Files FAQ: Do I HAVE to buy basic garments?

March 1, 2014 Every day, I get lots of emails with lots of questions. I like that, and I'm happy that you take the time to write to me. ([email protected]) As hard as I try, I don't really have time to answer everybody individually, but your questions make a lot of difference when I choose my content every day. The single question I'm asked the most: "Is it absolutely necessary that I own neutral, simple, basic, plain, boring garments?" Let me say this flat out - if you can find a naturalist community with consistently moderate temperatures and well-groomed walkways, you can go without purchasing ANY CLOTHING AT ALL for the rest of your life. I know this is reducto ad absurdum, but sometimes we need ... View the Post

Capsule Wardrobe for an office environment, in taupe, burgundy, and navy

Blazer – Stella McCartney, blazer – Steven Alan, top – Madeleine Thompson, blouse – Narciso Rodriguez, pants – Stella McCartney, skirt – Stella McCartney, corduroy pants – Exit Brooklyn, scarf - Hermes

Kimono jacket – Charlotte and Co., skirt – Alberta Ferretti, gray top – Sportmax, Maroon blouse – Yves Saint Laurent, taupe satin blouse – DKNY, low-neck blouse – Oscar de la Renta, print blouse – Roberto Cavalli, navy cashmere top – Miu Miu

Navy scoop-neck top – Donna Karan, navy shirtdress – Steven Alan, sweater dress – Chinti and Parker, taupe trench coat – Derek Lam, skirt – Debenhams, pinstriped pants – Neil Barrett, taupe & navy cardigan – Tory Burch, striped ... View the Post

Wardrobe: back to work mom…

Red flats – Topshop, teal flats – Dorothy Perkins, silver & teal earrings – Hannah Zakari, dotted scarf – Debenhams, teal pearl set – JC Penney

tee shirt – Miss Selfridge, long-sleeved tee shirt – J. Crew, black capris – Dorothy Perkins, skirt – Topshop, back flats – Topshop, Fairisle cardigan – Buckle, earrings – 1928, purple cardigan – Old Navy, scarf – C and C California

Tee shirts – Dorothy Perkins, Jeans – Tillys, boots – Clarks, hat – Monsoon, cardigan – John Lewis

Clothes and shoes – L.L.Bean, scarf – Modcloth, bracelet – Forever21 ... View the Post

Wardrobe: navy, with green and yellow!

Jacket – 3.1 Philip Lim, Cardigan – Paul Smith Black, green blouse – Marc by Marc Jacobs, White tee shirt – Oasis, Pants – Paul and Joe, Tweed skirt – Giambattista Valli, Jeans – Ferris, Scarf - Hermès

White shirt – Witchery.com, Trench coat – Burberry Prorsum, Winter coat – Diane von Furstenberg, Sweater dress – Joseph, Pants – Katharine Hamnett, Pleated skirt – Junya Watenabe, yellow sweater – N. Peal, green jacket – Jil Sander

Dress – Lela Rose, Tweed jacket – Oscar de la Renta, Tee shirt – Debenhams, short-sleeved striped tee shirt – Old Navy, Long-sleeved striped tee shirt – L.L. Bean, Pants – Marc by Marc Jacobs, Plaid shirt – ... View the Post

Wardrobe: gray, navy and lavender

Jacket – Theory, Cardigan – 3.1 Phillip Lim, blouse – Zac Posen, tee shirt – Kain Label, Pants – Opening Ceremony, Tweed skirt – Lanvin, Jeans – Marc Jacobs, scarf - Hermes

White shirt – Witchery.com, Trench coat – Risto, Winter coat – Windsmoor, Sweater dress – Theory, Pants – Katharine Hamnett, skirt – Darling, sweater – Proenza Schouler, Tweed jacket – Rag and Bone

Square scarves – Hermès, Swirl scarf – Debenhams, Paisley scarf – Liberty of London, Purple labradorite earrings – Monica Vinader, Marble ring – Max & Chloe, Bow brooch – Alexis Bittar, 3-strand necklace – Tarina Tarantino, Sunglasses – Gucci, Hat – People Tree, Flower stud earrings – Lanvin, Watch – Skagen, Nugget ... View the Post

Building a job interview / work wardrobe from scratch

Shirt – Oasis, Pants – Warehouse.co.uk

Tan Cardigan – J. Crew, Bone cardigan – Tillys, Green cardigan – Woolrich, Navy double-breasted blazer – Old Navy, Taupe jacket – warehouse.co.uk, Navy blazer – H&M

tote bag – Nine West, Quilted tote – Tillys, Two-toned bag - Asos, desert boots – Old Navy, Black Oxfords – Guess, Penny loafers – MICHAEL by Michael Kors

Teal stone necklace – Coldwater Creek, bronze choker – Oasis, station chain necklace – Banana Republic, teal floral scarf – Miss Selfridge, border print scarf – Topshop, floral oblong scarf - Pacsun

Black sweater – Coldwater Creek, ... View the Post

Wardrobe built around 6 neutral colors – no accents!

Gray cardigan – Dolce & Gabbana, Grey tee – topshop, Grey sweater – The Row, gray trousers

– Burberry Brit, Black blazer – Rag & Bone, black tee shirt – Derek Lam, black pants –

Rag & Bone, black draped skirt – Vivienne Westwood

Brown cardigan – Hope, tee shirt – Michael Stars, brown sweater – Vanessa Bruno, brown pants

– Edun, cream blouse – Theory, cream sweater – Topshop, cream corduroy pants – Twenty8Twelve,

cream skirt – Maxmara Studio

Chambray shirts – J. Crew, chambray skirt – A. P.C., Pants – Levi’s Made & Crafted, camel

jacket – Forte forte, camel shirt – Equipment, camel ... View the Post

Wardrobe: for Carrie H.

August 19, 2011

Jacket – The Row, Cardigan – Inhabit, blouse – Topshop, Tee shirt – Maison Martin Margiela, Pants – J. Crew, skirt – Oasis, Jeans – Current/Elliott, Scarf - Hermès

Gray tee shirt – Donna Karan, cardigan – Lela Rose, white tee – T by Alexander Wang, cardigan – Paul Smith, Winter coat – Jill Sander, sweater - Valentino, corduroy pants - Gucci, Jacket – Reiss Online

Tunic dress – Emilio Pucci, Colorblocked tee – Oasis, Tee shirt – Saint James, tee shirt – Debenhams, Sweater – Organic by John Patrick, black with blue pinstripe pants – Clement en August, Sweater – Acne, Silk blouse – Diane von Furstenberg

Fringed scarf – Modcloth.com, lapis beads – ... View the Post