The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Capsule Wardrobe Plans Archives - Page 10 of 57

Build a Warm Weather Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Wagen in Silberner Strasse by August Macke

March 22, 2023

Our second heroine who plans to use a LOT of beige in her Spring and Summer wardrobe!

Here is the art that inspires her - she is captivated by the dark, intense lines against the neutral background...

this wardrobe would work really well with chambray/faded denim as a neutral, too!

She's excited about the prospect of wearing deep, saturated accent colors with beige; her coloring is intense, and she is confident that she will look just right in these high-contrast outfits...

For starters, she assembles the beige core wardrobe that all of our heroines will have in common:

And THEN she finds 8 garments for accent - chambray shorts and a matching cardigan, and then navy, green and cranberry shirts ... View the Post

Wardrobe of the Week: March 12 – 18 2023

March 18, 2023

The weeks go by...

Every day so far in March, I've worn the same black long-sleeved wool tee shirt. It's sort of a miracle the way it does NOT smell bad. It's hard to explain unless you actually wear one yourself, I guess... But these things that I'm learning about wool clothing are going to change the way I dress - less, better, and less laundry!

love Janice ... View the Post

Build a Warm Weather Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Windows by Robert Delaunay

March 17, 2023

This is pretty cheerful! And I always sense a feeling of the Eiffel Tower when I look at this...

 

So I have FOUR heroines that I'm thinking of, right now... Each of them is going to start the spring with an 8-piece core of beige - lots of linen!

And then each will channel her favorite painting to choose 8 accent garments... What colors might be chosen from our first painting?

First, let's look at what our heroines are each going to use as their wardrobe base...

Frankly, if you want a handful of linen garments for this summer (and then next 10 summers, to be honest; linen lasts a long time!), now is a good time to start looking...

I'm not going to show you the various outfits possible ... View the Post

How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Flowers by Sir Cedric Morris

March 15, 2023

Beware the Ides of March...

Or maybe not! Maybe the Ides of March bring flowers to you...

This palette is particularly good for someone who wants variety in their wardrobe - it would be possible to find maybe 10 accent colors in this painting!

Our heroine starts with beige; you can do a lot and go a long way with a simple beige outfit!

Next, she indulges in olive green...

Before she forgets, she tosses in her favorite blue spring sweater, and a pair of jeans in a very light beige...

She wants shorts! So it makes sense to stock up on olive - some accessories will be useful...

Now let's get to those accent colors! A beautiful cotton sweater in a delicious shade of purple? Don't ... View the Post

Wardrobe of the Week March 5 – 11, 2023

March 12, 2023

We expected, but did not experience, TWO snowstorms this week...

I'm reading a report on the environmental impact of fashion on climate change:

Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable

It's a somewhat challenging technical slog, but sobering; they recommend 85 garments (including shoes) in a wardrobe for a 4-season climate.

More on this to come, I'm sure!

love,

Janice ... View the Post

Wardrobe of the Week February 18 – 25, 2023, and a song of praise for my 4 Objects blazer

February 26, 2023

We were out and about a bit this week - I don't have a lot of opportunities to dress up!

The only really "snazzy" outfit that I wore was the following, which I wore for a lengthy test to determine that I am NOT allergic to aspirin! My arthritis is grateful...

I've been asked about my 4 Objects blazer - WELL...

This is a detail of the fabric, and of one of the lovely front welt pockets...

When I first unpacked my blazer, the first thing that I noticed is that the garment is three-dimensional! It doesn't just lay flat when you put it down - the armholes have dimension, as does the collar!

And this is the inside front breast pocket, which was turned out like this when my blazer ... View the Post

Wardrobe of the Week: February 12 – 18, 2023

February 19, 2023

We had a quiet week, with 1 appointment out of the apartment. Snow on Thursday meant that we all stayed tucked up for a couple of days...

I made a deliberate effort to wear the same general look, and the same pants. More and more I find that I'm VERY comfortable wearing the same small assortment of clothing. 

Life is complicated enough, without wardrobe angst!

love,

Janice ... View the Post

WOW Wardrobe Of the Week – February 5 – 11, 2023

February 13, 2023

This week, I wore the same grey yak wool sweater every day - even on the day when I didn't put on "real" clothes! I pulled my sweater on over my pajamas and wore it rather than my robe, which felt too cumbersome...

I have to share with you the fabric shaver that I've found that doesn't get all tangled and stalled every 5 minutes - it's rechargeable with a UBS cord, and it's VERY reliable...

love,

Janice ... View the Post

WOW Wardrobe Of the Week – January 29 – February 4, 2023

February 5, 2023

Yes, I'm wearing a lot of the same clothes over and over - and part of the reason is the way our apartment is furnished!

In our main room, we have THREE dining tables! Our table is behind the sofa, with the leaves dropped, and with candles and a lamp on it - it serves well as a "sofa table."

The second, which belonged to my mother-in-law, has the leaves dropped, it's pushed up against a wall, and our (ridiculously huge) collection of alcohol is on it. The pandemic lead to a cocktail challenge with one of our friends...

The third table is my mother's - it's the one at which we eat our meals!

All of this is to indicate just how FULL our apartment is. Which, for me, translates into a closet that is only maybe ... View the Post

Accessories! Project 333 based on Morris Graves/Rain by Kay Russell

January 30, 2023

Just to refresh our memories after the weekend, our current heroine is working on a Project 333 wardrobe based upon this painting and color palette:

Her plan is to include 16 garments and 17 accessories in her 3 month plan; the clothing that she's chosen is here:

She's going to be logical about this, and work her way through an assortment of outfits, making certain that she includes the appropriate accessories for each...

Finding both earrings AND a scarf in her favorite dusty green is a small victory, I'd say!

She's going to slightly dress up with her vest - a stunning pearl brooch, and some pretty loafers will do the trick:

Something warm and casual is always useful!

Her favorite ... View the Post