The Vivienne Files - Page 149 of 269 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

The 1st Five Steps: Shifting a Wardrobe from Cool Colors to Warm Colors

February 9, 2016

It's a timeless question, frequently asked here on The Vivienne Files: "I recently had my colors done, and was told that I should wear warm colors. Most of my wardrobe is black - HELP!!!"

First and foremost, always remember that you don't HAVE to do what one color consultant tell you to do. Remember when I described two color consultations that I had. Two RADICALLY DIFFERENT recommendations.... sigh...

But if you choose to shift from cool to warm, I have some ideas about how it might be managed.

Let's start with the wardrobe from last Friday:

If I do say so myself, this is a pretty gorgeous wardrobe, and would see you through a lot of activities and events. But if you're trying to move away from cool ... View the Post

Build a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with a Scarf: Version 2 Hydrangea Haze by Ted Baker London

February 8, 2016

I was working on a casual version of this when everybody started asking for a casual version... Sometimes we all think very much alike!

Hydrangea Haze scarf – Ted Baker London

I swapped out the pinks for purple and blue - a great color combination. I also softened the grey from the first version of this wardrobe (revisit it here) for a pure white.And then I found that these 2 accents were VERY difficult to find... at least in items that meet my many requirements!

On Campus?!?!? Yes, of course I'd like to go visit - we're talking about my favorite freshman in the whole wide world. But we're staying ON CAMPUS for Parents and Grandparents Weekend!

Sleeping in a dorm. Eating in ... View the Post

Building a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Fumee d’Ambre Gris by Sargent

February 6, 2016 I spotted this painting ages ago...

The exotic nature of the painting suggests a travel wardrobe, but I didn't want to go too far overboard into a desert vacation, so I went back to our "range of events" trips that so many of us are taking this spring and summer.

And I decided to break a few rules, too! Iconoclast Generally, she's described as the eccentric aunt, but she prefers to think of herself as an iconoclast. An original. A truly self-defined woman...

And she doesn't wear high heels! Nor stockings...

But she can get dressed up as well as anyone, even if it's going to be one of those long weekends with everything from formal dinners to weddings to a picnic. She can pull ... View the Post

Build a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with a Scarf: Reflections II by ImageDiary

WHAT a scarf...

And what delicious colors with which to work in a capsule wardrobe...

My goal here was to look for fluidity, as much as possible...What I wouldn't do for this dress, by the way. This is the kind of thing that you buy and then build outfits around - which wouldn't be difficult. While you can easily wear it as I show here, you could also put on tights, boots, a black cardigan and your Reflections II scarf in cold weather...

This scarf was described as having "water drops" as the pattern:

Pearls seems pretty obvious, when the theme is water:

PLEASE, cut the tag gizmo off of the blue sweater... What ARE they thinking?

There ... View the Post

Some Book Recommendations

February 4, 2016

You might remember that I often quote one of my favorite "French fashion" advice books: Ma To-Do List: Dressing, by Jeanne-Aurure Colleuille and Laure Gontier. (available here) One thing from there that I've never told you about is a list of books that they consider useful for refining one's sense of fashion culture. Let me quote them:

"In order to understand the mechanics of the fashion industry, or to be ravished by inspired images... A choice of books both perfectly subjective and totally timeless, to play a bit on the more intellectual side of fashion."

1. The Ladies' Paradise by Emile Zola - all things department store. It reminds you of how very LONG we've been allowing ourselves to be tempted to buy ... View the Post

Building a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with a Scarf – Hydrangea Haze by Ted Baker London

February 3, 2016 I love it when one of you falls into mad infatuation with something... This time, it's a lovely scarf!

It's easy for me to be sympathetic to those who fall for something from Ted Baker - the floral prints are SO GORGEOUS...

I actually own both a scarf AND a cardigan in the same fabric (no, I would never wear them at the same time, but I would pack them in the same suitcase in a heartbeat!).

The ground of this scarf is deep navy, and for today I'm using the soft grey flowers, and shades of pink, as the accent colors. There's definitely potential to use blue and purple as accents, if that's your preference.

Trailing spouse, my comfortably shod foot... She hates the term. ... View the Post

Build a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with a Scarf: Hermes Panthera Pardus

February 2, 2016 The minute I saw this scarf in the store, I knew I wanted to use it here on The Vivienne Files, so you all could see it too:

He's got green eyes! The colors, and the details here, are just gloriously beautiful. I always particularly admire the contrast edge on a scarf, because it's pretty, and because I can't even imagine how difficult it is to silkscreen that part, and then roll it and hand stitch it so perfectly. Artisan genius... and it comes in other colors!

The range of possible colors that can be used here was pretty impressive, and a bit unusual. Hermes can always be counted on to come up with color schemes not seen elsewhere.When I do capsule wardrobes like this, please ... View the Post

12 Months, 12 Outfits in 6 Capsule Wardrobes: February

February 1, 2016

Although the marketing types will urge us all to dress up in lace and frills and all sorts of dainties for Valentine's Day, I think it more likely that many of us will consider it a big night out if it requires a dress of any sort! So for February, I looked for dresses - simple, classic, versatile, timeless dresses that will be as useful for you in July as they are in February...As before, I tried to keep the "parts" as consistent as possible across the six color palettes, so that the impact of the changing colors will be shown to better effect.

Remember, these are the six scarves around which I'm building these "month by month" capsule wardrobes. Any beautiful item can serve this function - ... View the Post

Another Giveaway, and a Wonderful Woman

Remember January 11th, when I built a wardrobe around a Neiman Marcus tote bag, and then asked for comments so that I could give the featured bag to one of you?

I heard back from the woman who won the bag, and... well... She's AMAZING.

Long story kind of short - black is no longer one of her wardrobe neutrals, so she turned the bag down.

She wants someone to have it who will use it regularly...

Generous. Disciplined. Mature. Intelligent. Kind. Thoughtful, in all of the best ways.

I feel lucky to know that she reads The Vivienne Files!

So I pulled another random number; Geraldine, please get in touch with me at [email protected] so I can get your address and send off your new tote bag!

much Sunday love to all, Janice ... View the Post

12 Months, 12 Outfits in 6 Capsule Wardrobes: January

January 30, 2016

You all have the BEST ideas! And I'm stealing this and running with it...Starting today, and then on the 1st of each month (yes, the next installment, for February, will be Monday), I'm going to share the "monthly" new outfit for each of 6 different capsule wardrobe color schemes. By the 1st of December, we're going to have a nice tidy capsule wardrobe, built around a unifying color theme and overall "feel."

I chose 6 Hermes scarves to define our color palettes:

These six scarves indicated, to me, six different core neutral colors, and an interesting range of accents. I've included a small image of each scarf on the page with each outfit, to remind us of the colors with which we're working. Of course, ... View the Post

Build a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with a Bag: Marimekko Clover Bag

January 29, 2016

This bag is much closer to the one that my friend wanted to see on The Vivienne Files - I'm really happy that she persisted in finding just the right bag for us! This is quite the color scheme: black and white, punched up about a million notches with red, hot pink, and coral.

She Doesn't Mind the Attention... Yes, lots of people share in the credit for everything that's been accomplished, but someone has to be the spokesperson, the one in the center of the photographs, the one who accepts the diplomas, certificates, trophies, statuettes, and other detritus of hard work.

So she's accepted, for years, that since she's comfortable being photographed, and making "off the cuff" ... View the Post

Building a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Portrait of Madame Lisle and Madame Loubens by Degas

January 28, 2016

A long time ago, someone asked for me to work with a painting by Degas; it's taken months, but I'm finally on it! (I really do try to get to as many requests as possible, I hope you understand...)If you just glanced at this painting, it might seem somber and sort of gloomy. But give it a minute - there's a lot of warmth and beauty here. These women appear comfortably tucked up in the lap of luxury!

So I felt that the black component was impossible to avoid, but it seemed equally inevitable that the accent colors would be warm:

No Need for Accolades Now that everything is finally accomplished, and all of the celebratory events are beginning, it would only be natural that she might want a bit of the ... View the Post