The Vivienne Files - Page 19 of 262 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Travel Capsule Wardrobe for Eloping! Start with a Scarf: Oopsie Daisy by Clare Haggas

June 26, 2023

She couldn't resist; she didn't even try!

Let's Just Elope... Really, it's SO much easier, and nobody in either of their families is going to mind. Their friends expect this kind of spontaneous fun from them...

They aren't going ALL that far, really. Not that it matters; she's going to wear pink - even if they have to row a wee boat for 3 days!

Packing is tricky - she's not at ALL sure what she wants to wear for the actual ceremony! Of course, it will only be about 10 minutes, and she's not going to be on the cover of any magazines. But still, it's their wedding!

Maybe the dress? Or one of her lovely tops with her ivory skirt? She can decide when she gets there - maybe they can choose together?

she ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe for a Dressy Weekend: Start with Art – La Trappistine by Alphonse Mucha

June 23, 2023

Now that summer is finally here, it seems that many of us are being called upon to get gussied up!

Yes, the term "gussied" always makes me laugh...

It's always more challenging to find warm weather clothes in warmer shades...

It might be a wedding weekend, but it might also be a graduation, or an anniversary celebration - there are plenty of reasons to get dressed up and party in the summertime!

Our heroine isn't at all sure what she wants to wear when, so she's bringing an assortment of dresses with her, as well as a couple of tops and pair of bright jeans. Once she arrives, she can check with the organizers of things to see what will be most appropriate when.

And then she will wear what makes ... View the Post

Year 2 – Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Geshi – Summer Solstice

June 21, 2023

Why yes, this is the EXACT day; enjoy the daylight - if you're in the Northern Hemisphere! And get a good long night of sleep if you're in the Southern Hemisphere...

I wore my linen long-sleeved shirt A TON on Father's Day; we were in the forest, and I found that it was perfect protection from insects.

That got me thinking about the utility of a shirt like this in warm weather - protection from bugs, the sun, cool breezes, air conditioning...

They can provide a nice accent color...

Or you can bring a bit of pattern into a monochromatic outfit:

If you're traveling, having something that covers your shoulders can be important, if you want to visit churches or other places with a dress ... View the Post

A Rosy Travel Capsule Wardrobe: Start with Art – Untitled by Peter Doig

June 19, 2023

Our heroine from Friday isn't the only person attending the Pollinator Conference, of course!

I can't find a title for this painting!

Lovely colors....

Our 2nd heroine is dressing in similar colors to her friend from Friday, but she's opting for brown rather than beige...

She doesn't think to find insect-themed jewelry, but she doesn't miss the chance to wear her favorite floral skirt.

her floral skirt has a matching print blouse available...

She likes to think that her wardrobe combines the rich, life-giving warmth of soil, along with its glorious floral products!

Our heroines love to pack this way - once you've arrived, all you have to do is unpack, and then be alert to what is ... View the Post

Wardrobe of the Week: June 11 – 17, 2023

June 18, 2023

This was a challenging week - I'm still wearing a brace on my right wrist 24/7, on my left wrist at night, AND I got a cortisone shot in my left foot! I was left unable to put on any sort of shoe over the top of my foot for the entire week; it was cool enough that I would have preferred sneakers or loafers...

Also, I'm sharing a snippet of the fabric of my 2 pairs of pants - they're both black and white, but quite different. Note that my black and white dress is made of the same tic-weave fabric as one pair of pants. In that fabric, I also have the tunic, and the sleeveless top, and a dress... When something is just exactly what you love, you stock up, right?

Maybe the most interesting thing about looking at what I ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe in Beige with Warm Accents – Start with a Scarf: The Curiosity Cabinet Silk Scarf by Emily Carter

June 16, 2023

The Annual Pollinators Study Conference

It's just a couple of days - mostly scientists who work in VERY specialized fields, talking about bugs! How to count them, how to help them thrive, how to encourage new and different insects to step into the void of dying populations...

She's a bit of a star in this world!

She's spearheading the information campaign about the possibility of ants as pollinators - it's not something that will be a worldwide solution, but in small areas it may work...

Her silk scarf is amazing - this designer does scarves from paintings...

When she decided to attend the conference (as if she serious might miss it!), she chose her favorite scarf as the theme for her wardrobe; ... View the Post

A Green Travel Capsule Wardrobe: Start With Art – The Autumn Moon by Shufu Miyamoto

June 14, 2023

They Named Her Ivy... A long time ago; she always loved her name...

She saw this print, and something deep inside her clicked into place. Not a thing, really, but just a feeling. A new confidence, and understanding...

So she decided to wear green during her upcoming trip. All green. Just to see if it felt as right as she expected it to feel!

She's not worrying about matching everything. Nature doesn't worry; why should she?

Maybe people will think she wears too much green. Or that her outfits don't quite go together. She is dressing to please herself, so these thoughts mean nothing to her anymore...

Her travel capsule wardrobe feels like home...

She loves her ... View the Post

Expanding a Travel Capsule Wardrobe: Start with Art – Woman with Folded Arms by Picasso

June 12, 2023

Oh, let's look at this some more!

When we left our heroine on Friday, she had a lovely 9-piece travel capsule wardrobe all sorted out for long weekends this summer:

Wise people learn from their successes, and when your deeply-held preferences work out well, why not continue on that path?

Since the weather is warm, our heroine realized immediately that a few white garments might be useful:

And while she wasn't wild about the idea of adding denim to her wardrobe during the warmest weather, chambray is a good option!

Prints? Maybe? I admit that our heroine was strongly drawn to a couple of striped shirtdresses, as well as a plaid camp shirt and matching skirt in shades of blue.... Frankly, she ... View the Post

Wardrobe of the Week: June 4 – 10, 2023

June 11, 2023

I think that warm weather is here - today it's legitimately over 80 degree Fahrenheit for the 2nd or 3rd time this year! A few days this week, when I was frequenting doctors, I wore jeans and a jacket over a tee shirt or top - NOT early summer...

And note the lovely purple-strapped arm brace that I'm wearing every day! I wear my amethyst earrings most days now, and my purple Converse high-tops, just to tie together my wardrobe with my orthopedic!

love,

Janice ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe in Shades of Blue: Start with Art – Woman with Crossed Arms by Picasso

June 9, 2023

I had to try this...

Our heroine is quite a bit cheerier than Picasso's subject!

She committed to wearing blue. It feels right to her, and that's what is most important, right?

She knows that a painting that inspires you doesn't have to be copied identically - so long as you are true to whatever initially inspired you, you may interpret that inspiration any way you want!

A long weekend seems like a perfect chance to try-out the idea of wearing all blue... She won't be around a lot of people who know her, so she doesn't expect anybody to actually notice that she's always in blue...

The night before she leaves for her wee adventure, she takes a good look at her planned travel capsule ... View the Post

Start with Art: Pattern Design from New Ocean of Art by Kōrin Furuya

June 7, 2023

I must remember to re-visit this art when the weather cools, and I can put our heroine in an Oxford grey outfit...

But today, our heroine is sticking with black & white, and 2 vivid accent colors!

I don't know where she's going! Clearly she's only going for a few days, because her bag is what we call a "weekender." And I assume she's going somewhere warm-ish, because she's wearing sandals...

We might be able to learn more about her upcoming adventure if we peek into her bag?

Well, we can conclude that she likes black and white. And that she's going somewhere warm, and relatively casual. She won't be gone for too long...

And there's NO wrong way to put together an outfit from this travel ... View the Post

3 Capsule Wardrobes: Second Half of Six Paintings, 12 Months – June 2023

June 5, 2023

I can't quite get used to the idea that it's already June! Time will pass, regardless of our ability to keep up...

As I've quickly learned, this wardrobe, as with all of them, is pretty well-balanced in terms of functionality:

And arranging this particular wardrobe by color is sort of fun, but again doesn't show any big gaps or problems!

So our heroine just went shopping for some useful summer garments!

Our heroine truly feels that she is comfortably prepared for most things she needs to do - what a nice way to feel about one's wardrobe!

I love the richness of these accessories!

When our heroine gets home, she gets onto Skype with a couple of friends to show them her new ... View the Post