The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

The Vivienne Files - Page 21 of 262 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Year 2 – Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Rikka – Beginning of Summer

May 12, 2023

Is it beginning to feel like summer where you are? (assuming Northern Hemisphere, of course; I know that some of you are moving headlong into autumn and winter!)

Chicago has finally warmed up; now that I have looked at warm weather clothing for a few days, I think we need to consider adding accents - maybe prints? - to our wardrobes...

The first interesting accent that caught my eye was this cognac sparkle tee. Sparkle! Cognac! What's not to love?

for all of us who are short-waisted (i.e. the distance from our neckline to our waist is shorter than the distance from our waist to our hipline), cropped tops might be just the right length!

the leaves on trees around here seem to have appeared ... View the Post

Start With a Skirt: black & white gingham linen

May 10, 2023

It's easy to look at a garment and think that you know how to wear it - we are, after all, adults. Mostly.

But it's easy to lose sight of possibilities; one of you is quite smitten with this skirt, but wasn't sure that there were enough options to make it worth including in her wardrobe.

Let's think...

This is the skirt - it's easy to see the appeal, if you're among the "black & white" crowd!

Let's start with the obvious - a white sweater, black & white jewelry, and a very modern pair of two-tone flats:

Similarly, a black sweater, bag and flats are easy choices. Adding pearls and shiny earrings help balance out the lightness and print of the skirt:

Any white blouse could be worn ... View the Post

Second Half of Six Paintings, 12 Months – May 2023

May 8, 2023

Let's see what our second trio of heroines has been up to!

The first has decided that she would like to own something sort of like a suit, so she finds a cardigan/blazer and pants that match. She can't resist the Liberty print shirt - it goes with so much of her wardrobe!

This is her wardrobe now; it might not suit many of us, but I can see this on the right woman...

Her accessories are a soft and feminine delight:

Her new outfits show that even an unusually light and delicate wardrobe can be versatile:

Our second heroine made a pretty big decision about her wardrobe this month!

The main character in her inspiration painting is wearing what appears to be a pretty dark purple coat. ... View the Post

Wardrobe of the Week: April 30 – May 6, 2023

May 7, 2023

A doctor appointment, a couple of long walks through the city and a couple more long walks through the parks near our home to admire the flowers. Maybe next week, with the promised arrival of warm weather, I will wear more linen and less wool... Not that I don't like wool in warm weather - it's surprisingly comfortable...

love, Janice ... View the Post

First Half of Six Paintings, 12 Months – May 2023

May 5, 2023

Our heroines are branching out - their lives are different from each other, and their wardrobes will also be different... Seems obvious, except for those times when we're all told to get a beige trench coat, or a little black dress...

Our first heroine is experiencing some REALLY warm weather, interspersed with days when it pours rain and is chilly!

She decided to just forget about the cool interludes, and jumped onto a beautiful warm-weather outfit in soft shades of green and blue:

She doesn't have a third of her wardrobe in each of the 3 colors, but this still feels balanced:

And her accessories are spot-on! How fun to find the perfect light blue sandals...

As always, her new clothes bring her ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: King Charles III Coronation

May 3, 2023

Regardless of your feeling about royalty, or coronations, let's suspend judgment and enjoy this beautiful scarf!

Shamrocks, daffodils, roses and thistles!

And you KNOW how nice the scarves are from PJ Studio Accessories...

I decided that our heroine is going to use navy as her packing neutral, and draw all of her accents from her lovely scarf:

A Dilemma, of Sorts... Our heroine's still not sure how long she will be able to travel for the Coronation - at this point, she may only be able to be away for 1 night!

And we don't have to assume that she's going to London - there will be lots of places where she could meet up with friends, watch a lot of festivities on television, and then celebrate around ... View the Post

Nothing today, but Wednesday will be great!

May 1, 2023

I don't know if it's flu or just a really impressive dose of fibromyalgia, but I'm sleeping all the time, and when I'm awake I feel like someone beat me with a shovel...

Okay, I've never been beaten with a shovel; this is what I imagine it might be like!

Here's a wee preview of Wednesday's post - generated using Artificial Intelligence on neural.love. AMAZING...

love,

Janice ... View the Post

Wardrobe of the Week: April 23 – 29, 2023

April 30, 2023

Two days out - two blazers with brooches! End of the week was quiet, as I'm wrestling with something - maybe flu? In April?

I'm going to try to assemble all of the clothing that I've worn since I finished the "1 Dress, 100 Days" challenge last autumn; it will be fascinating to see what got worn a ton (like my blazer from 4, or my three shirts from them?) and what never got out of my closet...

love,

Janice ... View the Post

Accessory Families – Adding a Fresh Color for Warm and Cool Weather

April 28, 2023

It's fascinating to me that one can buy a cashmere sweater any month of the year, but it offers us an interesting wardrobe-planning option.

Think of this: you choose a color that you'd like to add to your wardrobe - maybe a bright or pastel accent, maybe a new neutral.

Over the next 6 months, you gradually add things to your wardrobe, and by the time autumn comes (or spring, depending on what hemisphere you call home!) you will have an accessory family in your new color!

Maybe you already own a piece or two in your color; I'm thinking of doing some deliberate shopping to get more mileage out of my purple cashmere crewneck sweater!

One really excellent item per month is a much easier way to ... View the Post

Year 2! Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Kokuu – Grain Rain

April 26, 2023

Why yes, 2 seasons in 3 days! It's sort of like living in Chicago...

(at least if you live with me, where being forgetful is a way of life!)

Given the scattered and disorganized way I'm living these days, I thought that a really simple, comprehensive little cluster of clothes might be something useful for me; I could open my closet and find clothes that I can wear for anything from warm to reasonably cold...

It's kind of like the stress dressing that I've addressed in the past; having enough ready any time, just in case you're suddenly invited out to lunch, or for a walk, or for a meeting with your tax preparer! (THAT is stress...)

If the weather is cool, a shirt, sweater, pants and closed ... View the Post

Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Seimei – Clear and Bright

April 24, 2023

Why yes, I've completely lost track of time; you should HEAR what I did to my mother, getting confused about an appointment and wandering around the city for HOURS... Sigh...

But let's visit this season, literally a day before I get to THE NEXT season. It's a good thing that I work for myself, eh?

Here in Chicago, we're betwixt and between - some VERY warm days were followed immediately by snow... It's hard to know what one will need from week to week...

But I think that (once your warm weather clothes are sorted through and ready to go) many of us might be wise to purchase just ONE complete outfit to wear through the spring and summer. 

After you've taken a good hard look at what you DO have ... View the Post