The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

The Vivienne Files - Page 218 of 262 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

All about a RED coat…

Yesterday's post at A Femme d'un Certain Age was my use of one extraordinary coat, and seven garments from L.L.Bean, to put together 10 outfits...  It's best just to get in the habit of checking her blog every day; there's always something beautiful, interesting, thought-provoking, touching, or just plain funny in her world! ... View the Post

Capsule Wardrobe Spring 2013 Accent: “Tender Shoots” & A Common Wardrobe

February 20, 2013  

I've taken a different approach here, which I think might be an effective way to wear a color that you really LOVE, (or that you have to wear for purposes of work or social solidarity - think favorite sports team) but that isn't terribly flattering to you.  (if you look good in the color, live it up; you're an uncommon beauty!) 

Basically, I've concentrated the color in a pair of shoes, and a bracelet - two items that aren't going to have any opportunity to flatter or detract from your face, unless you're a contortionist.  Then a couple of prints or patterns that include moderate doses of the color in question, but which will bring the shoes and/or bracelet into your outfit with a ... View the Post

Sunk costs, Capsule Wardrobe Project 333, and a confession

February 16, 2013  

 

My tweed jacket isn't working. I bought it on sale (I should have known better!), and every time I wear it I feel... meh. Below par. Not on my game. Frumpy. I think you get the picture...So let's all think about this for a minute... my jacket is NOT the glorious Alexander McQueen pictured above, but let's say I paid $200 for the one that I have. That money is SPENT. GONE. In economic parlance, we call that a sunk cost.

There are now two possible "equations" for my life with this jacket:

(1) negative $200 spent on jacket + negative feelings wearing jacket = double negative (2) negative $200 spent on jacket + positive feeling wearing something else = neutral outcome

Piling onto a ... View the Post

Capsule Wardrobe Spring 2013 Accent: Linen & A Common Wardrobe

February 13, 2013  

Maybe it's my eyes, maybe it's my computer, but to me, this looks like a lovely pale pink. Back in the dark ages, when I was a wardrobe consultant at a department store in Des Moines (!), we used to advise EVERYBODY to buy a handful of tops in the same color as their blush.  A blouse, a tee shirt, a twinset, maybe a turtleneck - these colors can be worn with ANY neutral, and they were always flattering.  

But that was also at a time when there would always be an entire round rack of "house brand" blouses in every color of the rainbow, ditto for tee shirts and sweaters, somewhere in the store.  Now, you have to be an internet detective to find garments in varying shades of rose, pink, coral ... View the Post

More insights from The Colorist

February 12, 2013   While I don't know that any of us are in a position of completely revamping our wardrobes based on the insights from one book, I do think it's interesting to read and study things like this.  A greater understanding of one's own preferences and tastes can never truly be wasted...The first exercise in The Colorist (Shigenobu Kobyashi) is to choose 10 colors you like, and five colors you don't like:

 

Then you find these favorite colors on a full spectrum array, and determine if your color preferences are more for different shades of one color, or for different colors of a particular depth or intensity.  Yes, this is impossibly difficult to read... but on my computer, I can "right click" on ... View the Post