The Vivienne Files - Page 36 of 262 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Start with Nature: The Spinning Pulsar of the Crab Nebula

August 29, 2022 Staying at the Observatory Until the Autumnal Equinox

There are all kinds of interesting things to observe and photograph near the equinox; she's going to stay until then, to have everything ready!

She will be alone most of the time, and it will get quite cool before she comes home...

So she starts her small travel wardrobe with some warm things, in the navy of the night sky:

There's laundry in the housing facility at the base of the tower, so she doesn't need much at all for clothing; these 9 pieces will go a long way!

But she realizes that if she takes a few more shirts and sweaters, she won't have to do laundry as often! So she turns to one of her favorite recent astronomy ... View the Post

I’m So Sorry…

August 26, 2022

I don't have a post ready for today - other obligations have kept me far from my desk!

But have you looked recently at my "Start with Art" page?

You can scroll through and see ALL of the art that's been used on The Vivienne Files, with a link to the relevant blog post!

If you see something that we should revisit, please let me know!

Except Edith and the Kingpin; I think I've exhausted their story...

love,

Janice

p.s. Seven years ago, Mark Rothko's "Light, Earth and Blue" was our inspiration... ... View the Post

Start With Art: Winter Solstice by Dame Barbara Hepworth

August 24, 2022

It seems a bit premature to be looking at art entitled Winter Solstice, but our heroine loves pastels!

She doesn't much care what anybody else wears - she's not interested in dark colors! She feels beautiful in pink, and lovely in sky blue...

The core of her wardrobe for cooler weather is gray, with a bit of denim and chambray tossed in for practicality:

please note - everybody's "Common Wardrobe" will be different - what I'm looking for are the core, neutral garments that form the base for the more expressive and statement garments and accessories in our wardrobes.

On those days, our heroine knows that she doesn't have to look any farther than these 9 pieces to get her dressed and out the ... View the Post

Start with Art: A Mother’s Love: The Polar Bear Family by Jason Carter

August 22, 2022

She loved his art the first minute she saw it! The clarity, simplicity, beautiful colors - all of it!

And she knew that this painting would be useful in helping her focus her ever-shrinking wardrobe:

She knows that the core of her wardrobe will be black, white and denim - this painting seems just right!

She start her autumn wardrobe planning with A Common Wardrobe. It's not called "common" because the clothes are cheap or run of the mill - it's called common because these are clothes that a LOT of people have in common!

That's a good thing - you can easily find them, they fit in easily when you're not sure what to wear, but best of all, the serve as a neutral background for whatever accents you wish to ... View the Post

Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Shosho – Limit of Heat

August 19, 2022

This upcoming season promises "limit of heat," which would be welcome in much of the world!

If you love red and black, you will soon be able to bundle up, and include your favorite witch scarf! (note that if you fold this scarf at all, nobody will be able to see the witch; but if you wear it somewhat like a cape, she will be visible in all her amusing glory!)

If you struggle to find a scarf that you love, don't forget to check the men's departments. I don't know WHY some scarves are strictly for men, and others for women; men's are often less expensive, and can be very beautiful!

Early autumn, when the trees are beautiful, and the leaves are still MOSTLY on the trees and not on the ground!

I ... View the Post

Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Risshū – Beginning of Autumn

August 17, 2022

Here in Chicago we felt it yesterday - that sense that autumn is coming. We all know that there will be sweltering days ahead, but we were reminded...

For me, that early cool day reminds me that I might want to check my wardrobe for upcoming autumn weather. This is a good time to start looking for the accent cashmere sweater that you will wear every week for six months, the scarf that you will cherish for years to come, or the warmer trousers that you need to replace the ones that you've worn to pieces this last few years...

Even if you live somewhere that doesn't get a lot of snow, you might still need a warm outfit or two!

This leaf perfectly conveys where we are, right now!

When I was ... View the Post

Version 4 – Start with a Scarf: The Ghan by Un Poco

August 15, 2022

This is a slightly more extravagant wardrobe than the first 3... and note that if you're looking for accent colors, Benetton always carries plenty! Back to School - Not in THIS Climate!

She has the longest drive - they live a long way south of the University...

Her friends are always eager to see how she's managing a "real" autumn - she struggles with socks, and when they first met, she hadn't brought any sweaters with her!

She's charming, feminine, and great fun!

She confesses that she loves "having" to buy corduroy pants, and a cashmere sweater! If there's a temporary cold spell where she lives, she at least has something to wear for a day or two...

Four VERY different ... View the Post

Version 3 – Start with a Scarf: The Ghan by Un Poco

August 12, 2022 Back to School - She Wishes!!!

She's the youngest of the 4, both in age and in spirit! When she pulled off her cap, they were delighted to see purple highlights in her hair!

editor's note: if you're considering adding bright highlights to your hair, I STRONGLY recommend Punky Color. I've been using all of the various shades of purple (plum, purple, violet) for years, and it's easy, mess-less, and actually good for your hair! If you're going to have white hair that takes dye well, you might as well take advantage of it...

She's still raising younger children, so she rarely dresses up. She loves this trip each year, because she can pull out her "good" pants, and her floral blouse!

Of course her ... View the Post

Version 2 – Start with a Scarf: The Ghan by Un Poco

August 10, 2022 Back to School, Indeed!

That morning, when they got up to load the car, it was pouring...

Happily, anybody old enough to go to college is old enough to pack their many worldly good into the car!

But she wore boots, just in case...

She was even able to delegate the driving to her eager (and very competent) child! The boots came in handy when they stopped for coffee...

She's really looking forward to seeing her friends again - meeting up with them and having a lot of fun takes away the sting of leaving a dearly loved child far away...

She heard that a really nice restaurant opened during the summer, so she took the initiative to make reservations for the 4 of them. They always go out for nice ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: The Ghan by Un Poco

August 8, 2022 College-Bound!

Not her! Oh, not anymore... but it's time to move offspring into the dorm - a long-ish drive, and some time sitting by the car while the young people move their stuff!

The best part of this trip is meeting up with the parents of other students; she's become close friends with 3 other women who make the same trip every year!

They've gotten in the habit of staying over in town for a couple of days whenever they make this trip - they are close to their kids if they find that something has been forgotten! (that's their excuse...)

But it also gives the 4 of them time to catch up, do a bit of sightseeing (college towns always have cool museums, fun coffee shops, and lots of interesting ... View the Post

Part 3 August 2022: Six Scarves, 12 Months

August 5, 2022

I really like doing these monthly wardrobes in 3 posts, rather than 1 REALLY large post. You can imagine how much work goes into getting all six wardrobes ready, and I feel like taking my time over them gives me a chance to do a better job!

What do you think?

So let's look at the glorious hydrangea scarf... I love hydrangeas - the mix of colors in the blossoms delights me! My phone wallpaper is a photograph of mixed pink and blue flowers... sigh...

A navy blazer. It just seems like something that someone who loves navy might want to consider - especially if this heroine likes classic, timeless styles...

And if you're going to buy the blazer, buy the pants (and/or the skirt) while you're at it. Yes, it's a ... View the Post

Part 2 August 2022: Six Scarves, 12 Months

August 3, 2022

Have any of you done enough shopping that you can see the trends for this autumn?

I've seen tons of clogs. Literally tons. I know that they're very comfortable for people who work in hospitals, so I would assume that everybody might find them comfortable... Maybe if you need shoes, they are worth trying?

And someone, somewhere, put together a million miles of smocked fabric! Not the traditional smocking, like we used to do on gingham fabrics, where you would join together certain squares in the print with stitching to create beautiful patterns...

Nope - this smocking is machine stitched fabric that is gathered with elastic thread. There's nothing inherently wrong with this fabric, except that you can't swing a ... View the Post