The Vivienne Files - Page 83 of 262 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Have You Ever Had Your Portrait Painted?

May 13, 2019

I have, a lot, years ago. When I worked in a bookstore, I moonlighted at an Art Center, as a model... It was nice to be paid in cash, but it was quite a lesson in sitting quietly!

I've been ill - fibromyalgia has eaten up quite a bit of my time... But I didn't want you to wake up Monday morning without something pretty on The Vivienne Files!

So I'm sharing some Giovanni Boldini paintings with you...

They may not be your style, but there's no denying that these women have their personal image sorted out. Can you imagine how long it might take to decide what to wear for such a project?

I want to be the Countess de Janville when I grow up - I've got the curly hair!

My ailments tend to only last a few ... View the Post

Do You Have Enough Clothes?

May 10, 2019

Unless you're reading this naked, the answer is probably yes...

So then why do we keep buying clothes? Boredom? A need for variety? Dissatisfaction with what we currently own?

It's a question that we could think about for a long time...

But let's hypothesize, eh?

Start with a painting; a... difficult painting...

So when do you struggle to get dressed? For work?

Maybe it makes sense to pull together a tiny cluster - 5 garments and 7 accessories? - that will give you lots of possibilities. You have to be really disciplined about buying simple, classic pieces that are versatile, but they don't have to be utterly boring:

It might take you a few months to get all of this purchased (or found in your ... View the Post

April Showers Bring May Flowers…

May 8, 2019

And sometimes, flowers are what inspire you to update your warm-weather wardrobe...

Many of us have a pretty decent core wardrobe to carry us into the warm weather...

Many people could get through quite a bit of the summer with just these 9 garments - especially if you have to dress for work every day, and this is your leisure wardrobe.

But maybe you want to brighten up your core wardrobe with some pretty colors?

Even just one "French 5-Piece Wardrobe" in an accent color can give you quite a few new outfit options:

Maybe you're in the mood for orange?

Lace is fun for summer - not insanely dressy, just a pretty way to update a tee shirt...

The nice thing about getting a ... View the Post

Adding to a Starter Wardrobe in Black, Grey, Brown and Pink

May 6, 2019

When we left our heroine on Friday, she had assembled a small, but quite versatile, core wardrobe with 11 garments:

From here, our heroine's choices will depend on what she most needs for her day-to-day life, as well as making certain that she's prepared for those dressy occasions that catch one off guard. It is for the latter that I always suggest that ALL of us have a "nice" outfit in reserve. While you certainly can substitute pants for this skirt, if you're absolutely NEVER going to wear a skirt, for most of us this next outfit will come in handy more often than we might expect...

And we are kind of long overdue for getting this heroine a good jacket! The nice thing with this length of trench coat is that it ... View the Post

I Don’t Know Where to Start my Wardrobe…

May 3, 2019

I've been asked this a couple of times in the last few days - what do I do when I really have no idea where to start with my wardrobe?

Years ago I tried to think of how one could start a wardrobe from scratch; I think that my ideas might still be useful...

First up, I want our heroine to have some unifying inspiration to get her started; she's not stuck with this for the rest of her life, but it will at least help her focus her initial choices:

I can't emphasize this idea of mine enough - if you struggle to get dressed, make certain that you have a really GOOD, basic, neutral pair of pants. No studs, no embroidery, nothing that will make it difficult to wear your pants with all kinds of things...

And shoes. ... View the Post

May 2019 – 12 Months, 12 Outfits – Based on 6 Hermes Scarves

May 1, 2019

I was fascinated to see how much these wardrobes became versatile this month; when a wardrobe gets to about 10 garments or so it seems to be the critical mass...

So this is your "dial-up warning;" there are lots of images here!

Here's the first scarf and color palette:

As always, I'm assembling simple outfits with timeless garments that can be worn through the summer, and can be mixed in with other items in a wardrobe...

I so easily could travel with this:

This heroine's new garments are quite versatile...

Would this be a fun color palette for someone with greying hair? I find this idea very tempting...

A pretty tank top is such an easy way to brighten things up...

This ... View the Post

Spring Updates? Or Maybe Mother’s Day?

April 29, 2019

I'm not good with dates - I forget birthdays (except my own, and Belovedest's), if we hadn't got married on the 1st day of Spring I would struggle with our anniversary, and let's not even get started on the holidays that changes dates every year!

But Mother's Day in the US is coming up soon... If you're still lucky enough to buy gifts for this occasion, it's time to give it some thought!

And yes, your mother would want you to have something pretty too...

If your wardrobe could use a bit of freshening up, a new accent color for warm weather is a fun option to consider; for this post, I just found cardigans that I liked, and then built around them. A pretty cardigan over a neutral outfit ALWAYS makes things feel new ... View the Post

Packing Small for a Group Trip – Warm Weather Ideas

April 26, 2019

Oh my... She knows that she's going to have a good time, but she's also a little bit concerned about the logistics of traveling with so many friends...

Mostly, it's about luggage! Everybody has been instructed that they can bring ONE 22 inch suitcase, and a carry-on bag that's small enough that they can hold it on their lap for at least an hour. That's pretty specific.

So she suggests the following thoughts to her friends:

She has also given some thought to what her friends should consider when they're choosing what to pack. It might be over-managing, but she thought that it might be useful if everybody was on the same page, so to speak...

Her personal travel outfit? Her favorite warm-weather standards, ... View the Post

April Travel: Start with Art – Madame Leon Clapisson by Renoir

April 24, 2019

Ah, our heroine the opera singer! Remember her from back in January?

She's not the star, but she channels her inner diva quite well!

Most of the time, she's in a costume, so she doesn't need to pack a lot... This week, she's off to her favorite city, to finish up the "regular" opera season with a role in 1 of her favorites. She's had a good season...

This is her inspiration, in so many ways!

She realized long ago that she's made to wear dresses and skirts! So she focuses on navy dresses, with cardigans, jewelry, and scarves to add that bit of drama and femininity that she loves so much... (she was BORN to be an opera singer...)

She loves working with such a neutral, almost predictable base in her ... View the Post

April Travel: Start with Art – The Bounds of the Intellect by Paul Klee

April 22, 2019 Warmth She's has reddish-brown hair for most of her life. And freckles. And warm brown eyes. All her life, she's been happy to dress in a quiet, subdued way that accents her coloring. Sometimes, she dresses to match herself! And other times, she chooses subtle greys that contrast perfectly with her overall warm appearance.

When she saw this painting, she knew she had a winner! It even includes accents of orange, which she's never tried, and a deep maroon red, which she loves for her nails and lips:

She knows that people don't wear a lot of brown in big cities... And they never seem to wear brown at the home office. But given that her offices don't HAVE a dress code, she's not concerned. She's going to show up for ... View the Post

April Travel – Start with Art: Verre et Paquet de Tabac by Juan Gris

April 19, 2019

Remember our heroine who helps non-math types learn to work with data and statistics? She's on the road again!

She likes structure, and clear-cut plans. She was wise enough to realize that she would NEVER find clothes in this "wet cardboard" color, so she substituted her favorite bright yellow/gold for the beige... This is her inspiration:

She likes bright, and cheery, and she's happy to hold the attention of her "students" while she's persuading them that numbers will not hurt them...

Because she works for an advertising agency, she doesn't have to get super dressed up, but she always likes to have something with her to look businesslike. You never know when office managers and assorted executives might ... View the Post

Start with a Bracelet – The April monthly bracelet from Fierce Lynx Designs!

April 17, 2019

Why yes, I am buying this one NOW...

These are colors in which I can (and do!) live...

Summer Long Weekends... In the United States, there are 3 "built-in" long weekends during the summer - Memorial Day, at the end of May, the 4th of July, and Labor Day, at the end of August. Clever women manage to sneak in 1 or 2 more...

This heroine and her family have decided that they're going to take a handful of "medium-sized" road trips this summer and see some attractions within a 4-hour drive of home.

It's going to be a treat, though - they've committed to hotels with pools, and at least 1 good restaurant nearby!

And so our heroine is putting together her travel wardrobe for ALL OF THESE TRIPS... ... View the Post