beige Archives - Page 24 of 31

I Want to Dress Like an Empire-Style Hotel Room

April 9, 2014

This is a typical room in the Hotel des Grands Hommes, in Paris. The colors and the details in this room can inspire a beautiful wardrobe. The colors words that I focused on were taupe, beige, camel, apricot, slate, gold, copper and bronze. I was looking for soft, patterned, draped and refined looks...

The striped colors of the headboard drew my eye to this sweater - it's softness confirmed my choice. And the combination of apricot and charcoal with a detailed scarf were irresistible.

I loved this coat, and the ornate flats appealed.... and the draped tunic dress, with warm tobacco leather leggings and metallic ballet flats are a ... View the Post

How to Pack for Springtime in Paris: Beige with a Touch of Blue

This originally appeared on A Femme d'un Certain Age in April 2012... as will all posts this week, the individual items may no longer be available, but the concept of the organization still holds true.

beige metallic cardigan – Vanessa Bruno, gold stud earrings – Roberto Coin, Trench coat – A.P.C., scarf (Early American) – Hermès, ivory tee – Precis, pants – Ralph Lauren, suede loafers – Tod’s, tote bag - Gucci

Sunglasses – Prism London, Beige tank – MICHAEL Michael Kors, v-neck sweater – Miu Miu, gold hoop earrings – Khleo, cashmere cardigan – Patagonia, printed dress - DVF, capris – Miu Miu, bracelet – Oscar de la Renta, cotton twill ... View the Post

How to Pack for Springtime in Paris: Neutrals with Texture

Since these images were created over a year ago, the products are rather unlikely to still be available, but the idea holds true... The original post was at A Femme d'un Certain Age, April 2012.

Cream wool cardigan – Paul Smith, black pearl and diamond stud earrings – Blue Nile, Black knit pants – DonnaKaran, back cashmere scarf – Barneys New York, tee shirt – Dorothy Perkins, Trench –- Day Birger et Mikkelsen, bag – Marc by Marc Jacobs, loafers - Asos

Sunglasses- Ray-Ban’s, Printed silk tee – Michael Michael Kors, stars tee shirt – Mulberry, brass & pearl bracelet –Lanvin, white tee shirt – MTWTFSS, Crinkle fabric skirt – Proenza Schouler, striped tee – Saint ... View the Post

I Love Ornate Details…

March 13, 2014 Maybe your living room looks like this... Okay, maybe your dream living room looks like this!

But like so many of us, you have a simple wardrobe that works for your everyday life:

But if you pay attention to the details, you can incorporate that style that you love into your everyday outfits. A touch of lace, a bit of muted floral, and some silk in the place of where many of us would wear cotton.

So you have quite a few outfits that are still very low-key, appropriate for your life, but still include that touch of luxe that warms your heart.

Keep to the same philosophy for your accessories - ... View the Post

I Want to Dress Like a Chalet…

March 11, 2014 These kinds of rooms are really popular, and many of you wanted to know if this whole feeling or sensibility can be conveyed in a wardrobe.

What can we take from this photo and those of similar rooms that will help us make informed choices about what to add to our neutral wardrobe? Words that I immediately identified included wood, bone, beige, ivory, ethnic and Native America prints, warm textures, tone-on-tone layering. Starting with this base wardrobe:

Three garments that aren't a really wild stretch, but that start expressing your taste:

Lots of easy ways to wear these...

Add in some ... View the Post

The Vivienne Files FAQ: What if I Don’t Wear Black?

March 3, 2014 I knew this would be the next question - what if I don't wear black? You have all of the rest of the spectrum from which to choose, but realistically, grey, navy, brown or tan/khaki are the most obvious other options from which to choose. Let's try the same exercise as before, but with warm colors. Say you at least know that you prefer mostly warm hues - and these are your favorite recent purchases:

There's no outfit to be worn from these four - it just simply isn't possible for most of us to put together an ensemble here. But if you started with a basic core of neutral clothes in warmer tones (except for jeans, which are sort of the ultimate neutral):

Then you ... View the Post

Start with Art: From Mount Darling by Peter Simpson

February 28, 2014 So this is your dream:

And maybe this is your current reality:

All the more reason you should consider shopping your dream, and at least wrapping your immediate self (i.e. your body) in the calm, soft, organic and tranquil colors of which you dream. Start small - a simple silk tunic that can be worn with any pair of pants you own... This tunic, all on it's own, could raise your spirits for a few days! Maybe some blue shoes, or a bag. And your next pair of jeans could certainly be green rather than something more predictable and conformist...

So many shades of blue from which to choose - but you don't really have to choose! ... View the Post

Start With Art: An Interior from Architectural Digest

February 25, 2014 This photograph was sent to me as a suggestion for a wardrobe - and what a great idea. This photograph prompted, in me, ideas of wood, stone, natural fabrics and textured fabrics. While I'm going to start with mostly colors in the beige/brown/grey families, there are definite hints here of green, blue and orange that would be great accent colors here.

Another question I've been asked is about the possibility of purchasing garments one at a time, so this is something we're going to try here. And the idea of not matching colors exactly - the colors in this wardrobe (with one exception) won't be identical matches... So here we go! First off, wouldn't you like to be sitting ... View the Post

Start with Art: Abstract by Nicolas de Stael

February 15, 2014 This beautiful work is Abstract, by Nicolas de Stael, and these cool, subtle colors are amazing for the upcoming summer. First, I'm looking for a neutral from within this painting. If you're comfortable wearing white, or if you have a good relationship with your dry cleaner, I would start with the crisp clarity of white for the initial four summer garments. Sandals that pair white with silver, and some silver loafers, might be all the change you need to update your existing wardrobe in this direction. If you're nervous about wearing this much white, substitute the deepest petrol blue...

If you've got budget and ambition to add to this summer wardrobe, look to the cool ... View the Post

Six Days of a Navy Suit

February 7, 2014 Many people ask me about what to do with their interview suit after they've interviewed... so I'm going to show a week of work attire that uses your suit as separates. Just as the daily crossword puzzles become more difficult during the week, these outfits become progressive more casual... Two notes: (1) I'm working with a palette of navy, grey, beige, pink and white. (2) I'm going to show the same shoes repeatedly, just to emphasize the utility of a few pair of good shoes, rather than my usual unique shoes for each outfit. Monday is our dressiest option - use your suit jacket over a contrasting dress, or use your skirt as a base for a tweed jacket and silk ... View the Post

Start With… a Plate? A Great Blue, Green and Beige Idea!

February 1, 2014 One of the best questions I've ever received... One of my friends really loves this plate, and wondered if it would be a good basis upon which to choose clothes. Heck, if you can use a painting, you can surely use a beautiful piece of pottery... Look for beautiful shades of blue and green, with beautiful soft white (or brown) neutrals...

love, Janice

... View the Post

Start With Art: The Breakfast Room by Childe Hassam

January 30, 2014 My life - wardrobe-wise - is now an interesting contrast between being in gym clothes, or leisure clothes, for much of my time, and then every now and then I have to look like I belong in a business meeting or a dinner party... Apparently I'm not at all alone, because many people have asked me about how to have a coherent wardrobe strategy when you dress for such a wide variety of activities. So I chose one of the very beautiful paintings suggested to me, and went to work. This painting is an innovative combination of accent colors, some interesting asymmetry, and a wide range of grey through beige and taupe neutrals. First up - the gym! Being able to use grey as a neutral is ... View the Post