The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Accent a Navy and Stone wardrobe with Ultramarine Green & Samba

February 19, 2020

I thought that I'd try something slightly different with these most recent Pantone colors; start with a "2-Neutral" wardrobe base, and then add in 2 of the accent colors to pull together a 4 by 4 Wardrobe...

My theory (correct me if I'm wrong!) is that most of us have 2 neutrals in our wardrobes, and would like to have more than 1 accent color.

The only hesitation I have here is that there's no light neutral tee shirt or top; I'd be tempted to toss in a simple white tee and white button-front shirt into this wardrobe too!

Let's see how this works...

First up, the accent pieces in Samba:

A different heroine might want a red dress - why not? But this heroine is working now 3 days a week in an office ... View the Post

Revisiting A Start with Art: Winter Scene in Moonlight by Henry Farrer

February 14, 2020

A couple of my friends have asked me to revisit this color palette for spring and early summer - that transition time of year! It's not quite right for this snowy day in Chicago, but it's a beautiful daydream...

We first saw this heroine when she went on vacation at the farmhouse, in the dead of winter! Her wardrobe was then expanded into a true 16-piece "Four by Four" wardrobe. And THEN, our heroine added on some essential accessories to make this a more complete winter wardrobe...

Now, the weather is warming up at the farm - the tenant farming the land told her that she was seeing crocus and some daffodil sprouts! She's got to go up and investigate.

This is the painting that inspires her color ... View the Post

I Want a Different Pair of Pants…

September 6, 2019

When you focus on a color palette for your clothes and accessories, you spend money smarter, and you have a much more versatile and coherent wardrobe. But sometimes you might want something... different? Some variety? A change of pace?

I'm feeling that way these days... I'm happy wearing blue jeans, black pants, and the occasional pair of white linen shorts... but what could I add to my wardrobe that might be practical and useful?

This color is called "stone," and is a relatively cool color... So I thought about what other neutral colors could be worn easily with a pair of pants in this color...

If you already have your core sweaters, tee shirt and other pieces in your neutral colors, these pants fit in ... View the Post

September 2019 – 12 Months, 12 Outfits – based on 6 Hermes Scarves

September 4, 2019

My favorite post of the month! Although I love everything I give you, I must admit...

For new readers, the thesis is this: in January I choose 6 Hermes scarves from the new season, and then, for a year, I add a new outfit each month to six gradually growing and developing wardrobes. It's fascinating to see how the wardrobes evolve...

Even though the weather is still quite warm (in the Northern Hemisphere, that is!), this is honestly the time to start getting your fall and winter outfits together. The selection is best now, both for styles and sizes. And having these outfits ready for that first cold day gives you both a sense of security AND something to anticipate! (it's good to have something wonderful to ... View the Post

The Weekly Timeless Wardrobe, Week 5: Jeans or a Denim Bottom

July 29, 2019

I think it's about time we found something to wear below the waist, don't you think? For most of us, jeans or something similar seems the most logical place to start. When I was young, jeans were mostly for the young, and even up until about 5 years ago, when I traveled to Paris I seldom saw anybody over the age of 30 wearing jeans. But now? Jeans, in good condition - no holes, clean but not crispy pressed (no creases!) are seen on almost anybody...

As always, I have some thoughts about what to look for.... And as always, these are GUIDELINES, not hard-and fast rules. Nobody is entitled to tell you what to wear unless you're somewhere that requires a uniform. Otherwise, we're all on our own! (which makes building a ... View the Post

Start with Art: Red Pears by Helen Lundberg

July 12, 2019 It Finally Dawned on Her...

If she just carried her tote bag onto the plane, she could take the really cheap airline to visit her family. And since she visits them every few weeks, her savings could start to add up quickly! So she asked her mother if she could leave some clothes in the guest bedroom...

(no prizes for guessing the answer...)

So now, she can wear whatever appeals to her during her flight, and keep a stash of hot-weather clothes down there!

Her color palette is very muted, so she can wear the same things frequently and not be madly conspicuous. Not as if anybody in her family would ever notice, or comment!

For her current trip, this is what she will have at her disposal. ... View the Post

National Stripes Day? 10 Ways to Wear a Striped Skirt

June 21, 2019

I honestly don't know if National Stripes Day is anything more than a made-up thing by J.Crew to sell more striped things, but the idea amuses me...

So I saw this skirt and saw both the potential and the challenges:

These colors are lovely, but they're certainly not easy to find in the world of clothing...

Just to make things interesting - and tough - I'm sticking with the general structure that I used for the last skirt for which I conjured 10 Ways to Wear...

In warm weather, a denim jacket might seem odd, but in the world of excessive air conditioning and unpredictable weather, it might make sense. Right now, in Chicago, it's plenty cool enough to wear it!

A simple tee shirt is always such an ... View the Post

Start with Art: Persia by Helen Frankenthaler

May 31, 2019 Sun She had worked on the report for 3 months. But when she turned it in, she could still only see places where she wished that she had more time - she could have done so more!

So when she was called into the manager's office on Friday afternoon, she assumed that she was going to be given notice. She was pondering how to pack the things from her desk with the least disruption to the people around her...

Imagine her delight when she was praised for her efforts, given a hefty bonus, and told not to come back to the office for 10 days!

She's going somewhere warm. Just to sit outside, and maybe walk around a little bit. She wants to see birds swimming on a body of water, and watch little children ... View the Post

May Travel: Knitting a Stocking by Sir Francis Grant

May 20, 2019 She Could Scream... but it wouldn't help... She's supposed to visit a client, to help them choose which software, and for how many people, they will buy. But she's being given shockingly little direction about how to prepare! So she channels her inner calm knitting woman:

She was told that the office is very casual.

She was told that the office is casual, but that she needs dressy clothes to meet with executives.

She was told that it was always really warm in the office.

She was told that they run the air conditioning so high that it's like a meat locker there.

AGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

She can do this...

When she arrives, she's just going to stop by the office to drop off her laptop and some information ... View the Post

Start with a Bracelet – The May green and beige bracelet from Fierce Lynx Designs!

May 15, 2019

She knew immediately that it was just what she needed for her warm-weather wardrobe...

It suits her current color palette perfectly!

Why Don't You Come up For the Whole Week? She's GOT to finish the edits on her book. This week. By Friday. No jokes, no exceptions...

She had hoped to make it to her friends' home for the weekend...

It all seemed doubtful, until she picked up the call...

"Come up this evening and stay for the week; we've got electricity in the gazebo! You can sit out there all day, work, drink iced tea (until cocktail hour), and still be here to have dinner with us and spend the evening. The Wifi out there is better than in the house!"

Hmm... out of the sun, eating her ... 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

Can a “Color” be a Neutral? Start with Art: Double Vision 1974 by Edwina Sandys

March 22, 2019

Someone mentioned it a few days ago - if you plan well, you could use a "color" as a neutral. Of course I had to see how that might work!

And I've got a fondness for this artist's work, so it seemed an opportune time to use this as an inspiration for a very fun-loving heroine:

"If We All Chip In... We can rent the big house up at the shore... At least a handful of us could be there almost any weekend. And since it's so big, we can leave some things up there for the summer, so we could even go at the last minute!"

A compelling argument, and she agreed immediately. The chance to spend the weekends at the shore, instead of in the city, was pretty persuasive, and to spend that time with her friends made it even ... View the Post