The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Start With a Scarf: Dark Pool by Elizabeth Blackadder

May 7, 2014

A couple of years ago, the National Gallery of Scotland held an exhibit of the works of Elizabeth Blackadder. I've been hard-pressed to find an actual picture of the painting from which this was drawn, but this is a great scarf, with some interesting possibilities.Today I've chosen to focus on the accent colors on one end of the scarf - the pastel apricot, rose and light blue, in order to see how they will work with the murky, sophisticated greyish green that dominates the scarf:

 

This sort of olive/grey shade is tough to find in clothing, but well worth seeking out if it appeals to you and is flattering - it has a depth that looks sophisticated, and lends itself well to a wide variety of garments.  And ... View the Post

Leveraging the Floral Trend: 1= 20

April 22, 2014

Once more, let's visit this beige and navy spring and summer wardrobe.   You're happy with this wardrobe - it provides appropriate and attractive options for pretty much every event in your life.  But you decide that you WANT something floral, just to participate in a current trend.  You love flowers.  You want a new tee shirt.  You just plain want to shop!   Keeping your color scheme in mind - either through carrying around some skeins of embroidery floss, or a photograph of your closet, or whatever mnemonic works best for you:  

  You stumble across this beauty in your shopping:  

    All your colors.  Floral.  It seems perfect... ... View the Post

More Wardrobe Leverage: 3 = 30

April 19, 2014  

Let's say that you are the happy owner of the 24 piece wardrobe in navy and beige that we've looked at for the last two days...  And you decide that you want a little bit of brightness for spring!The only real thing you want to keep in mind while shopping is the degree to which anything new that you choose can be worn with your core pants and sweaters.  A scarf that includes your core colors, along with a couple of pretty accent colors, is a good place to start.  Pick up a pair of tee shirts in the accent colors, and you're on your way!

At first, these don't see to be a particularly compatible choice for your original wardrobe:

  But in ... View the Post

How to Pack for Springtime in Paris: Navy and White, with Green

This was the A Femme d'un Certain Age on April 16th 2012, so the garments probably are no longer available. (but I'm pretty sure you can still customize a Longchamp tote on their website)  This is a big year for green and navy - I saw it everywhere in department stores in Chicago - so this look could be easily replicated if you fall in love.    

sunglasses – Paul Smith, navy and green clutch – Marc by Marc Jacobs, navy striped top – Closed, navy stone hoop earrings & navy flower earrings – Kate Spade, white short-sleeved button-front top – Kookai, wrap dress - DVF, navy silk tee Studio Nicholson, navy cardigan – John Smedley, navy capris – Weekend by Maxmara, flowered silk ... 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

Build a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting With Art: Shopping with a Van Gogh Seascape

February 19, 2014

What a gorgeous painting! And the colors are so perfect for warm weather... (of which I dream right now, as I watch the white-out snow storm outside my window...)

A few of you have expressed a concern about wearing light colors below the waist, and so for this wardrobe I'm going to avoid that. Also, I've been asked to include a maxi skirt in capsule wardrobes, so today I've found one!

A dark core of four - useful for most of the year, and an essential base upon which we're going to build this plan. Navy is so perfect for warm weather; if you're concerned about the colors matching, plan to buy all four items at once, and maybe from the same place.

Yes, this is the second grouping of four green garments ... View the Post

Start With Art: Jackpine by Tom Thomson

February 18, 2014   This painting has such gorgeous colors, and for a summer travel wardrobe the options are wonderful...   I'm starting with a core of four - I'm a really strong believer in the usefulness of having a core of neutral garments around which everything else can revolve.  The colors don't have to be dye-lot matched, but they should be chosen with an eye to being wearable together.  And getting your shoes taken care of frees you up to go just a bit wild later on in your second and third waves of shopping!    

   For summer, shorts and capris.  Then when you branch out into tee shirts, this painting gives you a wide variety of colors from which to ... 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 a “Difficult” Scarf: Black and White

January 22, 2014   This scarf, currently available from Hermes, is incredibly beautiful - much more interesting in person than any photograph can do justice...  

  But it's easy to see how you could fall into the routine of wearing this scarf pretty much exclusively with black and white garments - it just seems reasonable.  So I'm proposing a mental "reframing" of the scarf that might expand your comfort zone with it...   First off, think of the adjectives that characterize the unique beauty and appeal of this scarf.  To me, this scarf is clear, graphic, and linear.  This gives you a basis upon which to think about the sort of outfits that might benefit from the addition of this ... View the Post

Breaking All the Usual Packing Rules: Navy and Green

January 18, 2014

Normally, I've always suggested that you pack around a great travel outfit, and then a carefully selected travel capsule wardrobe of separates, chosen separately, all working together.

But what if you decided to pack outfits?  If you work from a unifying theme around which you choose all of your outfits, this is a very effective idea, which also has the benefit of helping you remember all of your important accessories!

For this example, I'm packing for someone who LOVES the combination of blue and green, and who has a variety of clothes and accessories which reflect this.  The trip starts somewhere relatively cool, but will include some warmer weather activities, and a dressy dinner for a special ... View the Post

Building a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: MacCallum Lake by Lawren Harris

January 15, 2014   I'd never heard of this artist until just a few days ago, but I'm so delighted to have been introduced to his work. This painting made me look for warm textury shades of russet and rust, as well as wavy misty greeny/bluey tan clouds in the sky. Basically I made up some words, but the potential within this painting is amazing.  

  I love the range of possibilities offered when you look at these outfits as separates, combined into a wardrobe...  

  love, Janice ... View the Post