The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Wearing a Classic Burberry Scarf All Year: July through December

January 17, 2014   Let me explain a bit of the "step by step" of how I would envision the use of a scarf as a unifying theme within a wardrobe.  Starting with July - let's say you've decided that you want to get an entire new outfit in July, and you want to exercise the discipline implied by using a single scarf as your inspiration. You're working with four colors, and an overall sensibility and aesthetic of right angles, with woven textures.   July = hot, in the Northern Hemisphere.  But it also means work for many of us, so a dress is the plan.  You spot something solid red, in the world's most forgiving silhouette, so that choice is pretty straightforward.  But you don't want to add on red accessories; ... View the Post

Wearing a Classic Burberry Scarf All Year: January through June

January 16, 2014   These scarves are wildly popular, and I've been asked a couple of times if someone who loved them could use these colors as the basis of an entire wardrobe.  Camel, black, white, with accents of red?  What a wonderful idea...   Are we tired of seeing scarves, or art? I get lots of specific requests, but I've had one rather strongly-worded objection to these posts.  Since I write for you all, let me know what you think.  

  I thought that by the time warm weather rolls around, you're not going to wear the scarf all that often, but there's no reason to forego a touch of the traditional plaid on your tee shirt...  

    love, Janice

  ... View the Post

Petrol Black and White for Uncertain Weather: A 12-Pack for Mostly Warm Weather

December 16, 2013  

You probably remember that we started last Friday with a core of six garments that would be suitable for a long weekend, and then on Saturday, I expanded the capsule travel wardrobe to a 12-pack, for cooler weather.  Now I'm going to do basically the same thing, only oriented toward a much warmer visit...Again, six carefully-chosen garments:

Shorts - I like white, but you could easily choose black or petrol. A great printed tee shirt that includes all three of your colors. A beautiful fluid top in your accent color, and A skirt that combines your accent color and either of your neutrals. Another top - dressier than a tee shirt - that can be worn with either of your neutrals, and A ... View the Post

Petrol, Black and White: A Twelve-Pack for Uncertain, Mostly Cool, Weather

December 14, 2013  

 Yesterday we packed six garments, for a short week or long weekend, and for uncertain weather.

 Today, I'm assuming that we know our trip is going to be longer - up to two weeks or more, and that we know that most of our weather exposure is going to be colder. So in addition to the original six garments we packed, I'm adding six more carefully chosen items, and a few accessories.  The clothing items are chosen in pairs - sort of like adding outfits, but with an eye to being sure that we can use each item in a variety of ways.

Another pair of pants is very important in cool weather, so black jeans are my first addition. With the black cardigan, it's a long line of black that can have ... View the Post

Petrol, Black and White: A Six Pack for Uncertain or Changing Weather

December 13, 2013   Maybe the question I am asked most frequently - how do I pack when I'm not sure what the weather will be, or when I know that I'm going from cold to warm (or warm to cold) temperatures?   Things to keep in mind:

Avoid any garment that's overtly "one climate" - like a bulky cable knit sweater, or a filmy linen tunic. Try as much as possible to choose what you pack from that middle-ground of transitional clothes.  Consider:

merino sweaters (or cotton, or silk, or a blend of these), cotton blouses and tee shirts, pants in flat finish fabrics like crepe, twill or gabardine, and dresses that can be layered under a sweater or worn alone.

Plan around a color scheme that will be ... View the Post

Casual Packing: The “Triple Top” Secret

October 29, 2013   Here are a couple of examples of how my Triple Top Secret selection of tops can work for a really casual trip (or just a day to day wardrobe).  First, I started with a cool flowered shirt, got really gutsy and tossed in a striped tee shirt, and worked from there.  Yes, I would wear the stripes and the flowers together...  

I realized after working with this idea for a while that there are, in fact, two "triples" inherent in this idea:

 

  Yes, the button-front shirt is critical!  A shirt that can both be worn as a jacket or 2nd layer, but also layered under a sweater or sweatshirt, is key.  

    Here's an example of how this can work with some ... View the Post

Capsule Wardrobe Project 333 for a new season – shifting white tops

Another gradual change for my Project 333 wardrobe - the white tee shirt will give way to a simple white blouse. If you haven't had luck purchasing a button-front shirt, I can't encourage you enough to continue to try them on from time to time. Companies continue to tweak their cuts, and it's very possible that you will be able to find one that fits you perfectly. When I did my gig working in the bakery last year, I had to wear a white shirt EVERY DAY, and I found that Lands' End made petite styles that fit me as if made to measure. Now that I own FIVE of them, they are definitely going to get rotated into my fall and winter wardrobe.

And they're ideal for wearing scarves...

White Shirts for Cool Weather

Outfits with a white ... View the Post

Packing for Special Occasions: A Floral Coat, and Flower Colors

July 10, 2013

Sometimes, you have to travel for a special event to a place where the days are warm, but the evenings can be quite cool. This is a perfect opportunity to invest in an astonishingly beautiful coat, which gives you lots of colorful options around which to build a travel capsule wardrobe.

Regarding the question about the handbag color? I personally would always opt for a metallic when I'm not sure of what color. Not a blindingly shiny gaudy metallic - something more subtle and muted, in the same general color range as the clutch shown here. I find that metallic are a lot easier to blend in with a variety of colors than anything else that I see.

love, Janice

PS - For more color inspiration, check out ... View the Post

When a White Shirt is PERFECT

Sometimes, a white shirt (tee shirt, tank top) is the ideal choice for an outfit...  First and foremost, if you love the way you're dressed, then you're wearing the perfect clothes, no matter what ANYBODY else says.  In hot weather, when you're wearing other light-colored garments, or when you need the brightening effects of white near your face.And you do understand that "your" white might be ecru, or cream, or ivory, or some other variations of white?  Choose what's best for you.  Always. Every day.  Without exception.  Your happiness is really the only standard by which your garments should be evaluated.

The lighter-background tee shirt is much more in keeping with the feeling of the white jeans. ... View the Post

When White Shirts Fail

June 28, 2013   White shirts are an absolute classic, right?   Everybody should own one.   Everybody should pull it out and wear it whenever they're in doubt about what to wear.   Uhhhh - I don't quite agree. Yes, there are times and places where a white shirt is the most appropriate choice - a conservative job interview, for example. But many of us, on a day to day basis, might be better flattered to wear tops that are closer in color to our pants or skirts -  if not a solid color, then a darker background. See what you think...   Belovedest and I saw this woman a couple of days ago, and he asked me why she seemed  so out of proportion - the woman in question is actually tall and thin. Her white ... View the Post

Chic Sightings: White

June 27, 2013   As soon as the weather warms up, white clothes are a common choice, even in Chicago. I personally would be more likely to go out naked than to wear white - especially a white dress, but I admire many of these choices. They bring a freshness to summer, and color to the streets.   And note that there are, indeed, a pair of leggings in the mix here.  Worn, modestly, with a tunic that covers all of the anatomically graphic bits...  

Pink cardigan – L.K.Bennett, Earrings-Shanny Alon,  White pique dress- Damsel in a dress,  Pink ballet flats-Ras, White sheath – Dorothy Perkins, Purple belt – Ralph Lauren, Purple tote – Lacambra,  Purple jacquard sandals – ... View the Post