The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Accessories! Project 333 based on Morris Graves/Rain by Kay Russell

January 30, 2023

Just to refresh our memories after the weekend, our current heroine is working on a Project 333 wardrobe based upon this painting and color palette:

Her plan is to include 16 garments and 17 accessories in her 3 month plan; the clothing that she's chosen is here:

She's going to be logical about this, and work her way through an assortment of outfits, making certain that she includes the appropriate accessories for each...

Finding both earrings AND a scarf in her favorite dusty green is a small victory, I'd say!

She's going to slightly dress up with her vest - a stunning pearl brooch, and some pretty loafers will do the trick:

Something warm and casual is always useful!

Her favorite ... View the Post

Start with Art: Morris Graves/Rain by Kay Russell

January 27, 2023

This is her favorite painting:

She wants to tackle Project 333 for February, March and April! So she's starting with her favorite outfit, and with colors that she's drawn from her favorite painting.

Of course she can't include ALL of the colors in the painting; that would be overwhelming!

These were her choice:

And this is her favorite outfit, right now:

She tries to think of things that she ABSOLUTELY must wear through the rest of the winter - dark pants, and a denim shirt come to mind immediately:

Jeans? Heavens yes! And she really loves sweater vests, so she wants to include the vest that matches her blue cardigan:

There's no way she can omit her favorite outfit for outdoor ... View the Post

Start with Art: A Travel Capsule Wardrobe based on Two Geese in the Snow by Komori Soseki

January 25, 2023

Plenty of Firewood... She agreed to go up to the cabin for the weekend, with the understanding that (1) they would stop at the deli on the way out of town and get enough food, (2) there is enough firewood up there for at least 5 days, and (3) there are NO chores for her to handle!

Oh yes, and there are birds about...

In all fairness, she has 2 books she really NEEDS to finish in the next few days (for work!), so it's not all just hanging about reading gossip magazines...

She will, of course, walk outdoors from time to time, to catch some sun (if it's out!), visit with any animals that are about, and take a break from her work.

In addition to using a favorite painting as her inspiration, ... View the Post

Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Daikan – Major Cold

January 23, 2023

It's certainly cold enough, although I'd give quite a bit for some real snow...

I hope that it's safe to assume that we've all worked through all of the autumn and winter sales, and are more than ready to start thinking of Spring!

If you're difficult to fit, or picky, or wear an unusual size (especially shoes!), this is when you should start looking at your warm weather wardrobe. Having an entirely new outfit queued up for the first warm day is sensible AND fun...

This soft light camel can be worn with darker brown now, and with white later on:

Is this the year that you get yourself a great new spring jacket?

In winter, as in all seasons, the beauty sometimes lies in the details:

The ... View the Post

Accessories! Project 333 based on Composition by Ernest Mancoba

January 20, 2023

It's the 20th already? Holy chocolate-coated Buddha on a stick... So Far, So Good... Our heroine has her color scheme all sorted:

And she has all of her clothing (except for 1 piece - that's the bonus #33 item!) chosen, too:

At a minimum, I'm thinking that this heroine needs 3 pairs of shoes, a couple of bags, and some jewelry. Maybe a scarf or two...

The best way I've found to make sure that you have what you need - packing, or planning a Project 333 Wardrobe - is to work your way through a number of outfits and think about what you want to wear with the clothing.

She can't easily resist gold loafers, and a matching handbag...

A backpack is always handy - many of us have started carrying ... View the Post

Start with Art: Composition by Ernest Mancoba

January 18, 2023

She had always liked to wear ivory, bone, stone - those light, neutral colors.

And denim. ALWAYS denim...

So when she saw this:

She saw her color palette for the rest of the winter, right in front of her!

Although her favorite colors are lighter and brighter, she will include her black pants, at a minimum! Sometimes, you need dark pants...

To start, she pulls her 3 favorite outfits from her closet:

She realizes early on that she's not going to have a "Whatever's Clean" wardrobe - some of her clothes just aren't going to go together. That's fine, so long as the majority of her garments play nicely together and give her options...

An excellent pair of black pants are so ... View the Post

Start with a Bracelet: Winter’s Dawn by Fierce Lynx Designs

January 16, 2023 It was a beautiful sunrise...

The colors that they saw were subtle but stunning...

They turned to each other and agreed that if they saw ONE MORE sunrise over snow, they were going to lose their minds. 

They don't want to go to the beach, just someplace where it's warm enough not to wear boots and a parka!

It's a romantic long weekend - a bit early for Valentine's Day, but they are NOT people to be bound by that kind of thing!

Museums, some shopping, some nice but not posh dining. Maybe a movie...

Mostly, just time together. A chance to see their ankles on a regular basis. No hats!

Are you ready for a break from winter? 

I - personally - would LOVE to see some real ... View the Post

OOTD becomes WOW – Wardrobe of the Week!

January 15, 2023

I've realized that it makes no sense - NONE WHATSOEVER - for me to pretend to wear different outfits every day. Some days, I wear pajamas all day! Some days, I'm dressed in "real" clothes for only a few hours, in which case I very likely wear the same outfit the next day...

So what a more normal woman might present as Outfit Of The Day has become Wardrobe Of the Week. Yes, I'm cheating on the acronym because I love the idea of a WOW wardrobe!

You can't improve your wardrobe's efficiency, and suitability to your needs and preferences, if you don't know how you use your clothes - day by day or week by week.

Socratic wardrobe study!

love,

Janice ... View the Post

Analyzing the Six-Pack – Start with a Scarf: Royal Tulips by Katchmagic London

January 13, 2023

She's going to be really methodical about this...

And we are going to listen in to her brain, to see what we can learn...

First, she chooses her current favorite scarf as her inspiration, and then isolates what her accent colors will be:

Hmm... packing six garments and wearing 3 on the train/plane/bus means that she will have a total of 9 garments with her on her trip. She pictures it like this:

Her first outfit is straightforward - dark pants to avoid the mini-drama of spills. A warm cardigan that's pretty bulky to pack, so she chooses to wear it. And a bright tee shirt to bring color and life to her face...

She will almost certainly wear her inspiration scarf too!

Next, she chooses the ... View the Post

Start with Art: Waterfall by Morris Graves

January 11, 2023

Do you think maybe I'm drawn to green because I was sick, and green feels like renewal? Hmm...

  Not Blending In... She's going to the conference too. Not presenting, but she will be attentively listening, and taking notes, and learning...

She doesn't know for certain, but she thinks it possible that someone else from her corporation will be there. They probably don't know her, and she certainly doesn't know them!

Frankly, it doesn't matter. She's not attending this conference to meet and greet, or to grab some handle on some higher rung of the professional ladder.

She's just there to learn, and to meet interesting people. They don't have to be positioned to help her advance - she can ... View the Post