The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

October 2021 Start with a Bracelet: The Fierce Clarity Bracelets

October 22, 2021 She Knows Why She's Going...

She hasn't traveled in forever. Well, almost 2 years. And her friends are surprised that her first choice destination is a "retreat spa..."

There's meditation. There's massage. There's long walks in an undeveloped woodland area. There's excellent food...

There's NO getting up at dawn for 5 hour meditation sessions.

There's NO limit on how much you may speak, or to whom.

There's NO requirement that you spend an hour a day every day in the kitchen peeling turnips, or other such things...

Yes, she's spent a lot of time alone, but she hasn't really taken time to pay attention to herself. NOW, that's her plan...

She's not at all sure what to pack - she's heard that ... View the Post

The Common Wardrobe in Navy and Ivory, accented with Potpourri pink

October 20, 2021

I'm been looking at the Pantone Spring 2021/22 colors; looking may be as far as I get with some of them - there are a couple of truly odd colors on this list!

But we can always start with a neutral wardrobe core, and then use one of the more accessible of the colors for accent, right?

This version of The Common Wardrobe is not a long way from the original, shown below. The jeans are unchanged, the knit pants, long-sleeved tee and cashmere turtleneck are navy rather than black.

For other garments, I tried to stick with the original role that the garment played - 2nd layer, top, bottom - and then looked for a navy or ivory version, in a "long over short" option.

Today's heroine has been wearing her navy ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #31: Jeans!

October 18, 2021

For AGES I didn't wear jeans, because I wore only black and white, and the only jeans I could find were blue...

Well, THAT has certainly changed, and our options are much more entertaining and versatile now:

Pretty much any color you want - neutral or accent - can be found in jeans if you're willing to look (and look, and look...)

But it can be well worthwhile - sometimes you want to do something for which wearing jeans is truly the best option, no matter your age nor silhouette.

This availability in a wide range of colors is glorious for those who don't want to dress in colors that are "traditional" for the season. If you're beautiful in pink and pale shades, wear them all year 'round, and stand out ... View the Post

How Do I Make Wardrobe Guidelines Work for Me?

October 15, 2021

Maybe it's because I'm home almost all the time. Maybe it's because almost all of us have been home most of the time for MONTHS AND MONTHS...

But I'm looking at the essentials of a wardrobe. The core; the base; the springboard for all of the bright, memorable, snazzy things that we really love to wear...

And thus, I'm back to thinking about The Common Wardrobe - those 12 garments that I realized almost all of my co-workers owned, about 20 years ago.

These garments haven't gone out of style because they really aren't ever in style. They're available everywhere, at almost any price, and in styles that suit a lot of us.

And if you have these in your closet, you can get dressed. In an emergency, you can pack. You ... View the Post

Start with Art: Construction by Max Weber

October 13, 2021 Difficult...

Very early in her career, she became instantly famous (at least in architecture circles!) for her innovations in combining unexpected construction materials. She discovered new synergies of strength and flexibility that changed the industry...

Since then, she has deliberately cultivated a reputation for being a difficult partner in projects. She's actually a lovely, kind woman, but she finds that she is treated with more respect if everyone approaches her with a certain... trepidation?

Her wardrobe reflects her interest in combining things in unexpected ways; she might show up for a project summit dressed in a soft, approachable way:

But she knows that she's going to want to surprise ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #30 – A Print Long-Sleeved Tee Shirt

October 11, 2021

Ah, some prints! Even those of us who normally introduce prints into our outfits with a scarf will need a printed garment from time to time...

A pretty tee shirt can be a great excuse to buy a cardigan, sweater, sweatshirt or jacket in a color that you love... (why yes, this purple corduroy shirt-jacket cries out to me, although I don't need it!)

And you never have to tuck these shirts in - this one is actually a tunic:

(and this one isn't long-sleeved - these rules are pretty flexible!)

The various colors that appear in a print can make it easy to assemble your outfit - match a color with your pants or skirt, match another color with your 2nd layer, and you're done!

So what might a ... View the Post

October 2021 – Six Scarves, 12 Months, 12 Outfits

October 8, 2021

Life is almost back to normal; thank you SO MUCH for your patience, your kindness, your generosity, your lovely messages...

Before I jump in, I want to explain what I'm thinking with all of these white turtlenecks! But I really can't... I just kept feeling like each wardrobe needed 2 things - a bright accent color, and then a clean, bright neutral top to wear under it!

Many of us love accent colors that don't necessarily flatter us - this white turtleneck (or a white shirt with a collar) can change the impact of a color on your complexion dramatically.

And many of us find ourselves called upon to wear colors (because of work, sports, schools...) that aren't our very best. Breaking up the impact of something (like ... View the Post

I’ve Been Thinking of This A LOT this last few days….

October 4, 2021

Of course I've been thinking of you all!

So I wanted to share; this has crossed my mind more than a few times this last few days.

Do you have a "Go Bag" packed?

By which I mean whatever you might need in an emergency. 

What's an emergency? Well, it could be a natural disaster, or a problem in your home that you have to evacuate quickly, or you (or a loved one) may become suddenly injured or ill.

Does your family know what to pack if they would have to pack such a bag for you? What clothes you would want (sweat pants, a shirt that buttons down the front, warm socks?) in such an instance? And would they know where to find them? 

For me, such a bag would probably have a sweatshirt in it, and ... View the Post

Family Comes First….

October 1, 2021

I'm quite tied up with a family obligation, and I've got to beg your indulgent patience while I work on the October installment of the "6 Scarves, 12 Months" post.

But you're all lovely and kind people; I know you understand!

love,

Janice ... View the Post

Chic Sightings: Black Column with Warm-Toned 2nd Layer

September 29, 2021

Autumn's arrival is still sort of iffy, here in Chicago, but I am seeing more women wearing lovely fall clothes on the cooler days! What a nice break...

One thing that really jumped out at me a few days ago was seeing lots of women wearing a column of black - often a black dress - with something over it that was ivory, beige or camel.

I think a lot of us who live in black (or navy, or grey) tend to think that we can only wear cool hues with our neutral. But that's not at ALL true - what about a woman with dark brown hair with no hint of red or warmth, but clear amber eyes. (I'm looking in the mirror for this...)

And what's a woman to do when you're thrifting and you see a gorgeous camel blazer or sweater, but ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #29 – An Accent Color Long-Sleeved Tee Shirt

September 27, 2021 Happy Birthday Belovedest!!! I had to get that out of my system... he's such a wonderful man...

Ahem... back to accent colors, and simple tee shirts to bring some brightness and interest into your wardrobe:

This is a color to keep in mind if you're ever tasked with choosing the team tee shirt color, or smocks for the volunteers, or anything where a group of women are going to be dressed alike. This is a color that doesn't look truly horrible on anyone, in my humble opinion. And it goes with all neutrals, so nobody should be unable to pull together an outfit... (of course, some people do not really WANT to be part of a group, but that's a whole different issue for you to diplomatically smooth ... View the Post

September 2021 Start with a Bracelet: The Cozy Lynx Bracelets

September 24, 2021

Finally.... She's going to go up to the cabin, and she's NOT LEAVING until the fireplace works properly...

She's saved money through the pandemic for just such a project, and it occurred to her (in the middle of the night, as such things will) that this would be the best investment she could make.

Winter in the cabin. Without frostbite. Without frozen water in the mornings.... sigh....

She knows that she will need warm clothes for this trip - there won't be any heat at first, and the people working on the fireplace will be in and out. 

Her first thought is to pack her usual denim and shades of grey; then she looks at her favorite bracelets, and tweaks her palette just a bit!

She picks out her ... View the Post