The Vivienne Files

Need an Accent Inspiration? Start With a Scarf – Shepard Fairey by Echo

December 1, 2023

OH dear! I'm supposed to be working on the "Six Paintings, Six Wardrobes" posts today! But once I saw that Shepard Fairey had done a scarf for Echo, I was thoroughly distracted... You know his art; remember the Obama posters from way back when...

This nice thing about scarves (well, one of the many nice things about scarves!) is that even if you don't much love the image when the scarf is flat, nobody but you will probably EVER see the scarf spread out and fully visible...

Our heroine today is one of us who mostly loves to wear neutrals - especially black and beige! But she's going to be attending a couple of "medium dressy" events this winter (some including children), and she needs to maybe brighten up ... View the Post

Need to Dress Warmly? Japanese 24 Seasons: Shōsetsu, Small Snow

November 29, 2023

Through much of the time that I was searching for these items, it was snowing in Chicago. It wasn't actually landing on the ground, which seems like an oxymoron, but from the 24th floor, we can see snow that doesn't survive its final descent!

I love big snow drifts, so this wasn't ideal. But we also have to be able to get out and about, so I'd best just be quiet, eh?

today's photographs are all of Chicago...

if you like photographs of Chicago, look for Barry Butler on Instagram!

For today's outfits, I was thinking about those early days of snow, when it's not really bitter cold, but you still need some kind of boots, as well as a warmer jacket or coat, and a scarf!

To make these outfits easy, I ... View the Post

Ready for the Week? Start with a Scarf – 3 “Echo 100” Scarves

November 27, 2023

This is supposed to be the time of year when our schedules are busiest, and when we have the most challenges taking care of everything that we want to do...

I'm not sure; I suspect that some of us run into these kinds of pressure at any time of year!

My suggestion? Every Thursday evening, and Sunday evening (your choices may vary), assemble a Wardrobe Cluster of 4, 5 or 6 garments that all go nicely together. Make sure you've chosen accessories, and that the appropriate shoes are clean and in good repair, too!

This might make weekends, and early days of the work week, a bit easier...

I see this color palette as being perfect if you're not expecting bitter cold weather, or if you just look lovely in ... View the Post

Festive Attire in Untraditional Colors? Start with a Scarf – 3 Limited Edition Echo Scarves

November 24, 2023

Today's heroines are all going to be doing something for the upcoming winter holidays - nothing overwhelmingly dressy, just events for which they wish to look nice...

And they don't want to wear the traditional colors that everyone else will be wearing! Blending in with the crowd just doesn't suit these heroines that well!

So let's start with more lovely scarves:

Our first heroine is particularly smitten with this scarf for lots of reasons, but especially because it includes brown, which is her #1 favorite neutral!

So these are the colors that she isolates from this scarf - she could have chosen at least 3 more that I can see...

This little cluster delights her - she's got Christmas red and ... View the Post

Wardrobe Clusters? Start with a Scarf! Three “Echo 100” Scarves

November 22, 2023

For many of us, this is the time of year when we are often called upon to be away from home for just one night - family meals, downtown activities that include a night in a nice hotel, quick work jaunts...

These kinds of trips only require the smallest little cluster of clothes - I firmly believe that we can wear the same pants two days in a row!

Let's use 3 of the lovely new Echo scarves as our inspiration, eh?

This scarf could SO EASILY be the inspiration for an entire life-long wardrobe; heaven knows that there are plenty of men who live in navy and grey!

While I didn't include any light blue in this wee cluster, I envision that color showing up as nicely faded denim, or a beautiful sweater, and ... View the Post

Nature Colors! Start with a Bracelet: Sustainable Lynx by Fierce Lynx Designs

November 20, 2023

As soon as she saw these bracelets, she thought of water, and the sky, and grass, and leaves, and soil... all of the things of nature that she loves the most!

She wants a small, versatile wardrobe to pack when she visits branch facilities of her composting company... These are the perfect colors!

Their driver staff - who go around the city and pick up the full buckets of compostable materials from customers - wear green and brown. That's where she started, and she still feels at home wearing those colors...

She usually spends a day riding with one or two of the drivers and a day hanging out at the actual massive composting facility. The staff there wears WHATEVER THEY WANT - knowing they will shower ... View the Post

Long Weekend of Travel? Start with a Scarf – Sonny Ross Scarf by Echo

November 17, 2023

Suddenly, there are a whole bunch of new Echo 100 scarves!

For no good reason I can offer, this one really sparked my imagination - SO pretty, but also a wide range of color possibilities...

This scarf seemed like an obvious candidate for a core of denim, or ivory, or olive... But what if I just worked with the five visible colors in (more or less) equal quantities?

The Library Will be Open For the Holiday Weekend! The library at the gardens are seldom open, and when they are, you have to have reservations, and an assigned desk, and you need to tell the Preservation Society what you're going to be studying. It's a serious thing!

She's going! She loves working with heritage flowering plants in her ... View the Post

Business Travel Packing Made Easy? Start with a Scarf: Tré Seals Scarf By Echo

November 15, 2023

I've been planning to buy one (well, at least one!) of the Echo 100 Scarves, from their amazing anniversary project; I knew that something would have whappage, and be irresistible to me...

You're shocked, I know:

Okay, this might be unnecessary, but it's what we do here on The Vivienne Files!

This heroine isn't me - although it certainly could have been me in my advertising days!

Our intrepid friend today is heading to one of those cities that starts with an N - New York, Newark, Northampton, Nantes? She will only be there 3 nights, and during the day she will be training employees of her company in cool and fascinating research techniques...

The weather will be moderate - not that ... View the Post

A Warm-Hued Travel Capsule Wardrobe: Start with Art – Lane Near Wormingford by John Nash

November 13, 2023

This art is on the VERY short list to be included in next year's "Six Paintings, 12 Months..."

No Black Friday for Me, Thank You! She's leaving Thursday, after an early afternoon meal with her large, rowdy, noisy, messy family....

She will help clean up the kitchen and dining room.

She will help do dishes.

She will help pack leftovers for everyone.

And THEN... She's off to her favorite quiet rural area, where her favorite small hotel is holding a room for her....

Yes, she's going to change clothes before she leaves - she wouldn't want to wear her favorite silk shirt to muck about in a holiday kitchen!

She's just taking her small tote; she doesn't need too much for a long weekend ... View the Post

Winter Coats! Japanese 24 Seasons: Rittō – Beginning of Winter

November 10, 2023

After it snowed on me LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD last week, on Halloween, I've been seeing more and more people finally break out their winter coats! It seems like a challenge, here in Chicago, to see how long you can go (1) wearing shorts, (2) wearing sandals, and (3) layering 4 sweatshirts, so you don't have to wear your "real" winter coat...

Crazy people, aren't we?

I was out for coffee yesterday with a friend, and this post is inspired by the Chic Sighting that was her outfit! None of these are exact replicas, but they all resemble her overall outfit idea...

Please note that neither of these camel garments are CALLED camel, nor are they named the same color! Must shopping be so complicated?

I feel ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule in Navy and Blues: Start with Art – The Blue Garden by Lilian Muheim

November 8, 2023

This is her favorite colors, all in one painting!

If you like floral paintings, I strongly encourage you to visit Lilan Muheim's website and enjoy the range of offerings - she's got a LOVELY talent...

One of the things she loves about her favorite paintings is that it includes both navy and olive green; having two neutrals available for one's wardrobe is always useful. She's Named For a Flower... One of the less common ones for names! But she's embraced the whole idea for decades - much easier than feeling ill-used by her parents!

And her favorite colors include the colors of her name-sake flower, so that works out well.

Her color palette offers plenty of possibilities:

For her upcoming ... View the Post

Another Pair of Capsule Wardrobes: November Six Paintings – Twelve Months

November 6, 2023

Our final heroines for November! One of them is not at all concerned with getting dressed up, but the other is overwhelmed with invitations...

Let's start with our very relaxed, earth-toned heroine:

Her wardrobe at the beginning of November was 32 pieces that were as close to fool-proof as a wardrobe can get; last month she bought a plaid cardigan that still hasn't settled into place, but she's patient...

This month, she doesn't have any worries (yet?) about holiday festivities, so she finds an assortment of garments that appeal - the vest will be perfect with last month's dark pants...

She now is the proud owner of TWO plaid garments, and something in tweed too! Nonetheless, her ... View the Post