The Vivienne Files - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #20 – A Sleeveless Top

July 26, 2021

Is it swelteringly hot where you are? Chicago has finally settled into an extended stretch of hot weather, so sleeveless tops are timely!

Originally, I had thought that this top HAD to be in a light neutral, but I'm now in a more flexible mindset - anything that's cool, and that works well with your existing wardrobe, is what we need! Printed tops will be added soon...

For those of us who wear tank tops frequently, it's worth considering looking for things with some sort of lace, or other decorative trim. This might be just the touch of detail that your outfit needs...

I couldn't resist keeping the same "suit" and scarf from last week, and then picking a completely different accent color; this is the kind ... View the Post

Packing for a Long Trip – with only Skirts!

July 23, 2021

I've been asked for wardrobes including only skirts for a while now... So when a question was sent to me about packing for a three month visit to Poland, using only skirts, I figured it was time to address this!

A long trip can be daunting - about 20 years ago, I traveled for work for six weeks, on a trip that included six countries, and temperatures from shirt-sleeve warm to light snow!

This is what I packed:

My clothes were mostly from Eileen Fisher, and by the time I got back to Chicago I was SO SICK of every stitch of them!

But I was traveling alone, with a gigantic laptop, and so this was how I carried all of my clothes:

I was lucky - as soon as I got to a new city, I sent at least 1 outfit of ... View the Post

Start with Art: Green Way by Todd Schulz, and Thinking about a Keynote 10?

July 21, 2021

Oh, I've been thinking... What if the 10 garments you chose - just for thinking purposes - are the 10 things you have that you would keep if you had to start from scratch?

For me, this changes everything - I wouldn't need to keep jeans, nor tee shirts, nor basic neutral sweaters that are always available. No white oxford shirts...

Let's experiment with a heroine who wears an unusual color palette:

She's sorting through her wardrobe, looking for the really HARD to replace pieces that she loves the most...

For me, that would have to start with cardigans!

why yes, she may have skipped paying rent one month to buy that grey cardigan...

And some other sweaters - they may not be amazingly unusual styles, ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #19 – Dark Neutral Short-Sleeve or Lightweight 2nd Layer

July 19, 2020

Time to check in on our neutral, timeless wardrobe pieces; today we need something to wear on those freakish days in the summer that turn cool, or for the air-conditioning that turns normal places into meat lockers!

First, a simple column of white (or any color, really) can take on a ton of different looks with an overshirt and some accessories:

For me, this is the quintessential summer 2nd layer - a black cardigan that's warm enough to do what needs done, but sheer enough not to look like it's October!

It's kind of a suit... And here again, you could use a LOT of different accent colors!

A black "suit" can also be worn in a million different ways - some days you just want some silver and onyx, and a ... View the Post

Wardrobe Cycles, and an Interesting Idea…

July 16, 2021

This whole idea is a work in process; please share your thoughts!

Those of you who have been here with me for a while know that I read (well, I TRY to read...) personal style books from France. It seems only fitting, since Vivienne was from Paris.

My current fascination is with this book:

This book takes an interesting approach to minimizing one's wardrobe - they don't believe that you should even THINK about getting rid of anything in your closet until you've had a good, long sit-down with yourself and made some decisions about what you want to look like!

Particularly, they emphasize the idea that your garments send a message to the world; are you sending the message that you WISH to send?

One of their ... View the Post

Six Good Reasons to Shop During a Sale

July 13, 2021

Why yes, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale start Friday - at least for those with Nordstrom credit cards. (and it might be worth getting their card just to get into the sale before everyone else!) It's in the blogging contract that we ALL tell you about this sale, even though I've always got mixed feelings about it.

Generally speaking, I think that things being on sale is the WORST reason to shop. At the same time (yes, my name IS Janice...) you'd be nuts not to at least take a look at what is offered, because there are always things you want or need. Getting these things at a good price isn't silly...

But bear in mind - these things may have been manufactured specifically for the sale, and thus may not be the quality ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #18 – Dark Neutral Lightweight Pants

July 12, 2021

Even in the hottest parts of the summer, it's smart to have a dark neutral pair of pants handy. Serious life business is no respecter of weather!

Note that you don't have to match colors flawlessly to put together a beautiful outfit:

Classic drawstring pants are so useful in the summer...

You can look perfectly serious at work without melting onto the floor under your desk!

Maybe you really LIKE squares? A little gingham, and some square-ish accessory are just right...

It's not exactly a suit, but it works quite the same way when getting dressed...

I'm always surprised at how good green and grey look together!

Almost like jeans, but a LOT cooler:

For all new visitors, and ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Our Echo giveaway winner!

July 9, 2021

Sharon was our winner! And her choice of scarf was...

But we're going to be looking at VERY different colors than normal with this scarf!

Sharon is dreaming of a wardrobe for a getaway to Italy! Her dream includes ALL of the good stuff: museums, churches, shopping, a boat tour, lounging in cafes, romantic dinners, and maybe an alfresco concert!

Where's my ticket?

Sharon was thinking of a short getaway because she lives in the UK, but I went a little bit overboard with her packing! Summer clothes pack small...

I was trying to be careful about modesty - I can't count on both hands (and feet!) the number of people I've seen turned away from churches in Italy because they weren't appropriately dressed. ... View the Post

Start with Art: Locus 87 by Susan Osgood

July 7, 2021 The Call Came... and she's expected to be in the office 2 or 3 days a week, starting in September...

She can't wear her old work clothes - her size has changed in the last while, working at home!

And she's overall not thrilled about the whole "back in the veal feeder pen cubicle" office environment.

So she's going to be as super-professional, organized and mature as she can manage!

Starting with an inspiration that will leverage her navy and grey wardrobe core - almost mandatory in an office that's mostly men, and in a conservative industry.

She loves her colors...

Her office isn't non-stop suits, but she still has to be pretty serious some days, so she starts with the "the Board of Directors is ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #17 – Dark Neutral Shorts

July 4, 2021

Happy 4th of July to everyone! (even if you're not celebrating a holiday, you can still be happy, right?)

As with everything on The Vivienne Files, if these garments don't work for you, substitute things that will! If you're not a "shorts and sleeveless top" person, maybe you're a "cropped pants and tee shirt" woman...

First up - last week's pink tank top gets casual!

For those of you keeping each of these "individual garment" pages, I offer up some lovely brown...

Bright blue with navy shorts is a natural!

Olive accessories that didn't look terribly overly green were hard to find, so I chose brown instead; I think it works well!

For those among you who spend a lot of time near a beach, lake ... View the Post

July 2021 – Six Scarves, 12 Months, 12 Outfits

July 2, 2021

I've got a special treat for us today - the kind people at Echo are offering a FREE scarf (of your choice, of course!) to one of you...

How to win? Leave a comment, and I will choose a random number on Monday morning; the reader who left the comment that corresponds to that number will have a new, beautiful scarf!

And if they let me know which one they choose, I will do a travel wardrobe based on it, too!

Pretty nice, eh?

And if you're an Instagram person, DEFINITELY follow Echo Scarves there, too...

Let's get started!

It occurred to me that these wardrobes do not yet have a dress! What is one to wear to the weddings and other festivities of summer?

How about a simple dress, with a sparkly ... View the Post

Chic Sighting, and Rethinking the Role of Linen in my Wardrobe

June 30, 2021

Yesterday was my birthday, and I had to go shopping...

I had my eye on a linen dress from Eileen Fisher...

When I got to the store at Water Tower Place, the lovely young woman who approached me was wearing the EXACT dress I was looking for, but she was wearing it with a much more "cool weather" feel that I would have imagined. The store was very cold, of course...

This is how she wore the dress:

Okay, you wouldn't wear this out into a blizzard, but this outfit would be more than acceptable in the early autumn, or late spring...

It reminded me of the way that women in Paris wear their summer dresses with sweaters, tights and warm shoes or boots - long past the time of year when most of us would have ... View the Post