The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Archives for March 2013

March 2013 - Page 2 of 3

How to wear Floral Jeans – Version Pastel

I'm going to look at two or three different floral jeans in the next few days - these are pastel, but I'm going to try to find some brighter ones, and some in warmer tones too...

My first thought was to choose a soft, flattering color from within the print, and pick a top in that color:

Neutrals are an obvious possibilities. Accessories can echo the whole flower theme: 

Something that seems basically summer could work for transitional spring days, if paired with a sweater that has a spring color but a colder-weather weight. 

A top that includes two of the colors of the print is an obvious choice (but PLEASE unbutton a couple of those buttons, please!!!). And your favorite beige tunic will definitely be a happy choice - ... View the Post

Hermès Feux d’Artifice and me, or how collections get started

Seven or eight years ago, apropo of nothing I can remember, someone I knew only through the internet sent me this:

You could have knocked me over with a silk scarf - it was a stunningly generous and kind gesture.

A few months later, someone else gave me THIS:

The poster commemorating the 150th anniversary fireworks display that Hermes held in central Paris.  I frankly haven't seen another one of these posters anywhere - ebay, Hermes collectors groups etc.  And mine has been signed (well, probably robo-signed) by the chairman of Hermes.  

And thus, just that easily, I decided I was going to start snapping up these Hermes Feux d'Artifice scarves if I saw them at a decent price.  It's an ideal collection, ... View the Post

Getting Dressed with the 33 Piece Capsule Wardrobe: week 10 experiment

Why yes, I did miss week 9!  and I don't have any clear recollection what I wore that week, which is as it should be... Oddly enough, my life does NOT revolve around what I wear...

I've long been convinced that, so long as you are appropriate and attractive, nobody really pays too much attention to what you're wearing, day in and day out.  So I thought I'd test that theory by wearing head-to-toe black clothes for a week, paired with a scarf in the same design, but different colors, each day for a week.

I didn't expect ANYBODY to notice that the scarves were the same design, but I did sort of think that 5 solid days with a scarf would elicit comment.  And I sort of wondered if anybody would think I'd fallen into a deep ... View the Post

How to Wear Pink Jeans…

The conversation about red jeans quickly turned into questions about jeans in other colors... so here I've played around with a pair of pink jeans, to explore the possibilities.

And may I just rant for a moment about the ubiquity of "skinny jeans"?  In a civilization in which obesity and weight issues are so common, I find it absolutely bizarre that it's nearly impossible to find plain old regular jeans.  Not "mom" jeans, but not leggings, either.  Do you really want to look like an egg balanced on toothpicks?  sigh... ... View the Post

Packing: Camel, grey, & scarves

I get a LOT of questions about what to wear with specific scarves.  It's really easy to walk into a store (not necessarily Hermes!), fall into temporary insanity over a scarf, and take it home...  where it languishes unworn and unloved.  These kinds of questions are among my favorites; I'm a long-time believer that nothing can elevate the look of simple clothes like some "silk jewelry."

And I'm growing very infatuated with camel & grey... ... View the Post

Red Jeans & Warm Colors

It has been very politely brought to my attention that, while I did discuss the utility of red jeans back when I purchased my own pair of them, I have not addressed the possibilities of wearing red jeans with warmer colors.  Since red is positioned on the color wheel precisely between yellow and blue, it has the charm of being neither a warm color nor a cool color, and thus can "swing both ways", in wardrobe terms.  And for those of us who don't care to wear bright colors too near our faces, for a variety of reasons, a brightly colored pair of jeans or trousers is an interesting option to consider. ... View the Post

Just Because You Can…

So I've already been to work for a couple of hours, and then out shopping with belovedest.

In the course of trying on clothing, B started with a pair of slim-fit pants, and asked our lovely young salesperson if there was anything available that was MORE slim.  Indeed there was, and they did... indeed... fit.  

The looked pretty adorable, frankly.

But he also reminded me quite strikingly of our 19 year old nephew. B is 50...

There are no rules about what you can wear at which age - I'd be the first person to protest any such policies.  But I do think that there is a voice inside all of us that helps us remember when we're comfortable and true to ourselves.  That voice was SCREAMING at B, when he put on the ... View the Post