The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Archives for January 2015

January 2015

A Mid-Winter Refresh: Cashmere Sweaters for All (Color) Seasons

January 31, 2015  

Fear not, I'm FAR from finished with Start With Art. (frankly, it's a theme that I will never stop doing - it's just too beautiful, and too much fun)

But there are so many really lovely cashmere sweaters on sale right now - for those of us who are growing MADLY tired of winter, and our winter clothes, this is a great time to grab a well-considered and carefully integrated new sweater into our wardrobes. (mine is a red cotton cabled crewneck, which will have legs far into the spring...)

If you're in the market for some winter clothes to brighten up the end of the season, it's well worth browsing sites like The Outnet, Saks Off 5th, or Neiman Marcus Last Call. Major retailers are dying to ... View the Post

Building a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Winter Photograph by Kris DaPra

January 30, 2015   I love winter, and sometimes a perfect photograph will convey what my feeble words never can about the beauty to be found in this austere, crisp and bracing time of year.  

  I strongly suspect that either of these button-front shirt would look quite nice under the grey dress. It's a look that a little bit gamine for some women, but for others it can be charming.  

  love, Janice ... View the Post

Start With Art: Wildlife near the Gosse Range – Albert Namatjira

January 29, 2015   There's really no question that I'm going to be looking at warm weather clothing!  

  Although the overall look of this painting is very light and bright, I always feel more comfortable anchoring a wardrobe with a few pieces of dark neutral, so I took advantage of the birds to work a dark brown into the scheme. The rosy beige of the sky is my 2nd neutral, and after that, the sky's the limit - pastels taken from the grass, the trees, and the distant mountains are all possibilities.  What lovely colors...  

 

I would start collecting pastel, bone, earthy accessories...

 

  love, Janice ... View the Post

Start With Art: The Apparition by Gustave Moreau

July 27, 2015  

 

The reader who requested this was particularly interested in the black, olive and camel parts of the painting, so I've taken the liberty of cropping the top third in order to focus on the colors in question. I'm sure Moreau will forgive me, since I'm such a big fan!

 

  Any Moreau painting cries out for an exotic and Byzantine wardrobe, but I wanted to keep things in the realms of the wearable, so I've opted for velvet, silk and cashmere in order to express the more exotic and sensuous aspects of the painting.  

Accessories are where you can really express the ornate impulses that seem to spring from this painting (and what that character in the painting is wearing!) - ... View the Post

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Just one quote, which I thought was worth the price of the book (emphasis mine):

"When you come across something that's hard to discard, consider carefully why you have that specific item in the first place. When did you get it and what meaning did it have for you then? Reassess the role it plays in your life. If, for example, you have some clothes that you bought but never wear, examine them one at a time. Where dd you buy that particular outfit and why? If you bought it because you thought it looked cool in the shop, it has fulfilled the function of giving you a thrill when you bought it. Then why did you never wear it? Was it because you realized that it didn't suit you when you tried it on at home? If so, and if you no longer buy ... View the Post

White Capsule Wardrobe with Grey, Turquoise, or Celadon Green Accessories

January 24, 2015   For now, I'm finishing up this idea of monochromatic outfits and "accessory families" with some summery white linen items. (yes, they look sort of beige or ivory on the page, because white on white would be an incomprehensible blizzard...)   Since the available linen white shoes are limited in January, I decided to grab some shoes that match or tone with the accessories - always a fun option! And for the elusive celadon, I chose some gold sandals; metallic are always worth remembering when you're struggling with a shoe color choices.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm starting to work on some more "Start With Art" wardrobes - anybody have some ... View the Post

Brown Capsule Wardrobe with Accessories in Light Blue, Brights, and Brown

January 23, 2015  

Brown can be so beautiful, and surprisingly versatile...And speaking of versatile, I find that I keep using and using the bright accessories. When I assembled that family of items, I didn't honestly expect that I would get so very much mileage from them!

 

 

 

 

  love, Janice ... View the Post

Denim Blue Capsule Wardrobe with Floral, Bright and Silver/White Accessories

January 22, 2015   Denim blue is a great, versatile and flattering color, even when the fabric isn't denim! Imagine these six garments, along with a pair of real jeans, a white shirt, and a couple of tee shirts - the perfect simple travel capsule wardrobe. I'm ready to go on vacation ANY TIME NOW...

 

 

 

love,

Janice ... View the Post

Olive Capsule Wardrobe with Accessories in Brown, Lacy Gold and Turquoise with Coral

January 21, 2015   Today, I've found some olive items - not the easiest of projects! But as elusive as olive is, it's well worth the effort because nothing looks quite as subtle, warm yet relaxed as olive. I put together six outfits - three for warmer weather, and three for cooler temperatures. From there, a few accessories are all that's needed...  

 

 

love, Janice ... View the Post

Navy Capsule Wardrobe with Accessories in Rose, Amethyst and Marsala

January 20, 2015   A handful (plus one) of navy garments can give you nine different combinations. Once you toss in three different "accessory families", you have a world of options. With a tee shirt or two thrown in, wouldn't this be a blissfully easy way to pack?  

 

 

  love, Janice ... View the Post

Beige Capsule Wardrobe with Accessories in Celadon Green, Brown and Light Blue

January 19, 2015 To show how very versatile these "accessory families" can be, I chose six beige garments for today. From these six pieces I put together six outfits. Then I picked three of the families from last week, and show each of those against the beige outfits.

Some of the families that had a really strong silver or "cool" cast to them didn't dance terribly nicely with the beige, but these warmer accessories just look wonderful with the simplicity of the classic garments.

So many possibilities...

  love,

Janice ... View the Post