The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Build a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with a Scarf: Black Dahlia by Yuh Okano

When this scarf arrived Chez Vivienne Files, I thought “there’s no way on planet Janice that I’m giving this scarf away!”

But of course, I managed to rein in my enthusiasm and genuine admiration for this beauty, and I’m going to give it to one of you. Leave a comment… and yes, no matter where you are in the world, you may certainly comment and be entered to win! I’ll ship anywhere…

Black Dahlia scarf by Yuh Okano



It’s a crispy but sheer silk organza (?), and it’s primarily black, white and shades of grey, but there’s this elusive hint of pink that makes it just… riveting. You can get truly mesmerized looking at it! The size is about 6′ by 1′ – a nice manageable size for a big fluffy bow…

Colors were so easy!

In addition to giving this beauty away, I want to show a few outfits that would almost it justice…

This outfit was all about softness and roundness…

Earrings – Lee Renee; cardigan – IRO; tee
– L.L.Bean;
loafers – Dansko;
 jeans – Citizens of Humanity; watch – Seiko



And once I found the pants and the jacket, this was all about the juxtaposition of dressy and … not dressy!  If you’re one of the women who doesn’t like to wear skirts or dresses, these trousers would keep ANYONE from criticizing…

Turtleneck – P.A.R.O.S.H.; earrings –
Alexis Bittar;
suede jacket – 
Pied a Terre; trousers – J. Crew; pumps – Jimmy Choo



And I always like to include an outfit that’s sort of business casual office-ish. The pink loafers change EVERYTHING…

Cardigan – J. Crew; earrings – Khun Boom; tee – J. Crew; quartz 
bracelet – Ritu;  corduroy pants – L.L.Bean;
loafers – Nicholas Kirkwood



This is entirely a superfluous garment, but I really adore this dress, and wanted to share it… It’s a good thing that I can’t begin to justify another grey dress! If you look carefully, you can see that the texture of the stones in the earrings echoes the texture of the knit in the dress. I’m MAD about the details…

Dress – Mason by Michelle Mason; earrings
– GFG Jewellery; 
 ankle boots – Vince Camuto



This all comes together as a nice travel wardrobe, if that’s in your future:

And it has that glorious benefit of being very versatile – you could combine these 9 pieces into 27 outfits, in theory.

So leave a comment, and next Wednesday night, I’ll pull a random number and the comment corresponding with that number will win this scarf!

In case your appetite for scarves has been well and truly whetted, Yuh Okano scarves are available directly from her website. Would it be wrong to buy a scarf, and then win another one? I think not…

love,
Janice

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Comments

  3. I've been lurking on your blog for a while (admiring and coveting from afar) but such a thing of beauty as that is enough to make anyone reveal themselves! How stunning – and I love the combination of grey and pink in the outfits. An ideal spring wardrobe – now all I need is a lottery win…

    Reply

  4. I've been following your blog from Sydney, Australia. Totally addicted to scarves, and love your method of breaking down the colors and using to define wardrobe suggestions. This scarf is a perfect blend of fabric and shades, especially with the pink.

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  6. Love, love, love this! The scarf but more so the outfits you pulled together for it. That jacket in the second outfit and the dress. Just gorgeous. Thank you.

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  12. Beautiful wardrobe put together from this scarf. Not my colours so please – not for me. I just LOVED how the watch matches perfectly and metallic pink loafers are so cool. Amazing!!! Carol S

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  13. From Margie in Toronto – this scarf would be perfect for my current wardrobe so I would love to be included in the draw. I'm wearing a lot of pink and grey at the moment but finding a scarf at this time of year that has just that hint of pink has been difficult. Thank you for the link, I will definitely check out the website.

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  18. Love Love Love the grey jacket. I wish my screen would show the hint of pink in the scarf, but I trust you!! I just love wearing pink and grey. Grey has become a staple in my wardrobe as it mixes so well with my favorites of all shades of pink and even bright yellow.

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  19. You made me laugh this morning! I just received a pair of earrings for my daughter-in-law and thought……oh they feel so nice, how can I give them away! So glad to know I am not the only one that has thoughts like this!xx

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  23. how pretty! And though I am not a huge pink fan, it's starting to grow on me. I thought the same thing when I first saw that scarf – in there was a hint of pink, though it wasn't PINK in any manner. I love this capsule!

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  27. Such a beautiful scarf! I loved the tutorial that you did last week with beautiful Beatrice. Thank you for what you do

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  30. Stunning scarf and this wardrobe has my name on it. A few years ago I aspired to this style and garments like these, and with the remarkable guidance of your blog am 80-90% of the way there. One of the hardest pieces for me, believe it or not, has been finding scarves that feel as right for me as my clothes now do. This scarf looks and "feels" like a fabulous fit. Thank you, Janice, for all you've given us.

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  35. The scarf is truly lovely. She has many other scarfs in different color ways. But this gray one is perfect for my wardrobe based in neutral gray. The sweater dress would go perfectly with it. Thanks for all the great ideas. Liz

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  38. I like that you make a wardrobe of just 9 pieces. I think 16 are too many:-). This wardrobe is very nice – and the scarf too:-)

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  40. Wow – this is a beautiful scarf and beautiful wardrobe to go with it! Thank you, Janice, for your ongoing generosity! I did look at the last grey dress – it's gorgeous and very short for me. It makes a lovely tunic.

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  45. Like Seren, I lurk. Daily. And always find something to inspire, amuse (I love the "stories" that accompany your Start With Art pieces!), or aspire to. Or like this scarf, something that just elicits "Oh my." Thank you, Janice, for all the hard work you do. [And I think I missed you by a day or two at the Grazing Goat!] Suzanne

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  46. The wardrobe slot machine is so simple and usable as I determine what I have that works together and where I still have gaps–just genius. Last winter I started adding more gray and charcoal garments. I note that your colors all work together without being exact matches. I have found that when I put grays together, some look brown and some look green and some look blue. I'd like to take a wand and claim your grouping!

    That scarf is beautiful. I'm surprised you can let it go.

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  48. Love the scarf and color scheme – right up my color alley!! Love your vignettes and taste, even when the color schemes do not flatter me. I have learned so much from your postings – I check it daily and only wish I had known about it before I retired!

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  49. What a beautiful scarf and how generous of you to give it away. I so enjoy reading Vivienne Files every day and have come away with so many good ideas. Would be really pleased to win this lovely but will be happy for the person who eventually receives it.

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  52. Love everything about this post! I broke out of my black pants rut and bought some grey this fall. And the scarf is stunning with that touch of pink.

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  54. Oh! I'm drooling over these outfits and that scarf! I relocated from Honolulu to Portland six months ago and now that cool weather is here, I realized it's time to put serious attention into a new wardrobe–pretty much all I have is tees and shorts, and some lightweight clothing for office wear. Lo, I found your website a couple weeks ago, became inspired, and am slowly figuring out how to do the 4×4 thing…and grey is one of the base colors I picked, with pink for an accent color. So this post is perfect timing, thank you!

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  55. Gorgeous, beautiful, me, me, ME! LOL! Thanks Janice for all your sage advice, I wish I had found you while I was still working but I love your style sensibilities for my retired, traveling life, too!

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  57. Well, your commenters really appreciate this scarf! It is beautiful and unique. I am hoping you are feeling better.

    Deb from Vancouver

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  58. How generous of you Janice. The hint of pink sounds quite elusive – and I think my black-heavy wardrobe would be enhanced by the addition of this scarf..

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  62. I wear lots of grey so that scarf would be perfect. Please enter me in the draw. Thank you for another wonderful wardrobe selection. Suz from Vancouver

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  63. I love the entire capsule! Soft greys and pinks are feminine but not syrupy in this gorgeous mix of textures. Thank you for such a great combos!

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  65. It is mesmerizing, even in the picture. I can't imagine what it would look like in real life. And it has the potential to transform any all-black outfit into something extra.

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  66. What a beautiful scarf. It would go perfectly with my wardrobe that I have been perfecting thanks to your help and inspiration. I have a cobalt blue sweater that this would be perfect for.

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  67. Hope you are feeling better.
    Lovely scarf. Perfect scarf to light up the face when wearing blacks & greys. I'm slowly starting to appreciate touches of pink.
    Have a beautiful day.

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  68. So gorgeous! Thank you for the link to Yuh Okano's site. Her collection of scarves is beautiful and very affordable – I would wear any of them, including this one.

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  69. So gorgeous! Thank you for the link to Yuh Okano's site. Her collection of scarves is beautiful and very affordable – I would wear any of them, including this one.

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  75. I'm not here for the scarf, so please reroll if it picks me (it's lovely, just not my color scheme).

    But among things that might be of interest to the Vivienne community, I've recently become obsessed with color palettes. I've found a collection of internet tools that are great for playing with them and am posting my stuff at https://www.pinterest.com/kac15228/color-palettes/. If Janice ever needs another palette to play with wardrobe design, I'll have a bunch. I'm starting with green-based because that's what I love best, but eventually there will be other combos.
    – Kaci

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  85. This scarf is a perfect match for my wardrobe colors of black and grey with accents of pink and maroon. I would love to add it to my collection!

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  86. So pretty! I would love to win this scarf. Thank you for all of your hard work and time. You've shifted my thinking from "nothing looks good on me" to "I love how the little details come together and make me happy even if no one else notices." Thank you so much.

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  88. I've been looking for a black, white, and gray scarf. 😉 This one's beautiful! Thank you, Janice, for all you give to us!
    Sometime, I'm coming to Chicago to visit my daughter and you! =)
    Camille in Houston

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  97. Lovely scarf! I have admired the other Yuh Okano scarves you have shown in previous posts. She is a gifted artist. It would be an honor to own one. Thank you for your generosity. Love the way you have shown its versatility!

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  98. Interesting assortment of outfits, especially that first soft cardigan and very clever to include the Seiko with the pick face. …..and the pink loafers – what fun. However I made the mistake of clicking through to Yuh Okano's website – she does have beautiful scarves. Thanks for the new temptation.

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  99. Oooohh! That would look SO fabulous with my black/grey/maroon/ baby pink wardrobe! In the past I would have passed, as I didn't know what to do with one, but after lurking here for over a year, I have a new respect for what a gorgeous scarf can do for your wardrobe. Thank you, Janice!

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  102. I love this outfit and all the outfits you have gathered to wear with it! If I was smart, I would always try to soften my black/gray palette with a bit of pink! As usual, you have shown us exactly how to make this scarf work.

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  103. Soft, edgy, minimalist luxury, unique, chic – everything this scarf says can also be said of TVF. This is a lovely generous gesture Janice. Like your blog. I hope you're mending nicely …
    Robyn in Tasmania

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  104. My first comment, although I've been reading and learning from you for years. This is such a beautiful scarf, and my favorite size/shape! Thank you for all the wonderful education that you give to all of us. My wardrobe is much improved because of you.

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  110. I wish you would keep this scarf and take a photo of yourself wearing it. That would be the ultimate gift to your readers.

    celeste from minnesota

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  112. Oh to have a chance at your generous scarf giveaway…consider me in.
    But more importantly to take a moment to say Thank you for all you do, we are all in!
    Thank you, Thank you!
    Susan (who recently bought one your Twilly scarves and Love it!).

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  115. I love the colours. Grey, black and pink have pretty much been my colours for autumn/winter for the past few years. So keen am I with the colour combo that in recent months my family room scheme has gradually gone that way too, on white sofas, though out there the grey has been switched for taupe. So that don't altogether disappear :-).

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  123. This scarf is lovely, Janice. It would be a lovely addition to the blacks, greys (newer additions) and pink in my wardrobe. Thank you for such a generous offer. And, thanks so much for your wonderful blog and inspiration. Diane L.

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  128. Dear Janice, I'm coming out of the woodwork to comment and say thanks for all you do. My Vivienne Files inspired outfit today was pink, pearl gray and slate gray so i feel inspired & encouraged to put my name in the hat!

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  130. I'm working thru the 'Start from Scratch' process right now – this scarf would be a wonderful addition to Step 5! — Julie U

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  133. Lovely work as usual – look forward to the Vivienne Files every day. Scarf not right for me but perfection for my sister.

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  134. I love how you use the art in a scarf to inspire your capsules! I think this would be a great addition to my own capsule. Thank you for the opportunity!

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  136. Beautiful scarf and I love how you have styled it with the pink and grey. Those trousers are also lovely. Marie S

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  141. Your blog has transformed the way I approach my wardrobe. I buy fewer items, of higher quality, and everything coordinates. I wear only 5 colors (black, blue, charcoal, creams and reds) and I love it. This scarf will fit right in. Thank you for everything you do. Dimitra

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  143. I just came back from a week abroad for business and my wardrobe (which worked wonderfully thanks to your guidance on the blog) was all black and grey with lavender and pink accents. I only needed this scarf to make it perfect!

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  144. Beautiful scarf. I too have never commented but have been reading since the original 'Vivianne Files' forum days. You are a star. Thank you.

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  146. This is beautiful.- I have been looking for a black and pink based scarf to wear with my black work dresses for two years.

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  152. Not just a travel wardrobe, but a good start to a work wardrobe, too. Don't include my name in the draw since I won that lovely scarf last spring. I love wearing it!
    Grey and pink marry so well, and I love that draped cardigan in the top photo.

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  155. I think that this is one of my favourite wardrobes yet. As my hair silvers, I'm gradually making the transition from black and red/blue/green jewel tones, to grey and pink as well as other softer accent colours. This scarf would fit perfectly (as would that gorgeous zipped jacket).

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  156. Dear Janice, It has taken me 3 years to settle on the colors upon which to base my wardrobe. I love them all, you see. But I am so very happy to have chosen gray as the foundation color…and I have the most amazing pink handknit hat that would look gorgeous with this scarf.
    love,
    Patty

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  158. Definitely lust-worthy. When not on my person, I would have to style it somewhere in my bedroom to gaze upon it. I'm not normally a scarf person, but this….

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  164. Janice, in my bedridden shape as I wait for my foot to heal from major surgery I look thru all your files and replan my wardrobe. I would love to own this scarf!

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  172. Vivienne, I've stopped getting your e-mails, as of 5 November. I love your site. It's like playing paper dolls. I don't know why because it shows me subscribed. Help. Thanks, Barbara

    Reply

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