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Home » Start with Art: Revisiting Portraits Theatraux by Natalia Goncharova

Start with Art: Revisiting Portraits Theatraux by Natalia Goncharova

September 19, 2022

Remember this heroine? She was going away EVERY weekend, to visit friends who have a summer house. She was trying pretty hard not to let on to her co-workers that she was wearing the same outfit every Friday and Monday…

I’ve never had a co-worker who would notice such a thing! Except for Belovedest, of course…

As our heroine start to plan her autumn travel wardrobe, she realizes that she might have to be sort of… flexible… with her colors!

This is a smart thing to remember – the fashion police are NOT going to come after you because you’ve decided that moss green is easier to find in the autumn than mint!

So every Friday, our heroine will be wearing this; eventually she might have gloves, or a different scarf and loafers:

Cashmere sweater – J.Crew; hare brooch – Fable England; citrine earrings – Effy; jacket – J.Crew; twill pants – J.Crew; scarf – Isaia; loafers – Børn; bag – Coach

Many of her co-workers carry larger bags than this every day – for the gym, for work things, who could guess?

Her bag contains her weekend wardrobe! Every Monday evening, she does laundry and re-packs. Her friends with the house in the country do NOT care about what she wears – they care about seeing her. As it should be.

Bay leaf cardigan – L.L.Bean; square earrings – 1928 Jewelry; hat – Barbour; fern cashmere scarf – Elizabetta; clay striped tee – Orvis; bay leaf top – L.L.Bean; Second spring bracelet – Fierce Lynx Designs; bag – Sinbono; brown mother-of-pearl earrings – Vue by SEK; twill pants – J.Crew; waterproof boots – Blondo; chocolate brown turtleneck – J.Crew; copper scarf – Annamariaangelika; redwood corduroy jeans – Orvis; oxfords – Geox

That Thursday night, before she packs for her first cool-weather weekend away, she takes a look at what she’s chosen for this travel capsule wardrobe, just to be sure that she’s covered her bases!

She works her way through a handful of outfits; this is maybe the best way to spot things that you’re missing!

(I once went away for a VERY important weekend with no socks except the ones that I was wearing. THAT got old pretty fast…)

She’s calmly, quietly thrilled with this whole arrangement. Just to pay back her friends, she might stop on the way and buy a case of wine!

Or 2…

love,

Janice

p.s. Six years ago, Juan Gris brought us a portrait of Picasso in shades of beige, and shades of blue. What inspiration…

START WITH ART REVISITING PORTRAITS THEATRAUX BY NATALIA GONCHAROVA

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09.19.22 15 Comments

Tags: brown, cool weather, green, ivory, rust, Six Pack, Start with Art
<<1 Dress, 100 Day: Day 181 Dress, 100 Day: Days 19 and 20>>

Comments

  1. Sheila says

    September 19, 2022 at 5:29 am

    This is quite lovely – esp for fall. Love the jacket. Have a good day everyone!

    Reply
    • Sheila says

      September 19, 2022 at 10:09 am

      I just took another look. This entire wardrobe is so tempting. I haven’t worn any sort of orange/clay/rust color in a few years, but oh my. This is gorgeous.

      Reply
  2. AK says

    September 19, 2022 at 6:48 am

    I am one of THOSE women who carries around my fan of curated colors (HOC spring) when I shop. I’m very happy with my colors and this really helps me build capsules. I saw with my own eyes that warm, chocolate brown is a top neutral for me, so I will be giving a look at the brown turtleneck, the handbag, the booties and shoes. Brown or tan footwear takes you a long way with most clothing. This capsule is beautifully cohesive. I’m reminded to add a pair of ivory or natural pants to my closet.

    Reply
  3. Rex says

    September 19, 2022 at 9:44 am

    I rather like this combination of pieces as I would wear all the cuts, just not all the colours. (I would substitute burgundy for the orange, but that’s just me).

    Reply
  4. Kristi says

    September 19, 2022 at 9:53 am

    This is gorgeous! I did the look back for her and she has some beautiful scarves from her other wardrobe!!!

    Reply
    • Kristi says

      September 19, 2022 at 10:00 am

      And then the look back at the end of the post. I love your 4 X 4 posts, I feel like we haven’t seen one of those in a while. :)

      Reply
  5. Sally in St Paul says

    September 19, 2022 at 10:12 am

    You had me at the Fable England hare brooch. It would look really good on a tan trench coat, too…

    The particular browns and greens here are spectacular for fall. So is the rust-orange, of course, though that’s not a color that loves me back so I have a very limited amount of it. But I do have a pair of very similarly colored pants that are shockingly versatile and since they are away from the face, they look just fine. So if you are intrigued by the colorful pants, they are worth consideration. I haven’t found a neutral that doesn’t work with rust pants.

    Reply
  6. beth byrd says

    September 19, 2022 at 12:23 pm

    What a gorgeous fall palette! That brooch is sweet and the jacket looks so cozy. Actually everything here is terrific!

    Reply
  7. NATALIE K says

    September 19, 2022 at 12:54 pm

    I really love this travel wardrobe I just wish you gave us more skirt options!! What about giving both pants and skirt options?!! That would be wonderful!!!!!

    Reply
  8. Katrina says

    September 19, 2022 at 1:10 pm

    The few coworkers who notice that you’re using the same outfit every Friday will more likely compliment you, in my experience.
    Before COVID, my workplace allowed for more casual dress on Fri/Sat/Sun; I’m not super comfortable wearing casual dress in the workplace, but I also wanted to “fit in.” Whichever of those days I worked (generally one each week), I wore: Dark jeans, black tooled leather belt, either a heathered purple cotton knit blouse or a space-dyed muted rainbow silk/rayon Tshirt cut blouse, and a cream open-pattern crochet duster cardigan, black leather clogs and purple socks. My coworkers loved it.

    Reply
  9. Jenny says

    September 19, 2022 at 10:48 pm

    The Juan Gris wardrobe in the look back link has always been one of my favourites. I would love to see a follow-up when you have time.

    Reply
  10. Beth T says

    September 20, 2022 at 6:11 am

    I like these clothes for my country walks capsule. I see the green as aqua or light teal. Like Rex, I’d swap orange for burgundy. The look-back to a wardrobe of taupe and blue is right up my street.

    Reply
  11. Margery says

    September 20, 2022 at 12:14 pm

    This would be a perfect capsule for the Alaskan cruise I’m on. Fall colours, especially that lovely mossy green. Throw in a rich brown or burgundy wool dress from the 100 day challenge people, another pair of pants, a top and another warm cardigan and it would easily be a winner of a capsule for a 2-3 week cruise.

    Reply
  12. Julie says

    September 22, 2022 at 7:09 am

    You give me so many ideas for new colour combinations! My wardrobe is expanding without leaving the house! I thought I was creative in putting outfits together but you rock! Thanks.

    Juls

    Reply
  13. nancyo says

    October 2, 2022 at 12:49 pm

    This is a beautiful wardrobe. None of the colors really work for me, but I love how cohesive yet varied it is. – nancyo

    Reply

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The Vivienne Files is a unique personal style blog with carefully-selected capsule wardrobes based on color palettes drawn from works of art, nature, and more. It helps women buy less clothing, and to love what they buy. Read more...
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