December 3, 2025
Before we dive into the fund, I have a Public Service Announcement!
Get your wallet out. Take everything out of it, and scan it all, front and back. Now email those files to yourself.
If you happen to lose your wallet, or if it’s stolen (as just happened to me), you will be endlessly grateful to yourself for having this information handy… Having to replace your passport 10 days before an international trip is – shall we say – STRESSFUL!
Okay, let’s dive into this most lovely painting. Imagine if I get to move to Ireland, and I have to replace my entire wardrobe for some horrible reason. These colors would be so great…
Our heroine was pretty methodical this month! She knew that she wanted some darker denim; cold weather will make darker colors feel more appealing. And she could see the infinite usefulness of a teal shirt – every month of the year.
And she’s liked her short-sleeved brown striped tee shirt so much that she decided it would be practical to get one that’s long sleeved.
And while her new earrings and shoes looks clearly practical her new brooch is a treat!
Tiger eye earrings – A Weathered Penny; teal shirt – L.L.Bean; bar brooch- Lauren Ralph Lauren; cardigan – Alex Mill; camel striped tee – Lands’ End; jeans – Alex Mill; sneakers – Soul Naturalizer
After her year of building a new wardrobe, our heroine finds her clothes are almost evenly split between the two “families” that she’s built. Happily, these colors mix across families really well!
This really looks like a lot of clothes, doesn’t it?
Our heroine’s accessories seem quite complete; if she’s missing something, it’s not obvious!
How will our heroine wear her new purchases? We’ve got ideas!
Just lovely… sigh….
love,
Janice
earlier posts on The Vivienne Files that discussed this specific wardrobe can be found here: Christmas Day Preview, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
p.s. Ten years ago, I considered what accent colors worked nicely with taupe. How DID I find four taupe garments????
Like this wardrobe? Save it to Pinterest!
Thanks for the advice! Hope you manage to sort out your passport. Thieves are out in force at this time of year, we must be careful!
I like the lovely soft colours of ‘pines by the sea’ and prefer the lighter softer browns, so the lookback to taupe and again to light camel was just right! Many thanks! xxx
😃
I love this too. Between yesterday’s and today’s I cannot choose which I prefer. I’m so into teal lately. I have no idea why I have never had much of it in my closet. Sorry about the theft Janice. I hope all is sorted quickly and is as stress free as is possible.
Thank you for the spot on advice. I haven’t done this yet, but I truly need to. I’m flying on Thursday late afternoon, so I’m going to need to protect all my important items in my wallet between now and then.
This is a very pretty wardrobe for the right woman. I appreciate individual pieces from this collection very much. But, as a whole, it’s a bit too muted for me. That being said, I can imagine taking specific pieces and then tying them into another wardrobe with brights or navy as neutral pieces, especially the chambray and denim.
One note about today’s teal shirt from LL Bean….it’s HEAVY. This shirt is meant to be an overshirt with pieces under, not as a collar sticking out. I do have this shirt in other colors and it’s more of a ‘shacket’ than a layer-over piece. It’s a great shirt, but it won’t fit under sweaters unless than sweaters are multiple sizes over your norm.
So sorry about about the theft, Janice. Don’t forget to take pics of your passport either. I love yesterday’s and today’s wardrobes. Hope your international trip is fun but uneventful.
May that wallet-thief get EXACTLY the karma that he or she deserves!
All these cableknits & pointelles you’re showing are making me dig back through my sweater stash… suddenly the plain ones feel, well, plain. Hmm…
Safe & efficient travels!
Hi, Janice.
So sorry to hear of your wallet theft. I have never scanned contents in my wallet but have made two copies of our passports for travel. One copy we give to each other. Another copy goes to a friend or neighbor.
I love this who wardrobe!! Wish I could totally start over in my closet. I must do some purging this month and streamline for 2026.
I strongly advise against emailing your credit card numbers! Emails can easily be hacked and you’ve just given not only the numbers but all the CCV codes to them. Instead, copy them on paper and put it in a file. You might keep them on a computer, but only with password protection.
Dearest Danielle – I can always count on you for the wise voice of caution and knowledge!
You’re entirely right – I just put mine into our password-protected folders in the cloud…
lots of love,
Janice
Aw, thanks Janice! Once upon a time clients used to email me their investment statements, complete with account numbers. No more! Now everything has to go through a secure file service, or get dropped off to me in person. No more innocent days.
Great advice, Danielle. And sorry to hear of your theft, Janice.
In 2014, my wallet was lifted from my purse on a crowded bus in Quito, Ecuador. It was the day before my return and also Presidents Day so the embassy was closed. Fortunately, I only had my passport card in my wallet and left my passport book at my friends’ apartment. In addition, I had paper copies back there of all my wallet contents so I was able to cancel my cards within an hour. Yes, I was out the cash but figured the driver’s license would not be used because there are few women in Ecuador with my height and coloring. My friends loaned me some cash and my return trip was uneventful. The situation could have been a lot worse if I hadn’t made those copies.
With the exception of the teal these colors aren’t really for me, but I totally love this wardrobe. I repeat when I say there really isn’t one I don’t like this year. They were all just awesome even if they weren’t my colors/style… I have enjoyed them every month.
Good advice brought upon by a bad actor. May the thief step on Legos barefoot and be forever stuck with 1-ply toilet paper.
This capsule seems to hang together flawlessly. I love denim & chambray mixed into any palette. The style of this capsule is especially nice.
That brown/ivory striped tee is calling my name! I can see it with jeans and a bright cardigan or jacket. Just bought a tan corduroy skirt from Talbots and that tee with a denim jacket & boots can take me most places.
Janice,
So sorry to read about your wallet — I just lost mine too, and someone in Martinsburg ,West Virginia ,has been having a wonderful shopping spree on my money ! How can you spend $800 at a grocery store, followed by $900 at Walmart, another $900 at LLBean, and then another $800 somewhere else, plus the $200 in cash that I had just taken out of the bank to have on hand for our Thanksgiving trip to NC to be with family ! I am praying for the Perp — they need it !
I got a temporary driver’s license this morning, and a replacement credit card came in the mail today, so I can begin again ! I also bought a larger, very colorful wallet that I’ll be checking to see if it’s in my purse whenever I am shopping .
On a paper list at home, I am writing down all credit card numbers, passport number,
driver’s license number, etc. to keep on file .
Hope you can get a new passport in time ! Safe travels !
This might be my favorite, although I think that every time you post a new one! :) Thank you!
Sorry to hear of your loss. It’s very traumatic. Would love to see a hanukah inspired post together with the usual Xmas posts!
Love your inspiration: also any suggestions for mother of the groom brown formal gowns?
I usually like muted colours but I find this wardrobe a bit dull. It needs a bit of wappage!
One of the best travel tips I got while travelling overseas many years ago was to take photocopies of my Passport, license, Medicare card, etc., give a copy to someone not travelling with me, and keep another copy in a different spot than where I kept my ID, and to write down the information for the (Canadian in my case) Embassy in the location I was visiting just in case I lost all my info.
Just back from our 3 week trip to China and Japan. Beijing to Tokyo and the Magill painting took me through, in a carry-on, just fine. We could do laundry on the Viking ship so socks, undies and tees were refreshed. Everything was worn at least 3 times and I felt totally presentable. On one excursion the guide said to a passenger,” Good news. Your luggage is in Beijing.” We had left Beijing 3 days prior so I guess the good news was that it was not at the bottom of the sea! Another passenger said she only traveled with a carry-on since the trip where her luggage finally caught up with her 45 days after she got back home!! So thank you Janice for all of your wisdom. And a pox on the thief who stole your wallet/purse. Safe travels.
Oh Janice, that’s so annoying. I hope you get a replacement soon.
That’s a lovely wardrobe.
I would add a few pieces in dark blue.
Thanks for the advice, better safe than sorry.
After seeing this wardrobe complete, I choose this as my favorite this year. I could easily grab anything to get ready for almost any occasion, it is lovely. Thank you so much for the inspo.
Have a great day everyone.