January 2, 2026
Happy Happy Happy New Year to all of us! We deserve it, I’d say!
Let’s wallow in the beauty of our first painting, and get to know our first heroine:
This heroine worked on the restoration of Notre Dame, in Paris. She specializes in the symbolism of the small decorative carvings found at the tops of pillars, in the wee niches in arches – all sorts of places in Gothic architecture were ornamented, because it was considered a form of worship.
And while she was well-known in her specialty area, working on such a high-profile project made her “small famous.” Enough so that she travels a lot now, giving lectures at colleges and universities EVERYWHERE.
These are her colors:
Her favorite personal style themes (or signatures) are
- the juxtaposition of her bright neutrals against black or white, or
- the use of mixed prints in black and white, or
- bold gold!
We shall see how these themes develop, or not!
Her core wardrobe is almost forbiddingly dark, but when a wardrobe base is a dark neutral, you NEED to have these kinds of things at the center of your plan. While you may never wear them all together, they’re still essential:
silk shirt – Banana Republic; earrings – Alexis Bittar; cardigan – Alex Mill; wool pants – Alex Mill; vest – Alex Mill; bag – Donna Karan New York; loafers – Schutz
Since our heroine is spending a great deal of time around young people, she has decided that she’s going to include some more casual clothing in her wardrobe – jeans and sneakers! But nice white jeans, and leather sneakers. She’s casual, but not sloppy!
Earrings – Gold & Honey; neckerchief – Claudie Pierlot; striped shirt – Lands’ End; red cashmere turtleneck – Alex Mill; white jeans – Alex Mill; cashmere striped v-neck sweater – J.Crew; sneakers – Vionic
When she assembles her early wardrobe pieces together, she already sees a variety of ways to get dressed. This kind of visual coherence is important to her!
This year, our heroines are going to see how well they can plan their wardrobe around guidelines a 30-piece wardrobe in six clusters. This project is going to eventually require a re-design of the cluster template; we’re not going to have enough tops, if we keep to our long-standing monthly additions of one bottom to three tops… hmm….
Wardrobe plans are flexible, never forget!
Our heroine ponders what might happen if she chose to live with just these 8 garments for a few days…
This is – obviously – the wardrobe that’s going to be closest to my own. It will be interesting to see what I might learn, and at what point this heroine and I will part company on a purchase!
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, we looked at a variety of ways in which one might wear rust, gold, or burnt orange – all of the autumn leaf colors! If I were going to re-do my personal coloring, red hair and freckles might be my choice…
Like this wardrobe? Save it to Pinterest!
Watched a UK-filmed Miss Marple series the other day and noted how much I like the classic look of a knit vest. The overall period costuming was attractive as well. The cardigans, which looked hand knit) and twin sets are some of my favorites.
Now,
I clearly have to educate myself a bit on those smaller architectural details of the Notre Dame Cathedral.
I like this Janice, and I like the look back as well. Thanks!
Oh, this is lovely. I can picture her and bravo on the creative background story. It’s so tempting to completely ignore the reality of my appearance and go for it.
As a blue eyed greying blonde, it would completely overwhelm my coloring. If I had it to do over, I would have my mother’s coloring, porcelain skin, dark hazel eyes and black hair. Sigh. We always want what we don’t have, eh?
Can’t wait to see what other goodies you find for our next heroines.
Love this heroine. Cant wait to see what lessons I may learn as well.
I would like to respectfully suggest that, of all heroines, this one might benefit from an actual black suit at some point. If she is speaking at conferences, or doing guest lectures, I think that remains the standard in most industries.
If she’s speaking at academic events—colleges, universities, academic conferences—she does not need a suit. If she decides to apply for high level administrative positions—like dean or university chancellor/president—then a suit would be a good idea. Or maybe if she meets with government officials about the restoration of Notre Dame.
But it’s mostly academia, and in a discipline like art history, she could be unconventional if she wishes. This wardrobe thus far strikes me as conservative given her profession, which is fine if that’s what she likes, but if she wants she could have visible tattoos and facial piercings and fit right in.
Ooh! This lady would sail in wearing a really elegantly tailored fitted jacket & skirt combo, with some fabulous baroque earrings & a really killer pair of leather heels (metallic details, or maybe cutwork or buttons…). And perhaps an amazing Hermes type scarf. (I know current styles are more casual, but I do a bit of public speaking here and there for work, & have learned to emulate the colleagues who “dress for the performance” rather than trying to fit in with the audience. This lady is the expert, & she is comfortable in her personal style!)
Academics in the UK these days dress casually or in boho fashion. They don’t want to frighten the students with formality. She could sweep in wearing a long gown and dramatic jewellery. Even on formal occasions a smart dress or separates would be acceptable. .
Happy New Year! This is going to be a great wardrobe to follow. And thank you for finding the black sneakers I’ve been looking for.
I’ve had these for over a year now and they are great for sightseeing/walking!
I love this painting and her story. However, I shall adapt it to suit my colours – dark grey/charcoal, dark red/burgundy and dark teal green/dark emerald. I’ll be interested to see how this develops throughout the year.
Please would you provide links to the previous posts for each of the paintings?
I will indeed post those links!
love,
Janice
Thank you and Happy New Year to you and your Belovedst.
Although I am overweight, I have a pulled together a winter travel wardrobe similar to that above. I also have appropriate clothing for other seasons. For health reasons, I have begun a healthier food plan. I feel very unsure about how I will pull together appropriate clothing for a trip to France in late May or clothing for next winter. This is a trivial problem in many ways, but I would appreciate advice from others who have had to give up loved clothing and figure out how to look decent through size changes.
Congratulations on beginning your journey towards health and wellness. It’s tough to change long standing life habits, so I applaud you for doing this!
My big suggestion is: Poshmark. Although I don’t do all my shopping as thrifted fashion, I have had great luck both buying and selling clothing. I live in the Freeport, Maine area, which is also a huge shopping region. So, I’m blessed with good stores. But…if you are looking for specific brands, at a fraction of the cost, thrifting is a great way to do it. But, whether shopping online or a higher end thrift store, know your prices and educate yourself. You don’t want to spend only $5-10 less than you would on a brand new item. My favorite shops are Talbots, J Crew, LL Bean and Boden. I make myself aware of their prices, so that when I see a thrifted item, I know I’m getting a good deal. Additionally, on Postmark, you can make an offer….if the seller doesn’t accept it, it wasn’t meant to be. But, you can find true bargains.
My daughter lives in an upscale Boston suburb. Her thrift stores are set up like boutiques. She has found designer (as if top tier–Christian Dior, Diane von Furstenburg, Prada) items there (as have I). It’s worth traveling to upscale areas to these shops because the quality is up there too.
Over the past twenty five years, I’ve seen my weight fluctuate dramatically because of various diseases, the treatments given to combat them and the wretched menopause. It has been the cause of much frustration and angst as I’ve gone up and down through 3 or 4 clothes sizes and my feet have got wider.
I’m now overweight again but, now in my early 60’s, I don’t feel defeated any more. I’ve done everything to make my diet as healthy as possible, at least 80/20% of the time. I do ten minutes of exercises every day and a couple of longer fun classes in the week. My GP’s are happy that I’m managing my medical conditions and improving my overall health. Exercise is motivating me to build a stronger core, improve my balance, flexibility and mobility. Hopefully I might lose weight too but I’m not getting disheartened when I don’t.
Instead I’m adopting a new motto – To thine own self be true (Shakespeare – Hamlet). I might not be the sylph I once was but that doesn’t mean that I can’t dress well. Despite my changing sizes, my overall style and the colours that I wear have not really changed. I’ve just made adjustments for FIT. When I first joined TVF, I went through my entire wardrobe trying on everything to see how my clothes fitted. What did I like or not like? This made me realise that I prefer relaxed or smooth elasticated waistbands and looser sleeves as opposed to the fixed waists and tighter sleeves of my slimmer days.
So my style has been adapted rather than drastically changed. I looked at length and shape too. Despite being only 5ft 1inch, I look better in long length dresses and skirts, wider leg smart trousers and wide leg linen trousers or bootcut/straight leg cords and cotton trousers. I can wear any length of jacket or coat depending on the outfit.
My style is largely unchanged but I have more courage as I get older to be a bit more striking. I ask for opinions on my outfits from my family and note compliments from friends and strangers. Colour coordination is important. I generally wear dark colours on the bottom with light colours on the top or a column (second layer/bottoms) in one colour with an accent in the middle or as an accessory. I also like to experiment with wearing a blended outfit of one colour in different shades or tones. I prefer patterns and textures on my top half or as a dress.
So take courage and improve your health but stay true to your style and the colours that suit you.
This is my favorite painting and colorway. You’ve outdone yourself!
This is a beautiful painting and I adore the clothing that you have shown. My one caveat is white jeans in winter. I am less about my posh grandmother’s ‘No white after Labor Day’ rule and more about a lack of practicality in far northern climates. If I lived further south, I wouldn’t feel this way. However, in northern New England, it’s just not realistic. It isn’t just the snow…far from it. On top of the snow goes sand, grainy dirt and salt. When the snow melts (and before the next storm), everything is very muddy. Just getting in and out of my Jeep can be a dirty experience.
That being said, I *love* this color palette–black and white, along with red, green and gold. I cannot wait to see where this goes!
Back in the old days, when we got lots of snow, I would agree with you completely. But at least here in Chicago, we go for weeks without any snow at all, and the pavements are dry. White jeans are no problem for us! It just depends on what weather you get…
love,
Janice
Perhaps buy some chic boots to tuck your white jeans into.
I LOVE this heroine’s story and can’t wait to see how her wardrobe – and adventures – evolve!
This was the heroine whose wardrobe I was the most interested to read about. I loved her previous stories as her garments were unusual but always chic. I simply cannot see her wearing loafers or sneakers. Perhaps the silk shirt, cashmere sweater and black trousers but with well heeled black suede boots. Looking back at her past wardrobes she appeared to run not walk away from places like J Crew and Lands End. When a previous comment referenced Miss Marple (whom I imagined to be the antithesis of this heroine) I thought ‘Oh no Janice has missed the mark on this one’ I imagine this professional and ‘small famous’ woman has spent a considerable amount of time in Europe and is mature and wealthy enough to have developed a certain personal style, she doesn’t seem to be a heroine who would lower the bar. Can we not run with the fantasy?
Agree. In my unasked for opinion, the black sweater with white stripes does not encompass the visual detail that would resonate with this woman. I envision bold architectural style and unusual, possibly ornate detail, as having appeal. She would not shrink away from historical reference, dramatic colour usage and fantastic jewelry accessories.
I understand that her core basics must be included, as Janice has done, to build her future looks and I look forward to seeing where she takes her wardrobe from here.
I was also surprised at this capsule, since her introduction story back in the day stated that she has never owned denim.
IMO she dresses in an aspirational wardrobe, and it would be interesting to see her high end choices with some more budget-friendly options.
Yes to this! I keep this heroines previous wardrobes bookmarked to remind me to step up my game. Some pricey items, to be sure, but a wardrobe more appropriate to a woman of a certain age and level of sophistication. Loved it! I hope you’ll lean into the earlier look in future installments.
I was also looking forward to this wardrobe as being unique and different. What I’ve loved about this heroine’s wardrobe in the past is her vision to be different. I think the earrings and purse are definitely this heroine. The jeans, loafers and sneakers (even in leather) not so much. I hope she goes back to being unique. Having said that I can see myself wearing most of these things, lol.
This wardrobe isn’t my first choice, but I’ll be happy to see what you make of it.✨️
The heroine will mostly be traveling by taxi.
It snowed again here today. And I’m wearing boots and a thick jacket. ❄️
Last week while searching for something else in these archives, I accidentally stumbled upon this woman from 2016. I had completely forgotten that this scarf belonged to the woman who specialized in church architecture. I absolutely cherished that woman’s wardrobe! Her clothes were exquisite and inspiring. I had not realized we were talking about THAT woman, else I would have voted for this painting in a heartbeat.
I was a little surprised by her choice today since she had previously said she would never wear jeans or sneakers. As another reader pointed out, I too would have imagined her in exquisite silk-tweed pant/skirt suits (or dress and matching jacket) for delivering these lectures. I suppose she really wanted to blend in with a younger crowd. Guess it seemed counterintuitive to me because if and when I do need to lecture students, I make it a point to appear nothing like them. But I am so excited to know The Woman is back!!!
This is one of my favourite heroines and I have adored every instalment of her story over the years. That is Oman has panache with a capital P!
I agree with other commenters concerning her level of dressiness and style. I’m sure she would meet some students but I would hazard a guess that she would more often meet with professionals and academics in professional and social settings. I doubt her sartorial preferences will have changed dramatically. I see her preferring fleur-des-lis accents, embroidery and beading over checks, stripes and polka dots. Just a hunch though.
Does she still have elegantly coiffed brilliant white hair?
I’m very excited about this year’s wardrobes! This new template makes much for sense to me also. Could you post a “blank” copy that we can use as a reference?
There is a blank one in the Christmas Eve post. I’ll try to put a link here?.
https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2025/12/merry-christmas-eve-six-paintings-for-2026.html/
I’m really interested to see gold with this wardrobe as if you are into seasonal colours (controversial, I know!), silver is better suited to this palette of what are otherwise winter colours. The gold matches the richness of the painting but I think IRL silver would work better.
I agree with the silver. I imagine this heroine to be a Bright Winter who can borrow gold from her sister season Bright Spring.
This is my favorite heroine and it’s a great picture. I reviewed all the previous posts and think many of her older clothes still look current. Since most of us don’t discard all of our clothes from earlier seasons every year, I would be very interested to see how you would incorporate her earlier wardrobe into the one you will assemble. Is this something that you would consider?
This is my choice this year also. I tried the O’Keefe ? last year because I admired it so much but it was too muted for me and I felt almost invisible. Tried navy as a core and still didn’t feel alive so despite reading everywhere that when you are old and grey (I’m 82 next month) you should ditch the black, I’m back to black, white and jewel colours from now on. Looking forward to see how this develops.
Love the little black bag!
I love this template. I am going to do this with my wardrobe. Clusters are more manageable in my eyes. It seems very organized to me.
And yes I wear silver jewellery but I do have a gold gilet.