October 26, 2026
I’m going to do two Domesticated Valise posts with grey – this one, with soft accents, and another with brights…
Does anybody remember this painting from here on The Vivienne Files? I used it SO LONG AGO that the images were all “landscape” rather than the “portrait” that the internet forces us to use…
The original use of this painting started with a heroine who took a long train trip, returned to her office to find chaos, and took over some management responsibilities…
And in 2023, this was one of the paintings that we visited every month for a year!
What beauty:
And what a timeless, practical but lovely palette:
For those of you who can’t conceive of wearing a shirt a second time, one could just double-up on the tee shirts and turtlenecks in this wardrobe! I know that I have a stack of black tee shirts, and of black turtlenecks, for just this requirement:
White tee – L.L.Bean; kyanite earrings – Chan Luu; jeans – Alex Mill; scarf – Terrain; grey cashmere polo sweater – Alex Mill; woven neoprene bag – Sol and Selene; sneakers – ABEO
My most excellent purple backpack is from Portland Gear; I have to imagine that this tote bag is equally wonderful. Seriously – I’ve donated a handful of bags because I know that I’m going to stick with my backpack until either I can’t carry it or it falls to bits!
Marled sky blue sweater – Alex Mill; aquamarine earrings – Macy’s; gray jeans – GAP; silk scarf – Acqua Pura; white cotton turtleneck – Lands’ End; tote bag – Portland Gear; loafers – Robert Zur
If you’re really smitten with this shade of green, it’s worth the effort to go to L.L.Bean and search for “faded sage.” They have quite a lot there…
Faded sage cotton sweater – L.L.Bean; scarf – Terrain; earrings – Kendra Scott; grey wool pants – Alex Mill; grey cashmere cardigan – L.L.Bean; faded sage turtleneck – L.L.Bean; grey boots – Azura by Spring Step
Imagine having this at the front of your closet on Sunday evening:
Let’s take a look at how this heroine is going to get through the week; I really like the options that she gave herself when she decided to include her charcoal grey wool pants in the mix. They’re sufficiently dressy that – worn with a cashmere sweater and nice boots – she can go to most events or locations.
Anything dressier requires a visit to the rest of her closet! This is a guideline, not a law…
One of the great things about limiting the number of garments you wear in a week is that you WILL wear everything, or else make the decision to remove something from your closet. If you don’t like something well enough to wear it 3 times in a week, maybe it should belong to someone else?
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, we looked at an overnight “Tote Bag Travel” ensemble in camel, green and burgundy. Timelessly appropriate!
Such a calming wardrobe. I remember seeing it originally and the 12 months entry, the lack of any shock colour really made an impact (ironically), and did it in a great way.
I think it’s not that people cannot conceive of wearing a top more than once, it’s the cleaning. For me, I like an active trip with a lot of walking around to see things and visiting historical sites. I have hot flushes. I have a very active job, but one that requires smart clothes. I am not wearing the same top twice in a row, nor running a washing machine for a small load every night. Nor do I wish to hand wash my clothes every night and deal with the associated dampness on holiday.
Dampness on holiday is a thing! Travel to Dublin in the autumn, when it rains daily, and be prepared to see your clothing NEVER get dry! It’s why everybody has a closet drying rack on their balcony when the weather’s even a little bit nice…
love,
Janice
I love this wardrobe! I could wear it the whole winter, with some added pieces of course. It is so calming and feminine.
Love the muted colors of this wardrobe. Regarding sweating, I’ve taken to wearing Uniqlo tee shirts which are fantastic at wicking sweat. They are a barrier to tops extending wear times. Very light and easy to pack! Totally recommend!