Capsule Wardrobe Plans Archives - Page 11 of 62

Start with Art – Hydrangea 1918 by C.F.A. Voysey

January 8, 2024

Flu still lingers, but I had enough "oomph" to spend some time looking at this beauty:

Technically, this should be called "Start with Wallpaper!" because that's what this is... I will maintain 'til my dying breath that you can choose (or find) your favorite colors almost anywhere.

Maybe not in garbage, but I'm not ruling it out!

My thinking here, from the very beginning, was that beige and denim/chambray would be this heroine's neutrals, and the green and lilac would be her accent colors. But I suspect that using beige and green as neutrals, with blue and lilac accents, would also work...

The colors I've chosen are for those who don't feel strongly about the duality of "warm/cool" colors - if you really ... View the Post

Travel Capsule Wardrobe for a Long Weekend? Start with an Echo 100 Scarf!

December 29, 2023

Only a few more days typing "2023!" Not quite ready, personally!

Let's look at three more scarves, and around each of them construct a 6-piece travel capsule wardrobe. Maybe you'd get sick of wearing the same 2 or 3 colors over a week or two, but for three days, it might just make things easier.

Isn't this lovely? And lots of possibilities...

The dark color might very well be navy in this scarf, but on my monitor it looks black, so that's what I've included. I'm sure you understand...

This weekend is a split between dressy and relaxed; I think she's ready for anything!

If you've ever wanted to own something designed by Romeo Gigli, here's your chance!

Red and orange together - without ... View the Post

Business Travel Packing Made Easy? Start with a Scarf: Tré Seals Scarf By Echo

November 15, 2023

I've been planning to buy one (well, at least one!) of the Echo 100 Scarves, from their amazing anniversary project; I knew that something would have whappage, and be irresistible to me...

You're shocked, I know:

Okay, this might be unnecessary, but it's what we do here on The Vivienne Files!

This heroine isn't me - although it certainly could have been me in my advertising days!

Our intrepid friend today is heading to one of those cities that starts with an N - New York, Newark, Northampton, Nantes? She will only be there 3 nights, and during the day she will be training employees of her company in cool and fascinating research techniques...

The weather will be moderate - not that ... View the Post

Start with Art: Lattice and Awning by Arthur Garfield Dove, as an inspiration for a Travel Capsule Wardrobe

August 21, 2023

An Unconventional Woman That's how she thinks of herself. She knows that she has been described as such, more than a few times! And that's when people are being nice...

Now that she's retired, she is embracing her uniqueness, starting with her wardrobe, but branching out in all kinds of ways...

She's the person who goes into the city for a long weekend when the Natural History Museum gets a new exhibit of fossils...

She attends all of the opera world premiers, no matter HOW weird the music is reputed to be. If it's unusual, she figures she has a good chance of having fun!

She is beloved as a supporter of new artists and musicians. She will try any dish in any new restaurant. It's just the ... View the Post

Start with a Bracelet – Dignified Lynx Bracelets by Fierce Lynx Designs, and a Travel Capsule Wardrobe in navy, blush & purple

August 16, 2023

A Calming Presence That's how she's been described, and she's happy with that. For years, she has worked toward being a mature and reassuring woman... If you want a "grown-up" in the room, she's what you need.

At work, she always wears a dress or skirt under her robes; nobody would know, but she feels that it's all a part of her demeanor...

So even when she travels, she sticks to her classic clothing preferences, accented with timelessly elegant accessories:

Often, she is the only person in the room wearing a skirt or dress. She doesn't mind; she feels comfortable, and authentically herself! THAT is what real style is all about...

She fully understands that there may not be another woman in the ... View the Post

Accenting Olive Green with Other Neutrals

July 31, 2023

Olive! Oh, do I have advice...

If you really want to build a core wardrobe in olive green, be prepared to work with colors that blend, rather than match perfectly. Couple the difficulty of even FINDING olive clothes, with the way that different companies call all sorts of different colors "olive," and you've got a project on your hands!

My approach would be to buy a couple of rolls of packing tape, and then mail order a BUNCH of olive garments, and then return anything that didn't work.

And get some paint swatches, or lengths of embroidery floss, and keep them with you at all times! You never know when the unexpected craft show will offer up the perfect scarf, or necklace...

But I finally managed to get some ... View the Post

Accenting Black with Your Favorite Color

July 27, 2023

So after we determined on Wednesday that it's possible to accent black with just about any other neutral, I want to see if it's possible to accent black with your favorite color...

There are, of course, lots of colors that I'm not including here! All colors are not easily found in this current "in between" season of clothing - not enough summer clothes, and not enough fall clothes... sigh...

But I always feel confident that a pretty shade of blue will look great!

Burgundy isn't a color that one expects with black, but the scarf makes ALL the difference... And adding a 2nd accent color with turquoise earrings... why not?

Hot pink? This scarf is irresistible! You don't have to have the earrings AND the ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe in Navy & Stone, with Rose & Lavender: Start with Art – Night Music by Chuck Groenink

July 19, 2023

One of a Kind...

After she saw the 3rd corporate "campus" with beehives, she realized that she is qualified for a job that nobody has ever thought of - corporate pollinator consultant!

If companies are going to have big lawns, and ponds, and flower beds, they may as well put some pollinators in there to keep it all regenerating and... real - right?

So now she travels about, visiting corporate campuses (a term she really doesn't love), helping get beehives installed, and advising the gardening company about replacing plants. Strictly ornamental isn't nearly as sensible as something that's both decorative AND good for the environment...

It's not a really outdoorsy job - she is more likely to meet ... View the Post

Start with a Bracelet – Authentic Lynx Bracelets by Fierce Lynx Designs, and a Travel Capsule Wardrobe in navy, white, rose and green

July 17, 2023

Please note - there is NO WAY that I can include truly seasonal clothes right now, since they're all marked down, and sizes are limited, colors are sold out etc. etc. Retail seasons do NOT correspond to the world...

The only thing she's sure of - she's going to pack these bracelets! Other than that, she's not sure, yet...

Her favorite neutral is navy... Navy goes well with both of these accent colors! The bracelets have grey in them, but she doesn't wear grey...

But white goes with everything, and she loves to wear navy and white together! Maybe she has her color palette?

She's not worried about getting dirty, since they're driving. And she really LOVES her hooded cardigan - if the air conditioning in ... View the Post

Travel Capsule Wardrobe in Navy & Ivory with pastels: Evening in the Pink Sky by André Brasilier Start with Art

July 14, 2023

She's the Only One... Well, the only one she knows! When someone wants to purchase a painting - or paintings - that include horses, she's the expert...

She's off for a few days to visit a new race course; they want the Private Lounge to have a modern, but still equestrian, feel...

She's going to try to encourage them to buy some more modern art; she's not at ALL sure that she will be successful!

Her approach is going to be relaxed, and she will try to emphasize that these paintings aren't at ALL edgy. Many of them are over 100 years old - that's not exactly cutting edge!

She knows of a number of racing facilities in Europe that have included VERY modern art in their décor; sometimes that's ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe in Black, Brown, Green and Ivory: Start with Art – The Flower Arranger by Mary Brandish Titcomb

July 12, 2023

She loves this painting - it's what she does, in a way...

So when she travels - which is often - she uses these colors as her palette for assembling her travel capsule wardrobe:

Another Gala Opening Night She designs the flowers that lurk around on all of the occasional tables, grace all of the dining tables, and fill in the odd spaces around the museum...

She doesn't actually arrange the flowers - the local florists take care of that...

But she has spent the last 2 or 3 months designing the arrangements - making sure to use flowers and plants that are in some way symbolically associated with the theme of the current fete...

For example - her current work is at an exhibit of Grecian art, ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe in Black, Brown and Ivory: Start with Art – The Guitar by Juan Gris

July 10, 2023

Her favorite painting...

And her easy, classic color palette:

A Weekend Trip, For Falling in Love "If you don't get a much better guitar, you're not really going to progress a lot more. You're doing so well; I'd like to see you get a really good instrument..."

"If you go into the city, I can arrange for you to go the really GOOD guitar makers, and play as many instruments as you want."

The print tee has matching pants, a scarf, and a camp shirt...

"You'll know when you find the right one..."

So she's going away for the weekend, to do all of the usual visitor things - dine, sightsee, maybe a museum or two...

But mostly to play guitars, and to find one with which she falls in ... View the Post