Capsule Wardrobe Plans Archives - Page 60 of 60

Not so crazy eights: Casual winter wardrobe in Black

Jacket – Barbour, Cardigan – Sonia Rykiel, Turtleneck – John Smedley, Tee shirt – Proenza Schouler, Jeans - Wranglers, Sweater – Bottega Veneta, Pants – Calvin Klein, Skirt – Ralph Lauren

Lest anybody assume that the eight-piece core wardrobe is only for a dressy office environment, I offer up a core wardrobe that is pretty much my standard uniform through the winter. To this mix you can toss in an argyle cardigan, a couple of white tee shirts, and a black and white striped sweater, and that covers me (literally) for anything outside of work except the most extraordinarily dressy dinners. Enjoy!

1. Boots - Nordstrom, Scarf – Pucci, tote bag - Missoni

2. Brogues – ... View the Post

Not so crazy eights: Ivory

Jacket – Christopher Lemaire , Cardigan – Unger-Fashion, Long-sleeved shirt – Alexander McQueen, Tee shirt – Warehouse.co.uk, Dress – Maxmara Studio, Sweater – Bally, Pants – 3.1 Philip Lim, Skirt – Kelly Ewing

1. Pumps – Stuart Weitzman, Scarf – Hermès, bag - Fendi 2. Brogues – Dorothy Perkins, necklace – Kate Spade, earrings – Kate space 3. Pumps – Rupert Sanderson, scarf – Robindira, bee brooch – Kenneth Jay Lane 4. Flats – Melissa, ring – Lola Rose, bracelet – R. J. Graziano

5. Flats – Henry cuir, scarf – Hermès, bag – Gucci 6. Flats – Church’s, earrings – YlKara Ross, brooch – 1928 7. Slingbacks – Stella McCartney, scarf – ... View the Post

Not so crazy eights: Camel

Jacket – Miu Miu , Cardigan – Paul & Joe, Long-sleeved shirt – L’Agence, Tee shirt – Ralph Lauren, Dress – The Row, Sweater – Ralph Lauren Black Label, Pants – Miu Miu, Skirt – Miu Miu

I know that nobody can go out and buy twenty new items of clothing, so I've been trying to think of how someone would begin the process of building a curated, distilled wardrobe. Of course, it really has to start with some serious thinking! But once you've chosen a core color from which to work, you could certain do worse than carefully acquiring a basis of eight garments upon which to build. This is how I see it taking shape...

1. Pumps – Kate Spade, Scarf – Hermès, bag - ... View the Post

Back to the roots of the Vivienne Files – part 8: Vivienne’s Valise, continued

I've been asked how I managed for almost 6 weeks with the very limited amount of clothing that I took with me on that trip that will live in infamy. I had a plan, believe me!

Just for reference, remember that these are the clothes that I had with me.

For flying, I pretty much always wore jeans, with the black v-neck sweater. Usually I would put either the white tee shirt or the striped tee shirt under the sweater, depending on how warm it was where I was leaving, what the weather would be where I was arriving, and what was clean!

First thing I did in the door of every new hotel in every new city/country was to give some clothing to the in-house laundry. This is always risky, because you never know when someone's going to ... View the Post

Vivienne’s Fashion Challenge

As a rookie, fledgling blogger, and someone trying to channel a frequently reluctant muse, I'm often very insecure about how this whole blogging thing is going. Does anybody read? Am I wasting my time? Am I making a digital, online fool of myself? So receiving the Fashion Challenge from another blogger meant the world to me. And without further ado, I shall try to answer the questions to the best of my ability, keeping in mind that I speak for both myself and the elusive Vivienne. (she answers emails when she's darned good and ready, and not a day sooner...) (1) What International brands would you like to try on, and why? I have to admit this one is hard, because I've ... View the Post

Back to the roots of the Vivienne Files – part 6

Vivienne's bottom line on wardrobe advice is to buy less, pay more, and focus, focus, focus. While to us her very limited wardrobe seems - well - very limited, she sees it as a clear statement of her personal style. If she walks into a store and something doesn't scream to her across the room, it just plain and simply doesn't go home with her. She has NEVER been tempted by Victorian, Gothic, Prairie, Grunge, Surfer, Safari, Garden Party or any other style like that - she calls them costumes, and doesn't mean that nicely. For someone for whom one or more of those looks was really compatible with their whole persona and self-image, it might work, but Vivienne is ... View the Post

A plan for the closet purge

I have too many clothes. It's not a terrible fate, but it is something that I intend to change. So I'm jumping on the "turn your hangers around" bandwagon, with one modification. After I've worn and cleaned/laundered something, I'll put the garment back in my closet with the hanger turned "backwards". (i.e. the pointy part facing front - see the white cardigan in my closet photo) (Thanks to http://theclosettherapist.blogspot.com/ for this great idea!)

And I'm also instituting a monitoring policy in my dresser drawers: all garments which are normally stored folded which get worn will be put back into the drawer with the neckline toward the front, rather than toward the back as I normally store ... View the Post

When image consultants collide

May 30, 2011

Way back in the early years of image consulting, circa 1981 or so, I had my colors "done". I was working in a large department store as a department manager, and it was felt that management staff should all be exposed to the services of our personal shopper and consultant group, in order to help their business. To nobody's surprise (except maybe my mother), I am a Winter:

This was reassuring, as I was already building a wardrobe of gray suits, white blouses, and brightly colored scarf accents. (does anybody else remember Dress for Success?) One of the coolest lingering pieces of advice, which I'm going to discuss at more length some day, was the advice to buy tee ... View the Post

Vivienne just rocked my world view – again!

I spent all day yesterday ironing. Well, okay, I took a break and baked some banana/chocolate chip muffins, but I spent most of the day unpacking my summer clothes, checking them over, and ironing them. (also working in reverse, packing away all things winter)

So I emailed Vivienne and told her what I was doing, and she wants to know "why does it take you so long?"

And I explain that I've got X number of garments that I don't wear in the fall and winter, but that I need for warmer weather.

First response from Vivienne - of course - you've got too many clothes. I concede that.

And THEN, the killer question: "Why don't you wear the same suits all year around?".

I explain about the weather here - it gets ... View the Post