Art Archives - Page 18 of 85

October 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 1

October 2, 2024

Let's check in with what the "Start With Art" heroines have been buying!

This month, we're starting with this heroine and this painting. The more I look at this painting, the more I appreciate it - especially the essential touches of black in a painting that is mostly warm colors. Sometimes, you just want to have some black in your closet...

First up - let's look at her wardrobe as of the end of September. I've divided these into two images, so that we can actually SEE the garments:

Hmm... no dresses, no skirts. That's this heroine's preference, and I can support this! I have a couple of friends who may have legs, but I've never seen them, so I'm only assuming this is true...

And now her accessories - ... View the Post

September 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 2

September 6, 2024

Sorry about that unexpected day off on Wednesday; I've discovered that grief and fibromyalgia is a potent, and quite miserable, combination!

Let's get to more fun things - planning wardrobes, especially with fall coming! Here in Chicago, we're supposed to have at least a few cool days this week, which is quite early for us; I generally don't expect to wear fall clothes until October, these days...

How seasonal is this next painting?

When I sorted this wardrobe by color, I separated the charcoal grey from the lighter greys - that gives us the numeric illusion that this wardrobe is dominated by red! In fact, it's still pretty close - there's a LOT of red in this wardrobe. But that's what the heroine intended, ... View the Post

September 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 1

September 2, 2024

This month feels like a new start for many of us - back to school and all that. In France, they call it "la rentrée" - the re-entry. Everybody's back from vacation and ready for the return of autumn...

So I'm going to look at these wardrobe with a few minutes of simple analysis, before I just tear off shopping with our various heroines!

Let's start with this most difficult (for me) wardrobe, based on a cheery and always interesting painting:

Five accent colors! Pastels AND brights! So not my style... which is great, right?

Just looking at this, I feel like this heroine might want to look for more green, orange or pink...

And let's see what she has, separated by function:

She ... View the Post

Not Sure HOW Dressy? Start With Art – Mont Alba by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

August 28, 2024

I didn't know that Charles Rennie Mackintosh painted! I knew lots of others things that he did, but not this kind of lovely thing:

Such lovely colors...

Suddenly, many heroines among us are traveling to events - weddings, christenings, graduations, reunions - and are NOT being given a whole lot of guidance about appropriate attire!

Maddening. And inconsiderate. But we shall rise above, right?

First, try to get better information. Still, that's not always possible, so what else can one do?

I picture a heroine traveling in a casual outfit, with a cardigan jacket that has all kinds of possibilities:

She doesn't want to pack a whole ton of things - although that's a possible solution!

But ... View the Post

A Small, Basic Travel Capsule Wardrobe? Start with Art – Portrait of Woman in Green Hat by Picasso

August 16, 2024

She remembered the post - right here on The Vivienne Files - and was thinking of something a little bit different with the same painting!

I think every reader of The Vivienne Files thinks up their own versions of these wardrobes; that's kind of the point! Put your own preferences in place of mine, or those of our heroine...

Her wardrobe is black and white. She's just now starting to add a bit of taupe/brown to things. But she could see the merit of a blue shirt, or a green sweater, along with a scarf or two...

So for a trip - a fairly long trip - she decides to pack VERY light, but to give herself the feeling of a "bigger than it really is" travel capsule wardrobe. Three accent colors might do ... View the Post

August 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 2

August 5, 2024

Thanks for all of the kind and loving comments on Friday; these kinds of things keep me going...

I'm coming to realize, as I look at the 32-piece wardrobes with which we start this month, that 32 pieces of clothing is really quite a lot! I don't believe that I've worn 32 things so far this summer! These wardrobe will very neatly finish up with 52 pieces of clothing; does that seem like plenty, just right, or far too few?

Let's get to it!

Here's the 32 piece wardrobe with which our heroine starts August. Next month, I'm going to break these images out into at least two different ones, so that we can see things more clearly! This is akin to having a messy closet, or having clothes stored in a couple of different ... View the Post

August 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 1

August 2, 2024

I'm back... I may need to take more time off, but right now, I find work - and thinking of all of you - to be rather comforting!

Let's start with my favorite? Well, my favorite right this moment...

This heroine has been, frankly, sort of fast and loose about her wardrobe. Oh, she's been disciplined enough with her color palette, and she's found some amazing things to include... But she's discovered that she's ill-equipped for a serious event that strongly suggests a sober dress or skirt outfit.

Here's what she has so far:

She so loved her print dress from last month that she thought she'd start this month's shopping with the same dress, but in black! (this is always a good idea) The addition of a ... View the Post

My Caregiving Project Has Ended…

July 15, 2024

So I'm going to probably take off the rest of July to wrap up loose ends.

I'm fine - I will miss you all!

much love,

Janice

p.s. At the top of this page, under the heading "Articles," there is a tab called "Archives by Date" - just in case you need a "flashback fix" while I'm busy...

... View the Post

What Do YOU Need in Stressful Times?

July 10, 2024

I think about the role of clothing in our lives A LOT. And I'm currently reading the best book I've read - maybe ever - about a woman and her wardrobe.

Yes, it's not cheap, but it's a big, long book, and it talks at great length about O'Keeffe's wardrobe, and the deliberate choices that she made to define her personal style. It also shows what a brilliant seamstress she was!

I particularly like that when the author talks about a photograph, or a garment, the image is either RIGHT THERE on the page, or very close, and clearly labeled. I hate having to stop and Google a painting while I'm reading...

Anyway! This book got me thinking about the things that have been essential to me this last few months - ... View the Post

Forgiveness…

July 5, 2024

I like to think that every human being who's reached a certain age of responsibility has, at least once, failed to complete all of their "assigned" tasks.

Maybe it's a family thing.

Maybe it's a health thing.

Maybe it's just taking on too much, and realizing that there are limits.

Today, I've reached my limit. What should have been today's post - about a lovely new Echo scarf - will be released tomorrow...

Many of you know that my household is busy and full of caregiving, and ALL of you know that this caregiving is more important to me than anything else. As it would be for you, and as it should be for all of us.

That's why I don't lose sleep on these days when I have to postpone...

much ... View the Post

July 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 2

July 3, 2024

Let's drop in on our other three heroines... First up, my second-favorite wardrobe, maybe....

Ah, there was a day when I would have worn the daylights out of this wardrobe:

And the accessories... sigh...

For no good reason that she can identify, this heroine found herself (1) wanting some grey, calm, almost inconspicuous clothing, and (2) wanted to grab some of the good winter things now that it's JULY and they're starting to arrive in stores...

seriously, if there's something for which you particularly hanker for the winter, start looking soon...

L.L.Bean is where she found herself, and this is what she chose:

How can you resist a scarf that reminds you of your favorite painting?

Her new ... View the Post

July 2024 “Six Paintings, Twelve Months” – Part 1

July 1, 2024

And just like that, the year is half over! We're past the longest day of the year, if not the hottest... Change is the only thing upon which we can rely, but it still never ceases to surprise!

Our first heroine is being very intelligent, careful and disciplined this month...

Her painting inspiration is this:

And the very complete and coherent wardrobe with which she starts the month is this:

With these accessories:

Even though I haven't worn navy since (literally) the 80s, I could cheerfully toss all of this into a bag and travel for a long, long time...

Our heroine looks at what she has - very carefully - and realizes that she owns neither a simple navy & white tee shirt, nor a pair of ... View the Post