The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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1 Dress, 100 Days: Day 3

September 3, 2022

My plan today is to work, and to hang out with my mom! We will probably walk out to the supermarket, but otherwise lie low...

So I'm going to wear one of my triple-wrap bracelets as a necklace, put on 4 of my favorite black earrings, and some sandals. I need a bag to go to the store, but otherwise I'm ready to roll!

I thought I would share with you some of the things that I wear every day, too:

Enjoy your weekend!

love, Janice ... View the Post

Part 1 September 2022: Six Scarves, 12 Months

September 2, 2022

I've realized that I really like doing these six wardrobes in 3 separate blog posts; I can spend a lot more time looking for things that strike my fancy!

Let's start with Chrysanthemums!

As our heroine looked at her existing wardrobe, and began to think of what she might want for autumn, she began to feel that the soft, dusty, smoky blue in her wardrobe palette is underrepresented in her wardrobe. 

So she set out to find some pretty things!

She's not fanatic that all of these things match - she will be happy to wear the blue with all of the charcoal grey that she already owns...

I'd say she did pretty well!

Her new clothes blend in well with her existing wardrobe; if someone is really ... View the Post

1 Dress, 100 Days: Day 2

September 2, 2022

Yesterday went perfectly! In direct sunlight I was too warm with my shirt over my dress, SO I CROSSED THE STREET! Living in the city gives you that option much of the time...

So today's outfit is very similar to yesterday's, but with my 4 Objects chambray shirt, and a little bit more toe protection. 

This is so interesting - inside my head. I think about all of the different ways that I can wear my dress, but I don't lie in bed at night wondering what I'm going to wear tomorrow. It's a change!

love,

Janice

  ... View the Post

1 Dress, 100 Days: Day 1

September 1, 2022

Today's the day! I'm excited to see how I feel wearing the same dress for 3+ months...

I'm meeting a friend for lunch today - she started her 1 Dress 100 Day adventure in the middle of August. We're wearing the same dress, but we will NEVER look very much alike!

Here's my first day - a lot of necklaces, and a shirt to protect my shoulders...

love,

Janice ... View the Post

1 Dress, 14 Ways to Wear It

August 31, 2022

Tomorrow, I'm going to start the "1 Dress, 100 Days" project, sponsored by Wool&, and completed by hundreds of other women. I'm very excited...

My dress will be the Sierra Tank Dress - 100% wool and softer than you can imagine. Mine, of course, is black!

I plan to Instagram what I wear every day and put it here on The Vivienne Files. That means there will be posts here EVERY DAY for the next 100 days - although many of them will be pretty brief. On my normal "off days," I will show you what I'm wearing and make any observations or comments about what I think about the whole process.

But what can one do with the same dress for 100 days?

Wear it alone, with accessories, or wear it with something under ... View the Post

Start with Nature: The Spinning Pulsar of the Crab Nebula

August 29, 2022 Staying at the Observatory Until the Autumnal Equinox

There are all kinds of interesting things to observe and photograph near the equinox; she's going to stay until then, to have everything ready!

She will be alone most of the time, and it will get quite cool before she comes home... 

So she starts her small travel wardrobe with some warm things, in the navy of the night sky:

There's laundry in the housing facility at the base of the tower, so she doesn't need much at all for clothing; these 9 pieces will go a long way!

But she realizes that if she takes a few more shirts and sweaters, she won't have to do laundry as often! So she turns to one of her favorite recent astronomy ... View the Post

I’m So Sorry…

August 26, 2022

I don't have a post ready for today - other obligations have kept me far from my desk!

But have you looked recently at my "Start with Art" page?

You can scroll through and see ALL of the art that's been used on The Vivienne Files, with a link to the relevant blog post!

If you see something that we should revisit, please let me know! 

Except Edith and the Kingpin; I think I've exhausted their story...

love,

Janice

p.s. Seven years ago, Mark Rothko's "Light, Earth and Blue" was our inspiration... ... View the Post

Start With Art: Winter Solstice by Dame Barbara Hepworth

August 24, 2022

It seems a bit premature to be looking at art entitled Winter Solstice, but our heroine loves pastels!

She doesn't much care what anybody else wears - she's not interested in dark colors! She feels beautiful in pink, and lovely in sky blue...

The core of her wardrobe for cooler weather is gray, with a bit of denim and chambray tossed in for practicality:

please note - everybody's "Common Wardrobe" will be different - what I'm looking for are the core, neutral garments that form the base for the more expressive and statement garments and accessories in our wardrobes.

On those days, our heroine knows that she doesn't have to look any farther than these 9 pieces to get her dressed and out the ... View the Post

Start with Art: A Mother’s Love: The Polar Bear Family by Jason Carter

August 22, 2022

She loved his art the first minute she saw it! The clarity, simplicity, beautiful colors - all of it!

And she knew that this painting would be useful in helping her focus her ever-shrinking wardrobe:

She knows that the core of her wardrobe will be black, white and denim - this painting seems just right!

She start her autumn wardrobe planning with A Common Wardrobe. It's not called "common" because the clothes are cheap or run of the mill - it's called common because these are clothes that a LOT of people have in common!

That's a good thing - you can easily find them, they fit in easily when you're not sure what to wear, but best of all, the serve as a neutral background for whatever accents you wish to ... View the Post

Version 4 – Start with a Scarf: The Ghan by Un Poco

August 15, 2022

This is a slightly more extravagant wardrobe than the first 3... and note that if you're looking for accent colors, Benetton always carries plenty! Back to School - Not in THIS Climate!

She has the longest drive - they live a long way south of the University...

Her friends are always eager to see how she's managing a "real" autumn - she struggles with socks, and when they first met, she hadn't brought any sweaters with her!

She's charming, feminine, and great fun!

 

She confesses that she loves "having" to buy corduroy pants, and a cashmere sweater! If there's a temporary cold spell where she lives, she at least has something to wear for a day or two...

Four VERY different ... View the Post

Version 3 – Start with a Scarf: The Ghan by Un Poco

August 12, 2022 Back to School - She Wishes!!!

She's the youngest of the 4, both in age and in spirit! When she pulled off her cap, they were delighted to see purple highlights in her hair!

editor's note: if you're considering adding bright highlights to your hair, I STRONGLY recommend Punky Color. I've been using all of the various shades of purple (plum, purple, violet) for years, and it's easy, mess-less, and actually good for your hair! If you're going to have white hair that takes dye well, you might as well take advantage of it...

She's still raising younger children, so she rarely dresses up. She loves this trip each year, because she can pull out her "good" pants, and her floral blouse! 

Of course her ... View the Post