The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Travel with Janice Archives - Page 9 of 16

Handling Temptation

February 4, 201   Saturday, one of my friends too me to the most AMAZING store... It's completely unassuming name is Juju's Vintage Resale Shop, and it's in a strip mall in Chicago, but very near Niles, Illinois. You could drive past it every day for a decade and never imagine the amazing wonders to be found inside...   This is just one of dozens of displays. It's almost all vintage costume jewelry, it's gorgeous, and the abundance makes your head spin!  

 

 

  Maybe an entire ETAGERE of black and white holds some appeal?  

  It was pretty clear that we were going to be in this store for at LEAST an hour, just admiring all of the amazing items, and the creative and appealing ways ... View the Post

Chic Sightings: A Mixture of Greens

December 12, 2014   I rarely see anybody wearing green, and I almost NEVER see a mixture of shades of green in one outfit, so it was truly a red letter (or a green letter, I suppose) day when I saw both of these women. Sometimes it's certain that these kinds of ensembles are the result of carelessness, or color-blindness, but in both of these cases it was clear that a deliberate plan was at work. Bold statements, but eye-catching and fun. Not for the faint of heart, but certainly something in this to inspire us.  

    love, Janice ... View the Post

Chic Sightings: RED, in the cold weather

December 9, 2014  

We spent a lot of time running around the city this past weekend, finalizing the purchase of gifts for a host of interesting small people! And one of the best parts of being outside on a crisp winter day in Chicago is the people-watching...   The first outfit was pretty conventional, albeit beautifully pulled together; what made it really stand out were her bright red shoes! It was a perfect day for a statement shoe, as there was no precipitation, and nothing slushy on the pavement. She was young, with long dark hair and a brilliant smile. No red lipstick, although that certainly would have been an option!   And the 2nd ensemble was notable for a few reasons. First off, a white coat is a brave ... View the Post

ASAP – As Sustainable As Possible – A New Paris Store (to me…)

  Belovedest and I were doing our usual wander about Paris on our last vacation, when we saw this store across the street. It had the usual clean, simple look that many stores in Paris have (the stores there seem to be either very sleek and simple, or charmingly cluttered in a tiny and inviting way...). With reckless disregard for our safety, which is really the only way to walk in Paris, we crossed the street in the middle of the block and went in...   Before we escaped, we had purchased a beautiful linen plaid scarf for Belovedest, in soft tonal beige, tan and ivory, and I had a new cashmere hooded sweatshirt in traditional grey. I bought the largest size available in the sweatshirt, because I was looking for smooshy, cuddly ... View the Post

Starved for Options

November 14, 2014  

  When B and I go to Paris, we have a standing joke that we share - basically, think of jewelry in some relatively uncommon design or motif (like a bracelet that are a bunch of hands holding each other, or earrings that look like lily of the valley), and without fail, somewhere along our walks, we will find said jewelry, and a million other things we would never have imagined...   I contrast that right now with the offerings in the US, where most department stores costume jewelry departments are dominated by no more than 5 designers, and maybe three other recognizable names. There aren't any small boutiques downtown that carry smaller brands, so if I'm going to make my purchase in-person, I'm ... View the Post

We are SO ahead of our time!

  October 18, 2014

When we were in Amsterdam last month, we of course went to the Rijksmuseum. They have lots of Rembrandt's, some Vermeers - it's worth the effort, trust me. It's a museum that will linger in our memories for the rest of our lives.

But there was one thing there that really caught my eye - our TICKETS!

 

 

  Both of the paintings are in fact details from The Night Watch by Rembrandt - arguably the crown jewel of the Rijksmuseum collection. But note the color schemes on the left side, drawn from the paintings! Remind anybody of our Start With Art? These two bit posters were outside the entrance to the museum. The first is colors taken from The Milkmaid by Vermeer:

  And this is ... View the Post

Denim Shirts in Paris – 12 Versions

October 7, 2014   As I mentioned Saturday, I saw lots of denim and chambray shirts in Paris - they were worn in an amazing variety of ways...   Most simple is wearing these shirts with black.  This can be a nice relaxed "out for the afternoon" outfits with pants and flats, or much dressier, with a pretty skirt and clutch bag.  Sleeves can be rolled, collar stood up in back - anything that personalizes your shirt and makes you happy!  

  A collarless chambray shirt can be a nice counterpoint to a dressy skirt.  Where something lacy or floral might go WAAAAY over the top, these outfits look like you mean to be dressy, but you're not getting carried away. (and look - NO ... View the Post

What They’re Wearing in Paris – Autumn 2014

October 4, 2014  

Well, the weather was so nice in Paris when we were there, at least part of the time the women were still wearing summer clothes! There's absolutely nothing more evocative than a pair of espadrilles that are about to fall apart, on the last warm days of the season... But this is what I saw:

Hosiery. Yes, it's back. Sheer black, sheer nude, opaque black of COURSE, and some interesting black on black stripes and checks. For those of us with less than perfect legs, this is good news. That dark red color that is named for every kind of wine imaginable. I'm NOT going to get into the semantics of what color is which, but I saw a lot of leather goods in shades from a very purple-ish burgundy to a much more ... View the Post

Where we Stayed, What we Ate: Paris

October 3, 2014   I'm having a tired day today, but since I had the photographs all queued up, I thought I'd at least share them...  

  After Amsterdam, B and I came BACK to Paris...  

   We walked, and ate...  

   Every time I go to Paris, I have at least one meal at Brasserie Balzar!  

  ... View the Post

Where we Stayed, What we Ate: Amsterdam

October 2, 2014

Go to the shop on the corner. Walk to the back of the tiny shop floor, and climb the very steep and narrow stairs...

 

  When you get to the top, you find a delightful little slice of Amsterdam paradise - this was our room at Maison Rika.   Rika is a designer, and she has two shops on the same street in Amsterdam. Upstairs from one of the shops, she has two guests rooms. Just two. This is not the place to get room service at 2 a.m. This is much, MUCH nicer.   When you check in, they give you keys to the store on the ground floor. You can come and go as you please, and you immediately feel like a member of the Rika family. If you can navigate these stairs, I can warmly recommend ... View the Post

Shopping in Amsterdam and Paris, September 2014

October 1, 2014

I did not shop the first four days I was in Europe, because I was escorting my two photographer friends, and we were BUSY finding great locations and walking, walking, walking!  (there will soon be a new header for The Vivienne Files!)   But once B and I got to Amsterdam, I began to look about.  I didn't throw myself madly into the process; I waited until I saw things that had whappage; if I hadn't found anything at all that really had appeal, then I wouldn't have wasted my very hard-earned money.  It's important to remember how long it takes to earn money when you go to spend it - is object "X" worth 3, 5, or 14 hours of your effort?  Sometimes, you just have to conclude that the answer ... View the Post