Black Archives - Page 40 of 87

Shopping for Paris! Thanks to Talbots…

March 22, 2018

Yep - a sponsored post! It's always a fun occasion to sit down and browse through the Talbot's site, mentally trying on different pieces and pondering how I'd wear them, and how they might work with my existing wardrobe...And since I think I'm FINALLY going to make it to Paris in May, I thought that choosing some things with that trip in mind might be a way to add to the anticipation that's already almost out of control. (for those of you who haven't heard, I had to cancel a trip to Paris in December because of a fibromyalgia "interlude," and then ANOTHER attempt to go in February was rendered completely impossible by the worst flu I've ever had...)

Talbot's asked that I specifically look at their RSVP selections - ... View the Post

A Timeless 4 by 4 Wardrobe

March 19, 2018

While I'm in Ireland, here at The Vivienne Files we're wandering back through some of my most popular posts on Pinterest...Isn't this wardrobe timeless? I wrote this a year and a half ago - long enough for some people to want to get rid of every stitch and start over! - but I don't see a thing here that I wouldn't cheerfully wear today...

I hope you're all well and happy! If you're interested in where I am, and what I'm doing, come follow me on Instagram....

love, Janice

... View the Post

A Ted Baker Scarf-Based French 5-Piece Wardrobe

May 7, 2018 You don't have to follow the Pantone colors - make your own very personal "French 5-Piece Wardrobe" by starting with something that has some real "whappage" in your life! For me, that might often be a lovely Ted Baker London scarf. (No, I have absolutely no business relationship with them... sigh...) You go shopping - see the scarf - and the path is clear! A couple of simple, timeless garments, classic earrings, and a summery tote, and your spring is ready to start.

Imagine if you were devoted to wearing black and white - you had this lovely 10-piece Common Wardrobe available for spring. (Yes, you've seen this wardrobe before...)

You would already have a wealth of lovely ... View the Post

A French 5-Piece Wardrobe in Tomato Red

February 27, 2018 When the weather gets warm, many of us get the urge to shop! And so let's think about limiting our purchases to whatever essential, core items we need, and then a French 5-Piece Wardrobe to freshen and update our classics...First, every change of season has me dreaming of tossing out all of my clothes and buying an entirely new wardrobe from Eileen Fisher. (NOT going to happen, but a woman can fantasize, and then use that fantasy to create a better reality, right?)This is what I'd be buying, if I was going to do such a madcap thing:

Of course, when you look at this wardrobe for a few minutes, you realize that you don't need to buy ALL 10 pieces to get the desired effect - maybe just 2 or 3 of the real signature ... View the Post

Daffodils – the Birth Flower for March! How perfect…

After watching the Six Nations rugby yesterday, and seeing daffodil hats, and lots of daffodils pinned to coats, it seemed only perfect that today we look at them as the March birth flower...(Daffodil Days are a Cancer Society fund-raiser...)

For many of us, yellow feels like an inherently difficult color, but never discount the impact (and the fun!) that you could have with a yellow pedicure, or yellow sandals... but you can always wear the image of the daffodil in silver - no worries about unflattering yellow!

And I'm convinced that the flower in the middle of that very bright scarf is a narcissus...

Disclaimer - Yes, I'm using the same pants and shoes for most of these outfits. This is NOT because I'm bone-deep lazy (although ... View the Post

Paris Packing – A Parka, and Lots of Stripes

February 9, 2018

You might remember that I was supposed to go to Paris back in December, when a sudden fibromyalgia "interlude" caused me to cancel; I was literally IN THE BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA OF THE AIRPORT when I realized that I wasn't strong enough to make it up the escalator to check in, let alone fly all the way to Paris...

But this is better because (a) Belovedest is going with me! and (b) we'll be there for Valentine's Day! Sweet, eh?

As much as it's fun to be in Paris for a romantic holiday, we have to bear in mind that the weather will be cold, and quite wet - and as much as I'd love to travel without a big heavy coat, it might be plain stupid to try to get by without it - nothing is more miserable than being cold every day. ... View the Post

Build a Capsule Wardrobe in 12 Months, 12 Outfits – February 2018

I'm still not sure why I always add a dress in February - a long-standing affection for Valentine's Day? Or just a desire to make sure that I'm well prepared for dressy spring events?

It's not quite expected to accessorize a classic black dress with bright spring green...

I didn't find a beige dress that appealed, so I thought that this delicious cocoa brown would be perfect with this scarf, or with a grouping of blush pink accessories.

The red is probably the most expected accent color with a navy dress, so I ignored that and chose teal instead!

This green isn't as yellow-ish as the greens used last month, but since it's a dress, it doesn't have to be "dye-lot matched" to the other neutral in this wardrobe... And ... View the Post

Updating a Bone-Deep Glamorous Travel Wardrobe

January 31, 2018

Remember this heroine? I felt that, with Valentine's Day on the horizon, it might be fun to see what she's been doing...

Well, she was shopping one day and saw these... She was smitten...

She had a casual trip coming up - taking a few students to The Cloisters, outside of New York. She's been doing some work on the symbolic significant of roses in Gothic art and architecture, and they're going to go take a look at a couple of important pieces there...

So it seems only fitting that she embrace roses as a personal trend!

It's also an opportunity to add just a touch of pink to her wardrobe. She's not sure that this will be a long-term addition or just a whim, but it's very much at harmony with much ... View the Post

Ultraviolet? or is it ultra violet?

January 29, 2018

I have to admit my age; when I hear the word (or words) Ultra Violet, I think of her...

She was the only one of Andy Warhol's gang of friends to really capture my imagination...

But of course ultraviolet - is it all one word?, with no capitalization - is the "color of the year" for 2018! Which usually means that you can't find a garment in that color for love nor money... but this year, the always lovely Eileen Fisher came through!

I could be VERY tempted by that dress... and if the idea of a deep red appeals, the tunic and the dress are available in "claret," as well as muted teal and a lovely electric blue...

But back to my practical thinking - how might one actually WEAR this color with ... View the Post

Do All of Your Accent Colors have to Work Together?

Until the last year or so, this is something that I wouldn't have brought to the blog - it would have just been something that was floating around in my brain, bugging me. But knowing how thoughtful and intelligent you are, I thought I'd share...

Yesterday, I was looking at the jerseys worn by the rugby team Stade Francais (yes, they're from Paris) and the colors in them got me to thinking...

It's important (at least my opinion!) to have a core wardrobe neutral color, and a handful of accent colors - typically including a light color for tee shirts and blouses. Having this palette of 5 (approximately) colors makes shopping and coordinating your wardrobe a ton easier.

But should your accent colors ALSO work together? Do they have ... View the Post

Instruments de Musique by Pablo Picasso – Inspiring an Unusual Business Tote Bag Travel Wardrobe

January 18, 2018 A Square Peg...

She knows it - she doesn't fit in the way most other staff at her firm does... She works the difference to her advantage.

Many of their clients are as different from her co-workers as chalk is from cheese. She's MUCH more like the clients... and that helps!

Often she can get insights and answers that elude much more senior staff... They marvel at how she does it...

She fits in with her co-workers, superficially, but if someone was paying close attention they would see that she's got her very own approach to things!

One would think that the orange suitcase might be their first hint? Or maybe the concrete necklace...

love, Janice

p.s. Now that I've built ... View the Post

Fonds Marins by Lee Ungno – Inspiring a Start with Art Tote Bag Travel Wardrobe

January 15, 2018 They Keep Telling Her That She's an Iconoclast... But she likes to think that she just knows what she likes!

She likes black and white, and she likes pastels...

She likes linen shirts, untucked!

She loves scarves, and bracelets...

She likes to travel light...

She likes to carry a handbag in an unexpected color!

She's comfortable mixing pastel colors...

She's comfortable wearing multiple shades of blue...

But she would NEVER break an icon - they're works of art!

love, Janice

... View the Post