The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Travel Capsule Wardrobe for a Long Weekend? Start with an Echo 100 Scarf!

December 29, 2023

Only a few more days typing "2023!" Not quite ready, personally!

Let's look at three more scarves, and around each of them construct a 6-piece travel capsule wardrobe. Maybe you'd get sick of wearing the same 2 or 3 colors over a week or two, but for three days, it might just make things easier.

Isn't this lovely? And lots of possibilities...

The dark color might very well be navy in this scarf, but on my monitor it looks black, so that's what I've included. I'm sure you understand...

This weekend is a split between dressy and relaxed; I think she's ready for anything!

If you've ever wanted to own something designed by Romeo Gigli, here's your chance!

Red and orange together - without ... View the Post

Our Final 2 Capsule Wardrobes: December Six Paintings – Twelve Months

December 8, 2023

I didn't have any coffee yesterday (physicals with fasting blood tests are the worst...), and today I'm getting all weepy and sentimental about all sort of things! Not the least? Saying goodbye to these 6 paintings...

For the rest of our lives, if we happen to see an image of any of these anywhere, we will recognize them, and remember them well! What a way to learn art...

First, my very favorite. In the end, I'm true to black and white!

Our heroine ended November with a tidy 35-piece wardrobe, well-suited to most of life:

Before you buy ANYTHING, you should be able to state clearly to yourself why you either need or want the item in question. If you neither need nor want it (beyond the simple lust for ... View the Post

Need an Accent Inspiration? Start With a Scarf – Shepard Fairey by Echo

December 1, 2023

OH dear! I'm supposed to be working on the "Six Paintings, Six Wardrobes" posts today! But once I saw that Shepard Fairey had done a scarf for Echo, I was thoroughly distracted... You know his art; remember the Obama posters from way back when...

This nice thing about scarves (well, one of the many nice things about scarves!) is that even if you don't much love the image when the scarf is flat, nobody but you will probably EVER see the scarf spread out and fully visible...

Our heroine today is one of us who mostly loves to wear neutrals - especially black and beige! But she's going to be attending a couple of "medium dressy" events this winter (some including children), and she needs to maybe brighten up ... View the Post

Ready for the Week? Start with a Scarf – 3 “Echo 100” Scarves

November 27, 2023

This is supposed to be the time of year when our schedules are busiest, and when we have the most challenges taking care of everything that we want to do...

I'm not sure; I suspect that some of us run into these kinds of pressure at any time of year!

My suggestion? Every Thursday evening, and Sunday evening (your choices may vary), assemble a Wardrobe Cluster of 4, 5 or 6 garments that all go nicely together. Make sure you've chosen accessories, and that the appropriate shoes are clean and in good repair, too!

This might make weekends, and early days of the work week, a bit easier...

I see this color palette as being perfect if you're not expecting bitter cold weather, or if you just look lovely in ... View the Post

Festive Attire in Untraditional Colors? Start with a Scarf – 3 Limited Edition Echo Scarves

November 24, 2023

Today's heroines are all going to be doing something for the upcoming winter holidays - nothing overwhelmingly dressy, just events for which they wish to look nice...

And they don't want to wear the traditional colors that everyone else will be wearing! Blending in with the crowd just doesn't suit these heroines that well!

So let's start with more lovely scarves:

Our first heroine is particularly smitten with this scarf for lots of reasons, but especially because it includes brown, which is her #1 favorite neutral!

So these are the colors that she isolates from this scarf - she could have chosen at least 3 more that I can see...

This little cluster delights her - she's got Christmas red and ... View the Post

Business Travel Packing Made Easy? Start with a Scarf: Tré Seals Scarf By Echo

November 15, 2023

I've been planning to buy one (well, at least one!) of the Echo 100 Scarves, from their amazing anniversary project; I knew that something would have whappage, and be irresistible to me...

You're shocked, I know:

Okay, this might be unnecessary, but it's what we do here on The Vivienne Files!

This heroine isn't me - although it certainly could have been me in my advertising days!

Our intrepid friend today is heading to one of those cities that starts with an N - New York, Newark, Northampton, Nantes? She will only be there 3 nights, and during the day she will be training employees of her company in cool and fascinating research techniques...

The weather will be moderate - not that ... View the Post

Two Capsule Wardrobes: November Six Paintings – Twelve Months

November 1, 2023

As I sit here at the dining table typing, it has just quit snowing in Chicago. Bear in mind that nothing has stuck to the ground, and for all I can tell, it didn't even SNOW down there! We live on the 24th floor; we see snow that never hits the ground...

I don't care. I love snow!

Let's visit our heroines and see what they're doing to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. It might seem terribly early to begin to look at festive attire, but remember that the really good stuff ALWAYS sells out early...

First up - my favorite painting of the six. I think. Subject to change!

You don't have to choose, really! I know people who walk into a room in a museum and immediately pick their favorite painting ... View the Post

Tote Bag Travel that Starts with a Bracelet: Dazzling Lynx Bracelets by Fierce Lynx Designs

October 23, 2023

Yes, she's starting early. She knows full well that her friends will start planning holiday events, and she wants to be prepared. She's particularly eager to be able to pack just a few garments in a tote bag, for those overnight, 2-party weekends...

She's not crazy - there are lovely holiday things available right now that are selling out quickly. Nobody seems to be keeping deep inventories these days!

She's starting here!

 

She's one of those women - we all know one - who seems to carry her own illumination system with her! She walks in the door and people start to smile...

For years, she's kept her color palette VERY limited; it gives her lots of opportunity to find things that are amusing, ... View the Post

Ideas for Layering Tops: Japanese Season Sōkō – Frost Descent

October 20, 2023

I'm still not used to the fact that autumn is here, and October is mostly over! But I love autumn clothes, so that helps me adjust...

Today I'm thinking about how we have to layer up a LOT of clothes first thing in the morning (I wear gloves any time the temp is below 55 Fahrenheit!), but by afternoon we can peel off at least 1 layer...

In the past, I've called this the "Triple Top Secret" because having three tops that work together give you at least a half-dozen different combinations... Pack 3 tops and an extra pair of pants, and you're good for a long weekend!

Your "pivot" top - the one around which you build - can be your 2nd layer, as I've shown here:

A lovely blazer is always a good place to ... View the Post

Start with Art: Silence in the Night by Emilio Pettoruti

October 18, 2023

Finally! She found the perfect painting... Maybe nobody else in the world would feel this way about this work of art, but to her it's just right...

The Simplest Suitcase Possible She's got to travel. She wants to have available a range of dressiness - nothing TOO casual, nor nothing TOO dressy. But still, a sense of choice...

She decides to work with black inner cores - black tee shirts and other tops, with black pants and skirts. Her accent colors will be worn as 2nd layers, scarves and jewelry.

Her first outfit, for travel, is the most casual - jeans and a corduroy jacket!

Her second outfit will include her favorite denim skirt, and purple accents!

She also packs a third outfit - ... View the Post

Six Paintings, Twelve Months: Street, Berlin by Ludwig Kirchner

October 4, 2023

I think I'm going to be able to do these one at a time, which is an interesting approach!

What would I be thinking if this was my wardrobe inspiration, and my wardrobe?

Well, I'd be pretty thrilled with this painting! It's sassy, bright, and has purple right up front! And lots of black, which has been my favorite neutral for 40 years...

This wardrobe has a lot of appeal, to me. Maybe I would want more purple and less pink, but that's a pretty small concern...

But I would have to have a pair of black shorts! Maybe not in October, but eventually. And I definitely feel a longing here for black and white stripes, checks, florals, or even a great paisley scarf.

And a white cardigan. Yes, it's sort of ... View the Post

A Neutral Travel Capsule Wardrobe: Start with a Scarf – Wild Rose Silk Scarf by Echo

September 28, 2023

Incognito She judges gardens. Every weekend, she goes to another city, and tours all kinds of backyards and front yards, and picks the winners...

And NOBODY knows that it's her! Well, the people sponsoring the garden walks always know her name, and they know her email address from which they will receive the big announcement...

She shows up for both days of the walks, dressed inconspicuously, not taking notes, not being a pompous "garden judge" who lords her authority over the poor gardeners...

She always packs the same 10 garments, for the entirety of the autumn (or spring) judging season.

The first things into her bag is her favorite turtleneck - cotton, but hefty enough for a cool ... View the Post