The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Navy Blue Archives - Page 8 of 60

Preparing for Spring: Start with a Bracelet – Voyage to Santorini by Fierce Lynx Designs

January 29, 2024

It's certainly not Spring yet (in the Northern Hemisphere!), but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't start planning...

Our heroine is going to travel at least once this spring, for long weekends to destinations that might be warm, and that might be cool-ish... That's sort of the charm of spring, isn't it?

So while you could certainly plan a glorious summer travel wardrobe around these color (turquoise and white for DAYS...), you can also enjoy the feel of the colors in clothes that aren't all linen, cut for 30 degrees Celsius...

So our heroine is sensible - a fun striped top, but with sleeves, and a snappy striped sweater...

A dress (that comes in a stack of colors!) that just screams "sunny day," ... View the Post

Do You Love Blue? Adding Accessories to a Start with Art Wardrobe – Blue on White, White on Blue by Paolo Quaresima

January 24, 2024

You thought that I forgot! Yes, I can get pretty immersed in those Echo 100 scarves, but there's no way I was going to miss revisiting this painting:

This heroine is going to look at each of her "wardrobe clusters" one at a time, and make certain that she has the accessories that she wants for each cluster... 

She's already got her shoes chosen - that's a lot of the thinking out of the way already!

First up, her warmest cluster. There are at least four outfits possible here, if she layers her navy shirt under her navy sweater... If you're summering in a place where evenings can turn cool, this could happen!

And for what it's worth, we have cool summer days in Chicago! The sellers of souvenir ... View the Post

Need a Wardrobe Plan for Summer? Start with Art – Blue on White, White on Blue by Paolo Quaresima

January 17, 2024

Since the temperature here is a whopping THREE DEGREES Fahrenheit, let's help a heroine who is planning her summer wardrobe!

We're going to try something kind of new - assembling a 4 by 4 Wardrobe by choosing four 4-piece clusters! Each cluster will give her at least 2 outfits, and all of the clusters will be able to work together. This is a good approach if she wants to shop (or closet-shop!) gradually, and if she's finding that clothes in her favorite colors are proving hard to find...

She wants navy, she wants white, and she wants accents of bright blue - maybe this painting is a good starting place:

One thing I've been assured - our heroine doesn't like white leather goods! I can understand that; ... View the Post

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

January 5, 2024

I'm not 100% over the flu yet, but I'm certainly well enough to share these paintings, and their wardrobes, with you!

Let's get the blues, eh?

For the first few months, I'm going to make certain that this heroine has all of her necessary navy garments, and her white essentials. I think TOO much mixing of blues, too soon, could make things difficult... Let's try to be at least a bit practical!

Well snoots, I forgot the painting!

She entered this year with these lovely core garments and accessories:

Yep - another irresistible scarf! Dark jeans, two perfect tee shirts, and I love a good sweater vest...

I don't wear navy - haven't since shortly after grad school - but I could travel with these 8 ... View the Post

The Finishing Touches: Start with a Bracelet – Fierce Serenity Bracelets by Fierce Lynx Designs

December 20, 2023

One last visit to the navy, grey and Larkspur wardrobe - this heroine needs a few accessories to round out her 4 by 4 Wardrobe...

Remember, this is our basis. I don't know if anybody noticed - I added dark navy borders to the "pie pieces" so that we can visualize our 2nd neutral:

This is the assortment of clothing that our heroine is taking with her. If I were her, I'd be packing long underwear to wear as pajamas, and someone suggested a down vest too!

She also had chosen some lovely accessories - not enough, probably, but still lovely...

She stands. She looks. She thinks. 

luggage won't pack itself!

Her idea is to work her way through a bunch of outfits, and make certain that she ... View the Post

Expanding Your Wardrobe: Start with a Bracelet – Fierce Serenity Bracelets by Fierce Lynx Designs

December 18, 2023

Of course you remember this bracelet - it was only last week that I first shared it with you! 

And this was the small wardrobe that our heroine took with her on her long weekend of serious reading!

It turns out that our heroine is headed to campus for a month for a special symposium about Changing Political Ideologies in Western Democratic Systems! Riveting, eh?

Since she was so happy with her wardrobe from her "reading weekend," she decided to use that as the base for her 4 by 4 Capsule Travel Wardrobe for the month that she's away. Sensible, I'd say...

After looking at, and remembering wearing, her core garments, she decides to add a 2nd, darker neutral. And she feels like she wants a blazer ... View the Post

2 Capsule Wardrobes: December Six Paintings – Twelve Months

December 4, 2023

Ah, the last visit to these wardrobes! I'm going to look at two of them today, two on Wednesday, and then the final pair on Friday. 

I confess that I will miss these six paintings! But I think that this exercise is both interesting and useful - we all need to learn to live with fewer new garments, and to wear what we own frequently. The level of waste on our planet that comes from clothing is shocking...

Let's start with this most evocative painting; imagine what trains and train stations meant to cities, back in Monet's time. They were new, definitely faster than anything that had come before, and changed their view of distances...

Let's take a quick glance at our heroine's wardrobe before she heads ... 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

A Travel Capsule in Navy and Blues: Start with Art – The Blue Garden by Lilian Muheim

November 8, 2023

This is her favorite colors, all in one painting!

If you like floral paintings, I strongly encourage you to visit Lilan Muheim's website and enjoy the range of offerings - she's got a LOVELY talent...

One of the things she loves about her favorite paintings is that it includes both navy and olive green; having two neutrals available for one's wardrobe is always useful. She's Named For a Flower... One of the less common ones for names! But she's embraced the whole idea for decades - much easier than feeling ill-used by her parents!

And her favorite colors include the colors of her name-sake flower, so that works out well. 

Her color palette offers plenty of possibilities:

For her upcoming ... View the Post

Another Pair of Capsule Wardrobes: November Six Paintings – Twelve Months

November 6, 2023

Our final heroines for November! One of them is not at all concerned with getting dressed up, but the other is overwhelmed with invitations...

Let's start with our very relaxed, earth-toned heroine:

Her wardrobe at the beginning of November was 32 pieces that were as close to fool-proof as a wardrobe can get; last month she bought a plaid cardigan that still hasn't settled into place, but she's patient...

 

This month, she doesn't have any worries (yet?) about holiday festivities, so she finds an assortment of garments that appeal - the vest will be perfect with last month's dark pants...

She now is the proud owner of TWO plaid garments, and something in tweed too! Nonetheless, her ... 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

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