The Vivienne Files - Page 116 of 269 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Color Palettes – Never Take This For Granted…

I got back from Paris yesterday evening (although I'm writing this on the 18th of September, so anything's possible!).... Before I went on vacation I was looking around the internet for color inspirations and to see other approaches to color combinations - especially those outside of the fashion world.

So I suggest you get thee to a site called Design Seeds and enjoy yourself. Bookmark it and visit often, because they're always changing up the featured combinations, and they're always beautiful, if not always to one's personal preference. But what a source of ideas...

I cooked up a few new combinations - some taken directly from that site, and some that just came to me:

I'm curious to hear which of ... View the Post

Build a Capsule Wardrobe in 12 Months, 12 Outfits – October 2017

October 2, 2017

For new readers, on the first of the month (or for the first blog post of the month!) I have been working on this series - I start with six Hermes scarves, and then choose the same general outfit six times, based on the colors of the scarves. I keep accumulating the clothing chosen, and gradually build really amazingly interesting capsule wardrobes in six different color schemes.

Even though the weather is still relatively mild in Chicago, I'm ready for some sweaters! And some corduroy pants... Yes. I know that they make that schwooping noise when you walk. And yes, they tend to wear out between the thighs before any place else start to look worn. But nothing takes color (except maybe silk velvet...) with the same ... View the Post

Pantone “New” Colors for Spring 2018 – Accessories in a Dozen Colors…

September 29, 2017

This is always one of my favorite little mini-events of the fashion year - when Pantone tells us what the "new" colors will be. Of course we all understand that a new color is a physical impossibility, but I still enjoy seeing what they're thinking, and then looking for some accessories that might reflect these colors (more or less!).

It's especially fun for me because I tend to go back to my old template to reuse it, and I can see how very much alike some of the colors are from season to season. This color could easily be the Grenadine from last fall - it even comes first in the list, just as Grenadine did... (Frankly, I would have rearranged things a bit so that the similarity wasn't quite so obvious!)

As ... View the Post

Build a Foolproof Travel Wardrobe by Starting with Science: The Heart Nebula by Peter Jenkins

September 27, 2017

Just doesn't get much prettier than this, I'd say!

She's Always Hated Shopping... From the time she was a child - so she and her mother devised a wardrobe plan for her...

They picked the colors they would use, and they decided how many of each piece she would need... She's really never deviated meaningfully from the original scheme!

When she began to buy her own clothes, she realized that if she bought the really good stuff, she wouldn't have to shop nearly as often - the time saved was precious, and the ability to wear beautiful clothes was just a bonus...

One of the beauties of having had a plan for years and YEARS is that she can spot something that will suit her a mile away ... View the Post

How to Pack a Foolproof Business Travel Capsule Wardrobe? Start with a Ted Baker Mirrored Minerals Scarf!

September 25, 2017

There are so many beautiful new scarves this fall; I'm enjoying sharing them with you and using them to start travel wardrobes...

If you love this fabric and print, but aren't crazy about a square scarf, this is also available in a cape scarf, a dress with a grey bodice and print skirt, a small skinny scarf, a larger rectangular scarf, AND a full-length skirt. Which could be absolutely amazing for formal-wear... Never let it be said that you don't have a few options!

Yes, I know that the background on this scarf isn't really a single true shade of grey, but there's realistically no way that you're going to be able to match the subtle variations of color here. Best choose something that blends perfectly ... View the Post

October’s Birthstone is Opal! A Few Ideas…

September 22, 2017

Opals are difficult - I think before you spend a lot of money on one, you're going to want to do your homework! That said, I'm the last person to throw rocks at you if you choose to wear a fake... life's too short for me to judge anybody on the basis of their stones...

It's worth remembering that opals come in all sorts of colors...

You don't need to wear a million pieces of jewelry, if the ones that you DO wear are lovely. (and if you handbag is completely amazing...)

These earrings would be really flattering - that luminous blush color near your face would look good on anyone.

There are opals that come in this color, but these are frankly fake. But if you like them (and ... View the Post

Packing for Overnight – Start with a Guild Prime Shirt

September 20, 2017

Sometimes, it's best to keep things simple... Could Someone Make Up Their Mind? Maybe the meeting is business dress. Or maybe business casual - they're not sure yet...

Happily, she long ago mastered the art of keeping things simple, and flexible!

She likes her 3 colors, and all kinds of clean geometric shapes. So while they're all dithering and fussing and undecided, she's relaxed and prepared!

She can literally walk in the door of the conference center (walking distance from the train) and change into an appropriate outfit, from her tote bag...

She can carry her own luggage, and she's confident and comfortable that she can handle whatever silliness is thrown her ... View the Post

Packing for an Overnight Trip by Starting with a Scarf: Echo Butterfly Silk Bandana

September 18, 2017

Sometimes I see a scarf, and my mind wanders, and my imagination takes off...

She's Not Excited...

They've been getting together about twice a year - more or less - for decades. Since they finished college... And she's starting to feel that they're growing apart. (for example, they would have a very difficult time with her outfit that mixes brown and black leather accessories, while she finds it perfectly comfortable...)

Well, she feels like she's growing. And they're further away than they used to be, metaphorically speaking. She just doesn't have the tolerance for a 3-hour conversation about skin-care. Or handbags. She wants to talk about things that are more serious...

She ... View the Post

Taking some Talbots to Paris next week!

September 15, 2017

THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. You almost never see that from me. Because I don't show pictures of myself every day, a lot of retailers assume that they don't ever need to send me clothes or credits of any sort... silliness! Talbots very generously gave me free reign on their site to pick a couple of pieces, and I had great fun choosing...

Belovedest and I leave for Paris on the 20th - we try to go somewhere lovely to celebrate his birthday every year. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to choose a couple of pretty, somewhat romantic pieces that would integrate really easily into my "mostly black" travel plans...

This is what I chose:

The bow on the cardigan is really a pin - which is great! I'll probably ... View the Post

How to Pack for a Long Autumn Weekend by Starting with a Scarf – Funky Foliage by Treasure & Bond

September 13, 2017

She really wants to go up to the lake house one more time... in the autumn...

She always feels really sentimental, and just a little bit homesick, in the autumn. Not homesick for home, but for that time when she was in school, and September brought fresh starts - a chance to begin again...

Autumn also brings back all of her favorite sweaters! So when her siblings starting talking about the need to double-check on the house before winter, she offered to go up...

A couple of evenings in front of the fireplace reading won't be the worst thing in the world...

And a few long walks in the forest will be nourishing to her soul...

And there's always a chance that the Fish & ... View the Post

How to Pack for a Business Trip by Starting with Art: A Farm by Piet Mondrian

September 11, 2017

When I think of Mondrian I always think of those black and white grid patterns with little patches of a primary color or two, but in his earlier days he was much more traditional...

Colors are always what catches my eye - I loved the strong blue, the almost acid green, and then the much calmer neutral rust and grey...

"Uses of Color in Distinctive Branding" Whoever names these conferences needs to get some imagination - how stodgy can you get? This doesn't sound at all appealing.... But she has been writing the book on distinctive color uses for decades; it will be interesting to see what these young people think they can teach her!

Her approach to color has always been to do the "wrong" thing, so ... View the Post

How to Accessorize a Navy-Based Fall Capsule Wardrobe – Start with Nature Central Cygnus Cloudscape

September 8, 2017

When we left our heroine on Wednesday, she had a tidy 16-piece wardrobe, but no accessories!

Of course, she probably still had lots of accessories that can work really well with her new clothes; let's go piece by piece, step by step, to choose some essential additions for her...

Shoes seems really important, I'd say!

And I'm going to be really practical and get her a bag pronto!

Now a bit of fun - some stars!

Scarves! Always remember that you might find the perfect scarf in an unexpected place - someplace you don't usually visit...

Don't discount the impact of a great watch... (yes, that last watch doesn't go with everything in this wardrobe, but if you were the kind of woman who didn't ... View the Post