The Vivienne Files - Page 16 of 269 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Part 2 – Do You Need Accents? Or Neutrals? 6 Paintings, 12 Months April 2024

April 5, 2024

The second half - I hope you like them as much as you did the first three wardrobes!

First is this subtle, somewhat muted painting...

At the end of March, our heroine didn't have much for olive in her wardrobe! This is excusable though, because she had had some good luck finding the camel that's so predominant in this painting. Sometimes, you add what you an find to your wardrobe, and wait for other things to become available...

So she shopped mostly for green:

Just these three new green garments bring a new balance to her wardrobe, with almost equal distribution among beige, green and black. If she ever runs into a lode of rust, she's going to go a wee bit nuts!

She's quite excited by the ... View the Post

Part 1 – Do You Need Accents? Or Neutrals? 6 Paintings, 12 Months April 2024

April 3, 2024

Back again with one of my favorite posts of each month! Our heroines diverge this month on what they want/need in their wardrobes, which is to be expected. Many of us can share the same core of classic garments, but we're still going to assemble our very personal wardrobes in a specific order...

Our first heroine feels like she needs to add some navy and white to her wardrobe. As we enter April, with 16 garments, only 37.5% of her clothes are her accent color - that might not be a troubling ration for many of us. But she's ready for more neutrals!

Let's pause for just a second to enjoy her favorite painting:

This is her wardrobe at the end of March; yes, there's certainly quite a lot of bright blue ... View the Post

Weekend at the Beach? Start with a Scarf – The Eva Noblezada scarf by Echo

April 1, 2024

I'm going to start on the "Six Paintings - 12 Months" wardrobes on Wednesday; it may take me three posts to get them all done!

Today, our heroine is going to the beach for the weekend. You might be surprised, if you don't live near a big lake or the ocean, how many people head out 3 out of 4 weekends to hang out beside some water...

Our heroine saw this scarf and knew immediately that this was going to be a favorite:

Black and white are always her core neutrals, but this summer she's looking for accents in green and pink!

yes, she could certainly use blue also - I didn't find any of the right shade of blue that really felt worked...

For the trip up there (it's always "up" no matter what direction ... View the Post

March 2024 Start with a Bracelet – Sunny Lynx Bracelets by Fierce Lynx Designs

March 29, 2024

She's pretty happy... she needs an entirely new warm weather wardrobe!

And she's starting with this as her inspiration:

She knew all along that she wanted navy and bone to be her neutrals, and when she saw these bracelets, she realized that orange would be an AMAZING accent color.... You don't see it every day!

She's a sensible woman - she started with her neutral colors, making certain that she included shorts, a pair of pants, and a skirt...

Here's where the fun started - sort of! Orange isn't the easiest color in the world to find! But she managed...

yes, I'm working with this computer ON MY LAP in a room at a skilled nursing facility... I owe Alison at Fierce Lynx Designs a big apology, ... View the Post

A Surprise Very Special Trip? Start with a Scarf – the Ngoc Minh Ngo scarf by Echo

March 27, 2024

It was love at first sight, for the scarf...

And it had been love at first sight for her when she saw her sweetheart, too...

Over breakfast...

"I learned the oddest thing the other day..."

she's still a little bit sleepy...

"What was that?"

"Remember that weird guy at the beach bar - the one we liked so much? Well, he's qualified to officiate over weddings!"

she's gobsmacked that this guy is qualified to do much of anything except tell amazing stories, and make time fly because he's so entertaining...

"Well, I wasn't expecting THAT..."

"Why don't we run up this weekend and get married?"

okay, she's awake now!

"After all these years? Are you sure?"

we shall draw a discreet curtain ... View the Post

A Happy Occasion? Start with a Scarf – The Olaf Hajek silk scarf by Echo

March 25, 2024

Sometimes, something is just cheerful...

She's going away for a long weekend for a VERY happy occasion; she knows that she will want to wear her favorite bright accents, so she starts with her new favorite scarf!

As with so many trips we take to attend an event, we're never quite sure what we should wear! But if we travel with love and a good heart, everything will work out...

Our heroine likes to wear navy with her bright accents, so her travel outfit falls into place with a bit of fun and a great deal of comfort:

Since she's not certain of what the level of dressy is going to be, she provides herself with a wide range of options - a dressy dress, a more classic dress to dress up or down, and ... View the Post

Dressy Weekend? Start with a Scarf – The Raven Garden of Happiness by June Hunter

March 22, 2024

It's a dressy weekend - the weather will probably be warm... but there is always a chance of a cool snap!

But how to be dressy without bringing everything you own? Well, a tight color palette and planning ahead is always the way to go.

And how about starting with black and pretty accents?

Before you go down this path, you want to be ABSOLUTELY certain that wearing black isn't a problem. This wardrobe is actually designed for someone who's a prominent figure in a wedding, at which the bridesmaids will be wearing black dresses; I think she's okay with this!

She's wearing a very "normal" travel outfit - closed-toe shoes, and a cardigan for the inevitable freezing air conditioning... but she's rocking ... View the Post

Sorry for the change of plans…

March 18, 2024

I've got a domestic medical issue to handle, so I'm going to be AWOL for at LEAST tomorrow - possible longer.

In the meantime, enjoy my Irish lads celebrating their 2nd consecutive 6 Nations Rugby title...

much love,

Janice ... View the Post

Looking for Unique Accent Colors? Start With a Scarf – Emiliano Ponzi Scarf by Echo

March 15, 2024

Some of us like lots of colors in our wardrobe. And sometimes, we're looking for an inspiration for a new accent color (or two...)

How about this clever and beautiful scarf for some inspiration?

Let's assume that our heroine wears black as one of her neutrals, and is interested in adding at least a couple of new things to her warm-weather wardrobe in black. She then has three really "off the beaten path" accent colors from which to choose!

Most of us can stand to replace summer pants every few years, and a nice cardigan is never a bad choice. But this year, instead of a black & white striped tee, how about butter yellow?

For some of us, this dress might feel short - others might find it just ... View the Post

A Big Multi-Destination Trip? Start with a Scarf – Michela Picchi scarf by Echo

March 13, 2024

One of you has a BIG trip coming up - a week in New York, and then a yacht cruise!

WHERE TO START?

For me, I'm thinking that a color palette is a good place to start...

I'm particularly drawn to this scarf for this particular trip, because it includes the black that seems almost obligatory for New York (although I can assure you that it really isn't...), and then includes white for the cruise. Although, of course, this heroine is going to be able to wear ALL of her colors at both destinations.

The turquoise is perfect for this time of year, as is the yellow. This really could be the ideal color palette!

First up, let me state that for a trip this varied and this long, I assume laundry. At least once. ... View the Post

How Can I Wear My New Scarf? Elizabeth Olwen Scarf by Echo

March 11, 2024

Sometimes, you just know that you want a scarf! (and I suspect that this one will sell our really quickly!)

Such a great design! Lovely colors! Brown and ivory neutrals...

Let's work our way through some accent color possibilities... Starting with red! This scarf would be a nice touch as a belt? Or over the striped top - why not?

Imagine this scarf around your head, or on the handle of your bag, on a hot day...

Maybe you need something to brighten the world up a bit on a cool day...

Feel like your simple blue and bone outfit needs a spark?

Casual and simple doesn't have to be boring:

Maybe you just want to stick with a simple brown and ecru outfit, and put the emphasis on ... View the Post

Sudden Weather Change? Start with a Scarf – Ludovica Serafini & Roberto Palomba Scarf by Echo 100

A new Echo 100 scarf!

We're Still Going to Go... Even though the temperature has dropped about 40 degrees Fahrenheit...

She's sort of caught off guard, for only for a moment! She will start with her new scarf:

While her scarf doesn't actually INCLUDE brown, she feels like it's a comfortable addition to the palette - the brown of the animals, the brown of the tree trunks...

And since they're going to be indoors for most of the time, she's comfortable packing ivory pants!

Her "thrown together" wardrobe looks pretty good!

Since she packed at SUCH the last minute, she decides that she wants to see lots of outfits...

She could have packed brown pants. Or a red sweater. But she was sticking to ... View the Post