The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

The Vivienne Files - Page 160 of 288 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Chic Sightings: Little Black Dresses with Pink Accessories

July 8, 2016  

Everybody says that a little black dress (LBD - it even has its own acronym!) is a capsule wardrobe essential... and for me, that's certainly the truth! Oof course I'm not going to tell you to wear black, NOR am I going to tell you that you must wear dresses. That said, I've seen a lot of black dresses recently in downtown Chicago, and some of the freshest looks have paired their black with pink!

If you own an amazing handbag, it's well worth building at least one entire outfit around it. And if you're going out after work, a few pink touches make your work-wardrobe black dress more than appropriate for a romantic dinner:

  Maybe you feel like you want to straddle that fine line between wearing a ... View the Post

Vacation Report, and a Few Extra Thoughts and Goodies

July 6, 2016  

I'm back! Both back from my vacation, and back from Florida... both were quite lovely. I must admit that I missed blogging A LOT, which didn't surprise me; this is one of the great jobs of all time...Just as a reminder, this is what I packed for my 8 days in Central Florida. At the last minute, my black shirtdress was supplanted by a red linen dress. For the 4th of July weekend, a red dress is never a bad idea!

  I was very happy with what I packed. Unlike what you might see in more "beachy" locations, central Florida is a place where you'll see quite a few people wearing black - head to toe, even! So I didn't stick out too much like a sore thumb.... And my silk shorts are perfect - absolutely perfect. ... View the Post

12 Months, 12 Outfits in 6 Capsule Wardrobes: July

July 1, 2016

In the world of "fashion," summer is pretty much over! It's a good time to grab a couple of tee shirts (which you will of course continue to wear well into the colder weather), as well as another pair of shorts for your capsule wardrobes. A pair of sandals purchased now will definitely be a starter pair for NEXT summer, and a pretty pendant will be useful for years to come...Remember, these are our starting points for the 6 capsule wardrobes we're building:

  I just NOW noticed that I chose TWO scarves with "voyage" in the title. Do I think about travel ALL the time?

 

 

  Note that the pendant is "square-ish," and turquoise blue, and intricately detailed, like the elements in ... View the Post

A Capsule Wardrobe Dilemma, and What I’m Packing for Florida

June 24, 2016   So I realized a couple of weeks ago that I wasn't wearing these 2 cardigans NEARLY as often as I felt that I should...  

 

Every time I would pull out one of these sweaters, I just couldn't get an outfit together that really felt right.In a bit of a funk, I went back to my own best advice, and realized that a lot of my basic summer clothes in black were either too big, or too...faded/droopy/saggy/limp/icky for public consumption.

So I picked up these - the Original Core of Four:

After those arrived and were well-integrated into my wardrobe, I got wild and bought these 4 tops:

 

It turned out that I was wise to stock up on summer basics, because... well... the ... View the Post

12 Must-Have Items for your Capsule Wardrobe in 2016? Let’s Consider…

June 18, 2016   I'm sure you see these lists too: "12 Things You NEED in Your Capsule Wardrobe in 2016." They always amuse me, and irritate me, in equal measure.   Let me be perfectly clear: there is NOTHING that is required for every woman. Nothing. Every woman does not needs shoes. Every woman does not need to wear a bra. Really, so long as we're all covered enough to be decent in public, I think it should be much more of a free-for-all than it currently is. Conformity kills creativity...   So let's look at this particular list, and see what we can learn that might be of use!     1. Ankle Boots If there were even an item that I would encourage you to consider, it would be this. If you live in a climate ... View the Post

12 Months, 12 Outfits in 6 Capsule Wardrobes – a Half-Way Through Bonus

June 11, 2016   I've been thinking about how these capsule wardrobes would work for additional outfits, now that we're up to a dozen pieces of clothing in each wardrobe. So I played around and came up with another six outfits for each grouping. Enjoy!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

love, Janice

  ... View the Post

12 Months, 12 Outfits in 6 Capsule Wardrobes: June

June 7, 2016  

These are really SUCH fun...Remember, these are our six original color scheme/inspirations for our capsule wardrobes:

Dresses this month! If you're not a dress wearer, I encourage you to reconsider; check out these... things, to wear under dresses. Your thighs will be SO much happier... They revolutionized my relationship with dresses!But if you're certain that a dress isn't for you, you could always substitute a simple top and capris or shorts, of course!

This jewelry was chosen to echo the detailed, intricate patterns in each of the garments shown on the scarf:

Earrings – Wirabhuwana; tote – Longchamp; denim dress – Dorothy Perkins; bracelet – Achara; sandals – Sam Edelman  

Now ... View the Post

How to Pack for a Long Weekend Graduation Trip

June 1, 2016

 

One of the reasons that I'm taking this hiatus is that I've got two trips in the month of June, which were weighing heavy on my mind...First up, a very quick dash through New York City, to Vermont, then BACK to New York to fly back to Chicago. There's a very important college graduation in there, somewhere...

I have to tell you something amazing - we're leaving in 4 hours or so, and I'm not packed! But I think I've got it figured out.

My goal here, uncluttered simplicity, without sacrificing looking appropriately dressy for the solemn occasions...

(can someone explain to me why this suitcase is a man's bag? what folly...)

I'm packing silk pants, a silk tank, and a silk tee shirt, in order to ... View the Post

Building a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Girl on a Sofa by Philip Wilson Steer

May 28, 2016

 

Doesn't this look comfortable?

And this painting could single-handed provide someone with plenty of colors to have a wardrobe with great variety, and a lot of options:

 

I've been thinking a lot about packing (big surprise, eh?) and about the wisdom of packing your favorite outfits and letting the chips fall where they may. So let's explore that idea a bit!

In keeping with the relaxed feeling of the painting, I've tried to keep everything soft, rounded, flowered or flower-like, and just a touch slouchy.

First up, a simple column in a muted navy blue, with a soft white blazer, gold jewelry, and some brown leather accessories. This could be the outfit for the meeting, or the presentation, or ... View the Post