The Vivienne Files - Page 169 of 269 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

An Orange Handbag: Integrating a New Accent Color

May 2, 2015 I know I've mentioned it before, but I really can't recommend a Longchamp Pliage bag highly enough; tossed into another tote bag, or into luggage, it can come in handy more often that you would imagine. Just for groceries, it's been used hundreds of times. And on vacation, it makes a great stash for dirty laundry during your trip, and then a handy way to get gifts back without crushing them in your regular (very small) luggage...

So today, let's envision the potential of a bright orange bag:

The same old, same old, simple navy group of garments. Who could imagine that we could do so much with such simple pieces of clothing?

Orange shoes weren't at all difficult to find - ... View the Post

A Hot Pink Handbag: Integrating a New Accent Color

May 1, 2015 Before we all indulge ourselves in beauty, let's talk about something important - Nepal. I'm sure many of you have already donated to the relief funds for Nepal's recovery from the recent devastating earthquake, but if you're in the mood to do a bit of shopping AND benefit Nepal, Novica (one of our favorite sites for jewelry and other gorgeous crafts) is donating 10% of all of their sales from India to Nepal relief.

Someone in India has work, you have something beautiful, and more money goes to help the people of Nepal - a pretty excellent equation, I'd say! Now let's revisit the idea of introducing a new color into a simple navy wardrobe. Today, the requested color was PINK! This bag could ... View the Post

A Leaf Green Handbag: Integrating a New Accent Color

April 30, 2015 I've been thinking a lot about my friend's inclination to buy a bright green handbag. This time of year, when it feels like we haven't seen ANYTHING green since the Christmas tree came down, bright green can be really tempting. And if the bag in question is beautifully well made, in a classic design, the urge makes even more sense! This was the bag in question - you might be able to see the allure:

But I, for some reason, just can't quite see an ensemble in which you're wearing other colors (in this case, navy), and the only green thing in your outfit is the bag. Other people are okay with this, but for balance and a sense of intentionality, I like to see another green something included. ... View the Post

A Clothing Diary Week 10

April 29, 2015 Why yes, it IS April, but we aren't seeing any weather that feels warm! I wore gloves, without exception, every time I was out - most of our highest temperatures were just around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. While I love cold weather more than most people, I have to admit to being ready to move into something just a tad warmer... My week was filled with preparations for moving (down the hall, but it involved two different landlords for each of the apartments, a renovation about to start in the new apartment, and plans for renovations the second we're out of our current digs), visits to my doctor, and accompanying a friend to her appointments too! If there's ever a market for guided tours of Northwestern Hospital ... View the Post

Custom Designed Shoes…. You’re Going to Owe me BIG!!!

April 28, 2015

My computer is behaving badly, and my familial obligations are cutting into my blogging time (which is fine, because I know you all understand!), but I have enough time to share this WONDERFUL site, where you can design your own shoes, and actually have them MADE!!!

Pick a general style, and start playing with leathers, fabrics, trim, ornaments etc. The prices are not out of this world (more department store than thrift store, but nothing I built was over $150), and the options are nearly limitless.

Many of you make your own clothes (and I know that at least a few of you are truly artists at what you do!), but some of us who don't have the facility, or the facilities, to do that could certainly indulge our ... View the Post

Overnight in the City, with a Smoky Blue Coat

April 27, 2015

Let's hypothesize that the nearest orchestra to you is going to be playing a favorite - Beethoven's 7th? And you know that the concert will end later than the last train, so you're going to stay overnight. This is the very EASIEST packing - you just need something to wear that evening, and a clean blouse or top to wear home the next afternoon.

So pull on some jeans, and some nice accessories, and hop on the train! You can actually walk from the train station to your hotel, and since your bag is so small, you can stop for lunch, or do some shopping...

This is all you have to pack - some toiletries, and some nightwear, and you're set!

Hang up your dress when you get to the hotel to change (although ... View the Post

Integrating a New Accent Color: A Smoky Blue Coat

April 25, 2015 Another interesting email: One of your is seriously considering the coat shown below, but you have some concerns about how this color will integrate into your primarily black and white wardrobe. Well!!! It's a lovely coat - I particularly like the way that the buttons are placed close enough together that the double-breasted effect is actually vertical rather than horizontal (a rare bit of design intelligence, I'd say). The pockets help with the vertical feeling too, and this shade of smoky blue is beyond lovely - subtle and rich. BUT! It's a substantial (gulp) investment. This isn't a purchase that you make on a whim... The writer also indicated that, if she chose this coat, that she wants ... View the Post

Choosing the Right Scarf Color – One Approach

April 24, 2015 Here's a decision scenario: you know you like the scarf - the silk and wool blend, the pattern drawn from foliate motifs and calligraphy of the Sultan's courts of India, the knowledge that your purchase supports the Metropolitan Museum of Art - but WHICH COLOR TO CHOOSE????

I'm of the opinion that your wardrobe should have a certain DNA - a "fingerprint" that is as unique as your own. If this is true, then anything that you add to your wardrobe should look like it's related to the things you already own. So maybe this decision can be made easier if we look at some options that might currently be in your closet, and see if any of them look like they're in your style family... Do you ... View the Post

Start with Art: White Ship by John Singer Sargent

April 23, 2015 That time of year is fast approaching when the lucky ones among us get all kinds of great invitations for weekends. If you have friends with a lake house, you know what I mean - lots of time in the water - in a canoe, a kayak, or an inner tube! Chilly evenings, cooking out, laughing 'til your sides hurt... The last thing you want to worry about is what to pack!

Sargent's painting put me very much in the right mood for this scenario:

Maybe you're driving to the lake, taking the train and being met, or taking the Jitney, but under any circumstances, you want to look nice - casual, but still pretty, with attention to detail.

Two swimsuits might seem like overdoing it, ... View the Post

Packing for a Weekend in the City

April 22, 2015

So often, you live just a quick train ride from a big city, but you don't make the time to visit! But there's a new exhibit at the big museum that you REALLY want to see, and a new restaurant... So let's cash in a few of those hotel loyalty points, and go downtown for a quick weekend away.

But what to take? How about starting with your favorite shawl, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art? It's a perfect reflection of your preferred color palette of autumn colors, and you know you will want it with you - at least on the train, for drafts, and in the restaurant, too...

For the trip, break out the saffron cardigan! There's never a bad time to wear it. And a touch of teal on your toes...

Since ... View the Post

A Clothing Diary Week 9

April 21, 2015 Some clarification is needed about how often I wear gym clothes, and where. Yes, I probably have gym clothes on EVERY day of the week - 6 days a week maybe at a minimum. BUT!!! I don't wear them outside of my building unless I'm running outdoors. The gym where I workout is in my basement; residents of my building see me in all of my athletic glory (ahem...), and I might stop at the grocery store in the basement of my building after I've worked out (yes, my building has a grocery store. And a dry-cleaner...) but that's as far as it goes. Wearing gym clothes frequently is NOT an excuse to be wandering the streets in tons of too tight, too thin, or too brief clothing. Frankly, on any given day on the ... View the Post

A Four by Four Whatever’s Clean Capsule Wardrobe in Black, Beige, Marsala and Natural

April 18, 2015 As soon as I launched the newest Pantone Spring and Summer 2015 color scheme file, someone asked me to do some work with the color of the year - Marsala. She had honed in on the black and khaki, and after a bit of discussion we agreed that the best 2nd accent color would be an unbleached linen/natural color. This is the palette we finally chose for a capsule wardrobe.

I started with black, of course! Sleeveless and short-sleeved, cropped pants and "normal" pants, and all from 3.1 Phillip Lim, just for ease of matchy-matchedness. You can, of course, find your four pieces from a different, less pricey, company, or mix them from a few different places.

In fact, in order to ... View the Post