The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

The Vivienne Files - Page 211 of 224 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe – Packing the Last-Minute Suitcase

Someday, the call will come:

Your Aunt Trudi is in the hospital, and nobody else can get there to be with her! or The data servers are all down in Edinburgh - get there NOW and fix them, or The Excel trainer broke her leg - you've got to go to New York tonight to teach the seminar, or Honey!  We're going to Paris TONIGHT for a long weekend!  (this is a dream we share, eh?)

So somewhere in the back of my mind, every three or four months, I consider what I would do if I got this call.  The best defense, of course, is to have a carefully curated and deliberately distilled wardrobe, so that you just just stick your hand in the closet and grab a handful of things and you'll probably be okay.  And if you keep your ... View the Post

Prepare to Party: Beaded cardigans

One of the most irksome aspects of this time of year, fashion-wise, is being inundated with glitter, beads, sequins and other shiny baubles that we are supposed to desperately need for our fabulously busy holiday party season.  I'm always either intimidated, or feel inferior, because (a) I don't get invited  to that many parties, and (b) the ones I go to aren't all that splashy!

But it's easy to get sucked into the idea that one should invest in a half-dozen party outfits...

My antidote: I bought a (used) beaded cardigan.  These are readily available, at all price points, and are quite versatile.  See some ideas below.

Some thoughts on buying vintage cardigans:

Check every seam, especially around the arms, ... View the Post

An affectionate reminder…

Did you take that photograph of all of your jewelry yet?  And email it to yourself?

Someone I know was recently the victim of a very thorough burglary, and of course, her jewelry is gone.  Insurance insists on seeing photographs or receipts before replacing.

It won't take you 10 minutes.  You won't regret it.

love, Vivienne ... View the Post

Ten trivial travel thoughts

in no particular order....

Leggings are not pants.  I don't care WHO told you that you looked fine in them.  You don't. Pearls do not set off metal detectors - yet another reason to wear them! I have never come back from a trip and wished that I had packed more. That said, it's never a bad idea to be prepared for the whims of weather.  Snow on October 29th is a rude shock. Blister bandages.  Yes, they're expensive.  Buy them anyway, put them in your bag, and at the first sign of a "hot spot" on your feet, apply said bandages to the clean and dry foot.  Make a mental note that you should send me flowers. Mom jeans.  Just get rid of them.  Yes, they're comfortable, but they look atrocious. Safety ... View the Post