The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

The Vivienne Files - Page 258 of 269 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

The Elements of Style, according to Paul Stuart

Paul Stuart is an ultra-beautiful menswear store with locations in New York and Chicago.  Years ago, they had an advertisement in the program for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, which I reproduce here in it's entirety.  These people are wise:

The Elements of Style

It’s easy to say what style is not. It is not, for example, fashion. (see below)  But when a friend asked us, the other day, to say what it is, the only answer we felt sure of was: our bread and butter.  Perhaps because that answer was true, our inability to define the word rankled. So at last, prompted by some half-remembered sentences, we reached for our copy of The Elements of Style.

This useful little book was written by William Strunk, Jr., and ... View the Post

The Unbroken Vertical Line in Gray

Dress – Chloe, tights - Falke  

Belted cardigan – MICHAEL Michael Kors, jacket  - McQ, boucle jacket – Rebecca Taylor, pleat-back cardigan – M. Patmos      

Belted cardigan – MICHAEL Michael Kors, jacket  - McQ, boucle jacket – Rebecca Taylor, pleat-back cardigan – M. Patmos      

blazer – J. Crew, Rose cardigan – Missoni, Diane von Furstenberg, Blue cardigan – N. Peal,  Pink blazer – Acne  

Red cardigan – Peter Jensen, purple blazer – Jil Sander, blue velvet jacket – Marni, orange cardigan – Crumpet England  

Floral cardigan – Paul Smith, wrap cardigan – Quiksilver, sequined cardigan – Antik Batik, pastel cardigan - Missoni   ... View the Post

Travel Capsule Wardrobe: sunset and sky meets the 8 blues

The ever brilliant Juhli asked what would happen if someone with a good base wardrobe (like the sunset and sky wardrobe from here) wanted to expand their wardrobe.  She pondered the wisdom of using one of the "eights" like the one in blue that I did here as a basis for acquisitions.Juhli is one really brilliant person... see the results!

 

 

 

 

  ... View the Post

From the Style Shelf: Style Statement

If you're only every going to read/own one book to help you define your personal style, this is the one. This isn't just personal style as in "I wear black rather than brown" or "I prefer silk to cotton", although those kinds of considerations are addressed.  This is personal style writ large - the kind of basis for personal expression that can affect and influence every aspect of your life.  Seriously!  And it's a book well worth revisiting at any point in time when difficult decisions are to be made; it serves to remind you of what really matters to you (or at least what you THOUGHT mattered at the time you originally read the book).

I have never been one of those people who really liked books that had lots of ... View the Post

A kindly meant word of career advice…

If you work with men...

And you EVER have occasion to walk ANYWHERE with them, be it to a client meeting, or to lunch, or at a conference...

Please, wear shoes which enable you to walk as far, and at the same pace, as they walk.

Every day, I see groups of business people in which the men are striding ahead, conversing and laughing, while the women are mincing along in the rear on their high heels.  They're left out of the conversation.  They're left out of the main part of the group.  THEY AREN"T KEEPING UP.

If you dress in a way that limits your mobility, you cannot expect to be considered an equal to a person who dresses for a combination of business appropriateness and comfort.  No matter what any magazine tells ... View the Post

Capsule wardrobe of navy,greens, & rust, based on Hermes Fleurs de Lotus

October 5, 2011   Please note that the scarf photograph was provided by ebay seller The Snob (and she's anything BUT a snob!).  Thanks again, Snob!  

Navy suit separates – Stella McCartney, cardigan – American Vintage, Navy blouse – Stella McCartney, tank – Topshop, jeans – Place des Tendances,  scarf - Hermes  

Blouse – Chloe, navy sweater – Acne, rust trench – Aquascutum, Navy dress – Topshop, pants – Etro, skirt – Yves Saint Laurent, coat – Stella McCartney, peacoat – A.P.C.  

Navy cardigan – L.K. Bennett, print blouse – Marni, green sweater – Gucci, russet dress – Viktor & Rolf, striped top – Rag & Bone, teal skirt - Topshop, ivory sweater – Ralph Lauren, flowered top – Vanessa ... View the Post

The shopping fast: Month 1

 

Above illustrates EVERYTHING I wore in the month of September 2011.  A pretty modest assortment, but I have a few extenuating circumstances which kept this a pretty small collection.  

Foremost, I don't have a job, so I'm not getting up every morning putting on "grown-up" clothes to go out and play with the adults of the world.  

I spent a great deal of time wearing gym clothes; if I knew that I wasn't going out, and that I absolutely HAD to go to the gym (uh, that's every day!), I would put on my workout clothes immediately after my shower in the morning.  The other people in my (very large) building are accustomed to seeing me in these clothes.

Having stacks of sweaty gym clothes around ... View the Post

fast fashion vs slow style

My new mantra for my personal image.  Feel free to join me!  (copy and paste to your heart's content) and have a great weekend. much love to you all, Vivienne

                        ... View the Post

Maximize your ROI: A statement skirt

Skirt – Diane von Furstenberg  

Pearl & gold earrings – Lord & Taylor, Ivory blouse – Zac Posen, bracelets – Mathias Chaize, beige blouse – Paul Smith, necklace – Alexis Bittar, black blouse – Etro, onyx earrings – Primadina, black pumps – Bandolino, spectator slingbacks – Vaneli, black slingbacks – AK Anne Klein  

Ivory sweater – Carven, cobblestone necklace – Kate Spade, Beige sweater – Alexander Wang, leather & brass necklace – Lanvin, black turtleneck – Vince, beige scarf – Burberry, black lurex scarf – Chan Luu, slingbacks – Manolo Blahnik, camel pumps – Kate Spade, black w/beige slingbacks - Prada  

Beige cardigan – Zadig & Voltaire, black tee – 3.1 Phillip Lim, metal ... View the Post

Doing the right thing…

As many of you know, I've sworn off buying any new clothes (or shoes) for twelve months, beginning this September first.  I'm now 29 days into the project, and have felt no pain regarding it, so far.  In fact, it's been quite a relief to be able to just completely turn a blind eye to all of the "must-have" lists that float around this time of year.

Why is it that I don't see so many "must-have" lists for men?  They have more money than we do...  Maybe there's a connection there?  But I digress...

One thing that has become even more of a priority for me now is the upkeep and maintenance of the things I currently own.  This could sound like drudgery, but it really is quite gratifying for all sort of reasons:

The obvious saving of ... View the Post

Back to the roots of The Vivienne Files: Transition

Way back when, Vivienne assured me that she was not always going to have a wardrobe of black, white and red garments - she fully intended, as her hair turned gray, and her skin tones softened, to transition to gray, rose, and cream.

This is how I envision than transition...

Her original wardrobe, as we pictured it here, is this:

 

The first thing I could picture would be a feeling of discomfort with bright red.  Not every day, but just a sense that these garments were moving to the back of the closet... so they move out and a beautiful rose pink takes its place.

 

  The strongly contrasted black and white pieces would next make way for more muted items...  

    Black garments worn ... View the Post