The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

The Vivienne Files - Page 49 of 285 - Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

Build a Travel Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Two Geese in the Snow by Komori Soseki

January 25, 2023

Plenty of Firewood... She agreed to go up to the cabin for the weekend, with the understanding that (1) they would stop at the deli on the way out of town and get enough food, (2) there is enough firewood up there for at least 5 days, and (3) there are NO chores for her to handle!

Oh yes, and there are birds about...

In all fairness, she has 2 books she really NEEDS to finish in the next few days (for work!), so it's not all just hanging about reading gossip magazines...

She will, of course, walk outdoors from time to time, to catch some sun (if it's out!), visit with any animals that are about, and take a break from her work.

In addition to using a favorite painting as her inspiration, ... View the Post

Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Daikan – Major Cold

January 23, 2023

It's certainly cold enough, although I'd give quite a bit for some real snow...

I hope that it's safe to assume that we've all worked through all of the autumn and winter sales, and are more than ready to start thinking of Spring!

If you're difficult to fit, or picky, or wear an unusual size (especially shoes!), this is when you should start looking at your warm weather wardrobe. Having an entirely new outfit queued up for the first warm day is sensible AND fun...

This soft light camel can be worn with darker brown now, and with white later on:

Is this the year that you get yourself a great new spring jacket?

In winter, as in all seasons, the beauty sometimes lies in the details:

The ... View the Post

Accessories! Project 333 based on Composition by Ernest Mancoba

January 20, 2023

It's the 20th already? Holy chocolate-coated Buddha on a stick... So Far, So Good... Our heroine has her color scheme all sorted:

And she has all of her clothing (except for 1 piece - that's the bonus #33 item!) chosen, too:

At a minimum, I'm thinking that this heroine needs 3 pairs of shoes, a couple of bags, and some jewelry. Maybe a scarf or two...

The best way I've found to make sure that you have what you need - packing, or planning a Project 333 Wardrobe - is to work your way through a number of outfits and think about what you want to wear with the clothing.

She can't easily resist gold loafers, and a matching handbag...

A backpack is always handy - many of us have started carrying ... View the Post

Build a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Composition by Ernest Mancoba

January 18, 2023

She had always liked to wear ivory, bone, stone - those light, neutral colors.

And denim. ALWAYS denim...

So when she saw this:

She saw her color palette for the rest of the winter, right in front of her!

Although her favorite colors are lighter and brighter, she will include her black pants, at a minimum! Sometimes, you need dark pants...

To start, she pulls her 3 favorite outfits from her closet:

She realizes early on that she's not going to have a "Whatever's Clean" wardrobe - some of her clothes just aren't going to go together. That's fine, so long as the majority of her garments play nicely together and give her options...

An excellent pair of black pants are so ... View the Post

Build a Travel Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with a Bracelet: Winter’s Dawn by Fierce Lynx Designs

January 16, 2023 It was a beautiful sunrise...

The colors that they saw were subtle but stunning...

They turned to each other and agreed that if they saw ONE MORE sunrise over snow, they were going to lose their minds. 

They don't want to go to the beach, just someplace where it's warm enough not to wear boots and a parka!

It's a romantic long weekend - a bit early for Valentine's Day, but they are NOT people to be bound by that kind of thing!

Museums, some shopping, some nice but not posh dining. Maybe a movie...

Mostly, just time together. A chance to see their ankles on a regular basis. No hats!

Are you ready for a break from winter? 

I - personally - would LOVE to see some real ... View the Post

OOTD becomes WOW – Wardrobe of the Week!

January 15, 2023

I've realized that it makes no sense - NONE WHATSOEVER - for me to pretend to wear different outfits every day. Some days, I wear pajamas all day! Some days, I'm dressed in "real" clothes for only a few hours, in which case I very likely wear the same outfit the next day...

So what a more normal woman might present as Outfit Of The Day has become Wardrobe Of the Week. Yes, I'm cheating on the acronym because I love the idea of a WOW wardrobe!

You can't improve your wardrobe's efficiency, and suitability to your needs and preferences, if you don't know how you use your clothes - day by day or week by week.

Socratic wardrobe study!

love,

Janice ... View the Post

Analyzing the Six-Pack – Start with a Scarf: Royal Tulips by Katchmagic London

January 13, 2023

She's going to be really methodical about this...

And we are going to listen in to her brain, to see what we can learn...

First, she chooses her current favorite scarf as her inspiration, and then isolates what her accent colors will be:

Hmm... packing six garments and wearing 3 on the train/plane/bus means that she will have a total of 9 garments with her on her trip. She pictures it like this:

Her first outfit is straightforward - dark pants to avoid the mini-drama of spills. A warm cardigan that's pretty bulky to pack, so she chooses to wear it. And a bright tee shirt to bring color and life to her face...

She will almost certainly wear her inspiration scarf too!

Next, she chooses the ... View the Post

Build a Travel Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Waterfall by Morris Graves

January 11, 2023

Do you think maybe I'm drawn to green because I was sick, and green feels like renewal? Hmm...

  Not Blending In... She's going to the conference too. Not presenting, but she will be attentively listening, and taking notes, and learning...

She doesn't know for certain, but she thinks it possible that someone else from her corporation will be there. They probably don't know her, and she certainly doesn't know them!

Frankly, it doesn't matter. She's not attending this conference to meet and greet, or to grab some handle on some higher rung of the professional ladder.

She's just there to learn, and to meet interesting people. They don't have to be positioned to help her advance - she can ... View the Post

Build a Travel Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with a Photograph: Infinite by Mikko Lagerstedt

January 9, 2023

Yes, it's been a lot of green this last few days, but I couldn't resist this photograph!

Perfect for this time of year:

Our heroine saw her color palette for an upcoming trip:

Bringing Light to the Darkness... Well, the darkness of a room full of navy suits!

She is tasked with being the presentation coordinator for the entire 2nd day of the conference. Which means introducing each presenter, sitting on the stage during each presentation, and then coordinating the questions that follow.

She doesn't mind - she's got zero stage fright, and she would watch all of the presentations anyway!

But she's quite well-enough established in her career that she does NOT need to wear all navy, or all ... View the Post

Japanese 24 Seasons of the Year – Shōkan – Small Cold

January 6, 2023

Lots of things are on sale, and some new clothes and accessories are arriving in stores; this is the time to make sure that you've got the perfect outfit for that upcoming event...

If your upcoming event is meeting with your tiny friends on a branch, bright blue feathers are in order!

If you live in jeans and sweaters, this is the time to be sure that you've got the right jeans, and timeless shirt, and a beautiful sweater! Accessories that flatter your sweater are a good idea too...

If you love clogs, THIS is your year; Nordstrom has dozens of styles!

Maybe you're like me, and you rely on a black core day after day. Check your sweaters and pants - are they in good repair? Do you need new loafers, an ... View the Post

Build a Travel Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: The Mountain Lake by Dorrit Black

January 4, 2023

Flexible...

After watching the travel chaos over the Christmas holiday, she decided that she was going to be flexible with her plans...

If her plane doesn't depart in time to get her to her destination for dinner, she's going to go back into the city and take the train...

If she can't get the train for some reason, (it could be full!), or if it doesn't run at all, THEN she's going to go over to the docks and catch a ferry across the Sea...

All she wants is a long weekend away - she's not terribly choosy about exactly WHERE she goes. There are a lot of lovely destinations within an hour or 2 of where she lives!

She can carry her bag wherever she needs to go - she has NO intentions of checking ... View the Post