Shopping The Vivienne Files

I’m cleaning out! And you can buy my stuff! Actually, I would LOVE it if you bought some of these things – have something nice for yourself, and help me gain some space…

If you see something you want, send me a payment on Paypal to femmedesfoulards@gmail.com, along with a note about what you wish to purchase, or send me an email and we can figure out another way for you to pay…

Books

A Guide to Elegance by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux $5

Comment devenir une vraie Parisienne by Helene & Irene Lurcat $5

This books in French – the cover is vaguely curled on 1 edge, but it’s in otherwise in great condition. Lots of good addresses for places to shop in Paris…

Be Hype – La Mode en Reseaux by Isabelle Oziol de Pignol $10

A curious book that shows and describes all sorts of interesting and somewhat bizarre fashion stereotypes and cliches. It’s in French…

Mon Guide de Style by Noriko – $15

A nicely done paperback that shows the author’s wardrobe and all of the myriad ways she combines her garments throughout the year. This book is in French, but is very strongly visual, so quite a bit of the content is easy to follow without being a strong French reader…

Clothes

Here are direct links to some of my favorite stores; any purchases made through these links will generate small (TINY…) commissions for me, which help defray the costs of running The Vivienne Files. I’m very grateful for your support…J.Jill – an excellent place to look if you love Eileen Fisher but find her too expensive. Their linen pieces are excellent, and I wear both their ponte knit skirt and ponte dress frequently… And if you get their credit card, you get a 5% discount on everything, as well as an additional discount during the month of your birthday!

Talbots – a great stand-by for suit separates, shoes, and some lovely scarves…

Nordstrom – the original go-to for shoes! While it’s not the least expensive place in the world to shop, you truly can find everything you need here. They carry an exclusive selection of Eileen Fisher, too!

Lands’ End – for years this was the best place on the internet to buy cashmere. You have to be pretty picky these days – if you get something substandard, SEND IT BACK, but my last purchases have been lovely… Also, if you struggle with swimwear, this is the place to look; they take real pains to fit everyone, with comfort and flattery.

L.L.Bean – NOT stodgy and boring… Some of the best-made tee shirts, jeans and sweater in the world…

Wolf & Badger – Sometimes, you need something amazing. A handbag, a piece of jewelry, or a scarf that you won’t see anyplace else. This is where to look! The people are lovely, their stuff is out of this world, and the service is great. You’ll be thrilled…

Novica – Jewelry, accessories and decorative object made around the world by artists and artisans far from the world of designer logos and brand names. Amazingly reasonable prices for some unique and completely lovely things. Some of my most treasured pieces of jewelry are from here.

Uniqlo – Japanese based, so the sizes can run small, but things are moderately priced and of very acceptable (but not amazing) quality. If you want something to wear constantly through summer, or if you want to experiment with a new color or shape, this would be the place to go. And if you have children or grandchildren for whom you occasionally buy clothes – Uniqlo has MORE novelty tee shirt (unoffensive ones, hallelujah!) than you’ll ever need.

The Most Important Single Summer Garment!!!!

These little “skimmies,” also known as slip shorts. If you have… thigh issues…. in hot weather, these will change your relationship with dresses forever. Trust me!

My Summer Wardrobe

It’s amazing how much of my summer wardrobe is still available after a few years – the joys of timeless, classic clothes! (click on the image to go right to the item…) linen pants, shorts and capris: J.Jill. These are available in khaki, white, a really nice dark granite grey, and a neat textured grey and white print that’s almost seersucker.

Linen shirts – long-sleeved. I have the black, white, and the marled black/white. Mine have to be at least 4 years old, and they’re just getting to that lovely soft stage… This shirt’s also available in six really pretty colors; I was in their store last night, and I tell you without hesitation that they’re lovely!

If you really like Eileen Fisher clothes, but they’re just not in your budget, definitely take a look at J.Jill; many of their clothes share the same aesthetic (and their company has some former Eileen Fisher staff, so they come by their similarity honestly.)

These cardigans, in both black and white, are staples in my summer wardrobe:

The obvious finishing piece here is the linen knit tank top…

Cotton turtlenecks are essential in the bitter cold! I wear them layered underalmost anything… These, from Lands’ End, launder easily and hold up well. Available in Regular, Petite, Tall, and Plus sizes, and a whopping TWENTY-THREE different colors. Hard to get bored…

I might only buy 1 cashmere sweater each year, but I try to get ones that I can keep for a long time! If you live in a cold climate, it’s really not excessive to have a turtleneck, cardigan, v-neck AND crewneck in your core neutral; they all serve different functions, and will ramp up the beauty of any outfit… My last couple have come from Everlane; they are very good value for money…

But if you’re looking for a wide range of sizes (including Petite and Plus sizes), as well as 20 different colors, get thee to Lands’ End:

After a lot of waffling and reluctance, I finally bought a pair of NYDJ jeans… I really wish that they’d change the name, because I don’t HAVE a daughter, and I think that they need a better reference point for their marketing than just “not being for younger people.” Sigh… Again, these come in Regular, Petite and Plus sizes – my only caution would be to avoid keeping them past their natural lifespan, as the lycra in them makes them start to pucker after about 5 years of frequent wear. I can live with that!

For days that I’m not wearing jeans, I’m wearing cords! L.L.Bean has a handful of colors in these that are styled like jeans, as well as a number of other styles in corduroy:

They also have knit corduroy pants, which are idea when you’re wearing something styled like a tunic – comfortable without a visible elastic waist. I know that some women think that elastic waists are the worst thing since acid-washed jeans, but I’m not willing to throw in the concept of comfort that easily…