The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Chic Sightings: Beige Cardigan, 6 different outfits

September 27, 2013   Now that we can occasionally pull out our sweaters in Chicago, I've noticed that a LOT of women are wearing a simple beige wrap cardigan in all sorts of lovely ways:  

Cardigan – Alpha Massimo Rebecchi, Tweed skirt – Stella Jean, ivory sweater – Stefanel,   taupe suede pumps – Naturalizer,  black sweater – Stefanel,  printed skirt – Weekend by Max Mara, black pumps - Sofft    

Cardigan – Alpha Massimo Rebecchi, Grey trousers – Giorgio Armani, grey blouse – See by Chloe,  grey flats – Munro,  navy top -  Shirt C-Zero,  navy trousers – Paul Smith, navy fabric loafers – Munro    

Cardigan – Alpha Massimo ... View the Post

Travel Capsule Wardrobe Packing for a Book Tour: Leaf Green and Black

September 16, 2013   After I finished today's post for Tish at A Femme d'un Certain Age, I looked around at some other possible colors with which the black items could be worn... and stumbled upon some beautiful green options.  Not something which you might want to wear every day, but an interesting choice if you want to be remembered and make a statement of originality!  

Blouse – Uniqlo,  earrings – Annette Ferdinandsen,  Black slouch pants – Helmut, black cardigan coat – Ann Demeulemeester,  scarf – Nordstrom,  watch – DKNY ,  flats – Delman , tote – Victorinox  

Peridot and blue topaz earrings- Ippolita, green asymmetric sweater – Allude, earrings – Arunashi, green tank ... View the Post

Four pack: Tan, with THREE printed items

August 26, 2013  

The travel outfit is always the most important decision when packing a tiny suitcase.  In the worst travel outcomes, you can be stuck wearing this outfit for a REALLY long time.  Even if everything goes perfectly, this is the outfit in which you arrive - your first impression at the branch office, or the hotel, or with the relatives.   As much as I adore textured and patterned cardigans, for the Four Pack, I'd stick with a solid-colored cardigan.  This amazingly beautiful sweater might get a lot of action, if the weather proves to be cool, and a solid makes it easier to coordinate other items.  

   Now you have a variety of choices!  This doesn't exhaust the ... View the Post

Transition: Phasing out a secondary neutral

I repeatedly make the questionable choice of including beige or khaki in my summer wardrobe... sigh...  it's not a great color for me.  So here, in addition to addressing the idea of moving toward warmer clothes, and buying with a purpose, I'm also showing a move from one color in a wardrobe to a different one.Remember, this was the summer Whatever's Clean wardrobe:

 First, because I'm starting to really feel like beige isn't working well, the 2 beige pieces are going to take a back seat. And of course white linen pants aren't going to go too far into the fall...

 Here's where grey takes the place of beige, and a pair of jeans will replace the white linen pants.

 Second step:  the ... View the Post

Packing for Business Travel: The Reluctant Tomboy

July 17, 2013  

Even those of us who would rather wear gym clothes sometimes have to go on business trips...  so we have to pack in a way that strikes a balance between work-appropriate and our personal style. A tuxedo-ish coat, some dapper trousers, a youthful pleated skirt and a cardigan make up the core around which everything else will revolve.

  An accent color is important - purple is used here - another simple cardigan, a snazzy turtleneck, and a silk blouse all work together. The oxfords were irresistible.  

    The tops appealed to my tomboy side, but they still will look fine with the black suit pieces... And you can't travel without loafers!  

  Sigh... but a dress will ... View the Post

Packing for Special Occasions: Brown and Black

July 15, 2013

Dress – Oro Pagoda, Scarf – India Flint, Gloves – Buscarlet, Bag – I Santi, Coat – Violante, Pumps – Stuart Weitzman  

Printed top – Burberry Prorsum, Corduroy pants – Patagonia, Cardigan – Eric Bompard, Watch – Rotary,  Loafers – Cole Haan, Carry-on bag – Tumi

Polo sweater – Eric Bompard, Black jeans – MaisonScotch, Scarf – Barbour Gold, Black cardigan –Barbour, Skirt – Patagonia,  Striped tee shirt – Wolf and Badger, Boots – Isabel Marant

 

 

  ... View the Post

Capsule Wardrobe Project 333 continues, with 3 substitutions

July 11, 2013  

Now that I'm home during the day, I've found that I don't need to dress like a serious business executive all of the time, and I'm able to indulge my fondness for ballet-ish garments, and a lot of dark neutral colors.  I find that being able to have a simple, monochromatic wardrobe makes sense for me...   This month's additions: the most excellent Preloved tee shirt that I bought in Toronto, a charcoal tank top from Eileen Fisher, and a pair of black skirted leggings.  You either LOVE, or HATE, skirted leggings.  I've found that I love them - they're comfortable, flattering, and just unusual enough that they make me happy.  

  This was what I was using for Project 333.  I ... View the Post

Packing for a Special Event: Black

July 5, 2013  

For a  business event that is quite dressy, this ensemble below would be wonderful.  And I particularly like this whole assortment of clothes, because it is all very suitable for those of us who do not have a well-defined waistline.  Do remember, this much unrelieved black relies heavily on judicious and generous accessorizing to avoid looking monastic...You may not feel comfortable wearing a black dress to some occasions; I see them more and more at weddings - but of course now many brides dress their attendants in black, which opens up the possibility for the guests also.  It's all about how comfortable you will feel - that's the only standard that ultimately matters.  

Dress-  ... View the Post

Chic Sightings: Black with Metallic Accessories

June 21, 2013

There were lots of black dresses on the streets of Chicago yesterday, and lots of all-black outfits. But a few really stood out from the crowd by virtual of their carefully chosen metallic accessories. From the young lady in the spikey necklace and woven flats to the executive with her Ferragamo shoes and bag, (and great silver sunglasses), black and silver caught the eye.

The first woman I saw who really got me noticing the all-black outfits with metallics was wearing a simple sleeveless top with shorts, but her accessories really elevated what might have been a very stark outfit. Right behind her was a lovely person in a sleeveless dress with gold flower jewelry - uncluttered, but very charming.

In the Loop, ... View the Post

One outfit, six different scarves

June 13, 2013  

It's tempting to starting thinking of each scarf as being "married" to (or at least going steady with) a particular outfit that you own, and moreover, to always reach for the same scarf when you put on a favorite outfit.  I do this often, and I'm trying to break out of this habit, and shake up my scarf/clothing combos a little bit.  So I took one outfit that I wear a lot  (this sweater is linen, so it can be worn through all but the hottest summer months) and tried to see how it would pair up with a variety of scarves.I show Hermes scarves here, but PLEASE bear in mind that this exercise is true of any scarves you own.  Vintage from a thrift store, hand-crafted from a street fair, or heritage ... View the Post

Choosing a scarf – Hermes, in black

June 10, 2013  

Many people ask me how I choose the scarves I buy... (I can hear my mother, replying "Veeeeery carefully!") Most important, absolutely, is that you should LOVE the scarf. Not just like it, not just think that it goes well with your wardrobe - you've got to feel strongly, and perhaps in a way that you can't explain rationally. The appreciation of beauty is a gut-level reaction that can't always be verbalized, and can never be faked. This is as true for an inexpensive scarf picked up at a street fair, just as much as it's true with an Hermes - it should be true for anything that goes into your closet, frankly...

So, hypothetically, you've narrowed your choices down to six different scarves.  All Hermes, all ... View the Post