gold Archives

Start with Art: Saints Genevieve and Apollonia by Lucas Cranach the Elder

November 19, 2021

Remember our old friend, the expert in Gothic Architecture iconography?

She's worked from home;

with a wardrobe to which we added lots of accessories!

She also visited a college campus to lecture;

and she took students to The Cloisters in New York;

and she's been working with Paris officials on Notre Dame.

You can tell that she's a favorite heroine of mine!

This is her inspiration:

She Could Work from the Photographs that the church in Dublin sent to her, but she decided to go actually see the carvings in their location within the building. The church members had taken advantage of the pandemic to build scaffolding and climb up to clean decades of candle smoke and incense ... View the Post

Start with Art: Portrait de Greta Prozor by Henri Matisse

April 23, 2020

She's been sitting for a REALLY long time...

She's taking her favorite painting, distilling it down to the essential colors, and then PACKING!

Black, denim, olive, and BRIGHT golden yellow! She doesn't want to work very hard getting dressed, but she's okay with people noticing her...

It's just for a long weekend... She's going to plan outfits for each day, although she won't necessarily wear every outfit. She just doesn't want to have to work; she's done quite enough work, spending so much time indoors...

Her travel wardrobe is dark, and a bit intense. That's just exactly what she wants - no worry about spilling things, no worry about putting together outfits "on the fly," and no having to shop ... View the Post

Start with Art: Landline Blue by Sean Scully

November 22, 2019

Can You Get Out of Work on Monday? Because Friday is the anniversary of our first date...

"And I would like to take you into the city for a long weekend... We could dine out, and go to a concert, and just have a lovely time together..."

"There's an exhibit at the museum of paintings by one of our favorite artists - we could go there too!"

Of COURSE she'll get out of work on Monday. She had no idea when their first date was, until she was reminded. And her true love was indeed exactly right!

Who's going to turn down a long weekend with a sweetheart so thoughtful, and with that kind of sentimental heart?

love,

Janice

p.s.

2 years ago we looked at another teal ... View the Post

What Accessories Should One Pack for an Italian Vacation?

On Friday, I pulled together a wardrobe for one of you who has a fun trip planned with adult children:

This was the color scheme with which I was working:

There are already some accessories in her wardrobe...

So let's start with my new template for accessories, and plug in the pieces that we already have:

For me, earrings are VERY important - I'm choosing an accent pair in aqua, and then a really simple pair of gold studs that can be worn for days without thought... Similarly, both an accent striped bracelet and some classic gold bangles are being added to her accessory wardrobe...

I ALWAYS believe in a good brooch! And necklaces don't take up much space, but can really change the feeling of an ... View the Post

Passion Flower with Hummingbirds by Martin Johnson Heade – Inspiring a Tote Bag Travel Capsule Wardrobe

Quiet.... It's just the way she is...

She appreciates peace. Tranquility. Simple pleasures that don't involve amplification...

Which is not to say that she's boring - just that if you're going to see the interesting things, you might have to look a little while!

Her color palette is mostly muted, with a single bright accent of geranium pink... She shops with incredible patience to stay true to her long-standing preferences!

When she travels, she doesn't need much. Because everything she owns suits her to a "T," she can be contented with just the necessities and a few lovely accessories...

A long time ago she heard a phrase - maybe in an advertisement? - that said that "if you want to capture someone's attention, whisper." ... View the Post

Teal for the Holidays? Three Different Approaches!

November 23, 2017

Happy Thanksgiving in the United States! (well, heck, Happy Thanksgiving to everybody...) I know that I should be plying you with news about "Black Friday" sales, and lots of gifty stuff, but you will get quite enough of that kind of information without The Vivienne Files piling on, right?

So I'm going to respond to the overwhelming demand for teal for the holidays by looking at it with 3 different neutrals partners... Nothing like a bit of excess for today (says the woman who fully intend to have at least 2 desserts, and then work it off tomorrow in the gym...)

First up, three gorgeous teal pieces, paired with a core of black silk:

The blazer is shown with velvet shorts at Nordstrom, if that ... View the Post

Start with Art: A “French 5-Piece Wardrobe” Based on Nature Morte sur une Chaise by Juan Gris

October 24, 2017

She is feeling a little bit... subdued. She was strangely drawn to this painting:

She decided to embrace her feelings of reserve and quiet, and thus decided that this was how she was going to plan her upcoming wardrobe purchases for autumn and winter.

It wasn't that she really needs new clothes - she's got a good base of her favorite neutrals. But she felt that it was time for a good snuggle, and a scarf of two to hold her tight... She could give lots of reasons for feeling the way she does right now - the weather? the change of seasons? At any rate, she's going to do a bit of shopping...

After much watching, and some almost ENDLESS searching for scarves, these are here choices. She's (quietly) very ... View the Post

Timeless Chic Sightings: Black with Metallic Accessories

June 27, 2017

Some things don't change much through time - over the weekend, we saw lots of women accenting solid black outfits with well-chosen metallic accessories. These kinds of outfits always catch my eye!

The clothes from this post are absolutely ageless and timeless; if you keep your eyes open for metallic accessories (or an accent color?) that you love, you'll instantly have an outfit that can wear forever, or until it falls apart! And that should be our goal - to use things fully and well, and retire them when they've been worn as much as possible. Anything less doesn't do justice to our time, nor or budget, nor to the planet.

love, Janice ... View the Post

Can You Build a Travel Capsule Wardrobe Around a Piece of Jewelry?

June 21, 2017

I'm thinking that these kinds of posts could be known as "Wildly-Extravagant Wednesday..." A Ridiculous Business Trip She loved the ring from the moment she saw it, and now she wears it every day...

So when they told her that she had to fly to headquarters on Friday JUST TO DELIVER A FOLDER... she decided that she was going to stay through the weekend and go all-out. See an opera, do some serious dining, and people-watch...

She's got to go straight to the office when she lands, so she's going to fly in "grown-up" clothes. The flight's not all that long, so this will be fine - not a lot different from sitting at her desk for the morning. (except she doesn't have to do anything any more taxing than ... View the Post

How to Pack for a Spa Weekend? Start with Art: Dans le Parc by Maurice Denis

May 26, 2017

Doesn't this make you want to just sit somewhere and watch the world go by?

Someone driving up with friends for a spa weekend is using this color scheme to inspire her packing... (well, it inspires her entire wardrobe, not just one weekend!)

Since they're driving, she can be super-casual and relaxed, but she still has her favorite leaf-motif jewelry - the painting strongly suggests that she's a nature lover.

Once they're at the spa, they'll be living in their robes, but she's going to need an outfit to get home in, and maybe something other than a robe in which to dine. Just because they put you in a robe doesn't mean that you're not allowed to get dressed!

It's a tiny ... View the Post

Build a “Six Pack” Travel Capsule Wardrobe – Using Another Velvet Swatch

January 16, 2017

This swatch is VERY similar to the one that I used Friday, but there are subtle color differences that I really wanted to explore. The subtle details can make all of the difference!

If You're SURE You Want Me To Go Too...

Every year, after the new year, when all the kids are back at school and the house quiets down, her spouse wants to go golfing...

A long weekend at the most talked-about golf resort of the current season.

She hates golf.

But she likes to sit in the garden and read. The staff keeps her well-supplied with drinks and tasty snacks...

She likes to walk around the neighborhood and take in all of the flowers, and the trees that still have leaves. It's a ... View the Post

Build a “Six-Pack” Travel Capsule Wardrobe by Starting With… Art? Fabric?

January 13, 2017

The Art Institute of Chicago currently has an exhibit of velvet fabric, tucked away in the basement rooms that seem to be reserved exclusively for fabrics. It's a small exhibit, but SUCH beauty...

Mental Health Break

It sounds terribly dramatic, but she really just wants to see her toes... with polish, if possible!

So a long weekend away, at a very un-chic beach. Renting a very un-chic suite with a kitchenette...She wants to wear something on her lips that isn't Carmex or ChapStick...

She doesn't want to "dine." She wants to walk, on sand, maybe in her bare feet!

She wants to carry a tote bag with a snack, something upon which to sit, and maybe a book.

She wants to sleep ... View the Post