The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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Monday Morning Wardrobe Archives

Building a Capsule Wardrobe by Starting with Art: Winter at the Convent by Margaret Loxton

I love this painting... if this doesn't make you smile, I can't help you.

While I strongly suspect that these nuns are wearing black habits, the habits look very navy on my computer, and so my imagination was strongly drawn to working with navy, white and cool pastels.

I've talked before about the usefulness of having six garments that are the same color, that give you a basis for getting dressed on Monday morning without opening your eyes. That idea has really stuck in my head, so I've decided that I want to build on it a few times. Let's start here:

Even if you get dressed out of here every Monday, you still have LOTS of clothes unworn, so let's toss in a few extra goodies to carry us into an equally effortless ... View the Post

White Capsule Wardrobe with Grey, Turquoise, or Celadon Green Accessories

January 24, 2015

For now, I'm finishing up this idea of monochromatic outfits and "accessory families" with some summery white linen items. (yes, they look sort of beige or ivory on the page, because white on white would be an incomprehensible blizzard...)

Since the available linen white shoes are limited in January, I decided to grab some shoes that match or tone with the accessories - always a fun option! And for the elusive celadon, I chose some gold sandals; metallic are always worth remembering when you're struggling with a shoe color choices.

I'm starting to work on some more "Start With Art" wardrobes - anybody have some suggestions? I put together a hundred colors schemes drawn from art ... View the Post

Denim Blue Capsule Wardrobe with Floral, Bright and Silver/White Accessories

Denim blue is a great, versatile and flattering color, even when the fabric isn't denim! Imagine these six garments, along with a pair of real jeans, a white shirt, and a couple of tee shirts - the perfect simple travel capsule wardrobe. I'm ready to go on vacation ANY TIME NOW...  ... View the Post

Olive Capsule Wardrobe with Accessories in Brown, Lacy Gold and Turquoise with Coral

Today, I've found some olive items - not the easiest of projects! But as elusive as olive is, it's well worth the effort because nothing looks quite as subtle, warm yet relaxed as olive. I put together six outfits - three for warmer weather, and three for cooler temperatures. From there, a few accessories are all that's needed... ... View the Post

Navy Capsule Wardrobe with Accessories in Rose, Amethyst and Marsala

A handful (plus one) of navy garments can give you nine different combinations. Once you toss in three different "accessory families", you have a world of options. With a tee shirt or two thrown in, wouldn't this be a blissfully easy way to pack? ... View the Post

Beige Capsule Wardrobe with Accessories in Celadon Green, Brown and Light Blue

To show how very versatile these "accessory families" can be, I chose six beige garments for today. From these six pieces I put together six outfits. Then I picked three of the families from last week, and show each of those against the beige outfits.

Some of the families that had a really strong silver or "cool" cast to them didn't dance terribly nicely with the beige, but these warmer accessories just look wonderful with the simplicity of the classic garments.

So many possibilities... ... View the Post

A Grey Capsule Wardrobe with Turquoise

She works in the city, but her heart holds a special place for all the things of nature...

Next week, I'm going to use a variety of neutral colors (navy, brown, beige, olive  - what others would you like?) with accessories that I have already shown last week or this week. I'm not doing this to be lazy, but rather to show the great versatility that a happy family of accessories can have when paired with the enormous flexibility of a core of neutral clothes.

love,

Janice ... View the Post

A Grey Capsule Wardrobe with Flower Accents

Yes, her accessories are pink. She's the boss. She likes pink, and flowers.  If she can reconcile those facts, you can too. It's 2015, and bosses wear pink...

One of the fun things about these accessories is that they combine very reasonably priced costume jewelry with absolutely ASTONISHINGLY expensive pieces. Everything doesn't have to be in the same price range, so long as it shares a style theme that resonates with your deepest preferences and loves. ... View the Post

A Grey Capsule Wardrobe with Grey Accessories

Monochromatic dressing seems to be an idea that meets a lot of resistance, and I'm not sure why; it's the easiest way to dress, and it can look very elegant and sleek. I think the key to keeping monochromatic outfits from looking drab is to incorporate texture or pattern into the mix to give a little bit of visual interest. With accessories this cool, no outfit is going to look dull!

This woman has grey hair, silvery eyes, a cutting wit, and a very busy agenda - if you make the mistake of thinking of her as "senior citizen", it will be a mistake you only make once! ... View the Post