The Vivienne Files

Capsule wardrobes inspired by art and nature

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An Orange Handbag: Integrating a New Accent Color

May 2, 2015   I know I've mentioned it before, but I really can't recommend a Longchamp Pliage bag highly enough; tossed into another tote bag, or into luggage, it can come in handy more often that you would imagine. Just for groceries, it's been used hundreds of times. And on vacation, it makes a great stash for dirty laundry during your trip, and then a handy way to get gifts back without crushing them in your regular (very small) luggage...

  So today, let's envision the potential of a bright orange bag:  

The same old, same old, simple navy group of garments. Who could imagine that we could do so much with such simple pieces of clothing?  

Orange shoes weren't at all difficult to find - ... View the Post

A Hot Pink Handbag: Integrating a New Accent Color

May 1, 2015   Before we all indulge ourselves in beauty, let's talk about something important - Nepal.   I'm sure many of you have already donated to the relief funds for Nepal's recovery from the recent devastating earthquake, but if you're in the mood to do a bit of shopping AND benefit Nepal, Novica (one of our favorite sites for jewelry and other gorgeous crafts) is donating 10% of all of their sales from India to Nepal relief.  

Someone in India has work, you have something beautiful, and more money goes to help the people of Nepal - a pretty excellent equation, I'd say!   Now let's revisit the idea of introducing a new color into a simple navy wardrobe. Today, the requested color was PINK! This bag could ... View the Post

A Leaf Green Handbag: Integrating a New Accent Color

April 30, 2015   I've been thinking a lot about my friend's inclination to buy a bright green handbag. This time of year, when it feels like we haven't seen ANYTHING green since the Christmas tree came down, bright green can be really tempting. And if the bag in question is beautifully well made, in a classic design, the urge makes even more sense!   This was the bag in question - you might be able to see the allure:  

But I, for some reason, just can't quite see an ensemble in which you're wearing other colors (in this case, navy), and the only green thing in your outfit is the bag. Other people are okay with this, but for balance and a sense of intentionality, I like to see another green something included. ... View the Post

Choosing the Right Scarf Color – One Approach

April 24, 2015   Here's a decision scenario: you know you like the scarf - the silk and wool blend, the pattern drawn from foliate motifs and calligraphy of the Sultan's courts of India, the knowledge that your purchase supports the Metropolitan Museum of Art - but WHICH COLOR TO CHOOSE????  

I'm of the opinion that your wardrobe should have a certain DNA - a "fingerprint" that is as unique as your own. If this is true, then anything that you add to your wardrobe should look like it's related to the things you already own.   So maybe this decision can be made easier if we look at some options that might currently be in your closet, and see if any of them look like they're in your style family...   Do you ... View the Post

A Travel Capsule Wardrobe for a Long Weekend in Paris, with a Blue Jacket…

April 15, 2015

It was pointed out to me that this lovely nubuck suede jacket (thanks, House of Fraser!) would also look lovely with navy... so I'm taking us on an imaginary long weekend in Paris this time...

love, Janice

Looking Back:

2014: Chic Sightings: Dots! 2013: Project 333: My First Week in "My" Uniform 2012: Packing: Brown and Turquoise ... View the Post

Start with Art: Still Life with Bottle by Samuel John Peploe

March 11, 2015   Ah, this made me think of warm weather, leisure, simplicity, being outdoors...  

  Yes, it's a cardigan, but it's relaxed, and it's linen! When choosing loafers for this trip, I would make sure that they were low enough cut over the foot so that they would look nice with shorts, worn without socks. I'd even travel without socks, although I think I'd want some sort of little socklet/footie for in the airport. Barefoot in the airport gives me the willies!  

  If you're only going away for a few days, a Six-Pack is the perfect way to pack. These clothes would fit into the smallest tote...   (No, this dress has not been made to measure for someone - the brand name is ... View the Post

Start With Art: Winter at the Convent by Margaret Loxton

February 3, 2015

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 ... View the Post

12 Months, 1 Scarf: A Navy and Green Capsule Wardrobe

December 17, 2014   I know I seem to talk about this same idea a lot, but I can't sufficiently emphasize the benefits of building your wardrobe around a unifying theme of some sort.   Your theme could be a particular color scheme, a painting, a photograph, or a scarf - there are really no limits to what you might choose. This theme doesn't have to last throughout your entire life, nor does it have to define absolutely EVERY purchase that you make.   However, it should be an overarching guideline that helps you make the hard decisions when you see something appealing - does it fit? does it clash? does it harmonize? does it make NO SENSE WHATSOEVER in the context of your chosen style theme?   So, when someone asked ... View the Post

How to Choose a Winter Coat to Wear with Navy

November 21, 2014   Many of you were interested in a coat to wear with navy clothes, and I had great fun obliging! Some of these coats cost MANY months of rent, but they are amazingly beautiful, and they give us a look and a level of quality to which we can aspire in our more normal coat shopping.  

The Patterned Coat

Paisley! Subtle, and almost iridescent, This coat doesn't need much. The hat is divine, the infinity scarf is a subtle melange of the colors in the coat, and the cashmere gloves pick up one of the brighter highlight colors. Feather earrings echo the swirling feeling of the pattern of the coat.   Note: These cashmere gloves are going to show up a few times - they are available in a range of ... View the Post

Start With Art: Trumpet Creeper by Abby Williams Hill

November 13, 2014   Isn't this beautiful? One of you sent it to me, and it captivated me immediately. The vertical layout, the soft background, the muted shades of green and blue, the accents of warm rust, gold and orange - what a wonderful painting.   There are so many things about this that could serve as inspiration and focus: the colors, the organic nature of the image, the soft blending of the background colors, the use of about a billion shades of bluish green - there's just no end to the ideas that can come from this one work of art. (but that's probably true, for the right person, of any work of art, right?)  

  This was my chosen color scheme - a base in very dark navy, accents of all those ... View the Post

The French 5-Piece Wardrobe + A Common Capsule Wardrobe: blue, green, and grey

October 14, 2014   The French 5-Piece Wardrobe is a great way to experiment with new color palettes, but it can also be used as a way to build upon The Common Capsule Wardrobe in your chosen neutrals. Adding in a neutral item or two can really expand the versatility of your core garments, while a new color or two keeps the boredom at bay.   Let's see what these five items do for A Common Capsule Wardrobe:  

  Remember, this is A Common Wardrobe, in navy and grey, with which we're working:  

 

First off, the beautiful green sweater actually would give you eight new possibilities (I only show four) - it can be worn with any of your pants, jeans, or skirt, and it can be worn with ... View the Post