Start With a Scarf Archives - Page 14 of 23

Revisiting the Red Tulip Scarf, and some Unpredictable Navy

February 22, 2018 You might remember a travel capsule wardrobe for a brave (some might say daring) heroine a couple of months ago...This was her inspirational scarf, her style guidelines, and her color palette:

A Conference, Alone.... After the lecture that she attended before the holidays, she joined a group that did a lot of research in the subject that she found so fascinating. So now, they're getting together for a weekend conference to discuss their finding and their next steps. She's VERY excited...

It's just a couple of days, so she won't need a lot of things. Mostly they'll be sitting around a conference table talking, taking notes and sharing ideas... There's 1 nice dinner planned, and as usual she's going to take ... View the Post

My 6th Most Popular Post – All Time – Start with a Scarf: Hermes Arbre de Vie

You might remember that I'm in Paris until next Monday afternoon... And I was thinking that while I'm away, I would revisit the 6 most popular posts I've ever written for The Vivienne Files. I'm, frankly, pretty surprised by what they turned out to be!

Number 6 - What to Wear With an Hermes Scarf Arbre de Vie (tree of life)

It starts with this scarf, and includes outfits in this color scheme:

When I wrote these posts I tried to show a wide variety of possible outfits for which the scarf would be a fitting accent - I think it's stood the test of time pretty well!

love, Janice ... View the Post

Brown with Blue – Start with a Scarf! Hermes Electrique

December 29, 2017

Recently, someone asked me to re-visit a post that I did over 5 years ago, in blue and brown...After 5 years, absolutely NOTHING shown in the original post was still available - I know that's not a surprise. So I have recreated the original outfit, and what was packed, as best I could - it's a rough approximation...

The hardest thing was that I could NOT find a trench coat in the same turquoise blue that was used originally, so I've migrated the entire capsule wardrobe into a more "brown and blue" color scheme, starting with a wonderful scarf!

I isolated the colors with which the wardrobe will be built; I didn't really define the style because I'm somewhat duplicating an existing ... View the Post

Evaluating a Wardrobe – How do the “12 Months, 12 Outfits” Wardrobes Do?

December 15, 2017

What makes a wardrobe work? And how can you tell if a wardrobe is going to be functional and versatile? Not the headiest questions in life, but still important, if you like to get dressed and enjoy the process (as well as the results!).

Ultimately, your wardrobe works if you can get dressed every day with ease and pleasure. It doesn't matter what's in there, how tidy or messy it is, or how many different colors and/or styles of things you own. It's the most subjective thing in the world...

That said, if you're struggling, I have a few ideas that you might want to consider!

First up, let's start with the black, white, grey and rust wardrobe that I finished up on December 1st:

Since I built more ... View the Post

Essential Accessories for a Pretty but Casual Wardrobe: Start with a Scarf – Vintage Rose by KathKath

December 13, 2017

Update - I did NOT go to Paris - a very last-minute fibromyalgia "interlude" suggested that the wiser course was to stay home and try to reschedule. Happily, I have a bunch of blog posts ready for you, so I can still rest for a few days! hugs - Janice When I left this wardrobe last week, the clothing portion was pretty well-organized, with lots of possible combinations, so let's choose some accessories for this heroine!

It seems that the first outfit is always a very simple one that kind of cries out for a necklace or something at the neck...

As far as a woman can get with a good briefcase, at some stage she's going to want a handbag instead...

I'm not even ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Appaloosa des Steppes by Hermes

You ask, you get! Tomorrow I'm going to expand this into a wardrobe for a longer trip...

please note that this scarf is a pocket square. it's MUCH smaller than a normal Hermes scarf, so don't order it thinking that you're getting an amazing deal, and then be crushed...

You Won't BELIEVE What Corporate Did...

her heart always sinks when her sweetheart start a conversation like this...

"They're having the Holiday Party in NEW YORK!!!"

"So does this mean we don't have to go?" fingers crossed...

"Quite the contrary - that's what's SO amazing! They're flying us all out - you included! - putting us up in a hotel AND giving us spending money!"

can we just have them give us cash instead? whoops, wrong thing to ... View the Post

I Need Accessories For Client Meetings and Dressy Evenings! Start with a Scarf: Vintage Rose by KathKath

November 22, 2017

Yesterday, we left our heroine with a really lovely 16-piece wardrobe, but pretty much in need of more shoes, and at least a couple of pieces of jewelry. (okay, this is not NEED in the biological survival sense, but more need in the "being appropriately dressed for business" sense...)

So, as I love to do, let's work through one accessory at a time and assess the possibilities.

This very simple outfit cries out for a necklace, at least to me:

The same necklace can of course be worn here, but I'd like to see my heroine with a softer, more rounded handbag. A briefcase is essential, but not every day...

Okay, I'm the first to admit that floral boots aren't likely the next thing that this ... View the Post

I Need a Wardrobe For Client Meetings and Dressy Evenings! Start with a Scarf: Vintage Rose by KathKath

November 21, 2017

Yes, you saw this scarf a long time ago - KathKath actually gave me one to give away to one of you! But now they've made this beautiful pattern available in both silk and a cashmere blend, AND in both rectangle and square shapes...

Our heroine is long past the point where she worries about wearing pink to an interview. A floral watch and slightly floral earrings are just part of her personal style; if her potential employer doesn't think they're acceptable, she's the wrong fit for the job! (oh, the years it took us to get this much confidence, eh?)

In order to make sure that our "working from home, occasional meetings and dressy dinners" heroine doesn't get carried away ... View the Post

What if I Like Unusual Color Combinations? Start with a Scarf: Calm Scarf by KathKath

November 9, 2017

She's sort of the human embodiment of Peace and Reconciliation...

When there are quarrels, disagreements, or flat out fights, corporate headquarters send her in...

She delights in studying both sides of a conflict and finding the common ground that makes the beginning of compromise possible. She believes that there is more to unite than to divide...

(yes, if you find a bag in the right color, it's okay to have 2 bags from the same brand...)She knows that she needs a good dinner before she throws herself into the fray - self-care is a very important part of taking care of others!

If, for some reason, she has to stay over for a 2nd day, she can always wear her ... View the Post

Does Navy Have to be Predictable? Start with a Scarf: Red Tulip by KathKath

November 8, 2017

There are so many traditional, classic accents to wear with navy - red, burgundy, bottle green... but what if you want something brighter, and more "off the beaten path?"

Nobody else wants to go...

But she's going to the lecture. Alone. And she's really excited!

(Her sweater also comes in orange... she's very tempted...)

Everyone claims that the University shuts off the heat on weekends, so she's prepared to dress warmly for the lecture. And her hotel advertises that they provide a full brunch IN YOUR ROOM, so she's certainly going to avail of that opportunity...

Yes, she's going to pin a brooch to her cardigan that she's wearing with a flannel shirt! And yes, she'll carry the ... View the Post

Is It Possible to Pack an Interesting Overnight Bag? Start with a Scarf: The Joy Rose Scarf by KathKath

November 7, 2017

She's not a boring person...

And so she's embraced these colors!

And now she has SATURDAY NIGHT season tickets to the opera! Just 1 ticket - nobody else she knows loves the opera enough to deserve to go with her...

Saturday morning she heads into the city:

Her bag is tiny, and quite light - how much will she need for 30 hours?

When everything is gathered together, it looks so pretty and cheerful - sort of like how she feels when she gets to go to the opera!

She knows that nobody else there will be wearing a yellow dress...

She can wear her coat as a bathrobe when her brunch is delivered... and if it's cold the next morning, she can always wear her flowered shirt under her pink ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: The Topographic Scarf from KathKath

We might as well take advantage of the 30% discount that the lovely women at KathKath have offered us, right? The code is vivkath30... their site is kathkath.com.

If you browse about at all on their site, you will find this gorgeous scarf, which is available in both square and rectangle, AND in both silk and modal/cashmere:

There are so many colors available here, but I settled on these, for now. What a rich wealth of beauty...

It was specifically requested that I work with this scarf and a grey base, so I'm going to use these pieces. Just to amp up the dressiness a bit, I've included a pretty blouse and a tweed skirt...

If someone were to really commit to this palette, jewelry in sea glass and mother of pearl would ... View the Post