warm weather Archives - Page 12 of 37

Start with Art: Stargazing by Helen Frankenthaler

August 13, 2021

Happy Friday, the 13th!

We often ponder the merits of having a LOT of accent colors in a wardrobe... I think this post might offer an idea of how to manage them all!

This heroine understands that she needs quite a bit of navy to establish a base for her wardrobe. After that - watch out!

She starts with this - yes, it looks familiar:

Of course, I would be perfectly happy with this - I'm content with neutrals. But our heroine has other ideas, starting with bright blue!

Just out of curiosity, this is what her wardrobe would now look like with these additions. Yes, it gets her to a "4 by 4" Wardrobe plus 1 garment:

But she's just getting started - let's toss in 4 pieces in bright ... View the Post

What does a 13-Piece Weekly Timeless Wardrobe Look Like?

August 9, 2021

Why yes, this is supposed to be the Weekly Timeless Wardrobe...

BUT...

Some week this summer, I completely lost count; I can't believe I missed a number... and I can't face looking for any more sleeveless tops! I'm going to assume that you all have a pretty clear idea of what a sleeveless top looks like, and what it will do in your wardrobe...

So instead, I'm going to address a couple of questions that came up when I showed you a couple of Weekly Timeless Wardrobes last week.

First, the question that I was asked the most was about having lots of prints in the wardrobe - could you actually have 4 of the 13 garments in print and still have some versatility?

In the wardrobe above, I traded out the ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #21 – A Printed Sleeveless Top

August 2, 2021

The weather here in Chicago is great for sleeveless - some days! Other days, we're wearing cardigans and long pants... One never knows, right!

When you're starting to get really quite tired of your summer wardrobe, having a "suit-like ensemble" in a neutral color can be really handy. You've got a perfect system in place to treat yourself to a new top, and maybe an accessory or two!

Maybe you can test-drive an accent color that you've never worn before?

Any color can be worn with black... and are you ready for a new pair of sandals? I managed to cut my foot CATASTROPHICALLY (I swear I could see my Achilles tendon!) and I've been wearing the only pair of sandals that work for weeks... sigh...

If ... View the Post

Summer Wardrobe Ideas: 2 Weekly Timeless Wardrobes

July 30, 2021

It's a question that's turned up in my mail a few times this last month - "What exactly would a summer Weekly Timeless Wardrobe look like?" "Would this be enough clothing for me if I wear a uniform for work?"

So I offer a couple of possibilities...

First up - navy and white with shades of blue for accent - classic summer colors:

For reference purposes, these are the 13 garments that I have included in my Weekly Timeless Wardrobe list; you can (of course!) adapt these to suit your needs and preferences!

If I only needed "real clothes" for evening and weekends, this would probably be sufficient for me. Of course, you still need gym clothes, and swim wear if that's something you do, but for normal ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #20 – A Sleeveless Top

July 26, 2021

Is it swelteringly hot where you are? Chicago has finally settled into an extended stretch of hot weather, so sleeveless tops are timely!

Originally, I had thought that this top HAD to be in a light neutral, but I'm now in a more flexible mindset - anything that's cool, and that works well with your existing wardrobe, is what we need! Printed tops will be added soon...

For those of us who wear tank tops frequently, it's worth considering looking for things with some sort of lace, or other decorative trim. This might be just the touch of detail that your outfit needs...

I couldn't resist keeping the same "suit" and scarf from last week, and then picking a completely different accent color; this is the kind ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #19 – Dark Neutral Short-Sleeve or Lightweight 2nd Layer

July 19, 2020

Time to check in on our neutral, timeless wardrobe pieces; today we need something to wear on those freakish days in the summer that turn cool, or for the air-conditioning that turns normal places into meat lockers!

First, a simple column of white (or any color, really) can take on a ton of different looks with an overshirt and some accessories:

For me, this is the quintessential summer 2nd layer - a black cardigan that's warm enough to do what needs done, but sheer enough not to look like it's October!

It's kind of a suit... And here again, you could use a LOT of different accent colors!

A black "suit" can also be worn in a million different ways - some days you just want some silver and onyx, and a ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #18 – Dark Neutral Lightweight Pants

July 12, 2021

Even in the hottest parts of the summer, it's smart to have a dark neutral pair of pants handy. Serious life business is no respecter of weather!

Note that you don't have to match colors flawlessly to put together a beautiful outfit:

Classic drawstring pants are so useful in the summer...

You can look perfectly serious at work without melting onto the floor under your desk!

Maybe you really LIKE squares? A little gingham, and some square-ish accessory are just right...

It's not exactly a suit, but it works quite the same way when getting dressed...

I'm always surprised at how good green and grey look together!

Almost like jeans, but a LOT cooler:

For all new visitors, ... View the Post

Start with a Scarf: Our Echo giveaway winner!

July 9, 2021

Sharon was our winner! And her choice of scarf was...

But we're going to be looking at VERY different colors than normal with this scarf!

Sharon is dreaming of a wardrobe for a getaway to Italy! Her dream includes ALL of the good stuff: museums, churches, shopping, a boat tour, lounging in cafes, romantic dinners, and maybe an alfresco concert!

Where's my ticket?

Sharon was thinking of a short getaway because she lives in the UK, but I went a little bit overboard with her packing! Summer clothes pack small...

I was trying to be careful about modesty - I can't count on both hands (and feet!) the number of people I've seen turned away from churches in Italy because they weren't appropriately dressed. ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #17 – Dark Neutral Shorts

July 4, 2021

Happy 4th of July to everyone! (even if you're not celebrating a holiday, you can still be happy, right?)

As with everything on The Vivienne Files, if these garments don't work for you, substitute things that will! If you're not a "shorts and sleeveless top" person, maybe you're a "cropped pants and tee shirt" woman...

First up - last week's pink tank top gets casual!

For those of you keeping each of these "individual garment" pages, I offer up some lovely brown...

Bright blue with navy shorts is a natural!

Olive accessories that didn't look terribly overly green were hard to find, so I chose brown instead; I think it works well!

For those among you who spend a lot of time near a beach, lake ... View the Post

Weekly Timeless Wardrobe #16 – An Accent Color Sleeveless Top

June 28, 2021

Why yes, this is a day early... I'm in a bit of a muddle these days! I'm sorry to have to remind everyone that this means there will NOT be a post on Monday morning. Sorry for the confusion!

Accent colors make everything more fun! And I'm dedicating today's post to those among us who are - very suddenly - being summoned back to offices...

Why yes, you can layer this top under just about anything. And wear it to work out. And sleep in it, if necessary!

Maybe you're finding that some of your work clothes no longer fit quite right, but you can still wear your black shirtdress - wear it EVERY week, with a variety of accent colors:

Maybe work is very casual...

Maybe it's summer in an otherwise ... View the Post

June 2021 Start with a Bracelet: The Tropical Hibiscus Bracelets

June 25, 2021

please note that all sorts of things are selling out at a shocking rate; I literally chose our hat at 11 a.m. and by 1 p.m. they were GONE... Seize the day indeed! She's going to sit under an umbrella...

and watch everyone else get sunburned, and get sand in their creases and crevasses...

Her color palette is easy - bright and summery! (even though cool evenings are always possible...)

It takes about 90 minutes to get there on the bus; she's ready with her mask and something to read!

Once she's there, she can hang up a few things, grab another book, and head down to either the bar, the deck, or the nearest reaches of the beach...

Her friends don't expect her to have a vast wardrobe with her - ... View the Post

Accessories for 2 Spring Weekly Timeless Wardrobes – beige & rust, beige & green

June 23, 2021

As much as I loved these wardrobes, THIS is where the fun starts! Even accessories as simple as earrings and sandals can make SO much difference...

Remember this wardrobe?

We need accessories for this, but I don't want to just jump into things willy-nilly! This isn't a definitive list for every woman alive, but it's a nice start for our purposes:

With this very general guideline in place, I've assembled 4 outfits from this wardrobe, and put accessories with each of them. Of course, I didn't really stick to the shoe suggestions...

I know some of you can't imagine wearing a cardigan AND a scarf right now, but today in Chicago it's going to top out at 70 degree Fahrenheit, so indoors it will ... View the Post