May 1, 2024 “It’s May, it’s May, the lusty month of May…” Well, maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement, unless you live in Camelot! But we’ve got beautiful things to admire and consider, and we have each other – what else do we need? (yes, we could make a list…) First up, this most […]
What should I pack? It’s the first question on everyone’s mind when they’ve just booked a trip. Don’t worry – The Vivienne Files includes suggestions about all kinds of travel capsule wardrobes: warm weather, cold weather, business, leisure, weekend travel, and long trips. I’m sure there are suggestions in these posts to give you ideas […]
October 10, 2022 Last Friday, about lunch-time, the temperature started to drop. Just like that – we went from “well, it may warm up later” to “don’t forget your gloves…” It could bounce back, but I have a hunch that autumn is really here! Are your options for layering warm clothes ready for this sudden […]
May 29, 2023 It doesn’t feel very summery still, at least in Chicago. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be thinking about what we will wear when the weather DOES get warm… One of my new French style books (Le Dressing Idéal by Anne Montecer) suggests jumpsuits for Spring… Uh, NO. I have hauled […]
March 28, 2014 It’s one of those questions that confounds the observant person – there are more clothes, and often more attractive clothes, in stores than ever before, but you see fewer well-dressed or just generally attractive people about. Why are all of these appallingly bad clothing choices being made, and why (at […]
November 27, 2020 She Really Loves This Painting… And she has all of these colors in her closet! So she figures that she will pull together her “Garde-Robe du Mois” (wardrobe of the month) for the end of November and the start of December based on this… First, she’s trying to figure out how often […]
March 28, 2014 It’s one of those questions that confounds the observant person – there are more clothes, and often more attractive clothes, in stores than ever before, but you see fewer well-dressed or just generally attractive people about. Why are all of these appallingly bad clothing choices being made, and why (at […]
18" x 24" Poster of an iconic style from the late designer Vivienne Westwood You get the PNG file to download and print at your local print shop! If you have any questions about printing or framing, just message me! I am here to help.
October 30, 2023 Echo has released a total of 14 scarves so far, so let’s take a look at the remaining 8 that I didn’t visit on Friday… Let’s start with the scarf that I was convinced I didn’t like, until I saw it folded. Sudden it dawned on me – camel and grey – what’s […]
November 2, 2016 I’ve been assured by my experts that, as much as WE all understand that “Start with Art” means “building beautiful capsule and travel wardrobes using the colors and styles found in fine art,” nobody else in the Google universe knows what we’re doing… and that keeps new readers from finding The […]
January 2, 2023 Well THAT was weird to type… Our six heroines all decided that they wanted to go shopping to augment the TWO garments with which they started our year-long adventure. If you have something specific in mind that you want to buy, this is a difficult time of year to shop; lots of […]
So I’m off running around the country again, and will be mostly out of internet range for at least a couple of weeks – my return date is VERY uncertain. But I’ve queued up a number of posts for you, on a variety of subjects – colors, books, some Chic Sightings… Cross your fingers […]
June 3, 2022 How many paintings do you suppose we’ve looked at here on The Vivienne Files? I don’t have any idea! But my lovely friends in Canada (yes, Alison the bracelet goddess!) have pulled together a page for us from which we can browse ALL of The Vivienne Files Start with Art posts… Not […]
January 22, 2021 For no good reason that I can pinpoint, I’m in the mood to shop! Maybe it’s the sunshine beaming down on the lakefront that gives me this sense of optimism and cheer that translates into… buying things for myself? Just on the face of it, that’s an odd thing. I should […]
January 6, 2023 Lots of things are on sale, and some new clothes and accessories are arriving in stores; this is the time to make sure that you’ve got the perfect outfit for that upcoming event… If your upcoming event is meeting with your tiny friends on a branch, bright blue feathers are in order! […]
February 5, 2024 Three more heroines, working on three VERY different wardrobes! It’s worth considering – these people wear relatively similar styles of garments – classic jeans and pants, traditional tee shirts, shirts and sweaters. But because of their choices of color, their wardrobes end up looking so different that the similar styles aren’t a […]
May 17, 2023 I’ve never heard of Bror Lindh – what fun to find new (to me) artists! Our heroine chose to include the darker green of the grass under the tree, rather than the more yellowish green out in the sunlight. Good move, I would say! Garden Tour Weekend A group of her friends […]
December 21, 2022 The days start getting longer tomorrow! And while I’m quite ready for a big massive snowstorm (I love snow…), I’m also ready for a bit more daylight. We live in a place just a bit too far south, and too brightly lit, to ever see the Northern Lights. Sigh… For no clear […]
October 13, 2021 Difficult… Very early in her career, she became instantly famous (at least in architecture circles!) for her innovations in combining unexpected construction materials. She discovered new synergies of strength and flexibility that changed the industry… Since then, she has deliberately cultivated a reputation for being a difficult partner in projects. She’s actually […]
October 11, 2023 This painting really feels just right for this time of year – we’re actually on our 4th consecutive day of true autumn weather! What do you think? To me, this feels the most like a “normal” wardrobe. Maybe it’s the mix of colors, or the number of colors? This heroine starts out […]
May 30, 2022 This is the painting that inspired our heroine: And this is the wardrobe that she assembled for the upcoming summer months; she lives in a nice mild climate… Of course she needs accessories! Most women will at least want some shoes, and I suspect that most of us also like a couple […]
May 3, 2024 I’m really quite happy with the way these three wardrobes turned out this month – as always, I’m eager to hear what you think of our progress! First, this oh so elegant painting: Her wardrobe at the end of April was practical and versatile, if a bit short on the color rust! […]
November 25, 2022 No, you are not getting a Black Friday post from me. You’re not getting a gift guide, nor anything that bosses you around about spending money. Let’s think about the absolute beauty of snow. One flake at a time, or piled up making everything pristine and lovely… (I don’t drive, nor do […]
October 18, 2023 Finally! She found the perfect painting… Maybe nobody else in the world would feel this way about this work of art, but to her it’s just right… The Simplest Suitcase Possible She’s got to travel. She wants to have available a range of dressiness – nothing TOO casual, nor nothing TOO dressy. […]
December 20, 2o17 I have a couple of delightful things to share. First up, my dear friend Scottie has created 4 limited-edition scarves which are well worth your attention. Her scarves are unlike anything else in the accessory world, in that they reflect very personal stories and experiences in her life… And they’re beautiful! I’ve […]
July 31, 2019 She loves to travel alone…. She carries her own luggage, thank you! And she can lift her bag into the overhead bin, too. It’s a point of personal satisfaction that she’s strong enough to be self-sufficient… (it’s an accomplishment to hold onto as long as possible, isn’t it?) In the course […]
March 12, 2014 #1. The Triumph of Individual Style by Carla Mason Mathis and Helen Villa Connor Yes, the book used to be blindingly expensive (it’s come down a lot in price in the last 10 years!), but if you’ve never felt like you are beautiful or that your particular “type” […]
January 14, 2022 Curtain Call Her latest major work – a 3-movement symphony – is debuting this weekend, at the gala opening of THAT orchestra… For years, these have been her colors, and her inspiration for clothing: Mood #1 – Nervous, to the point of feeling “green around the gills” She’s taking the train, and […]
October 6, 2023 This is such a favorite for me to work on each month – partly because it’s a challenge, and partly because I feel like this wardrobe is much more functional than I expected it to be! So far, our heroine has this 29-piece wardrobe, which is… pretty functional, and has a lot […]
April 5, 2024 The second half – I hope you like them as much as you did the first three wardrobes! First is this subtle, somewhat muted painting… At the end of March, our heroine didn’t have much for olive in her wardrobe! This is excusable though, because she had had some good luck finding […]
May 24, 2024 If you’re offended by profanity, approach this post with caution – there is indeed a word printed on this scarf which might disturb… We’ve heard from a handful of heroines who are looking to wear black with pink, and who want to either be more dressy, or more youthful. Maybe this addresses […]
May 24, 2024 If you’re offended by profanity, approach this post with caution – there is indeed a word printed on this scarf which might disturb… We’ve heard from a handful of heroines who are looking to wear black with pink, and who want to either be more dressy, or more youthful. Maybe this addresses […]
August 14, 2019 I’ve been wanting to work on a capsule wardrobe – maybe an occasional series – in which I could completely ignore things like prices, and go whole hog for lovely dressy things… Just a pretty fantasy to share… The Settlement It made the news; it was the largest settlement in the history […]
February 4, 2022 After I showed you this neckerchief last Monday, the 31st, more than a few of you asked me to expand upon it’s lovely colors… I have just the heroine for this color palette! Mature Plant Salvage Nobody really understands what her landscaping company does, until they really need her help! Like the […]
January 3, 2018 It isn’t what you think of when you think of Renoir – which is good! Expanding your horizons is never wrong… Quiet… She was smitten with the painting from the first time she saw it. Others looked at it and saw cold, or sunshine, or the homes in the distance. She […]
February 6, 2023 Hercule Poirot receives a letter from France, begging for his assistance. He tells his friend Captain Hastings that they can pack “a small suitcase each” and be on the way to France within an hour! This is my dream life… The oddest things will cause me to ponder what I might pack… […]
January 30, 2020 I remember where we ate dinner Tuesday night!!!! (it’s the small victories, right?) We stopped at Breizh (pronounced brezzz) Cafe for crepes in the late afternoon, because… well… we were hungry! And these crepes – if you eat both a savory and a sweet one – will hold you over for at […]
February 5, 2024 Three more heroines, working on three VERY different wardrobes! It’s worth considering – these people wear relatively similar styles of garments – classic jeans and pants, traditional tee shirts, shirts and sweaters. But because of their choices of color, their wardrobes end up looking so different that the similar styles aren’t a […]
October 16, 2013 love, Janice
December 16, 2022 I kept thinking that I would hold this post for a few days, until we actually HAVE snow in Chicago. I’ve surrendered… But I must mention – this was DIFFICULT, because lots and lots of stores are running out of things. I have a policy on The Vivienne Files that I won’t […]
September 7, 2023 Art can be the inspiration for your accent colors; your favorite neutral doesn’t actually HAVE to be in the painting! It translates as “Forest Clearing in Fog with Moon” “You Know it Could Snow…” Yes, she knows… But they’re going for a couple of weeks, and she has no intention of cancelling, or coming […]
August 30, 2023 Sometimes a painting just grabs your attention and won’t let go; that’s how she felt about this… Yes, she has almost black hair, and eyes that are either aqua blue or green, depending on something she can’t quite figure out… So for her upcoming trip, so thought that this would be a […]
One of my very favorite bloggers, the beautiful Caramel Cupcake (http://cupcakecaramel.blogspot.com/) has been analyzing her style books, and it prompted me to pull some of mine off of the shelf and look them over again. And first would HAVE to be Working Wardrobe, which came out the same year I graduated from college. (yes, that […]
August 17, 2020 For some reason, I would have thought that I would be getting more read during the great plague of 2020… but I’m still doing quite a bit of reading! And I’ve got a STACK of things waiting for me… Let’s talk about what we’re reading, what we’ve got on our lists, […]
October 14, 2022 Let’s just look at some pretty things, eh? I ended up arranging things by color/mood, because they seemed to look good on the page like that! Something like this, assembled with appropriate links or information, might make gift shopping easier for those who want to get you something that you really love […]
December 14, 2022 There are six different “Leshy” scarves… It Happens Every Year, at This Time… Everybody who celebrates one of the “Winter Solstice” traditional holidays starts complaining that we should celebrate on the 21st… or that we should only decorate our trees with things that birds can eat… And every year, at this time, […]
March 28, 2017 I’m sure there’s a story here, and I’m afraid it might be a sad one: Even in difficult circumstances, van Gogh captures the exuberant energy of nature, in a very limited palette: Celebrating Nature is Her Profession Landscape architect – it was the title that she always wanted. So she started […]
The Weekly Timeless Wardrobe 4 Templates for 4 Seasons A line for each garment, space to make your own observations, and room to list what will be included in YOUR Weekly Timeless Wardrobe! $0.99 The Vivienne Files Pantone Spring 2019 Color Planner The “new” 2019 Pantone Colors, shown with all of our original combinations of […]
