Vivian files

October 15, 2021 Maybe it’s because I’m home almost all the time. Maybe it’s because almost all of us have been home most of the time for MONTHS AND MONTHS… But I’m looking at the essentials of a wardrobe. The core; the base; the springboard for all of the bright, memorable, snazzy things that we […]

March 22, 2019 Someone mentioned it a few days ago – if you plan well, you could use a “color” as a neutral. Of course I had to see how that might work! And I’ve got a fondness for this artist’s work, so it seemed an opportune time to use this as an inspiration for […]

July 5, 2019 I love this artist… And this painting is a perfect ensemble of neutral colors! We’re Going WHERE? To her sweetheart’s college Chess Club reunion, that’s where! She decides to pack on an outfit-by-outfit basis; she knows that the weather is going to be hot, so she’s focusing on linen, and shorts, and […]

August 19, 2019 Wait! Don’t just skip over this because you’ve never had luck in the past finding button-front shirts that fit properly. They DO exist… (and of course, these outfit ideas would work beautifully with light neutral blouses or tee shirts…) Not all that long ago, I got a job working in a bakery. […]

The Common Capsule Wardrobe I started using the term ‘Common Wardrobe’ back in 2012 to describe a core wardrobe of basic clothing items most of us already own. I used to work in advertising, and thus I have hung around with some of the most eccentric, exotic and extraordinary people imaginable. Flash back to a […]

This image turns up frequently on Pinterest, and that makes me really happy! This might be the concept of which I am the most proud, of all of the work that I’ve done on The Vivienne Files. The idea of being able to be well-dressed and fully-prepared for most of what life throws at us […]

August 10, 2022 Back to School, Indeed! That morning, when they got up to load the car, it was pouring… Happily, anybody old enough to go to college is old enough to pack their many worldly good into the car! But she wore boots, just in case… She was even able to delegate the driving […]

December 14, 2020 My mail box often contains requests for assistance (or cries for help!), and this one seemed like a bright, cheery question to share. I personally adore Fair Isle sweaters, and this one is pretty gorgeous: Rather than write a tale of glory about one of our heroines, I’m going to share my […]

August 17, 2015 Yes, I promised a capsule wardrobe with turquoise and purple. I should have taken a look at what’s still available for summer before I spoke so precipitously! It’s kind of an unwritten policy when I’m working on The Vivienne Files that, if I show a piece of clothing, it should be […]

This image turns up frequently on Pinterest, and that makes me really happy! This might be the concept of which I am the most proud, of all of the work that I’ve done on The Vivienne Files. The idea of being able to be well-dressed and fully-prepared for most of what life throws at us […]