The vivienne files

July 18, 2016 It seems that there are some among us who are struggling to pull together what they want to pack. This isn’t particularly surprising – travel is stressful enough, and the unknown factors of weather and activities can throw almost anyone into a small panic. So I’m going to approach the “1 […]

November 8, 2024 I initially typed the date as 2015. Freudian as heck, in all KINDS of ways… This last of our six paintings – have you like having these spread over six days? I’m finding it a very manageable system. I like having more time to spend on each wardrobe. Let me know how […]

February 7, 2024 Her name is Lily… And aptly enough, she’s always really loved green, and beautiful paintings that feature lots of green. So when it came time to really update her spring wardrobe, she had an inspiration: Why NOT really invest in some green things, and wear them often? It’s not an approach that […]

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 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 […]

June 11, 2014 Floral garments are everywhere this summer – any sort of skirt, blouse, tee shirt or dress your heart may desire is out there somewhere… But I receive emails every day asking how a floral garment can be incorporated into The Common Capsule Wardrobe. Let’s look at this problem in some […]

April 15, 2024 So once you’ve studied the Pantone Colors from London Fashion Week, (found here and here), you have to decide if you like the colors, if you would be flattered by wearing any of them, and how they might look with the neutral clothes you normally wear. I can’t answer the first two […]

June 28, 2013 White shirts are an absolute classic, right? Everybody should own one. Everybody should pull it out and wear it whenever they’re in doubt about what to wear. Uhhhh – I don’t quite agree. Yes, there are times and places where a white shirt is the most appropriate choice […]

May 6, 2024 Our heroine has the world’s tiniest travel capsule wardrobe planned, but she wants something really unexpected for her accessories. This scarf caught her eye, and gave her an idea… She’s been planning to pack denim, black and white – well, just a white tee shirt (and maybe a button-front shirt…) but she […]

September 13, 2023 She knew that this would be just right for the upcoming cool weather… So many of the colors were comfortable for her from her existing wardrobe, and the colors that she doesn’t have, she’s willing to buy. What a palette! She takes everything out of her closet and start carefully choosing what’s […]