Vivienne Files IV

 This is part IV, the last part, of me adjusting one of Janice's capsule wardrobes. Go to her blog to see more of it, she's really good at what she does.

I'm in no way saying I'm improving her work, that would be impossible, I think, I'm just adjusting it to fit my taste :-D

Now, this last part adds four more pieces to the wardrobe. Two more tops, a dress, and one more bottom. 

Again, I'm changing most of her choices :-D

I "approved" just the pink T, I exchanged the "cute" top with a striped boatneck (pink stripes :-D), and the green lounge pants with green jeans, and then I chose a pink shirt dress instead of another cardigan. 

I saw this amazing video about what you can do with a shirtdress, and decided I have to get one :-D (The one I chose isn't optimal, because it needs to be open and buttoned down all the way down.

So... that's the wardrobe.

So, the outfits:

1. white T, white skirt

2. white T, white cardi, white skirt

3. white T, white pants

4. white T, white cardi, white pants

5. white cardi backwards, white pants

6. white cardi backwards, white skirt

7. brown top, brown pants

8. brown top, brown pants, brown shirt

9. brown shirt, brown pants

10. brown top, brown skirt

11. brown top, brown skirt, brown shirt

12. brown shirt, brown skirt 

13. white T, brown pants

14. white T, white cardi, brown pants

15. white cardi backwards, brown pants

16. white T, brown skirt

17. white T, white cardi, brown skirt

18. white cardi backwards, brown skirt

19. brown top, white pants

20. brown top, white pants, brown shirt

21. brown shirt, white pants

22. brown top, white skirt

23. brown top, white skirt, brown shirt

24. brown shirt, white skirt

25. white T, brown shirt, white skirt

26. white T, brown shirt, white pants

27. white T, brown shirt, brown skirt

28. white T, brown shirt, brown pants

29. brown top, white cardi, white skirt

30. brown top, white cardi, white pants

31. brown top, white cardi, brown skirt

32. brown top, white cardi, brown pants

33. brown shirt, white cardi, white skirt

34. brown shirt, white cardi, white pants

35. brown shirt, white cardi, brown skirt

36. brown shirt, white cardi, brown pants

37. brown top, green cardi, white skirt

38. brown top, green cardi, white pants

39. brown top, green cardi, brown skirt

40. brown top, green cardi, brown pants

41. white T, green cardi, white skirt

42. white T, green cardi, white pants

43. white T, green cardi, brown skirt

44. white T, green cardi, brown pants

45. brown shirt, green cardi, white skirt

46. brown shirt, green cardi, white pants

47. brown shirt, green cardi, brown skirt

48. brown shirt, green cardi, brown pants

49. green cardi, white skirt

50. green cardi, white pants

51. green cardi, brown skirt

52. green cardi, brown pants

53. brown top, pink cardi, white skirt

54. brown top, pink cardi, white pants

55. brown top, pink cardi, brown skirt

56. brown top, pink cardi, brown pants

57. white T, pink cardi, white skirt

58. white T, pink cardi, white pants

59. white T, pink cardi, brown skirt

60. white T, pink cardi, brown pants

61. brown shirt, pink cardi, white skirt

62. brown shirt, pink cardi, white pants

63. brown shirt, pink cardi, brown skirt

64. brown shirt, pink cardi, brown pants

65. pink cardi, white skirt

66. pink cardi, white pants

67. pink cardi, brown skirt

68. pink cardi, brown pants

Uh, I just can't write all of these!

You'll get 17 more with green pants

then you'll get 25 more with each top - the print top alone, with the white cardi, brown shirt, green cardi, and pink cardi, with all five bottoms; the pink shirt alone, with white... you get the idea. 

That is 110 different outfits. 

Then add the shirt dress. You can use it with all the layering pieces, as a layering piece itself, as a big shirt with pants (and with skirts, too, if you want to, even though it might not work too well.)

AND then consider the multiple uses of some garments. I have added some videos on how to make several different kinds of tops of the button-down shirt and even a skirt. You can use the skirts as dresses, or as miniskirts. You can style the shirtdress in different ways, for example, a skirt. 

My problem with this wardrobe is... I don't think the green and the brown go together :-D

Vivienne Files III

 This is part II of me adjusting one of Janice's capsule wardrobes. Go to her blog to see more of it, she's really good at what she does.

The next part is "Mileage 4", which are tops. I have used the same tops Janice chose, with one exception. I like the colors of the Ralph Lauren T, and I love the fact it's a T-shirt, but... I hate it :-D I tried to find a printed top with green and pink on it, that would go with all the other pieces, and this is the closest I could get. It's not good, but it's OK.

With these 12 pieces of clothing, you can create 8x4 different single layer outfits, and 4x4x4 different layered outfits - or even more, considering that the button-down shirt can be used as the first and second layer, and the cardigans can all be used as cardigans and as sweaters (worn backward). Now, if one had some vests or waistcoats here, those could be used as layering pieces or tops. The thing with capsule wardrobes is that most pieces should have multiuse, and everything should go with everything else, so that you really can get the 32+ different outfits.

Here's some outfit suggestions with accessories. I've kept it down, only 4 pieces for every outfit :-D

There's a Hermès scarf with the first outfit, and another Vera scarf with the last one. I'm starting to wonder if the teal in the Vera horse scarf is too teal, and it should be more green. 

Vivienne Files II

This is part II of me adjusting one of Janice's capsule wardrobes. Go to her blog to see more of it, she's really good at what she does.

The next four items in her 4x4 capsule wardrobe are Expansion Four, which is basically a repetition of the first Core Four, except in another color. I chose golden brown as my second neutral. (I absolutely love this golden sandy beige, or camel, or caramel. Such a delicious color.)

I chose a pair of jeans, another simple A-line skirt, a button-down shirt and a sleeveless t-shirt.

The amount of outfits grows exponentially with this. I can have all the 5 top options with both jeans and skirt, that is 10 more outfits, and then I can use the t and shirt with the four bottoms, and get 8 more outfits, and then I can mix the tops - brown t with white cardi, white t with brown shirt, brown shirt with the cardigan, with all four bottoms. 12 more outfits. That makes 36 outfits from 8 pieces of clothing.

A button down is a very versatile piece of clothing. It, too, can be used as a light jacket, and worn in dozens of different ways, made into a skirt, etc.

Now, accessories. This is a spring-time wardrobe, and "they" say the shoes one needs for spring/summer are:

- slip-in sandals
- strappy sandals
- all ground sandals
- canvas shoes or sneakers
- walking shoes, oxfords, loafers, something like that
- ballerinas
- booties
- colorful pumps

Now, for this wardrobe, let's reduce the number of shoes to four pairs. Sandals, ballerinas that will pass as finer shoes (so that you don't need strappy sandals or pumps), then two pairs of the sort of shoes you most often wear/need. Like sneakers and loafers, or rubber boots and espadrilles, etc.

Janice classifies shoes as "leather" in her "accessorize by 4s". There are 2x4 spots for leather accessories in her grid. She usually fills these spots with shoes and bags, but I'd like to put in at least one belt.

Another thing Janice loves is earrings :-D I find it amusing that her style is otherwise rather "manly" - she loves loafers and laced shoes, unisex flats, and rather unisex tops as well. There aren't many "girly" things in her wardrobes. But then comes the earrings. She loves earrings. In reality, earrings aren't that important. Suze Orman said in Oprah Show that a woman needs only one pair of earrings - diamond studs that can be used with everything. They are simple enough to be worn in an office and flashy enough to be worn at parties. 

In the first part of this "amuse l'esprit" I accessorized one of the outfits with a pair of earrings, a necklace, a belt, and ankle booties, so I think I'll honor Vivienne Files and accessorize one outfit with sneakers, earrings, scarf and bag :-D

I chose canvas messenger bag, amber studs, and this absolute amazing Vera scarf with a white horse on green bottom and some pink roses. 

Vivienne Files, part I

 I adore Vivienne Files. Except that her taste in clothes is very different from mine, and also, I'm not a businesswoman :-D Also, I suspect she's Summer because those awful dusty colors keep creeping in to her wardrobe suggestions :-D (I mean, I hate those colors, mauve and taupe are the ugliest colors I know. But that's just my opinion. It's totally fine if you like them. And I adore Janice's job even when I disagree with her on taste.)

So, I am adjusting one of her capsule wardrobes. Go to her blog to see more of it, she's really good at what she does.

I like the idea of a cream/pink/green spring wardrobe, and I like her first outfit with the pink crepe blouse, pink cardigan and cream skirt. I don't like the skirt much, though, so I replace it with a longer A-line skirt.

Now, her 4x4 capsule wardrobe idea starts with a "core four". That is, two tops and two bottoms, and preferably the two tops can be layered, that is, one is a jacket or cardigan. I love twinsets, because, as Vivienne Westwood says, they can be styled in many ways. You can use the cardigan as a sweater wearing it with buttons on the back, and it works as a light jacket. 

With these four pieces, you'll have already 10 different outfits. You see how wearing the t-shirt outside the bottom or tucked in, creates a totally different impression. I've added some accessories to the last one to give you an idea of how to diversify these outfits even more. 

Basically, you could choose a V-neck t-shirt and wear that back and front, and thus give yourself a couple more outfits.

And if you choose a jersey skirt with an elastic waistband, you could hitch it up over your breasts, and get a miniskirt, or wear it on your hips and get a longer skirt. Or, you could use it as a strapless dress. It would look very nice with a belt and the cardigan.
But - I am all for multiuse garments and multi-using garments. There's a hack on how to wear a long, wide sweater with a big neckline as a lot of things :-D I think I have posted it here.

Some things need to be said about capsule wardrobes:
- it is primarily meant for working women who need a classic, moderate, basic wardrobe. So it might look boring. It is boring. You should practically be able to wear the same clothes for decades. This wardrobe would have worked in the 80s just as well as now. You are to express yourself with the accessories. So, a capsule wardrobe idea doesn't work for everyone. 
- you need to choose colors that fit you, and cuts and styles that fit your body. Now, there's a lot that has been said about body types and shapes and personal colors, and most of it is... well... not BS, but you can take it with a pinch of salt. Or leave it. The most important thing is that YOU feel good in the clothes you are wearing. That YOU like the colors of your clothes. That is more important than any color analysis or style guide. You have the shape you have whatever you choose to wear, and no "disguise" and "diversion" hides it. If you have a tummy and want to wear belts, wear belts. 

So, let's talk about the accessories. Janice has written about that, too, in her excellent blog. For example, this: ADDING ACCESSORIES TO A WARDROBE: START WITH ART – SUNLIGHT ON THE ROAD, PONTOISE BY PISSARRO

I love accessories. The thing is that you can accessorize every bit of your body. There are shoes, belts, bags, hats, scarves, jewelry for ears, neck, arms, legs, and other things. 

Now, the classic style says you shouldn't over-accessorize. Take a look at yourself before you go out and remove one item. Or count the "points". I'll use this photo of elborn_doris to illustrate this point counting thing. (I learned it from a style guide from 1960s)

sunglasses 1p

earrings 1p

t-shirt 1p

cardigan 1p

belt 1p

slacks 1p

watch 1p

ring 1p

bag 1p

shoes 1p

colors: 

white, ecru, tan, red, gold: 5p

details: 

belt buckle 1p

bag details 1p

pant cuffs 1p

--------------------------------------------------

18 points

Now, the style guide says one shouldn't have more than 12 points, and 10 is better. In my mind, she looks very good, and I don't think she needs to cut down points, but - according to the book, she should. For example, removing earrings and rings. Choosing a belt with a buckle of the same material as the belt. Choose either white, ecru, tan, or gold shoes. Maybe a tan cardigan, just a lighter shade. (That cardigan is a lighter shade of coffee, and thus a whole different color from the tan of the bag and belt. Which aren't really the same color either, but closer so that at first sight they look the same.) Uncuffed pants. 

Frankly, I don't fully agree with this, because I'm a maximalist :-D I wouldn't think worse of her if she added things, like a scarf, a hat, more bracelets, a corsage, a couple of brooches... :-D

Anyway, Janice continues accessorizing in fours. 

1: earrings

2: bracelets and watches

3: necklaces and brooches

4: scarves

5: leather - shoes, and bags (2x4)

I chose to accessorize the cream outfit with a belt, suede ankle boots, a necklace, and earrings. I would add a bag (suede envelope) and a scarf (square silk with pink, green, and cream).