The Vivienne Files

Black, White and Pink - expanding on a core wardrobe

2013-05-24T06:14:00.002-05:00

Let's go back and visit our friend who loves black, white and pink. She has a black suit - remember? and I suspect that she has a simple black sweater to wear with her black cardigan. And she wouldn't be a real lover of pink if she doesn't have a pretty pink blouse. Since she owns black pants, a pair of black loafers would certainly be included. So she has a core of items looking kind of like this:

White cardigan - Rag & Bone, black blazer, skirt and pants - Mango, pink cardigan - J. Crew, black cardigan - J. Crew, black sleeveless sweater - J. Crew, sunglasses - Ray-Bans, pink silk blouse - J. Crew, ring - Baccarat, black flat sandals - John Lewis, earrings - Baccarat, scarf - Guess, black pumps - Brooks Brothers, bracelet - Baccarat, black &white slingbacks - Miu Miu, pink pumps - Michele Grimaldi, black kitten-heel sandals - Ralph Lauren, black slingbacks - Stuart Weitzman, black loafers - Dolce Vita

So when she determines that she need a new skirt - something a bit more feminine and fun, this one immediately strikes her fancy.

floral skirt - Olivia Rubin

Can she get any mileage from a skirt like this? Absolutely!

And a simple striped top has a lot of potential, too. Shopping, once you have a plan and some well-defined core colors, becomes somewhat less difficult, and often much more successful.

striped top - LNA

Surviving the Treadmill - The Great Courses

2013-05-23T06:39:00.001-05:00

Yes, I go to the gym five days a week. I walk two miles, at least, on a treadmill, at something just over 4 miles per hour. It's boring, and tiring.

And I don't really find that television keeps me amused...

So a few years ago, I started buying and downloading courses on music, philosophy and literature from T he Great Courses.

I'm particularly smitten with this professor - Dr. Robert Greenberg.

He's smart, he's funny, and I know more about opera, symphony, and a bunch of composers...

You might as well enjoy yourself and learn something while you're burning calories.

Why yes, I AM running behind schedule... More normal posting will follow!

One dress - Six ways, in Black, White and Pink

2013-05-22T05:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, let's do some imagining...

Imagine a person who has truly made the choice that their wardrobe core colors are going to be black, white, and pretty pink. Over the years, she accumulates the necessary basics - cardigans in her colors, a black suit, shoes and sandals in black, with a fun pair of pink dress shoes, just for kicks. She has a beautiful pink scarf that has been around forever, and she has been carefully, gradually accumulating pink and silver jewelry...

white cardigan - Rag & Bone, black blazer - Mango, pink cardigan - J. Crew, black cardigan - J. Crew, sunglasses - Ray-Bans, ring - Baccarat, black flat sandals - John Lewis, earrings - Baccarat, scarf - Guess, black pumps - Brooks Brothers, bracelet - Baccarat, black & white slingbacks - Miu Miu, pink pumps - Michele Grimaldi, black kitten-heel sandals - Ralph Lauren, black slingbacks - Stuart Weitzman

Now, one day this person is shopping, and they see a dress. A classically cut, simple, (no beads, nor sequins) dress. In black, white and pink!

dress - MaxMara

It's easy to immediately fear that a dress in a print or pattern won't be versatile, but once a core of accessories and a few "top layers" have been accumulated, this print dress can be worn to almost any event or occasion, throughout most of the year.

Ah, the benefits of having a plan...

This dress could go to work in any but the most rigorously conservative environments.

And could easily be worn out to dinner, to religious services, concerts or other social functions.

It could even go to a wedding, or just running around on Saturday afternoon browsing through antique stores...

Versatile does not have to be synonymous with "boring, solid-colored, stodgy"...

The Blue and White "Whatever's Clean" Summer Wardrobe, with Accessories

2013-05-21T05:41:00.000-05:00

Remember this wardrobe, from the "Whatever's Clean" summer clothes? Someone wondered how this capsule wardrobe would play out with a few accessories...

all clothes - L.L.Bean

fringed scarf - BCBG Max Azria, blue star scarf - Becksondergaard, sunglasses - Fossil, earrings - Georg Jensen, cuff bracelets - Maison Martin Margiela, necklace - Dorothy Perkins, tote - American West, Hermes scarf - Photo Finish, canvas shoes - Keds, espadrilles - Soludos

A Common Wardrobe Variation, in Navy & Coral

2013-05-20T05:45:00.000-05:00

Navy and pink were well-received, and almost immediately I received requests that would use coral rather than pink. This is a particularly nice color combination that I often forget about!

all clothes - L.L.Bean

Square scarf - Nina Ricci, square scarf - Antagoniste Paris, bracelet - Kenneth Jay Lane, earrings - Kara Ross, navy & coral rope and enamel necklace - Orly Genger, watch - Olivia Burton, bag - Debenhams, sunglasses - Guess, embroidered scarf - J. Crew, navy penny loafers - Bass, coral flats - Sam Edelman, coral heart socks - Dorothy Perkins, coral socks - Mango

The Navy & Pink Common Wardrobe - with Navy & Pink accessories!

2013-05-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, this is the most obvious way to accessorize the navy and pink wardrobe! But with so many beautiful accessories available in these colors, why resist?

Striped scarf - Missoni, square scarf - Dareen Hakim, bracelet - Luv Aj, Pink quartz earrings - Fantasy Jewelry Box, pink necklace - J. Crew,pink watch - Radley, tote bag - Jack Wills, silk bracelet - Brooks Brothers, Hermes Passementerie scarf - vintage, navy penny loafers - Bass, pink flats - Sperry Top-Sider, pink socks - Bank, pink argyle socks - Chrissy's

all clothes - L.L.Bean

A Common Wardrobe: A variation of the standard, in navy and pink

2013-05-17T06:35:00.000-05:00

Sometime back, someone asked me if it would be possible to put together a common wardrobe that would include neither black nor white. Of course! Pretty much anything is possible with clothing - my first idea was to work with simple navy and pink garments, while keeping a bit of grey and khaki. While you couldn't wear every last possible sort of accessory with these colors, you would still have a great many options...

all clothes - L.L.Bean

Shall I build some variations with accessories? Let me know; this could be a lot of fun!

Project 333 Failure of the week, and the best advice I didn't take

2013-05-16T06:44:00.000-05:00

Christian Boltanski and his installation "No Man's Land" - learn more here.

Every wardrobe advice writer in the world will remind you that you should try on ALL of your clothes on a regular basis. It seems obvious - your body changes, the clothes can change, and the way your body feels in the clothes (an elusive concept, but you know what I mean) can change more than anything. But I, in a moment of reckless confidence, decided that I could just roll with last summer's clothes -it was only a few months ago - without trying things on.

AND... my striped tee shirt is terrible. It just feels short and tight and awkward - I will never wear it...

Okay, so this isn't a tragic problem. I donated the offending tee shirt, and I found a wonderful replacement at Eileen Fisher which I'm going to love wearing.

But what if I'd realized my error when I was out of town? When I was getting dressed for a meeting? or a date? or something important? Scurrying around trying on multiple outfits is not elegant, and it gets your day off to a frazzled start that doesn't bode well for your serenity through the rest of the day.

So just try things on, okay? Every few months or so. Just to be sure. Best case: you get to try on clothes that fit you perfectly, and that you love. Worst case: you realize that something needs to be donated, and you start planning for a replacement.

Chic sighting: Mixing bright colors, with metallic shoes

2013-05-15T06:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the first truly spring-like day here in Chicago. This was the kind of outfits that I saw often on the street - bright colors, floral sleeveless tops, and metallic flats. Bright and springy, but still very appropriate for most offices!

orange and pink tank - Topshop, orange cardigan - Mango, Pink chinos- Levi's Made & Crafted, gold flats - Rocket Dog, yellow and green tank - Madewell, green cardigan - Paul Smith, yellow capris - Erika Cavallini

blue tank - Uniqlo, blue cardigan - Dorothy Perkins, hot pink capris - Miu Miu, green tank - Uniqlo, mint cardigan - Dorothy Perkins, lavender capris - Mother Denim, silver flats - Louise et Cie

Red, black, white, and two Hermes scarves;; another travel six-pack

2013-05-14T06:54:00.000-05:00

I received a great question; someone had two very carefully chosen Hermes scarves, and wanted some ideas about how to travel with them. The scarves shared a common color theme of black, white and red, and lent themselves to both silver and gold accessories.

And for what it's worth, if you click on the links to where these various items, I don't get a penny from anything you do. Til now, I've never accepted a free ANYTHING in exchange for featuring items on my blog. If Brooks Brothers wants to hook me up with a retainer, though, I'd be willing to consider it.

Red & white striped tee shirt – Edith A.Miller, Gold hoop earrings – Brooks Brothers, Gold watch – Brooks Brothers, Black pants -Crea, Black velvet loafers –Jon Josef, Black swing coat – John Lewis, Black crossbody bag – Dareen Hakim, Red tote bag – Steven Alan

Black & white necklace – Georg Jensen, Earrings - Kohl's, Grey dress – Tavan & Mitto, Slingbacks – Stuart Weitzman, White silk shirt – Reiss, Black skirt – James Perce, Red cardigan – J. Crew, Grey trousers – Eileen Fisher, Bracelet – Fornash, Striped tee shirt – Edith A. Miller, Red flats – Sole Society

Packing for a warm-weather vacation, in red & navy

2013-05-13T06:26:00.000-05:00

This was an interesting question - how do you pack if you want to carry on your bag, and you're on one of those airlines with a really LOW, and really STRICT, weight limit? (At least the destination was a warm weather vacation spot...)

My first advice was to get the lightest bag possible - nylon, with no structure at all. You should consider lining it with dry cleaning bags, or packing your clothes in plastic bags, because these bags are not waterproof. Beyond that, a very few items of clothing, in silk, linen or cotton. No jeans -they weight too much!

The other aspect of this request that really piqued my interested was the desire to wear navy, red and white - a color combination that can begin to look very "American Presidential Candidate" in a hurry! But avoiding anything that might look like a navy suit, and wearing nothing with stars on them (nor red and white stripes) seems to have worked well. Seersucker is lightweight and cool, sandals for sightseeing, and a sundress for sweltering days wrap up this tiny travel capsule.

tee shirt - Ralph Lauren, red earrings - inSync, watch - Brooks Brothers, scarf - Brooks Brothers, navy cardigan - Tory Burch, red linen pants - House of Fraser, moccasins - Gucci, cross-body bag - O.S.P.,

nylon bag - Liebeskind

striped scarf - Brooks Brothers, navy skirt - Chinti & Parker, white pleat-front tee, navy & white seersucker Capri pants - J.Crew, red sunglasses - Kate Spade, navy silk top - Joie, striped top - Raxevsky, chambray dress - Marc by Marc Jacobs, navy sandals - A.P.C., white sandals - Aerosoles

Paris never ceases to amaze...

2013-05-12T08:53:00.003-05:00

Photo: Daily Mail.co.uk

An apartment in Paris, abandoned before World War II, and untouched for 70 years.

The article is here.

Closing the triangle of Hot Pink, Turquoise, and Orange; traveling again with Hermes Fleuri de Provence

2013-05-11T09:39:00.002-05:00

There was one more color combination waiting to be addressed in the beautiful Hermes Pique Fleuri de Provence - Turquoise and Hot Pink. And that got me thinking that these three accent colors (don't forget Orange), on a base of black and white neutrals, would be a perfect wardrobe scheme for... well, for everything, forever. I see the symbol for this wardrobe like this:

And with this as your focal point, you can just combine garments and make purchases with confidence...

So one last trip, with the Hermes scarf as the initial inspiration:

Piqué Fleuri de Provence silk scarf - Hermes, silk “Neon Love” scarf – Marc Andersen

Shirt – J. Crew, jacket –Faberge & Roches, earrings- Jamie Joseph, watch – Michael Kors, white linen pants – Nicole Farhi, loafers – AK Anne Klein, white tote- Longchamp, orange tote – Bodhi, carry-on bag – Lipault Paris

Necklace – K. Amato, dress – Peter Hidalgo, pink jade earrings – Sissy Yates, bracelet – John Lewis, pumps – Jimmy Choo, sweater –Etro, skirt – Thakoon, cardigan – Vanessa Bruno, tee shirt- Monrow, white capris – Dorothy Perkins, ballet flats – Dr. Scholls

Do you actually WEAR your favorite clothes?

2013-05-10T06:17:00.000-05:00

photo - L.A. Times

Yesterday, when I was getting dressed, I reached out for my favorite silk jacket. It's from Eileen Fisher, it's a color she calls cobblestone, which is sort of bronze/grey/green, and when I wear it I look tall and thin and young, and AMAZINGLY stylish.

I reached. And then I pulled back. WHAT?????

Somewhere in the back of my mind lurks this voice that says "oh, save that for a special occasion..."

Really? At my age? It's not like I'm going to get dirty on the playground, nor spill chocolate milk on myself at lunch. (mmmmm....chocolate milk....)

What's the worst thing that can happen?

I might be the best-dressed person at work. (Oh bother)
Or I might eventually wear the jacket out; fabric fatigue, snags, a strained seam.
Even now, spilled food is not completely impossible.

Now what's the worst thing that can happen if I DON'T wear it?

I'm NOT the best dressed person at work. Even though I could be. What a waste.
The jacket might wear out just hanging in my closet. Fibers break down eventually, but the "wear"could just be a more subtle falling out of style, or no longer fitting me. What a waste.
I'll spill something on a piece of clothing that isn't as amazingly wonderfully fabulous as my silk jacket, and I will spend the rest of the day wearing something both sub-optimal AND spotted.

Wear the best stuff. Every day.

Dressing modestly in a hot climate: travel in blue and tan

2013-05-09T06:47:00.001-05:00

Many of you are headed to warm climates, but still want or need to remain modest and somewhat covered-up. This is one approach to this task. I always choose a travel outfits that's layered, because airplanes are of course going to be cold (five miles up in the sky, the outside temperature is pretty low!). The photograph was sent to me by someone planning for such a trip - I'm not using it for color inspiration as much as just a focal point for the delights to come...

Striped tee – Majestic, cardigan- J. Crew, linen pants – Rafaella, earrings – J. Crew, water-resistant watch – Sperry Top-Sider, loafers- Cole Haan, cotton scarf – Becksondergaard, tote bag – French Trotters, suitcase - Tumi

Next, there is a "six-pack" of garments, which includes one sleeveless top, which can always be layered under the cardigan when the situation requires. Walking sandals, some fun Keds, and a cross-body bag to keep your hands free...

Striped tee – Madewell, sleeveless chambray shirt – Maison Martin Margiela, blue obsidian earrings – Jamie Joseph, bracelet – Swarovski, linen skirt – L.L.Bean, sandals- Taryn Rose, cross-body bag – Artessorio, linen and tencel pants – L.L.Bean, linen sweater – Madewell, white shirt – Madewell, canvas shoes - Keds

So you have enough options for five or six days at least...

What if you're going to be gone for a week or ten days? Add some other items...

Tee shirt- Reiss, earrings- Judith Jack, ring- Georg Jensen, sunglasses – Fossil, white linen shirt –Rag & Bone, blue linen capris -MaxMara

And if your trip is for two weeks or longer, toss this into your bag too!

Tunic-Uniqlo, flat gold sandals – Sperry Top-Sider, linen dress – Marni, wrap top – Nic + Zoe, linen cardigan jacket – Nic + Zoe

Turquoise & Orange: A Packing Capsule based on Hermes Fleuri de Provence

2013-05-08T06:16:00.003-05:00

So if you love the scarf, but hot pink isn't your favorite, what about turquoise?

Piqué Fleuri de Provence silk scarf - Hermes, cashmere and linen wrap – Etro

Orange knit top – Weekend MaxMara, jacket - Carven, earrings- Jamie Joseph, watch – Skagen, white linen pants – Nicole Farhi, espadrilles - Zara, white tote- Longchamp, rolling bag – Diane Von Furstenberg

Necklace – K. Amato, dress – Roksanda Ilincic, earrings – Bounkit, bracelet – Anton Heunis, pumps – Butter, sweater – J. Crew, skirt – No. 21 cardigan – Vanessa Bruno, tee shirt- Majestic, white capris – Dorothy Perkins, ballet flats – Dr. Scholls

Hot Pink & Orange: A Packing Capsule based on Hermes Fleuri de Provence

2013-05-07T06:09:00.000-05:00

Yes, traveling with white pants might seem sort of nutty... But they look really great! Just make sure they're washable, right? And this would certainly work well with black in the place of white.

Piqué Fleuri de Provence silk scarf - Hermes, dip dyed linen scarf – Sperry Top-Sider

Orange knit top – Weekend MaxMara, fringed silk poncho- Ralph Lauren Black, earrings- Fossil, watch – Salvatore Ferragamo, white linen pants – Nicole Farhi, flats – Manolo Blahnik, white tote- Longchamp, orange tote - Bodhi

Silk necklace – Nangara by Julia Fusinato, dress – Reiss, earrings – Ben Amun, bracelet – Stella and Dot, pumps – Jimmy Choo, hot pink tee - BurberryBrit, skirt – Versace, cardigan – Vanessa Bruno, tee shirt- Majestic, white capris – Dorothy Perkins, sandals – J. Crew

Project 333: Another week, with travel, work, and the gym

2013-05-06T06:20:00.003-05:00

Last week I experienced another small hitch in my Project 333- my striped tee shirt is NOT going to be wearable for the summer, so I've replaced it. (Yes, with another striped tee shirt...) Otherwise, I have been delighted with my choices, so far.

My travel wardrobe, based on two pair of black pants - one silk, one cotton twill - worked out well too. It was warm enough that I didn't need to wear my scarves, and one day I pulled off my sweater mid-day, but that was part of the plan. Layering makes it possible to pile on, or peel off, depending on what you encounter.

So Monday and Tuesday I dressed out of my suitcase - Monday, I did some gardening, and Tuesday we flew back to Chicago. (yes, on Monday I borrowed casual shoes from my mother, so my loafers wouldn't get destroyed!)

Wednesday back at work was with my black "suit", and Thursday was a sort of black dress, with a silvery grey sweater layered over. This was the only warm day this week, so I took bare legs out of hibernation!

And Friday I chose a solid column of black, with my linen tweed jacket, with a pearl necklace to lighten things up, and to echo the pearly shades of my coat. Saturday, of course, is the gym...

So far, this is my favorite 333. I'm not getting bored with all black, thanks to some strategic layering and accessories. The simplicity and the clarity that this "uniform" is bringing to my mornings is very welcome. The striped tee shirt error was simple negligence on my part; one can never assume that clothing which was perfectly perfect in October will REMAIN perfectly perfect six (un-examined) months later...

Navy and Hot Pink: A Capsule travel wardrobe based on 2 scarves

2013-05-04T09:41:00.001-05:00

I received a very specific request for a travel plan that was mostly navy, but accented with hot pink, and which wasn't "stodgy". This plan built on a "core of four" in navy: pants, skirt, cardigan and tee, and tossed in a navy dress too. A white tee shirt, a bright cardigan, and a couple of whimsical tops negate any possible worries about being too mumsy... Some fun jewelry, and you're away!

Promenade au Faubourg silk scarf - Hermes, silk wrap – Stella McCartney

Tee shirt - Hugo, cardigan – Vanessa Bruno, earrings- Michael Kors, watch – Mougin & Piquard, pants – Lucza London, loafers – Brooks Brothers, bag – Solomon Appollo, suitcase - Rimowa

Necklace – J. Crew, dress – Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, earrings – Rebecca Minkoff, bracelet – J. Crew, pumps – Jimmy Choo, sweater – Banjo & Matilda, skirt – Toast, cardigan – DKNY, navy blouse - Mango, sleeveless top – Haute Hippie, ballet flats – Bloch

How to wear a White v-neck sweater - the final sweater installment

2013-05-03T06:33:00.000-05:00

This is the final v-neck sweater request - this time: white. White sweaters are tricky because they don't tend to be opaque, and so layering under them can be difficult. So for the most part, I've opted to treat this sweater as a really really nice tee shirt, and take advantage of its simplicity to enable to wearing of some great scarves and amazing jewelry. And of course, fun shoes!

Sweater – Closed, scarves - Hermes, pants – Reiss, loafers – Tory Burch, skirt – John Lewis, pumps – Kate Spade

Sweater – Closed, necklace- Aris Geldis, watch – Movado, pants – Burberry Prorsum, flats – Repetto, earrings and necklace – Banana Republic, skirt – Calvin Klein, pumps – Daniele Ancarani

Sweater – Closed, necklace – Amrita Singh, linen cotton skirt – J. Crew, sandals – K Jacques, necklace – Jessica Elliot, linen tweed skirt – Philosophy Di Alberta Ferretti, pumps –Bettye Muller

Sweater – Closed, tee shirt – Miss Selfridge, jeans – True Religion, suede sneakers – Keds, tee shirt – Ralph Lauren, flowered pants- Adriana Voloshchuk, espadrilles – Sperry Top-Sider

Sweater – Closed, necklace – Sara Blaine, skirt – Bottega Veneta, sandals – Alexandre Birman, earrings – Rachel Reinhardt, skirt – Dolce and Gabbana, sandals – Stuart Weitzman

Sweater – Closed, scarves - Etro, jeans – Ralph Lauren, flats – Salvatore Ferragamo, khakis – Vince, loafers – Stuart Weitzman

"You're So French" - the most recent addition to the Style Shelf

2013-05-02T06:17:00.003-05:00

I love the irony of an English language title on an otherwise ENTIRELY French book...

As soon as I saw this available for sale, I knew it was going to go onto the Style Shelf. Aside from the fact that I'm terribly tired of book covers in hot pink (every "chic lit" novel in Ireland had either a pink or a lavender cover, I swear...), this is an interesting addition to the wee library.

So here, in my less than expert translation, is what the authors have to say about cleaning out closets:

ARRANGE YOUR WARDROBE

"We have a tendency to choose the first clothes that are on top of the pile. It's easy, one does not waste time, and takes no risks, and one gets dressed automatically. What a pity for all of those treasures which have been sleeping for years, and upon which you lavished such care at the time of purchase. And what a pity also for you, who could boost your allure. Look for your archaeological gear, and start digging. Twice a year, at the time of the major season changes, undertake a major triage. It's a bit compulsive/obsessive, but it's worth the effort. First off, forget the famous "two-year rule" which tells us to get rid of everything that hasn't been worn for two years. That archaic law doesn't help you build a complete wardrobe.

FORGET:

Clothing which is not your size: even if the style comes back, the proportions will change. Toss tee shirts sized for a teenager (they DO make them larger), anything of the wrong length (argh! pants that are too short), jackets with huge shoulder pads (like anything from 1990), and any jeans which are sausage tight, or that flow around you inappropriately.
Worn-out things: unless the wear takes the form of a lovely patina, as some leather good will. Otherwise, worn out gives you an air of neglect,which is not good for your self-image. Get rid of coats and jackets that are worn around the collar, or that have saggy linings, get rid of snagged and pilled sweaters, tee shirts and blouses which don't even remember how to BE white any more, tights with snags, shoes with beaten heels made of leather which isn't worth saving...
Cheap clothes with no personality: The little short dresses that look like they're styled for a child, the badly cut coat that you bought in a hurry on a cold day, the sexy little dress, worn once to a romantic rendezvous that turned out badly, the old suit that you bought at the end of the last century, the leather jacket that you bought in a resale shop, and which has always smelled of it's former owner, the scarf with the "spirit" of Hermes, and only the spirit, high-heels that still channel their 90's sensibility, "ethnic" jewelry made in China, duty-free purchases made at the end of a trip..."

I don't necessarily agree with all of this advice; I would probably try to salvage things that only had lining issues, or a sweater that was just pilled. But the ruthlessness of their approach is amusing and accurate, and their understanding of how some of these things came to be in our closets in the first place is spot on.

They also tell us what to keep - in the next few days, I'll share those with you!

A Post-Travel debriefing

2013-05-01T05:54:00.000-05:00

Not the worst way to pack! Found this gem on etsy.com, but it has already been sold...

The best time to evaluate the success of your packing plan is the day after you return; theoretically you're not exhausted (ahem...) and you can still remember what choices and decisions you made on your trip.

My results were very mixed on this trip:

I did NOT pack enough underwear. Don't ask me how this happened, but let's just say that it was really handy that I was visiting relatives. I've gotten so accustomed to assuming that my normal suitcase stash will be complete, that I didn't actually pull out my pajamas and undergarments and check them...
Two pair of black pants were perfect - one was cotton twill (which I wore for all of the yard work) and one pair was silk, which I wore for more social occasions.
The weather got much warmer than I had expected, so I didn't much need my cardigan, but because I had tee shirts, I was fine.
I really need to dump out my toiletries kit every now and then - I was travelling with two toothbrushes, and enough hair conditioner for a family of five. Neither of these are big deals, but it's a bad habit to get into - not checking what I'm carrying is a slippery slope that leads to a suitcase full of unexamined silliness.

Other travel observations:

Leggings are not pants. They never were, and they never will be. Not even when you're travelling.
One should not go directly from cleaning the garage to catching a plane. One should not even dress in such a way that this misunderstanding could take place.
One large tote bag will be much easier to manage than three or four smaller handbags. I saw some heroic jugging acts than might have been avoided...
If your suitcase is too big to put in an overhead bin,just accept it, check it, and get on with your life. Haggling with the airline staff is not elegant, and you're not going to win.
It's a really REALLY bad idea to fly wearing sandals. It's often quite cold, and going through a security checkpoint in your bare feet is just icky.
Similarly, wearing all of your heaviest jewelry when you fly is ill-conceived, unless you can whip off all of that jewelry very quickly.
I am never so happy as when I am on an airplane...

Normal blogging service will resume soon!

I mention below in a reply to a comment, but I should make this a special note - what unusual color combination(s) would you like me to play with? I'm interested in pink and orange, orange and red... what else?

Packing from the 33 for a long weekend

2013-04-30T06:08:00.000-05:00

I'm out of town right now - actually, I've been out of town since Thursday afternoon; the magic of the internet means that I can schedule blog posts ahead of time! I'm visiting a number of my relatives, which is the easiest packing; laundry is available, and borrowing clothes is always possible. I'm carrying the huge suitcase because belovedest and I are sharing the bag, and his clothes and shoes take up a LOT of space...

2013-04-29T05:06:00.000-05:00

Someone suggested that the orange accents from last week might easily be substituted with turquoise blue. Entirely right, very simple, and very beautiful.

Cardigan – L.K.Bennett, sunglasses – Ray-Ban, pearl stud earrings – Dorothy Perkins, necklace – Mawi, blue flower earrings – Kate Spade, tee shirt – Warehouse, bracelet –Souffle, chiffon scarf – Liberty London, pants - Topshop, scarf – Hermes, flat sandals – Cole Haan, flats – Blowfish

All clothes - L.L.Bean

Navy and Turquoise: A Capsule Packing Wardrobe based on 2 scarves

2013-04-27T05:30:00.000-05:00

Silk scarf - Hermes, linen wrap – Etro

Tee shirt - Hugo, cardigan – Jardin des Orangers, turquoise stud earrings- Jamie Joseph, watch – Kate Spade, pants – Lucza London, loafers – Brooks Brothers, bag – Saint Laurent, suitcase – Samsonite

Necklace – Stella and Dot, dress – Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, drop earrings – Sandra Dini, bracelet – Kelly Wearstler, pumps – Jimmy Choo, sweater – 3.1 Phillip Lim, skirt – Toast, cardigan – DKNY, silk blouse – Skunkfunk, sleeveless top – Prabal Gurung, ballet flats – Bloch