[eizhowa]

twistelette: I am very hourglass-y too, and although I love the idea of a trench coat, but I have never felt at home (or, "me") in them either I think it is because in my mind the ideal trench coat wearer has a size 34A bust and looks a bit like a boy:P I have never tried on a very expensive trench yet, but I am eyeing a trench from a.p.c.

Betinapple: Pink can look very lovely with browns/cognac shades as well as grey

[fashionista-ta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by twistelette ^ that has happened to me before, ugh indeed... thanks for the advice re: spring/trenchcoat. I'm just not sure... a trenchcoat just doesn't immediately feels 'me', somehow. it feels like the sort of coat that *could* be my style - like the sort of coat that would slightly alter me & make me someone different than who I am. it's hard to put my finger on exactly. and it isn't a bad thing either, necessarily. but I've come to only want to buy items that feel like 'me' immediately (and sometimes that 'me' is a part of me that wasn't emphasized before, but this feels different) - that is what this french wardrobe thing is about, mostly. and I've just never seen a trenchcoat that felt that way. maybe I've yet to meet the right one oh, and I second the idea of grey with the pink jacket!

well, maybe not then

burberry was 'just' a heritage company when i bought mine ... it's so classic ... i guess now that it's been part of my whole adult life, it's me

i don't think i look busty in mine ...

i think the burden may be on your partner to come up with the perfect coat, since you're willing to give up one i assume you like

[Betinapple]

@Ta-ta: I actually have a basic, grey dress which I was planning to wear with it but in the winter time I only wear black tights and all my wintery shoes are black as well and that would look a bit odd I guess. I am thinking about wearing it today with all black though. Maybe it is just in my mind.

I could make the shoes more visible. I just never needed to do that before. Also I feel like they are taken better care of when in boxes. I am considering putting polaroids on my shoeboxes.

@Twistelette: I understand how you are feeling and I would definetely go for something else then. How about a short parka or a leather jacket?

And speaking of things that doesn't feel "me". I bought a sequined skirt in December. It is lovely but very short and very tight and I feel so wrong wearing it. I am thinking of selling it to my girlfriend who wants it. I can not make it work.

[eizhowa]

Betinapple: Have you considered buying some colored tights? I think it can be very chic if matched to your scarf. I was looking(/analyzing) at some pictures of Clemence Poesy back in the days (like 5 whole years ago) when she was chicest creature on the planet and I noticed that she wore olive green sheer tights with her outfit that matched her scarf. She used tights in burgundy, greens and blues to add interest to her outfits. Just an idea. I am a bit obsessed with colored tights at the moment:P

Your grey dress and leather jacket could look very good with burgundy accents, I think.

(Source: Harrymedia.net)

[twistelette]

betinapple: polaroids on shoeboxes sounds like a great idea. those black slingbacks you found back sound lovely, too. do you have any new plans for shoes you'd like to get, now that the high heeled sandals and the black pumps are less pressing?

I gave myself permission to mini-browse the outnet for coats yesterday, and promptly found three trenchcoats that I loved, all by Chloé. as it turns out, trenchcoats with a 70's vibe *do* feel like my style. I could've predicted it I can't responsibly spend 650 euro on a spring coat, though... so the quest continues.

[twistelette]

^^ yes, coloured tights!

[barbaraaa]

I actually own a lot of coloured tights because a couple of years ago I had an obsession with them and no longer really know how to wear them... the other day I wore my black skirt (the one I posted a couple of pages back) with a white button-up, a black sweater, black oxford flats and purple tights to add some interest to the outfit, and I think it looked good. Apart from that... I don't know what else to do!

[Juliette]

Oh my, so many posts since I last looked in this thread, lovely!

Betinapple, the jacket is gorgeous, and I personally think it would look great with the grey dress and black accessories you mentioned, those colours work really well together in my opinion.

Regarding the skirts we talked about a few pages ago, I'm actually really tall (178 cm or 5'10''), but I have a long torso, so most skirts look normal on me.

About the coloured tights - I personally really like the look, very Gossip Girl (the first season) But I mostly wear normal black opaque tights, because if not, I end up building an entire outfit around a pair of tights and then they just tear or get a run in them, and I'm done!

In other news, I'm getting my paycheck tomorrow, so I'll have about 150€ to spend. Now I will REALLY try to spend it on quality items and not on silly things I don't need! I will for sure check out that sweater I posted a few pages ago (silk and cotton, striped, from Zara), then I'll have about 100€ left. Any ideas on what I should spend it? Are there any must-haves for spring (we need to open a thread for that, by the way, I think it's time!) Please feel free to give me your advice

[fashionista-ta]

betinapple, i wear black tights with everything ... don't think it looks strange at all. basic black gunmetal tights are nice too.

twistelette, maybe check out consignment?

juliette, what's on your list? i think a challenge you're experiencing actually is too much disposable income with a house, a car, & dogs, i have lots of options for my available cash. later on, i expect you will too ... but if you learn to shop & spend wisely now, it's a skill that will serve you your whole life.

typically with this approach, money isn't burning a hole in your pocket, as the saying goes ... ideally you have a stash on hand & a very clear idea what you want (for the season or year vs day or week), so when you find the perfect item, you can pounce! it may be that you need to spend a bit of time refining your list?

[barbaraaa]

I agree with fashionista-ta, I personally don't have a source of income (apart from the freelance translations I do, which only earn me ~200€/month), but there is nothing wrong with saving. That way you have money for an extra splurge on an item you love, for a trip somewhere, or for any sort of emergency. I've always been very careful with my money and was careful to save some and I definitely don't regret that. If you have 100€ spare you might as well put them aside and they might come in handy sometime soon. Personally, and right now, I'm directing the money I'm not spending to a possible trip to Prague.

As for myself and my list, I want/need;
- A breton sweater, still looking for one I actually like;
- A plain cardigan, I might look into Benetton for that;
- A stainless steel watch, still looking for one I actually like;
- Vans Era, to replace my current ones. This isn't exactly urgent, and right now I only wear mine to drive, so they can wait;
- A leather bag, I'm pondering a Cambridge Satchel but right now it's a bit out of my budget. Does anyone have any experience with them?

I've actually been browsing for inspiration but nothing really appeals to me right now. Oh well

[Juliette]

fashionista-ta You are so right. I am a spender at heart. It's actually the first time I've had a steady income, I have a student job since October and it feels really good, I feel so independent! About saving up - I already have enough money for vacations saved up, and any other savings I don't know about. I get about 250€ per month and that's really not enough for anything big, so I just like to focus on my wardrobe now that I actually can! I know in a few years' time this won't be possible. So now I'd just like to enjoy myself, to be honest And if I'm lucky, I'll be able to build a wardrobe that will last me for years! I will work on my list today. It will be quite long, as I really don't have the basics - I gave most of my clothes away or sold them, because they didn't fit right (I had this weird phase where I bought everything in a size that wasn't mine, so it would fit oversized). But I think it will really give me some perspective. Thank you for the great advice, as always, lovely

barbaraa Seems to me like we're in the same boat as far as money goes, we seem to earn about the same amount of cash. I really don't have the right mentality for saving because my parents always live from month to month, and the only money they save up is for elaborate trips around the world. I'll try to do better than them in that aspect. Thank you for the lovely words as well.

[Betinapple]

@Eizhowa: I love coloured tights - very Blair Waldorf Wore them a lot a couple of years ago but these days I often think it looks weird with coloured tights and black shoes. Just does not work for me. And also I can NOT wear a scarf. I love the idea since I am cold all the time but somehow I do not think it looks good on me. The idea is great though and burgundy would be great with the jacket so I will try to incorporate that in another way.

@Twistelette: I think I have put all shoe purchases on hold. I have a lot of shoes for spring and summer but only three pairs of shoes for winter (black ancle boots, burgundy sneakers and navy blue ancle boots) and I would really like to invest in a classic pair of black boots. I will wait for the winter though but I think I'll save my money for that purpose.

I actually was thinking about that 70's vibe when you were talking about you're flared pants. I hope you'll be able to find a trenchcoat within you're price range.

[fashionista-ta]

twistelette, couple thoughts re your trench ...

i think obviously you should only do what you're comfortable with, but the price you mention seems reasonable to me for a coat. i think it's pretty similar to what i paid for mine on sale in 1987 and still have all these years later. it still looks good too! best cost per wear i've ever gotten i imagine.

possibly you should also subtract the ebay proceeds from the parka from the cost of all the replacement coats you consider?

[fashionista-ta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juliette fashionista-ta You are so right. I am a spender at heart. It's actually the first time I've had a steady income, I have a student job since October and it feels really good, I feel so independent! About saving up - I already have enough money for vacations saved up, and any other savings I don't know about. I get about 250€ per month and that's really not enough for anything big, so I just like to focus on my wardrobe now that I actually can! I know in a few years' time this won't be possible. So now I'd just like to enjoy myself, to be honest And if I'm lucky, I'll be able to build a wardrobe that will last me for years! I will work on my list today. It will be quite long, as I really don't have the basics - I gave most of my clothes away or sold them, because they didn't fit right (I had this weird phase where I bought everything in a size that wasn't mine, so it would fit oversized). But I think it will really give me some perspective. Thank you for the great advice, as always, lovely

i don't know if you mean big like a house or car? because it's definitely enough for multiple big items in this realm. i also wouldn't think of it as a student budget. with the exchange rate, not even considering you can get better prices in Europe, this (3000 euros a year) is more than half of what i spend in a typical year, and i'm sure i could find years where i spent less. this is serious money that you're working hard for, & it deserves to be spent well.

i liked wearing things oversize myself back in the day, and that's the only reason i'm still able to wear the seriously old things i still have.

i would suggest that you not shortcut the process because i don't think that's going to work, but start at the beginning & do every step.

first, practical considerations ... what problems are you having with your wardrobe? are you scrambling for anything constantly--a clean xyz? do you have comfortable shoes for work & school? do you have enough items for your work 'uniform'? do you have a bag that works for school & fits your books & everything you really need?

second, you need an online inspiration board for spring that you can post. you could use pinterest, polyvore, etc. you should use this to get totally clear on the look you want for spring, including color scheme. it's good to include makeup, nail polish, jewelry.

third, what investment pieces interest you? jewelry is an excellent option here as well.

fourth, suggest going into intermediate & nice shops & looking around, handling the merchandise, and beginning to get an understanding of the differences in quality--& sometimes lack thereof--at different price points. it's important to understand why you would invest in an investment piece.

fifth, go through your current wardrobe & pull out pieces that work with your spring inspiration board, including your clothes for work. if possible, put these in a separate closet or rack.

now you'll be ready to make a list.

ps i happen to be something of an expert on living life differently than one's parents it's a good thing.

[Betinapple]

@Barbaraa: Sounds like a super cute outfit! Maybe I could do that with my black ballet flats. My brogues are green and therefore not suitable for the purpose.

I have heard good things about the cambridge satchels but they look a bit stiff to me.

@Juliette: I did the Blair Waldorf look with short pleated skirts and Peter Pan collar dresses when I went to high school but somehow it feels to young for me these days. I am only 21 but last time I wore my Peter Pan collar dress it felt so wrong that I ended up putting it away.

If the striped sweater is good I would definetely buy it. Do you have anything on your personal musthave list or something you need? Then I would buy that if you can find it. If not I would save the money for when you find something you really want

@Ta-ta: I have a thing with black tights and shoes with a bright coloured outfit. It looks odd to me somehow and I feel like I need black on the top to even it out. I think it was something I heard Gok Wan say at some point?