The 4-5 piece French wardrobe #1

[thesiren]

I'm thinking of perhaps getting another blouse for summer. I really have only two lightweight blouses ...

i feel the same way, but nothing is catching my eye. if i could just find two or three silk or silk blend (hell, even rayon) blouses, it would really round out my summer look. we're traveling soon, and the look i have going now won't really fly in formal restaurants. i can get away with the harem pants and jodhpurs, provided i'm wearing heels, but i don't want to eat a $100+ meal in layered tank tops. ideally, i'd like some in a slight trapeze shape and one i could tuck in (both pants are high waist).

 

[chanelnumber5]

I LOVE sweaters. I might get this in other colours too. I can just feel it becoming my new uniform...even though it'll be scorching hot the next few weeks

I can wear it with tights, jeans, bare legs, whatever. And I just love the combination of big sweaters and flat ankle boots for fall.

That sweater is gorgeous, do you mind me asking where you bought it?

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ My crystal ball says H&M

The two blouses I do have, one is a silk/cotton blend, silver grey, portrait collar, ruching down the front & drawstring at the bottom. The other is ivory rayon/nylon/ramie with a lot of detail at the neck, big sleeves, A-line shape.

I guess a really fine cotton with maybe a little silk would be nice and cool ... I haven't really looked yet, so can't say I haven't been able to find anything

I too am thinking of more options for restaurants ...

 

[The_Ida]

^Nay! It's actually from asos.com But it just as well could have been from H&M

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I guess crystal balls aren't very reliable when they're cracked

Anyway, it's lovely.

 

[chanelnumber5]

^Nay! It's actually from asos.com But it just as well could have been from H&M

Thank you! I may have to go and put in my first asos order!

 

[The_Ida]

Actually, that knit is on sale in this colour:

asos.com

...and I just ordered it

 

[jaydotcee]

The_Ida: How tall are you? I love the look of that sweater but I'm only around 5'4 - 5'5 so I'm afraid it might overwhelm me.

 

[cambry]

I'm only 5'4'' and I have the h&m sweater ta-ta mistook that one for, they look to be the same in terms of length, and my sweater doesn't overwhelm me at all, if that helps.

 

[The_Ida]

The_Ida: How tall are you? I love the look of that sweater but I'm only around 5'4 - 5'5 so I'm afraid it might overwhelm me.

I'm 1.73 m, don't know what that is in inches and feet

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I'm not sure either, but I'm 5'5" & certain you're taller than I

 

[StellaMare]

1.73 is about 5'8! I am 1.70 and that is exactly 5'7..

 

[thesiren]

i am wanting a pair of frye short billy boots (i'd love golden goose, but the budget does NOT permit). will grey or black work best in the long run? i like the grey, but something is telling me i'll only like them for so long...

 

[The_Ida]

I think you should consider what goes best with what you already have... I would get the black ones, but only because most of my other stuff is black I think grey is a fantastic colour for footwear.

 

[fashionista-ta]

i am wanting a pair of frye short billy boots (i'd love golden goose, but the budget does NOT permit). will grey or black work best in the long run? i like the grey, but something is telling me i'll only like them for so long...

I have learned to listen when something tells me ...

 

[classicalbang]

^ Yep, me too. Many times have I bought things of which I was unsure, and I ended up regretting the purchase. It's never been the other way around, though.

 

[Melisande]

i am wanting a pair of frye short billy boots (i'd love golden goose, but the budget does NOT permit). will grey or black work best in the long run? i like the grey, but something is telling me i'll only like them for so long...

Get the black. I bought my Frye Campus in the delicious tan colour, only to find that Frye leather is specially prone to scraping and staining, and colors other than black are very hard to polish properly. It's specially a pity since Frye boots are constructed to last and last.

 

[William_St_Girl]

The biggest issue when I go shopping now is that I only shop for things I like rather than what I need... as I dont actually need anything... In reallity... often yes I think and convince mysefl I need it... but I dont really in the cold light of day. I think this is a fab idea the 4-5 for new girls starting out... but for me nah... I prob buy 4-5 a month not a season... and like a lot of others here I much prefer fall clothes too... and living in scotland you can wear them 75%of the time anyway! Def mix and match is a good idea though... some outfits are too singular... and therefore once or twice wearers in polite society... no good as a long term investment.

All I would say is be true to your own style buy things because you love them... not because they conform to the in style! Try to be classic but at the same time contempory by the way you mix and match and accessorise, accessorise, accessorise.

Finally for me I believe less is more... have less clothes but good quality stylish ones... pay that little extra for one thing rather than 4 fast fashion items... fast fashion is normally poor quality and of cheap materials... go for luxurious natural ones at all times!

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Actually it's more than an idea for 'new girls starting out' ... it's for anyone at any stage who wants to have an impeccable, highly functional wardrobe of exactly what's needed--not less and not much more.

 

[Lite_Brite]

I would agree that it is not for girls "just starting out" although I'm not exactly sure what girls fall into that category. in fact the 4-5 piece method is much harder to make work when one is just developing a sense of personal style, as it's difficult to zero in on "the perfect piece" and it's common to have buyers remorse and need to purchase more.

for me, it's much easier to stick to a compact wardrobe. I'm very into reduction... it's the same reason I'm not a product junkie with makeup either. it's just a waste. having a closet stuffed full of clothes is very stressful to me because I have a hard time tracking the condition of everything, knowing how things are fitting, how they go together, and what's missing/what I should purchase next. without knowing these things I waste money on things I don't need. and I love wearing the same things all the time, so that helps too. I rarely wind up with clothes I consider to be total mistakes.