The 4-5 piece French wardrobe #1

[fashionista-ta]

^ Interesting stats, thanks for posting I find the clothing number huge, the shoe number less so ... and it's interesting that shoes took a bigger hit. It would be interesting to see a comparison of the clothing pricepoints ...

 

[indie]

I think I'm finally getting it!

Instead of getting new shoes for fall, I took all my old ones to cobbler and got the heels and whatnot back to the shoes haha! Plus is was a lot cheaper than a new pair of shoes. I actually had a pair on mind from Zara but they were basically just a hybrid between my 2 favorite pairs I have...

I got a Natalia Brilli necklace and a basic black tunic from Filippa K instead with the money I saved. And then I bought a little black lace dress and a black wool blazer with intresting details from second hand. I love love love them and I should because now I'm broke

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Yay, good for you ... recession chic!!

 

[chanelnumber5]

I can see that item being practical for someone who's out in the evening all the time ... a rather rarefied existence.

It's true that this approach is not about buying impractical things ... it's about buying clothes you'll really wear on a frequent basis.

I don't buy things just because they're beautiful ... they must also be useful. I have a few evening things ... few being the key word. If something is beautiful but impractical, many times I can simply admire it ... I don't need to bring it home.

Unfortunatly, my existance is very un-rarefied. I decided against getting it in the end anyway, so maybe I'm developing some will power!

 

[Belowen]

Great work Indie!

I have culled my wardrobe and am slowly deciding what I want to get rid of forever, and what I want to keep for possible use in the future. I am selling some of the old stuff on ebay, and will save the money & make a conscious effort not to spend it on more stuff I don't need or really want!

I still have some pieces left to buy for my SS wardrobe this year, but I put a skirt on lay-by instead of impulse buying it, so I'm going to have another look tomorrow to decide if it's really the right skirt for me

 

[nogoodforme]

I definitely put in the 4-5 pieces philosophy for these past two seasons and have been really happy with this approach. For fall/winter I got two blouses (a striped cotton oxford, a kind of boho/hippie blouse for kicks), a Lyell dress and I just ordered a long v-neck navy cashmere sweater from Acne that can work as both a dress and a long sweater. (It was pricey, but I consider it my "investment" piece!) That's pretty much it. Each item fits in with my wardrobe seamlessly.

Of course, I have spent a lot of time really editing and culling my wardrobe of things that either don't work, are too old, or I'm just not crazy about anymore, and figuring out what "basics" I needed. (I mean basics for my particular life -- for instance, I don't own a pair of black pants, since I live in jeans and have a life where I wear them all the time.) I use my 4-5 pieces to really add pleasure to my wardrobe (cashmere!), or to play a bit (boho blouse!)

A few curious things I have found with this approach:

+ For me, having such a well-edited wardrobe made me actually much, much, much pickier about what I buy, as if I don't want to muck up the order and harmony in my closet! I also felt more content with my clothing, so I didn't feel the need to "inspiration shop" as much, and it makes it a lot easier to say no to things that are trendy but probably won't interest me in a few seasons.

+ In terms of economics, I think I spent just a bit less money that I usually do, but the fewer things I bought were at the highest quality I could afford. Ironically, the most expensive purchase was the one with the least mental friction, because I knew I could wear it for years and it would last.

+ One "dilemma" I still have is treating my closet (and buying) as a sort of "in-house boutique" with a wide variety of clothing to address any sartorial situation, or whether or not to keep collecting items that are similar to ones I already wear all the time but know that I'll love and wear. When you limit yourself to 4-5 pieces, you start to think hard and deep about this stuff!

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Yay, good for you!

Thoreau said "Distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes," and that can be true, but I believe in buying for the life I have right now, and if something changes, then I need to go shopping. For example, I don't always have a current interview outfit for every season. I believe in my wardrobe addressing my current circumstances, but I don't try to imagine what clothes the future will require until it gets here. You don't know quite what it's going to be and require till it does get here anyway

 

[cheepmunk]

Thanks for they advice! Part of what I was afraid of is what jeya touched on in her post. How do you tell if you love something because you love it, or if you love it because everyone else is wearing it? I think the distinction matters because if you truly love something, you’ll hang on to it instead of tossing it once it’s out of style. Or if it breaks or becomes worn, you’ll repair it instead of throwing it in the trash.

Really, I sometimes think the problem isn’t that we buy too much, but that we throw so much away. Everything is disposable now. Possessions have no value to the owner. I can see how that would happen, with so many clothes being made by machines or nameless, faceless people in sweatshops, but it’s still a shame. If you buy something, it should have value to you, even if it’s just a cheap dress from Forever 21. Otherwise, why bother? I have a collection of clothes I love and I will not get rid of them if I have no good reason. For me, buying less happens as a consequence of that mindset, rather than a goal to be achieved all on its own.

It’s so easy to be influenced by what everyone else is doing. It feeds a constant desire to have what everyone else has, and makes it a struggle to limit consumption. I built up a wardrobe of about 200 pieces when I was in my 20s. Not by design, but because I bought what caught my eye or what other people had instead of having a plan. When I decided that I wanted to live simpler, I perversely decided to hang on to most of it (and I’m glad I did). Now, I’ve got about 40-50 pieces in rotation at any given time, and the rest live in a couple of suitcases under the bed. When I get tired of what is hanging in my closet (usually about once a year), I just pull out the suitcases and discover things I’d forgotten I had.

A few pieces still find their way into my closet every year, but they’re special treats now. I can remember where and when and why I bought each piece because it’s not lost in a deluge of clothes I don’t care about.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I'm sorry I can't help with that question ... I'm not very influenced by others, and very sure of what I like/don't like for myself

 

[stealthmodesteph]

How do you tell if you love something because you love it, or if you love it because everyone else is wearing it?

I usually wait wait wait wait. If I really love it and after 3 months, 6 months, 1 year or more and still want it, then it's meant to be. I use this method a lot, because most of the time things I want are not budget-friendly and I don't want to make a mistake (plus having to save up for said item)

Other times it's just a gut reaction. I recently bought a pair of Margiela boots. I wanted them just from seeing pictures, but it was after I tried them on, realized that they were so so comfortable and exactly what I needed, so I bought them. And I've worn them A LOT since I got them. Plus there is nothing too "trendy" about them so I can foresee wearing them until they break, repairing them, and then wearing them some more!!

 

[elle s'ennuie]

I still really like this thread, even though I haven't been posting in it since... I can't even remember when. Everyone's ponderings are interesting to read. When I found it, I still had disposable income to spare, so this was more theory to me than practice; however, now I am unemployed and back to university this autumn, so I have no choice but to become a French wardrobe devotee.

For me the hardest part is being able to tell "true loves" from "wants". The other day I had hours upon hours of time to kill in the city, so I wondered through countless shops, both highstreet and thrift stores, and if I had bought all the things I thought I really wanted (never mind the ones I "kind-of-wanted") for the season, it would have cost me more money than I currently have on my bank account! (I never shop on credit, luckily..!) I can never tell in the store if the item is going to be a successful addition to my wardrobe, even if I wait a few days, a week, before buying it. It's only once it is hanging in my closet that it'll be revealed.

In the end I bought only one thing, from a thrift store for about $15 - a new with tags H&M navy blazer/jacket (with a fabric tag saying Sample. Not to be sold ) that was as much a need as a want, something I had been on a lookout for anyway, to replace my previous, ebayed for pennies, H&M jacket that is now too small to be buttoned up if I want to breathe. But I had lots of doubts in the store whether I should get it or not, whether I liked it enough. Yet once I brought it home and thought of ways to wear it, I almost fell in love! I realized it suited my style and noticed all the tiny awesome details about it (too bad some of those details are on the inside and cannot be seen when I wear it I wonder if the non-sample versions of the same jacket were made with similar attention to detail...).

 

[elle s'ennuie]

for those who are 'cutting down'
their wardrobe
what do you do with the stuff you've weeded out?

I had a bit of a wardrobe clearout this summer, mostly of clothes that were too small for me now, most of them barely worn. I couldn't be bothered to go through the ebay hassle, nor did I want to drop them off at the thrift stores because here most of them charge way too much for what they sell so I looked up a charity site online and found an orphanage listed nearby that was accepting clothes donations. Called to confirm (most of the batch were sizes XS-S, and they said this was the size they needed the most of for their girls) and washed-ironed-organized-dropped off the clothes.

 

[The_Ida]

I was in the COS store yesterday and bought to pieces + an awesome cashmere scarf. They were so great and versatile that they have eliminated my impulse shopping for ages Except when it comes to skin care of course But honestly, those two simple pieces made me feel like it's all coming together.

The surprise of the season is how well leather trousers go with everything! I have some very very natural looking pleather trousers that I have worn with pretty much everything. I do get some stares, but also a lot of compliments, which is nice! I think they're my best buy so far.

 

[laika]

I don't see why it wouldn't work for avant garde style as well as any other ...

i think the problem has to do with the singularity of the pieces,
which are often created as conceptual statements rather than versatile separates.

There is a world of difference between making a statement with a whimsical accessory
and styling a modified cushion cover...(i own this piece, and don't even know how to describe it in terms of separates..
a dress? top? tunic? )

Adding these types of pieces to your wardrobe on a regular basis--
even if you are buying few of them--
would seem to be the enemy of this thread's approach...
they are additions to the wardrobe, but not building blocks.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Well, not being the owner of any cushion covers ...

One would think that these pieces that can function multiple ways would be versatile ...

 

[Crying Diamonds]

^^ ^ My friend sometimes wears converted cushion covers. Damn, I'll miss these friends.

I've lit weeded all of my clothes. Quite a few went on ebay for cheap and made me a small amount but a bigger few are sitting by the front door in black bags waiting to be taken to the charity shop.
I've managed to fit my clothes into one medium size and one large size suitcase. This is my version of a 4-5 piece French wardrobe.
A very serious thought did cross my mind to just get rid of the entire lot and just have my two best fitting jackets, my two best shirts, two pairs of good trousers and then accessorize with my 120+ ties. That's another thought - they need to get into the suitcase somehow.......

 

[ilaughead]

Interesting quote from this article.

The message is clear for NY Fashion Week: spend, spend spend
By Michelle Nichols, Reuters
"The average U.S. consumer purchased 64 articles of clothing and seven pairs of shoes in 2008, down from 67 articles of clothing and eight pairs of shoes in 2007, according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association."

Wait am I missing anything here? Is their definition of consumer different than mine, because that seems like a lot of clothes for one person. I guess I might be in the extreme minority right now even here on the 4-5 pieces thread--I've bought, I think, two tee shirts, some gym shorts, and a few pairs of socks in the past year or so, but that's just due to budget, not a conscious decision to buy less--but anyway, 64 articles of clothing? That's more than five new pieces every month, and while I can imagine the number for habitual High Street 'fashion-y' shoppers, aren't their enough 'functional' Wal Mart or Target shoppers in the country to balance it out to something lower?

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ So that tells me that the numbers bringing up the average must be very high indeed ...

I work in high tech and I have known a lot of people with pretty minimal wardrobes. They've got money to spend, just no interest in spending it on clothes. I think you're right that they are bringing the average down ...

 

[mandyB]

While I was getting my finances (from january until now) in order I discovered that I've been pretty good at keeping up with the 4-5 seasonal pieces concept. During winter I bought 3 items, 5 during spring, 6 for the summer season and so far I have bought 2 pieces for autumn.

But what struck me was the amount of basics I had bought. It was a total of 25 pieces (including shoes, bags and accessoires). Although most of them were very much needed and they're good quality, I still feel like it's a lot (too much maybe?). Sometimes I feel like I'm buying so many basics to make up for the lack of seasonal clothes I allow myself to buy. I was wondering if anyone else has been experiencing the same 'problem'?

 

[Hebden]

^ I tend to think of accessories as a necessary evil...and outside of the 4-5 pieces rule (of course that could be because I have bag/shoe/jewelry issues)...because they're the elements that really let the 4-5 item rule work and allow you to mix things up and not look like you're wearing the same thing every day.