The 4-5 piece French wardrobe #1

[darkglass2009]

xing those are great ideas. I actually really like most shades of blue, and I have been drawn to light pink/apricot lately. Thanks for your help!

 

[fashionista-ta]

darkglass, glad you like the thread!

Is your coloring cool or warm? If warm, turquoise might be good ... if cool, perhaps a deeper pink or periwinkle blue? I would imagine you'll need to experiment so as not to overwhelm your coloring ... you might also need a bit of new makeup.

I think in a lot of cases you can take something you want and make it work. I am not in acquisition mode at the moment at all, but I remember seeing a warm pink bag I liked not long ago. Not anyone's idea of practical, but I'm sure I could make that work.

Btw, Melisande, I was also thinking you might want to trade out that print skirt for a solid color when you get a chance ...

 

[misstarshine]

I think the only items that don't fit into my wardrobe which I still buy are dresses. These days I think I've worked out my style fairly well, however with dresses I am nearly always mood dressing and so I have a huge arrage of different ones to suit my mood.

 

[Melisande]

Btw, Melisande, I was also thinking you might want to trade out that print skirt for a solid color when you get a chance ...

Are you proposing I get rid of my favorite skirt ??!
But yes, I definitely need others to wear in its stead. Urgh...

Yesterday I found a Cacharel outlet with 80% off most of its merch.
I came home with a supremely flattering and versatile black dress for 59 Euros...one can never have too many flattering day-to-night dresses!
It took a lot of willpower not to purchase the amazing short silk skirts...so cheap and cute, but impractical...and didn't match much of what I own... The search continues.

Re shoes: you are absolutely right, patent leather is a godsend. I miss my patent leather fire-engine red oxfords...
BTW didn't you have lovely light-gray Nina Ricci shoes? How do you care for those? Maybe you're a car person...I walk everywhere in muddy gritty (or worse) Paris...terrible for shoes.

hehe, my bf. has an amazing eye, yes. I'm going back to Tokyo in April, so I'll come home with a full suitcase...

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ You're right, it's a driving city (group of cities) where I live, there's no getting around it ... though driving does its own damage to shoes. Those Nina Ricci are a little scuffed, I just ignore it They're kind of nubuck ... well, a combination of leathers, but I'm not sure they can be polished, the toe part anyway Or maybe I just don't know what one is supposed to do with that type of leather. I suppose there must be something to do with white bucks, for instance ...

The Cacherel outlet sounds great And the dress should be really helpful. Are any of your sweaters cardigans?

Not suggesting you get rid of the skirt, merely put it on the bench for a bit

 

[Melisande]

^ You're right, it's a driving city (group of cities) where I live, there's no getting around it ... though driving does its own damage to shoes. Those Nina Ricci are a little scuffed, I just ignore it They're kind of nubuck ... well, a combination of leathers, but I'm not sure they can be polished, the toe part anyway Or maybe I just don't know what one is supposed to do with that type of leather. I suppose there must be something to do with white bucks, for instance ...

The Cacherel outlet sounds great And the dress should be really helpful. Are any of your sweaters cardigans?

Not suggesting you get rid of the skirt, merely put it on the bench for a bit

The skirt is begging for the bench.

Re: shoes... do you have one of those nubuck erasors? They work pretty well. They're like crumbly sandpaper in erasor form. I also take my shoes to be professionally cleaned when necessary. In Tokyo, cleaning a pair of boots at a specialized atelier costs about $60 but they do an amazing job. If you love the shoes, it's worth it.

Yes, one sweater is a deep rose cardi.
Went shoe-shopping today, nothing I really loved...
Keep plodding...

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ The deep rose sounds like it would be really pretty with the new dress ...

No, I don't have an eraser like that ... I'll have to look for one.

At very much the wrong time, the Barney's spring shipment preview this week was incredible ... a lot of great pieces to choose from. Are spring things starting to come in in Paris as well? Some rose shoes would be great ...

 

[Melisande]

^ The deep rose sounds like it would be really pretty with the new dress ...

No, I don't have an eraser like that ... I'll have to look for one.

At very much the wrong time, the Barney's spring shipment preview this week was incredible ... a lot of great pieces to choose from. Are spring things starting to come in in Paris as well? Some rose shoes would be great ...

Oooh, Barney's! It feels funny saying this, but I wish we had Barney's here...the main department stores here feel kind of stodgy.

Rose shoes, now that would be good...I've never owned any but it would definitely go with my stuff. It' great hearing ideas from an objective party...all these new ideas! I wonder, the cardi has a round neck and the dress a plunging V...another thing to be considered when staying minimal, ladies...

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Well, I would try it on, see how it looks Most of my cardigans have round necks--either crew or scooped. I would imagine I've worn them with Vs underneath at some point ...

 

[Melisande]

^ Well, I would try it on, see how it looks Most of my cardigans have round necks--either crew or scooped. I would imagine I've worn them with Vs underneath at some point ...

I will try it out!

 

[thesiren]

speaking of cardigans, i have an issue. i need something to keep me slightly warm on cool spring/summer nights (especially for transition season).

the issue is i'm very busty. if i wear a crewneck cardigan, i look like i'm playing the sexy secretary and with a V-neck, i look like a naughty schoolgirl. it's really gross, and trust me, i've tried on cardigans at all price points. the more expensive are usually more grotesque/overt because they typically have a tightly gauged knit.

i would be wearing this over painterly print dresses come spring, and body skimming tanks and peg leg trousers that hit just at the ankle come summer. any ideas? pashminas kind of drown me and just don't suit my style overall.

 

[droogist]

^ I would try something open-front and draped:

Rick Owens

Donna Karan

net-a-porter.com

A cache-couer or wrap-style cardigan might also work, if you need it closed...

 

[fashionista-ta]

I wear button cardigans all the time, but I typically don't button all the buttons--just a couple.

 

[Melisande]

I totally agree with droogist, drapey cache-coeurs are great.

The drape under the bust softens the curve between the bust and the under-bust, while slimming the waist and allowing an open neckline which looks clean and fresh.
It would look gorgeous over painterly dresses too!

kaboodle.com

 

[chanelnumber5]

^ You're right, it's a driving city (group of cities) where I live, there's no getting around it ... though driving does its own damage to shoes.

I can only drive in ballet flats (I live in the middle of no-where, so driving is a necessity), so if I'm wearing anything else I always have to bring a spare pair of flats to drive in. Consequently, I have about 6 pairs of heels in my car from where on the drive home I change out of them and forget to bring them out.

All those cardis droogist posted are lovely, they make me sad though as I had one very similar to the Rick Owens one, but lost it

I am doing terribly with my 4/5 piece wardrobe, this weekend alone I brought a dress, a cardigan, a belt and a pair of boots. None of them were particularly expensive, but thats not the point!

 

[floodette]

thesiren: i am also (very) busty, and crewneck cardi buttoned up will make me look mumsy. so usually i just keep it open (no buttoning at all).

 

[Zenobie]

I do love that draped Rick Owens open cardi. A long slinky maxi dress defiantly has to be one of this seasons key pieces. Acne’s “Truth” racerback tank dress would fit the bill nicely

 

[stealthmodesteph]

I'm after a medium grey deep v-neck loose-fitting cashmere sweater. Can anyone recommend a high quality brand/style? Now that spring deliveries are in full effect it probably isn't the best time to look, but it's something I desperately need as part of my "core" wardrobe. Thanks in advance

 

[bohemian0607]

This thread has really inspired me I read the whole thing over a couple of weeks! I am purging my closet from my bad habit of buying mismatched, impulsive pieces. I tend to buy dresses because they are a complete outfit and I am lazy, but now I have so few separates and they are so disparate that I have a hard time getting dressed.

So I made a spreadsheet with the basics that I do have, and listed my wardrobe pieces according to what kind of style and color palette they belong to. Now I can see what exactly I need to make complete outfits and am starting to shop accordingly.

So far I have stuck to my list! thanks for the inspiration!

 

[droogist]

I'm after a medium grey deep v-neck loose-fitting cashmere sweater. Can anyone recommend a high quality brand/style? Now that spring deliveries are in full effect it probably isn't the best time to look, but it's something I desperately need as part of my "core" wardrobe. Thanks in advance

Brunello Cucinelli usually do loose-fitting styles, and the quality can't be beat: www.brunellocucinelli.it