The 4-5 Piece French Wardrobe #10

[perec4stor]

no one dress like this in france haha

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ So helpful

 

[Drusilla_]

my purchases for winter 2023 (done beforehand
grey cashmere roll neck, House of Fraser
Acne Jensen boots in black
vintage brooches and clip-on earrings as accessories


the only way to make this work is to add pieces gradually, I can't do a 'big shop' like we do for weekly groceries if I want pieces that I won't reqret.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ That is so true!

Lately I've gotten a couple knit dresses from Universal Standard. I got a pair of Hermes black sandals with an 80mm broad block heel that feels very stable (it will be the highest thing I've worn since triple fracturing my right ankle in Oct '22). Planning to get a scarf to go with one of those dresses ...

PS I originally had quotes around "French" in the name of this thread, but we had to get rid of them to make searching for it easier

 

[Drusilla_]

^the Hermes sandals sound great! 80 mm is about as high as I can go even with ankles never broken (touch wood), comfort being a priority on shoe purchases is a good thing. Can't do any kind of heel that isn't a block/stacked heel here, even kitten heels feel unstable sometimes.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I agree, I always thought a stiletto was better than a kitten heel. I guess the center of gravity is all wrong. I'm meeting a colleague and friend for dinner tonite and plan to break the shoes out!

I have an ongoing allergic reaction (hives, etc) to a vaccine I got at the end of December, so I'm trying to wear sweatshirts instead of my cashmere sweaters. I have a small collection, but already a couple need to go to the cleaners I may get another one or two. Unfortunately it's really hard for me to take antihistamines because even the non-drowsy ones make me drowsy. I can only comfortably do it on the weekend when I can sleep in

 

[Drusilla_]

^ouch! Does the cashmere itch even through underlayers?! e.g. a full sleeved silk shirt or roll neck etc. I hope your allergic reaction calms down soon.

I just bought this 1930s silk scarf on ebay (the kind with the pointed ends), normally silk neckscarves look a bit matronly to me and like the peak French woman cliché to me but the dagger points differentiate this one from the usual silk scarf, maybe it's age speaking but I actually think I'd like wearing it!

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Congrats on finding one you like!

I don't have a lot of under layers, and one of my favorites is itself wool! But with the holiday weekend I was able to take some antihistamines, and it does seem to be calming down ... yay!!!

 

[floodette]

Happy new year 2025!

hopefully this will be the year I can shop mindfully

 

[fashionista-ta]

Happy new year, floodette! I will definitely be shopping mindfully this year ... I'm allowing myself max one piece of clothing or pair of shoes. I bought several things for fall prior to my low-buy year starting in September. I bought a bag since then, but it will also be my birthday present to myself ...

Oh, I also bought a pair of sweatpants that were eco-friendly. I discarded an Eileen Fisher loungewear cardigan (I took it back to them for recycling and got my $5 credit), and I'm looking to replace that, but apparently they won't have anything similar in until February It was black cotton/spandex, and the spandex had popped leaving white 'hairs' everywhere. It had a few little inconspicuous holes as well. I finally decided it just had to go. I previously had two, and now am down to one (a light lavender blue that I've worn less) ... just got it out of the dryer. I can make do with one, but I'll stop by the store next time I'm at the mall to see what they have, until I find something. I also sent my Patagonia jacket for repair ... I just paid $15 for shipping (covered both ways I believe) and the repair was free.

As far as shopping mindfully this year, I suggest making a specific plan, and not even darkening the door (or website) of any store where you don't want to shop (e.g., for me, Banana Republic, someplace I did buy a couple things from ~20 years ago). You may want to choose a capsule wardrobe for yourself from your closet for the season, and see if anything is missing, or if you have everything you need. Perhaps you want a fresh pop of color?

For my one piece, I'm thinking a pair of walking shoes (I've seen a pair I like, mesh and leather ballet flats), or failing that, perhaps a dress for spring.