The 4-5 piece French wardrobe #2

[cambry]

For some reason I have it in my mind that a $$$ shoe should have a heel Time to get a grip ...

I'm the same way (unless flat boots are involved, I will shell out the dough for THOSE). I wonder where this tic comes from?!

 

[Belowen]

Time for my monthly update! I feel like I'm doing really well this season. I haven't been impulse buying clothes at all, which feels great!

Tops
** sheer black / print / floral blouses (x2)
* black cashmere v-neck sweater
** black cashmere cardigan (x2)
* black studded silk tank
black silk/jersey tee
elizabeth and james black satin blouse
black asos chain neck sweater
black/white plaid top
illustrated people love/hate raglan sweater
* radarte hooded sweater

Bottoms
** black pencil skirts (will need to purchase 2 new skirts for work)
black pencil skirt
black cigarette style pants
* dark denim jeans (need to purchase 1 more pair)
dark denim straight leg jeans (x2)

Dresses
asos dark purple/floral print dress
basque dark green/black peacock print dress
black/grey polka dot print babydoll dress
ann taylor black dress w. rosette shoulders
sussan black draped jersey/lace dress
see by chloe grey sweater dress
black jersey/satin tiered skirt dress

Outerwear
black long length blazer
* black leather jacket
black tie-waist trench

Accessories
cashmere tube scarf
warehouse lace scarf in mink (ordered)
house of harlow peacock ring
* oversized ray ban wayfarers
oversized black handbag
3.1 phillip lim black patent clutch
vintage peacock clutch
* oversized black leather clutch
mimco black embellished hair piece
diamond stud earrings
tiffany & co initial necklace
* black pearl earrings
asos black enamel panther cuff bracelet (ordered)
portmans silver/black small clutch

Shoes
* lanvin black leather ballet flats
country road black leather ballet flats
black patent ankle boots
wittner flat black leather boots
wittner black patent pointed flats
chanel burgundy round toe heels
wittner peep toe motorcycle/wedge boots
black hightop converse sneakers

So yet again I have added in some pieces that I found while organising my cupboard, but that is the last of the additions for this season. Now I need to focus on hunting down the last few pieces on my wishlist and I think I'm done, and will be well prepared for next season as far as beautiful A/W items go!

I am kind of bummed out because I had the most beautiful blouse in my sights from Anthropologie and now it's no longer listed on the site I've been browsing despite missing out on that beauty and I am thinking about purchasing this as one of my two new blouses for the season:
asos.com

I've also added this Rodarte "Radarte" Sweater to my list because it's just too cool/cute to miss out on! - Argh, I've just noticed that it's sold out. What is going on with all of the pieces I like selling out so quickly!

 

[fashionista-ta]

Thought it might be helpful to explain what this thread is about for those who aren't already familiar with it

Here's the original thread: http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f58/4-5-piece-french-wardrobe-august-2005-march-2010-a-29674.html

We've probably all seen references in magazine articles to the 4-5 pieces (sometimes I've seen 2-3) that French women buy each season. This thread was and is an attempt to understand what those pieces are and how to choose them.

What they are not is lingerie, hose, PJs, white Ts--staples that are essential and must be replaced regularly. Not that the standards that apply to choosing the 4-5 pieces don't somewhat apply ... but there's no point in buying (IMO) either a designer white T, or a poorly made one. Personally I like Nordstrom's private label, made with organic cotton, which I believe run me about $20 or so. I avoid both Hanes and the very low end, as well as the high end--I've always found plain designer Ts rather inexplicable and puzzling

The 4-5 pieces should IMO ideally be a mix of basic and statement pieces.
I like to do about half and half. My preference is for basics to also have some elements of interest--great cut, interesting fabric, pockets, etc. If they are black pants, something that makes them stand out (if only to you or the close observer) from all the other pairs of black pants.

The level of quality IMO should make sense relative to the lifespan of the item. If something will last you 20 or more years (as my Burberry trench has), then it's worth spending all you can afford on it. If you know your sunnies have a strong tendency to get lost or stolen, then it doesn't make sense to sink $$$ into them. It's also important to consider your investment of time. If you've found a really fabulous pair of black pants, you want them to last more than a season. If something doesn't last longer than that, you haven't 'built' anything. The idea here is to create a wardrobe that carries over from one season to the next to the next.

A mix of planning and spontaneity helps make this work. It helps just to be conscious of your shopping and what you're buying. Not paying attention yields a closet full of duplicates.

Some duplication is helpful. Food spills, dogs eager to say hello can add various interesting 'touches' to your wardrobe, etc. If things then need to go to the cleaners, having a couple different options really helps.

But no one needs 10 of anything, and lots of people have that in their closets. So thinking about what you're doing helps stop all of that.

What also doesn't work with this is unconscious retail therapy, or shopping for comfort. It's not that shopping is not enjoyable, but when I go shopping, I'm often on a mission. I am not there thinking, 'Oh I feel terrible, maybe this orange and purple polka dot thing would make me feel better ...' Instead I'm thinking, 'My color scheme this season is approximately XYZ, and I need shoes, some new earrings, a new black skirt ...'

Unconscious retail therapy yields a bursting closet with nothing to wear. This way gives you a closet where you can shut the door, with items that work well & work together & where you can always find something to wear.

Why people think that this is an area where they should be completely flaky and allow their strangest moods to rule completely mystifies me It's by no means the most important thing in life, but it's far too important for that ...

I like to have an overall plan, including color scheme for the season. I also have a list of what I need overall. Then I work over time to fill that in. You don't have to have everything at once.

I also don't pay attention to the 'rules' about what 'every woman should have.' I've been doing very well without an LBD for ... OK, my whole life. They may be the breath of life to someone else--both ways are fine. Just saying, make up your own mind about whether a navy jacket is going to be the thing that makes *your* wardrobe work for you (something else I don't own). You may be able to live a perfectly happy life without ever owning anything camel-colored.

Anything I buy I expect to last until it wears out. That doesn't mean I buy all 'classics,' but it does mean that everything is beautiful or useful, or preferably both. If it's connected to a trend, I love it enough to wear it regardless of whether the trend is red-hot (and that red-hot moment is the worst--but I rise above it ). I think it's best to catch 'what's next' before it happens ... and if you really like something, not to worry about how much staying power it has. Sometimes a trend will surprise you ... I was amazed how much staying power bubble skirts had. I bought one that wasn't a straightforward bubble, but a variation ... it's different enough that it stands on its own. I wore it the other day & got compliments--people always notice it because it's unusual.

Oh, one more thing. I know for a fact that this method works no matter what your age, and no matter whether you have anything decent in your closet at the moment or not. I know that because I starting doing it when I was in high school and starting from ground zero, and I'm still doing it now. Even if you're starting from nothing, it makes sense to build a little capsule wardrobe with some really good key pieces. And if you have a wardrobe that works, and you want something new for the season, it makes sense to add to what you have in a similar way.

Anyway ... hope that summarizes what this thread is about. Anything I've left out?

 

[farou7a]

^ wow. you have truly inspired me mon amie

 

[Belowen]

I don't think you left anything out ta-ta, that was a well thought out post!

I am not quite there with the 4-5 pieces thing, I am still buying around 10 new pieces per season, but I am happy to say at this stage I love everything in my wardrobe, and everything gets a good workout each season. I did feel like I had too much (and mostly stuff I wasn't wearing at all) but I have managed to cull that out, and either give it away, sell it, or hand it on to charity.

Note: I should add that the list of clothes/items I have been posting is my entire autumn/winter wardrobe - not things I am buying The things I need are in italics.

 

[floodette]

great post, ta-ta.

 

[Nemova]

^^I too haven't been following the 4-5 piece rule strictly, because I'm still building up a functional, classic and versatile wardrobe, with enough staples and quality pieces to allow me to cut down on new purchases on the long run. Still, I'm 100% sure that every new piece that comes in is necessary and makes sense in the bigger picture. I don't buy anything unless I can visualize how it will work with the rest of my wardrobe, and I'm positive this is a huge step towards the right direction.

 

[dazzledbyedward]

ohhh thankyou so much for explaining guys. The 4-5 bit stumped me before, but now i think it all makes sense.

I like this idea and am thinking of doing this for my wardrobe because i have some junk in there that i think i will wear one day and never do.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Thanks, I'm glad I hit all the high points

A couple things I didn't mention ... I find this method to be 'green' even if you don't buy anything organic, because it means that you're buying pretty close to what you actually need. If you buy something that doesn't work, pretty much, those resources were wasted ...

Depending on what you were doing before, it may or may not save you money. I found that when I started to get more disciplined about my shopping again, in my case I started spending more money--but I was also getting much better results.

Another benefit is that if you do this for awhile, and you decide to stop buying clothes for awhile (maybe you're saving up for a down payment on your first house, or you're getting married, or--hello recession!), your wardrobe will still continue to serve you well.

 

[scara]

going through my list of items i bought for my winter-wardrobe, i'm quite happy with what i bought. still i'm not down to 4-5 pieces, however i constantly wore my new pieces -so i think i made the right choices on what to spend money on.
things i bought for fall/winter were:
- a loose knit sweater (rodarte inspired)
- low biker boots
- a cotton blouse
- a silk blouse
- black longsleeve t
- two ts with thumb-holes (i love them!) in black an grey
- a grey dress with a huge scarfcollar
- the am.app. mesh dress (the only item i didn't get that much wear out of, although it's nice for layering in winter)
- a grey am.app. hoodie
- grey harem pants
- salt & pepper wool pants
- a new set of underwear
- a black turtleneck jumper
- a black top with a huge scarf attached to it (have yet to figure out how to wear it; plan to wear it a lot in summer)
- a light brown/greyish cashmere/silk-blend cardigan
- a red longsleeve t
- a black blazer

quite a lot of basics. i like to keep my outfits simple, usually have to run around in them all day, but i love to add scarfs and statement jewelery.
what are your thoughts on this list?

oh and thanks to fashionista-ta
great post!

 

[sergeantkero]

skinny pants/jeans/leggings to show off parisian skinny legs
stripes! stripes! stripes!
long coat
color blocks
transparant umbrella

 

[Belowen]

Argh I am so bummed! I waited too long on the Shopbop cashmere v-neck sweater that was on sale and now it's disappeared.

 

[aldn]

i hate when that happens! it's the worst!

 

[floodette]

OMG OMG OMG

These days I was so depressed on the current state of my wardrobe. It's so messy and (although I don't buy that much anymore), its still stuffed full of clothes I can't wear. I gained more and more pounds, and these 3 months I suddenly gained 6 kilos for no apparent reason!

BTW one point that I want to add to 5-pieces principle is that one can only do that when the weight is constant (I know weight issue is not supposed to be discussed here but it really hinders me and my bum to get into that treasured pants and that tailored dress that I love and invest on).

So tonight (midnight here) I decided to cull my wardrobe. It's halfway done. Phew, hope I can finish it tmrw. Just putting the too-small clothes away really motivate me to exercise more

I'll also need to face the cold truth and buy some replacement basic like black pants in addition to my previous list.

Arghhhhhhhh......... Am so frustrated.....

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Actually I do have fluctuations, and my wardrobe continues to work with that, but I guess it's something--perhaps not that I plan for, but that other considerations mean my wardrobe allows for. Comfort is important to me ... I often buy things that have some Lycra, without waistbands (not sure why this is so helpful, but it is--somehow this style fits me best & always has), with yokes, extra room in the leg of the slacks if there's no stretch, etc. (No elastic waists though--*shudder*) All these things are forgiving. I also retain water at certain predictable times, so my tops & sweaters are chosen to allow that to go unnoticed.

So it's certainly possible to make this method work with fluctuations, but certainly they aren't compatible with super-fitted, darted clothes that show every inch of your body at all times ...

 

[tourist10]

ta-ta, thanks for the great summary! It seems like every time I check this thread, I'm reminded that I haven't been doing a great job at following this philosophy, but it is always very inspiring and something I hope to one day successfully integrate into my ways.

Two things I wanted to discuss, which hopefully aren't straying too far off topic. First is the whole concept of having clothes that are flexible for fluctuations in weight. I recently had a baby, and nothing causes your body to change as quickly and dramatically as pregnancy and its aftermath. Several months after the baby was born, I still couldn't fit into majority of my pants, skirts, and some dresses (including some *very* expensive dressy dresses). It was depressing really ... thinking, not only did I waste money on so many items that I only wore for a few years, but also the thought of having to start over again. Especially thinking about starting over with my pants, so many of them I had plan to wear forever. I'm lucky that my feet didn't grow, but I hear that isn't uncommon. Now, 8 months out, I'm almost back to my pre-pregnancy size (and now that I'm running again, I think I will get there), so I'm overjoyed about the prospect of being able to wear old clothes again. But, since I'm planning on having one more child, there's really no guarantee that any of these pants, etc, will last me more than a few more years. It really makes me hesitate buying new pants. Do any women here who want to have children in the future plan for this? Or have you generally accepted the fact that you might have to start over post pregnancy?

ta-ta bought up some very good suggestions on how to shop for items that allow for weight fluctuation! I'm definitely trying to keep these things in mind from now on when shopping. Oh, and I have to admit that I am a fan on the elastic waist! I think elastic waists conjure up images of really cheap clothes, but I have 2 skirts (Japanese brands) and 1 pair of Isabel Marant Etoile pants (thus, a very casual look) that really saved me post pregnancy. Here's one of my skirts attached. It helps that I don't tuck anything in!

The other thing I've been thinking lately is the fact that, although I used to think I did, I no longer really know how to look for something that will become a classic for me, an item that I will never get bored of and will want to wear year after year. I almost always love everything that I buy when I buy it. But lately, I've noticed that, it's hard to predict what really has lasting value in my wardrobe until I've spent some time with that item. It's like I only know in hindsight the things that I really love. Many things I might wear for 2 years or so and then I seem to feel done with them. Perhaps my style makes too many subtle shifts over the years.


(pic from merveilleh.co.jp)

 

[Belowen]

Two things I wanted to discuss, which hopefully aren't straying too far off topic. First is the whole concept of having clothes that are flexible for fluctuations in weight. I recently had a baby, and nothing causes your body to change as quickly and dramatically as pregnancy and its aftermath. Several months after the baby was born, I still couldn't fit into majority of my pants, skirts, and some dresses (including some *very* expensive dressy dresses). It was depressing really ... thinking, not only did I waste money on so many items that I only wore for a few years, but also the thought of having to start over again. Especially thinking about starting over with my pants, so many of them I had plan to wear forever. I'm lucky that my feet didn't grow, but I hear that isn't uncommon. Now, 8 months out, I'm almost back to my pre-pregnancy size (and now that I'm running again, I think I will get there), so I'm overjoyed about the prospect of being able to wear old clothes again. But, since I'm planning on having one more child, there's really no guarantee that any of these pants, etc, will last me more than a few more years. It really makes me hesitate buying new pants. Do any women here who want to have children in the future plan for this? Or have you generally accepted the fact that you might have to start over post pregnancy?

I just typed up a long reply to this post and accidentally closed the tab and lost everything

I think everybody is different in the way their body fluctuates during and after pregnancy so our experience probably was not the same but maybe similar. I was very frustrated with not being able to fit into my old clothes after pregnancy, but have since developed a huge appreciation for what my body actually went through - and now I just appreciate the fact that it's still in one peice

I think that it's possible to make pre-pregnancy jeans work for a little while throughout and after pregnancy with the bella band. Have you seen those? They are an elasticated tube of material that you can wear around your waist to keep your jeans in place if you need to unbutton/zip them.

For me personally, pre-pregnancy my style was a lot different to what it is now anyway, and since having my daughter I have changed the way I dress in a lot of different ways. So all of the beautiful Sass & Bide skinny leg jeans that I used to wear no longer suit me, even if I wanted to fit back into them I think now that I have a clearer sense of what my style is, I have been buying more timeless pieces and would be able to make these work after a second pregnancy.

I would hold on to the beautiful pieces you mentioned because if you've chosen them well, and you do eventually get back to your pre-baby size they will still be beautiful pieces that you will appreciate having in your wardrobe.

Also, you may find some inspiration in our Maternity Fashions thread

 

[tourist10]

^ Thanks for sharing your experiences Belowen! That is a totally funny comment, it is amazing that we're still in one piece!

I do have something like a bella band (the target version), but I find I'm constantly fussing with it to keep it in place. I'm ashamed to admit that there's still one pair of maternity jeans that I still wear!

It is true that one's style can change quite a bit post-pregnancy, since your life in general changes so much! I guess the style we fall into now, at this point in our lives, will probably be more representative of how we will likely dress in the next 10 years than when we were in our young 20's!

I think it's interesting that ta-ta mentioned she's been doing the 4-5 piece thing since high school. I assume this means that your style evolved slower than many at the age?

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Quite possibly so Back then I dressed very 'classic,' but you also have to remember that the preppy thing was huge then. Ralph Lauren was the man

From the beginning I always loved key statement pieces. When I got my first real job, I bought a Barry Kieselstein-Cord belt ... saddle brown croc with a silver buckle that's a winking sun face--kinda half moon half sun. That made a statement

Later on after I'd been working for awhile I fell into this unfortunate black phase ... nearly everything was practical, basic black. I had first a short-sleeved black cardigan that I wore with nearly everything, and when it died of exhaustion (it developed a hole ... I tried to ignore it, but clearly others couldn't ... it had an unfortunate strategic location), I replaced it with a raw silk black shirt jacket. When the cleaners lost that, I had a crisis, and realized something had to give. (Your whole wardrobe cannot fall apart if you subtract a single item!)

Then I went through an eco phase, but at that time it simply was not possible to buy new organic clothes AND make a fashion statement. (And I kind of got enough of vintage/consignment back in high school & college.) Then, earth mother status was guaranteed & I was far from ready for that.

At that point I decided to do the capsule wardrobe for each season, and that got me out of all of my ruts.

Oh, I also had a Michael Simon phase back in there somewhere And at one point my wardrobe was so dominated by paisley wrap skirts--and I'd like to say right now that they were all clearly different from each other & several different color schemes were involved!--that the ditzy receptionist at work would make snide remarks as I walked by ('She's wearing that skirt again!'). I'm sure karma has caught up with her by now ...

And you probably know what my style is now since I post all my purchases in this thread? Still some classic elements, but interesting details, lots of color and texture, bold accessories. So that's the evolution over 25 years or so ...

As far as what you mention about time ... that is one of the strengths of this method, I think. As I recall my last pair of black pants lasted around 2 years. It seemed a bit short till I recalled that I was wearing them year round on at least a weekly basis, and often more. If you really start to wear things intensively, you will also begin to wear them out. And as you have noted, you really have to organize your life carefully for things to truly last you forever An organizational feat you may end up not caring to accomplish.

I had all my height in junior high, and haven't had children. My feet have grown though (happens to men too) ... from a 7 in high school to 8 or 8.5 now. I believe pregnancy can make the change happen much more quickly due to the hormones that loosen everything up ... but my understanding is that the end result is pretty much the same. Just another reason not to let dust gather on things ... I have had to discard shoes for this reason.

 

[Belowen]

I guess the style we fall into now, at this point in our lives, will probably be more representative of how we will likely dress in the next 10 years than when we were in our young 20's!

I am obviously going through my quarter life crisis right now because in my head a voice was screaming YOU'RE STILL YOUNG! I'm 25