The 4-5 piece French wardrobe #3

[fashionista-ta]

@Carolina: Sounds like a good plan especially since you've got your outerwear covered! And thx. a lot. Please share your list!

@Twistelette: interesting thought! I get the same feeling whenever I hear about people who abide by the rule of getting rid of one piece whenever they buy one. I do not want to get rid of any of my clothes.

i know, that just drives me crazy! i typically get rid of things when they're definitely done. once in awhile i'll have something that can't go until i replace it but i try to avoid that situation by building in more than one piece that can play a particular role.

 

[fashionista-ta]

juliette, glad you put together some pix i can see you like floral prints alot, pinks, chambray/denim, blacks. i also like a strong pop against black.

didn't see your favorite skater dresses on your list?

i would be a little cautious about how much you get rid of right now ... i think it's great you're selling things ... you get some spending money & someone else is using the items. but you want to make sure that you don't get to where you really don't have anything to wear!

as far as bags ... mine are kind of in the middle ground between statement & basic. i have a leopard calfskin kate spade i've been carrying all winter. statement, yet also neutral & basic in a way. i did have the perfect black bag ... but the hardware failed on the original & replacement, so i kinda had no choice but to take it back. also have a grey/lavender bag, and two straw bags with neutral leather trim, one of which has straw roses.

so getting to my point ... a hot pink bag may not be a good choice for the first bag. straw with neutral leather is very versatile, but only for warm weather. i would def. put a black bag on your list. you could get a studded one--maybe the wang bag if you like it? i find the really hot colors best for shoes, but ymmv ... you just want to make sure that you're not going to get tired of it.

 

[Juliette]

^Those are some of my favourite things!

Yes, I completely forgot to put them on the list, maybe because they're not really spring appropriate, they're quite thick actually.

I'm mostly getting rid of things that don't fit or that I REALLY don't like. I have a small wardrobe which I use all the time. The rest of it is mostly things that haven't been worn once! I'm a terrible shopper, as I've said a million times before. But I'm getting a lot better, proud to say!

The bags you mentioned all sound beautiful.

About the Minkoff - it would be a spring/summer bag. I would wear it with every outfit, because my wardrobe is very B&W, and some pinks in it too, that I think it would mix great with. I would love a straw bag too, I had a gorgeous one by Zara that I used for the beach. I'm hoping they have some new ones this year, because mine is really beaten up. Also have my eye on a French Connection pink clutch with wooden handles, but I'll only be getting the Minkoff or this one, not both... I really really like the Mini Mac. But I will surely think it through, you are right - I don't want to get tired of it! (Though I do wear the hot pink clutch I have a lot!)

I would LOVE the Rocco, it's been on my wishlist for forever! But I'm concerned about the weight, because I've heard that it's quite heavy... I'm not really thinking about an everyday bag right now, though I admit that I should be! Everyone needs a nice black bag (and a brown one, and a grey one... )

Thank you as always fashionista-ta! You always give me something to think about and I really think I'm on my way to becoming a great shopper!

 

[fashionista-ta]

I posted this in the wrong thread originally. I meant to post this here. I'd love to do this ***Edited*** and want to start building a wardrobe that is a lot more versatile than what I currently have, is of a much better quality, and is distinctly more me. Since I know it will be a while before I can even think about buying anything (currently unemployed ****Edited****), I have time to plan things out and really consider what things I both want and need. My only question for right now is what types of fabrics should I be looking for? I'd really love to invest in more quality pieces and as it currently stands, I don't really know what would really qualify as being a quality piece. If someone doesn't mind explaining this a bit, I'd be eternally grateful for all the help! Thank you!

ah, a simple question ... there are several aspects to quality ... fabric, construction, cut, and then the ones specific to you--flattering fit and appropriateness to your personal style. with fabric, first you have to think about how you're going to care for it. i take most things i wear out of the house to a dry cleaner who doesn't use perc (nasty old school chemical). i like linen, cotton (organic if possible), silk, rayon, bamboo, lyocell, the various wools, and a little spandex never goes amiss. it's best to think about wrinkling upfront ... don't be afraid to grab a handful & squeeze (though maybe not under the direct gaze of the sa ). i like to wear a lot of knits for this reason & also i'm curvy. you also want to think about how it will wear. anything showing wear at the store is obviously not what you want. wools are some of the best fabrics for wearing well, like gabardine, crepe, or knit. silk can wear poorly in a skirt, and you want to look closely at linings. you can have them replaced, but that is you spending $$ to make up for the manufacturer cutting costs at your expense. construction ... in general, raw edges may not be the best idea, though i do have a couple in my wardrobe. turn a bunch of things at various price points inside out, & you will begin to see what is a good seam & what's not. reinforcements at stress points (like you see on jeans) are a very good idea. cut ... some of this is personal. the garment should fall well when you put it on. a good tailor can help. it was really helpful to me to have a job in a menswear store in college where i learned what good tailors can do. once at barney's i got the tailor out to improve the fit of the pants i was buying & afterwards the sa--who had told me not to worry about it--said he didn't know the tailor could do that. not sure where you are in the arc of your career, but if you get a chance to do that part-or full-time for awhile, it's a great learning experience. does this answer your question?

 

[fashionista-ta]

checked on the weight at nap ... the rocco weighs 3.7 lbs vs 3.1 for the bayswater. but it will hold less, so the size will keep the total weight down.

btw, betinapple, the tan bag in the mulberry ads with the zippers and applied envelope is pretty cute ... maybe for next year??

 

[carolinab]

Here's my list!

Skirts
- Black tight skirt (too big, may go to the tailor)
- Black leather skirt (too big, this need to be tailored, it’s so beautiful. But I lost a lot of weight and now it doesn’t fit)
- Black full skirt
- Pleated skirt
- Long skirt. Have a long mustard yellow pleated one, it must be tailored

Dresses
- Bodycon dress
- Wool dress
- Floral dresses for summer and winter
- Summer dresses
- More fancy dresses
- Long summer dress

Pants
- Black mid/high rise skinny jeans
- Blue mid/high rise skinny jeans
- Colored skinny jeans (dark green or oxblood)
- Denim shorts
- Fancy shorts

Shirts and blouses
- Sheer shirts
- White silk shirt
- Black silk shirt
- Flannel shirt (great for layering in winter)
- Denim shirt

Tops
- Breton navy and cream/white ¾ top
- Basic long and short sleeved white, grey and black tops
- Silk sleeveless tops (black and white)

Knitwear
- Cable knit sweater
- Navy blue sweater (may be replaced)
- Chunky cream/beige sweater
- Black cardigan


Jackets and blazers
- Grey blazers
- Black blazer
- Faux leather jacket

Outwear
- Navy peacoat
- Black wool peacoat
- Checkered wool peacoat
- Navy blue parka with faux fur on the hood
- Faux fur leather jacket
- Trench coat


Shoes
- black leather Chelsea boots
- black suede pistol/Chelsea boots
- patent oxfords
- brown oxfords
- black velvet loafers
- white ankle boots

Bags
- evening bags (navy blue and clutch)
- black leather bag
- brown leather bag
- medium messenger bag
- small everyday bags (white and black)

Accessories
- rayban black wayfarer
- wool beanie
- faux fur hat
- fedora/boater hat
- silver necklace
- gold necklace
- maybe a ring (I’m not used to wear rings)
- scarves

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ it looks like you're in pretty good shape & have a reasonable shopping list

do rings bug you? have you worn them in the past?

 

[carolinab]

^ yes! they bug me a lot, my fingers start to itch and I don't feel comfortable.
I never wore jewellery until last year when I bought some necklaces. Braclets and watchs are difficult to find because my wrist are soo thin everything is big and falls.

 

[Jinadaze]

^ I have the same issue too, so I'm constantly wearing the same Hérmes bracelet which will fall apart on me someday and I solve the problem with watches the way I get additional wholes in the leather strap made.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^^ then i'd just say no to rings

with a leather band, you can have extra holes punched. you can also have links removed. a clamp bracelet style watch would be ideal--and there are bracelets like that too.

i wear rings & earrings, but no bracelets & rarely necklaces.

 

[pinkpol15h]

^^^ I'm the exactly opposite. I wear two thin rings on my middle & ring finger + a thin little rhinestone on neon green string bracelet.
I seldom wear anything else on my wrists (other than a Cartier watch passed down to me, worn on special occasions) because I find it cuts my arm off.. so unfortunate.

 

[Betinapple]

@Barbaraa: Great list. You are very specific! I could have put more items on my list but I wanted to go with just the basics. Things that could be a very small but yet useable wardrobe. What kind of wrap dress do you want? I love them since they really suits any kind of female body (IMO) but somehow whenever I try one on I feel like it does not fit my age. Am I crazy?

@Carolina: I do not think that your musthavelist is long at all. Good idea about taking your skirts to the tailor - much better than buying something new. What does your wardrobe look like? Can you easily see all of your clothes? Maybe that would help. I must admit though that I have been wearing the same combinations a lot this winter. Partly because I get tired and therefore lazy but also due to the fact that I do not have enough winter apropriate clothes. Not very wise for one living in a country where winter takes almost all year.

Seems like you have quite a nice wardrobe allready.

@Tata:

Sweaters: Sounds good that they will wear better but I am not sure how I like the sound of nylon. Hm. Thx for your answer though. Found a sweater at a real good price and I am considering getting it even though it almost will be out of season.

The bag: Do you know the name of the bag? Sounds cute!

@Rachelle: Welcome! I go for natural fabrics like wool (cashmere, merino, lambswool) and cotton (but blends since they last better then 100% cotton). I also love viscose. It is soft I do not get hot like when wearing polyester and it is not as fragile and difficult to wash as silk, which I used to buy a lot. I love how silk feels but it is to impractical for me I guess.

@Juliette: What do you use now that you do not own a classic everyday bag? I aggree with Ta-ta it IS a great investment. I use mine all the time. But some people do seem to get along quite well without one.


Must say it is so nice with all of the activity!

 

[barbaraaa]

have you tried rubbing them gently with a damp cloth? i was wondering if you could use saddle soap, and the answer is yes ... http://www.ehow.com/list_7341053_ways-clean-patent-leather.html

Hmm, I might try that but I think it's more serious than that. They have some serious scratches but thank you anyway

@Barbaraa: Great list. You are very specific! I could have put more items on my list but I wanted to go with just the basics. Things that could be a very small but yet useable wardrobe. What kind of wrap dress do you want? I love them since they really suits any kind of female body (IMO) but somehow whenever I try one on I feel like it does not fit my age. Am I crazy?

I know what you mean, some wrap dresses just feel fit for an older audience... mostly when they have a pattern, I think. But yes, they're very flattering. I can't wear anything too tight because I have weird idented hips, and I find wrap dresses do work! I'm not sure what kind of dress I want, the red dress and the wrap dress I want might end up being a single dress

Edit: Oh, and I might have found my breton sweater:

mangooutlet.com

 

[Juliette]

^That sweater is gorgeous!

Betinapple I have three big bags that I wear all the time, one black Birkin lookalike from Orsay, a studded black bag from Zara and a brown one from Bags & More. I also have a yellow/green smaller bag, a quilted patent black handbag, and my hot pink clutch. I get by quite well with them, but on an everyday basis (if I'm not going to work or school), I don't like carrying big bags, which is why I'd rather invest in a small one. If you have any suggestions other than the ones I had in mind, feel free to let me know!

 

[Betinapple]

@Barbaraa: unfortunately I get that feeling when wearing a black wrap dress as well. Somehow it feels off. Such a shame.

Good idea combining the two dresses! Think that would be chic.

That sweater looks perfect. Actually so perfect that I had to check it out. I am a bit concerned how it will wear though, since it is mainly cotton.

 

[Betinapple]

@Juliette: Sounds like you are sort of well covered. Are you happy with the bags you've already got for school and work? Do they fit your style? Are they worn and therefore needs replacing?

 

[barbaraaa]

Hm, I know what you mean about the cotton. They don't hold shape as well... I usually prefer cotton sweaters to wool because, living in Portugal, winters aren't very hard and wool can be a bit too heavy/suffocating, so I wasn't considering that.

 

[Betinapple]

Hm, I know what you mean about the cotton. They don't hold shape as well... I usually prefer cotton sweaters to wool because, living in Portugal, winters aren't very hard and wool can be a bit too heavy/suffocating, so I wasn't considering that.

I will probably go for cotton as well (although I am open to the possibility of buying a woolen one), but I would go for a blend (silk/cotton, cotton/viscose). I think they wear nicer.

 

[Juliette]

Like I mentioned in the combinations thread (go post in there, people! ), my black skirt REALLY needs replacing. I have a black skater skirt but it's very flimsy and not structured at all. Do any of you know of any nicely structured skirts in black? The length should be somewhere between mini and midi. It can have regular pleats, box pleats... Even a skater skirt would be okay, but it has to be thicker. Please help, because I've looked through numerous sites and stores and really can't find anything.

 

[barbaraaa]

I think Zara had one like that... not sure about the quality or the length, however, as I didn't really care for it.