The 4-5 piece French wardrobe #6

[fashionista-ta]

Caramel all my jeans are from Nudie Jeans, the brand is targeted towards men but I know lots of women who wear them as well. They have a big range of models, you might wanna check if they've got something you like.
The fact that they are targeted towards men will probably prevent them for looking/feeling like leggings and they have room in certain area's to prevent camel toe.

Too funny

I went ahead & ordered the Nicholas Kirkwood pink loafers I've been thinking about since I saw them in a different color/texture in Elle. (They are pinned.) Will see how they fit ... ordered them from a store that is based here but doesn't carry the shoe locally (so hard to find his shoes here for some reason!), so if I need to return them, I can do so in person if I want to. I've been thinking about a pink shoe for some time, so hopefully this will be a good one when I see it in person. If these work, they will be piece #4.

 

[eizhowa]

Trenchcoat: There are a lot of knits in the color you like in the Isabel Marant F/W 14.15 collection. Even if you don't want to spend that kind of money, it might mean that the color will filter down into the collection of less expensive brands

Jeans: I am very pleased with my grey M. Grifoni jeans. They are definitly jeans, not leggings and have a very cool wash/finishes. I never cared for Levis, because they never have the cuts or colors I want. My local store only stock black and blue jeans, no grey ones

Burberry trench: I used the tip Ta-ta mentioned. I went to a store and tried on a Burberry trench to determine my size. My conclusion was that the sleeves are too long on ALL of them If I buy a Burberry trench, it will be a vintage Petite sized one...

Thanks for the link, Ta-ta

 

[Caramel]

Caramel all my jeans are from Nudie Jeans, the brand is targeted towards men but I know lots of women who wear them as well. They have a big range of models, you might wanna check if they've got something you like.
The fact that they are targeted towards men will probably prevent them for looking/feeling like leggings and they have room in certain area's to prevent camel toe.

Haha, thanks for the suggestion! I don't believe I've tried Nudie, so I will definitely check them out.

Trenchcoat, the ones I have from Levi's are the Curve i.d. I really like the concept and was very excited when they first came out, as I have wide hips/small waist and have always had problems with gaping waistbands. But they have such a short rise that the waist hits right on my hipbone, and since the waistband is cut smaller they keep wanting to rise up, thus giving me camel toe. I measured as a bold curve, so that's what I have, but perhaps a slight or demi curve would actually fit me better. They are still a lower rise than I prefer though. I'm looking for a medium rise, 8.5-9". I've tried a few high waist styles, but I don't think they are the most flattering for my curvy behind.

Being that I am quite particular about what I am looking for I thought perhaps making some of my own would be the easiest way to go, and I have just finished a pair based on my most loved and worn jeans. I got the fit exactly as I wanted, though finding good denim fabric is not easy, so I consider these a test version. We'll see what turns up first, good quality fabric or the perfect RTW pair.

 

[elle s'ennuie]

Okay, lazy Sunday, so time to plan ahead for spring. I'll just use this place as my notebook.

For spring/summer, looking for:

• A trenchcoat! Like almost everyone else here Light-coloured, (predominantly) cotton, would love it if the lining too was cotton or viscose. I have a bright blue one with a full skirt, but that one is quite a statement item on its own, I'd like something more neutral also. Pricewise, Burberry is a bit out of my range...
• Brogues/lace-ups, grey or taupe. The pair I have is not going to last much longer.
• A lighter-coloured bag, custom-made by an etsy seller
• A square scarf, cotton/silk or wool/silk
• A couple of replacement tees for summer

 

[barbaraaa]

I decided to buy some boots rather than the other pairs I had mentioned I had been looking for boots earlier this season (as in... Autumn/Winter), and it has been raining a lot, so my desire for boots returned. I also somehow found a pair that seems to be all I ever looked for, nicely discounted and about to sell out. I think these will allow me for different silhouettes and looks, something another pair of oxfords or loafers would likely not:

asos

I'm also going to look for this pair (sorry, couldn't find a pic in a nice, embeddable size) later this week - I think they are incredibly beautiful and they bring a bit of a twist to my otherwise usually boring footwear.


Jeans: in my experience it's hard to either praise or reject a whole store/brand, as I've had both perfect and atrocious fits from every brand I ever tried. It's just so hard, which is why I kinda stopped wearing jeans in 2012 I have a perfect fitting pair from Zara, where I could never seem to find nicely fitting jeans, and I recently got a unisex pair from Cheap Monday which fit nicely too, although they are a more relaxed fit (the Zara pair are skinny). I too have a way tiny waist when compared to my hips so I need a belt with every pair, but I find that medium waisted jeans usually "taper" more around the waist and don't fit as awkward (don't gape as much).

 

[Trenchcoat]

I've decided to buy the Saint James sweater Breton, the same one as Eizhowa (pinned it). I will go to the store this week and try it on. But I'm totally convinced with the theory of absolutely loving every item in your wardrobe. I'm not buying anything anymore if I don't absolutely love it. I want to be like a French woman and wear 90% of my wardrobe (thats why I want a small but good wardrobe).

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Why not 100%? Or does the 10% account for occasion wear?

barbara mentioned awhile back the price of a pair of shoes in comparison to income. This got me thinking ...

I remember when I bought my trench I was in college ... I used my summer earnings. The coat was on sale but still expensive even by today's standards. Although I had the money, I put it on layaway so I could pay it in smaller chunks & not have to hand over the whole lot at once! Plus I think probably I didn't need the coat yet--probably it was the end of winter when it was on sale. I remember that all of my jobs paid more than minimum wage at the time ... the job I had the summer between high school and college I think paid $4.25 an hour (minimum wage was $3 something at the time).

Is anyone interested in figuring out what we're spending on clothes as a percentage of annual income? I know that coat was a major chunk of my annual income that year--and probably the best money I've ever spent. I remember reading in a fashion magazine that it was fine to spend 15% (thanks for that unbiased input!). I also think there's a difference in what's reasonable when you're a student and someone else is still ultimately responsible, vs what's a good idea when you're on your own & responsible for your own household.

 

[RedandNavy]

Tata: I really want to know how you like those pink shoes... I only saw the pair you pinnend on my board but they looked lovely. As for spending/earning: I think I'm somewhere at 12%? To me that sounds like a lot. But that's just from my part time job income. Right now we mostly live in my husbands income (there have been opposite times in the past...:-))

 

[Betinapple]

Wardrobe size: If you are really good at only buying things you love and want to wear all the time, I do not think 30 items is too little clothes. I have been keeping track of what I wear since October, and even though my wardrobe has been between 70 and 80 pieces throughout the period, I have worn less then 50 items each month. Some months more like 40. Also I find, that nowadays I do not prefer my party clothes to be exclusively reserved for events. My best LBD can be worn for both everyday with boots and parties with stilettos, and really I would like all my party appropriate clothes to be like that. Cause really, how many parties does one go to? Also, when I go out for dinner, I often wear my everyday clothes but add a little lipstick, change my shoes or my bags for a clutch etc. instead of litteraly dressing up. But I am not sure wether that is just how we do it in Denmark - we tend to be a bit casual about such things. A bit too much sometimes in my opinion.

@Fewormany: thanks for the advice! I really like their stuff. They do not have any trenchcoats ATM though. Maybe it is too early in the season?

Did you learn anything about you wardrobe besides that you need more than 2 options? I find that packing can add a fresh perspective.

Maybe I should try looking at nudie jeans. We actually have a store in my town that has them.

@Ta-ta: Good idea in regards of the Burberry coat. Cute loafers btw!

@Purchases vs. income: I spend around 12% of my income on clothing - perhaps a bit more. Or, I did last year at least, but I probably spend more the year before, since I bought three designer bags. Probably will be higher this year as well. I actually thought it would be more, but we moved in 2012 and bought a lot of new furniture last year, so that is probably where my money went. For a student I spend a lot of money on clothes (and food, both groceries and going out) but I only have myself to take care of, so I have decided to enjoy it as long as it lasts

@Missstarshine: I really find it to be impossible as well!
__________________


Tried on some trenchcoats yesterday, but really I find the selection to be quite small this year. I now know, that I definetly want something doublebreasted, not too long (probably between mid thigh to just over the knee) and made of fabric a bit heavy. Now I just need to find it The one I liked best was this one from esprit, but I want something better quality wise, and it had some detaling that looked cheap.

pic via zalando.dk

 

[misstarshine]

I wish I could survive on a small wardrobe but I guess it's just not me. I'm staying at my inlaws while my house is being painted and packed what I thought would be a great capsule wardrobe. But after 1 week I have already gone back and got more clothes twice.

I've been keeping track of what I've been wearing too and since October last year I've worn over 100 different items. I do generally stick to my 4-5 items a season. I just already have a lot of clothes.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Tata: I really want to know how you like those pink shoes... I only saw the pair you pinnend on my board but they looked lovely. As for spending/earning: I think I'm somewhere at 12%? To me that sounds like a lot. But that's just from my part time job income. Right now we mostly live in my husbands income (there have been opposite times in the past...:-))

You know I will let you know how I like them They are pinned on my closet board. They never showed up in the feed because I moved them from a secret board--I think. Since I already have two pairs of shoes with the same heel, I know I like that part

I will figure out tonight what my %age is. I view it as combination hobby/functional items I could not be a bigger believer, though, in the philosophy that everything you buy should be beautiful. I think there's a really important benefit associated with surrounding yourself with beautiful things. Maybe more than one!

 

[Fewormany]

@Fewormany: thanks for the advice! I really like their stuff. They do not have any trenchcoats ATM though. Maybe it is too early in the season?

Did you learn anything about you wardrobe besides that you need more than 2 options? I find that packing can add a fresh perspective.

Maybe I should try looking at nudie jeans. We actually have a store in my town that has them.

I think I saw some trenchcoats on their site under ' Rainwear' or something like that. But I might be wrong, my memory isn't that great.
Regarding the Nudie Jeans, it's my favorite brand. I've got 3 pair the olders pair being about 4 years old and they look even better when they age. Plus I really like their fits, especially the Grim Tim which is the last one I bought (in grey).

Packing Well, the main thing I learned from packing is that I'm quite low maintenece when I travel. I don't need or want that much options, too bad that doesn't fully translate to my wardrobe yet . And when I'm packing I always enjoy the fact that pretty much all of clothes work together (the benefits of a color scheme).

% I think I spend about 10-15 percent of my income on clothing. But it really depends, sometimes I don't buy anything for months and sometimes I spend about 20% on clothing I think.
I agree with ta-ta, it's totally worth to invest in beautiful things. It's an instant mood lifter to wear, smell or look at something you really love.

 

[fashionista-ta]

OK, mine is 8% of gross for 2013.

I've decided to exchange a pair of past-season pants that are just not working. First I'm getting them cleaned

 

[eizhowa]

^I am closer to 25%, but I can't earn very much because I would loose my scholarship. I am sticking to that with that excuse And hopefully I can minimize the % this year, as I have a greater foundation to build on, and I don't plan to buy any more expensive handbags (this year)...

 

[Nymphaea]

I've received black woolen Vionnet pants, but one size is too small and a size larger is too wide in the waist area. I've tried already several black woolen pants, but still not the perfect one. But I will keep trying!

I've really got no idea what my percentage is. I only spend money on my wardrobe when it is something I really like/want and I've got the cash to buy it.

 

[Nymphaea]

I agree with ta-ta, it's totally worth to invest in beautiful things. It's an instant mood lifter to wear, smell or look at something you really love.

I totally agree with you two. I really want to enjoy my purchases, everytime I wear it and look at it.

 

[barbaraaa]

I've received black woolen Vionnet pants, but one size is too small and a size larger is too wide in the waist area. I've tried already several black woolen pants, but still not the perfect one. But I will keep trying! :muscles

I very often have to get trousers taken in at the waist... maybe that's an option to keep in mind!

 

[ScarlettLover]

I'm taking another stab at this. My main focus this time is actually buying pieces of good quality. At this point my wardrobe is a bit exhausted and nothing looks fresh. I'm starting with the basics! I bought this today:

Everlane Box Cut Tee in white via ebats.tumblr.com

It's only $16, so not even a splurge, but I really like how that brand operates and the quality is supposed to be great. My next purchase will be a really good pair of jeans. Anyone have any luck/advice on raw denim?

 

[elle s'ennuie]

I remember when I bought my trench I was in college ... I used my summer earnings. The coat was on sale but still expensive even by today's standards. Although I had the money, I put it on layaway so I could pay it in smaller chunks & not have to hand over the whole lot at once! Plus I think probably I didn't need the coat yet--probably it was the end of winter when it was on sale. I remember that all of my jobs paid more than minimum wage at the time ... the job I had the summer between high school and college I think paid $4.25 an hour (minimum wage was $3 something at the time).

I think I could perhaps spend the Burberry range on a trenchcoat if I absolutely loved it in every way... I'd be spending more than I make in a month, so it would have to be very special, since I can't afford to spend that much on every item I buy. I did take a look at Burberry coats and luckily for my bank account, they had nothing matching that criteria at the moment.

 

[Trenchcoat]

I also want to buy Everlane. I hope that they will ship to abroad. This is my current wishlist, I need more stuff but those can wait:

- Saint James Breton sweater
- Navi Silk cami (same as Jeanne Damas)
- White silk blouse
- Grey tee
- Navy-black jumper/cardigan

Later:
- Black skirt
- Grey blazer/jacket
- Turtleneck black/darkgrey
- cardigan