The 4-5 piece French wardrobe #6

[fashionista-ta]

Guys, speaking of party dresses (kind of), I had a bit of a wardrobe crisis this weekend as I was going to a friend's birthday party and had nothing to wear. And I realized that's the kind of situation that always leaves me a little stuck in front of my wardrobe - the kind of event that is dressier than just out for dinner or drinks, but not quite full on cocktail dress and heels. Perhaps I am making up nuances that isn't there, but what do you wear for occasions like that? Ideally, I think I'd just wear what I normally do (black jeans or skirt with a button-down shirt/blouse) and dress it up with some bold jewelry, lipstick and heels, but I have a chronic foot injury which means I can't wear heels (unless for very special occasions, and if I know there won't be a lot of walking/standing), and without heels I find it hard to feel dressy enough. A LBD would be a good option too I think, and I have one that I like a lot, but it's a pencil dress which I find looks a bit strange on me with flat shoes, so it's not versatile enough. I need some outfit suggestions!


And re. dresses: I have quite a large collection of vintage dresses, but I just cleaned out my wardrobe and put away a lot of them that I don't wear anymore in storage. I am left with five, one day dress and four evening dresses. I feel like that's a good number, but I wish the ones I had were a bit more versatile, so the aim is to slowly replace them as I find better solutions.

If I had your collection of vintage dresses, I'd wear one of them to the birthday party

But typically I combine dressier elements--like a really beautiful silk blouse--with black pants that I can also wear to work. I also have black velvet palazzo pants that I combine with tops or sweaters that perhaps can also be worn to work. Like Jinadaze was saying, a black pencil skirt works too. I also have a navy one with black lace tuxedo stripes.

 

[Nymphaea]

Dresses, 15 total, from winter boucle up to some summer dresses.

Dressing up/down I do mainly with jewelry, chic shoes/heels and make up , but chic flats is also a great possibility. For example: daytime black pants and black blouse with flat shoes and casual make up and a black cardigan when it's cold, evening adding a large gold statement necklace on top of my blouse, chic shoes/heels, a bit heavier make up/lipstick and maybe 2 gold cuff bracelets and earrings and switching the cardigan for a jacket. And when I'm wearing a chic dress I don't add much more. Simple elegant chic is my forte.

 

[Betinapple]

@Caramel: Doesn't any of those vintage dresses go with flat shoes? I can see that jeans can seem a bit casual with flats, but a pencil skirt and a dressy skirt with ballet flats, a clutch, some nice jewelry and maybe a little lipstick I would find perfect for an occasion like that. I even wear flat boots for semi-dressy events from one time to another, as long as I did something to my hair and makeup and changes my day bag for a clutch. I think it can work with jeans, a dressy shirt and a blazer/bouclé jacket as well. You could also invest in a pair of more formal ballet flats. Perhaps some with some nice detailing - dressy shoes, but without a heel.

Really, I rarely wear heels (stilettos). I wear my ACNE boots, but that is that. I do not have a foot injury, I am just lazy and walk a lot.

@Missstarshine: that used to be my argument for having quite a lot of party dresses as well. I think it is better to buy a cocktail dress when you see one you like than when you have to because you are attending a cocktail-dress-ish party. The problem just is that all of my party dresses are black = i.e. not wedding apropriate, and I rarely have any other occasions that require that sort of clothes. Sigh.

@Jinadaze: that is excactly the place I want to get to. I think I can do fine for almost any occasion with my Tiger of Sweden LBD, and if I have to go to a wedding, I have a pink H&M dress (looks a little like the Oscar De La Renta one Carrie is wearing in SATC when she dances at McDonalds with the russian ), that I love and feel great in.

Like I said in the other thread, I really love those brogues - so great and very feminine with the gold heel - a good type of shoe if you need a dressier pair of flats, Caramel

--------

I recieved my sweater today and it is perfect. A bit too perfect One of those things that I simply just feel great in and that works with just anything in my wardrobe. Now I want it in grey and powder pink as well

Also I found a really nice stripe sweater, also from Sibin Linnebjerg, marked down (almost 50% of) and just in my size. I am really contemplating buying it - and considering banning myself from the internet. Too many temptations.

 

[indie]

I've always read this thread and thought one day, one day... I am a massive second hand hoarder and could get easily 5 pieces in one go, quality ones too, I love quality and it is easy to find from second hands if you just know what to look for.

But starting from this year, I have bought only two items of clothing, both from second hand. Dark grey Jil Sander silk/wool pants and cashmere lounge pants. Both really needed.

Drastic change to my previous habits.

I've found that two things really help achieving this:

If you can barely manage rent, it is easy to cut down on spending on clothes and get creative utilizing existing wardrobe.

And if your rent is for a single bed room in London (basically a bed+clothing rack+wardrobe), you suddenly start to think you have so many clothes

 

[eizhowa]

^Wow, that is a drastic change indeed Maybe I need an even smaller apartment. I am currently living in a 20 m^2 flat, which is tiny as far as I am concerned, but I can still find room for most of my clothes

I think your two purchases this year sounds great, Indie!

Trenchcoat: I am going to have a look a that blouse as well It is rust and viscose, so I must check it out! I am not sure about the pockets and the buttons, but I'll hold my judgement untill I see them in real life. I salvaged some rust buttons from another shirt, so maybe I can change them


Betina: The sweater sounds great! I love the texture of the knits. It really adds character to them.

(warning: angry rant)
I am getting seriously annoyed at the ridiculous duty fees in my country. They haven't changed the import value limit since the 1970s, even though 200 NOK then is about 1200 NOK today! I can't even buy a lipstick online without paying duty fees! The government won't change it because it supposedly protects Norwegian shops, but the last time I checked, the stores in Norway - HM, Zara, Mango etc. - weren't Norwegian...(or worth supporting, reallyangry: I wan't pretty wool sweaters from Sibin Linnebjerg too (and I don't want to be in the EU)

two months off: I would be very interested in seeing your capsule wardrobe!

 

[Betinapple]

^Wow, that is a drastic change indeed Maybe I need an even smaller apartment. I am currently living in a 20 m^2 flat, which is tiny as far as I am concerned, but I can still find room for most of my clothes

I think your two purchases this year sounds great, Indie!

Trenchcoat: I am going to have a look a that blouse as well It is rust and viscose, so I must check it out! I am not sure about the pockets and the buttons, but I'll hold my judgement untill I see them in real life. I salvaged some rust buttons from another shirt, so maybe I can change them


Betina: The sweater sounds great! I love the texture of the knits. It really adds character to them.

(warning: angry rant)
I am getting seriously annoyed at the ridiculous duty fees in my country. They haven't changed the import value limit since the 1970s, even though 200 NOK then is about 1200 NOK today! I can't even buy a lipstick online without paying duty fees! The government won't change it because it supposedly protects Norwegian shops, but the last time I checked, the stores in Norway - HM, Zara, Mango etc. - weren't Norwegian...(or worth supporting, reallyangry: I wan't pretty wool sweaters from Sibin Linnebjerg too (and I don't want to be in the EU)

two months off: I would be very interested in seeing your capsule wardrobe!

I can understand your rant. I think it is annyoing that I can not buy anything from the outside of EU without having to pay duties (and the danish postal services fee, which is 160 danish kroner, and therefore often more than the duty fees itself). So I almost can't imagine your situation. And I do not get why Norway doesn't at least have a trading aggreement with the other scandinavian countries.

If I can be of any help, please let me know I guess you do not have to pay taxes when recieving gifts?

I really like the texture of the knit as well. Excactly what I wanted, since I found that my plain Benneton pullover could look a little dull. Also it is very lightweight, which is perfect since I can wear it not only during the winter, but for early fall/spring as well. Now I just have to resist buying it in every colour. I found out that besides from lightgrey, it is also made in light blue and dusty pink But I think I will start with this one and then maybe buy the grey one for fall.

I am still contemplating that stripe sweater though.

 

[Caramel]

Caramel I would probably just wear what you said but with flats. I'm tall though so I usually wear flats.

If I had your collection of vintage dresses, I'd wear one of them to the birthday party

But typically I combine dressier elements--like a really beautiful silk blouse--with black pants that I can also wear to work. I also have black velvet palazzo pants that I combine with tops or sweaters that perhaps can also be worn to work. Like Jinadaze was saying, a black pencil skirt works too. I also have a navy one with black lace tuxedo stripes.

Dressing up/down I do mainly with jewelry, chic shoes/heels and make up , but chic flats is also a great possibility. For example: daytime black pants and black blouse with flat shoes and casual make up and a black cardigan when it's cold, evening adding a large gold statement necklace on top of my blouse, chic shoes/heels, a bit heavier make up/lipstick and maybe 2 gold cuff bracelets and earrings and switching the cardigan for a jacket. And when I'm wearing a chic dress I don't add much more. Simple elegant chic is my forte.

@Caramel: Doesn't any of those vintage dresses go with flat shoes? I can see that jeans can seem a bit casual with flats, but a pencil skirt and a dressy skirt with ballet flats, a clutch, some nice jewelry and maybe a little lipstick I would find perfect for an occasion like that. I even wear flat boots for semi-dressy events from one time to another, as long as I did something to my hair and makeup and changes my day bag for a clutch. I think it can work with jeans, a dressy shirt and a blazer/bouclé jacket as well. You could also invest in a pair of more formal ballet flats. Perhaps some with some nice detailing - dressy shoes, but without a heel.

Really, I rarely wear heels (stilettos). I wear my ACNE boots, but that is that. I do not have a foot injury, I am just lazy and walk a lot.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Re. my vintage dresses, I have a few issues with them, even though I still love them dearly and think they are beautiful. I have been collecting for ten years, but my style has gradually changed the past couple of years, and most of my dresses are more fussy than I like to feel nowadays. They are very much statement pieces, with bold colours and/or patterns, and thus not very versatile, they don't lend themselves well to different types of accessories, etc., so I feel they are more occasion wear - I will probably always find something to wear for a wedding or for Christmas, but for more relaxed events it just feels a bit much.


It sounds like you all have mostly the same ideas as me when it comes to dressing up, and maybe I am just too hung up on the fact that I can't wear high heels. I find dressing up is not impossible when the weather is nice enough to wear ballet flats, but here in Norway that's sadly only a few months of the year. In the winter, even though I have flat boots that are quite elegant, it just doesn't feel that dressy for evening. Those brogues are really nice though, I might look into something like that.


I think I may start searching for a LBD too, since it's clear to me that the one I have doesn't work for most occasions. My guidelines:
- Something relatively short in length - I am petite with short legs, so I feel like a short length works best for me when I am wearing flats.
- Not full skirted - paired with ballerina flats a full skirt makes me feel a little too girly and young.
- I think I prefer something with sleeves

And I think I also need to put a new evening purse/clutch on my list, though I have no idea where to start with that!

 

[Caramel]

eizhowa, I couldn't agree more about Norwegian duty fees, it drives me crazy! It wouldn't be so bad if we had a decent selection in the shops here, but we really don't. H&Ms and Vero Modas everywhere, but not very much else...

betinapple, I find it so hard to find good knitwear that when I find something I like in a good quality I usually go for it, even if it's not what I need the most at that particular time. So I would probably get the striped sweater too... That's probably not what you need to hear...

I also have an update on my search for black jeans - I found a pair that I really liked yesterday, from Gina Tricot of all places. I don't think I have ever bought anything from there before, but it turns out their jeans are not bad. The fabric is quite stretchy, but they are 98% cotton 2% stretch so they feel a bit more solid than most of the polyester-mix denims that are everywhere at the moment. Medium rise, solid black, skinny, good pocket size and placement. I couldn't decide between two sizes so I got both, and after wearing them for a bit at home I decided to keep the smaller one. Will wear them for a few days, and if I really like them I will get another pair just to be safe!

 

[RedandNavy]

Ohhhhh… as a Swiss I know the headache of not being in the EU… Don't get me started, I will get so annoyed when talking about this I don't really get my own country's politics.

I bought a watch yesterday! I have wanted to buy a watch for a long time and thought about buying a nice traditional metallic watch, but that costs big money… So I was always waiting for better times. And they haven't arrived yet So yesterday I saw this polka dot swatch at a Zurich swatch store - and I totally had to buy it. I hadn't bought a swatch since my teenage days and actually didn't think I'd buy one again. But I love white polka dots on navy, and I suddenly thought that a bit of plastic would make a nice contrast to cashmere and silk And the price was so okay!

Picture: my own.

 

[Trenchcoat]

I'm more into the Scandinavian brands now: Gestuz, mbyM, Minimum, MinkPink, Modström, Nümph. I've found this jumper from Just Female. This is the perfect colour for me.

justfemale.com

 

[elle s'ennuie]

Indie I'm jealous, I wish I could find cashmere pants second hand too

eizhowa Customs taxes are annoying indeed, especially if you need to return something, ugh. I try to keep my online shopping within the EU for this reason, luckily these days at least most UK stores ship to my country for reasonable shipping costs. Maybe try to bribe Betina to be your Sibin Linnebjerg supplier.

Caramel I have kind of a similar problem, I used to be really into vintage and most of my dresses are vintage. But now my style has moved on a bit, and they no longer feel like me, yet they're so pretty that I have a hard time letting them go, even if I never wear them.

I've been on a trench search this past week and have come up pretty empty-handed... I figured out I'd prefer a jacket-length trench, but those seem to be in short supply at the moment, not much colour choice.

 

[eizhowa]

^I also have that problem I love vintage dresses and I used to collect them, but I think I have too many dresses and too few occasions to wear them now. I also seem to prefer more understated styles and simple lines more and more.

RedandNavy: It looks quirky - I like it!

 

[Trenchcoat]

Does anyone know the Danish brand Minimum? I like scandinavian brands and would like to buy a simple tee.

 

[Trenchcoat]

I've made a list for myself of my wardrobe and I started basically without anything (a lot of primark stuff, H&M, vero moda and different colours). This is my list, its quite long but this is my whole essential wardrobe with 22 pieces (all seasons). Bold = already bought

- Cheap Monday wash jeans
- COS white tee
- COS grey tee
- Black tee
- Beige/sand sweater
- Big cardigan
- Navy sweater
- Grey jacket
- Beige silk blouse
- Black cami
- Navy boho blouse
- Saint James Meridien jumper
- Grey jeans
- Black jeans
- Black suit pants
- Leather ballerinas
- Leather sandals
- Trenchcoat
- Black skirt
- Black blazer
- Navy blazer
- Ankle boots IM look
- Leather boots

 

[misstarshine]

Wow Trenchcoat that looks like a great concise wardrobe. I'm planning on doing some serious wardrobe organization over the next few weeks

 

[Trenchcoat]

Wow Trenchcoat that looks like a great concise wardrobe. I'm planning on doing some serious wardrobe organization over the next few weeks

It is very minimal. But a wardrobe full of good basics is a good wardrobe imo. I also have more jackets and more items. But those are extra. I want the base to be perfect. I have a board on my pinterest 'Outfits that I would like to wear/combine'. And almost every outfit in that board could be created with that list. Once I have my essentials I can think of buying extra things buy essentials are the most important in a wardrobe.

 

[Betinapple]

@Caramel: no it wasn't, but I ended up ordering it anyway I recieved it just before the weekend and it seems like the perfect striped sweater, that I have been looking for. Also, it is so thin that I can tuck it into my skirt, and I really love that - and yes, good knitwear is hard to come by! I will have to return the black sweater, since I found out when trying it on with some of the pieces from my wardrobe that I would wear it with, that it was too long. Sigh. Why is it so hard to find a black sweater that is not either too wide or too long, if not both? I find myself drowning in most styles ATM - has the sizes gotten bigger?

How do you like your new jeans?

__________________

I am having a real hard time finding a trenchcoat. Most of them are in a bad quality, a wrong cut, or too long, and I would really like something knee-length or a little shorter this time, so I can wear it with ballet flats.

 

[eizhowa]

^I think the whole oversized-trend messed with the "standard sizes". You know, that and some good old fashion vanity-sizing

I have put the trenchcoat-idea on the backburner this season. I just don't think it will look great with my Balenciaga bag. There are so many details on a trench, and so many details on my bag, it is making me dizzy.

 

[Betinapple]

^I think the whole oversized-trend messed with the "standard sizes". You know, that and some good old fashion vanity-sizing

I have put the trenchcoat-idea on the backburner this season. I just don't think it will look great with my Balenciaga bag. There are so many details on a trench, and so many details on my bag, it is making me dizzy.

Yeah, but could they STOP doing that? It is sort of anoying when you have to walk around looking like a 5 year old who went into her mothers closet..

I can see what you mean, but I have seen some great minimalistic trenchcoats. I am contemplating putting my search on hold as well. I am not seeing anything I like, but I have found a black spring/summer coat in a 60's-ish-yet-modern cut, that might be great with my wardrobe. If a trenchcoat doesn't appear within the nearer future, I might get that instead. I do have my leather jacket, but they are not warm enough yet, and I think I will grow really tired of my down jacket soon, if I do not get something to alternate with.

 

[fashionista-ta]

@Caramel: no it wasn't, but I ended up ordering it anyway I recieved it just before the weekend and it seems like the perfect striped sweater, that I have been looking for. Also, it is so thin that I can tuck it into my skirt, and I really love that - and yes, good knitwear is hard to come by! I will have to return the black sweater, since I found out when trying it on with some of the pieces from my wardrobe that I would wear it with, that it was too long. Sigh. Why is it so hard to find a black sweater that is not either too wide or too long, if not both? I find myself drowning in most styles ATM - has the sizes gotten bigger?

How do you like your new jeans?

__________________

I am having a real hard time finding a trenchcoat. Most of them are in a bad quality, a wrong cut, or too long, and I would really like something knee-length or a little shorter this time, so I can wear it with ballet flats.

Do you think some of them (trenches I mean) could be hemmed to the length you want, or are the buttons placed wrong for that?