The 4-5 piece French wardrobe #2

[ShoestringTravel]

So I'm pretty proud of myself--I got a YSL Rive Gauche knee-length wool wrap skirt off of Ebay for a really low price--and it fits perfectly! It's navy blue, and very classy, but the occasional glimpse of leg you get due to the design makes it a bit more exciting. I wear it with a navy blue sweater top and some stilettos, or a leopard print merino wool sweater and some snakeskin wedges.

 

[Betinapple]

@Ta-ta: these look so great, classic and good for the feet (thin soles make my feet hurt)

I'm contemplating buying an acne skirt. Also believe I've found the perfect striped shirt, so even though I'm beyond my 5 items, i thing I'll buy both since I do have the money. After that I'm hoping to take a break from shopping should I buy anything, a statement blouse or dress would be preferable. I've been focusing way to much on basics and practical clothing and since I've sold probably half of my dresses I need to add some fun pieces to my wardrobe.

 

[Betinapple]

@Ta-ta: these look so great, classic and good for the feet (thin soles make my feet hurt)

I'm contemplating buying an acne skirt. Also believe I've found the perfect striped shirt, so even though I'm beyond my 5 items, i thing I'll buy both since I do have the money. After that I'm hoping to take a break from shopping should I buy anything, a statement blouse or dress would be preferable. I've been focusing way to much on basics and practical clothing and since I've sold probably half of my dresses I need to add some fun pieces to my wardrobe.

Tried the acne skirt on today, and even though it was a style that usually looks great on me, it was horrible.

So my current plan is to buy the striped blouse and then the Acne Pistol boots, which I accidentily fell in love with, when I have the money. I think they would be great in my wardrobe.

 

[busygirlsfashion]

^ Can you get Kate Spade where you are?

To me Mulberry is heavily inspired by other iconic bags, such as Hermes I think they are good bags, don't get me wrong ...

You might also look at Marc Jacobs.

I think sifting through bags is a good online activity, then at the store I see how it looks in person, the bag's lines when not professionally stuffed with tissue paper but instead with my actual stuff in it, how it feels, scale, how comfortable, how easy to get in and out of, etc.

Betinapple, too funny

I love Marc Jacobs bag. I have 4 now. [shame]

I love Marc by Marc Jacobs bags too. I have 7 too.

!! Oh god! I shop too much!!

 

[fashionista-ta]

Tried the acne skirt on today, and even though it was a style that usually looks great on me, it was horrible.

So my current plan is to buy the striped blouse and then the Acne Pistol boots, which I accidentily fell in love with, when I have the money. I think they would be great in my wardrobe.

Did that accident happen here by any chance?

 

[RedandNavy]

Betinapple: Well well, I've been wearing my Acne Pistols a lot lately! They are perfect for this fall weather and very comfy. I can recommend them. But I personally feel they look best with jeans and shorter skirts/dresses. When I wear them with knee length dresses they aren't that flattering for my legs.

My next purchases might be a pair of jeans (REALLY not a favorite to shop for, but I love jeans so I do have to replace from time to time) and maybe a statement necklace. I love wearing very classic cashmere sweaters in cold times and I feel I really need something to make them a bit more interesting. I might wait a bit longer though.

Oh, and I have seen THE perfect trench coat. I actually own one already and I'd need a winter coat much more right now but it's so perfect and unique that I might still buy it. But again, I'll wait a bit longer until I have saved enough. And if it's gone until then it wasn't meant to be...

 

[Betinapple]

@Ta-ta: actually, no I've seen them a million times online, but they never spoke to me before yesterday where I tried them on just for fun.

@Red and Navy: I could imagine, even though they look like the kind of ancle boots that looks best with a midi skirt. I will go to the store and try them on with a midiskirt though. I rarely (ATM; never) wear pants, and I have a great love for midiskirts atm.

I really admire your ability to WAIT and let it go if the specific items sold out when you get to buying it. I can ONLY do that if I simply do not have the money for it.

 

[Betinapple]

BTW, Red and Navy, your pistols are in a mustardy kind of colour, right? I will be getting them in the plain black version, and since I always wear black tights, I do not think they will make the legs look shorter in the same way as the mustard coloured ones paired with black tights will, if you know what I mean?

 

[RedandNavy]

Betinapple: It's certainly better to wear black ankle boots with black tights, no doubt! My mustard colored look great with jeans and actually with colored tights. I have a pair of burgundy tights and I think they look fun with them.

About my ability to wait: It's partly because of the money. Not because I'm broke all the time but because I just don't want to spend too much on my looks anymore. I love buying good pieces but I have to put myself limits. Just like with chocolate: I adore it and eat it quite a lot but I do have clear limits. Otherwise I'd be eating/shopping all the time and I'd just feel bad about it. I'd say you have to treat yourself but shouldn't cross a point where you feel bad about it. With anything in life.

 

[Betinapple]

Betinapple: It's certainly better to wear black ankle boots with black tights, no doubt! My mustard colored look great with jeans and actually with colored tights. I have a pair of burgundy tights and I think they look fun with them.

About my ability to wait: It's partly because of the money. Not because I'm broke all the time but because I just don't want to spend too much on my looks anymore. I love buying good pieces but I have to put myself limits. Just like with chocolate: I adore it and eat it quite a lot but I do have clear limits. Otherwise I'd be eating/shopping all the time and I'd just feel bad about it. I'd say you have to treat yourself but shouldn't cross a point where you feel bad about it. With anything in life.

So true. That is absolutely a good rule to live by.

I haven't been shopping this month besides the 20 dollars i spend thrifting and got a merino sweater, to leather bags, a wool hat and 3 leather belts.

I've found the striped shirt i need, and I think I will be buying it. The next month i should not be shopping either, since I'm doing the 30 for 30 challenge. I hope that I'll actually be able to NOT shop this time Then there should also be money for the acne pistols when we reach december.

 

[aldn]

very well said redandnavy
on that note i went to the american apparel flea market. this is the only time i feel comfortable with the prices they charge. I don't feel bad if an item didn't work out in the end because it's only a few bucks. I fell in love with the oversize see through tee! I think it's a style they are going to get rid of because it's at the flea market and on sale on the website. I will be going back to the sale to buy a few more. I got navy but I want black and a white one as well. I am also going to buy more than one in each color. I also got a chunky gold and silver necklace. the geometry tee. the oh so tell tell aa stripe ss henley. a very nice oversize cream/navy stripe tee. seersucker bloomers (styling for my vintage website) the only thing that i'm not in love with is the viscose tank because it doesn't fit. =( (I tried nothing on. lol. so not to discredit the item.) i spent roughly 50 dollars if you minus the three pair of seersucker shorts i bought. considering the geometry tee alone was suppose to cost 55 dollars (bless the soul that would pay much) i think i came out on top!

 

[Fewormany]

I still don't have any money to buy some of the things on my wishlist. Today I got a coupon for 50% discount at H&M in the mail, so I might order the pair of caramel leather gloves I've been eyeing..

 

[Betinapple]

I have a question regarding shoecare that I figured some of you might be able to answer:

When you get salt on your shoes during the wintertime the salt itself can be removed, but sometimes the leather starts to get uneven where the salt has been on the shoes. Can the leather be made even again? I am contemplating buying the Acne Pistols, as mentioned earlier, but if I can't take them out during the winter I'm not sure that I'll be them ASAP or wait for spring.

 

[RedandNavy]

Betinapple: Hmmm... I have a pair of bad weather boots for when the stress are really full with snow, but other than that I do wear my good leather boots and just make sure to clean them regularly... I guess the Acne's are the kind of shoes you should be able to wear in European winter.

Me: Just got my newest item, purchase no. 3 this season Another dress... But dresses were high on my list of must-haves this year. I just feel it's the item that makes me look best. So my newest love arrived today and it fits my very well and I absolutely adore its look I had it on my net-a-porter wishlist among my favorites since it arrived there four months ago and I'm glad I finally crabbed it. I'm really lucky with online shopping lately, I think I have developed a much better eye about what will fit me.

Dress by Sonia for Sonia Rykiel
Pic by net-a-porter

 

[Betinapple]

@RedAndNavy: I do have boots suitable for salt, but some days I am gonna want to wear the pistols even though the roads are salty and I don't want them to get ruined, so I would really like to now wether the leather will just stay that way forever when the surface has started to get uneven (if you know what I mean?) simply can't find the english word for this. I will ask in the store as well, but since they would like to sell some shoes I'm not that trusty

Love your Sonia dress. Bet it would look great with anything!

 

[elle s'ennuie]

I somewhat fell off the 4-5 items wagon in the past couple of weeks. I do have two very good excuses though: 1) my cache of winter tops was severely depleted due to a change of sizes and a clear-out last spring, and 2) I got a part-time office job, so needed some smarter options for that (thankfully I saved some button-ups that still fit from being purged, even though I felt kind of meh about them at the time). I've also been a little choosier than before about fabric and quality.

Planned buys:
- black wool leggings that will hopefully allow me to still wear skirts when the temperature falls way below freezing as it's wont to do here in winter
- plum Noa Noa jersey top that is insanely flattering

Necessary replacements:
- charcoal silk/cashmere shot-sleeved turtleneck for layering
- light blue cashmere gloves

Long-time lemmings that I finally bought:
- grey wool All Saints hitch skirt
- grey wool/cotton All Saints shawl

pic credit: allsaints.com

 

[Betinapple]

I somewhat fell off the 4-5 items wagon in the past couple of weeks. I do have two very good excuses though: 1) my cache of winter tops was severely depleted due to a change of sizes and a clear-out last spring, and 2) I got a part-time office job, so needed some smarter options for that (thankfully I saved some button-ups that still fit from being purged, even though I felt kind of meh about them at the time). I've also been a little choosier than before about fabric and quality.

Planned buys:
- black wool leggings that will hopefully allow me to still wear skirts when the temperature falls way below freezing as it's wont to do here in winter
- plum Noa Noa jersey top that is insanely flattering

Necessary replacements:
- charcoal silk/cashmere shot-sleeved turtleneck for layering
- light blue cashmere gloves

Long-time lemmings that I finally bought:
- grey wool All Saints hitch skirt
- grey wool/cotton All Saints shawl

pic credit: allsaints.com

Such a great skirt.

I love the whole 5 piece concept, but I don't think it should be at any price, and if you really NEED something like you did, I think you should go get it even though it exceeds your 5 items.

The last month it has been going pretty well here. It feels kind of good to be out of the shopping game, since shopping sometimes can make me feel guilty even though I have the money. In the beginning of september I bought a pretty expensive camera, which meant I had spend my money for september. I used 20 dollars on 7 items (3 belts, 2 bags, 1 hat and a merino sweater) from a secondhand store. Besides that I've only bought new tights, which I needed. I know a month and a half with (almost) no shopping isn't a lot, but to me it is and it feels great and it has not even been that hard. I just haven't seen anything I want. I've kept away from thrift stores though, since I always find something I want. Craving the pistol boots has helped a lot too, since they wont finance themselves

 

[fashionista-ta]

Love the skirt!

Your new job sounds like a 'lifestyle change' ... those typically require a revamp that can take you beyond 4-5 key pieces. I still apply the same standards though, and try not to shop too quickly, as that can lead to mistakes ... For me, it's easier to buy an outfit or a key piece to build an outfit around, for an occasion, than it is to quickly revamp my wardrobe for something completely different ... just take it as slow as you can

 

[ShoestringTravel]

Yeah, I had a lifestyle change myself starting two new part-time jobs last month. Luckily, I was able to pick up some merino wool sweaters at J. Crew and some on sale trousers at the Gap and have them tailored. I also found that the Gap button-down oxford shirts actually fit! So I picked up a button-down white shirt for the first time in ages. Now I just have to accessorize carefully, as it's easy to look too boring as one of my jobs is in a conservative environment.

 

[RedandNavy]

Hi there! I have been thinking about the 4-5 pieces wardrobe concept lately, too. I feel like my closet is getting emptier all the time. I had a drastic clean out and I have shopped very little and I feel a bit naked/poor with my few pieces (and some of them still have to go).

BUT truth is I dress better with fewer pieces and without all the not so well fitting things in my closet. I guess it's the right step. Still I feel the need to stock up and sometimes I'd love to buy ten new sweaters to have more options.

Net-a-porter just send me a notification that I have a 30% discount till saturday. I'd so love to buy some great pieces........... But... we have spent enough money this month and I just want to make it a rule not to access our savings for clothes. Maybe it's crazy to have such a monthly budget but it's just a security rule for me. But I will have a bit of an extra budget for the winter sales, so maybe I can buy a new sweater then. But not ten, I guess in the end its really better to have two great sweaters then ten good ones. I hope so at least....