Category / Wardrobe

balenciaga-city-bag
By On In Wardrobe1,187 Comments

I have never spend more money on a piece of clothing, shoes or accessoires than I did on my Balenciaga city bag. It took me years to finally take the plunge and book a trip to Paris (when you decide to buy a bag like this, you should do it in style, non?), now, having the money to spend on this bag wasn’t easy, I had to work hard and I even had to invest on gambling from chart.dk a couple of times. But when is the time right to make such an expensive purchase? And how do you know it’s worth spending a lot of money on?

Let me start by stating that you should never ever go into debt for something as a Balenciaga bag for instance. Seriously, it’s not worth it. If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. It’s as simple as that. Even though I had just landed my first ‘real’ job, I didn’t have to clear out my bank account to buy said bag. So my first tip on buying designer goods is to start saving! Because what if your car or your bike breaks down? Or you suddenly have to replace your washing machine? Or one of your pets get’s ill? You get what I’m trying to say, right?

Having said that, I’m pretty sure you guys are smart enough to have realized this on your own. So let’s talk about how to decide on which items to save and on which things to splurge. Take my fall/winter wish list for example, am I really willing to spend €155 on that A.P.C. hat? Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s something I wouldn’t wear on a daily basis and I might end up finding it too much of a hassle, so looking at it from a cost-per-wear perspective, it probably wouldn’t be the wisest idea. The A.P.C. half-moon bag on the other hand would be something I could wear at least two times a week for multiple years to come. So yes, I would definitely buy the bag, but I might consider a cheaper alternative for the hat (not winning a lottery anytime soon anyway).

CPW = Total cost of the item divided by the number of days you’ll wear it.

Now some items, I feel, are reasonably priced. But there’s comes a point when a product reaches a certain level of craftsmanship and quality and there is absolutely no other reason to charge the consumer a ridiculous amount of money other than for the brand name. It’s up to you if you’re willing to give in. My Balenciaga cut-out boots were super expensive but I have never seen a similar design that looks just as nice as the real deal. Consider setting a limit for each item you would possibly buy. Would you spend €200 or €800 on a wool sweater and does that €600 difference really make a difference quality-wise? Regarding quality, check the materials (try to go for natural fabrics such as cotton, silk and wool), the seams and stitching, search for any loose threads and most importantly check the fit.

So to sum up this blogpost or TL;DR for the people with a short attention span, my tips for deciding whether to save or splurge:
– Only buy things you can afford
– Look at it from a cost-per-wear perspective
– Consider the price/quality ratio

Ps. this post could have been considerably longer, but I’ll save my ramblings on quality for some other time.

Any tips of your own that you’d like to share?

fall-winter-wish-list
By On In Wardrobe400 Comments

I think it’s fair to say that summer has pretty much come to an end, which I don’t mind at all. Cozying up on the couch with a nice cup of tea and a blanket while burning a few candles and catching up on my favourite television shows is my idea of an ideal winter evening. The change of seasons also allows for a new wish list for another season of the 5 piece French wardrobe. After careful deliberation I compiled the following list of things I would like to add to my current wardrobe this fall and winter:

1. H&M silk blouse (€60) – A silk blouse in washed black or dark navy. I would absolutely love an Equipment blouse but I’m pretty sure I would ruin it in an instance. I ordered this H&M blouse and am very curious about the fit and the quality of the silk. 2. A.P.C. wool hat (€155) – For some reason hats look really good on me and I love the overall look with a trench coat or pea coat. I feel somewhat self conscious when wearing one, but I’m ready to give it another go 3. Ace & Tate Nina glasses (€98) – I’ve been wearing the same black glasses for over 3 years now and trust me when I say, it shows. Lots of scratches and a dull looking frame that has lost it’s shine. These Ace & Tate glasses are very out there and while I really like them, don’t be surprised if I settle for something a little more safe and subtle.

4. Fashionology silver ear studs (€15) – Small delicate jewellery is always on my list. 5. &Other Stories luminising cream (€15) – A cream highlighter for a radiant glow just above the cheekbones or any other part of the face that needs accentuating. I always felt I didn’t need a highlighter because I wear glasses. But Maja’s post changed my mind 6. A.P.C. half-moon bag (€325) – Okay, I’m not necessarily looking for this particular bag, but more for a small everyday bag in vegetable tanned leather. Because I’m obsessed with the gorgeous patina it develops over time. 7. Equipment cashmere turtleneck (€395) – At first glance the fit of this sweater looks perfect! Not too tight and slightly longer. I’m currently very drawn to all black outfits which is terrible when you own a red/white haired cat. I have an entire drawer filled with Ikea lint rollers. Not kidding! But it just looks so chic…

What’s on your wish list for fall and/or winter?

Adidas-stan-smith-worn
By On In Wardrobe690 Comments

Remember when I wrote about those worn down Adidas sneakers I kept wearing to work? Yeah, I just posted a picture of them on my blog. Because first of all, I’m kind of tired of seeing images of clothing and shoes on fashion blogs and Instagram accounts that look like they have never been worn. If I’m happy with something that I bought, I’ll wear it religiously and ultimately it will end up looking like this. And that’s okay, albeit somewhat sad because that means I’ll have to throw it out and either look for a replacement or move on until I find something else.

So that brings me to the second reason why I’m posting this picture; I’m having a hard time throwing some of my old stuff out and I’m trying to convince myself they need to go. Because let’s be honest, these shoes, in their current state, are not a good look. But for some reason I get emotional attached to certain things and I always feel like maybe they’ll come in handy in the near future. Also, they’re extremely comfortable and I’m not ready to drop a €100 on a new pair. Having a small wardrobe clearly has it’s perks and it’s disadvantages. For instance, since I don’t own a lot of clothes and accessories, the things I do own get a lot of wear, which is great because I love them, but consequently they don’t always last as long as I would like them to. That said, I would feel awful if I found these shoes, still unworn and perhaps no longer my style, in the back of my closet after years of hoarding. Wouldn’t you?

emmanuelle-alt
By On In Wardrobe68 Comments

I remember a time when I was lusting after every piece created by Isabel Marant. Clearly I didn’t have the means to fund an entire collection, but I carefully selected the pieces that worked for me. I spent days on Ebay trying to find a jacket or coat I missed out on (I should probably write a post on my IM coat collection, haha). But then, a few years back when the brand gained popularity, prices started to rise, designs became less timeless and more on trend and it became harder to find myself in her aesthetic. Regarding the prices, I will still make the occasional exception though. I’m more than willing to spend a little extra on a well constructed coat for instance, but I would never pay $500 for a simple, semi-shear dress. Trust me when I say that the range in quality can be quite shocking. And it’s very hard sometimes to tell which piece of clothing will withstand the test of time.

Acne Studios used to be another favourite, especially the knitwear. I’m glad I was able to get my hands on a few beautiful sweaters and cardigans before a lot of their clothes and shoes became insanely expensive and a little too extravagant for my taste. Without these two brands to fall back on, I seem to be reaching more and more for high street fashion because I no longer know where to shop. But even the quality of high street brands such as Zara has declined over the years, albeit in slow motion. I do have positive experiences with brands such as Weekday and COS, which is why I mention them on a regular basis. And sure, there are some other brands that drew my attention over the years, like A.P.C., but most of their clothes aren’t very flattering on my curvier figure. I’m also very interested in almost everything made by Everlane. But unfortunately they don’t ship to the Netherlands and I read a couple of bad reviews about the third party shipping service they recommend. So unless they’re going to start shipping their stuff internationally, I’ll just have to keep drooling from afar.

It sucks that I can no longer rely on my favourite brands. I’m looking for items that I can wear for a couple of years a least, preferably longer and sometimes it just seems to be hit or miss regardless the price range. I’m not sure where I’m going with this rant, because I obviously don’t have a solution. But let’s just say I’m open to brands that are actually worth investing in. So hit me up with your recommendations!

Tell me, do you have any go-to brands or designers and did you notice any changes in quality over time?