Tag / 5 piece french wardrobe

5-piece-french-wardrobe-update-ss15
By On In Shopping, Wardrobe497 Comments

Even though we’re only half way through summer, I wanted to do an update on my recent acquisitions for SS15. Truthfully, I didn’t put much effort into the 5 piece French wardrobe this season. Summer has never been my favourite season, wardrobe-wise and in the past my outfits tended to consist of jeans, a t-shirt and shoes I would wear throughout the year. So I was excited to finally find some summery pieces I actually liked. Okay, so the coat doesn’t count, as it obviously isn’t meant for summer. But more on that later.

First off, I bought three pairs of shoes. Two pairs of sandals and a pair of loafers. The first pair by H&M turned out to be a good ‘investment’. I’ve worn them countless times already and they’re super comfortable. The last time I wore sandals must have been 7-8 years ago as my feet are terrible at adjusting to flat unsupportive shoes. But these are great, albeit not very work appropriate. So in comes the second pair of sandals by Mango. I got them on sale and they’re fully made out of leather. Not bad for €28. However, the last pair of shoes got me most excited. It has been so difficult to find the perfect pair of loafers but these are just what I have been looking for. I’m surprised about the way they instantly elevate an outfit and I’m pretty sure my colleagues are just as excited as me because I’m no longer wearing those worn out Stan Smith sneakers to work.

Next up, the pair of grey trousers. I still love them but I didn’t wear them as much as I expected. They’re a little out of my comfort zone and so I mostly wear them in and around the house. A shame really, as I suspect no one give a sh*t about what I’m wearing outside when it 25-30 degrees celsius. And yet I feel too self conscious, ugh. The blouse however was definitely one of my best purchases of the season. I love how it’s so comfortable and airy and yet still very chic. I suspect I will still be wearing it during fall and winter with a blazer or underneath a sweater.

Finally, the best purchase of them all. Last winter I fell head over heels in love with this gorgeous Filippa K coat. But I couldn’t justify it’s price tag. At €450 it was definitely beyond my budget at the time. But most importantly, when looking at it from a cost-per-wear perspective it just wouldn’t be reasonable since I own too many coats already (such a weakness of mine). But then, last week I wanted to check out the brands new coats for the upcoming season and I landed on a website with this coat, in my size, with a 70% discount. Obviously this was a total no-brainer and so I ran for my credit card (literally). It’s as gorgeous as I imagined it to be and I was sweating like a pig trying to take an Instagram worthy picture of myself wearing it in 26 degrees celsius weather #instagramstruggles.

So there you have it. I once again fell for fast fashion and I exceeded my 5 purchases a season limit. I still believe in investing in quality pieces and will continue with the 5 piece French wardrobe for now. It just didn’t feel right to spend a lot of money on items such as sandals because knowing the weather here in the Netherlands, you’re lucky if you get to wear them for longer than a month. Did I need two pairs of sandals? No. The H&M ones were a rather impulsive buy, just like the blouse. If I had run into the Mango sandals earlier, I most likely wouldn’t have bought the other pair. But I’ll try to compensate next season. At the moment I don’t think I need anything for fall/winter so maybe I’ll stick to one or two (more expensive) purchases if I come across anything that will be a nice addition to my current wardrobe.

how-to-5-piece-french-wardrobe
By On In Shopping, Wardrobe2,610 Comments

Even though I have only been blogging for a short time, my post on the 5 piece French wardrobe has been read quite a few times already. So I figured I should write a post on how to start with this approach, not in the least because of a comment by Colette who was wondering how I started it all. As I wrote in my other post I was introduced to the 5 piece French wardrobe through two internet forums. I then started to search for more information and finally committed to making this thing work after I convinced myself I could totally do this (and I desperately needed a pair of Acne Pistol boots). Before I started, I bought so many different clothes but never thought for one second about how I could make a purchase work with my existing wardrobe. Shopping was mainly a relaxing activity, definitely not a necessary one. God, I don’t even want to think about all the clothes I donated or threw away over the years, hardly worn or even brand-new with the price tag still attached. But let’s get to the point.

Define your personal style
If you still have a hard time figuring out your personal style, create a inspiration board on Pinterest to help you. Here’s mine. As you can see I’m leaning towards a mix of French and Scandinavian style. Nothing too feminine and mostly very relaxed. Try to find similarities between the images you selected and write down what drew you to these pictures in the first place. I know it can be hard to put these things into words, but I promise it will pay off!

Detox your wardrobe
I’m not going to tell you, you need to throw out your entire wardrobe just to start all over again. Because that would be ridiculous. Unless you really need to rid of your money. But in that case, let me know so I can send you my bank account number. Why not try to make this method work next to the wardrobe you already own? I mean, Rome wasn’t build in a day, right? So take your time. Sort out your clothes and create three piles: keep, maybe and throw. The maybe-pile probably consists of clothing you haven’t worn in a while but you’re not ready to get rid of them just yet. My solution? Put them in a box and store them for a couple of months. Did you miss anything? If not, you can definitely say your goodbyes. Most clothes can still be donated unless they’re all worn out (why would you keep that in your closet though?) or you could organise an evening with friends and trade clothes. The same goes for the throw-pile as well. And definitely get rid of stuff that doesn’t fit you anymore. Don’t buy or keep stuff for the body you want to have, but for the body you have right now.

Review what’s left
Now most people buy clothes they like. But not a lot of people are actually concerned about the fit of these items. I suggest you try on everything you decided to keep and take a good look in the mirror. Do you feel comfortable and confident? And most importantly, do you look your absolute best? What if the sleeves were a tiny bit shorter or your jeans a little less tight, would that improve your overall look? I know it’s hard, but try to be brutally honest with yourself. Also consider your current lifestyle and which colors look good on you. But don’t throw anything out just yet.

Create a list of basics and key pieces
Make a list of basics you need to replace or purchase and take your time with it. Chances are you won’t find that perfect pair of blue jeans in a day and you definitely don’t want to settle for less. Don’t forget, basics are different for everyone (see my list here). Your list should include clothes, shoes and accessories that are absolutely crucial in order to making your wardrobe work. Make sure these items allow you to mix and match. You can also start your list of key pieces that you would like to buy this upcoming season. Personally, my list is never long but if you’re just starting out, include anything that tickles your fancy and work from there. I’m sure if you give it some time, you’ll be able to cross some of the items of your list.

Research online and start shopping!
So, you’ve narrowed your list down to 5 key pieces you want to buy this season and your list of basics is complete? Start to research online. Lately I’ve been looking into the brand Everlane for example, because I’m very drawn to their transparency and ethics when it comes to manufacturing clothing etc. We’re planning a trip to the States in September and I have my eyes set on a few shirts and silk blouses. So Jamie-Lee’s review for instance was very helpful. When you’re done researching, it’s time to spend your hard earned cash.Good luck! And let me know if there’s anything I should add.PS. Excuse the old school Polyvore style collage with summer items. For some reason I’m already excited about spring/summer.

From left to right: Acne Studios Ash top (€170), Ace & Tate Lucy glasses (€98,00), Weekday Tuesday Instant Blue jeans (€45,00), Converse Jack Purcell leather sneakers ($70), Everlane Petra bag ($425)

wardrobe-round-up
By On In Shopping, Wardrobe134 Comments

So the year 2014 is behind us. The perfect moment to look back on my shopping behavior and the purchases that I’ve made throughout the year. Overall, I think I did fine. Except for the last month. This December I spend a lot more money than I had originally planned, and although I could afford each purchase without having to live on bread and water for the rest of the month, I feel slightly guilty and a bit disappointed even. But then, who knew London is a shopping Walhalla and I would be tempted by so many beautiful and highly covetable things. You’re right, probably everyone except me. Oops! But in my defense, I still stuck to the 5 piece French wardrobe method and didn’t even make it to five pieces for Spring/Summer. So I guess that balances everything out. Or do you feel like I’m cheating? I’m always up for a reality check whenever I need one.

Spring/Summer
Stan Smiths
H&M cardigan
Zara loafers

I’m just going to be straight with you. I hate shopping for spring/summer clothes so I tend to avoid it as much as I can. Which is the reason why I never made it to five pieces and why two of those purchases are shoes. Most of the time I’ll just wear a simple tee and a pair of jeans or cotton trousers. I feel too uncomfortable in dresses and skirts unless I’m camping and I really don’t care how I look. The cardigan is a bit of a cheat I suppose, because it’s made out of wool. So not very summer approved. Although I did get some wear out of it during the evenings and nights at the Lowlands festival.

Fall/Winter
Céline bracelet
Comme des Garçons striped shirt
Acne Galactic knitted sweater
H&M sweater
H&M light blue blouse
Uniqlo cashmere sweater

The two H&M items were bought at the beginning of Fall. I had seen the Acne Galactic sweater at the Bijenkorf and settled for the cheaper version because the original was too expensive. A few months later I found it on sale just before Christmas, so I might sell the H&M knit. Not sure yet. The light blue blouse could be counted as a basic, but it has a pretty contemporary cut to it. Oh, now that were talking about basics, what do you guys think, should I count the striped shirt as a basic? Someone commented in my ‘let’s discuss basics‘ post that she would include a striped shirt, so that made me think… Anyway, a cashmere sweater was also on my basics-list. But since I already bought one at Zara, this one from Uniqlo is extra, I obviously didn’t need it. To round the fall/winter purchases up, last but not least, my Céline bracelet. It cost a small fortune so definitely not a basic.

Basics
White blouse (replacement)
Black T-shirt (replacement)
Converse Allstars (replacement)
Zara cashmere knit
Longchamp travel bag
H&M slippers
Zara ankle boots (replacement)
Black skinny jeans (replacement)

On to the basics. A lot of replacements, as you can see. My previous blouse had some ugly stains from my deodorant (too much info?), so I’m giving the &Other Stories one a try. The jeans, ankle boots, Allstars and black t-shirt were all over a year old. I recently even ripped a pair of jeans when putting them on. I like to believe it was because they were all worn out and not due all that sushi I had over the weeks. Basics that didn’t need to be replaced, but I felt were necessary, include a large travel bag (Longchamp), a pair of slippers and a cashmere sweater. So how did I do? And please share how your year went, shopping wise. I’d love to know.

5-piece-french-wardrobe-update
By On In Wardrobe603 Comments

*I wrote this post before my London trip but I was so busy at work that I didn’t get the chance to actually post it.

Let’s do a small update on my 5 piece French wardrobe adventure before I head to London in a few days. I’ve been doing surprisingly well. At the beginning of the season, when all the new look books showed up online, I almost had a moment of weakness. Everything seemed to be my style and as usual it all looked so good on those tall, skinny models. So after a few try-outs, I quickly came to the conclusions that most of it didn’t suit my body or didn’t look quite as nice in person as it did on the interwebz. So basically, shitty fabrics and short legs saved my bank account.

So far I’ve only bought a camel knit and a light blue blouse by H&M. Truthfully, I don’t really know how long both will last, but a couple of somewhat trendy seasonal pieces are fine, in my opinion. I want to spend the other three open spots on a few pieces that will last me longer than this winter. First of all, I hope to find a striped Comme des Garcons shirt in London. I tried finding one in Amsterdam and Paris, but no luck so far. So that makes three purchases. We’ll have to see if I even make it to five items this season.

Next to those two purchases I also bought a black T-shirt at H&M to replace my old one. I like the rolled up sleeves and the fit was almost perfect (mind you, I like my shirts a little oversized, not fitted). It’s holding up nicely, so definitely two thumbs up. Now if they would only release a discount code so I can stock up on those high-waisted black skinny jeans again. Although I suspect my co-workers think I only own one pair of jeans. Oh well… Stay tuned for my London purchases!