BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

The French Wardrobe: Spring/Summer 2014

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Apparently a seasonal transition was carte blanche to purchase as many spring items as possible. There were so many tempting sales and new releases that I loved too much to risk having sell out, which led to an early dent in my spring/summer wardrobe. Going through a ruthless closet cleanout and then taking the time to work on a comprehensive spring and summer plan has been a huge asset. The pieces I bought so far are exactly what I want; they’re great quality (for the most part—the Gap flats could be better), and they’re very “me.” (Honestly, though, I spent a boatload of money. The next couple of months are going to be sparse.)

A few things to note this time around:

  • I started a Pinterest board for my spring/summer purchases, which has already proved to be helpful. Before pulling the trigger, I’ve added items to the board to see how it coordinates with the rest of the items. It helps me stay accountable to my plan and it’s reassuring to see that each item coordinates with each other. 
  • I’m pickier when accepting gifted items and you’ll now see each of those listed below. Quite frankly, I don’t want to waste space in our apartment on an item I’m not smitten with. 
  • I’m adding a quick note about the items I ordered and returned. 
  • If you’re eager to give The French Wardrobe Challenge a whirl this time, send over a link to your progress by the 15th of each month (either in the comments or via email at jessica@bedknobsandbaubles.com). I’ll add the link to this post and share your post on Twitter and Facebook. The challenge isn’t ideal for everyone, but you might want to give it a shot if you’re feeling overwhelmed and dissatisfied with your own wardrobe.

THE RULES

  1. Just five standout pieces per season. (There are two “seasons” for this purpose: spring/summer and fall/winter.)
  2. Quality over quantity.
  3. Basics don’t count.
  4. Accessories don’t count, unless you’re spending a lot more than usual.
  5. Socks and underwear don’t count.
  6. Shoes do count. (I’m not counting shoes, though.)

MY PROGRESS:

Part of my Five:

Basics:

Bags:

Accessories:

Shoes:

Ordered and Returned:

If you’re curious about The French Wardrobe Challenge, I encourage you to peruse the archived posts. 

Wardrobe Planning

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I’m gearing up for another six months of the French Wardrobe Challenge and after cleaning out my closet, it’s evident that I need a game plan before the new season kicks off. Without having a plan in place, I’m prone to add too many impulsive purchases that don’t do much for my closet. So, I’m approaching the new season like a collector who is curating the perfect wardrobe. I spent a lot of time this weekend thinking about this and came up with four steps that helped me focus on exactly what I’d like to add this year.

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Narrowing down your color palette for spring and summer is going to help for two reason: it streamlines purchases and guarantees they’ll work well together. To do this, I evaluated my Pinterest page. The majority of my recent wish list pins were in five colors: mint, navy, blush, black, white and sky blue. These colors work together beautifully and while I may add in a wildcard color every so often (like my red DVF purse), this is a great starting point to begin planning my purchases.

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Next up: your list of essentials. This should include the neutral basics necessary to round out your seasonal wardrobe. At this point, don’t worry about finding the perfect item. Just make a quick list of the items that you’re missing or need to replace—and continue to add to this list when you discover holes in your closet. Keep in mind, though, these are your priority purchases for the upcoming season. Mine includes:

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Now we’re on to the fun part: putting together your seasonal wish list. Again, don’t worry too much about finding the perfect item right now—you have all season for that—just make a list or a collage of the standout items you’d love to incorporate into your wardrobe while keeping your color palette in mind. Look back at the SS2014 runway collections, scour the new arrivals at your favorite retailers and analyze your Pinterest style board. What shapes and styles are you drawn to? Are there any prints you’d love to own? Ready to try a particular trend? I’m keeping an eye out for:

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I think this is going to be the hardest part for me. It’s too easy to get wrapped up in the euphoria of a new purchase, but I need to be ruthless with my evaluation. For example, my wish list includes a full skirt in a pastel color. I picked out a pink one for my collage, but I actually already own a mint one (you can see it here). It already works with my color scheme, it still fits and I enjoy wearing it. So, do I honestly need another? Probably not. This isn’t meant to talk yourself out of new items, but it is a way to make sure those potential purchases are items that really could elevate your wardrobe.

So, what’s on your must-have list for spring and summer? Do you plan your purchases for the new season? I could use any tips you have! 

The French Wardrobe: Update

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I can’t believe this is the last month of my foray into The French Wardrobe concept and I’m actually quite proud of how I’ve done. Sure, there are some impulse purchases peppered into the list below (ahem, Forever21), but it’s nowhere near the number of items I purchased before starting the challenge. I’m now less likely to settle for an item that’s just okay. It needs to be pretty amazing to earn a spot in my closet.

In retrospect, though, I wish I had focused on items of higher quality that are truly representative of my personal style. When I review my “fun” pieces, they’re a bit scatterbrained. We’ve got three special occasion dresses, a cat-print dress, a tartan sweater I purchased for a Christmas party and a work-appropriate floral blouse. I like them all, but I could have done better. Where are the pretty day dresses I love so much?

Well, there’s always The French Wardrobe: Spring/Summer 2014 Challenge starting on March 1. (I’m prepared with a list of capsule wardrobe items. Bring it on, spring!) I do hope you’ll give it a whirl. It’s not the easiest challenge, but it is incredibly rewarding. Let me know if you’re in, so we can link up!

On another note, would you like more commentary on items I decide to keep or return, like this and this? I don’t want it to become annoying to read, but I’d like to start a conversation about what makes an item worth keeping as I continue to refine my wardrobe.

And, without further ado, the recap:

THE RULES

  1. Quality over quantity.
  2. Basics don’t count.
  3. Accessories don’t count, unless you’re spending a lot more than usual.
  4. Socks and underwear don’t count.
  5. Shoes do count. (I’m not counting shoes, though.)

MY PROGRESS:

The bold items are the new additions since the previous post.

Read the previous French Wardrobe posts here. 

The French Wardrobe: Update

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THE RULES

  1. Quality over quantity.
  2. Basics don’t count.
  3. Accessories don’t count, unless you’re spending a lot more than usual.
  4. Socks and underwear don’t count.
  5. Shoes do count.*

*I’m not counting shoes. I don’t buy an excessive amount of them to begin with.

MY PROGRESS:

The bold items are the new additions since the previous post.

THOUGHTS:

  • There’s only a month and a half left and I have one more fun purchase to make for “my five.” I didn’t really succeed at buying quality items for those (aside from the Erin Fetherston dress), but I’m pretty fond of what I did purchase. I’ve got my eye on a printed DVF or Clover Canyon piece for my last item.
  • I’d like to be more thoughtful about my spring/summer purchases. Some of the items I know I’d like are silky shorts and blouses, a new pair of wear-with-anything sandals and a white sundress (obsessed with this one from BR’s spring 2014 collection). It looks like our Europe trip is most doable in July, so I’d also like a few easy, mixable essentials for traveling.
  • I’m going to start a Pinterest board for the spring challenge to visually record what I purchase. A written list is great, but I think I need the visual reminder to keep tabs on my purchases.
  • As you may have noticed, I have added a few additional pieces (gifts and sponsored items) that aren’t reported here. I’m going to start listing those with my spring French Wardrobe roundups. That’ll kick off on March 1. Anyone want to join in?

Are you curating the French Wardrobe? Post your progress and let me know. I’ll share a link to your post here.

The French Wardrobe: Update

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I’m halfway through the six-month French Wardrobe Challenge and I’m still going strong! It continues to be an effective way to narrow down my sartorial needs and wants—and I’ve actually spent less money (which won’t be the case when I buy this Kate Spade coat, this dress, and a pair of Tory Burch loafers). 

The items in bold are the new additions since my last update here. You’ll also notice that I added a section to record the items that got the heave-ho. This process isn’t supposed to be about accumulation; it’s about winnowing down my wardrobe to the most well-made and well-loved items. The “purged” list is my little pat on the back for getting rid of things that just take up space. 

THE RULES

  1. Quality over quantity.
  2. Basics don’t count.
  3. Accessories don’t count, unless you’re spending a lot more than usual.
  4. Socks and underwear don’t count.
  5. Shoes do count.*

*I’m not counting shoes. I don’t buy an excessive amount of them to begin with. 

MY PROGRESS:

THOUGHTS:

  • I’m not particularly excited about the tartan sweater. We went to an ugly Christmas sweater party last weekend and it’s my interpretation since I refuse to spend money on one that’s truly hideous. Such a party pooper. 
  • A polka dot shirt may not seem like a basic, but I’ve already it with jeans on weekends, with pants to work and underneath sleeveless dresses. It’s also as close as I’m going to get to an all-white button down. 
  • It’s really hard to resist sparkly baubles around the holidays, but there are incredible deals if you take the time to search for them. I purchased the Lulu Frost bangle and Melanie Auld ring for under $30 each. 

Are you curating the French Wardrobe? Post your progress and let me know. I’ll share a link to your post here. If that’s not really your speed, I’d still love to share posts about your budget struggles and successes in this space!