on a related note, i was inspired by Garderoben's recent post about her 10 wardrobe elements that define her style. i'm very creative and visual but also a major fan of all things list-based and organizational. so here are my classic 10.
what are your classic 10? i'm tagging you guys: Nanashi, jennifer, lin, Olivia, fleurette, pret a porter P, joyce, S, grechen, Asha, and son!
1. jackets - leather and le smoking. i just can't seem to get into knits or justify really spending a lot on them. they're delicate and rather high-maintenance and i hate having to tend to pilling, so my investment items tend to be my small collection of jackets instead. instead of piling on sweaters in fall or winter i tend to either top off with a leather jacket, or wear them underneath a coat in lieu of knits. add a sharp tailored fit and i'm good to go.
rag & bone tux jacket, yaya (more in my essentials)
2. black bags. i tend to gravitate towards matte black in this department. i don't like most brown bags- not sure why, but 'earthy' was never my thing and i always liked the pared-down elegance of a black or neutral leather bag (though i love red as well). for me, black bags are easiest to maintain and always go with everything. 
vintage Chanel, mulberry, Dunlin NY - aka my Paris * London * NYC trio
3. buttondowns - silk and cotton. i'm a fabric purist, so cotton and silk are my favorites for every day. i also live in my stash of cotton t-shirts, but the foundation of my wardrobe are my steven alan reverse seam shirts and my equipment silk blouses. something about the haberdashery detailing - buttons, collars, pockets, hems, french seams, etc just makes me happy when i put one on or pack a bunch into my suitcase for a trip. 
steven alan, equipment, vintage, alexa chung x madewell, j.crew, vintage
5. mid-heel ankle boots. as i've mentioned before, i do have a little bit of a boot obsession. ankle boots in particular are very versatile workhorses in my wardrobe. shoes should add confidence to your stride, not cause you to hobble along for fear of breaking an ankle on a subway grate. when i wear these, i forget that i'm wearing them - i think that's the best sign that you're really wearing a worthy pair of shoes!
Hope, isabel marant (alternatives)
6. vintage fur. this is a recent discovery for me. it's a royal hassle to try to track down well-made vintage furs in excellent condition, but when you do, it's well worth it!
vintage 1950s fox fur collar, vintage 1950s mink jacket
7. bright lipstick/lipgloss. i don't wear make-up, know next to nothing about make-up application techniques, and am easily overwhelmed when i think of how much $$ and time and effort goes into regularly having cosmetics in your daily routine. so i take the easy way out and have a few bright lip colors. a dash of it and i'm out the door. am going to try to wear the NARS hot pink lipstick a lot this spring and summer!
rag & bone, saint james, vintage
9. utilitarian trench/jacket/parka. practical and comfortable. enough said!
uniqlo, mm6 martin margiela, 7 for all mankind, current/elliott
what a great post!! i agree with you on the "loud" garments part. I have a penchant for "maximalist" garments worn in a pared-down way.
ReplyDeletedamn, i covet every item in every picture! haha. i love this post. thanks for tagging me. i'll get right on it, but first need some time to contemplate and photograph!
ReplyDeleteI want to live in your closet, haha. And I am a little suprised when I scroll down & see your 2nd pic --- I got a Chanel/Bayswater/Dunlin too :) Though my bayswater is in chocolate, not black bags as u prefer. Thank u for introducing the Dunlin to me. sweet bag.
ReplyDeleteUniqlo does make great jeans at fair price. I have urged all my fds to give it a try.
love everything. this is my style to a "T". great post!
ReplyDeletehomework for spring break!
ReplyDeletethanks for an inspiring post. i think it'll force me to think about wardrobe priorities.
fleurette: yes exactly! it is the contrast between quiet and loud that appeal to me.
ReplyDeletejennifer & joyce: sure! looking forward to your posts :)
po: lol! must be that great minds think alike ;) i'm glad you like your Dunlin! it looks quite good on you :D my uniqlo jeans are one of my oldest pairs of jeans actually. they've held up amazingly well.
Julie: thank you! :) and thanks for stopping by my blog!
po: by the way, you should post yours if you've the time. i'm always curious what's inside other stylish women's closets :)
ReplyDeleteIn total agreement about the shirts/blouses.
ReplyDeleteThat's one heck of an inspiring post. Must say that I agree with each item ... I must get my own priorities in order.
ReplyDeleteTerrific compilation. I share so many of your top ten - I don't do the trench so much, my lipstick is more red and buttondowns don't work on me. But other than that it's spookily my-scene! (We obvs have awesome taste :-))
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun and inspiring post! What is surprising is how well a small collection of photos can sum up a person's style. Looking at these photos, I can absolutely identify your style there. I think that's because there's a real consistency in your style, despite the rather eclectic mix of styles and textures. I just love it. Thanks for the tag! It might take me a while to get it together, but it'll be a great exercise.
ReplyDeleteI can’t justify spending a lot of money on knitwear either, especially living in a tropical climate, but I’ll shell out for jackets. I really like the bag picture. It looks like your bayswater has aged so nicely and I like the dunlin too. I’m having the hardest time finding a pair of simple (no whiskering/rips, no contrast stitching, no designs on the back pocket) dark wash denim in the “perfect” slim, slouchy fit.
ReplyDelete-ps. Most of what I learned about fashion I learned through Ab Fab!! Love Patsy & Eddie!!
this is so much like looking at my closet its hilarious! but i tend to do loud shorts/skirts instead of shirts... i may have to do one of these posts myself to compare :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous collection. Your style is very similar to mine. I'll attempt to post my 10 essentials within the week! As for denim, I don't own anything that isn't skinny. Thanks for the tag lovely :)
ReplyDeleteHow exciting, my first tag :) I will definitely work on it and do a post! Just slightly worried my wardrobe isn't as consistent as yours now I think about it. But perhaps as I put it together a clear pattern and some semblance of personal style will emerge!?
ReplyDeleteThis is a really great post though - I love the mix of subtle classics and loud prints - a contrast I personally love in my wardrobe too. Your polka dot silk blouses are beautiful! x
Just love this post, such a great collection. Am in complete agreement about the jackets, a bit of sharp tailoring can really lift an outfit and it's great to see the patterns and prints alongside such clean simplicity.x
ReplyDeletehttp://millyfellintothewardrobe.blogspot.com/
We are wardrobe twins :)
ReplyDeleteTerri & style enginn: thank you for stopping by my blog! :) it's always fun to do these kinds of posts - i really think it helps you clarify what you have and what you need/don't need.
ReplyDeleteKristin: absolutely! in fact can i tag you to do your own version of this? i'd love to see what you've got given that you've become a sewing extraordinaire! :)
S: there you go again being super sweet! i am really looking forward to your post! it's quite a revelatory excercise.
Pret a Porter P: haha! i have to catch up on dvds of AbFab. that show is rumored to be coming back this year. from all that i've heard it sounds so brilliant. my bays is still relatively young compared to my dunlin, but it looks like it'll take a lot of wear and tear. i must say, as over-exposed as this bag is (esp in the UK), it's an excellent fusion of form and function. i expect to use it as a 'professional/work bag' for a long time.
as for those jeans you're looking for, have you tried J Brand or mm6 martin margiela? uniqlo is good too for minimalist denim at a great price.
la fille: thank you for stopping by my blog! and YES please do a post as well! would love to see how our closets are similar and different :D
asha: thank you - please do! :) lol i'm also up in arms about the supposed shift in denim silhouette from the skinny jean...
Olivia: oh don't worry! it's not about having some super consistent closet, but rather a compiliation of your favorite 10 elements/pieces/themes and how that defines your style. i am always so inspired by colorful silk prints especially. i love your vintage silk kimono blouse that you posted about a while ago!
Milly: thank you! please do post yours if you can - i am a little nosy and always so inspired by other stylish ladies!
Yay, I'm so glad you made a list, I love it! There are definitely some similarities - skinny jeans, striped tops and the boots! I love the Rag & Bone tux jacket, I've been looking everywhere for one. Hope they'll repeat it.
ReplyDeleteYour basic ten are so similar to what mine would be! The stripes, the boots, the shirts, the coats... even the lipsticks match; I recently bought new ones in those EXACT same colours ;)
ReplyDeleteoh what a fantastic post, and I love the way you've varied your shots too - the one of the jeans was fantastic.. it really gives a feel for how many you have, and how you love them!
ReplyDeleteX
Great post-- what a beautifully edited selection! I am especially taken with your fabulous taste in snkle boots. Are the boots on the right (with the back zip) the Hope Grace? (There have been several occasions when I have wished we shared a shoe size so I could snap up your offerings on LoGE.) :)
ReplyDeletesog19b: that's cool - what are your classic 10?
ReplyDeleteGarderoben: rag & bone seem to do a version of their tux jacket every season, so perhaps it'll show up again this fall. i really love the tailoring and quality of their clothing - i see now that i've quite a lot of their collection in my wardrobe!
mmr: haha - aren't those colors great?? i love that they're bright without being over the top.
hannah-rose: thank you! :D i do cherish all of these items in my closet. a big difference from 6 years ago when 90% of my closet was from fast fashion chains...
veuve: thanks! the ones on the left are the Grace boots; the ones on the right are also Hope, but i think it's the 'Amaz' style. every season their collection gets stronger - and their shoes are such mainstays in my closet! i know...it is *such* a shame that we're not the same size! sigh...
Thanks for the tag, I'll get down to it once I recover from my vacation - fashion slid very low down my list of priorities after a week spent in shorts and t-shirts.
ReplyDeleteI looooooooove your jacket collection. Haha.
i love your jacket collection! thanks for the tag, i have a sense of whats "me" and what isnt,but I havnt tried to articulate it before, so it'll be an interesting exercise :)
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http://navyandbeige.wordpress.com
nice post, you got a great consistency there, and your chanel bag fits perfectly in your wardrobe! will work on mine once the sun decides to come out.
ReplyDeleteAmazing post! I loved all your items but especially the rag & bone jackets as they are one of my favorite brands. Thank you for sharing - I just followed your lovely blog :)
ReplyDeletewww.featherfactor.com
lin, son & nanashi: thanks! really looking forward to what you guys come up with :)
ReplyDeletefeatherfactor: i know - rag & bone has been a great NYC label that i've gone to again and again for really well-made classics. i wish they'd do another leather jacket for fall!
I don't have much else to say other than I really enjoyed this! Love seeing the clothes people actually wear just going about their lives...
ReplyDeletestephanie: thank you! your blog is really inspiring to me as well, and perhaps you can do a similar post if you've the time. i'd love to see your 10 classics too :)
ReplyDeleteI'm completely with you on the Chanel bag, all things black, the leather jacket, marine stripes, and the black fox collar. I have the latter myself and find it absolutely indispensable; mine has loops on the satin side of it, so that I can run an Hermès scarf through it. Fantastic. Normally, I'd sign off on the bright lipstick as well, but as I am three months into a six-month sentence of braces on my bottom teeth (argh! at age 44 no less), I do as little as possible to draw attention to my mouth.
ReplyDeleteNice list!
Brilliantly edited selection!
ReplyDeletehttp://herribbonsandherbows.blogspot.com/
Miss sophie- I did my classic ten for you! (well sort of) :)
ReplyDeletei think yaya was the very first w/ jacket in owens style?
ReplyDeleteYou have managed to collect a good top ten defining collection of pieces. Well done! I imagine you have the ability to go into your wardrobe and get dressed super quickly knowing that most things just 'work' together. I am aiming for this simplicity in my wardrobe too.
ReplyDeletethe divinitus: yes i think so! i was totally excited when i found it. then all the other designers caught on and started making their versions of the RO jacket :)
ReplyDeleteR A: thank you :) i do pretty much try to minimize the getting ready in the AM time as much as possible. there's nothing worse than trying on 4 different outfits only to be unhappy with all of them, and be late for work in the process!
Hi! I just wanted to say that first of all I love your blog! On seeing your Dunlin bags I bought one recently - and I have to say I've been so disappointed - both by the quality of the bag (the strap broke within a month!!) and the quality of the customer service from the store.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me so sad, as I was really looking forward to receiving my bag (I live in London)...and since then it's been nothing but disappointing (and expensive!).
Boo :( xx
Andrea - oh no!! i'm so so sorry to hear that! which bag/leather type did you get? did you speak or email with the designers directly about the defect?
ReplyDelete