Thought Experiment: The 10-Piece Wardrobe
As part of my new 'quality instead of quantity' philosophy I'm trying to form a very clear idea about my personal style to make sure that when I invest in pieces I won't be over them in a year or so. You know those "What if you're house was on fire and you could only save three things?'-questions that make you boil down all your possessions to the few that are really important to you? I thought I'd do a similar (thought ;)) experiment to figure out which items I really absolutely must have in my wardrobe and should invest in. What if I could only wear ten things? Of course, the goal isn't to actually get rid of everything but those ten items; but a what-if scenario like this can really help you pinpoint the key items in your ideal wardrobe, which will come in handy when you want to plan your capsule wardrobe for a new season or even just decide what to pack for a trip. Three tips for choosing items:
- go for relatively classic pieces (doesn't mean boring, but maybe nothing bright orange) that are truly your style
- choose more tops than bottoms
- make sure that all shoes, jackets and bottoms go with each other and can be mixed and matched.
Here's my selection (btw I assumed it's either spring or autumn/ mid-temperatures):
Leather jacket by Topshop - My 10-piece wardrobe would definitely include a good leather jacket. I normally like to have two versions of them, one thats cropped and tight and another that's a bit more casual and warm. If I could only have one I would choose a longer but relatively tight-fitting style to wear for daytime and nighttime.
Denim Jacket by Levis - I think a denim jacket is a perfect key item, it's such a classic. Plus, I need a non-black jacket in case I don't want to wear all-over black since both the jeans and the skirt are black already.
White Jumper by Topshop - I think a thin jumper in a light colour is a good choice because it's chic but comfy and super versatile. It can also double up as another piece of outerwear.
Grey Longsleeve T by Weekday - I love light tees with long sleeves, and a grey one has been in my wardrobe (in different versions) for many years; it is definitely one of my most used basics and all time favourite things to wear.
White Camisole by Weekday - A no-brainer; every wardrobe needs a good white tank top to wear with everything.
Light pink T-shirt by Topshop - Pretty much the only colour in the mix.
Skirt by 2nd Day - If I could only have one skirt it would be leather, short but not too tight. For everyday I would pair it with the jumper and for going out with the white camisole and the black ankle boots.
Jeans by Cheap Monday - Definitely need some jeans in the mix. I thought about a light wash pair, but then I went with a faded black colour, because I wouldn't be able to wear the jeans with the denim jacket otherwise (I'm fine with an all-black outfit, but I'm not into the all over denim look).
Grey Chelsea Boots by Zign - I decided I should have two pairs of shoes: one in black and one in a lighter but still neutral colour. I chose grey rather than a light tan, because the rest of my colour palette is cool toned.
Western ankle boots by Topshop - Black with a bit of a heel for dressed up outfits.
That's it. I hope I will never actually be forced to only ever wear 10 pieces for the rest of my life :), but for now it's good to know what my absolute essentials are.
If you could only have ten items in your wardrobe, what would they be?
Some of my other posts on finding the ideal wardrobe: Creating a Signature Look Does you Wardrobe match your Lifestyle? Spring Cleaning: Wardrobe Detox