On the plane home from Minnesota, I spent some time analyzing the 48 piece wardrobe shown in the latest Lucky magazine. 48 pieces that will keep you dressed in a different outfit each day for about a month.
Because I am a trained researcher, I performed a scientific analysis of the pieces in the article. Sister of The Bride suggested that I blog it as a way of saving it. So here goes:
First, there are really only 19 pieces of clothing, 6 pairs of shoes, and the remaining 20+ items are other accessories.
The wardrobe is based on neutral colors plus one bright color. The neutral colors are in three shades - light, medium, and dark - and they have different textures. Because they are all neutrals, you don't need to limit yourself to one color family, just be sure to have darks, mediums and lights and a variety of textures to make them more interesting. In addition, you need one bright - like red, orange, pink, bright green, whatever - that goes with all of the neutrals.
The Pieces:
Bottoms (6)
1 sleeveless form fitting dress in a textured dark neutral fabric that can be worn alone, or with a jacket or a top so it doubles as a skirt.
1 dark neutral skirt (in the article this was a strapless dress, but really, that is sooo not going to happen at my age)
1 dark neutral dressy trousers
1 light neutral textured trousers
1 pr jeans
1 light neutral print skirt
Tops (9):
1 dark neutral v-neck sweater
1 bright colored solid dress that can be worn as a tunic over pants, tucked in, or as a dress.
1 light neutral cardigan
1 light neutral tank that can be worn over blouses as a vest, or alone as a sleeveless top
1 printed blouse in your dark neutrals that can be worn tucked in or out.
1 medium neutral shell (sleeveless top)
1 dark neutral shell (sleeveless top)
1 medium neutral silk-y blouse
1 white cotton shirt
Jackets/Coats (3 or 4, depending on the shrug):
1 dark neutral jacket
1 dark neutral textured blazer
1 medium neutral coat
(1 faux fur shrug)(in parentheses because I'd never buy one) (But you could substitute some kind of dressy jackety thing)
Shoes (6 pairs):
1 dark neutral knee high boots
1 dark neutral high heels (dressy)
1 medium neutral medium heels (work)
1 light neutral heels
1 bright heels
1 medium neutral flats
Bags (3):
1 metallic for dressy
1 light neutral shoulder bag
1 dark neutral big satchel type bag
Jewelry (7 pieces):
2 necklaces in neutral metals that go with the neutral colors you've chosen
1 necklace with bright color in it
3 bracelets, 1 with bright color in it.
1 watch
Other Accessories (which I didn't analyze these because I wasn't very interested in them. I mean even a Scientific analysis has to stop somewhere.)
4 belts -
3 scarves -
5 pr hose (different textures in dark neutrals from dressy to casual)
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2 comments:
Speaking as a male who read the piece, I just would like to know, what is meant by a neutral color. Are we talking about something like scarlet, emerald green or royal blue, or would a neutral color be something closer to a gray, beige, tan, or plaid?
Inquiring minds (mine) want to know.
I drifted this way via Cattus Dommus so apologies if I am trespassing. A few years ago I read a similar idea in a book by Susie Faux -- the whoel concept of a capsule wardrobe. She now runs a shop/wardrobe consultancy in London www.wardrobe.co.uk which has the most gorgeous (and expensive) suits and casual clothes.
Her idea was that you pare your wardrobe back to a few basic pieces and add one great piece every season, but only a piece that will mix with everything else in your wardrobe. Nice idea but like many not something I can manage at this point in my life and with my level of disorganisation.
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