We are now over half way through summer, and my 10 item wardrobe (OK, actually 17!) has been coming along swimmingly! It has truly made life so much easier – no more looking at a closet of clothes and thinking “I have nothing to wear” since all of the pieces fit, AND go with each other. However, I felt that I still needed one more piece that could take me from casual through to “not quite dressy”. The dress I had ordered from Boden (see my post here) did not work out, but then I found a Liberty print sleeveless shirt from Sportscraft that was just perfect. The shirt was just the piece to fill the gap, and the fact that it was heavily reduced (and the last one!) was just a bonus. I love Liberty, I love nautical, and this combines both so what could be better! The all-over print is of a sailing boat in the ocean, in shades of blue on a white background. So, so perfect for my wardrobe.
The first four outfits are ways I have already worn this shirt, ranging from ladylike and retro with the skirt and heels; nautical inspired with the knot earrings, bucket tote and sea charm bracelet; casual with jeans and sandals; and chic with tone-on-tone accessories and wide leg linen pants. What I am really aiming for, however, when adding to my 10 item wardrobe, is not just versatility for the current season, but items that will take me through a good chunk of the year. And so, the last four outfits show ways I can take the first four outfits and transition them through the cooler days of autumn. The base outfit in each case is exactly the same. I’ve simply added a layering piece, and then switched up the accessories. For example, adding a vibrant tangerine cardigan, switching to peep-toe heels rather than sandals, and subbing the navy leather bag for the summery straw one totally takes the ladylike look from summer to autumn. I can even see this look going through to winter by adding tights and tan knee high boots.
The key is having a carefully curated collection of accessories. I like to have some items that scream a season; for example, sandals for summer and knee high boots for winter, or the straw bag for summer and a dark leather tote for winter. But I also like to have the bulk of my money spent on items that can be worn throughout the year. For example, the LV monogram tote was a big investment, but it can be worn summer, winter, rain or shine. Similarly, simple (but quality) ballet flats in navy, black or cognac can also be worn all year round.
PS: the clothing items I’ve used in the polyvore collages are often not my exact items. Where I can I use my items, but if you ever see things like $400 pairs of jeans, this is just because they looked the closest to what I own!!
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