It feels great to be back on the blog. I hope you had a wonderful week! We went to Lake Arrowhead and had such a relaxing and peaceful time. Capped off by Easter, it was truly a great week. And now onto the business of the day...
Welcome to my ten-item wardrobe post for spring/ summer 2017! Since I have taken you along with me during this process, you are already familiar with almost all of these pieces. I wanted to put my usual fashion show- style video together for you to show you how it all comes together.
The main message I want to convey with this video is that the ten-item wardrobe should be FUN! It's not a prison sentence for your wardrobe :) It's liberating and light and fun and will honestly change your life.
My children wanted to be in this video, so they make an appearance at the end. They certainly had fun filming with me!
Let's take a look at the core items:
Yes, this year I have 11 core items. That's OK! The ten-item wardrobe is flexible. Some seasons I have more than ten, some seasons I have less (for fall/ winter I had eight). It's important to not get bogged down in semantics. Aim for ten and see what happens! If I go through the season and I find I'm not wearing something, I will take it out.
In order from top to bottom: Boden leaf dress, Boden white and green dress, A.P.C. shirt dress, Garnet Hill black ballet dress, Rebecca Taylor dress, Garnet Hill polka dot ballet dress, Coral TJ Maxx blouse, Red floral TJ Maxx blouse, AG high waisted skinny jeans, Talbots khaki skirt and the L.L. Bean denim skirt.
The new addition, L.L. Bean skirt fits into my budget wardrobe concept this year as I purchased it on sale for only $16.99 (original price $49).
Please note: Apart from the L.L. Bean skirt, I do not have links for many of the clothing items as most of them are between two and five years old.
Extras are what bring the core items together and make your ten-item wardrobe wearable. My extras include tee shirts and sweaters. I really only have a handful of each. Not all of my extras are shown in this video. This is to give you an idea of the main items I will be using.
Tee shirts: The blue striped tee is from Boden, the white v-neck tee is from B.P. at Nordstrom, the red striped tee is from Boden, the lace tee shirt is from Loft. These are all from prior seasons so I do not have links to share for them.
Sweaters: the cropped white sweater is from Boden, the tan cardigan is from Ann Taylor and the navy cardigan is from Talbots. (Please note: I have more sweaters in my extras that I can pull from if the weather changes, such as the aqua Equipment sweater, etc. I am showing you a representation of sweaters in this post.)
The white leggings as seen with the Rebecca Taylor dress (which I LOVE) are from Amazon.
If you are new to my work and want to learn more about the ten-item wardrobe, watch my TEDx talk to get the whole story, or read my Madame Chic books.
News
Lessons from Madame Chic has been released as a comic book in two volumes from Harper Collins Japan. The books are illustrated by the very talented Junko Murata.
Illustrator, Junko Murata, shared these pictures on her blog.
Thank you, once again, to the Japanese readers for embracing the Madame Chic books!
Stay tuned for the next video where I do a ten-item wardrobe talk-through with you and share my thoughts on how it is working so far. Thank you so much for your support! I hope that you will share this video and spread the word about how amazing the ten-item wardrobe truly is. If you are a blogger and you write about The Daily Connoisseur and the ten-item wardrobe, let me know and I will mention you on the blog.
Today I would love to know... what do you think of my ten-item wardrobe this year? Are you having fun building your own ten-item wardrobe? What is going right and what is going wrong? Remember even your mistakes are valuable because you learn from them! If you have any questions you'd like me to address in Thursday's talk-through video, please submit a comment by the end of today (Monday, April 17th).
See you soon...
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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. Links may be affiliate.
27 comments:
Jennifer! I've been enjoying the ten item wardrobe for several years now and spring summer 2017 is working out well for me, I haven't actually finished finding my summer items because it's still cool and I won't really need them until we go to the beach...
My children and I just finished watching your fashion show, and I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed seeing you with your children at the end! You have a beautiful family! Thank you for encouraging and inspiring us on a weekly basis!
♡Kathleen
Oh my goodness! When I saw your children dancing with you at the end of the video I was teary eyed! Your girls look so happy and confident. What a precious son you have as well. You are so blessed and are such a blessing to your family as well as your readers.
Thank you for all you do. You have changed my life and family routine for the better after reading your first book years ago. Hope you had a great Easter with your beautiful family! God bless you and your loved ones.
Amy
How cute are you! I love this video, thanks so much for making it.
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for the fashion-show inspired video! I always enjoy these as well as your "week of outfits" videos because they really do show how much flexibility you can have with the ten item wardrobe.
Something happened this weekend that I had to share with you. I went shopping with my boyfriend. He's considering a new pair of dress shoes, so I tagged along to Johnson and Murphy just to do some window shopping and see what's available. Johnson and Murphy has always been a great brand for nice shoes. They are high quality investment shoes that can be shined, re-laced, and resoled, so you can really get years of use out of them. However, this weekend we discovered that Johnson and Murphy will no longer be providing their resole service! You can still take them to an independent cobbler to have them resoled or repaired, but the store itself does not provide the service anymore. We were completely stunned. When we asked why, the salesperson said customers simply weren't taking advantage of it. Furthermore, the selection of shoes that were significantly lower quality which could not be resoled also seemed to dominate more of the store's inventory than in the past. From what I can gather based on the salesperson's comments and the store's inventory, it seems as though people are opting to buy shoes more frequently, rather than investing in a single pair that, if maintained, can be used for several years. In response, Johnson and Murphy is beginning to operate more as a high end "fast fashion" retailer - with expensive items built to be replaced, rather than investments to be maintained. Although you can sense this occurring in other brands, I've never witnessed such an overt example of this shift from quality to quantity. This trend really is disappointing, and I'm hoping to see it reverse. In the meantime, it's as important as ever to to find good local tailors and cobblers.
I retired from teaching almost 3 years ago. I also lost about 30 pounds, so I am coming into the 10 Item Wardrobe by default. I must say I love it though. We really only wear so many clothes anyway. I am wise in what I purchase and really think it through. I am so glad I came across your TED talk and read your books in the last year and a half. Thanks for inspiring me.
I would love to see a post about your favorite stores/designers. I know you mentioned them in your books, but I would love an updated list! I am currently focusing on adding more "investment" pieces to my wardrobe (I love that you've had your APC dress for years), but am having a hard time finding great quality brands that make the big spend worth it. Your clothing looks great after years of wear!
I'm curious about your wedges! I'm looking for a good neutral wedge to add to my closet for summer and would love to know your source and if they are comfortable for daily wear. Thanks!
I love the picture perfect quick picture of you and your kids! It was adorable! I also really love your 11 item wardrobe this SS.
I'm having difficulty because I feel like I have a different wardrobe every couple of weeks because I'm 6 weeks postpartum. So, it's for sure a work in progress! Having watched so many of your videos, I know I'm getting better at honing in on what my style is and what works...
Your new videos look so professional and neat. I love your "update" on camera and videos.
On a different note, have you read any good books lately!?
Ah!!! You showed your children!! Thank you! That was very cute 😊 I know you like to keep your family private and at their own desecration to be shown. I think that is great.
I'm really loving the TJ MAXX blouses!
Loved the video!!!! It was also such a treat to see your children at the end of the video, your little girls are so sweet (the youngest looks a lot like you!) and you baby boy getting so big!!! I would love to know where you got those wedges from? I've been looking for something like that. Thank you and hope you had a wonderful Easter!
Wonderful to see your children! Were the girls excited to be on the blog? They looked so happy. I love the Rebecca Taylor with the white leggings. It's a different look from the rest of the wardrobe. I love the shoes. Thanks so much for this fashion show.
I think this is one of your best videos -- lots of smiles, cheerful, fun dancing, light music, and children! I loved your wardrobe too. My spring/summer wardrobe is still waiting for the weather to shift. I'm still dipping into the winter clothing right now. It is a difficulty living in the north when one day it is very springlike and the next day temps are dipping below freezing.
Question: Which brands of sweaters or cardigans hold up best?
~Jody
I have been perusing your site for a long time now. I finally made my leap into the ten item wardrobe this spring/summer. I have tried in the past and ended up falling short. It's hard to get the " I like it and it's cheap" out of your mind. Jennifer, thank you for showing us a simpler "different from the norm" way of life.
Your children are so very adorable and I loved the fun video. As always, you are always inspiring.
Love this! Your kids are gorgeous :-)
My son is still nursing, but next year I will have dresses in my wardrobes. They're just too complicated when I'm still nursing, but I love the ease of a dress.
I loved this video--it seemed so fresh, even though many of your core pieces aren't new! Such a great video and I loved seeing your children--adorable! I live in the south where it's too hot to wear jeans in the summer. I also wear a lot of dresses and some skirts. Do you ever add nice shorts to your core or do you think that's too casual? I also loved your wedges and would be interested in the brands of shoes that you find can be worn day in and day out comfortably. I tend to wear a lot of flip flops by default. Also, could you give more specific information about your high-waisted jeans? I know they're not new, but while I like high waisted jeans, I've had a harder time finding ones that work for me.
I really enjoyed your video. It was nice to see you with your children. You all looked like you were having fun.
I think I will try a capsule wardrobe this spring/summer as it looks like it will be fun and might make life easier by eliminating always thinking what I'm going to wear especially for different occasions that come up in the summer.
Hi Jennifer,
As always I enjoyed your video, can you tell me the brand of wedges you are wearing in the video? They are very cute and look comfortable. Your children are adorable!
Hi Jennifer!
Your family is adorable!! I love your shoes. Can you tell me where you got them? Thank you!!:)
Hey Jennifer! Can you show us your shoes and accessories in the talk thru video? BTW I loved seeing your sweet children in your video!
Hi Jennifer. I so enjoyed this light, fun look at your 10-item wardrobe. I especially enjoyed getting to see your children. How big your baby is, all of a sudden!!!! And your girls are just gorgeous. Much like you, I suspect. Thank you for sharing your family with us.
I am yet to delve into a 10-item wardrobe. In reality, that is probably what I am living within, but I really want to fit back into some clothes I was wearing a handful of years ago, and currently can't fit. I'm working on that, but I am so impatient. In the meantime I feel reticent to spend money on more clothes, even though I really don't have enough winter clothes to suit my needs. Oh the frustration!
Hi Jennifer,
I discovered your books last year, and recently started following your blog. You have inspired me to start living a more formal lifestyle, and I can see a big difference in not only my attitude, but in my family's as well. I enjoyed your video because you showed that wearing your nice attire can still be fun and easy. I too have young children. I was wondering, do you use a capsule wardrobe approach to your children's clothing? As a stay at home mom, I find myself buying many items for my children because they are cute. Now they have overflowing closets.
Jennifer, thank you for sharing the snippet of you and your children with us! I've always respected and admired your desire for their privacy but I so appreciate getting to see this heart warming family moment. What a blessing for them to have you as their mama. Your daughters are beautiful and I'm sure they're wonderful people. And your son is just so cute - and big! Question - and I know I'm a day late so I'm hoping you see this - but can you please share where your shoes are from?
Thank you Jennifer for the blog posts and videos! I enjoy reading and watching them. I also have loved all of your Madame Chic books. I would love to know about your nude/beige wedges you are wearing with several of your outfits! Can you tell me what brand/style they are and where you found them? They are so cute! Love them!
Thanks for sharing your 10 item wardrobe. I love your choices, especially the dresses. I find that I've started wearing dresses or skirts more than shorts in the warmer weather. For most daily actives, they work, and I feel so much more put together. The best part of your video, was definitely the kids at the end. :)
I'm doing a 10 item wardrobe this spring, although mine looks different since I live in Western Africa. I have mostly African fabric and LONG skirts. I found a style that was not uncomfortable and had some things made in the same style. It's easier getting dressed in the morning when I have choices I know I like and will wear- but not too many choices.
Love this and thank you for family finale (sans Monsieur Connoisseur) in this video. Everyone is joyful and adorable and well-dressed! The girls' dresses were so pretty and I loved Master Connoisseur's denim. I really appreciate the way you wear your items over several seasons, because you care for your clothes and buy what's what's appropriate for you. As you once mentioned, with the Rebecca Taylor dress, it seemed too short at this point, so you are wearing it with cute white leggings and I love the combination. Happy Springtime to you and your beautiful family, Jennifer.
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