Thank you for your great response to my ten-item wardrobe for spring/summer 2015! In this week's video I talk you through the wardrobe choices. This year's wardrobe was heavy on the dresses. This was by design. After many years of curating these capsule wardrobes I have come to learn that I am most comfortable in dresses. They also fit the Southern California climate perfectly as the days are generally warm, if not down right hot! In the past, I would include more pants and even long sleeved blouses, but found I rarely wore them. Dresses are for me.

This year saw many repeats, such as my A.P.C. blue chambray dress, A.P.C. linen dress, Tory Burch silk patterned dress and the denim Talbots dress with the tailored sleeves from last season.



Many of these dresses are more than one season old and because of their high quality, still remain valuable assets in my core items.

Of the newer dresses, I decided to try a few accessible brands (able to order online or through catalogue) such as Garnet Hill and Boden. I have been very pleased with the quality of these dresses!



The star of the show for me is this new Rebecca Taylor dress, which I love and I know will last many seasons to come.


For the bottoms, I have one pair of Spanx jeans, which I purchased last winter and a khaki a-line skirt from Talbots. If the weather gets really hot or if I'm doing a particularly messy activity with the girls, I might take out a pair of shorts I have from Banana Republic. Right now, I've stored them away until summer.



As you can see I do not have any blouses in my wardrobe this year. If I need to look dressy during the day, any of my dresses will work just fine. I plan on using the jeans and skirt paired with the tee shirts for more casual looks. These tees are all from Boden. I only have a handful of tee shirts each season. Not all of them are represented here. I have another blue and white stripe (I love my nautical!) as well as a few long sleeved white tees. Because I only have a few tee shirts each season, I tend to need to replace them each year as they either shrink or get dirty. These Boden tees seem really high quality. They might last longer than one season! We shall see...



I do a lot of walking in Santa Monica and need comfortable flat shoes. I have not shown you my entire shoe collection here, but these represent my casual shoes that can pull each outfit together nicely. I have not shown my evening shoes (mainly heels) in this post. As you can see, I like to wear neutral or black shoes. They tend to go with everything!



I have not shown evening wear in this video. That will be discussed in a separate future video. Here, I wanted to focus on the everyday core items that get you through the week.

For links to all items that are still available (many are not as they are more than one season old), check out my original blog post here.

Check out this week's video for a more in-depth discussion of the ten-item wardrobe. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or check out my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

News

I am in Tokyo, Japan this week! I'm looking forward to meeting readers at my book event, Wednesday April 22nd, 7pm Kinokuniya Southern Theater

I am featured on Retail Me Not in an article called, Clean Home, Clear Mind.

Lizzbert blogs about her journey with the ten-item wardrobe here.

Pink Julep loves Lessons from Madame Chic and has her own take on the harsh critics.

Inspired by Madame Chic, Ruby's Musings works on cultivating her mind here.


At Home With Madame Chic is now available as an audiobook from Tantor Audio.


Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
As you go forward with curating your ten-item wardrobe, think about your true style. Do you dress how you want to dress? Or do outside influences dictate that you dress a certain way? Perhaps you would love to dress in a more feminine way, but tell yourself you could never do it for various reasons. Get inspired to discard your inhibitions and embrace your true style.

Comment of the Week
On YouTube, Janice writes:
I completely understand what you are saying about appreciating, being grateful for what we have instead of always wanting more or thinking that it isn't enough. I just recently discovered your blog and am reading your book.I love the idea of a 10 piece capsule wardrobe. I am tired of (bored with) having so many clothes that I so seldom wear. I find the idea very refreshing.

Thank you Janice, and have fun compiling your ten-item wardrobe!


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I hinted that I had a special plan for the denim Talbots dress in my fall/ winter ten-item wardrobe and today, I reveal the plan! I loved this dress. It is made of quality fabric, is the perfect length and washes really well. I liked this dress so much I'd like to continue wearing it for spring/ summer 2015.

In order to make this work, I decided to have the sleeves tailored short. The long sleeves would have been too heavy for the hot California summer. In this week's video I show you the before and after and I am thrilled with the result!


Here's the before...


and here's the after



Using a tailor to alter your beloved clothes is a great way to feel like you are getting a "new" dress but still keep the same one. The tailoring cost $18 (which is probably an inflated price seeing that I am in Santa Monica) and for that amount I feel like I have an entirely new dress to wear for the next few months.



Check out the video to see the full transformation. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog or check out my channel (and be sure to subscribe!) at www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
As spring approaches (fall for our Southern Hemisphere friends) start thinking about your upcoming ten-item wardrobe. As the weather turns, start packing away your out-of-season clothes. If there was an item you just can't part with, consider tailoring it to fit the upcoming season. If not, pack your clothes away knowing you'll be happy to see them when the weather turns again.

Comment of the Week
On YouTube Hannelene writes:

This was my first true 10 item season (last year I was down to about 20-25). A few notes: you can only do this if you have control over your laundry - when traveling for longer periods where you have to rely on the speed of laundry service it can get a bit challenging.) My second problem was my jeans, which was a BIG staple, died an unfortunate death and could not be repaired. Where I live, shopping is not a matter of popping to the local mall. Ouch. Lesson learned? For my lifestyle, one or two spares are essential.

Hannelene, I love that you have tried it and adapted the ten-item wardrobe to work with your life situation. I hope you continue to enjoy it and its vast benefits!


Question of the Week

Heather P. on YouTube writes:

Hi Jennifer...I just bought this beautiful Rebecca Taylor shirt, of course inspired by you. However, I live in rural America and don't have access to a good dry cleaner. I am afraid the dye will bleed, or the silk will shrink if I do not handle it properly. Can you please let me know how to best care for this garment. Thank you! I love your videos and am thankful for my Sunday mornings

Thanks for your question Heather. Rebecca Taylor makes beautiful, high quality clothes. I have had a few of her silk dresses in the past and was able to wash them on the "hand wash" or delicate cycle in a mesh laundry bag on cold with a gentle detergent. I then would hang them to dry and use an iron on the silk setting if necessary.


Let me know what you think of the tailored sleeves! See you next time on The Daily Connoisseur...

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Last week I filmed myself every morning so you could see 5 days of outfits: Monday through Friday. This is so you can get a real world sense for how my ten-item wardrobe works and to encourage you about how many possibilities you can have and how exciting it can be!

Many people are under the misconception that they will become bored with their ten-item wardrobe. That is simply not the case. You have your ten core items and you have the extras (like tee shirts, cardigans, shoes and accessories) that pull it all together and make the combinations limitless. It truly makes getting ready in the morning fun and challenges you to put your best self forward every day.

For links to the pieces shown, please check out the original ten-item wardrobe post here.

Here are screenshots from this week's video:


Monday

Monday morning shows minimal makeup, a bad hair day fix, my Trouve black silk blouse, Ann Taylor Loft fluid ankle pants and London Sole Henrietta black suede ballet flats.


Tuesday

Tuesday shows my denim Talbots dress, a better hair day and London Sole pirouette leopard with red trim ballet flats.



Wednesday

Wednesday is more casual with my old J Brand jeans, Brass Plum white tee shirt, Bloomingdale's beige cashmere wrap and London Sole leopard with red trim ballet flats.


Thursday

Thursday is dressier with my Ann Taylor Loft emerald green dress, BCBG black cardigan, J Crew opaque tights, London Sole Henrietta black suede ballet flats and bauble bar bib necklace.


Friday

Friday reuses my Ann Taylor Loft fluid ankle pants, Loft leopard print tee, Bauble Bar bib necklace and black ballet flats.

The handbag I used all week was my Jewel navy handbag.

The nail polish I wore all week was the Formula X in Marvelous, a sheer nude porcelain color.

The L'Oreal lipstick is Infallible in mulberry

For more on London Sole click here.

Check out this week's video for a detailed explanation on my stylistic thought process. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or check out my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur.


Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
This week take record of every outfit you wear. Record it and at the end of the week assess whether or not you are happy with how you dress and present yourself. Note what you love and note what you'd like to change. If you are not yet living with the ten-item wardrobe, consider trying it this month and be encouraged by how many options you actually have when dressing.

Comment of the Week

On this past Thursday's Louise Labé giveaway, Summer writes:

I have been cultivating my mind by trying to be more mindful of others, how I act and how I treat the space/people I live in. That means a lot of books on this subject as well as interacting with others. ;) I can, if I choose to be a very solitary person, so being out and about with others in mamas groups, etc. is a challenge for me to be there, be present and enjoy it. I also joined a book club at my local library. Reading books I would not pick and learning to not give up on them, but consider why someone wanted to read that specific book. Which is really great to gain perspective.

Summer, I love your efforts to to cultivate your mind even if it means going out of your comfort zone!


This week I would love to know... where are you in the process of curating your capsule wardrobe? Are you trying the ten-item wardrobe? Are you encouraged by how many variations there are on daily outfits? Where are you in the quest to look presentable always? Let me know in the comment section or on social media and you could be picked as the comment of the week!

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