They say that French women only purchase five thoughtfully considered, quality pieces each season. This prevents a classic fashion pitfall I have found myself a victim of: buying unnecessary clothes and cluttering up my closet with random trendy pieces that won't last. This year I have taken to heart the minimalist attitude of the French, stripped my closet of those un-loved and un-worn pieces I've held onto since high school with a hoarders-esque death grip, and committed to only buying pieces that fit three criteria. First, they must mix and match seamlessly with my current wardrobe. Second, they must be clothing I will actually wear frequently (nothing that doesn't fit right, must make me feel great, etc). Third, they must fit into my mommy life style. I love silk Madewell tops as much as the next gal, but between my two small children and my own Liz Lemon tendencies I know that such a top would be covered in spit up/mucous/food/coffee stains before 9:30 in the morning. Realistically, at this stage in the game, I need clothes that I won't be crying over if (read: when) they are ruined. With all this in mind, I purged my closet today and it felt AMAZING. I held up each piece of clothing I owned and asked myself two questions. First, have I worn this recently? and second, If I saw this in a store today would I buy it? Happily, I now have a huge pile of old clothes that I will be schlepping up to a resale shop soon. Now that I've been able to cull my closet to the very best loved pieces, I decided it was a good time to practice my new French mindset and purchase a few things for fall. I hit one of my go-to shopping spots: the clearance section at Target. None of these items cost me more than forty bucks, and I absolutely love every one of them. Here's the rundown of what I purchased and why.
no 1. Striped sweatshirt dress | Could anything be MORE French? I have pinned about a thousand outfits of gals wearing dresses similar to this one and have been on the lookout for one for ages. I snagged this baby for about $17.00. Thank you, thank you Target clearance! It fits great, and the material is thick enough that it's not super clingy and exposing. I am still pretty shy about my postpartum body and this dress covers all the areas I am trying to hide/forget exist.
no 2. Black Booties | Not on clearance but still a great deal. Daniel got me a great pair of cream suede booties from Urban Outfitters last year and I've been wanting a darker pair that I wouldn't be constantly worried about staining and/or scuffing. I am very hard on shoes and clumsy to boot (pun intended) so I tend to favor cheaper shoes.
no 3. Plaid Button Up | I have been wanting a plaid flannel winter button up for years but never found one I loved. This top has fun lining and elbow patches and the fit is longer than most button ups. It's not actually flannel, but I actually don't mind because it seems like this will be warm but breathable.
no 4. Brown Backpack | This was a bit of an impulse buy, but I have no buyers remorse over it. All of my old purses are falling apart or too tiny to fit what I carry these days. Plus, Daniel just bought me an awesome vintage bike for my birthday and this will be a much easier bag to bike with. Also, when I inevitably spill a bag of cheerios in this bag, I won't think twice about it.
no 5. Long Sleeve Blouse | This may be my favorite purchase of the lot. The black section is nice and flowy (in other words, flattering) and the jersey sleeves are breathable and stretchy. This is the perfect shirt for an active day with the littles when I want something slightly nicer than a t-shirt, but just as comfy.
What are you wearing this fall?
