The Classic 5 Piece French Wardrobe

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Jennifer Lee

In my quest to have both a minimalistic and chic wardrobe, I came across the idea of the Classic 5 Piece French Wardrobe. I wonder where this originally started, but can’t find anything about its origins just yet. What I did find, however, is what this is all about. Basically, you start with the basics and build your wardrobe from there with just five classic, stylish, and high-quality pieces each season. The trick is to only buy five per season and no more. This alleviates the impulse buys and the sale rack purchases we all too soon regret. This avoids clutter in your closet and allows you to purchase high-quality garments that will last you for years. It also saves time and theoretically money, since you would not be buying things you do not absolutely love.

While I found quite a few posts on this 5 piece French Wardrobe, there was some conflicting advice and rules. The best one I found is from The Urban List and it is from this website from which I will base my information. The reason I am using this list as opposed to the others I found on various blogs is because this list is newer and it is based off of the wardrobe basics list that Calexico uses, which is a modern and fashionable boutique in Brisbane.

The rules:

Basics don’t count and are always allowed
Accessories don’t count
Shoes do count
Socks and underwear don’t count
All the rest counts

Pretty simple, right?

The Calexico Basics (my choices/substitutions are in parenthesis):

Tops

Black, grey, and white t-shirt
Black, grey, and white tank
Silk shirt/blouse (button down white shirt)
Black dress
Blazer
Simple cashmere sweater (black simple cardigan)

Bottoms

Black trousers (Black skinny pants)
Skinny jeans
Boyfriend jeans
Leather trousers (Black wide leg pants)
Black pencil skirt

Jackets 

Leather jacket (Gray Wool Peacoat)
Trench coat
Winter coat

A complete black suit

Shoes 

Black stilettos
Mid-heeled ankle boots
Flats
Summer sandals
Sneakers

Accessories 

Gold or silver watch
Neutral leather bag
Clutch

Different blogs and websites had a little variation on the basics, so this is my version of what will work for me. From my perspective, when you look at your wardrobe this way in terms of style and basics, you will see the holes right away. For example, I had none of these t-shirt colors in my wardrobe.

Helpful tips:

Choose a neutral base color and stick with that for your shoe and coat choices. I recommend black, especially for achieving the quintessential French look.

From what I have read, French women wear scarves daily. Remember- these don’t count in your seasonal 5 pieces, so choose colorful scarves to accessorize.

Go through your wardrobe first and get rid of all of the clothes you don’t like or don’t wear. Don’t save clothes for a special occasion. If you haven’t worn it in the last year, or hate how it looks on you, get rid of it.

(Now, I don't have the original photos, so I'll use my own to illustrate this. After all, this capsule wardrobe is made after this list. -Ketutar
Also, I replaced the leather pants with another pencil skirt.)

"I can't find the right color!"

What to do when you have found your personal color palette, but the fashion industry won't cooperate with you, and you can't find clothing in the right colors?

Carole Jackson in her book Color Me Beautiful said you have to have a long-term plan, so you can slowly fill it, and can buy clothes when your colors are trendy. They will be, sooner or later.

That the high fashion trends aren't your style doesn't much matter, because there will always be classic cut clothes available. When it comes to your basic wardrobe, the items should be classic, so that you can wear the same blazer or pants for decades. Most capsule wardrobes are based on the idea that you can buy only a few special items every year that keep you fashionable. I mean, the fashion jeans in the 70s were flared, but straight-leg jeans were available. You could wear the same straight jeans from the 1950s to the 2020s, just changing accessories and tops, and be fashionable.

Also, the classic cut clothes are usually also better quality.

Carole also says that you need to shop, not for clothes, but purchasers :-D If you find a purchaser who has your coloring, you have struck gold. They will have access to much more than you do, and they will find the items in your colors, and take them into the store, even when the colors might not be trendy right then. Especially if you befriend them. You can also get tips on where to find clothes in the right coloring if you can't find them in her store.

That's another thing one can do, find social media groups of people who share your coloring. They can share where they find the clothes of right colors, and tip you about designers and stores you might not know otherwise.

Another great tip is to find a seamstress who can sew your clothes in the colors and materials you want. The price won't be that much higher, and in some cases, it will be lower. Nevertheless, it's very much worth it. The clothes will be perfect for you AND you will be supporting small, local entrepreneurs and craftspeople. 

You can always learn to sew and knit and make your own clothes. It's very intimidating, but it's not difficult.

You can always dye the clothes. Choose white clothes to dye, or clothes with the "right" undertone. Light blue for cool colors, light yellow for warm colors, because the undertone will always come through. If you are a Spring, don't dye grey clothes and believe to get anything but muted Summer colors. If you are a Winter, don't dye clothes with warm colors, like yellow, orange, tan, or beige, because the results will be Autumn colors. 

Now, until you find the right colors, you will have to do with the wrong ones. Also, it's expensive to change the whole wardrobe at once. Especially when you are to invest in good quality clothes. (Though you might not care about that. Not all do.) The good news is that clothes wear down, and eventually you have to buy a new one, and when you know which colors and styles fit you best, you can buy something that will serve you longer and better. (Yes, I know, there are people who take so good care of their clothes that they are still wearing the things they bought decades ago.)

You can save a lot with a scarf in the right colors closest to your face. Pants, skirts, and shoes don't matter that much, as they are away from your face, but tops can be difficult. Now, if you know how to knit, you can knit yourself tops in the right coloring (even if it's just a vest). You can get simple tops in white (like T-shirts and button-down shirts) and wear them with the right colored scarves and tops.

This is Kate Bosworth, and she's usually classified as Light Spring. The dark, soft green doesn't fit her that well, but let's say she is not Kate, but just an ordinary girl, who bought the top because it's cute and the color works so well on her Summer friend who has about the same coloring as she does. Something as little as jewelry in the right color saves the top. You can help the color a bit by choosing the jewelry or scarf in the same color family - Summer green top, Spring green accessories.
(Also, I find it interesting that it's the same photo - the only thing that differs the two is the color of the jewelry... and I think Kate on the left has brighter hair color, brighter eyes, even thinner arms :-D)

Random thoughts

 I have been playing with my colors and styles, again :-D

I decided to scrap the Kibbe styles all together, and go by what my heart says :-D Which is a blend of... a lot of things. 

What I want to address here is the contrast. I made this "value" thing.

Apparently my skin is very pale, my eyes are very dark, and my hair is darker than I thought it is. It used to be very blonde when I was a kid. :-D The contrast was even bigger then, with those dark, dark eyes :-D (They are actually hazel. Hard to see.)

Anyway, the contrast between my eyes and skin is pretty big. But the color contrast is not. The colors of my skin, hair, and eyes are pretty much all the same. :-D (Though hazel counts as green eyes, and they are grey and golden brown - amber, my husband says.) 

I have been going through Imogen Lamport's blog and reading about the contrast. A lot of good information. And it has made me realize that it's not that I can't do patterns, it's that I can't do many colored patterns. Because I don't have many colors in me :-D (Except the eyes, of course.) That means I can do a lot of patterns, but only monochromatic ones :-D There can be a lot of contrast, but only in value. (And then I need to have strong chroma, can't do muted.). (Also, I need dark background color.)

I would look great in the red dress, but not in the one with red flowers and green leaves.

(Well, I'm 54, so maybe not that short :-D)

I have also made some progress about my body shape and how to dress it, and my style preferences :-D

I saw this video, which talks about expanding your body type beyond pears and apples. But the problem there is that they don't care one bit about the shape of hips. 

I, for example, have high hips that are V shaped. I am widest at hip bone, and then I taper down. I'm literally shaped like a carrot :-D 

Also, I have a short neck, short and wide chest area, and short waist. And big boobs. That are widely set. :-( And rather narrow shoulders. (Carrot, again :-D)

So I think I'll stay with apple :-D

I should need to elongate my neck, widen my shoulders, while narrowing my chest, elongating my waist while shortening my hips, taking in at stomach while adding to my bottom, narrow down my hips on top, but widen them at the bottom. And even though my legs are long, they are also muscular and thick... 

I think I'll just ignore the proportions and wear what ever I feel like wearing. Be it tons of scarfs, necklaces, bracelets, rings and belts. (Oh, rings and bracelets? I have rather large hands and stout arms, which makes me look like a gladiator with sausages as fingers when I wear bracelets and rings. Not that pretty, huh :-D)

I know, it's rather contradictory to be saying that I'll ignore all this, while talking about things that I'm going to ignore... :-D

Anyway, I was looking into Suzanne Caygill's color theory, and realized it's based on one self and what colors work. That every person has their own color palette, and there really aren't any seasons or so. And it is basically "wear the colors on you and what ever you like, it will be great." 

You know, most people, who decorate their homes as they like to, use instinctively the colors that work best as clothing as well :-D So, I'll just look at my home decoration ideas and inspiration, and make it into outfits :-D 

(It's funny because that has been my philosophy the whole time - "your shade of purple is the shade of purple you like the best". "Wear the style that best pleases you". "Copy the celebrities who dress like you'd dress".