Fall wardrobe planning pt. II

(via creaturesofcomfort.us)

As my favorite month is approaching, I eventually managed to complete my ultimate list over the essentials I'm going to pursue this fall, hypothetically. Inspired by the "French method of dressing", I'm allowing myself to indulge in five pieces or less, merely if I find the certain item irresistibly perfect as if it was tailored for my taste and figure. I've decided not to buy the striped mohair sweater from Isabel Marant, as mentioned in an earlier post, because I didn't like the fabric.

Regardless, I'm still building my perfect wardrobe, i.e. I'm allowed to purchase a certain amount of important basics such as striped sailor tops, linen t-shirts, etc. I'll be filling in the gaps as well as hunting for the essentials that lack in my wardrobe. Ashamedly, I don't even own a black cardigan in good quality, a basic I need to get my hands on as soon as possible, because autumn equals layered clothing.

1) A pair of brogues or loafers
My obsession for menswear will never end. My favorite brogues are completely worn and filthy, and I absolutely need a new pair. I also lust for a pair of loafers from A.P.C. but I don't know which color to choose. Brown or black? I love them both.

2) Isabel Marant tweed/bouclé jacket
Such a classic and chic piece. I usually love all the jackets from Isabel Marant.. but the problem is the availability. I always seem to miss out on every single jacket she creates.

3) Clutch from Balenciaga or Mulberry
The giant envelope clutch or Alexa clutch... not sure yet.

4) Black O-neck sweater
I've found an o-neck knit from Acne that looks perfect. Definitely an item I need to take a closer look at.

5) An intense, inexplicable desire or an item from Isabel Marant
"I find the most successful purchases are made when I simply give in to some intense, inexplicable desire. That's how I find the mainstays of my wardrobe, the objects that give me joy to wear.  These I'll end up wearing them again and again.  It's when I try to consciously fill a hole in my wardrobe that I end up getting something that's wrong or uninspired."

Credit to notes to a mouse for this wonderfully written paragraph. Couldn't say it better myself. That's why I'd like to make room for an unpredictable item. Perhaps from Isabel Marant, because every single item I own from Isabel Marant was a result of an impulsive purchase or an intense, inexplicable desire. And these items are the most beloved in my wardrobe. It is as if Isabel Marant designs her clothes specifically for me.

Tell me, what's your fall list so far?

Black

Isabel Marant knit - Cheap Monday jeans + Zara suede bottines

I've never been into garments that the vast majority considers as sexy. Perhaps because I've always been a self proclaimed gamine or something. Granted, there a three body parts that I find beautiful: the back, the wrist, and the collarbones.

This black knit may look dull and just ordinary to some of you. I tell you, this knit is anything but ordinary. The interesting cut and fabric, the cropped sleeves and the exposed back make this knitted piece a lot more intriguing. In addition, this knit oozes of sensuality, I reckon. Nevertheless I wouldn't mind owning a perfectly simple black knit with an o-neck. Still searching for it...

Album ATM: Massive Attack - Heligoland

(via thedockingstation.ca)

Introducing you to a new feature on my blog: My favorite album at the moment, regardless of the album's release date.

Heligoland (2010) by the trip-hop legend Massive Attack is one of the albums I've been constantly listening to for almost four months. This album is certainly not a reproduction of Mezzanine, which is great. Evolution is a good thing. I suppose I am not the only one who cannot resist the ghostly vocals, mesmeric sounds and phantasmagorical gothic groove of Massive Attack's latest album. Tremendously wonderful.

Splitting the atom:


Paradise circus:


Atlas air:

Style notice: La street spontanéité

(via thefashionspot)

Whenever I feel a tad uninspired, I always flick through the August 2009 issue of Vogue Paris until I find the most inspirational photograph ever. Rapidly, these magic words "la street spontanéité" became my style principle. Although I love the idea of a classic and understated style, I also love this French nonchalant attitude towards fashion.

I just love that I can pick out a top and bottom blindly and yet the items go perfectly together. It only takes me 5 seconds to get dressed in the morning.. I do not even need to reassure my outfit by looking in the mirror before I leave the house, because I know that my ensembles work in any case. That's the benefit of having the perfect wardrobe that is constantly in progress, I guess. In addition, this perfect coat from Isabel Marant adds this incessantly nonchalance to my style. I cannot wait to start wearing my desirable coat again.

Playlist: August'10

(source unknown)

One thing is certain, I have developed a major crush on Sofia Coppola. I just ADORE her understated style and beauty.

However, a reader reminded me of something today. The only thing that doesn't make me feel awfully ashamed about the old Dead Fleurette is the mixtapes I used to share with you. So, I hope you all have access to Spotify. Every month, I always make a playlist and I'll gladly share them with you. Don't forget to subscribe to the playlist of the month because I'll add new songs every day till the end of the month. Enjoy!

(Btw, I know that The XX, Little Joy, etc = old news. I've been listening to their music for over a year now but my playlists aren't supposed to be a mix of new tunes. Just so you know, I just add the music I listen to all the time.)

PLAYLIST: DEADFLEURETTE AUGUST'10

Style notice: À la Brune de Margerie

(via diorette)

THE STYLE Brune bases her wardrobe on three basic colors: black, grey and navy blue. A chromatic minimalism can be found in the designers she favors: Stefano Pilati, Martin Margiela, Nicolas Ghesquière, Alber Elbaz, whose clothes she mixes with things from Et Vous and Zara.

THE METHOD Every morning, the same process: “To choose a look, I start with the shoes, which I coordinate with a clutch, and everything else follows.”

THE TABOO Too many colors, loud colors, fluorescent, anything flashy. Three colors she hates: yellow, green and orange.

FOR EVENINGS “I don’t wear glamorous couture, dresses that are pleated, or floaty or transparent. I wear a classic little dress by Chanel, well-cut and perfect for all circumstances.”

(translation via tfs)

Bye bye summer

(image taken by Johanne T.J.)

Not from today, but last week's summer uniform variant. I didn't have the opportunity to sport this summer uniform frequently as I merely disguised myself in inappropriate clothes. Thank God autumn is approaching. However, this attire would have looked much better with that sweatshirt untucked.

Gillian Tennant top & bottom giveaway

With excitement, I am utterly pleased to reveal that Dead Fleurette will be collaborating with the Australian designer Gillian Tennant for its very first giveaway, exclusively for the lovely visitors of this blog. One lucky person will win two pieces from Gillian Tennant – consisting of a top and shorts or skirt combination. Anyone can enter as this contest is worldwide.

What a way to celebrate the recent launch of Gillian Tennant online! The collection consists of beautiful vintage-inspired basics that are handmade from natural fabrics and will blend in perfectly with every woman's wardrobe. Because of the label's exclusivity, each style in the collection is limited edition, which means you probably won't stumble into someone with an identical garment.

To enter the giveaway, write a post on your blog, tumblr, etc, in which you state briefly why you would like to win + pick out a top and shorts /or skirt from the Gillian Tennant collection and visualize how you would style the chosen combination using collage (photoshop, paint, polyvore, etc). Leave me a link to your blog post as a comment, and don't forget to leave your name and e-mail as well. You can submit your entry in either English or Norwegian.

If you don't have a blog, you can also participate in this giveaway. Submit your name + e-mail address along with your contest entry (collage + a brief answer on why you should be the winner) under the comments section.

The giveaway ends Wednesday, September 1st. A winner will be chosen by me and Gillian Tennant. Happy collage making!

(images via gilliantennant.com)

Moodboard #1

Uggh, lately I have been feeling kind of uninspired. Lack of access to photoshop doesn't contribute to my inspiration either. However, I'm obviously still obsessed with Isabel Marant's signature ankle boots, and I'm planning to get my hands on these boots in both black and camel leather. For fall, I'm repeatedly going for the natural "je ne sais quoi"  look that Isabel Marant brilliantly rendered in her previous f/w collection. And of course, I'm striving for a more relaxed look comme Isabel Marant before the hype in 2009 (not a big fan of her Balmain-ish-80's-collections).

Shirt and boots from Isabel Marant, sailor top from A.P.C., cardigan from Comme des Garçons Play.

BRB (simplifying my life yet again)

(via leclubdustyle)

I'm cleaning out my closet and room again. I never seem to get enough. I can't stand living in a room packed with clothes, clutter and materialistic stuff that I don't have use for. Need to let go of stuff. Stuff doesn't own me, consuming time and energy any longer. When I was younger, I was emotionally attached to every single item I owned, basically. Now, I can't let go of the stuff that used to belong to my grandmother such as empty perfume bottles, her pillow etc. As a child, I'd keep everything from handkerchiefs to combs that belonged to the people I loved. Every time my family came to visit and forgot some unnecessary belongings - I'd save it in a box. Erasing their stuff equals erasing them from my life. I can't keep on saving their stuff for the rest of my life. That's why I need to put an end to this compulsive behavior because I know that the people I love will disappear from my life sooner or later. At last, I've realized the fact. That's a good start.

Simplicity is all I need in order to remove the stress and lead a somewhat peaceful life. I need to bring out my inner zen monk, paradoxically with a fondness for perfectly tailored designer clothes.. lol. I must list my clothes from Acne, April77, Ksubi etc on ebay soon. Someone else might have use for it.

Style notice: When you go to the store...

(images via loveisthenewblack)

In order to become a good shopper, you must be capable of saying no when the fit isn't completely perfect. Always make sure that the cut doesn't make you look stubby. Do not settle unless the garment looks like it was tailored particularly to your body and style. Being able to pick out items, carefully, that harmonize with your proportions is a skill. A skill that you should progress if you're aiming at a wardrobe free of disharmonious clothes.

The scent

Rather than having a perfumery with several options in my cabinet, I find it more suitable to be a "one scent"-girl. I am literally obsessed with finding the perfect fragrance. A scent that just oozes me and highlights who I truly am. A scent I feel comfortable and confident wearing. A scent I can probably wear for decades. Yes, my mom has been wearing Coco Chanel (Coco, Allure, Mademoiselle) for decades. I absolutely love the smell of my mom and I will always associate her with those scents.

So far, I have failed to find the right scent. Parisienne by YSL is my current perfume, which is not made for me as I hoped it was. Right now I cannot afford another new experimental bottle but I'll most likely give the scents from Diptyque, Annick Goutal, Serge Lutens and L'artisan Parfumeur a try one day. I'm pretty much fed up with the ordinary scents from Gucci, Bvlgari, Marc Jacobs etc, so I am absolutely determined to try out the more "extraordinary" fragrances that is not available everywhere.

My current obsession is Philosykos by Diptyque. We'll see how long this obsession lasts. Finding your scent is as essential as owning the perfect white shirt. Have you succeed to find your scent?


(images via google, theselby)

The O-neck

(via tfs)

Zara F/W 10.11 campaign. This knitted sweater from Zara is so nice, exactly what I had in mind. O-neck sweaters are definitely my thing. I also like sweaters with a little bit shorter sleeves only so I can show off my watch or bracelet. But I seldom wear bracelets. My philosophy is to keep it simple when it comes to accessories. I might add this sweater to my capsule wardrobe but it depends on the fabric and the fit.

Edit: Oh no! I just discovered some imperfections in this sweater. The visible seams on the arms... and the sweater looks kind of asymmetrical to me...? Just a plain o-neck knit... that's all I ask.

Late summer/early fall

Dior sunglasses - Isabel Marant knit - Zara shorts - Isabel Marant boots - Balenciaga city bag

I can't make up mind my whether it is summer or fall now. Every day my fall wardrobe desperately screams for my attention. Today, I almost couldn't resist to wear my fall coat but that would have looked too ridiculous in this painful weather. However, I like video outfits. I think outfits look better in motion so I'm planning on making a lot of video outfits in the future.

Girl crush

(via tfs)

The long way to the perfect wardrobe pt. 1

(source unknown)

Tongue in cheek, here is the first part of the long way to the perfect wardrobe.

- Are you one of those people who cluelessly rummage the closet in order to find something adequate to wear every single morning?

- Or perhaps you're one of those who only wear the fresh and clean clothes directly from the dryer?

- Do you constantly purchase new clothes because you feel like you don't have anything to wear, even though your closet is jam-packed with superfluous items?

- Do you wear the same items over and over again despite the fact that your closet does not lack of clothes (but it lacks of space, apparently)?

- Do you find yourself surrounded by clothes and clothing stores all the time? (If yes, you must have a problem!! haha)

- Would you like to trade all your bad quality clothes and the numerous shopping trips with the designer bag of your dream?

If the answer is yes, then I suggest you to read further. Two years ago, I answered yes to all these questions. Today I could practically answer no to them, but that would be a lie.. I always feel the urge to get rid of even more clothes and only keep the essentials. It's a long way, but I'll get there eventually. It has become an addiction and I prefer the advantages of having less clothes.

Your further reading might contribute towards a better wardrobe, better mornings, better environment, more money, more items you'll love forever, less consumerism and a better and simpler life. The only solutions to solve this major problem (which is, sadly, pretty common amongst humans and fashion bloggers today) are to get rid of almost all the clothes and stop the consumerism aka. do not walk into clothing stores.

1. You can either donate your clothes to charity shops, sell the clothes that you consider too pricey for donation, sell the clothes that still have the price tags or just.. get rid of the clothes somehow (but keet the environment in mind). I know, this is kind of hard but it's a process. First, you'll start off with the clothes you know you'll never wear again or have never worn. Then you have to eliminate a lot. Be strict and don't let your emotional attachments to a bunch of fugly clothes prevent you from editing down the amount of clothes. When you finally perceive the very great feeling of getting rid of closet clutter, you'll get rid of even more and more. Sooner or later, you'll go overboard and you'll end up with the essentials only.
2. The best way to stop the impulse shopping (that leads to a myriad of items that you regret buying) is as easy as avoiding the shops. Spend your saturdays doing anything else but shopping, or if you're desperate or depressed: binge or bake a cake! Be strict and particular, allow yourself to indulge in only 4-5 pieces a season. Building the wardrobe is not a rush. It's not an random activity like grocery shopping. Think of building the wardrobe as collecting art. You should appreciate all the effort you put in the search for the perfect items.  
3. When you stop purchasing loads of cheap clothes on sale all the time, you'll see how fat your wallet grows. A dollar here and five dollars there spent on something you'll wear once will result in thousands of dollars. So.. would you rather spend thousands of dollars on cheap clothing that lasts only two trips in the washing machine, or invest in forever-pieces?
4. And last but not least, it's definitely not eco-friendly to go shopping every week. Nuff said.

(to be continued...)

Inspiration/nonsense

(via hollyroller.tumblr.com)

When I look at this photograph, I realize that I am in desperate need of a bouclé or tweed jacket as soon as possible because my favorite season is approaching, and my wardrobe lacks of lovely jackets. Starting tomorrow, I'll hunt for the Isabel Marant bouclé jacket in Oslo. I don't care if the jacket itches - I need it.

However, how do you like my blog: More text or less text? I guess hardly anyone reads what I write anyway, that's a common occurrence in this world. People only scroll up and down, and throw a quick glance at the photos. Hmm.. More photos? Less photos? What would you like to read about? Do you like photobooth photos? Lol. Do you like outfit videos like this one? Haha, I'm quite productive these days but that's only because I'm avoiding the sun. Otherwise, when I'm forced back to school I might abandon this world.

My wardrobe essentials pt. 2

2. Breton shirts

Striped shirts are a wardrobe staple. They are simple, chic and they never go out of style. I wear stripes all the time regardless of the season. When I go shopping, striped tops attract me immediately. My favorite breton shirt has a boatneck, which makes me look more masculine in a feminine way. Luckily, searching for the perfect striped shirt/sweater isn't a hard case - A.P.C. produces the most perfect striped clothes ever.

MY WARDROBE ESSENTIALS PT 1: The beloved 'Bidou' suede boots from Isabel Marant

The perfect jacket

(via jak&jil.com)

Emmanuelle Alt's PERFECT navy blazer with gold buttons from Balmain is now available on net-a-porter for €1945. Well, I might as well just continue the endless search for the perfect navy blazer that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.. well, maybe an arm.

Summer uniform

I've managed to create myself a summer uniform. Black shorts + a random shirt + Dior sunglasses + canvas bag + loads of sunblock spf 100 = my summer uniform.