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| (via brownsfashion.co.uk) |
The Row t-shirt, Current/Elliott jeans, The Kooples boots, SC for Louis Vuitton clutch, Cartier watch, Ray-Ban sunglasses.
A statement jacket
The Row t-shirt, Current/Elliott jeans, The Kooples boots, SC for Louis Vuitton clutch, Cartier watch, Ray-Ban sunglasses.
On minimalism
“Minimalism is not a style, it is an attitude, a way of being. It’s a fundamental reaction against noise, visual noise, disorder, vulgarity. Minimalism is the pursuit of the essence of things, not the appearance.” (Massimo Vingelli)This quote is so true, at least this is how I would define minimalism. My style may not be minimalist in the sense of Jil Sander or Stella McCartney, however my approach to life is clearly influenced by the minimalist lifestyle. I am utterly attracted to the idea of minimalism. By embracing minimalism, I have in fact acquired more from purging and decluttering both physically and mentally.
I would say my approach to both style and life is equivalent to the golden mean – a cross between extreme asceticism and extreme hedonism – though I must admit that my obsession with perfection may be excessive at times. I have learned that the pursuit of the perfect wardrobe pays off and decreases the urge to possess lots of clothes and stuff in general. I maintain that having a superfluity of objects yields dissatisfaction. Rather than buying stuff to fill a void in my life, I constrain myself to cope with dissatisfaction by limiting the quantity of stuff I allow myself to purchase. It takes a lot of effort to become effortless and achieve the look of ease – but this is a further theme that I’ll save for another occasion. I suppose that the choices I make as a minimalist perfectionist are still in alignment with my own effortless simplistic values.
Until nearly three years ago, I found it difficult to conquer my impulse consumerism. For me, the transition from being a hoarder to approaching minimalism was like a release from the burden of possessions. In spite of being able to resist purchasing things on impulse, parting with anything once it was in my possession was the hardest part, especially objects I was strongly attached to.
I believe that the best part of being a minimalist is the feeling of freedom and the ease it gives. I suppose that we’re absolutely capable of managing all of our possessions without intrusion into our life.
As I was packing my suitcase for my stay in Barcelona, it struck me that I always bring the same essentials regardless of destination or season. Packing became a lot easier after I gave my life and wardrobe an overhaul. I was not even aware of my accomplishments until my French cousin, whom I see twice or three times a year, stated that I had been wearing the same clothes since 2008. To me, it sounds like I’ve attained one of my goals. My entire capsule wardrobe fits into one suitcase. It makes me very happy that I no longer respond to the endless consumerism that we are bombarded by and that my wardrobe is no longer cluttered.
As for my style, I’m quite fond of maximalist garments but I wear them in a minimalist way.
Au revoir Oslo/Bonjour Barcelona
I'm leaving town to spend a week in Barcelona. I hope you all had a wonderful christmas. I also want to thank all of you for being such great readers, really! Thank you for the lovely e-mails, support and comments.
Nevertheless, is there anything in particular you would like to see on this blog? All advices and suggestions are highly welcome. Maybe less writings and more photos? Or more music, literature and movies? Perhaps less about clothes?
Stay tuned and follow my blog with bloglovin for preset posts.
Happy holidays, everyone!
The search for the LBD pt. I
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| (images via elle, tfs) |
Since I am a musician, the dress will not only serve as the little black dress for evenings and formal wear but also my go to dress for concerts and performances. It is utterly perfect for concerts. There is sufficient room for movement in this dress. Pianists need to be flexible and a tight-fitting dress would restrict my flexibility. The sleeveless silhouette is an absolute convenience for pianists and the perfect mix of form and function.
Now, the challenge is to track down a similar dress in black. If I don’t succeed in finding the perfect LBD, I will have this particular dress custom made in black.
Follow my search for the perfect little black dress - the very missing staple in my wardrobe. I believe that the perfect LBD is out there somewhere. I've found it in white – now I just have to find it in the right color.
What I would wear today
Sonia by Sonia Rykiel coat, Thakoon pants, A.P.C. sweater, La Perla bra, Repetto shoes, Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton clutch, Cartier wrist watch
The usual uniform and silhouette: An oversized and masculine coat, a sleek sweater, underwear that is barely there, a pair of cigarette pants and ankle boots with a small heel, an understated but elegant clutch and an exquisite wrist watch.
Style tip of the day (16/12)
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| (via jak&jil) |
If that's the case, be a bit careless and wear your favorite garment every day for a week, whether it is your statement boots or an easily distinguishable chunky sweater. There is nothing wrong or embarrassing with repeating the same garment or even outfit several days in a row. It's called a favorite for a reason.
The basic wardrobe
A basic wardrobe is a collection of versatile pieces for every occasion. I haven't covered all of the basics yet, mainly because I haven't encountered the basics that look like they are tailored particularly to my body and taste. In my opinion, basics should be carefully selected in the same manner of selecting special or statement pieces.
Ideally, this is how my basic wardrobe would look like. The collages cover more or less everything that a basic wardrobe needs, it's just a matter of finding the right garments.
Ideally, this is how my basic wardrobe would look like. The collages cover more or less everything that a basic wardrobe needs, it's just a matter of finding the right garments.
Regarding tops, it is certain that I have a bias towards crew-neck tops. While the V-neck's sharp lines make my flat chest look too mannish, the crew-neck's lines soften it. I favor loose tees with longer sleeves that I can roll up. For the winter season, I love variations of the crew-neck sweater, whether it is chunky or silky. One of my wardrobe staples are the striped tops, which I wear regardless of the trends and seasons. The perfect white and blue shirt is practically impossible to hunt out. Admittedly I have purchased shirts that are nearly perfect, but time after time I've ended up re-selling them due to the imperfections.
These would be absolutely my ideal bottoms. Unfortunately, it is extremely hard to find trousers that fit my slender frame (except for skinny jeans). I am constantly dreaming of a pair of tapered or pleated trousers. They are so chic and classy. I don't like garments that are overly feminine, but a pair of tapered trousers would instantly add an androgynous air to all outfits which consist of feminine separates.
The perfect little black dress must be as hard to find as the perfect white shirt.
When it comes to jackets and coats, I like jackets that aren't to fitted at the waist. The jacket is the most important component of an outfit. I'm leaning towards a uniform that consists of a simple top and bottom and an exquisite jacket.
Shoes! I feel that I have better luck in finding the right shoes. I know where I can obtain my ideal shoes. It's just a matter of money. I adore ankle boots with a small heel simply because they are beautiful and walkable. Brogues have been a staple in my wardrobe for years but I surely need to replace my old ones with a pair in the best quality. I think I will go for the ones from Church's. 
The matter of money can also be applied to the accessories. I have covered the bags apart from the clutch. The less, the better!
What's in my bag?
I can't help but wonder what's in a woman's purse. I love peeking inside women's handbags, especially because the contents of one's handbag can tell a great deal about the owner and offer a brief look at the owner's personality, essentials and lifestyle.
I rotate my bags. When I carry my Balenciaga bag, I usually eliminate a book and the pocket moleskine notebook because the bag is already slightly heavy. So, this is basically the essentials that you will find inside my two bags when I don't attend school (add school books, pencil case, sheet music and a mac):
- Umbrella (which I always carry with me, because I certainly cannot rely on the weather forecast. It protects me from getting soaked in the rain/snow and it protects my leather bag and the contents in it (such as my computer!)..)
- iPod (my form of isolation from the busy world)
- Pouch (I use it as a wallet (because I haven't found the perfect leather wallet yet), first-aid kit (band-aids, pain-killers, women-stuff etc) and a place to store tiny objects like a USB flash drive.)
- Hand cream (something that I just recently started to carry as my hands get very dry and itchy in winter.)
- Lipstick (not really a necessity, it's been lying in my bag for months but once in a while I put it on.)
- Concealer (because my skin is unpredictable.)
- Novels (one in English and one in Norwegian. I like having two novels with me for every mood I could possibly be in. I spend several hours on public transportation each day, and I hardly ever have time to read at home. So when I'm not catching up on lost sleep I read.)
- Pens (one fountain pen and one drawing pen (FYI I can't draw)..)
- Moleskine weekly notebook (One of my most important essentials. I'm doomed without my calendar.)
- Pocket notebook (I love lists!)
- Eucalyptus flavored gum (it's a staple)
- Keys
- Vaseline (for dry lips and taming my eyebrows)
- A matchbox (You never know when you'll need it. --> Chemistry experiments)
- An old-fashioned cell phone
- Hand sanitizer (I'm a hygiene freak..)
Regarding handbag essentials, I've always considered myself a minimalist compared to other women I know. But after writing down my handbag's contents, it seems like I'm a maximalist rather than a minimalist. So, what do you carry in your bag? Do share in the comments!
I am also tagging everyone on my blogroll to do a post on their handbag essentials.
Style talk on a sunday
When I feel slightly uninspired, I like to make utilitarian ensembles of clothing to remind myself of what I'm striving for in terms of style. Creating these ensembles also gives me a general idea of what I like or dislike. It's quite distinct that I like a sort of consistency in a wardrobe and accessories. Once I've found something that suits my taste and body perfectly, be it a piece of clothing or a color, I'll stick to it. For instance, I only wear the nail polish color 'rouge noir' as it is part of my uniform look. Any other nail polish color would be completely wrong.
Crew neck
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| (via lagarconne.com) |
These crew neck sweaters are merely simple and perfect. #1 Lou, 100% cashmere. #2 Rag and Bone, 100% wool.
Ma nouvelle veste
Today I received my most recent investment. A tweed-ish wool jacket from the Isabel Marant f/w 2009 collection. I've been searching for this particular jacket ever since I saw the red version on the catwalk. A part from the silver zippers that are hardly noticeable when wearing the jacket unbuttoned, everything about this piece of clothing is just perfect. In fact, I prefer this this jacket without the zippers, but these jackets are so rare that I couldn't let it pass by.
I hope the silver zippers won't clash with my gold necklace and watch.
Thoughts on shopping
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| (via elliebalfe.blogspot.com) |
At times, the ‘shopping’ part is a mystery to me, as if the entire process is being run by my subconscious. Perhaps it is because I am indeed purposeful? Or maybe I’ve managed to develop a fairly handy shopping skill? I don’t like it though. I want to control the shopping process as I can sense distrust in my way of adding new items to my wardrobe. It’s kind of like wardrobe anorexia.
It takes a lot of effort to plan each possession in terms of clothing. I am making every endeavor to execute a wardrobe that doesn’t require annual replacements according to the fleeting fashion and trends. I create a lot of lists in order to filter out needs and desires. Yet some of the lists are as fleeting as fashion. Often, I find myself eliminating several garments from my lists. That's why I prefer to wait a couple of months, sometimes years, before I settle for a garment. For instance, I’ve finally found the ideal pair of flats, made to perfection. But I am not confident enough to settle because I don’t want to end up with a regrettable item that I have to sweep out. In other words, I am completely aiming for a wardrobe that doesn’t need any purges in the future – a wardrobe that I’d never question again.
I never, or hardly ever ‘go shopping’ – the most boring activity ever. Personally, I think it is such a waste of time as well as regrettable impulse purchases are most likely a result of shopping sprees. Instead, I rely on formerly tried labels. Be it Isabel Marant or COS, these are labels that I am absolutely firm to. Every single piece of clothing that I own from Isabel Marant, is dearly loved and considered a wardrobe staple.
I feel quite abnormal, as I reckon that shopping is neither pleasant nor thrilling. But I do think the whole process behind a consistency in wardrobe is rather exciting. Luckily, I’m not capable of empathizing with the average consumer’s outlook towards clothing and shopping any longer.
On the other hand, I suppose that I have developed a bit snobbish attitude towards fabrics. I try to go for mere natural fabrics, which is the opposite of what one can find in the fast fashion stores. Explains why I've reduced my trips to Zara.
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