I have surprised myself (quite pleasantly) that I haven't bought much of anything at all this summer, but I have an inkling that when summer school ends in early August, I will no doubt indulge myself then. Instead of marching full force ahead with little forethought and planning, I thought I should at least set myself some goals to rein in careless and mindless spending. Truth to be told, I was afraid of doing this as Ives have put it so well here, that the stress from curating/planning the wardrobe can be paralyzing and stifling, zapping all the fun out of the very thing that is supposed to bring you joy. While I commend those who are abiding by the 4-5 Piece French Wardrobe rules, I don't think that's really the thing for me, mostly because you need to already have great basics to build on and then 4-5 statement pieces per season on top of it. Quite frankly, I don't think I even need that many so-called statement pieces, unless you count Barbour jackets, Filson briefcases, L.L. Bean duck boots and Bass Weejun penny loafers into the mix but even then, they are not flashy as the word statement suggests so I am more inclined to think that they are basics more than anything.
Though I have purchased little, already I am seeing the benefits of having good basics (i.e. the navy jersey skirt) as it makes everyday dressing for summer classes a breeze. I will like to continue basics searching and building for the next year, yet I worry if I can continue with the project because I do need the funds to buy some much-desired magazines and Alain de Botton books as well as art supplies (when did stretched canvas became so expensive?). I am already trying to cut down the costs of books by reading them online via Bartleby or downloading them through Project Gutenberg. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see what happens! Anyone else going basics shopping?
