We’re a couple weeks into autumn now, so I thought it would be as good an opportunity as any to give you a 5PFW summer wardrobe update. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the five-piece-French-wardrobe-challenge, you can learn a little about how I’m interpreting this Parisian take on adding to your closet for the year ahead in this post.
Ultimately, I decided to partake in this challenge as a way of informing my shopping attitude for the year ahead. I’ve said this before but I felt like 2018 saw me lose my way with my wardrobe a little, and I wanted to put the focus back on shopping intentionally. Adding fewer but better items into my closet, and focusing on shopping for pieces that I’d be reaching for until they’re threadbare. It’s probably worth noting that I am someone who enjoys participating in fashion, so while I never think that my relationship with shopping is going to be perfect, I thought this would be a good way to reboot from the mindless loop of consumerism that I found myself falling into.
I’ve already shared an update on my YouTube channel talking through what I bought for the season, so if you’d prefer a visual/audio representation of my new additions, you can check out the video below. If not, then keep reading.
I decided to split up my 5PFW summer wardrobe update into four sections: key pieces, basics, pre-loved items, and gifted pieces. Let’s start with key pieces…
KEY PIECES
Zimmerman floral slingback flats (old but similar) | The very first purchase I made was a whimsical and impulse buy; a pair of floral slingback flats from Zimmermann. I’d actually had these on my wishlist a few years back but they’d been out of my budget at full price. I managed to snap them up for 75% off at their warehouse shop in Rosebery, and couldn’t be more thrilled. While I will concede that they aren’t the most practical option (the elasticated slingback is a little too tight), they’re a bit of a museum piece for me and I’m happy to finally have my hands on them.
Faithfull floral dress (also here) | Faithfull is one of those ‘cool girl’ Aussie brands that I’ve always had my eye on, and this season I finally spotted the perfect dress for me. A dress with a smocked bodice, spaghetti thin straps, loose midi length skirt and neutral-toned floral print. I’d almost been tempted by the same dress in a deep forest green, but decided to go down the safe route and I’m glad I did. It’s a great match with my current wardrobe while still pushing me a little out of my comfort zone.
Nili Lotan blouse | Back in January I loaned a few pieces from PR to create some spring/summer content, one of which being this floaty bohemian style blouse from Nili Lotan. I was immediately smitten, and finally decided to splurge on it in February when I got a birthday discount from Shopbop. I love the fine tie detail at the neckline and sleeves, the cotton voile fabric is soft but lush, and the pleated detail at the front makes it feel really special. The bonus is that this is a major classic, so I know I’ll be wearing it for years.
Saint Laurent Nu Pieds sandals | I didn’t quite get to five purchases for summer – yet – but the fourth purchase on the list is a pair of Nu Pieds sandals from Saint Laurent. I’d originally talked myself out of buying these sandals, in part because of the ridiculous price tag, and in part because I’d heard they were very uncomfortable. Despite buying a pretty good dupe for these, I’ve not been able to stop thinking about them. It’s been a strong reminder that usually it’s better to save up and buy the real thing if that’s what you truly want. I’m planning on getting these in a textured leather in a different colour to the dupes so I have a bit of variety and get good CPW out of both pairs.
BASICS
Topshop stone tapered trousers | I’m still navigating my way around a Sydney summer, which means that much of my summer closet is trial and error. As a result, I found myself buying a few more “basics” than I probably needed. One basic I had on my wishlist for months was a nice pair of white, stone or beige tapered trousers, and I managed to snag an affordable style from Topshop which have really done the trick. These are slightly cropped at the ankle which I find to be really flattering, and I love the tortoiseshell button detail at the waist. It helps that they go with absolutely everything in my wardrobe, too.
PRE-LOVED ITEMS
3.1 by Phillip Lim shorts | Another item that I loaned in January were these structured, tailored shorts from Phillip Lim. I’d had these on my wishlist for about 12 months so it was fun to play around with the style while creating content – though dangerous as it made me realise that I was seriously lacking a dressier short option in my wardrobe. I got incredibly lucky with these and managed to find them pre-loved and in excellent condition on The Real Real, for less than $80 so I promptly snapped them up. They’ve quickly become one of my favourite 5PFW summer wardrobe additions, so I’m glad I finally decided to take a chance on a more tailored silhouette.
GIFTED ITEMS
Lune Resort navy floral slip dress | Another piece I was lucky enough to loan was a very pretty navy floral slip dress from Lune Resort. I liked this slip dress so much, that I was considering adding it to my wardrobe as one of my five key pieces for the season. When the lovely ladies at Lune asked if I would like to keep this piece, I absolutely jumped at the chance. I’ve been loving wearing this on its own with a simple pair of sandals for warmer days, or paired with a merino turtleneck when it has been a bit cooler.
Everlane grey cardigan | I was lucky enough to partner with Everlane on a couple of social posts in February, one of which was to promote their new cotton wrap cardigan. This has to be one of my favourite recent wardrobe additions from the brand, and it was something I felt I was missing from my wardrobe, too. I went with the light grey (though the black is lovely as well), just as I wanted to focus on building outfits centred around a neutral colour palette for the season ahead. I really love the weight of the cotton knit – thick but not too thick – and I like that it’s incredibly malleable. I haven’t tried this yet but I’d love to pair this with some trousers or a skirt, worn tucked in as a top.
Everlane bone suede day heels | The final addition of my 5PFW Summer Wardrobe update that I wanted to mention were a pair of bone-coloured day heels in suede from Everlane. These were another one of those items that had been on my wishlist for months. Truthfully, I think I held off as in my heart of hearts I’ve always felt that a light suede is slightly impractical, but I’m so glad I was finally able to add them to my closet. I love the natural hue, and I haven’t found that they’ve picked up any dirt at all (I have pre-treated them with a leather/suede protectant). While I don’t see these as being quite as practical as my black leather day heels (I won’t be wearing them in the rain, that’s for sure!), I love how effortlessly they slot into my existing wardrobe. We’ve been showered with rain for a couple of weeks now, but I’ve been reaching for these every opportunity I get and can’t wait to pair them with my neutral-toned outfits for the season ahead.
So those are my 5PFW Summer Wardrobe additions. What did you add to your wardrobe in summer? x
That floral dress…… We still have snow and tempereatures around 0 degrees celsius here, so it feels a bit to early to be considering my summer wardrobe. On the other hand I do like to plan ahead. So far I’ve decided that I need to replace my favorite striped tees and my boyfriend jeans. I’ve been wanting a black button-down short sleeve summer dress for some time now, and I finally think I’ve found the right one. I am also eyeing a couple of items in a lovely dusty terracotta color, which is a new color to me, but would fit nicely with the rest of my summer pieces. I also need a new two-piece swimsuit. As for shoes, there’s some replacement needed in that department too, so I’m on the lookout for some flat, tan leather sandals. A pair of wedge sandals are also on my wish list.