#OutfitInspo: French Wardrobe Challenge

Hi everyone!

Earlier this week, I spent some time reviewing my bank accounts and bills. I'm not the best with my finances - which is a post for another day 😅 - but I try to check on things once a month. 

Any-who, while going through my bills, I decided that I need to take a shopping break. But what's a girl to do when all of the stores have new Spring collections out? Well I decided that I just need to work with what I have!

As you have already seen, I'm in the midst of a mini capsule wardrobe challenge. While google-ing capsule wardrobes for more inspiration, guess what I came across?

The French Wardrobe Challenge!

Apparently this was a pretty popular challenge a few years ago, but has seen an increase in popularity recently. I think we all know the stereotype of the chic French woman with a closet of beautiful, high-quality items. The challenge is to have certain key pieces in your wardrobe, and you may supplement these pieces with 5 nonessential purchases each season. By limiting your purchases to only five pieces per seasons, there is an implied emphasis on quality over quantity.  

 Source: CocoandVera

The base pieces of the French capsule wardrobe vary based on your lifestyle and what you deem essential for everyday living. But some pieces that I have seen in multiple lists are:

Tops: 

3 Tees (black, white, gray)

3 Tanks (black, white, gray)

White button down shirt

Silk blouse

Cashmere sweater

Boyfriend blazer

Black dress

Black suit

Bottoms:

Black pants

Black skirt

Black shorts

Leather pants

Skinny jeans

Boyfriend jeans

Straight leg jeans

Outerwear:

Seasonal coat

Trench coat

Leather jacket

Shoes:

Black pumps

Ankle boots

Flats

Sandals 

Sneakers

Accessories:

Leather bag

Clutch purse

Gold watch 

Source: Pinterest

As mentioned before, you can customize this to fit your life. You may never need a leather jacket or pants, or you may prefer less black in your wardrobe (just remember neutrals are easier to incorporate into a capsule, a lesson I learned the hard way 😩).

Your purchases can occur in the Spring/summer season, or the Fall/Winter season. Oh, and purchasing new basics does NOT count; these 5 purchases are unique extras that add personality to your wardrobe.

So what do you think? Do you have experience with the capsule wardrobe? Leave a comment below!

Related Post: #CapsuleWardrobe: Wardrobe Update