The Ten Item Wardrobe

We've all seen them -- those pictures of beautifully organized closets filled with perfectly coordinated clothing that hangs freely from matching hangers. Sweaters are neatly folded, shoes are meticulously lined up, and handbags stand at attention in a neat row. But when we open the door of our own closets, we find a mess of mismatched garments shoved in so tightly that they hardly need hangers to stay in place. Sweaters are piled up so that, when we pull one out to wear, the whole bunch falls over in a heap. Shoes are strewn about looking for their mates, and purses are thrown in wherever they will fit. Perhaps your closet is properly organized. But for those of us who are organizationally challenged, or just don't have enough room for our clothes, that beautiful wardrobe seems like a dream. If only we could find a way to straighten things out! Well, I may have found a solution.

Recently I discovered two books by best-selling author Jennifer L. Scott: Lessons From Madame Chic; 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris, and At Home With Madame Chic; Becoming a Connoisseur of Daily Life. When Jennifer was in college, she lived in Paris for six months as an exchange student. The lessons she learned while living with her host family were life changing. She has written these two books based on her experience in Paris, and a new book, Polish Your Poise With Madame Chic; Lessons in Everyday Elegance, is set to be released later this month. Jennifer's blog, The Daily Connoisseur, is filled with ideas on how to achieve that je ne sais quoi possessed by her hostess and others that she met during her study abroad. I am impressed by the way Jennifer turned that six-month experience into a career that she is able to maintain while staying at home with her children. One thing, in particular, that made an impact on her was the fact that, in spite of having tiny closets, French women always seemed to be dressed so nicely! It was then that she learned the concept of the ten item wardrobe.

The idea is to have ten quality pieces that are worn throughout the week, with the addition of tee shirts, outer wear, and accessories. By limiting yourself to ten key items, the closet is not packed with clothes that are rarely worn. This makes getting dressed so much easier, since you don't have to wade through a forest of garments in your wardrobe. Because I am always searching for ways to be more organized, I found this idea intriguing. I have so many clothes, but I always seem to grab the same couple outfits to throw on in my haste to get dressed and get on with my day. And since the weather is always warm here, with the exception of a few chilly winter days, I can wear the same clothes year round. The trouble with that is, it can get rather boring. So I have decided to try this concept of the ten item wardrobe.

I am sure it will be a challenge to choose which things to keep, which ones to store away, and what to get rid of altogether. But I think that, by choosing wisely, I will be able to put together a practical wardrobe that looks nice and serves me well. Perhaps I might even achieve that picture perfect closet I have coveted for so long. So stay tuned for updates on my progress! Meanwhile, perhaps you would like to give it a try, as well!