Ye olde bare bones

After relishing Susie Bubble's That Blah B Word post with delight, I was set off wondering what my wardrobe "basics" would be comprised of. When I was tagged by the venerable Curella to do such a post, I was just given more reason to stop being so lazy and take a few minutes to document my minor obsessions. Plus, I'm always getting comments from you lovelies about how I must spend so much money on my clothing and have a castle-sized closet when in fact this is pretty far removed from the truth. I spend sporadically, and as I'm sure you can tell if you've been reading my blog for a while, most of it is from cheapie stores or thrifted. And I'm sorry, this post is not going to be including any sort of closet documentation since my boyfriend and I share one that, albeit being a walk-in, I would have trouble fitting everything in if it was just me. Not very pretty. Hopefully our next living situation will be better, but I have a feeling space is even harder to come by in San Francisco judging from the apartments we've investigated on Craigslist...well, I ramble, on to the matter at hand.

Whatever concise and cookie-cutter list Nina Garcia may assemble, the key players in one's wardrobe are so specific and random that I mostly don't even know what will end up earning such status when purchasing. They're just those things you reach for day after day, whether it's for comfort, some odd little detail that makes you smile, or it's just one of those pieces that pulls everything together. So, though I pretty much have the "classic" basics (Uniqlo trench, J Brand skinnies, a few favorite LBDs, ballet flats, neutral cashmere sweaters), I rarely actually integrate them. Instead, I favor the following -

1. Ahh the white shirt...so this is actually probably on our friend Nina's roster, but, as is obvious from looking at just a couple of my outfits, is always on heavy rotation. I prefer them long, semisheer, and washed-a-hundred-times soft. With the right bandage skirt, shorts, or jeans and some in-your-face accessories, and you're done.



(clockwise from top left, Urban Outfitters, Fruit of the Loom, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel)

2. Printed minidresses...from floaty boho to '90s grunge florals to the infamous pansy print Kate Moss dress, I love to offset them with chunky tights, scarves, and boots, or just some Grecian sandals in the summer.



(from left, Jovovich-Hawk for Target, vintage, Kate Moss for Topshop, Urban Outfitters, vintage, vintage)


3. Bright pops of color! A lot of times I'll realize that I can lean towards bland..easily solved with any of these almost radioactive-looking pieces. No, seriously, sorry for the blinding nature of the below photograph.



(clockwise from left, Balenciaga bags, Nine West wedges, Bebe Maryjanes, random cheapie jeans, vintage red bandage skirt, American Apparel lame bra top, vintage scarf, Forever21 heels, Aldo flats)

4. Cozy wrappy scarves...I always keep these in my car or handbag to warm up in if necessary. Such a ubiquitous street style trend right now, but hey it works.



(from left to right, Target, H&M, vintage, Forever21)

5. Studs! You just know when your outfit necessitates that extra bit of ferocity and this is an easy way to harden it up. You know THOSE Louboutin studded ankle boots would be in here if they weren't one bajillion dollars.




(from left, Charlotte Russe bag, Bebe heels, Forever21 dress, vintage Chanel bag, Forever21 jewelry)

6. Laced heels/boots...I actually hadn't realized what a heavy affinity I have for such footwear until I set out to document for this post. I'm thinking I like the scholarly/rugged/sexy (did I really just combine those) feeling they lend. It's a testament to how odd I am that I am equally obsessed with the $2 brown vintage pair and the Marc by Marcs that I scored back in December.



(clockwise from left, vintage brown boots, Forever 21, Forever21, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Forever21)

7. Well I'm a California girl through and through, denim shorts just make sense to me, given amount of trashiness and all. During the summer, they're all I want to wear with bikinis for bike rides along the beach, and I'm thinking I might never get sick of the high-waisted shorts & ankle boots combo.



(from left, Abercrombie, Forever21, American Apparel, H&M, vintage Levi's)

8. Annoying '80s sunglasses. Loathed with surprising amounts of brutality by some, but I guess I just didn't get enough of these in the actual decade in question. Even though my boyfriend proclaims that the blue ones make me look 12.



(vintage, Urban Outfitters, and H&M)

9. Big ol' canvas carryall. Perhaps earning the most impressive cost-per-use numbers, I got this oversized canvas wonder at Marshall's for $24.99. It has since proved to be the most impossibly perfect airport companion (large enough to stow other pricier bags safely inside, along with a big sweater and 8 lbs. of magazines) and post office package receptacle. It's kind of ugly and plain, but to me, in the best way possible.



10. King-sized vintage clutches. Ideal for adding that certain unexpected color or general feel to a look, I absolutely love to wear the more "night-time appropriate" ones (black patent, greenish croc) with a pared down moccasin boot and denim short combination or some such thing. And that whisky colored leather one was such an amazing Goodwill find, it snaps open in the most satisfying manner to allow me a bird's eye view of all my precious goods.



(all, vintage)

11. Okay so I'm getting a little carried away and this has almost ceased being limited to basics. But I feel naked without piling on my beloved jewelry. I don't even want to think about the haphazard manner this would all be strewn about in if not for the stand complete with pleasant bird accent. Urban Outfitters is so reliable for randomly requisite home furnishings.





This completely lays out the fact that my wardrobe isn't really as exciting as it might seem, but I would much rather attempt to inspire someone to pare down and only buy what they love instead of just acquire constantly. Not that I'm not contemplating ordering completely unnecessary things all the time, but my goal is to only have things I really actually wear in my closet. Probably not gonna happen I suppose, but the thought is nice.

Oh, and because I feel that as lengthy and borderline nonbasic-inclusive as I made this post, there are still more items that I regard as such (Ralph Lauren blazer, little leather jackets, the shaggy sweater coat that so many readers robustly despise, my slouchy Zara beanie), I collaged some embarrasingly candid photos together to represent them.



I'm a horrible tagger, so whoever feels up to it to do a basics post I would love to check them out!