On the subject of quality/quantity and French wardrobe, I found a great and very enlightening excerpt from the book “Elegance” by Kathleen Tessaro:
One of the most striking differences between a well-dressed Englishwoman and a well-dressed Parisian is in the size of their respective wardrobes. The Englishwoman would probably be astonished by the very limited number of garments hanging in the French woman’s wardrobe but she would also be bound to observe that each one is of excellent quality, expensive perhaps by British standards, and perfectly adapted to the life a Frenchwoman leads. She wears them over and over again, discarding them only when they are worn or outmoded, and she considers it a compliment (as it is meant to be) when her best friend says, ‘I’m so glad you decided to wear your red dress – I’ve always loved it!’
Foreign visitors are often shocked by the high prices in Paris shops and they wonder how a young career girl, for example, who earns no more than her British counterpart, can afford to carry an alligator handbag and to wear a suit from the Balmain boutique. The answer is that she buys very few garments: her goal is to possess a single perfect ensemble for each of the different occasions in her life, rather than a wide choice of clothes to suit every passing mood.
I wonder if the Englishwoman wouldn’t profit by replacing once in a while her penchant for quantity with a quest for quality. She might find that not only is her elegance increased, but also the enjoyment and even the confidence that she gets from her clothes.
(Excerpt via tfs)
That's usually my problem with high street, especially Zara. I love the styles but when I grab something to try it on, there's already a seam coming loose or holes in the knits, and I haven't evev brought them home yet!Come to think of it, the British fashion bloggers that I follow have enormous wardrobes, I guess because high street is so popular there.Fortunately in the US there are tons of places to buy discount designer goods, so I've been able to build a decent wardrobe without spending thousands each season.
koko: I agree. When it comes to seams and buttons at Zara, the quality is really poor. Haha, London has all the high street shops that you can find in europe, america and asia.
I like the point in the article that you should have a wardrobe suited to your lifestyle and the occasions of your life, rather than the moods that you may have. that seems to me to imply that clothes should outfit you for your life, rather than costume you for the day. Perhaps a subtle distinction, but one that explains the grown-up aspect of dressing in a more "elegant" way.And I agree with koko and you about the high street stores. I see nice outfits made from pieces sold at the store, but the quality usually turns me off.
Oh, I forgot to ask…which thread on tfs was this found?
It's a good tip. Though I've always believed that quality and crap can be found at all different price points.
Though an English – London-dwelling – girl with a bounteous high street at her door, my preference has always been to purchase in the 'Parisian' manner. In limited number. Expensively. Not for me a riotous whirlwind of gluttony in Topshop, my clothes are bought not merely for the present but the life I hope, aspire to yet lead. I am building a wardrobe for the future and wear – and, indeed, love – those pieces until their threads run bare.Sarah xhttp://stylesouk.wordpress.com
Interessant.Dette summerer jo opp for Parisiennene som faktisk har RÅD til å kjøpe fra Dior, Balmain, etc etc. Og det er det jo ikke alle som har… Tenåringene handler vel på Les Halles, lol. Men ja, britiske kvinner har rimelige stappa klesskap. Men jeg tror likevel at det er like mange high-street klær der også, bare, som sagt i mengder. For øvrig kan jeg ikke si at vi i Norge er noe bedre. Men her er det jo fancy allværsjakker som teller.
Mouse > I found the excerpt in the 4-5 piece French wardrobe thread!! Pret a porter p > That's so true.. Style soux > I like your philosophy! I guess I am doing the same, buidling a wardrobe for the future.Maria: Jeg kjenner da mange unge franske i Frankrike. Jeg spurte dem en gang om deres shoppevaner og deres venners shoppevaner. Noen av dem handler på kjedebutikker, mens andre venter med å kjøpe noe fra isabel marant eller vanessa bruno. Flertallet av de unge hippe handler på The Kooples, og det er superdyrt der, på samme prisnivå som Isabel marant. Printemps er visst et ganske populært sted for franske tenåringer å handle, siden de av og til har gode rabatter på kvalitetsklær der. Det florerer av highstreet butikker i Paris ja, spesielt franske kjedebutikker som ba&sh, caroll, minelli, comptoir des cottoniers, kookai, naf naf ++.. men kvaliteten er langt bedre enn H&M, selv i de franske kjedebutikkene. Det er faktisk klær man kan investere i uten å måtte bruke en formue, og de går sjeldent av moten.
Like Prêt à Porter P, I don't believe that high prices are always warrant of quality and "life expectancy" of a garment. For exemple, a blouse is still a blouse, no matter how much you paid for it, or the brand, it's still a delicate garment.My hypothesis is that we tend to pay more attention and be more careful with something pricey, which is a good reason for the item to last longer.Other than that, I totally agree about "quality over quantity" and I'm working on that!Cheers!Linh
Linh: I agree with you and Pret a Porter P. I know that Acne has very bad quality clothes despite the price tag.. and I'm not sure if I should be worry that the clothes are made in China? A lot of french highstores like Naf Naf, Comptoirs des cottoniers, etc sell clothes that aren't pricey but the quality is quite good. But proper care is also required to make the clothes last longer.
I also agree with other posters that price doesn't dictate quality. But the slant I like in the few-but-good-items approach is that it helps me not collect too many versions of the same good thing. I mean, one or two striped shirts is cool, as is a cardigan here and there, but stocking a closet with them doesn't contribute to an interesting wardrobe. The 'French' approach is a good reminder for me…thanks for posting this!
I agree with Linh. There are a lot of overpriced brands out there, and most of them not even belong to the designer category. From high street brands, I like the quality delivered by COS and Massimo Dutti. Their price range is probably acceptable for most people. Acne has better shoes and accessories (scarves,wallets,belts…) than clothing. I don't know why, but their clothes never seem to attract me.What I try to avoid is fashion blogs that promote over-consumption. Especially when half of the stuff shown on picture is sponsored by webshops or other retailers.
i think this is the goal for so many fashion conscious people but when it comes down to it i think few would choose to spend a lot of money on one thing with a view to not buy anything else for a while to compensate the price. i like the changing stock in shops too much!margiefxwww.margieheartsclothes.blogspot.com
TJP: That is also my goal. And having only a few pieces in the wardrobe makes it easier to dress every day – I'll look good regardless of what I throw on. Vegalyn: COS has really great quality. But designer clothing tend to be in high quality, hence the price, especially leather shoes and bags. Italians are the masters concerning leather shoes and bags. MargieF: Well, I am one of these fashion conscious people who only buy max 5 pieces a season and spend a lot of money on one thing and not buy anything else for a while to compensate the price. Which is also due to I don't have a lot of money.
The main reason I tend to avoid chain stores is that they really don't to simple clothes well most of the time..I rely on the fit/fabric/cut to make my outfits interesting..and chain stores where I live just tend to have clothes that are really trendy, and then very badly made basics. I think brands like Acne are really good for the look I am trying to achieve, and I have bought a few things from there, but I am really worried about the quality…I think it seems to be you pay for the design, so I have to keep my acne stuff for special occasions as to not wear it out…Have you had this issue with them before??
Alex: I agree. Though I often find special cuts and nice fit at Zara but the quality and fabric always put me off. I only have one shirt from Acne and I haven't worn it many times yet but it's made in China.. but I have a friend who has the Zorah tees, but she says that there's a lot of holes in her t-shirts (and she takes extremely good care of her clothes!!). And many have told me that the sweaters are in very bad quality, damaged after 2 washes.
I just came back from Paris and gosh they're so much better dressed than English people- it made me want to cry. And also I felt like a big creep staring at loads of the women passing by because their outfits were so amazing and chic.
J'ai de la peine à comprendre tout cet enthousiasme envers les françaises. Je suis moi-même française et je peux t'assurer que nous, les femmes, nous ne nous habillons pas mieux qu'une femme d'une autre nationalité. Nous sommes toutes autant touchées par la consommation que vous et achetons tout autant que vous. Les cas que tu décris doive correspondre à 2% de la population. Et sincèrement, je ne trouve pas les françaises plus classe que les autres, bien au contraire…sur ce, à bon entendeur !
Anonymous: je crois que c'est la généralisation et les vieilles traditions des Françaises ;)
Another enjoyable post. I am slowly switching over to quality over quantity frame of mind, I have set aside time this weekend to clean all the garbage out of my closet :sOne thing no one has touched on in the comments is that often when you have a closet full of stuff you tend to wear the expensive, higher quality clothes more than the cheap clothes because of how they make you feel, how they look (they wear well), and usually because you’ve invested some money in the item you must really like it. So in the end the cheap clothes end up sitting in the closet if they don’t fall apart after washing too.Zara is relatively new to the area I live in, I have bought 2 things from there because I agree that the fabrics are very off-putting.Em K
I had to leave a comment and tell you how happy I am to have discovered your blog! I hate to think of all the money I have waisted over the years on cheap/trendy clothing. These days I take a more mature and long term view on dressing! You are a breath of fresh air for me!
Good advice just begging to be shared :)I read Elegance, which is a novel about a woman who discovers a style guide that changed her life. That passage is actually from the guide described in the novel, which is called A Guide to Elegance, by Genevieve Antoine Dariaux. I'm quite interested in tracking the book down because her advice sounds so relevant, even today.Shopping at Zara is always this agonising fit + design vs quality + workmanship decision. I didn't mind the quality before but it's seriously deterioriated, a pity for those of us on a budget.
Let me just repeat what Lin said, the original book, by Dariaux is really the gem. It has timeworn advice that still applies.
I haven't bought any garments or shoes in quite a while, because I'm frankly sick of things falling apart so I want to afford better ones. Unfortunately I was paying quite a bit for my things that weren't lasting as long as some things from cheaper stores. I guess we can only learn from experience and move on to other stores.
Hi, I have recently discovered your blog and I find it so refreshing to have a fashion blogger write substantial posts. You seem to only write when something is worth writing or sharing, putting the emphasis on the content that is relevant and insightful. That is also true of your wardrobe. You put quality over quantity and it shows in the way you present yourself. You must get comments like this all the time, but I truly believe that your blog is a gem. You don't find writing like this anymore, especially when it comes to fashion (in blogs or fashion magazines). Most people write with pretension, in a way to gain new readers or in a way that advocates consumerism. You show no signs of either. To this, I say thank you and I hope to read more from you.Also, I am going to Paris this December and wanted to ask you which stores I should visit for quality clothes that will last me some time and that will keep me warm in the freezing cold (je suis québecoise et au Québec, il peut faire jusqu'à -20!). I didn't know whether to write to you in english or french, haha. I guess a bit of both!
VanessaMarie: Thank you very much :-Dlin: Let me know if you find the book. I want to read it! (reading books about elegance, style, wardrobe, etc is my guilty pleasure.. haha)Kristi: Where did you find the book?Sundari: I agree.. the price tag doesn't guarantee quality. Anonymous: Merci beaucoup pour ton commentaire concernant mom blog. C'est vrai.. Dans la vie, je privilégie la qualité à la quantité et elle s'applique aussi à mon blog! Alors, j'apprécie tous les commentaires comme celui-ci. En plus, je me réjouis de tes commentaires dans l'avenir. En ce qui concerne les boutiques dans Paris, je préfère les marques comme Isabel Marant, American Vintage, Vanessa Bruno, A.P.C., peut-etre Uniqlo, parce que la qualité est vraiment bonne. Cependant, je pense que les magasins hightstreet comme Naf Naf, Comptoir des cotonniers, etc, ont une qualité très bonne aussi! Hahaha mon français est très mauvais! (you should also visit Merci in boulevard beaumarchais!).
"Kristi: Where did you find the book?" I have the original which I found about 20 years ago in an antiques store. I hope this version isn't edited: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Guide-Elegance-Genevieve-Antoine-Dariaux/?isbn=9780060757342
Je te remercie pour les suggestions de magasins à Paris. En passant, tu es beaucoup trop modeste! Ton français n'est pas mauvais, il est même meilleur que celui de certains francophones!
I just found your blog today. And I have to tell you, I have read "Elegance" multiple times in my quest to build the perfect wardrobe.I think I'm going to love your blog and learn a lot too.Btw, I found the book a regular high-street bookstore!
“anonymous”; the Harper Collins version of the book Dariaux: “A Guide to Elegance ” is quite harshly edited in my opinion, I own both versions of the book and would strongly recommend the original one. Many chapters are removed in the new version, and the book lacks the charm of the original one, I think. I had luck finding my copy of the original 1966) at Abebooks (abebooks.com). For instance are the advice on the budget warderobe explained in deeper depth in this version.