There. I’ve said it. I had lofty aspirations of replenishing the basics in my wardrobe while adding a few quality pieces I truly loved this summer. I’ve talked about the Five-Piece French Wardrobe Challenge a lot over the years, and even completed it successfully when we lived in Paris. But my collection of basics, which was in pretty good shape to start with, remains unchanged and, since I returned from Chicago, my closet is has become home to two new dresses, almost gowns really, from Karen Millen and A.L.C., among other lovely things.
…so what happened?
A lot of things, but at the same time, nothing at all. When I lived in Paris, the Five-Piece French Wardrobe Challenge made sense in my life; we were living on a fixed budget and with very little disposal income, it gave me a means to focus on a few beautiful things I could have, rather than dwelling on all the things that were out of my reach. Almost two years later, my life in Vancouver is dramatically different; we’re lucky to both have good jobs that mean we never have to scramble to think about how to pay our mortgage and we don’t ever have to reassess our finances before we decide to treat ourselves to dinner out. (In case you thought my life in Paris was glamourous… now you know the truth!) A challenge is far less challenging, and a lot easier to give up on, when you’re doing it just for the sake of doing it and there’s nothing at stake.
But it wasn’t just that. I’m not sure it even was that. I didn’t get exasperated with the futility of it, or find a sixth thing I absolutely had to have that pushed me over my shopping limit. Technically I think I’ve only reached five purchases, albeit with a month still to go. The simple fact is, I stopped caring; at the mid-way pointed I wondered why I was trying to reach a goal I’d already achieved and then, more philosophically, why it was so important for me to have a wardrobe of essentials defined by someone other than me.
It’s hardly a secret that I’ll always dream of being a permanent Parisian, but because I was one, however briefly, I know there is no secret formula that adds up to being more or less Parisian than anyone else; no magic potion you can drink; no amount of Breton striped tops you must purchase. Parisian women are individuals and their wardrobes reflect that, the same way the wardrobes of women all around the world do. In the end, I failed the Five-Piece French Wardrobe Challenge because I came to my senses and realised that there is no virtue in creating a wardrobe that reflects any style but my own – my own mess of black and white, tulle and leather, pearls and ankle boots. All of the things that make my style what it is didn’t fit into the challenge and, therefore, the challenge didn’t fit me. For a brief period of time I toyed with the idea of coming up with a challenge of my own, but in the end I thought better of it. There are so many challenges out there and all they really do is encourage us to feel that we, and our style, are not enough just the way they are. There are already so many things in life that make us feel like we aren’t good enough; magazines, bathroom scales, advertising… I could go on. The point is that fashion should never make us feel like less; its purpose isn’t to tell us that we could do better if we just tried a little harder. Fashion is fun. And rules are the antithesis of fun.
So I failed the Five-Piece French Wardrobe Challenge and I’m totally at peace with that. From now on, I’m not playing by any fashion rules but my own – and I would encourage you all to do the same. Vive la différence !
Je reviens en français vendredi mes belles, désolée pour ma paresse mais parfois la traduction n’est pas évidente après un grand jour au boulot. Gros bisous !
