Piece by Piece

Building the perfect wardrobe has to be one of the most difficult things on the planet - and yes, I do put this above neurosurgery, gastronomy, and sending people into space. The reason? Building the perfect wardrobe is a neverending task. Once you send someone to the moon, you've done it - there's a sense of completion. Fashion changes monthly. A great wardrobe today won't work two years from now. And also, what defines a great wardrobe? Most fashion writers say that there are 10 (or sometimes 12) key pieces that a person needs in any closet: a trench coat, a little black dress, a white/white shirt, etc. Well, not me.

What you need is just one piece. One piece of clothing that is totally and utterly you. A piece that will make you feel comfortable, confident and glamorous, no matter what.

Once you've found this piece, then you can start to build the perfect wardrobe. Because this one piece of clothing will tell you all you need to know about your style: what am I most comfortable in? Am I classic? punk? hippie-ish? what's my "color palette?" Am I frills or fewer frills (there's just no such thing as a no frills fashionista)?

My one piece is a Chanel sweater from the 02 collection that I couldn't bear living without. It cost $1800.00 (next to my car, it's the most expensive thing that I own) and because it's white and quite expensive, I don't wear out just to grab coffee. But most importantly: I feel better knowing that for me, it's perfect, and it's in my closet.

And speaking of my closet, the rest of it seems to be a lot like this cardigan: pretty cozy, not overly structured, and quite girly.



What's your "one piece?"