postcard to paris #4~placard blanc, a french girl's wardrobe...

"I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity." - Diana Vreeland 

I love wearing the color White, in every hue and fabric. Yes, White is a color (I don't care what the physicists say!). It is an essential accoutrement to Black Girl Magic: it complements our every shade: black, brown and everything in-between. Moreover, in my humble opinion, the color White compliments all skin tones, ages and body types; renders one simply, effortlessly elegant - whether worn with heels, sandals, ballerina flats or Chucky T's. This summer, I decided to wear my favorite color everyday. In preparation, I began pulling all my White pieces - taking stock, planning to put them in a small corner of my closet. No surprise, White counts for 1/4th+ of my entire collection.What to do but create a larger dedicated space, then intended, to house my White collection. The result: my romantic imagination, channeling Josephine Baker, and my love of Paris - meet in a tiny part of an equally glamorous and practical place. Un placard blanc - a white closet. A most appropriate Postcard to Paris...

Twenty

Five years ago, I created the walk-in-closet of my dreams, finally! But there was one itty-bitty bone of contention, a tiny corner I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out what to do with. So I did what any self-respecting Diva history professor, author, avid reader would do. I turned it into a mini-closet-library, stocked with my very favorites titles. Bien sur, it was the perfect place in which to erect my pièce de résistance. I chicken scratched my design idea(s), then consulted with Mark (my handyman extraordinaire). He returned from our local HomeDepot with generic closet pieces, cut to my space's exact specifications - et voila!

before...after

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"Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and,

like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well." 

- Vivienne Westwood.

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Temple Tip:

Closet re-design can be ridiculously expensive, especially if you hire a professional company. Pre-fab/customizable shelves etc. are a fraction of the cost. And if your budget can't stretch that far, stocking your closet with uniform hangers (in my case wood hangers from Target) beautifully streamlines your precious pieces (visually and practically) and is even more cost friendly. Big bang for a small buck.

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Sexy, sparkly, blingity-bling sky high heels - Yaaaasss honey!

A simple white lamp and my sister's Hippopotamus stand guard over my White purses: flower-bedecked, rhinestoned and feathered. 

Shades of White: Taupe, Blush, Cream; tatted, crocheted, dripping crystals, tassels and mesh.

I abhor overhead lighting, unless it's a chandelier (of course). I have an extensive collection of small area lamps. I painted the shades with a soft iridescent oyster craft paint, glue-gunned them with white fabric flowers, then strategically placed them for optimum romantic whimsy and inspiration. 

Yes, silver Silk and Sequins totally counts ;-} 

A top my vintage armoire sits my small, but comprehensive, fashion library.

Oh, and I firmly believe that every woman should have at least one tiara.

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"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive;

and to do so with some compassion, some humor and some style."

- Maya Angelou

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Yes, I wore White every day this summer - to basketball and tennis tournaments; to the grocery store,  Black Tie, and everything in between; and I loved it! In a world where wearing the color Black is the staple default, I looked and felt breezy, glowing, elegant and free - Black Girl Magic 100. But, as I entered the Fall season, I also realized that I had limited myself - unconsciously adhering that outdated trope of not wearing White after Labor Day - the proof is on my wooden hangers. Boo to that! I'm working on making my two season Winter White collection a four season. Challenge accepted.

Vivre! Rire! Aimer!

Temple