Quick, Your Closet’s On Fire — What Do You Save?

There are two distinct fashion philosophies we adhere to: Going for it in terms of style and keeping things pared down to the luxe basics. For me, this brings about a bit of a conflict. I like love shopping. Whether I'm at a dollar store, thrift shop, or department store, I can always find something I need to have and — unfortunately for my wallet and closet space — use twisted logic to justify purchasing. But lately, I've been trying to rid myself of all (Okay, most. Okay, some.) of my earthly possessions. Now is a good time for that, because every winter I adopt a uniform: high-waisted denim, chunky booties, chunky sweater, overcoat, and shades. And, my otherwise expansive color palette mutes as the chill sets in.

My desire to bend toward minimalism and fulfill this cold-weather style destiny got me thinking: What would happen if I could have my absolute dream closet? And, what would I save if that closet set fire? These are grand, hypothetical questions (ones you'd maybe ask around an ultra-chic campfire), and ones I tend to toss around a lot as I dig through the knitwear I've been storing in my parents' New Jersey basement. Would this pilling sweater really make the cut? (Yes, even though I wore it on the first day of my senior year of college.) I got honest with myself in this post (less so with regards to my budget) and put together one dream look I'd actually wear all season long; it's made out of pieces I'd definitely scramble for should the hypothetical wardrobe of my dreams go up in hypothetical flames.