The 10 Year Closet 005 | The J.Crew shirt that gave me Chloé vibes
Sometimes a purchase takes a decade to feel worth it.
Welcome back to The 10 Year Closet, a series spotlighting the longest-lasting items in my closet (owned for at least 10 years) and what they’ve taught me about shopping and style. In this installment, I’ll be telling you about a lesser-worn-but-comes-in-clutch kind of piece: a super thin J.Crew cotton shirt that’s probably most suited as a cover-up.
The deets: J.Crew 100% cotton shirt, size 00 in white with tan/peachy lines down the front and on the arms, slits on the sides, extremely soft and lightweight (like a muslin baby blanket).
Circa: 2013
How it became mine:
It was an August afternoon in D.C., a month into my first job after college, and I was shopping downtown with my roommate. In the sale section at J.Crew, I encountered this shirt and was possessed to buy it right away. I don’t think I even realized it was probably a cover-up at the time. I was just immediately drawn to the neutral color scheme, flowy shape, and ultra softness.
It had to be at least 30% off because I felt like I got a good deal, but at $60, it’s still pretty hefty. Soon after getting it, I apparently jotted down “Not worth the $$!” on my wardrobe tracker. I probably felt that way because there were no immediate opportunities to wear it. It was too thin, transparent, and low-cut to wear on its own but generally too soft to layer in a non-frumpy way. In other words, it was useless for getting dressed to work in an office five days a week in D.C., where young professionals walked around in true business casual.
But holding onto this shirt for all these years, I learned that its essence is not about looking nice in an office but rather frolicking in the sun…and that’s when the piece really started to prove its value…
Why it’s in my 10 Year Closet:
When I started reflecting on why I was so drawn to this shirt at the store, I remembered that my extremely positive “gut reaction” actually had a source: Clare Waight Keller’s1 Spring/Summer 2012 collection for Chloé, which was full of tans, pinks, creams, with clean lines that are also free-flowing. I remember loving the ad campaign that came out of that collection and even had one image as my laptop background for a long time.
The overall feeling was a soft, natural ease, and that’s what I think I sensed when I saw this shirt on the rack. Browsing that Chloé collection again recently, I felt almost more reassured of my taste, my vibe. Like oh yes, this is the kind of stuff I’ve loved all along…minimal, easygoing, a bit sporty, a bit romantic.
This shirt also shows the value of being the specialist among a closet of staples. It comes in handy every time I’m getting ready for some fun in the sun, probably by the water, and want some lightweight protection from the elements. It’s been just what I needed when I needed it, letting me feel more comfortable and at ease in whichever warm locale I may be.
Do you have any beloved specialists in your closet? I’d love to know.
– Jenny
If you’d like to give my writing some extra support, I’d be very grateful :)
Previously…
I enjoyed listening to this podcast episode ft. Clare last week where she talks about her life and career, going from Chloé to Givenchy to more recently... Uniqlo!!! Definitely got me looking at Uniqlo's new stuff.
This is such a great series (and great idea for a series!)
Going to reflect on my wardrobe ‘specialists’ and also the 10+ year pieces (curious to know how many I have!)
I have a few pieces that keep hanging in there in my closet, and every time I wear them I am reminded of how much I love them. 💕 Excellent article, Jenny!