osrts.keypieces: the beginning.

My philosophy on shopping isn't exactly less is more: I'm a thrift-store junkie and I haven't ever been the best at self-editing, in my wardrobe or my writing.

But excess aside, the idea of the "key piece" is always floating around in my head. When my sister and I dreamed up the idea for OSRTS.keypieces, it made sense to us both. She's been in the midst of editing down her wardrobe, slowly but surely, for years, narrowing it down to only the things she loves and that are most flattering to her figure. Though I haven't followed suit, I have added some serious investment pieces to my closet. In the midst of vintage dresses that I've only worn once and glittery items that are totally not practical, these staples are the real workhorses. They're the ones I always go back and seek out.

I own the perfect pair of black pumps. I have a standout trench coat, a gorgeous navy blue motorcycle jacket and a couple of DVF wrap dresses that look good no matter what. Working at estate sales led me to a long string of high quality pearls. My mom bought me the perfect pair of gold hoops.

I'm still in search of a lot of the key pieces that are supposed to build the basics of a wardrobe: the white blouse, the "LBD" and the perfect pair of shoes that I can wear every day, every season and in any event.

Enter the brogue.

I had a pair of black, shiny, low heeled tie-front brogues in about 1990. I got them at a thrift store; they were the first item from J. Crew I'd ever owned. In a fit of cleaning out my closet, I gave them away. They've come in and out of my mind when getting dressed ever since. It's the plague of the key piece.

In my day-to-day life, I don't usually splurge for the kind of key pieces I listed above, unless I happen across them at a vintage store or an estate sale. I save my big purchases for trips. This spring, I'm going to New York--like I do once a year--and the brogues were on my mind. Specifically, the Church's Shoes of London Burwood Brogue is on my mind. At least once a week, as I get dressed, I think "those Burwoods would look so fab with this outfit."



Burwoods don't come cheap, and while I'm nothing close to destitute, key pieces require saving. I make most of my spending cash by writing. Writing paid for most of the key pieces I listed above, and it will pay for the Burwoods this May.

I'm writing one article a day for a Web-based freelance site until the days before I leave for New York. I get paid $15 an article, and because I plan to buy both my Burwoods and a 30th birthday gift for my husband (custom made shirts per his request) I've rounded my number of articles to a clean 50. I started the project on Monday.

To keep myself on task, I'll be blogging--along with Lindsey--about key pieces, the elements of style (thanks, Strunk and White) and of course, how I'll wear the Burwoods once they're mine. It's what we'll do with every key piece here on the blog; we'll list every new one we feature in that list there to the left (and I'll list the article topics I cover in pursuit of the Burwoods in "Church Service" as well, just to keep tabs).

Wish me luck.