Raise your hand if you’ve ever stood in your closet, looked at your clothes, and thought, “ugh, I have nothing to wear!” Alternatively, have you ever wanted to wear that new jacket or those fabulous new shoes, but can’t figure out what on earth to wear with them? I know I have! After working in retail for years, I found myself accumulating a whole lot of trend pieces and “fun” pieces, but not very many practical pieces. I had to learn the importance of the basics. These items act like the background music while your fun pieces are the killer guitar solo.
Basics are necessary to build a proper wardrobe. Let me say that one more time so that I don’t miss it. Basic pieces are necessary to build a proper wardrobe. Without the proper wardrobe to build on, those cute plaid pants you just bought will sit sad and lonely in your closet because you’ll have nothing to wear with them.
I wanted to start with why you need basics because I truly know from experience that you can’t have a good, solid wardrobe without those foundation pieces. I also wanted to discuss which basics you need. Those universal pieces that most women will use. I knew I had to start here, from the beginning. We must walk before we run!
Below, I have included the basic pieces that every woman needs in her closet to build a wardrobe that functions with all of those fun things you want to buy!
- The White Tee – This one is a no-brainer. Every girl needs a great white t-shirt (or 2 or 10!) in her closet to pair under jackets, cardigans, or all by itself. I’m currently loving this one that I bought during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. It’s soft, not too short, and light enough to easily tuck into jeans, but not so light that it’s see-through.
- A Perfect Pair of Jeans – This one I’m leaving somewhat open-ended, because, depending on your body shape, different cuts may be your perfect jean. Personally, I lean toward the skinny jean (I’m loving these right now) and the straight jean (these are on my wishlist!) and I believe that everyone can wear them. Stay tuned for a future blog post outlining all of the different cuts and styles, and how to wear them!
- The Denim Jacket – Whenever I’ve gone without a denim jacket in my closet, I’ve regretted it. This is the perfect piece to throw on over a dress, to wear with a skirt, shorts, pants, you name it! A great jean jacket can really take you through the whole year, and it never goes out of style. I have this one and I love it because it’s not too stiff and I love the lighter shade!
- The Black Skinny Pant – Black pants aren’t just for the office. They’re so much more versatile than that and should be utilized as such! Throw on a pair of black pants with a white t-shirt, denim jacket, and some white sneakers and you have an effortless yet chic outfit that you can easily build upon. I have these in multiple colors (they don’t become baggy as you wear them). I also have my eye on these.
- A Black Sweater – I used to underestimate the power of the simple black sweater. You can’t have too many solid items of clothing to mix and match with patterned pants and jackets, and a simple black sweater like this one is perfect. If you’re looking to splurge a little, I would go for this one.
- A Neutral Cardigan – Whether you choose a more casual (but still office appropriate) long cardigan or the more classic button-up variety, you can’t go wrong with a cardigan in a color that goes with the majority of the pieces in your closet (i.e. gray, black, navy, or tan).
- Black Booties – A simple black bootie or tall boot in leather or suede will last you years and never go out of style! I recommend going with a chunkier heel so that you can make it work for both casual days and days at the office, not to mention they are easier to walk in!
- Tan Booties – You can go with suede or leather for the tan bootie as well, but a suede bootie just screams fall to me! I bought these at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and love them! I went up a size because they run small.
- A Dainty Necklace – Jewelry is the instant outfit upgrade and it doesn’t have to be complicated at all. I suggest buying a good quality necklace or two that you can wear with just about everything in your closet for instant polish. This one is a great classic style that Kendra Scott carries year-round and this one is great if you want to layer multiple necklaces which is a popular trend right now.
- A Simple Earring – A simple pair of studs is always perfect, or you can go for a pair of huggie hoops which are equally classic and will instantly elevate your outfit.
Outfit Details: Sweater // High-Waisted Jeans // Booties (old, similar) // Earrings
