Over the past week I’ve been talking a lot about wardrobe essentials. It’s been difficult for me to figure out what to wear lately because the weather in NY has been so unpredictable. With the season quickly transitioning into fall, you would think it’s almost time to break out those sweaters, but not yet! In New York we have this very short period of time where it can be 75 and sunny one day, and then 68 and chilly the next. I have a love/hate relationship with this time and I’ll explain why. It’s perfect weather to pair shorts and skirts with a sweater, but you can’t quite put your summer clothes away yet. This results in a jam-packed closet. Unless you have a huge walk-in [very jealous if you do], I’m sure you feel my pain. ☹ My closet actually gets to the point where I can’t even move the hangers…it’s that bad.
With all of this in mind, I think it’s beneficial to try and “clean-up” your wardrobe before bringing in all of the fall/winter stuff from last year that you’ll probably never wear again. Learning to be strict with yourself and eliminating things that you’ve been holding onto is no easy feat. This is where wardrobe essentials come into play. Wardrobe essentials are core staple pieces that you wear over and over again, are season-less, and won’t ever go out of style. If you have a great selection of these staples, you’ll have endless options of simple, effortless looks that you can throw together in a pinch.
Are you ready to begin this journey of a closet-makeover?
Well, lucky for you I’ve got everything you need covered in this blog post! I’m going to lay down my checklist of the Ten Pieces Every Woman Needs in her Closet to help you get the dream wardrobe you’ve always wanted…and deserve!
So, when you’re ready to take the plunge and do a full closet revamp, ask yourself the below questions to help you decide what to keep.
- When was the last time I wore this?
- Do I still feel amazing wearing this?
- Do I have anything in my closet similar to this?
From here, it should be very easy to decide what you absolutely need. Be sure to stay honest with yourself. If you can’t seem to permanently get rid of something, I suggest putting items like this in a box and storing them away. Out of closet = out of mind!!
*PRO TIP: Before you start the closet-purge, I suggest to pull EVERYTHING out of your closet and empty it completely. By doing this, you can re-organize the layout and no items go un-checked! 😜
So here comes the best part: The Ten Pieces Every Woman Needs in her Closet! Are you ready?!
**The below is not in any specific order of importance! **
1. A Silk or Satin Blouse is a closet staple for many reasons. For starters, it can be dressed up or down. I love wearing mine with jeans. If you missed it, here is how I styled my silk blouse. For a night out, pair it with a cute mini or leather pants for a more polished look. Second, you instantly look chic when wearing silk. It’s basically a no-brainer. Quick side story: When we were shooting the silk shirt outfit, my boyfriend/photographer/Instagram-Husband told me I looked “rich”. I think that was just his way of saying I looked nice! Haha!!
2. The Perfect White Tee is NECESSARY! Everyone needs a basic white tee in their wardrobe. And no, I’m not talking about some cheap white shirt you also wear to the gym occasionally. I’m talking about the “OMG this t-shirt is the most perfect relaxed fit, comfy as fuck, wear-with-anything shirt that I’ll never find again” shirt. Does anyone relate to this or am I all alone? Haha! I don’t think this one needs further explaining other than
Perfect White Tee = GOLD.
3. Your Favorite Pair of Jeans. This varies based on each individual. Body types differ and so do favorite denim styles + cuts. Basically, just find a pair of jeans that you could live in and feel amazing when you put them on. Denim won’t ever go out of style. I own way too many pairs of jeans, but my favorites are the Levi’s Wedgie Fit and my Abercrombie high-rise skinnies. I feel comfy in both of them and love how they look with almost every top I own! If you don’t have a pair of jeans that make you feel amazing, this is a splurge-worthy item and it’s ok to indulge! You’ll get endless outfit opportunities and the PPW [price per wear] will be well-worth it!
4. A Black Blazer is so important when putting together your “forever” wardrobe. Find a cut and style that is versatile and doesn’t scream “corporate employee” haha! You can throw a blazer over your favorite white tee with jeans and call it a day, or wear it over a dress and add a belt. I love to swap out my light jacket for a blazer when I’m really feeling my outfit and want to show it, rather than hide under a coat.
5. A Pair of Black Heels will take you so far! They instantly upgrade any casual look and are fundamental to your wardrobe. I love pairing jeans with a black heel. It’s such a classic look — you literally can’t go wrong. I have two pairs of black heels I wear on rotation depending on my outfit. One is a pointed-toe pump, and the other is a simple strappy sandal. Make sure the pair(s) you decide to keep are actually comfy! I subconsciously choose comfy shoes over the pretty-but-painful ones.
6. Simple White Sneakers are definitely a trend at the moment, but I still believe they are important enough to be on the list. They are perfect for grabbing a coffee on the weekend or for a casual everyday look. I wear my Common Projects almost every day. I really love pairing white sneakers with skirts and dresses!
7. I like to think a Leather Moto Jacket is the edgy-girl blazer! It’s funny because I don’t ever seem to actually wear the jacket. I just throw it on over my shoulders and BOOM!…instantly feel 100x more chic. It’s basically a wardrobe accessory rather than a functional item for me…just being honest!!
8. The Cozy Cardigan or cozy sweater is key. It’s always nice to have that super-soft [neutral] option that you can throw on top of any blouse or tee when needed. I like wearing mine on chilly summer nights or early morning coffee runs and brunch on the weekend. In the fall/winter months, it’s not a bad idea to have a go-to sweater option when you don’t know what to wear.
9. A Classic White Buttondown is also a no-brainer. My Outfits / / Looks Pinterest board is probably 50% full of white buttondown outfits. Hey…at least I’m consistent? You can style it a million different ways. Unbuttoned as a duster, tucked-in, half-tucked, tied up…the list goes on. I typically like to wear everything a bit oversized because it allows room for me to layer and tie it. Just keep in mind some of these can be very starchy and crunchy [for lack of a better word]. If you aren’t into this look, I suggest finding a softer, more relaxed buttondown option like this one!
10. A Splurge-Worthy “It” Bag is something every woman deserves in her closet. Is it really a necessity? Absolutely not. I found my dream bag back in 2014 and saved for almost two years as a broke college student working part-time. I had to have this bag. I’ve never had such an emotional attachment like this towards any material item before, and knew one day I would save up enough to own one myself. The feeling of accomplishment once I made my first big purchase was well worth every hour of work spent. I still wear this bag almost every day. Luxury handbags actually increase in value over time if kept in good condition, and they will last a lifetime. It’s a great investment once you find your dream bag.
I hope you enjoyed this post and found it motivational and helpful to start your own closet-makeover! I feel like a broken record, but once you have a solid foundation of basics and essentials in your wardrobe, you’ll create endless opportunities of simple, chic looks. Instead of wishing you had a wardrobe like those girls on Pinterest and Instagram, make it happen for yourself today! By having this mindset you cannot and will not loose.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this post and any further questions you may have about your current wardrobe! I’m here to help make life easier and strive to inspire women to feel confident everyday through fashion.
As always, thanks guys!
/ / As always, this is my personal blog. This blog post is not sponsored. Any views or opinions represented in this blog are my own and do not represent the views of any company or individual I may mention. This post may contain affiliate links where I make a small commission if you click and shop using my links. It won’t cost you a penny, but helps keep this blog running!
/ / As always, this is my personal blog. This blog post is not sponsored. Any views or opinions represented in this blog are my own and do not represent the views of any company or individual I may mention. This post may contain affiliate links where I make a small commission if you click and shop using my links. It won’t cost you a penny, but helps keep this blog running!
Courtney says
Love this post so much! All things I have in my closet minus a silk/satin shirt.. looks like it is about time to invest! XO, Courtney https://poshdarlingblog.com
Michelle Russo says
Yas girl! That is amazing! A silk/satin buttondown a great piece to have and felt it was important enough to add to this list!