6 Wardrobe Essentials You Need to Own

Tee: Free People | Jeans: Articles of Society | Leather Jacket: BLANKNYC | Bag: Louis Vuitton, similar here | Shoes: Sam Edelman (sold out), similar here and here | Necklace: Baublebar | Watch: Michele

When it comes to fashion, I am a lover of basic items a.k.a wardrobe essentials. I could live in jeans and a tee shirt all day every day, and I’m a huge advocate for buying basic clothing that you can get a ton of use out of. Although I love basic items, I still want to look fashionable and trendy without buying expensive pieces that will go out of style in a matter of months.

When I used to work at Nordstrom, and I had a major shopping problem…Whenever anything new came into the store, I felt like I had to have it! I was buying super trendy pieces that were really “in” at the moment, but sadly many of those “in” things are very much “out” now, and I’m stuck with a lot of clothes that I don’t love and/or wear anymore.

I finally started to realize that basics are timeless and never go out of style, so I might as well spend my money on basic things rather than super trendy items that I won’t like after a few months. I also felt like I couldn’t wear my trendy tops very often because I didn’t want to keep wearing the same thing over and over. When I wear my basics over and over again, I can pair them with different things and I won’t have people thinking “hmm, wasn’t she wearing that top yesterday AND the day before?”

If you are like me in my Nordstrom career days and feel like 90% of your closet is full of trendy pieces that you don’t want to wear anymore, it’s time to stock up on some of the basic necessities that will never go out of style!

In the photos above, I have styled an outfit that is made up of must-have basics for anyone who needs a little ‘basic outfit’ inspiration. I have made a list of the 6 wardrobe essentials every woman needs in her closet. Keep reading to find out if you own all 6 of these items.

[one] white tee

Every woman needs to own a good white tee in her wardrobe. I don’t mind spending a pretty penny on a white tee because I know I am going to wear it all the time. The quality of the shirt is extremely important. You want to find a tee with high-quality material because you don’t want a cheap looking shirt as one of your main wardrobe staples. This Free People white tee is my absolute favorite. The material is soft and looks expensive, and the cut is very flattering.

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[two] denim

A good pair of denim is an absolute must have in your closet. I actually believe that you should have at least 2-3 pairs of great denim in your collection. I recently found these light washed jeans which I love for spring and summer. I think a dark pair of jeans is also necessary to own. Don’t be afraid to mix up your collection of denim. I love having light washed, dark washed, distressed, and flared jeans in my collection. You don’t NEED a huge variety of denim, but if you are a huge denim girl then why not own several different pairs?! These jeans are under $70 which is an incredible price for jeans that are this soft, comfortable, and cute.

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[three] neutral shoes

Another important basic to add to your closet is a pair of neutral shoes. They go with absolutely everything and you can justify paying more for a shoe that you will get lots of use out of. Depending on the season, neutral shoes can and will be different colors. In the spring and summer, light tan/beige will be your go-to neutral shoe, in the fall a cognac color, and in the winter black. Since it’s April, look for a light tan colored shoe that will take you all the way through the summer.

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[four] classic handbag

Classic handbags will always be in style. Similar to the neutral shoe, a handbag may differ in color depending on the season. Any classic looking handbag will work, so pick one that you know you will never get tired of!

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[five] statement necklace

This may be on the border of classic and trendy, but in order to put a basic outfit together, you need to add a little something that stands out from your jeans and basic tee. I am all about statement necklaces because they add a fun element and a pop of color to any basic outfit. Most of the time you can find gorgeous statement necklaces that are fairly inexpensive!

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[six] one trendy piece

Besides the statement necklace, I think it’s important to have one item of clothing that really steals the show. This means you will need a trendier piece to wear that will take your outfit up a notch. For me, I added this light gray leather jacket to my outfit. This jacket is the perfect element to add to this outfit to take it from a basic outfit to a very stylish and put together outfit. I can wear the same white tee, jeans, neutral shoes and handbag over and over again, as long as I switch out the statement necklace and one “trendy piece” each time I wear it.

Instead of the leather jacket, other examples of trendy pieces that you could add to this outfit are embroidered jackets, a bomber jacket, a statement belt, a scarf…the list could go on and on! Don’t spend your life savings on these trendy pieces, though. Buy trendy items that are inexpensive so you won’t feel like you are wasting your money when you don’t want to wear the trendy item more than ten times. Shop for trendy items that are not insanely expensive from Forever 21, Asos, H&M, and Missguided.

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I hope I have helped start your collection of basic wardrobe essentials! Fashion is all about how you style outfits, so as long as you have a great set of basics and a couple trendy pieces, you will always look stylish and on trend!