Finding the Basics
I need help finding the basics that will work from season to season, and won't have to be hidden next year because they look so "last year."
—cl-itsmylife2001, a 31-year-old product manager
I've always wondered the same thing, cl-itsmylife2001! So many trends come in and out of our lives, it's really hard to figure out what should stay, what should go, and what will never go out of style. In these economic times, it's important to know what's really important and only buy what you absolutely need.
I found answers on one of my favorite shows, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style. I'm not sure what you already have in your closet, cl-itsmylife2001, but style guru Tim Gunn says every woman should have these handy in their closets at all times:
• Basic black dress
• Trench coat
• Dress pants (black ones, preferably, because the color looks good on everyone)
• Classic white shirt (like a button-down)
• Great-fitting pair of jeans (you know, one that won't make you look like you have a muffin top)—my personal favorites are bootlegs because they are flattering on almost all figures
• Any "occasion" top (meaning, something that will look really cute under a jacket)
• Feminine skirt (nothing too flirty)
• Day dress (but of course, something flattering to your figure)
• Jacket (something with great shape that would look great with a skirt or dress pants)
• Sweatsuit alternative (something that's comfortable enough to wear every day)
If you have these, you're golden. Of course, it's fun to keep those trendy pieces and accessories, but know that they come and go. With the exception of black leggings (which have now been back in style for over a year since they became popular in the '80s), you should only use super-trendy items for about one or two seasons. Store them (just in case they come back in style in a few years) or donate them to the Salvation Army or Vietnam Veterans of America once they've run their course.
—Ysolt Usigan, iVillage's senior editor of beauty and style and blogger of The Fashionator
