The Staples (Slightly Less Important than The Essentials!)
Once you have your ESSENTIALS figured out and ready to go, you are ready to start adding to your wardrobe. This is where the “staples” come in. These are the items that add a bit of zest or spice to your outfits. These pieces have slightly more flair or style than the pieces in your ESSENTIALS. You’ll notice, you can still layer these pieces and you can certainly adapt any piece to your personal style. I would update your STAPLES maybe once every year or two. It doesn’t mean you have to chuck the whole set; it just means that since the items are trendier than the ESSENTIALS that you should reevaluate more often.
What’s Included
One Little Black (or Brown or Navy) Dress–This one is a sweater dress with a boatneck. I love a good boatneck. :)
The Chambray Button Down Shirt–This is perfect for layering. You could swap out a gingham shirt or another print, if you wanted. Try to keep it neutral or a color family you wear a lot. I also really like light blue oxford shirts. You can find them all the time while thrifting!
Black (or Brown or Navy) Maxi Skirt–Maxi skirts are trendy and comfy and cheap.
Cowl Neck Short Sleeve Sweater–This is my favorite piece of the fall and winter. You can get this one fairly cheap at Old Navy. Wait for a coupon code (I’ll post them on the Facebook Page as I see them) for an even better deal.
Bold Graphic Blouse–One item that really stands out and gets noticed!
Long Sleeved Tee–Choose a neutral that you wear often.
A Blouse with Ruffles–Ruffles are a quick way to feel put together quickly. I chose a slightly punchier color than the rest of the group.
Paper Bag Skirt–This look was seen all over the retail marketplace throughout the summer and into the fall/winter season. You could choose a neutral or pick a brighter color for more punch.
Black Tights–I feel pretty strongly that these should be black and completely opaque for the most modern look.
Wide Belt and Skinny Belt
Sneakers (not running shoes)
Nude Pumps
Black Booties (could even be a very short wedge heel)
Questions (for You and for Me)
Okay, first…anything on here that you just can’t get behind? Do you have a lot of this stuff already? Did you know that each piece from yesterday’s group (except the sneakers and nude pumps) were sourced from Old Navy? I wanted to make sure that the pieces were extremely accessible and no one piece was unattainable on it’s own. Sure, it might be out of reach to go and buy everything, that’s not the goal. However, you might be able to pick a piece or two that would really make you feel great.
Now, I need to address a few things. Stripes. Horizontal stripes. There seems to be a fear of this perfectly lovely pattern. I dare you to splurge $8 on a striped t-shirt and see how you feel. You might just wear it under a blazer, barely poking out.
As Anne, a lovely commenter mentioned in yesterday’s post, said, “For example, I can’t do wide stripes (probably not vertical either?), but I could do, say, a navy shirt with smaller white or cream stripes with a v-neck to break up the stripes.” See, she is taking the ideas and making them her own. I’ll prove to you how awesome stripes can be on all body types in a later post.
Also, boots. We’ll be doing a post simply on boots. Fear not and be patient. :) And, I know that today’s shoes won’t be for everyone. No worries, simply pick and choose what you like and then fill the rest in with what you already have.
Here is a bold statement. I don’t think anyone needs more than 5-10 pairs of shoes. Hate me?
Previous posts in 31 Days to a No Brainer Wardrobe: day 1 a manifesto, day 2 the plan, day 3 defining your style, day 4 picking out pieces, day 5 for all women, day 6 purging your closet, day 7 where to donate, day 8 ask away, day 9, and day 10 the essentials.