I think it's safe to say that no matter how many clothes we own, we all have those "I don't have any clothes to wear" kind of meltdowns! Am I right? I have wardrobes, drawers and cupboards heaving with clothes and somehow there's always an event or situation where I feel like I have nothing appropriate to wear. Now for a fashion-obsessed woman like myself, I am resigned to the fact I will always want new, fashion-forward pieces, but what I have also come to realise is, I need a fail-safe, go to wardrobe where I know I will ALWAYS have an outfit, perfect for pretty much every situation.
I recently started the mammoth job of sorting through all of my clothes, selling and giving away lots of unworn/lightly worn pieces and it has reduced what I own, considerably. I still have a long way to go till I have everything down to an amount I'm happy with BUT, what it has done is that it's allowed me to find gems I'd forgotten about and it's allowed me to see what I own easily.
Reducing my wardrobe down has allowed me to focus on what it is that I tend to wear on a regular basis and what I reach for, time and time again. A useful tip for this is to look to your own Instagram accounts, for reference. As someone who regularly shares what they wear, I found it helpful to have a collection of my outfits presented in front of me, and it made clearing out my wardrobe a lot easier. As the years have gone on, my style has obviously changed and evolved and looking at what I often wear helped me get rid of those pieces I know I will never wear again... this has given me an idea for a future blog post!
All this spring cleaning and wardrobe reducing lead me to think of this particular blog post. With everything neatly on show, it got me thinking. I made a list on my phone of all the classic, wardrobe staples that I have and felt like this could be a great checklist for anyone who is struggling to minimise their wardobes or even add to it if they're missing key pieces and often struggle to outfit build.
Wardrobe staples are the foundation of anyone's wardrobe and they really help to make outfit building that little bit easier. When I was in my late teens/ early twenties, I honestly didn't own half of the pieces I have listed below. I was really chaotic in how I dressed, how I stored my clothes and my life has honestly changed since ridding myself of those "wear once" statement pieces and building up my essential, "wear everyday" kind of pieces.
Now, I'm not suggesting you purge every statement piece from your wardrobe, that would be silly! But what I am suggesting, is that if you make way for a few more go-to pieces; you will most certainly end up getting more wear out of those statement pieces. You will have more items to mix and match with them, and there will be more ways to keep them current and on trend.
16 key pieces to help you build the perfect wardrobe.
This list could indeed be edited down, but I am a clothes fanatic and keeping things streamlined has never been my forte. You can naturally remove pieces you wouldnt wear, but I just wanted to give you a personal list of my fail-safe, wardrobe staples.
I feel like this is a good starting point for anyone who wants to build the perfect wardrobe. I also believe that this list is made up of items that anyone, no matter your size/age can wear. Fashion is for everyone!
For years and years, this was a simple item that wasn't available for us plus size women. Infuriating, right? A simple, fuss-free Breton stripe top is something you will wear time and time again, and there are countless ways to wear them. Tuck into a midi skirt, layer under a denim pinafore or pair it with jeans.
I feel like the trench coat is a perfect, all year round coat. It is light enough to wear in the spring/autumn, and it is a style of outerwear that will never, ever go out of trend - trust me! You see trenches in the store every year, and there are so many different versions, there will definitely be one suited to you.
A stylish, cigarette style pant is an essential item in any wardrobe in my opinion. You can wear simple black trousers to the office, with heels for a night out and paired with a crisp white shirt. If you have ankle grazers, you are halfway to a simple yet stylish outfit, fit for all occasions!
A leather jacket is a life-changing item of clothing. Never have I reached for a jacket as much as my fail-safe motto jacket. There are endless ways you can style them, and you can wear them EVERYWHERE!
A jumpsuit is an item of clothing that took me a while to warm to, but now that I have a simple, black jumpsuit, I can't imagine life without it. Pair it with your leather jacket and white trainers for a fresh, relaxed look or grab some strappy heels and hit the dance floor!
If you don't own a pair of culottes... you need to sort that out, fast! Every time I see a pair of culottes on a plus size woman, I think how good she looks to myself. Your Breton top, leather jacket, trench coat, classic knit, duster jacket (and everything else) will go with these and trust me; you'll get so much wear out of them.
A round neck, knit is something you might not have thought about owning, BUT trust me, they are so great. I wear mine with midi skirts, over my shirts, under my denim jacket and with my skinny jeans. They are simple, yet very effective. Be careful when you come to wash them, I have ruined a few!
It took the plus size world a while to get to grips with the classic shirt, but I am happy to report, they are now readily available, and everyone should own one. Make sure you get one that fits well and doesn't gape. I currently own classic white shirts, as well as more fashionable ones which look great paired with jeans (as shown in my photos).
Finding jeans is a bloody nightmare, isn't it? For years, I didn't even wear them, and couldn't find the perfect pair. I can now report I have found the perfect pair and wear them week in and week out. Thank you, Levis! When wearing jeans, your looks don't need to be dull and frumpy though... pick some jazzy statement tops or wear with a Breton and a trench and voila, you have a perfect outfit!
Now I'm a newcomer to the world of blazers, but I am thoroughly involved now. I love how they jazz up a jeans & tee combo, and they look amazing worn over a roll neck and paired with a midi skirt. Roll up the sleeves and watch how donning a blazer can really boost your confidence.
You can find a classic, white tee in most plus size collections nowadays and boy will you get your wear out of it. I think you can pair it with almost everything on this list and you can find ones on every budget.
I have yet to see someone who doesn't suit a shirt dress! There are so many variations of this style that you are guaranteed to find one that works for you. They look great layered under knitwear, jackets and coats and you can also dress them up with heels or down with trainers.
If you don't own a denim jacket... you seriously need to sort yourself out hahaha! They are the perfect layer for when you go on holiday as they look great over summer dresses and they also go with your jeans, midi skirts, jumpsuits, culottes...
Check the men's section and main ranges for oversize styles... I guarantee there's a style out there suited to everyone, no matter your age.
Every woman needs a LBD. They are my go-to when I'm going out-out or when I'm going to an event. I think your chosen LBD should be versatile and relatively minimal.
I've not met a midi I didn't like. They are the most versatile of all the skirts in my opinion. They look so cool with t-shirts or crew neck jumpers, and they suit every shape and size!
A Duster is such a wearable piece. I wear a duster jacket every week. They look great draped over your shoulders for a night out or worn normally with your more casual looks. A duster jacket is a great transitional piece, and I promise you will get so much wear out of a simple, black one.
Photography by JKGPhotography
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1. Shirt / 2. Jeans / 3. Wide Fit Heels
What do you think of this list... have I missed any important items? Maybe there's something you wear every week, let me know in the comments below!
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