Staples In Your Closet
Shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale? Use this link.
Holy smokes!
Are retailers already gearing up for Fall and Winter wear? I feel like I just broke out the summer staples: shorts and flip-flops. Now, I have to think about cardigans and warmer pants. Do you feel the same way? If you dread the huge closet switch-over every season, keep reading Hun! This post is for you!
I used to buy really trendy pieces in high school and college only to wear them once and forget about them or give them away. Why? Not because I liked being wasteful. I just didn’t know how to make the most of my money when shopping for clothes. Now my approach to shopping is MUCH different and I am seeing much more use out of the clothes I buy.
Here are my best tips. You can apply this as you shop sales and look at updating some of the clothes in your closet.
Staples
Jeans
I stopped buying second-hand jeans. While it is better to reuse, I couldn’t stand the fit. Now I focus on QUALITY over quantity and sometimes that means paying a bit more, but I get more miles out of them. In the winter, I am wearing jeans 3-4x/week so I want to have a good selection and they need to be good quality.
Causal Blend Tops
What on earth does that even mean? It means this: Something that could be dressed up if needed but also could be a Saturday-stay-at-home type of shirt. Something that looks presentable without sacrificing comfort and class. I used to work corporate so I needed shirts that could be professional but also I didn’t want to buy two different closets (professional & causal). If you find those blended shirts, you can wear them both ways.
Cardigans
If you live in MinneSNOWta, you understand this. We dress in layers. Even in the summers, sometimes we get cooler nights or the bugs are biting. Cardigans are a must. I love solid cardigans or color-block covers, but if it has a dainty design that I could wear with a lot of looks, I won’t pass it by completely. If you don’t have any cardigans, ask me about my current favorites!
Day Dresses
I’m not including evening wear in my staples list because I feel like that changes all the time and so depends on the event/night. Day dresses however, a MUST. It’s good to have a few solid (not necessarily solid color) dresses that you love and look good on you. Personally, I have like 30 dresses, which is a bit too much but 3-5 dresses that you absolutely ADORE isn’t too much for sure.
Good Heels
Your staples closet wouldn’t be complete without some good heels. I don’t care if they are booties, kitten heels, or 6″ stilettos, every closet should have some heels for that date night, night out, or work wear. If you have 1-2 pairs that are versatile and comfortable, it will make all the difference in dressing up a look.
Running Around Shoes
Unless you are an actually runner, I don’t really mean “running” shoes. I feel it is really important to have some sandals, sneakers, or flats that you LOVE and love running around in. C’mon, I know we all have a few of those pairs. I always want to make sure mine are really comfortable because chances are, these are going to be the shoes that see the most literal miles. When it comes to these, I like to go with more known brands because they are generally more tried and true. Although that isn’t always the case, you will find them more trustworthy. I currently have way too many, but 3-50 pairs isn’t totally out-of-this-world crazy, right??
Other Pieces
There are some other staples that I love to have around that are more odd-and-end type of pieces. For instance, I love a great pair of Spanx leggings and a great North Face winter coat and fall coat. These are staples in my opinion.
What do you think? How is the integrity of your closet holding up? Are the pieces in your wardrobe going to last you a while? Do you feel good in the clothes your wearing or does it feel like a chore? Maybe its time to take a second look!
Always love, Keri