I’m often asked what’s the basic wardrobe that every women should have. I’ve seen a number of different wardrobe lists but the one I like best is from Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That’s Right for Your Body
Essential wardrobe for every women:
- A black pantsuit
- A softer neutral suit with pants or skirt (gray, brown, khaki or navy)
- 3 pairs of neutral trousers
- 3 winter-weight skirts (1 should be tweed)
- 3 summer-weight skirts (1 should be tweed)
- 3 cotton button-front shirts
- 3 blouses
- 2 sparkly tops
- Leather jacket
- Denim jacket
- Trench coat
- 3 pairs of jeans (all hemmed to different lengths for flats, heels and sandals)
- Black dress
- Solid-color dress
- Print or embellished dress
- 6 sweaters (3 neutral, 3 color, and vary necklines: crew, v-neck and cardigan)
- 3 blazers (1 summer weight, 1 three-season weight, 1 winter weight)
- 3/4 length wool coat
- Watch with two bands (leather and link)
- Black bag
- Brown bag
- Color or print bag
- Black heels
- Brown heels
- Color or print or embellished heels
- Black boots
- Brown boots
- Black flats
The only thing there that I really disagree with is the varying necklines of the sweaters: I know that no matter what I cannot pull off a crew neck, or at least not without looking like I’ve swallowed a couple melons. A trench coat is another item I lament over. I think they’re fabulous but when I wear one I look like a snowman – you know, three balls lumped one on top of each other. So obviously the above list needs to be altered to fit each person’s particular shape.
This is a comprehensive list though and from a wardrobe of this size it will be possible to put together a huge variety of different outfits. So get checking to see if you have the “essentials”. I know I don’t. Well damn, I’ll just have to go shopping. What a shame.
LISA
