Wardrobe Basics
Ask any fashion expert and they will give you their own variation on which pieces they consider to be the foundation of a solid wardrobe. Some things will be the same among experts, and some will be different. I believe the essentials of a person’s sartorial style will depend on his/her individual lifestyle. For example, if you aren’t in a position where you need to wear suits daily, you won’t need as many suits, ties, or dress shirts in your wardrobe. The point is that everyone should own at least one quality classic suit, but not everyone will need more than one. I’ve compiled these lists for both men and women to show the absolute bare essentials every person should have.
Women
Every woman should own at least
- one black or neutral pantsuit
- one structured jacket
- one supportive bra
- one pair of dark wash straight-leg jeans
- a couple of pairs of neutral dress pants
- a couple of colorful cardigans/sweaters
- several blouses
- several cotton button-front shirts
- one pair of black heels
- one pair of brown heels
- one pair of colored heels
- one pair of black boots
- one pair of brown boots
- one pair of colored or metallic sandals/flats
- one neutral colored purse
- one color or print purse
- one little black dress
- one color or print dress
- a couple of skirts (summer and winter-weights)
- one trench coat
- one leather jacket
- one denim jacket
Men
Every man should own at least
- two sport coats (at least one solid and one pattern)
- one classic suit
- two pairs of wool or wool-blend trousers
- two pairs of neutral chinos
- two pair of jeans (at least one dark wash)
- one pair of black leather dress shoes
- one pair of brown leather dress shoes
- one pair of nonathletic sneakers
- three polos
- three dress shirts (at least one white, one solid color, and one pattern)
- three sweaters
- several ties (not polyester!)
- one black belt
- one brown belt
- one leather jacket