My Top 10 Wardrobe Essentials

‘Capsule wardrobes,’ and ‘daily uniforms,’ are The Big Blogger Buzz Words right now. While I’m not sold on the concept of boxing up three-quarters of your closet each season as some kind of experiment in minimalism, I am completely converted to the ideology of the uniform.

I started by figuring out which outfits I wear most often and feel the best in. Then I narrowed down the common denominators in those outfits to identify my “essentials.” Now I focus on those essentials when I shop and get dressed every day.

And holy moly, life is so much easier!

Of course, everyone’s essentials will be different based on their personal style and lifestyle. Here are the 10 pieces I mix and match to create easy outfits for almost any occasion; from work to business meetings to weekend social events:

1. Hi-Rise Skinny Jeans/Jeggings – I won’t buy denim with anything less than a 9″ rise. Gone are the days of muffin tops and constantly pulling up my jeans; enter the dawn of defined waists and longer-looking legs.
2. One-Piece Wonders – It can be tricky to find rompers or jumpsuits that don’t look like they came out of a juniors department, but it’s worth the search. Few pieces in my closet get more mileage than my black rayon tank jumpsuit or LOFT romper.
3. Boxy Cotton Tees & Tanks – a blousey fit feels more modern, and I’m so much more comfortable when tops don’t cling to my tummy. I try to stock my closet with a variety of hem lengths, but stick to neutral colors and patterns in natural fibers.
4. Skinny Leather Flip-Flops – My love for TKEES knows no bounds. I stockpile them in black and nude and wear them almost every day. Lauren Conrad makes a really good faux leather dupe for half the price at Kohl’s!
5. Shirt Dresses – Whether t-shirt dresses or menswear inspired button-down shirt dresses, I want ’em all.
6. Boyfriend Fit Button-Downs – Like stealing your husband’s work shirts, but better.
7. Chunky Leather Stacked-Heel Sandals– Once upon a time, I could walk three miles in stilettos. Today, if I’m going to wear heels for more than three hours, I need some surface area to work with.
8. Ankle-Length Skinny Trousers – I love these because they straddle the line between professional and casual, so you can wear them lots of ways. Dress them up with button-down and pumps for a business meeting, or wear them with a t-shirt and sandals to work.
9. Relaxed Fit Jeans – I don’t have the best luck with ‘boyfriend’ jeans. Give me a straight leg with a higher rise and relaxed fit through the hips, please.
10. Lightweight Boyfriend-Fit and Cocoon Sweaters – The perfect layering piece over all of the above. I’m all about the oversized 90’s sweater trend right now; you know, the ones that basically look like a big square when you hold them up but fall just right when you put them on?