The Best Wardrobe Staples to Invest In

Harper's Bazaar

Thu, January 23, 2020 at 6:38 PM UTC

The Best Wardrobe Staples to Invest In — Wardrobe staples. What are those, really, in this day and age? With fashion being so diverse, and with trends heralded seasonally, the idea of stalwarts can seem meaningless in such a glamorous, on-the-go industry.

Indeed, the birth of a new fashion trend comes with a lot of pomp and circumstance. It makes headlines, appears on a breadth of photo spreads, is worn by celebrities and style influencers to exhaustion, and, in this digital age, gets the meme treatment. All these factors contribute to its proliferation. It hits the zeitgeist like the first strike of a match, burning brightly and furiously. But like the flame, it never lasts.

Trends are ephemeral. They leave with a whimper, replaced by the latest sartorial novelty and are completely forgotten about until Facebook sends one of those notifications from 10 years ago. Some embarrassing ones that come to mind: normcore, pussy-bow blouses, Von Dutch caps, and looking straight out of the cast from *The Royal Tenenbaums*. Fashion is an ever-changing beast, continuously shedding its coat. And still, there are some layers that endure.

These are wardrobe staples. The styles that have surpassed fashion’s fleeting time frame, they've become key factors in looking presentable in public. And they have achieved this status based on two distinct characteristics: versatility and functionality.

“The key to modern dressing is a wardrobe that is movable,” said Frances Patiky Stein to *The* *New York Times* in 1982. “You must be able to wear blouses, skirts, pants and jackets in a number of ways. With a few pieces, you can turn less into more. That is the essence of dressing for today.”

Stein—who was a magazine editor before becoming an artistic director at Chanel—had been deep in the trenches of the fashion industry, bearing witness to its constant shifts for decades. She, more than most, understood that it is the simplest pieces that stand the test of time.

What lasts are the bare necessities—the apparel and accessories that may not flash or cause a stir, but will keep you covered in the neatest way. They may appear elementary, but as any savvy shopper knows, true quality never can be. And that’s why they are classics.

1. The Jean — Made of a warped-faced textile that is dyed in indigo, jeans have become the most emblematic piece in American fashion. From cowboys and hippies to supermodels and Silicon Valley types, it crosses economic and style barriers, becoming the quintessential off-duty (and, at times, on-duty) uniform—a no-fuss piece of apparel that can be dressed up or down, depending on the situation at hand.

Though denim trousers are versatile and the easiest thing to put on, finding the right pair is considerably a lot harder. There are styles that are dark and high waisted, light and ultra skinny, boot cut and acid washed, etc. It really depends on your figure and proclivities. But once you find a pair that fit you just right (trial and error should be practiced), you’ll never want to take them off.

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Blue-jean baby.

2. The Little Black Dress — In the early part of the 20th century—when women’s fashion was characterized by corsetry, voluminous skirts, and pastel hues (think: *Little Women*)—two pioneering designers broke the mold, freeing the body of all stuffy elements. They were Coco Chanel and Jean Patou (though the former gets most of the credit), and they introduced the little black dress, or LBD.

In Chanel’s case, her design of the now-ubiquitous acronym was a long-sleeved, drop-waisted silk look that grazed the knee. It epitomized easy dressing, inspiring other designers in the following decades to follow suit. From the elegant sheath that Hubert de Givenchy designed for Audrey Hepburn in *Breakfast at Tiffany’s* to Gianni Versace’s ultra-sexy body-cons in the ’80s to Miuccia Prada’s geek-chic pieces a decade later, every sartorial maestro has put their own stamp on this indelible and remunerative staple.

3. The Blazer — The phrase borrowed from the boys is *so passé,* but in the case of blazers, it is certainly apt. The term was coined by the rowing team at Cambridge University, who wore—read: blazing—red lightweight jackets on the river to keep warm. They would then wear them on campus, eventually crossing the Atlantic and taking over colleges in the United States.

Over time, the blazer was adopted by the armed forces, infiltrated the gentry and businessmen, and later the world of high fashion. Its rise up the sartorial ranks is due to the way it is sharply tailored, pronouncing the shoulders and tapering the waist, giving men a sense of distinction. Indeed, it was a style closely associated with masculinity.
Then in 1966, designer Yves Saint Laurent debuted his Le Smoking tuxedo suit on the catwalk, supposedly introducing blazers to the womenswear industry. Now, it is the most appropriate thing to sport in an office environment, or any situation during which you want to exude a debonair quality. So, yes, it may have been borrowed from the boys, but it is perfectly suited for the gals.

4. The Pump — The pump is typically a fancy shoe, and its origins fit that description. In the 1800s, the elegant piece of footwear, which was made of leather and featured a low-cut vamp, was worn by men to the operas, balls, and other glittering affairs. It was not until 1954, when shoe designer Roger Vivier, by many accounts, revived the stiletto that the term started to become associated with heeled shoes made for women.

Throughout the years, shoe designers—particularly Charles Jourdan, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, and Stuart Weitzman—developed the design elements further. They extended the arch, thinned the heel, curved the counter, and added fun colors and prints. But it is the modest black pump that endures.

5. The Dress Shirt — From Katharine Hepburn and Carolina Herrera to Tina Turner and Sade, many doyennes of fashion have rocked the crisp white button-down with éclat. Some sport it with wool trousers and loafers, while others wear it with circle skirts and kitten heels. But no matter how it is styled and accessorized, the top always imbues formality—even when tied at the midriff on a concert stage. To wit: It is called a dress shirt for a reason.

The garment features a collar, cuffs on the sleeves, and button closures down the front; and is usually made of silk, cotton, or a combination of both. These are the key attributes that denote the style. The right way to wear it, however, is completely up to your discretion.

6. The Wrap Dress — Flattering, flexible, and completely hassle-free, the wrap dress is a godsend for women on the move. The garment is usually made of jersey—a breathable, lightweight, and wrinkle-resistant knit fabric—which makes it ideal for traveling or just going about a busy day. Moreover, it is tied or fastened with buttons at the waist, designed to fold over the body.

The wrap dress is closely linked to Diane von Furstenberg, a socialite-turned-fashion designer who, with the urging of fashion editor Diana Vreeland, built a company on said item. At the time, she was hopping from plane to party and wanted something that could accommodate her jet-set lifestyle. Today, the sleek and simple dress works for myriad situations, offering women a sense of ease as much mentally as visually.

7. The Ballet Flat — There are conflicting accounts on the origin of the ballet flat. One states that it was American designer Claire McCardell who started it in 1941, when she commissioned Capezio to create a range of flats for her collection.
The other claims that it was Rose Repetto in 1947, when she fashioned a flat shoe for her dancer son who suffered from sore feet after classes. Then in 1956, after French actress Brigitte Bardot requested a pair of her own and donned them in *And God Created Woman,* the ballet flat as we know it came into prominence.
Either way, ballets flats were ushered into the fashion lexicon, further popularized throughout the years by Rita Hayworth, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Princess Diana. These women showed that reaching sartorial heights need not require a heel.

8. The Trench Coat — Utility is the backbone of the trench coat. Its origins date back to a time when Thomas Burberry created jackets for the military in WWI. Made of tightly woven gabardine, a water-resistant fabric, the design featured a double-breasted front, epaulettes on the shoulders, a gun flap, and storm pockets. It was ideal for rough terrain, like trenches (hence the name).
Over time, the trench coat left the front lines for the catwalk. Fashion designers started to experiment with fabrics like leather, silk-and-cotton blends, and wool—all the while keeping the classic silhouette. But it is the original lightweight, durable material that won the style war over time.

9. The Trouser — Before the 19th century, it was considered lewd for women to wear pants. Skirts were the standard, and not adhering to that norm was simply not allowed. Then, on the cusp of the women’s rights movement, suffragists like Amelia Bloomer (for whom bloomers get their name) bucked the status quo. It was not long until all took notice of the practicality that pants provided—especially during WWII, when women increasingly joined the workforce.
Today, trousers, like a blazer, are the most appropriate thing to wear in a professional setting. Whether they are made of wool, linen, or even silk, there is something about wearing pants that shows you’re in control. Perhaps it’s because they were taboo for the greater part of modern history. Just note that they come in a plethora of silhouettes, so make sure you get a cut that flatters your figure.

10. The A-Line Skirt — Yes, pants convey control (read above), but skirts can elicit the same feeling. It just depends on the length and volume. Funnily enough, Winston Churchill describes this ethos best: “A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.”
Though it may be off-kilter to take style advice from a male politician (admittedly, it does sound a little creepy), there is truth to Winston’s argument. Depending on your height, long, flowing skirts can appear drab, and short, form-hugging ones salacious. This is why it is best to stick to a happy medium, like the A-line skirt—a term coined by Christian Dior in the 1950s. The style, which often extends just below the knee, drapes the waist charmingly and flares toward the hem.

11. The White Sneaker — The white sneaker may have started off as the choice of footwear for tennis players, but it has since gone well beyond the court. Imbuing effortlessness and style, it can be worn on a variety of occasions. Sure, the white sneaker has been around for more than half a century, but thanks to Stan Smith and Adidas, it has become one of the buzziest trends today. And thanks to its adaptability , it’ll probably be around for several centuries more.

12. The T-Shirt — No garment is more basic than the T-shirt. And that’s a good thing. If you were to compare dressing up to painting, a tee is the base layer. It is the foundation, the canvas, the starting point to any look. Whether you wear it with jeans and a blazer, a slip skirt and pumps, or underneath a button-down with trousers, it is unequivocally faultless.

The Best Wardrobe Staples to Invest In

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Wardrobe staples. What are those, really, in this day and age? With fashion being so diverse, and with trends heralded seasonally, the idea of stalwarts can seem meaningless in such a glamorous, on-the-go industry.

Indeed, the birth of a new fashion trend comes with a lot of pomp and circumstance. It makes headlines, appears on a breadth of photo spreads, is worn by celebrities and style influencers to exhaustion, and, in this digital age, gets the meme treatment. All these factors contribute to its proliferation. It hits the zeitgeist like the first strike of a match, burning brightly and furiously. But like the flame, it never lasts.

Trends are ephemeral. They leave with a whimper, replaced by the latest sartorial novelty and are completely forgotten about until Facebook sends one of those notifications from 10 years ago. Some embarrassing ones that come to mind: normcore, pussy-bow blouses, Von Dutch caps, and looking straight out of the cast from The Royal Tenenbaums. Fashion is an ever-changing beast, continuously shedding its coat. And still, there are some layers that endure.

These are wardrobe staples. The styles that have surpassed fashion’s fleeting time frame, they've become key factors in looking presentable in public. And they have achieved this status based on two distinct characteristics: versatility and functionality.

“The key to modern dressing is a wardrobe that is movable,” said Frances Patiky Stein to The New York Times in 1982. “You must be able to wear blouses, skirts, pants and jackets in a number of ways. With a few pieces, you can turn less into more. That is the essence of dressing for today.”

Stein—who was a magazine editor before becoming an artistic director at Chanel—had been deep in the trenches of the fashion industry, bearing witness to its constant shifts for decades. She, more than most, understood that it is the simplest pieces that stand the test of time.

What lasts are the bare necessities—the apparel and accessories that may not flash or cause a stir, but will keep you covered in the neatest way. They may appear elementary, but as any savvy shopper knows, true quality never can be. And that’s why they are classics.

The bare necessities.

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