You can absolutely have a great style regardless of your age, your body shape, and your budget. And the key is to have a capsule collection.

I’ve been doing a lot of videos on capsule collections because I feel like having a great capsule collection not only will save you money but also save you so much time. Because anytime you go into your closet you grab whatever piece that you have in there it’ll fit you well and it’ll mix and match and create an amazing outfit.

So if you haven’t checked out this video on ‘How to Create a Capsule Collection‘, go ahead and check it out now!

In this video, I want to share with you ‘8 Basics to have in your Closet’ regardless of your age.

Last week I was visiting a client and we were in her closet wanting to put together a capsule collection. I’ve talked a lot about capsule collections being colorful and really honing in on your goals and creating a capsule that will speak to the woman that you are or to the woman you want to become.

And we were going through her closet and picked up some great colors. She held up a few different items and was like ‘I love these pieces, I don’t want to get rid of them, I want them in my capsule. But I have no idea how to style them’.

Then I thought ‘Ok, perfect. We can go ahead and style them. You’ll just need this, this and this’. And those happened to be basics that she should have had in her wardrobe already! They were like the glue to put together so many different outfits.

So if you’re somebody that has lots of clothes in your closet but you feel like is kind of a little difficult to put together outfits, you may be missing a few basics pieces that will act as the glue to those pieces.

1- Now the first thing that every woman should have in her closet is a nice ‘Button-Down Shirt’.

It could be white, it could be black or whatever other neutral that you love, grey, ivory, brown…

Yes, it’s a little bit more dressy and if you don’t work in a corporate environment you might think like ‘Well, I don’t work in an office, do I really need a white button-down?’.

But it’s so easy to throw on over a pair of jeans, sneakers, and it just dresses up and elevates your look. It is a little bit more sophisticated piece but it’s really easy to dress it up.

And it’s just one of those pieces that are classic, and you can look back into the history of style and you’ll always see a button-down and it just looks very flattering and always elegant.

Now a quick tip if you want to make it casual: you could leave it out, you can tuck it in, or tie a little knot in it. There’re so many ways to style a button-down shirt.

2- For a woman’s capsule collection I think it’s wonderful to also have a ‘Shirt Dress’ in your closet.

Now, I know many of you would probably say like ‘I have a little black dress’, and yes, it could be black. But I think a shirt dress is really nice because it’s one of those pieces that could be dressed up, dressed down. You could wear it to a zoom call, to a party, or even casually lounging around the house if you like.

I did mention that these are 8 Basics that would be like a really nice glue for your capsule and if even if they are a stand-alone piece I just think it’s really nice to have in your closet.

3- The next item that is so wonderful to have in your closet is a ‘Wrap Belt’ or like some people call it, and ‘Obi Belt’.

There are so many tops that I’m sure don’t fit you perfectly, and if you don’t have those pieces tailored, it’s really nice just to be able to cinch up your waist or wear over jeans. A Wrap Belt just really highlights your waist, accentuates it and looks wonderful over a shirt dress, looks great with tunics, and.. all those items in your closet!

A Wrap Belt is just a key piece and a great basic to have in your wardrobe.

4- The next piece that I think is amazing to have in your closet is a nice pair of ‘Black Sneakers’.

Now, some would argue with me why black over white. I personally just wear more black in my closet so I think a black pair of sneakers is so nice… You can wear with jeans and it just looks more elevated and more dressed up. You can wear them also with leggings and a blazer. You can wear them with pretty much anything and looks more elevated than a white sneaker.

I used to travel quite a bit and anytime I went into a big city I felt I could almost spot the tourists because they were wearing white sneakers. So that’s probably maybe why I’d say black.

I just think it’s a little bit more polished, and they are comfortable whatever brand you like. They would go with not just your athleisure wear but also would work with your casual and even more elegant and elevated outfits.

5- One fashion item that I’m very excited about right now is a pair of ‘Straight-Legged Jeans’.

Skinny jeans had a moment for quite some time but finally, the fashion God has listened to us and known that skinny jeans are not necessarily the best fit for every single body type and body shape.

A straight-legged jean is so much more flattering. It’s basically kind of like a cigarette pant or just straight-legged jean that is so nice to have, I would say, maybe in a more of a darker color.

It is an item that would go with anything. So let’s say you have, I don’t know, a sequin top or a super fancy top that you wore to a wedding one time and it’s been in your closet since then and you haven’t been able to wear. Now you can do it with a nice pair of jeans and create a really cool outfit from it.

Jeans are just an item that would never go out of style and these straight-legged jeans are just so much more flattering on so many of us! So again, thank you straight-legged jeans! Great basic to have.

6- The next item I’m sure most ladies have in their closets, but it happened that this client of mine did not, and made putting in together outfits so much harder. It’s a nice ‘Basic Tee’.

This could be a crewneck, a v-neck, which I think is more flattering. A lot of my clients are a little bit older and I think v-neck is very beautiful, it elongates the neck, it brings light back into your face.

So a nice basic tee, it could be in a khaki, it could be in a white, in a navy, ivory, but just a nice canvas. In other words, just a basic so that later you can really personalize it with accessories.

I would also say that if you find a great T-shirt, get it in all the colors. Get it in all the basics, because it’s a great item to have in your closet.

The other way you could also style a T-shirt it is of course with your jeans, tying a little knot in it. But you can also wear it with skirts, you can wear it under dresses… I just feel like you can never get enough wearing a basic T-shirt that fits you seamlessly.

7- Number seven: Now, this is getting into the accessories a little bit. We talked about belts, we talked about shoes, but now… ‘Stackable Jewelry’.

With stackable jewelry I mean just like a few layered necklaces that you could throw on over that basic tee or with your white button-down. Yes, many of us have a jewelry box full of fancy jewelry, which I love jewelry, I think like before you walk out the door put on one more piece of jewelry because it makes your outfit less boring!

But I do think like having nice stackable necklaces it really adds a little kind of modern touch, a little personality, character to your outfit and it just a nice classic piece to have in your jewelry box and for your outfit.

8- And last but not least, an amazing piece to have in your closet is a ‘Leather Jacket’.

Having a little cute moto jacket or leather jacket is so nice, you can throw it over also that basic tee and jeans and it just elevates your outfit, cause it gives like this kind of cool vibe to your look.

When I was styling the client I mentioned last week, she had a really pretty skirt and we couldn’t find a top for it. So I said ‘You need a T-shirt!’. And of course, finish it off with a leather jacket would’ve just been so amazing! So those are on her wishlist right now, she’s getting it.

I just think that a leather jacket adds a really cool edge to a floral dress, like maybe something really feminine and printed that you have… it breaks it up and gives that character.

So those are your ‘8 Basic Pieces’ that are amazing to have in your wardrobe, whether you’re creating a capsule collection or you’re just getting ready for a new season and wanna update.

These are pieces that you can get for as much or as little as you want if you’re on a budget. You don’t have to spend too much on a basic tee, you can go with a pleather jacket, you can go with some Target sneakers, whatever your budget calls for! These are all really nice pieces to have, regardless of your budget, regardless of your age and your body shape.

I also have a great checklist of more of 20 pieces to have in your closet that are really nice as a starter basics for creating a capsule collection. And they mix in really nicely with what you probably already have in your closets.

So, go ahead and check this link: Essentials for your closet

Now I want to know what you think, if you have any questions, if you agree, disagree with any of these basics. Let me know in the comments below!

Go ahead and follow me on Instagram if you don’t already!

I’ll see you in the next post!

Useful links:

Free Online Body Shape Class
Download the Determine Your Shape Guide 
Essentials for your closet
Body Shape Calculator (please use it from your desktop)

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