This Rainbow Brite enthusiasm for colour and glitter makes getting dressed in the morning supremely difficult. Oft are the times I bemoan my lack of a classic white tank, since it'd be the only thing I could team with my orange-and-white print ribbon-tie bubble skirt (yes, I own such an item).
The sparse state of the 'classics' section of my wardrobe was spotlighted this weekend when I cleared out my winter clothes and shoes into storage (shoved ‘em under the bed), and cleared out a further 8 bags of clothes, shoes and accessories to charity. Most of my 'classic' clothes are winter-only: structured LBDs, knee-high black leather riding boots, black court shoes...black features a lot, but hey, it's a classic!
My initial list of 'basics' had 12 items under jeans alone. So I set myself a challenge. Ten classic items. My ten, can't live without, wear 'em every summer, classic pieces. I could conceivably only have 20 items in my wardrobe - 10 for spring/summer, 10 for autumn/winter - and yet get dressed stylishly each day.
When you're shopping for capsule pieces rather than short-lived trends, the trick is to buy quality, not quantity - think classic, i.e. expensive! An expensive piece might make you think twice, but if you can wear it for years - both because of the quality and the fact classic pieces liven longer than trend pieces - it's worth the investment. Neon earrings: don’t spend more than a fiver. Classic = the sky's the limit.
What would your Perfect Summer 10 be? Here's mine:
A Classic Summer Wardrobe in 10 Easy Pieces
L-R: 1. The Shoe; 2. The Jeans; 3. The Dress.
1. The Shoe
Your toes are tanned and your nails painted; you skip through meadows hand-in-hand with your sweetheart, or stroll along hot city streets. To do that, you need a flat shoe. Ballet flats may be the flat shoe du jour, but a sandal will never go out of style - and will show off those painted nails. For me, a leather sandal is absolutely it. If you prefer something more eco-friendly, Terra Plana, Beyond Skin and Traidcraft all do great flats. Gap also do a great spring sandal in white, black or brown leather. Birkenstocks are always a good choice if your tastes run to the crunchy.
Flat sandal £95 by Yin from Viva La Diva
www.vivaladiva.com
2. The Jean
I truly think the skinny jean is a modern classic, set to last us a lifetime. But it's not a summer classic. Skintight denim when the sun's melting the asphalt? Diaper rash, anyone? A winter classic should keep you warm and a summer classic should keep you cool. Which is like, physics, or something. When I think of a classic jean, only one name springs to mind: Levi 501. Yes, they're a guy jean. But also, yes - they are totally hot and available in 8 colours and about a billion waist/leg ratios.
Jeans, £60 from Levi
www.levi.com
3. The Dress
The LBD is an autumn/winter classic, but black in summer is an evening-only thing, I think. White doesn't work, either: a white frock is a little too Nancy Drew Goes to Cotillion. My classic summer dress should be in glorious technicolour. This dress (excuse the crappy picture!) is a classic and flattering shape, with sleeves and a neckline to suit everyone; it works equally well for day or night, as all classics should. Also try Diane von Furstenberg and See by Chloe for great day-to-night dresses.
Dress, £100 by Kind at Liberty
www.liberty.co.uk
L-R: 4. The Tank; 5. The Blouse; 6. The Jewellery.
4. The Tank
What goes better with your jean and sandal combo than a white tank? Just avoid accessorising it with a leather cuff and choker...unless you like that Ryan Atwood look. Tyra Banks would tell you that you look "very model" in this timeless tank.
This is the one instance I'd advise you to buy cheap & in quantity: I cannot conceivably get through a summer in a white (or any other colour...) tank without getting grass, mud, beer, ice-cream and um, other, stains on it. Inevitably, Topshop has a fabulous selection of tanks, camisoles and vests in billions of colours. Buy a bunch in white, black, grey and navy.
Tank, £12 from Gap
www.gap.com
5. The Blouse
Taking you from day to date: swap your tank for a sweet summer blouse and you're ready for evening. A blouse is a better option than the white shirt that often turns up on classic lists, not least because a loose blouse is, in addition to being more comfortable, easier to keep looking good all day. (Hands up who can keep a white shirt crisp and clean all day? I salute you.) This Marc by Marc blouse in teal suits all skin tones and is a little more interesting than monochrome. Toast is a good option for slightly cheaper, quirky blouses.
Blouse, £120 by Marc by Marc Jacobs from Net a Porter
www.net-a-porter.com
6. The Jewellery
Nothing makes an outfit like accessories. I have more boxes than I care to admit to of cheap plastic tchotchkes. The absolute must for a Perfect 10 wardrobe is something that goes with everything and dresses everything up: small silver earrings. These hoops are available from Wright and Teague (who are offering a 20% discount for online sales throughout April), and are available in silver, platinum, rose gold and yellow gold - rose gold looks great with summer skin. If hoops aren’t your thing, Tiffany have a great pair of simple silver ball earrings, but then Tiffany have great everything:
Hoops, £80 from Wright and Teague
www.wrightandteague.com
Studs, £60 from Tiffany
www.tiffany.com
L-R: 7. The Sunglasses; 8. The Cardigan; 9. The Watch; 10. The Jacket.
7. The Sunglasses
For some, the thought of the words "Wayfarer by Ray-Ban" give such unpleasant flashbacks to toothy, diminutive homosexual Scientologists prancing about in their underpants, that smelling salts have to be administered. Tough. Wayfarer have lasted since the 1950s: surely the sign of a classic. If you really can't bear them, check out Cutler and Gross or Linda Farrow Vintage for some great oversized sunglasses.
Sunglasses, £120 from Ray-Ban
www.ray-ban.com
8. The Cardigan
Those long summer evenings often necessitate an extra layer. Pashminas and wraps go in and out of style, and there's something ageing to me about a wrap. A thin-knit cardigan is perfect for keeping warm after the sun goes down, or for covering up a little at the office. Agnes b always has perfect cardigans that fit really well, in neutral shades of cream, taupe, black, white and navy. I love this silk/cashmere mix. Kew have a great selection if you prefer to throw a little colour into your classics.
Cardigan, approx. £100, from Agnes b
www.agnesb.net
9. The Watch
Every girl needs a good watch. A classic watch should definitely not be digital, and never ever battery operated. Quartz only, please, with a plain leather strap. (Hi! My name's baggy and I have appointed myself the Chief of Wristwatches!) Mine is an ancient number that in fact was my dad's 21st birthday present handed down to me - it's quartz, it has a large face and a black leather strap. My preference is for a man’s watch - I think the designs tend to be more simple, more classic, less fussy, where women's watches are often diamonds! Snakeskin! Stuff!
This Rolex is the baby bear's: not too big, not too small, but just right. Timex and Swatch have some equally good classic leather-strap watches starting from a less-budget breaking £25.
Watch, from a selection from Rolex
www.rolex.com
10. The Jacket
Even in spring/summer you need a coat. Spring jackets are one of my favourite things, taking you in and out of the season when it's too warm for your winter coat, but too chilly to go bare. Plus let's not forget summer's irritating habit of providing us with random downpours of rain when we least want them. This cute mac has a tie waist for cinching in but would look equally good hanging open and loose. Burberry is always good for a mac as well.
(Totally a trend item not a classic but I love this cropped jacket from French Connection too!)
Jacket, £130 from French Connection
www.frenchconnection.com
There you have my Perfect Summer Ten. 10 pieces that all work together. That dress works great with the sandals; the jeans go equally well with the tank or the blouse - add the cardigan for a cover up. The accessories set off everything to perfection - there's nothing that doesn't go with a chic little earring. The beauty of a classic wardrobe is once you have these basics, you can go hog-wild buying all sorts of on-trend stuff, knowing you have the underlying architecture to make it work. Buy as many trendy bikinis, bags, tops, cheap bangles and fun hair scarves as you like!
11 comments:
Great list. Gotta agree with you on the "cheap multiples" for tanks, especially white ones. My problem with white blouses is that I can never find one thick enough (that isn't over $40--we are talking about a white shirt here) to wear without a full-coverage camisole, and who wants to wear another layer in the summer? Well, the search continues...
For some, the thought of the words "Wayfarer by Ray-Ban" give such unpleasant flashbacks to toothy, diminutive homosexual Scientologists prancing about in their underpants, that smelling salts have to be administered.
ROFLMAO!!!!
Great post, I love this kind of stuff! I too am anti-white tops, I have given up buying them almost completely now and have decided that yellow should be their new replacement. Yellow tanks/tops can still be sunny and summery but are much less likely to be see-through (I think).
Also, any tips on a summer jacket for when we don't get random downpours of rain but it can still get freezing after dark? I feel silly wearing all my summery clothes and then grabbing my winter coat, but I need something warm for my summer nights! Love the list but I live in a complicated climate so nothing is ever quite that easy!
Love the list, but...do FC, MJ, Agnes B., and Liberty even manufacture anything above a size 12?
I like your list and have been doing this kind of dressing for several years. My only concern is that in true plus sizes (those over size US 16 who can't fit the larger sizes in mainstream shopping venues) there is a real lack of quality well-tailored pieces available. That's one of the reasons I purchase premium accessories, they elevate any outfit.
Great post, I totally agree with your capsule list. Especially the sandals. I think you need a good classic brown handbag on there too.
Thanks for the comments everyone.
Anne, whereabouts are you based? I'll try and do international recommendations as much as I can!
Have you checked out COS (Clothes Of Style)? It's the upmarket brand just launched by H&M. Sort of the opposite of a designer doing a cheaper diffusion line, Cos is H&M's expensive, better-made stuff.
They have a lovely linen kimono-style coat, a really cute grey leather jacket, and a canvas coat -- all available in greys, taupes and neutrals which is great for summer.
I do think French Connection has a fab selection of light jackets, aside from the one I chose there's these options.
Layering is a good option for when the weather goes from cold to sunny and back all in one day. Rick Owens has gorgeous flowing pieces like jackets, vests and cardigans that all look great layered, and Agnes B is fab for cardigans and also has this jacket which I like.
I can't believe I have something intelligent to say about the white shell issue, but a good nude - not white - bra makes all of the difference in the world. I went with Wacoal's French Nude (Sambal was the style) and couldn't believe how good it looks under sheerish white. Not knowing this in advance, I bought a camisole with built-in (i.e. useless) bra, but have not needed it. Until I saw the difference myself between a good nude color and a white colored bra, I would never have dared wear white tissue linen, for example, without an additional layer under.
*S*
Ooh I will check those out. I am in Nevada, and while Vegas has amazing shopping (so I'm told), Reno, for all its good points (jobs, affordable housing, all that boring crap), has a dearth of shopping variety (we now have a J. Crew and that's barely a start, every once in a while they have stuff that fits...) I love the Rick Owens stuff, that biker jacket is awesome and the wrap cardi is gorgeous! I guess I will check out Agnes B and start hunting the Net-A-Porter sales, thanks for the tips! I just haven't heard of most of these places, they're great!
Gina, thank you for the comment. You are of course right, those stores have a limited sizing range. I'm a UK 12 so it was a list tailored for me.
I'm working on getting some statements from featured stores about their sizing policies.
I do totally agree with your point and I'm going to do a list of classics available in a broader range of sizes. Perhaps starting with this white shirt available at Not On the High Street, in sizes up to an XXL, size 52" chest.
In this video, I learned the amazing tip from a real stylist of sewing a hook and eye between the buttons of a white shirt to keep it from gaping. Brilliant -- the eternal problem has been solved!
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