I kicked off the What You Need In Your Closet blog series to discuss how you may want to use essentials as your full wardrobe or as the foundation of your wardrobe. Last week, I covered tees, tops, and tanks. Today, let's take a look at the shirts and sweaters you need in your closet.
Know your shi(r)t
A couple of basic shirts will give you a ton of versatility in your wardrobe. First, get yourself a white button-up shirt. The first shirt I've linked below is J. Crew's "perfect shirt;" this is going to be your best pick if you like a classic, straight fit with a bit of stretch. Next, I linked J. Crew's curvier option, which offers stretch, as well as tailored darting in front to accommodate a larger bust. The third shirt is from Banana Republic and has polyester added to the fabrication, which helps keep it stain-free and wrinkle-free. All three of these shirts come in petite sizes also, which are recommended if you are 5'3" or shorter or if you find that hemlines or sleeves tend to run long on you. (This isn't Pretty Woman and you shouldn't look like you're wearing Richard Gere's shirt.)
I also recommend owning a chambray shirt, which can be worn buttoned-up or unbuttoned over a tee or cami. This is a great go-to piece if you need to be able to tie a top around your waist to throw on as the weather fluctuates throughout the day. The first chambray shirt I included is J. Crew's everyday chambray shirt as it is 100% cotton and made sustainably. The next chambray shirt from Rails is 100% Tencel, which is a fabric that is produced from sustainably sourced wood grown in socially responsible forests. Sweaters Ewe Need
Even if you live in a warm climate, you likely get some chilly days in the winter or travel to cooler climates. I recommend having a few neutral sweaters in your closet that you can mix and match with jeans, pants, and skirts. When selecting a sweater, consider the weight, neckline, and fabric.
While V-necklines look great on all body types, you may need more coverage in a cold climate or you might just prefer a more modest neckline. Consider that cowl necks can add curves to a small chest by adding volume, but can also camouflage a larger bust. Crew necks typically flatter small to mid-sized busts. Turtlenecks and mock necks flatter slender necks. Sweaters come in a wide range of fabrics, from natural fabrics like cotton and wool to manmade (less expensive) fabrics like acrylic and polyester. If you find yourself itching in a sweater, acrylic or wool are likely the culprits. Research shows that it is very rare to have an actual allergy to wool. However, traditional wool has thick, coarse fibers not intended to be worn directly on the skin and can cause Benadryl-worthy itching. If you're not truly allergic to wool, but you like natural fabrics and need warmth, try merino wool or cashmere. Merino wool is from a species of sheep (conveniently named Merino sheep) and cashmere is obtained from goats. Both are known for their thinner, finer fibers and are meant to be worn next to the skin. Then there's alpaca, which is a durable, luxurious fiber that is soft and silky. I've included a few classic, stylish sweaters below.
Now that you've "herd" all about tops, I'll give you the scoop on baahhh-ttoms next time so you're not walking around in public with no pants on. Got questions? Want to know what works best for your body type? Leave a comment or get in contact with me. If you haven't subscribed to the blog yet, do it now so that you can receive a free wardrobe essentials checklist, plus get notifications when the next blog post goes live.
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In the What You Need In Your Closet blog post, I talked about how you may want to use essentials as your full wardrobe or you may want to leverage the pieces as the foundation of your wardrobe. Let's dive into why these tops are a must-have.
Tee Time
Basic tees work as a classic staple, whether simply paired with jeans and accessories, or worn as the matching piece to printed pants and skirts. I recommend having a white tee, black tee, and simple striped tee in your wardrobe.
When looking for a tee that will flatter your figure, first give attention to the neckline. V-necklines are a universally flattering style, meaning they work well for any shoulder width, bust size, and body type. Crew necks (the round style, cut right around your collarbone) work better for small to mid-sized busts. However, I'm a strong believer of wearing whatever you feel best in. When shopping for a quality tee online, next you'll want to read up on the product description to understand the fabric used and the intended fit. If you want it to be super stretchy, make sure spandex or elastane is listed in the materials. Polyester is sometimes used for tees because it contains wrinkle-resistant and moisture-wicking properties. Rayon, often used in soft jersey tees, tends to offer great drape. If the tee is described as slub, it means it will get more and more of a worn-in look as you wear it. This Z Supply tee is the only slub tee I've been able to wear literally for years without getting those mysterious, tiny holes in the fabric. If it's important to you that the fibers of your tees were grown on virgin soil, fertilized only by unicorns, I'd say maybe check for 100% organic cotton at least. Knit Happens
A knit top or sweatshirt is a go-to piece for those times you just need something cozy - road trips, running to The UPS Store to drop off your 50 Amazon returns, or getting out of your PJs at noon, but not wanting to put on real clothes. (Don't put shame in my game.) Go for a neutral color so you can use it as a timeless staple.
(Cami)sole mate
A camisole (often just referred to as a cami because honestly, who can be troubled to use extra syllables) can be worn stand-alone as a sexy date night piece or it can be layered under a blazer, kimono, cardigan, or that plunging deep V-neck sweater you want a little more coverage for. If you don't own a cami yet, I'd start with a black one. Here are a few of my faves...
Next blog post, I'll cover shirts and sweaters to complete the essential tops in your wardrobe. Got questions? Want to know what works best for your body type? Leave a comment or get in contact with me. If you haven't subscribed to the blog yet, do it now so that you can receive a free wardrobe essentials checklist, plus get notifications when the next blog post goes live.
The concept of a capsule wardrobe has been around since the 70s. (Same. I've been around since the 70s.) The idea is to have a set of essential pieces that you can mix and match to create outfits through the seasons. Some capsule wardrobe enthusiasts recommend a specific number of items to have in your closet, but there's no hard and fast rule. Because let's face it. If you're a hamster surgeon, you may not need the same wardrobe as a PR spokesperson. The number of items is less important than the goals - to buy quality over quantity and reduce your time picking out what to wear each day. If you love classic, timeless fashion and the idea of less in your closet gives you major heart eyes, then sticking to a wardrobe of only the essentials is likely going to be the right plan for you.
Now if you're anything like me... a give-me-every-trend, I-want-it-all kinda girl, the essentials will instead be the foundation from which to build off of. Once you own the essential pieces, it's much easier to wear your new, trendy items right away as you already have pieces to pair them with. So whether you want to stick with the essentials as your full wardrobe or make them the foundation of your wardrobe, I'll tell you what you want (what you really really want) in your closet for 2020. In this blog series, I'll cover each section of these essentials (tops, bottoms, etc.) and help you find the items you're missing. I will also build off of these pieces for those of us who want more than the essentials. If you haven't subscribed to the blog yet, do so below so that you can receive a free essentials checklist and get notifications when new blog posts go live. Save or share the image below |
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