Recently, I asked myself the question of which items I would buy if I had to build a wardrobe from scratch. I came up with under 30 clothing items, 5 pairs of shoes, and 10 staple accessories, with examples in both Luxe and Less budgeting categories. Over the next few days I’ll be sharing these items with you.
Below are the clothing items that I picked. You’ll notice that I chose a color scheme of mostly black, with some navy and white/khaki. Buying a lot of black, of course, is a great way to ensure that your wardrobe contains items that are chic and interchangeable. In order to extend wearability, I also suggest buying items in seasonless fabrics.
Black Pants
LUXE
Theory
LESS
Ann Taylor Loft
Dark skinny or bootcut jeans, depending on your preference
LUXE
JBrand
LESS
Gap
Little Black Dress
LUXE
St. John
LESS
Calvin Klein
A sleeveless dress in a color (other than black) that can be worn year round.
LUXE
Lanvin
LESS
Amy Byer
Black Pantsuit*
LUXE
Kiton
LESS
Banana Republic
Black Skirt Suit*
LUXE
Hugo Boss
LESS
T Tahari
White Shirt
LUXE
Ralph Lauren
LESS
Brooks Brothers
I also find Banana Republic’s button down shirts to be extremely durable.
2+ Black Tees
LUXE
James Perse
This is the best tee if I have ever owned. Several years later, and it still looks like new.
LESS
Merona
Target is one of my favorite sources for inexpensive tees.
Black Wool Coat
LUXE
The Row
LESS
DKNY
Trench Coat
LUXE
Burberry
LESS
London Fog
Ankle Length Pants
LUXE
Theory
LESS
JCrew
These pants (in black and navy) are a staple in my wardrobe.
Summer Skirt
LUXE
DSquared2
LESS
Mural
5 Sleeveless Tops
LUXE
Stella McCartney, Halston Heritage, Diane von Furstenberg, Marni, Lanvin.
LESS
Banana Republic, Mango, Aqua, Olive & Oak, Calvin Klein.
Crewneck Cardigan in Black
LUXE
Malo
LESS
Banana Republic
Cozy Sweater
LUXE
Barneys
LESS
L.L. Bean
Casual Black Blazer
LUXE
Helmut Lang
LESS
Madewell
Navy Blazer
LUXE
Brooks Brothers
LESS
JCrew
This is one of my favorite pieces of clothing.
Khaki/White Pants
LUXE
Vince
LESS
JCrew
*With the exception of the 2 suits, I believe that this list of clothing will allow any one to be appropriately dressed for almost any occasion. For those whose activities don’t regularly require a suit, I suggest swapping out the 2 suits for 2 outfits comprised of a top and pants.
This little exercise makes me wonder if I should have focused my 25 Things List on acquiring upgraded versions of each of the essentials on my list. And, it has made me aware of my need for a navy sheath dress!
FYI, the total cost of all of the “Luxe” items is $18,219 and the total cost for the “Less” items is $1,884.95. Keep in mind that I didn’t take into account additional discounts for which some of the “Less” items were eligible. That means that the “Less” wardrobe is approximately one tenth of the cost of the Luxe wardrobe. Adding up these costs definitely puts things in perspective. Given an unlimited budget, I don’t believe that I would choose to buy the Luxe version each time, would you? Of course, the old adage “You get what you pay for…” always applies; clothing made of higher quality fabric will last longer. I believe that in some instances, buying the Luxe version is not just more stylish, but also more cost effective. For example, a Burberry trench can be worn for years beyond its cheaper counterpart.
What do you think of my list? Is there anything that you feel should be added or removed? Which items do you believe are indispensable to building a wardrobe? From which designers would you purchase Luxe items and which brands are your go-tos for looking stylish when spending Less?
