All About That Bass(ics)
POL Dress (s/o from Riffraff*, similar here, here, here) | Haku Booties | Kendra Scott Earrings | Daniel Wellington Watch | Paloma Picasso Ring | OPI Suzi is Hungary Again Nail Polish
*Get 15% off + Free Shipping w/code "RiffraffRepLauren" at checkout on ShopRiffraff.com
I have written about investment pieces before; however, I haven't ever talked about basics. Yes, they are different and yes you should try to have both. (Want to know my top 3 investment pieces? Catch up here)
So how are they different? Well, the way I see it, investment pieces can be basics, but a basic isn't always always an investment piece. Capiche? Investment pieces will never go out of style. Basics have the ability to. How? Well, I'd consider a black skinny jean with knee rips to be a current basic. It's super popular and goes with everything; however, knee rips will go in and out of style; therefore, I probably wouldn't pay more than $60 for a pair of knee ripped jeans, whereas, I'd pay double that for a pair of straight legged skinnies, that won't outdate me.
Webster's Dictionary defines basic as "forming an essential foundation or starting point; fundamental". What you choose as your basics will be the building blocks of your wardrobe! Choose wisely, for sure. I will say, that I can't totally define a basic for you, as it's relative...but I can help! I think basics are important because they allow you to easily pair other, fun and trendy pieces with them, but they are also very easy to style, especially if you are in a hurry! They seriously look effortless.
Ready to define your basics? Here's 3 factors, you'll want to consider.
1) Neutrals. What are your base colors? Obviously, we have whites, blacks, greys, and navys, but in the recent years, leopards have become a neutral. Personally, I find that burgundy is my favorite new neutral, but olive green is a good one too, Really it's what you feel comfortable in, but the ones I mentioned make a great springboard. You want to be able to wear these hues as a stand alone look and/or paired with other colors and prints, so it is important that they are versatile
2) Fabrics.There are so many emerging fiber technologies, but even though science is cool, that doesn't meant they are all supposed to be on the base of your clothing pyramid! Cotton really is king, because it can be spun so many different ways. From your denim, to chino pants, it is present. A more modern fabric, that is definitely a base, is polyester. We see this in everything from yoga pants, to slouchy tops. Another that is growing increasingly in popularity, is rayon. It is a man-made fiber that competes with cotton. It has good qualities, but also areas where cotton performs better. I'm not going to give you a full blown textile lesson, but, here's just a couple more thoughts. Polyester isn't going away anytime soon, but I consider it very trendy, just because of the healthy living phase most people are in. Rayon is, as well, but it doesn't necessarily as big of a niche as polyester. I'd say it shares combined space those who enjoy quality, soft apparel, not just rough, cheap pieces. It is part of a fiber blend known as a "tri-blend", which is super popular. Sorry, I guess I did get a little textile-y;) But hey...all good things ;)
3) Silhouettes. Honestly, I wouldn't start considering the silhouette of a garment, until you have established what your neutrals and ideal fabrics are! For example, you might be looking for a pair of black skinnies and find the perfect pair, but then realize that they are velvet. Nothing wrong with those-I actually own a pair! I just wouldn't consider them a basic and wouldn't purchase them as a "basic" garment.
So, do you have any idea of what you need to stock up, to have your bases literally covered? In case you need some help, these are the things you should consider have at least 2-3 pieces of each, in.
-Basic Tees
-Basic Button Downs
-Basic pants
-Basic Dresses
-Basic Shoes
-Basic Accessories (I would start to collect these, after you have worked on the above. This can involve everything from sunglassess, to watches)
Below are some of my favorite basics, that you'll see me wear time and time again!
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So, how do you feel about basics? Do you have enough? Personally, I think I could update mine! They are worth getting, because they end up being so versatile. You can style this dress more ways than you can a more trendy, detailed dress. When shopping, you just need to think about the big picture, and you'll start seeing your wardrobe transform, I promise!
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by FashionFiles at Mode
