Do you ever look into your closet like it’s a deep, dark void? It’s like, sometimes, no matter how much you’re buying or putting right in the middle of your closet, you still can’t seem to put together a good outfit. This could be the result of a few things, including impulse shopping, shopping based on the statement or one-wear pieces, and, most importantly, a lack of staple pieces in your wardrobe.
The great thing about having staple pieces (otherwise known as great reusable basics) in your closet is that you can start building an outfit from just one of these items. These items, which commonly include a great-fitting pair of jeans, solid tank tops, and versatile outerwear, allow you to truly make the most of your wardrobe regardless of season or what specific style you might feel like wearing on any given day.
Plus, you’ll be able to get maximum wear out of these pieces without feeling like you’re wearing the same outfit every time. Here’s what you should know about adding staple pieces to your wardrobe and how to use them.
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Table of Contents
1. Purge Unnecessary Items
Any great closet begins with a detailed cleaning session. To kick things off, roll up your sleeves and get to work by taking everything out of your closet and only adding back in what you know you’ll wear. This means you might need to purge a few items that seemed like a good purchase at the time but never ended up making it out of your closet. Get a general idea of what staple pieces you have and which ones you need. Depending on the season, your staple pieces might include:
- A leather or suede jacket.
- Light and dark wash jeans.
- A casual pair of sneakers.
- Black heels.
- Solid-colored tank tops for women.
- A significant belt that goes with everything.
- A couple of dresses or skirts that can be worn more than one way.
Donate leftover items or sell them and put the money towards your new versatile wardrobe!
2. Shop Intentionally
It’s easy to fall into a happy-go-lucky shopping mindset where you see something you like in a store and buy it without thinking about how you might wear it. Instead, make a list of what you’re looking for before shopping online or hitting the pavement. If your goal is to score some fabulous women’s denim, do your research and shop online from brands you love or narrow down the number of stores you plan to visit based on their denim inventory.
Shop for versatile staple pieces first before you consider statement pieces that will only be worn a few times a year. In terms of budgeting, give yourself a higher limit for your staple pieces like little black dresses over other items. This way, you’re spending more on the things that will be worn most.
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3. Brainstorm Outfits and Reimagine Old Pieces
The key here is to get as much use out of your clothing as possible. Not only is this eco-friendly, but it also saves you money and time when picking out your outfits. Start by looking at your closet and getting a general idea of which pieces might look good together so you can refer back to your mental list later or when you need a quick last-minute outfit. This is easy to do when you have a solid lineup of staple pieces in your wardrobe! Be sure to think about outfits for different occasions, and don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
Next, make a section of pieces that might be able to do a bit of closet multitasking. This means that a specific amount of clothing could be worn in a nontraditional way to become a part of a whole new ensemble. For instance, some jumpsuits can be hard to wear because they pretty much look the same every time. However, you might try layering a sweater over the top of the jumpsuit to make it look like pants and a top instead. Other ways to accomplish this closet multitasking include:
- She is dressing down a cocktail-ish dress with sneakers.
- I was tucking a dress into a long skirt.
- I was even wearing an oversized button-down shirt as a dress with a belt at the waist.
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4. Work Your Way to a Capsule Wardrobe
Your ultimate goal might be to create a capsule wardrobe, which is basically like paring down your closet way down until only staple pieces and versatile clothing are left. This might seem intimidating, but people worldwide swear by it, especially when traveling or work outfits. Whether or not your closet makes it to capsule status or not, you can save money, wear your clothing and make your life a whole lot easier by implementing staple pieces into your everyday wardrobe.
