Sisters Share It All: Wardrobe Staples (Part 1)
A month or so ago, I got an email from a reader saying she was pregnant and hoping to refresh her wardrobe after her baby was born.
She wondered if I had any advice for what pieces formed the backbone of my wardrobe that could easily be mixed and matched.
So I did what any sane person would do – I recruited my two very stylish sisters to help answer her question.
Together, we came up with a list of ten items that we see as pretty essential (feel free to disagree with our choices!) and we’re each sharing some ideas of where to buy those ten items.
- Nice fitting pair of jeans – I have my best luck with jeans at Ross. Also, they cost me practically nothing. I like a skinny jean with some stretch the most.
- Pants – Old Navy pants never ever ever fit me, but their new line of colored cords actually did. And they have such a wide range of fun colors for a very reasonable price.
- Solid or striped tee – Shade is my favorite place to buy t-shirts because they fit me well, have a million colors, and the fabric is a nice weight. I also like tees with just-above-the-elbow sleeves because they seem a bit more dressy to me and are more seasonably-appropriate for more of the year. I have several of these, both in stripes and solids (in fact, I’m wearing the yellow and white striped one RIGHT NOW).
- Blouse – I’ll be honest: most of my shirts are t-shirts. But I really like having at least a couple of real blouses that I can wear to dress up jeans or to wear with a skirt.
- Pencil Skirt – I would always choose a stretchy pencil skirt because it’s easier to move around in (hello, I spend most of my day sitting on the floor or picking up small children). These Old Navy ones come in a wide variety of colors and patterns and are a nice length.
- Dress – I really like a short-sleeve dress best because you can wear it in the summer and then add a jacket, sweater, or scarf to make it seasonally appropriate year round.
- Cardigan – I love cardigans of every color, pattern, and silhouette. Currently, I’m loving ones that are a little bit longer, and I love this one from Old Navy (I have two of them) because they have no pockets which I always think look goofy.
- Blazer or light-weight jacket – This is one thing I’m in the market for currently. Living in Texas means a jacket is the outerwear of choice most of the time, and not having one seems insane to me. I love this jacket because the color is neutral, but it’s kind of a fun shape and fabric and it has no collar (I struggle with collars).
- Flats – I think flats, by definition, are kind of a dull shoe, so I almost always pick ones in a fun color or pattern, so I can wear them with a boring outfit and instantly have something interesting. I like the vibrant color on these ones, the low price tag (with flats, I’ve found that my expensive ones are no better than my cheap ones, generally), and the suede look.
- Heels or Wedges – I have pathetic ankles and I also am a bit clumsy, so wedges work better for me than heels. And I just love the way they look, too. I have this pair in black AND red.
Next week, we’ll show you our own versions of those ten items and after THAT we’ll share a couple of outfits made up with those pieces. While you wait, you can check out Merrick and Landen’s suggestions!
So glad I'm not the only one who struggles with collars…
Also, I should try old navy's cords. I haven't had success with the fit of their pants either.
When I went to try on some of the ON cords, they had been marked all the way down to $10 all the good colors were sold out of my size 🙁 There was a red pair that was really cute, but way too bright for my liking. I don't want to draw attention to my legs!
I really like all of your picks!
I have already returned to this post twice since reading it initially. I'm on my way for that Old Navy pencil skirt!
Hey there! So I am in dire need or some clothes so this post was perfect for me! I had never heard of Shade before. They have some really cute things! Do you know if their sizes run true to size? Or what their sizes are compared to another store? I am an XS at Target but a S or even a M sometimes at American Eagle so there are big differences!
I feel like their t-shirts and dresses are really true to size and that their blouses are just a smidge big (like the XS on some of them are too big for me).
Happily they have free shipping both ways, with no minimum purchase, so I always just order a bunch of stuff and send back what doesn't work for me.
Where do you find good deals on flats? I can never bring myself to pay a lot for them!
I don't do colored pants, partly because I prefer to dress in black or shades of gray and accessorize with bright colors. And partly because I'm 34. But I did get a pair of Old Navy skinny cords (in gray) and love love love them with boots. They are cut so slim though that I went up two sizes to get a comfortable fit in my waist and ankle. I've heard other people say that too. Big fan of sweater dresses too. Just ordered one on sale from Athleta.