Micro-Closet Essentials
Cover Photo: Elle Magazine
If you Google “10 wardrobe essentials,” you will find 24 million results. Everybody seems to have a list of what they consider to be essential, timeless pieces that will never fail their readers. However, as I browsed through some of the top search results, I noticed a trend: blazer, skinny jeans, white button up, wrap dress, moto jacket, black pumps…you get the idea. Every list consists of the same pieces. Where’s the originality? Both Hilary and I believe in cultivating a wardrobe that speaks to our personal sense of style and encourage our readers to do the same.
As I contemplated writing this piece, I wanted to create a list that left some flexibility to it so that each reader could tailor it to her own taste. So without further ado, here is what Micro-Closet considers to be essentials pieces:
1. Denim (duh): Other wardrobe essential lists will encourage you to invest in a pair of dark (slimming), skinny (universally flattering…really?) jeans. If dark, skinny jeans are your jam, go for it. They are flattering on most and pair well with blazers, moto jackets, and all variety of blouses, but they are not essential to every wardrobe. When I was in middle school, bell bottoms and flared denim came back into fashion. I coveted every pair that passed me in the halls at school and begged my mom for a pair. Her reply? “No, they’re ugly.” But one day as I was looking through an old photo album I found a picture of my mom in pair of bell bottoms so wide they’d need an extra seat on a plane. And she looked fly not ugly. It took me a few years but I found my own pair of high-waisted bell-bottoms that rival my mother’s. They are my favorite, and I’ve booked them their own seat on my next flight.
2. Statement outerwear: Blazer, leather jacket, duster, trench coat, it doesn’t matter. Buy a versatile piece that speaks to you and will pull together an outfit. Both Hilary and I believe that statement outerwear completes an outfit and is essential to everybody’s wardrobe. I often wear a leather jacket, while Hilary wears a wool pea-coat for Bavarian winters. (P.S. Long cardigans don’t count as statement outerwear, they’re ugly and shapeless. You deserve better).
3. Skirt: Fashion blogs love a good pencil skirt and think it should be a part of every wardrobe. Not true. Everyone should have a skirt, but find one cut you find comfortable and flattering. Micro-Closet recommends an A-line in either a fine wool blend or cotton blend.
4. Blouse: If you’re wearing jeans or a skirt, you need a blouse. Not a t-shirt, but a blouse. One that flatters your neckline and figure. Hilary looks lovely in draped, billowy blouses, while I wind up looking like a lamp shade (thank you DDs). I prefer fitted tops that hug my waist, and we both pull-off button-ups well. (Note: denim isn't just for below the waist, see Hilary in an essential chambray shirt below).
Hilary in one of her favorite essentials: the chambray shirt.
5. Sweater: Turtleneck, v-neck, crew-neck, or cardigan? Cashmere, wool, or cotton? You pick, but make sure you have one for cold weather. Hilary likes a mid-length cardigan which is perfect for layering in winter, while I prefer a fitted v-neck. Do you feel yourself gravitating towards those long, shapeless cardigans? Don't.
6. Dress: Most wardrobe essentials jump between wrap-dresses and LBDs. I love wrap-dresses for their flattering cut and comfort, but not everyone likes them, and Hilary prefers a mock wrap dress. If you’re only going to have one dress, find a style that flatters your figure in a solid color you like. Solid colors make it easier to mix and match pieces.
7. Shoes: Pumps? Boots? Flats? You pick. Find a shoe style that is comfortable and flattering in a color that goes well with your wardrobe. Black and nude go with everything, Hilary and I have an abundance of these colors, but are black and nude essential? Not if they aren’t your colors. This fall I found a pair of eggplant colored ankle boots with a metallic heel. I wear them all the time and for the majority of my Micro-Closet photos, and they go with everything. Those boots are more essential than any pair of black pumps. Hilary has sported both a Chelsea brown ankle boot and a zip-up black leather boot this fall and winter. Both are versatile for various outfits and comfortable enough to walk all over Munich.
If you’re working on building your wardrobe, Micro-Closet encourages its readers to include these pieces in their closets in styles and colors that speak to their personal style. And don’t be fooled by articles insisting you need skinny jeans, a wrap dress, or black pumps. You don’t.
Claire in her essential moto jacket, blouse, high-waisted denim, and ankle boots.