A wardrobe essential is a simple, versatile, current and indispensable wardrobe staple that makes the rest of your wardrobe more wearable. It is NOT a statement item or wardrobe basic, (wardrobe basics are items like underwear, sleepwear, socks, shapewear, hosiery and loungewear.) Think of a wardrobe essential as “the glue” that makes other items in your wardrobe work together to create a cohesive outfit.
There’s been lots of interesting discussion about wardrobe essentials on the blog and in the forum over the last few weeks. It emphasized just how PERSONAL a list of wardrobe essentials can be. What is essential to one person, is not necessarily essential to another. In fact, an essential to one person might be a statement piece to another.
This brings me to the simple striped top and its ability to be a fabulous wardrobe essential. It was not a popular item on the essentials lists of our forum members. Generally, I don’t think of the simple striped top as a statement item because it’s very basic. The collection below showcases an assortment of the types of striped T-shirts and pullovers I’m talking about. If you’re into the classics, choose a high-contrast stripe in black, navy or red paired with white. For a more subtle effect, go for a low-contrast stripe like charcoal and black, pearl grey and white, or navy and black.
Here are five reasons why a simple striped top can be a versatile item for your style:
- It’s a Modern Classic with a high longevity factor
- It has excellent pattern mixing potential
- It packs a visual punch, despite its simplicity
- It’s more interesting than a solid T-shirt or pullover
- You can choose a subtle or bold combination of stripes across a range of widths so that there’s a stripe to suit you
I’m adding the simple striped top to my list of wardrobe essentials for 2017. Since I added two more striped pullovers from Boden to my wardrobe this year, it’s definitely become an essential for Spring and Summer. Here are the exact items in my wardrobe.
Is the simple striped top a wardrobe essential for your style? Or is it too preppy, classic, sporty, geometric, bold or horizontal?
