A handful of my casual clients do extremely well with items from Everlane. I’m also drawn to the simple, crisp and clean integrity of their relaxed merchandise, and have over the years ordered my fair share of items from the brand. So far, nothing has worked out 100% for me. Footwear was too wide or hard. Knitwear was too big in the smallest size, or the colours didn’t tickle my fancy.

I don’t give up on retailers that easily, so I kept on trying because I like the Everlane design sensibility and price point. Their quality can be inconsistent, but it’s fair to say that of most retailers these days. After seeing our forum members rock Everlane’s Cotton Mock Neck Cropped Sweater, I was motivated to try the pristine darling in white. I ordered the item and patiently waited for it to arrive.

Weeks went past, and nothing. I eventually tracked down the parcel, which had apparently been delivered weeks before that. The parcel was delivered to our old Seattle address. I wrote to customer service and explained the situation. Within minutes Everlane responded and apologized profusely. Without question, they shipped another sweater to the right address right away, and free of charge. WOW. I was greatly impressed.

The new order came a few days later. Excitedly, I ripped open the package and tried on the sweater. I liked the look, silhouette and quality, but it was a size too big. It was already the smallest size in the style so I couldn’t size down. Ordinarily, I’d have shipped back the order and moved on. But in this case I felt strangely loyal about keeping the item because Everlane had been awfully attentive and wonderful about reshipping another order unconditionally, promptly and free of charge.

I’ll see if I can shrink the sweater in the dryer after a laundry cycle since it’s 100% cotton. Failing that, I will donate it to Dress For Success Seattle, who will be all too happy to receive the item.

Here are some useful items that caught my eye as we get to the height of the retail season. Some have been winners on clients recently, and some made it into my own wardrobe. They can come in very handy, even though they aren’t the trendiest of items. Since trends are becoming less and less relevant anyway, it’s all good. Lots of great fabrics, extended sizes, and excellent colours.

1. Taos Crave Boot

This is a repeat top pick that deserves another spotlight. If you need a pair of somewhat maximal and ultra casual, super robust stompy boots with a high shaft, try these. They are extremely comfortable, fit a range of foot shapes, and can accommodate an orthotic. They start at a US5.5 and go up to a US12.5. Wear them with jeans, utility pants, trousers, skirts or dresses. Fab colours and read the rave reviews.

2. Banana Republic Washable Merino Ribbed Sweater

These WASHABLE wool pullovers feel luxe, and aren’t itchy despite the 100% merino fabric content. Your guess is as good as mine as to how long they will last until they pill. They are form-fitting on the model, but more fluid on me and some clients around the midsection. They work extremely well under blazers and vests if you enjoy a tailored and sleek took. They are great tucked into high rises, layered under oversized pullovers and cardigans, or fab under a flannel shirt Pearl Jam style. I got mine at a 60% discount with my Banana card last week, and committed to the the citron and navy as easy layering tops — much like you might wear a long-sleeved tee. Later I added the red, pink and white. I LOVE these tops, and the quality is great after road test and laundry. They are also great for our chilly Spring weather. Better than basic, and run from XXS to XXL.

3. Banana Republic Nylon Travel Tote

If you like the classic Longchamp travel tote, this one is similar but at a fraction of the price. There are a few essential inside pockets, but not many. Easy to travel with and works as well as a work tote. Lots of neutrals, some fun colours and a few patterns.

4. Karen Kane Glitter Knit Drape Neck Top

An easy and very comfortable pull-on-and-go party top for the holidays. Looks festive and casually dressy, is well made, and feels as comfy as a sweatshirt. Wear it with black pants, jeans, or patterned pants.

5. J.Crew Cashmere Double Breasted Top Coat

A classic with a high longevity factor. It has a versatile hem length, but is not as warm as a puffer coat. There are handy side entry pockets, good colours, and good reviews too. Moderately fab quality. It might run a little narrow if you prefer a fuller cut. Available in sizes US00 to US24.

6. Tahari Shrugs

Both styles come in a range of non-neutrals and neutrals and come in handy when you need to cover up a sleeveless dressy dress. The velvet is a little warmer than the sequins. They look better on the body than on the hanger. The size range is quite limited though, although perhaps dead right for you.

A new outfit from Annette Hoeldrich of Lady of Style, whom we introduced to YLF in January 2015.

The texture-rich midi dress in gorgeous forest green is the first thing that caught my eye. The off-white polka dots and relief pattern make it a statement piece, while the on-trend puffy sleeves gathered at the wrist create an elegant and trendy blouson effect. The V-neck and fitted waist add structure. Annette’s taupe suede blazer relaxed her polished look. The blazer and tall suede boots in a slightly lighter shade of taupe add further textural interest. The pointy-toe boots lengthen the leg line when worn with a midi dress. Our blogger accessorizes the outfit with an unexpected duck egg blue crossbody that looks amazing with the green and taupe, a beige tasseled scarf that works well with the rest of the colour palette, and fun oversized mother of pearl earrings. A beautiful trendy classic.

A wardrobe workhorse is an item of clothing, pair of shoes, or accessory that gets a LOT of wear. Workhorses can be simple and subtle wardrobe essentials or wardrobe basics. Or they can be bold statement pieces. They can be printed, solid, any colour, any fabric, old or new, classic, avant-garde or vintage, modern retro or trendy, pricey or inexpensive. The mix of wardrobe workhorses in our closet evolves over time.

Despite our mindful intentions and discerning shopping decisions, predicting whether a wardrobe item will become a workhorse is not easy at all. The recent discussion about this on the YLF forum is well worth a read. Most agreed that it’s a crapshoot, and so do I. Sometimes workhorses are predictable if they are items that are signature to your style. On the other hand, spontaneous wild cards can unexpectedly become workhorses. Items that are workhorses one year can fall out of favour the next, or vice versa.

Workhorses can be hard to predict at purchase time because there are a multitude of variables that affect the frequency with which you wear something in real life. Some reasons are logical, like if an item malfunctions when it’s put through its paces so it’s not as comfortable or easy to wear as you thought it would be. The way you currently feel about your body can make you change your mind about a potential wardrobe workhorse. The need for change can make a trusted workhorse fall out of favour, and make a new unexpected workhorse the refreshing flavour of the season. And there’s your mood, which reflects your daily choice of outfit and is also unpredictable. It’s a wonder that we’re able to predict potential wardrobe workhorses at all.

Personally, I find that I can more accurately predict whether an item will become a wardrobe workhorse when it’s a wardrobe basic, eyewear, a piece in my happy colours, a piece that boosts my confidence in an extreme way and is beautifully made, a piece that is extremely comfortable, a piece that is sentimental, modern retro or nostalgic in some way, or a piece that forms part of my signature style. I find that I can less accurately predict whether an item will become a workhorse when it’s a new-to-me colour, silhouette or accessory that refreshes my style, a trendy or fashion-forward piece, or a wardrobe essential.

Here are some 2019 purchases that I predicted would become wardrobe workhorses, and did.

The red aviator is in my happy colour and a nostalgic throwback to the ‘90s fashion I liked. The white buttons on the blush denim jacket launched me into orbit, and the swingy style is modern retro. Although you can’t see it in the stock photo, the denim blazer has amazing cuffs that turn back and the silhouette boosts my confidence because it’s sharp, tailored and unique. Plus it was a gift from Greg so it’s sentimental. The Ecco sneakers are in my happy colours and extremely comfortable and versatile. The streamlined wide cropped check pants are gorgeously luxe and checked pants are signature to my style. The Hobbs trench is impeccably sharp and confidence boosting, while the polka dot shirt is fun, well-made, comfortable, and boosts confidence too. The wide crops are white jeans, which are signature to my style. And the white tuxedo stripe and insets on the cropped flares instantly pulled at my heartstrings. They were also a gift from Greg so fably sentimental.

Here are some new 2019 purchases that I didn’t think would become workhorses, but did:

The lined woolly Veronica Beard pants are earthy, which is not my thing, yet I reach for them all the time. The monogrammed “A” necklace layers well with my pearls, so I wear it a lot. The red patent boots are extremely comfy, and just this year I’m majorly in the mood for red shoes so they’re my favourite boots of 2019. The ultra trendy COS jeans at the new shorter full length really caught me by surprise, and I love them. They are amongst my favourite pairs of jeans at the moment, so I guess I needed a change. The bouclé blazer at the trendy new longer length was a risk because I generally prefer shorter jackets. Yet the vibrancy, drama, and excellent pattern mixing ability of this darling makes me very happy, and I reach for it a lot. The chunky Seinfeld sneakers were a wild card, yet they became an instant workhorse because they fit well, are really comfy, look super trendy, and fondly remind me of the late ‘80s. It also helps that Greg thinks they are super cute.

Here are some items that I thought would be wardrobe workhorses, but aren’t:

In theory the white belt bag would be excellent for my urban life. It looks great, and adds a trendy touch to my look. But it’s awfully hard to get things in and out of and very impractical for that reason, especially when I have Yorkie Sam in tow. My wallet and gigantic phone are a bad fit. My crossbody bags are infinitely more practical. The rain coat is super cute, and does the job, but it’s not warm enough. I reach for my warmer rain coats more often. The white denim jacket feels great and is a wonderful length and fit. But the silver buttons put me off a little more than I thought they would, and I wish they were brass or gold. I will absolutely keep on wearing the raincoat and denim jacket, but they’re not workhorses and that’s okay. I don’t consider them wardrobe fails at all. The belt bag on the either hand might need to be passed on. Thankfully it was not a pricey purchase.

Over to you. Do these thoughts on predicting wardrobe workhorses resonate with you? Do you have wardrobe workhorse wisdom to share?