YouLookFab Forum » Topic: My essentials

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: My essentials https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11 Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 01 May 2026 00:44:33 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Jaime on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168107 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 04:00:06 +0000 Jaime 2168107@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Long summer pants are a tricky one. But your list makes perfect sense. rachylou on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168102 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 03:39:40 +0000 rachylou 2168102@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Good thoughts! You have me thinking about my white sweaters, which fell off my essentials list this year. White knits aren’t so hot for the rough and tumble of my home life... but I remember realising one day I had a lot of white sweaters... lots of variations and many with interesting detail... but the long and short of it was they were all white sweaters and I seemed to find them extremely useful (!) Carla on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168079 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 01:16:21 +0000 Carla 2168079@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Gotcha!   Christina F. on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168077 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 01:12:43 +0000 Christina F. 2168077@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Something you would replace if worn out is a great way to think of essentials. I too don’t really have a summer bottom essential. I do wear shorts (especially during the last year because I was home more) but I don’t think of them that way. Maybe I should. I do have some navy linen pants that might fit the bill... food for thought. Julie on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168073 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 01:08:40 +0000 Julie 2168073@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Suz- Yes, that makes sense to me... maybe I should be open to more statement pants in the summer. I had some nice print palazzo-like pants one year but then I put them in the drier by accident. Sigh.  Carla and Angie, yes I am learning! I see now that Tanya is wise.  Carla, hmm in this context my blue sneakers really do look like they have more pizazz than an essential should. But when worn with blue bootcuts, they sort of blend. Maybe I would have more options if I had a purely neutral pair.  Blue and grey are definitely my essential colors! I do have quite a bit of black- pants/jeans, summer Tshirts, a summer casual dress, a puffy vest. But I don't wear it as my main top in winter, and have much more dark grey in my wardrobe. As for white, I have only the tiniest bit in a few prints. You know how one of Angie's super powers is keeping white wardrobe items clean?  I am the opposite of that. I don't think it is especially flattering for me anyway, so I don't miss it. Angie on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168058 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:49:25 +0000 Angie 2168058@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Well done, Julie! You get it. And I echo everything Tanya said.  Carla on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168057 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:47:25 +0000 Carla 2168057@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ When I first read your post and saw the images, I felt like something was missing.  Seeing the additions further down makes me think ‘Bingo’!  She’s got it.   <div> </div><div>The blue sneakers with red trim are more of a statement though.  They would definitely draw the eye in any outfit combination you put them into.  I like that you have identified blue and grey as key colours for your essentials.  Have you managed to eliminate black from your closet?  Is white a ‘no go’?</div> Suz on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168052 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:31:55 +0000 Suz 2168052@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ What you say about not having an essential bottom for warmer weather rang true for me, too. I don't wear denim much in high summer. And I tend to wear statement skirts or dresses then. The tops would be the neutral items in the outfits, whereas in winter, it's more often the reverse. Interesting... Style Fan on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168042 Wed, 27 Jan 2021 00:02:03 +0000 Style Fan 2168042@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Great denim collection.  I find completers confusing.  Finding warm weather pants has always been a challenge for me. Sal on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168017 Tue, 26 Jan 2021 23:23:27 +0000 Sal 2168017@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Interesting and love your denim collection. And I do think the line between a completer and a statement varies from person to person.   Julie on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2168010 Tue, 26 Jan 2021 23:17:33 +0000 Julie 2168010@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh, ok! I guess I had forgotten about this completer category. I think I have a lot of those. Thanks! Tanya yes- I think you are right; a long sleeve pullover sweater (grey or blue) would be essential to me...I'm just more flexible about neckline and material for this one. Anonymous on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2167993 Tue, 26 Jan 2021 22:29:00 +0000 Anonymous 2167993@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'd call those corderoy pants "completers" too. I think of completers as non neutral, or neutral but not core neutral, simpler pieces. Nice coats! Jenni NZ on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2167992 Tue, 26 Jan 2021 22:26:51 +0000 Jenni NZ 2167992@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I like your piece about trying to find a very close or exact replacement, Julie. I had to do that in the past year with some slim black ponte pants and some cropped white summer pants. I figured those were definitely essential for me and had to go on a specific hunt for them ( slim pants harder to find ATM). Tanya on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2167983 Tue, 26 Jan 2021 22:06:08 +0000 Tanya 2167983@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is a great analysis, Julie, and I think all the items you identified are true essentials indeed.  What you are referring to as jazzed-up essentials is a category that I think Angie calls "completers" (items between essentials and statements). As for the tops, I think if they are simple sweaters or knitted top in your neutrals, they are probably essentials.  For example, if you would replace a simple black knitted top with another simple black knitted top, albeit very different in cut, texture, etc.; then black tops are your essentials.  But if you can dress without any black knit tops of any kind and would replace a worn out one with a florals blouse, then it is certainly not an essential. Julie on "My essentials" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/my-essentials-11#post-2167923 Tue, 26 Jan 2021 18:38:55 +0000 Julie 2167923@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This year sort of clarified the essentials for me (and now that I think about it, not just for my wardrobe!) Mine are:  1. high rise bootcut jeans- blue, black 2. skinny jeans- blue, grey/black 3. Vneck cotton Tshirts- blue, grey, black 4. sneakers (sort of borderline between athletic and fashion) 5. ankle boots (neutral, low) 6. zip sweatshirts- yep, blue and grey 7. puffer- one short and light, one super warm Borderline essentials: Last year I would have included Vneck wool sweaters as essentials, but I don't find these so essential anymore since I don't leave the house as much and don't want to deal with the hand washing. I also often wear a pullover sweater or long sleeve knit top, and maybe these are essentials. But I feel like if any of these wore out, I might replace it with something different- whereas for the list above I have either already duplicated or would try and find a very close or exact replacement. Some revelations: Although I have some statement items (colorful blouses, print scarves, plaid shirts), much of the rest of my wardrobe I would call "subtle statements". Many of these are slightly jazzed-up versions of the essentials- for example, the same bootcuts but in corduroy, the same skinnies but in burgundy. I'm not really a statement kind of person, so some of my statements are probably similar to other people's essentials. They might be the most interesting thing about an outfit, but they are not super statement-y. I don't often wear jeans in the high summer, but I don't really have an essential bottom for that season- I might wear a dress or cropped pants at home, but can't wear those to work. Every summer I try to find new pants to wear and then am not especially satisfied with my choices. I get 1 or 2, and wear them a lot because I need to get dressed, but then put summer pants on the list for next year. I need to find my "essential" summer pants! Something that I can rely on, that is full length but ok to wear both out in the heat (at least briefly) and to work in the lab.  Thanks for reading, that was helpful to write down. :)