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About: Wardrobe Essentials for 2021

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Essentials in Flux

Helena

Veteran

Hi all, I always love the essentials evaluation! This year, I feel my essentials may be in flux ... this may or may not be lockdown related (I always have a stay-at-home lifestyle, but the lack of any kind of outing certainly makes a difference.

So I am coming out of this more with questions than answers, and I will try to bring an attitude of curiousity to my essentials in 2021. Feedback always welcome!

Here's my 2020 essentials list, with my thoughts re: 2021 ...

fine-knit, body-skimming sweaters in dark neutrals/nearly neutrals (black, ink/navy, burgundy) - These are my least-worn items at the moment, for reasons of comfort, function and lifestyle ... I favour non-basic t-shirts and tops with colour this fall/winter, and plan to keep this in mind for future purchasing.
dark wash jeans in a straight fit and mid-high rise. - My one pair that fits the bill is no more essential than my ponte pants have been based on wear ... and my new soft joggers are already in contention. Jeans basically seem like 'dressy' items currently (my kids were right I guess ha!)
silver hoops, Fitbit watch, Tiffany olive branch bracelet (needs repair), bird necklace - The bracelet still needs repair! The other items are accurate. I think my layering necklaces are more subtle statement than essential, although I wear them frequently
dark neutral puffer - Yep.
neutral striped t-shirts - I still like my striped tops, but not sure they are essentials - I wear them when I feel like a pop of contrast - subtle statement?
belt with silver hardware - Belts are not being worn this year *nibbles maple cream cookie with morning tea*
black flat/low-heel shoes/booties - Yep.
fluid tees in neutral shades (navy, blush) (summer) - I suspect this will be the same.
white jeans/shorts (summer) - Ditto above.
white flats (Birkenstocks or sneakers) (summer) - Ditto above.

Possible Additions/Shifts for 2021:

Black soft non-gear pants may replace or at least join jeans as essential items.
Non-basic "one and one" (i.e. a little more polished and non-boxy that can stand alone and still look good) t-shirts in neutral and 'nearly neutral' shades (things like soft deep wine, soft deep green, etc.) may replace the fine knits.

Thanks for reading this rather long pondering session! Looking forward to reading everyone else's essentials musings!

Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from

Runcarla

Veteran

I took a look at your Finds, and the items in your 30+ wears collection tells the tale! Your essentials appear to be:

dark (black and blue) slim/skinny fit bottoms - jeans, leggings
black footwear - especially sneakers and booties
striped knits/t-shirts
mid blue t-shirts
white jeans/shorts
white sandals
Black or dark blue outerwear

LaPed

Veteran

It sounds like tops may be your statement items, albeit subtle ones. I tend to be a "subtle statement" person as well, and it can be very hard for me to distinguish which item in an outfit is making the statement. I think yours might often be tops in elegant jewel tones or crisp stripes. So interesting about joggers vying with jeans for essential status. That seems to be the zeitgeist!

Helena

Veteran

Ah Carla, that was a clever way of thinking about it - why didn't I think of that haha, I only created that collection this weekend

The only one I'm not sure about is the stripes as an essential ... the fitted one has that many wears because it is several years old (maybe 5?) rather than frequency of wear vs. other pieces, and the more sweatshirty one, it's because of the fit and style more than the pattern (I don't have any other pieces with the same function, i.e. super-comfy and long enough for leggings) ... so I'm still considering that stripes may be more statement than essential at present ... will have to ponder further ...

Helena

Veteran

LaPed, you articulated what I'm considering directionally very well - thank you so much! Yes, subtle statements can be hard to distinguish, for me, and I suspect you too, if statement means something really dramatic, I pretty much have none!

Runcarla

Veteran

@ Helena - although essentials can get a lot of wear (and thus become workhorses) not all essentials are workhorses. Think of an essential as a place for the eye to rest, or as Angie says the glue that binds. Also, think of essentials in the context of an individual outfit as well as your overall wardrobe.

FWIW - I think all those cool Pinterest minimalist closets are high on essentials and low on statement items. Calming to look at, but outfits can be a bit bland.

Helena

Veteran

Yes, I agree Carla ... they are restful to observe, but can lack personality ... I am actually so bored of so many of the minimal styles on Instagrammers that I follow (horses for courses as always!) ... Levis wedgie jeans and a black boxy t-shirt don't translate nearly as well into real life as they do into a highly stylized and well-lit photo!

Good points around essentials ... as LaPed noted, when your statements are pretty subtle, it can be hard to differentiate!

nemosmom

Veteran

LOL at your belts comments!! Here, too. Also, the soft non-gear black pants earning top billing with jeans! I don't think I've worn this much black since the 90s

I can see the subtle statement wrt breton tops. Interesting about your switch to colorful tops (in lieu of the neutral body-skimming knits) - do you think that is because of staying home more, too?

Helena

Veteran

Yes, I think so nemosmom ... I think it's a few things related to that: 1) without accoutrements like scarves, makeup, etc., the neutrals are a bit flat, and given I'm not going anywhere I don't have a lot of opportunities to add those little extras, 2) neutrals are sort of my 'armour' when I'm out in the world, so not as necessary this year, and 3) sheer boredom I'm curious to see how everything shifts again is/when we ever open up!

Anonymous

*carries off a maple cookie- but writes down its calories*
I think of essentials as the things that you feel must be in the wardrobe, that you would replace straightaway in some form if yours got damaged or wore out.
Now get thee to the jeweler for that repair

rachylou

Veteran

Yes, I think you are right in your assessments. Also: I too found sweaters a non-starter this year. Life at home is too rough and tumble!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I think that essentials are harder to identify if you don't wear a statement heavy wardrobe. Helena, I would say you wear an essential heavy wardrobe (with panache!), so the demarcation between essential and statement is less clear. I know a bright pink coat is not an essential with me, but if I want it to be star of the show, what else do I need - well jeans and non-statement shoes. Voila my essentials. When you wear something out of your comfort zone what else do you wear to ground it?

nemosmom

Veteran

Ooooh, Shevia - your question, " if I want it to be star of the show, what else do I need?" is a lightbulb for me!

Helena

Veteran

Haha, suntiger, I know ... 2 years later lol!

nemosmom, you're right - as usual Shevia nailed it! So helpful!

Rachy yes exactly - hard to say what's covid and what's actual change ... hence I'm just going to do the 'observer' role for now rather than jump to conclusions, and see what happens ...

Christina F.

Veteran

You have such a well-defined style. It's nice to have seen you relax into it over the past couple of years. It really works for you!

I am all for adding some softer black [ants, especially nowadays.

Anonymous

Reading with interest - and I love Shevia's comments. Bang on . I also see fewer degrees of separation between what you deem essential and what you see as statement......as compared to many of us. And that's fine - works for you!

JAileen

Veteran

Hahaha! Jeans are my “dress up” items, too. Along with sweaters. Now I wear nylon hiking pants and sweatshirts. The pandemic changed everything. Do you think after/if we go back to normal, that you’ll go back to jeans, sweaters, etc.?

Joyce B

Veteran

My jeans are feeling dressy these days as well .
I have trouble distinguishing essentials from basics. The essentials glue together the outfit but the difference from basics is still not clear to me, so no wisdom from me other than comfort rules.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Helena, this is a great example of how your essentials list has changed over the course of the pandemic, AND how your style is very rich in essentials - and you wear it fabulously well! WELL DONE.

No flux! Simply an evolution of style:

You haven't like your tight sweaters for a while. You prefer them fluid these days. Re-build these essentials in the RIGHT FIT.

Add the long sleeved tees as you mentioned. Good under the cardigans too.

Athleisure bottoms are competing with jeans. Creating a new essentials category of Athleisure bottoms is dead right!

You swing back and forth on liking to wear neutral tops and quieter non-neutral tops. So make sure you have an assortment of both so that you can pander to your daily dressing mood. Don't edit out the ones you aren't wearing for a while either! I'm watching you

Helena

Veteran

Haha, Angie, NO over-editing this year, I promise! *hand on heart* ... thank you for your input; noting your summary in my style journal now so that I have no excuses!

JAileen, that's the million dollar question ... to Angie point about evolution, I suspect I will, but the changes will also be permanent ... which is actually very supportive on my goal to stop duping so much and use some different pieces. So funny how jeans are now "dress pants" ... my kids honestly think people wearing jeans are trying to be fancy. They can't fathom why anyone would wear them otherwise hah!

Anonymous

I'm with your kids! Not that I think of jeans as fancy, but buttons, zips, and heavy stiff denim- why? I feel the same way about jeans as I do about commuting