"How to get this group of fabulous but disparate rebels in order without having to resort to pieces that bore me?"

You simply need to buy those bridging basics, whether they bore you or not Just make sure they fit you perfectly so you never have to think about them. I think Angie is right that you might be on Team Minimal (though also eclectic), just not on the extreme end.

I seem to go about things in exactly the opposite way. I focus so much on the basics that I never get around to the truly fun pieces. Recently, I agonized over buying a silver necklace that I loved because it was "frivolous." So, I bought a black turtleneck, black pants and some socks. Ooh, the excitement.

Eventually, I went back and got the necklace. It was the one thing that garnered compliments today and made me so happy.

So, while you're seeking to discipline your wardrobe, I'm going to invite the party animals over to liven up the somber bunch in my closet

By the way, what does ALGO mean?

I think ALGO means A Lot Going On.

Una, could you take a bit of time and post some of your recalcitrant tops and balky jackets so we could all weigh in on what might work together? It seems to me that solid-colored jackets (e.g., black, gray, red, blue) play well with all sorts of patterned tops. Patterned or printed jackets are a bit trickier, but can be easily paired with solid tops....Is the trickiness about combining colors, or shapes, or what?

I'm with Aida and others who said you need the boring basics to let the stand out pieces shine. As long as you are not wearing boring basics head to toe you should feel more like "you." And you've already figured out a key part of your style, you like a stand out piece, you like prints and textures. Now you just need to add some basics so the stand out pieces can come out to play more often.

I just had this Aha! moment of realising my trousers were my basics... and then two nanoseconds later I'd descended into a confused fog. Again.

I mean, who could have a formula of tops as basics and then wild pants for interest? Are bottoms by definition the basic of all basics? Would you have any basics if you only wore one-piece items, like dresses and jumpsuits? Is this muddle a reflection of being in modern America and having just tons and tons of clothes? I.e., is there anyone who would wear a pair of pants to work more than one time in a week?

Here are a couple of example tops that seem versatile to me, but not boring basics. Both could be worn untucked with skinnies (denim, black, olive cargos), tucked into any sort of solid color skirt, and worn under many different colors and styles of jackets. If you were feeling adventurous, you could do some pattern mixing with both too :). I have lots of tops like these that I can mix and match with all sorts of other pieces--they are versatile, but not boring.

Rachylou, admittedly I don't own a lot of clothes right now. But I regularly wear one skirt 3 times a week. Or the same dress twice a week. Or the same jeans three times or more in the same week (with breaks for laundry, LOL.) I just put different tops with jeans and skirt, and different toppers/under layers/scarves with the dress.

Suz - Do you wear, for example, the skirt to the same place three times?

In any case, wearing a skirt three times in one week, to me, would be a classic use of clothing, in which the notion of "basics" would fit in. Since the explosion of the fashion industry, and the advent of wear and toss, I'm never sure that people don't mean something else by "basics."

Yes. I would wear it to the same place three times. Even in the public eye. During our local writers' festival, where I was working and had to be onstage in front of hundreds of people, I wore the same jeans twice in four days, the same skirt three times, the same denim jacket twice, the same cardigan twice.

Admittedly, I don't own a lot right now so I really didn't have much choice. But to be honest, I didn't feel horribly limited. I felt comfortable in what I was wearing and unembarrassed. I like the pieces that much, and besides, I am who I am...small wardrobe and all! If the Festival organizers want something more fancy, they should offer to dress me!

But those clothes really ARE basics. Can't get more basic than dark wash jeans, right? Or a black skirt.

Una, seen this?

http://www.insideoutstyleblog......-acts.html

That's cool, Suz. And in my mind, French, LOL. That is what I call a wardrobe running on classic principles. I'm trying to work my way back in that direction, in part motivated by a move into a teeny-tiny apartment (but in a great location!). I also like limits; I feel it spurs creativity.

OK, well, it's also English to me too.

Ornella, that link is like a nice cold shower for me. Although the only basic I'm really missing are TOPS! I need to just find something that works and buy it in every color. Basic tops (not sweaters) are definitely what bores me the most, since i have such a hard time finding them.

Una, is the problem fit plus flattery with tops? Or does the climate also play a role?

I am thinking that you and Claire are soul sisters in this regard because she is an IT who has been lamenting the difficulty of finding tops that work well for her, and although her climate is the opposite of yours, some of her problems stem from the environment.

I also wonder if you are not being super hard on yourself if you think basic tops don't look good on you. Quite honestly, I've never seen you look bad in anything, and you have a really nice figure, so I wonder if a good shopping friend who would honestly tell you that you look great would be an asset when shopping for those darn tops.

I've been peeking in on this with no time to comment, but have a quick moment now, so I wanted to say how interesting it is to hear the introspection and the analytical thoughts.

I've (obviously) got no wisdom to add. In fact, I hear myself described by Una, Janet, etc. and I think we're not good at taming ourselves. I do definitely agree with the idea that you're really a minimalist at heart.

I also don't see you as naturally formulaic toward dressing, but does it seem that purposefully taking a more structured approach to putting together an outfit, where 1-2 heros or statement pieces per outfit with the rest being supporting pieces, would be a good discipline.

You'd be able to make notes on where the basics holes are, rather than just randomly stocking up on 'basics'. I'm thinking out loud for myself here, but I wonder if I would even recognize a 'great basic' if I saw one. . .

Anyway, I think I have a dim little lightbulb starting to glow. But so far it just makes me feel guilty about all those heroes in my closet that may never see the light of day.

Let's keep those wise and analytical ideas coming

Una, this is a fantastic thread. I am bookmarking it. Thanks Ornella for the link to Imogen's list of basics. This is my dilemma too. I think I am like Una and Rae, bored by buying basics so a lot of my wardrobe are statement pieces. Or when I do buy "basic" type clothes, I try to buy pieces that have a little twist or a pattern or some sort of pizzazz. I really have to rein myself in sometimes and try not to go overboard on ALGO and pattern mixing. That's why I was excited about getting the Anne Fontaine blouses...they are "basic" shirts but very visually interesting and fit great. So I will be excited to wear those items even though they are basics.

In fact this whole week I have been dressing a little more streamlined and simple/subdued, but still getting compliments. So that's my own lightbulb moment...that clean and simple and minimal can still be stylish. My previous style was so simple that I've been tending to layer and ALGO-up outfits to make them more interesting/exciting for my WIW posts. But now I'm swinging back a little to the more minimalist approach. It's fun to have options though!

Una, you should definitely post the problem children and get some suggestions! I feel like everything I've seen from you has been fabulous so I'm not clear on what your wardrobe holes are. I think buying a couple of basic black tops and wearing them to death under your statement pieces is totally acceptable!