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Predicting Wardrobe Workhorses

Staysfit

Veteran

After responding to Torontogirl’s about wardrobe boredom busters, I started to think more carefully about Wardrobe Workhorses.

I rarely predict a future workhorse at purchase. I may anticipate that a new pair of boots will be favorites, but they sit barely worn in the closet. In the same way, items I did not expect to wear frequently end up as workhorses.

A well defined color palette, consistency with style statement and adjectives, sticking with typical silhouette and brand preferences do not guarantee successful workhorse prediction.

Here’s what I can predict most of the time: Jeans, cardigan sweaters, winter coats. Why? I am not sure.

Sometimes I can predict shoes and some other knits, especially cashmere but not always....Much less success here....

I am terrible at predicting most everything else......it seems very idiosyncratic and emotional to me.

How about you? Can you predict your future workhorses? If you can, how do you do it?

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37 replies

Latest reply was from Staysfit

deb

Veteran

A white tee is always a workhorse for me. Other than that I can never predict a workhorse. It is funny, an item will sit in my closet barely worn for a year and the next year it is worn at least once a week.

nemosmom

Veteran

I would think jeans would be an easy prediction for me, but oddly enough they are not. A pair that fits me one day may or may not fit the next, OR I am not feeling a particular wash or silhouette at the moment.

Sometimes I can predict sneakers; all of my current pairs are major workhorses.

Then, similarly to Deb, I will have an item that sits for a long time, and suddenly I wear it all the time.

Such an interesting question!!

nuancedream

Veteran

Hmm...very interesting question. A year or so ago, I doubt I would have said my sneakers but of course, they are total wardrobe workhorses now with everything from a maxi skirt to a dressier suit. My wide leg trousers are wardrobe workhorses, as I typically prefer the elegant but not overly voluminous look of a wide leg pant to a thigh-sucking ultra skinny pant.

fathenry

Veteran

Unless it is a special occasion or business formal piece (2 situations I only encounter less than 6 times a year), I expect it to be a workhorse when I buy it. That means: Jeans, casual-ish pants, sweaters, coats, handbags, boots, sneakers, blouses, jewelry, casual workout gear or loungewear. Dresses less so in all seasons because I am cold so they are not worn as often. In the summer that means: tops, most sandals. Non workhorses are: special occasion dresses and suiting, dressy sandals or dressy shoes, scarves, bathing suits and cover ups, a couple of dressy tops for date nights.

When it isn't a workhorse if tends to be due to the fact that it i less comfortable (like a heeled shoe) or too fussy like a top that requires a special layer under it, or a casual dress that requires a strapless bra. Every once in a while it's orphaned because it's a trendy piece that I loved but don't really live the lifestyle for (backless jumpsuit, dress with a midriff cutout, shoulderless top, body con dress.)

Staysfit

Veteran

I echo the experience of having something sitting idle in my closet that later becomes an unexpected workhorse. Sneakers and my belt bag are good examples.

Fathenry, I agree about the difficulty of items that might have some sort of tricky design or fit issue. I am fairly good at weeding those items out before I cut the tags. Sometimes however, even after trying things on and testing them for several hours, unexpected discomforts can arise. How do you know the items you choose are going to work when you pick them?

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Didn’t realise you started the new thread already so had replied on the other thread. My lists of clothes and wears have helped the most as I know it is tops and pants that I prefer to wear. Also trying to buy fewer items so that the ones that are bought will be into frequent rotation. What’s helping the most is getting shapes/brands/styles/patterns similar but subtly different to things I already own or have recently owned and had to get rid of because of heavy wear- success building on success as it were.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

This is a really good question. And I need to write a post about it. It’s a crapshoot a lot of the time.

fathenry

Veteran

I'm a late trend adopter so whatever I choose is not too fashion risky. Unexpected challenges happen most with shoes so I try to buy them at Nordstrom so I know I can return them.
Other criteria:
-Pieces have to be resilient enough to stand up to 3 pets
-Invest less in the riskier items and more in the tried and true
-Easy care, not a ton of ironing and dry cleaning and hand washing
- Not too tight in the areas of my body I'm less comfortable with (like pants with no give in the waist, bodycon shirts, pieces with a big horizontal line at the waist, tight across the tummy or anything requiring a belt, etc.)
-Not too difficult to style (i.e. skirts for me)
-Brands I've had luck with holding up
-Did I love it when I put it on or did I have to convince myself

Plus climate, lifestyle, and commute:
- Flats, low heels or block heels for dog walking
-Shoe styles that stay on my feet (boots, booties, sneakers, Maryjanes, ankle straps)
-Hooded jackets because it rains a lot
-Cross body bags to be hands free

Anonymous

I have no ability to predict these things. Some things I come home with that really excite me end up rarely worn. It bugs me too when I buy something thinking it's a basic wardrobe necessity that will magically pull things together ....and then said thing also hangs unworn. The weirdest things have become workhorses though - like the Pumas in my find below.

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Cardiff girl

Veteran

If you find a way to this I am all Ears!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Sometimes I can and sometimes I’m totally wrong.

Things like solid V neck tees, neutral tops (especially black) and jeans — yes. Generally I can predict a workhorse. Prints are less predictable.

Footwear can be a little tricky because only a day or two of wear tells how comfortable something is, which is what drives my workhorse-worthiness for footwear. It can be the cutest shoe ever but it there is any issue with comfort, I just won’t wear them much.

Ease of use for handbags is another predictor. I don’t like using very stiff bags with openings that are too small or hard to use. Ditto with bags that are slightly too small. But a solid color quality tote is likely a workhorse.

notsaf

Veteran

Angie, I would love to read more about this from you!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I think I expect to get a lot of wear out of everything I purchase except special occasion and it’s so hot I don’t care I’ll wear it is the house or maybe on a more exercise walk clothing.

Joyce B

Veteran

I only know on real time and sometimes after having an orphaned item that all of a sudden becomes a workhorse. That was the case of my Canadienne boots that I did not wear for a year and the next year I wore them all the time. It would be nice to know at purchase time but that generally does not happen for me either.

SarahD8

Veteran

I've realized recently that items are most likely to become workhorses when they fill in under-represented categories of my wardrobe.

For example, back in the spring I bought a simple black silk hip-length popover, and a pale-lavender tunic-length shirt.

On paper the black top seemed like it should be such a useful basic -- but I've worn it maybe once. Darks, neutrals, and hip-length tops are all over-represented in my wardrobe. (Seriously, I did a massive color/neutral/pattern/solid analysis a couple of months ago -- you're welcome for not posting about it -- and that is what I learned.)

In contrast, the lavender tunic instantly opened up a million outfit possibilities. Tunics, lighter tones, and colors are all under-represented in my wardrobe. So it had a much bigger effect.

That said, I've also had the experience of buying something, having it sit in my closet for a year or two, and then suddenly starting to wear it a ton. Sometimes it's like I just haven't figured out how?

I think the concept of a "workhorse" is a really interesting one. We usually use it to mean something that we wear often. But, if you have two date night tops and you wear one of them every second time you go out for date night, then that top is kind of a workhorse! Even if you only go out once a month or what have you.

Anonymous

My wardrobe essentials are always workhorses- cognac sandals, lbd, black pencil skirt-easily predictable. The other workhorses are the things that go with a lot, like my rust/orange cardi. That one wasn't predictable at all.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

No, unpredictable and last year's dustbunny can become this year's workhorse. But all my workhorse shoes are flat!

Windchime

Veteran

This is a very interesting discussion. Except for some obvious things such as black ankle boots and basic jeans, I don’t know which items will become workhorses. It does seem like every season one item emerges to claim the title of Top Workhorse. Some of my past workhorses have included a navy blue lace pencil skirt, white mules, and black denim crop flares. I’m not yet sure what it will be this fall/winter. Each of the items I just mentioned could be remixed in many ways; that probably is needed for something to achieve workhorse status.

The other interesting thing about this to me is that, same as some other Fabbers describe, an item might get only moderate wear the first season and become a treasured workhorse one or more years later. Or it might go straight from the shopping bag to workhorse status. It’s very difficult to predict!

Roxanna

Veteran

Same here. I seats thought it was because I was so impulsive with my purchases, but it’s nice to know that others feel the same!

Style Fan

Veteran

I am unpredictable. This fall I have been wearing my Jesse Kamm pants and my Theory coat a lot. They have become Wardrobe Workhorses. I will be sad when the weather turns colder and I can't wear them. Both pieces have been in my Wardrobe for a long time and did not get as much wear as I would have liked for different reasons.

Sometimes I buy a pair of jeans and they instantly become a Wardrobe Workhorse. This past week I bought a new pair of high rise BF jeans (Fidelity OH BOY) and I have worn them non stop. Two years ago I bought a pair of mid-rise BF (Frame Le Garcon) jeans thinking they would be THE ONES to replace my worn out BF jeans and I hardly ever wear them. I put them on, I like the way they look, they are comfy and then I take them off.

Some clothes feel right at the moment and others do not. I am just going with it. I do keep clothes that I think will have their moment in the future.

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Toban

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I have a small wardrobe so the majority are workhorses. I can usually predict which items will be used less frequently, such as a statement item, though every now and then an item I bought to inject a little occasional spice ends up being the perfect item for many outfits. For example, I grab this green floral scarf all the time and it’s become a signature piece for me. I even bring it on many shopping excursions because it has all my favorite colors in one piece so it almost predicts whether a new item will be easy to incorporate in my wardrobe or not (excepting other patterns).

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Bijou

Veteran

This is an interesting post and it has been fun to read the responses. For me really classic items are unlikely to be workhorses. I need things to have an element of fun or point of difference to really love them. It may be the colour or print or design. Predicting workhorses is tricky too. Often something becomes a workhorse because I have had a subtle style change. I have been wearing lots of midi dresses lately and have noticed that I prefer to wear them with cropped jackets - so my cropped jackets are now workhorses.

Probably my hardest working item from winter was my little Target blush faux fur. I bought it wondering if it would get much wear, having no idea that it would be such a workhorse. It is the ultimate pop on with anything item.

Helena

Veteran

I'm with Lisa ... I'm terrible at this. If I could do it, I'd have a wardrobe of nothing but workhorses because it annoys me to no end when things sit unworn (which, I know, I need to chill out about!)

Current workhorses for me would include a Breton-striped tee, white shorts/pants in spring/summer, Birkenstocks, black ankle boots and my simple handbags since I don't switch these out much ... pretty predictable when I think of it, since these are essentials that I don't duplicate in my wardrobe ... can't think of any 'surprise' workhorses off the top though!

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I have a hard time predicting workhorse items as well. For me, they are usually not basic sorts of items, but rather pieces that I find are a reflection of what I'm doing style wise in a given period, and that I like to wear often.

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LaPed

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Like SarahD8, the workhorses in my wardrobe tend to be one-offs and underrepresented categories. And they're almost always my favourite neutrals.

My two pairs of faded black jeans are workhorses. If I add more black jeans, what will happen when I get tired of them and find myself reaching for blue ones instead?

My two long winter coats are workhorses. They're black and navy. Should I add a more colourful but less versatile winter coat?

My three pairs of slouchy olive pants are all workhorses, but in different temperatures. They take me through spring, summer and fall. Do I need a pair of winter-weight olive pants?

My stompy chelsea boots and refined combat boots are both workhorses. I keep thinking about adding a refined chelsea and a stompy combat boot to round out that corner of the shoe stable. Would I be splitting wears? Would I reach for the new ones the same way I do with my current pairs?

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Staysfit

Veteran

I need to give more thought to whether under represented items are more likely to become workhorses in my wardrobe since that has come up several times above. I suspect there is truth that these items become workhorses more often than others within the group of items I have the hardest time making predictions about.

Certain essential items are definitely more likely to become workhorses than others in my wardrobe, but not every essential item becomes a workhorse. For example why do I pick one grey turtleneck over another? Why pick up an item that has sat idle in my closet and suddenly take increased interest instead of in some other item?

The idea of statement pieces becoming workhorses is interesting. I am certain it’s true for my situation as it is for many people who mention it above. For example, I have certain accessories, like earrings, my watch, and perhaps some shoes that are statement pieces but they are also workhorses.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I think I have done what Toban has done above with her green floral scarf- I have taken things with me shopping in B&M when looking for certain colours, that has really helped. Also I take my lists. I have a good eye for colour too, so with my statement cobalt boots I saw two tops with cobalt and knew they would be great with the boots- which they have been.
Boots 2015 98 wears
Geometric cobalt top 2017 34 wears
Navy/black top with almost cobalt in the flowers 2018 17 wears so far

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Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

This is such a hard question for me to answer, because I keep things literally for years. I think the main thing is to make sure it feels unreservedly like me, and not like someone I (or the person giving it to me, as I mentioned in nemosmom’s thread) want/s me to be.

Runcarla

Veteran

I think there are two kinds of wardrobe workhorses. Firstly, the basic that sets the stage. You wear, wash, repeat - like a great pair of jeans, black slacks, pencil skirt, white button down shirt, black T, tank top. Second the almost-but-not-quite wildcard that MAKES a look and becomes a personal signature, is comfortable, and goes with everything - like red shoes, a leopard print anything, a Hello Kitty bag, lime green specs.

I’m intrigued by the idea of the ‘slow burn’ item that sits in the closet and becomes a workhorse a year or so after purchase.

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