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Pro or Con: Wardrobe Essential Lists

Anonymous

We all know those lists that suggest the top 10 items every woman must have in their wardrobe ( although Nina Garcia wrote a book on the top 100.....and don’t get me started on that book)

I have just started reading Anuschka Rees’ “ The Curated Closet”.
It looks like the author is not a fan of those lists of wardrobe essentials.
She says “ style typologies and lists of wardrobe essentials are to style seekers what fad diets are to people who want to lose a few pounds.”
She sees it as a quick fix and stifling “creative impulses “. Wow.

I always saw these lists as a jumping off point and a way to make it your own . For example they all list the LBD but since I look better in blue I substituted A little navy dress where my SIL goes for the Little brown dress. The suggestion of a blazer is that a suggestion- if jeans jacket is your cup of tea- go for it.

So tell me
- are you pro OR con the “essential wardrobe list”?
-Is it too cookie cutter and a killer of creativity OR do you use it as a tool- a place to start wardrobe organization ?
- do you like the standard list or do you have your own top 10?
- how have you made the list of essentials your own?

Will post book review #3 on “the Curated Closet “ at a future date when I finish the book.

35 replies

Latest reply was from

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

On YLF, a wardrobe essentials list is a VERY different and PERSONAL thing:

https://youlookfab.com/2018/02.....-for-2018/

Anonymous

ANGIE- I love the posting you gave - apparently just before I started here- lol. I notice that fashion books all use terminology that while the words are the same, the meaning is very different and can be confusing. Like when you talk essentials vs basics. I have seen terms used interchangeably in some books.
I think I saw things from a perspective similar to the one you provided- very personal. As I read this new book I get the idea she sees lists as written in stone and not personalized.....but I guess it has to be that way if she wants to sell her book- right?
In a perfect world terminology would be as standardized as fashion sizing- a gal can dream.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I used to read those lists when I was in my 20s. Being a mainly classic kind of dresser, the items often appealed to me. So I would try to buy them. But even with my classic style I found I didn't wear some of the items much, if at all. What was up with that?

Well, it turns out said items were useless in my climate or for my lifestyle or in some cases were unflattering to me. DUH!

I love Angie's advice to come up with your own wardrobe essentials and to be aware that these may evolve with life changes, age, etc.

I do think such lists are a decent enough jumping off point that might help to focus some people.

Anonymous

I echo what Suz wrote. I too read those lists pre-YLF. They did not resonate with me for any number of reasons. I soon came to think of them as too generic for most people.

I eagerly await your book review.

Anonymous

SUZ - it is true those lists have been around forever. I too am a classic but with sporty vibe and found the lists helpful but sometimes missed the mark leaving closet orphans and me scratching my head wondering why.
I am not sure if it was trial and error or just age that made me realize the lists can be guides but you have to make it your own.
I still think there is a place for lists because every day I see women who don’t have a clue and could use the list as a starting point. The problem is that I think many women approach the list as written in stone- which I think speaks to a confidence issue more than a style issue- maybe ?
As I continue reading I get the idea she sees lists as a roadblock to developing personal style and confidence.

rachylou

Veteran

Well, it’s kinda funny: I’ve come to see those lists as being for people fundamentally not interested in fashion. I think they represent a list of useful items for functioning in society respectably with a minimum of thought and effort. With your white shirt, black skirt and black pumps - while it may not be flattering - you will however look supremely decent in a wide variety of settings. Including and especially if you do table service, lol

LaPed

Veteran

I guess I'm a bit of an outlier in that I always treated those lists with disregard. For example: a trench coat -- a raincoat that's not really waterproof and has no hood? -- who could possibly "need" one of those?! But I also more or less skipped the "young urban professional" phase where I might have needed to build a wardrobe all at once, according to an unspoken set of social norms. I have a pretty solid idea of my own essentials, but they don't have much to do with the ubiquitous "must-have" lists.

Anonymous

Those lists never work for me, and are too broad in scope to appeal to everyone. I will be just fine without a pleated skirt , a white shirt and a trench coat in my life.

Helena

Veteran

These lists work for me to a very limited extent, because I have a classic style and they tend to be filled with classic pieces. That said, I use them as food for thought only, because they are impossibly generic and cannot possibly work for anyone 100% ... I ignore some items, substitute others, and stock up on others.

So, like most 'rules', they are more useful when used as a tool to be customized rather than a gospel to be followed imo!

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

**Laughing at LaPed's trench coat comment! I totally agree!** I think these lists have a use for people who really, truly, do not know how to get started forming a wardrobe. They get you off and running with a complete set of wearable outfits that will suffice for most common occasions. And, maybe those who don't put a lot of thought into their wardrobes will remain stuck in this stage for a long time, getting good use out of their basic pieces? I mean, sometimes it seems to take people a long time to find out that 27 silky, bohemian blouses does not a wardrobe make.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’ve never paid those lists much attention, and to me they’ve always seemed simultaneously too broad and too specific to one type of lifestyle. I don’t require a “professional” wardrobe (and even when I wasn’t self-employed, I worked in a creative field with a lot of leeway in dressing style), so why do I need the perfect classic trouser or a trench coat or a pencil skirt or a classic white button-front shirt?

I figure they are useful for some people who need some guidance and a checklist, but are probably not terribly into expressing their creativity through their clothing. I think it’s great if some people find them useful, but they’re not for me.

Runcarla

Veteran

Well, I never met a list I didn't like! However my preference is for the smaller - 10 things - types of lists. They are good jumping off points. When I first came across these lists I looked at my own closet first to learn how MY wardrobe matched up and what might be missing, and then tried to figure out why? These lists inspired some purchases that I treated as a challenge and experiment. Ex. A leather moto, jean jacket, chambray shirt. I actually never owned any of these until I turned 50, and now I love having these items in my closet. I was going to say a white button down didn't stick, but then I remembered MY version, which is a silky cream button down that is an important part of my dressy capsule, and the same with black pointy toe pump - yet I have a low heeled version of the classic.

Daisy Avalin

As with several of you, I always found these types of lists to be unsuitable or dated for my lifestyle - even as an office worker, I didn't wear suits/pencil skirts/classic shirts, nor do I have the sort of life which requires a LBD (even for weddings, I attend them so infrequently that I need a new outfit for each because my size/style can change). Now, as a SAHM/uniformed worker, I find they're even more out of touch!

I do find that they're good jumping off points as Runcarla suggests; what is in my wardrobe which 'matches' an item on the list, and what therefore is my wardrobe missing to round out my style/wardrobe. But it's more of making a new list out of my wardrobe and noting items/gaps that I need to look into rather than compiling a wardrobe based on someone else's list.

Joy

Veteran

Con. Essentials can be very varied, depending on climate, activities, life style, and personal style. Like you said, they should be considered suggestions as a place to start. One persons LBD can be another's pinstripe pant suit, etc.

Anonymous

RACHYLOU- you crack me up- yes I imagine using the list to be able to function within norms of society makes it a good thing- making me smile twice in one day- yay!

LAPED- must have read a different list- I didn't realize that trenches are not waterproof. I always considered a trench a type of all weather coat and always bought them as such- I thought it was just a style of raincoat- goes to show you what I know- obviously little.

EMILY & Daisy- my thoughts exactly!

RUNCARLA- I use to do the same thing of checking it against my closet but then that is how I discovered some were orphans while others were hits. I also found it a great jumping off point at a time in my life when I had gaping holes in wardrobe for certain occasions. eg- lots of work stuff but zero for casual/but must look good functions on weekend. But I never felt it interfered with my creativity

JOY, JANET, LISA, TG- you seem to be in majority.

Thanks to all- we will see how the book progresses.

Kathie

Veteran

Runcarla summed up my thoughts. I’ve read the lists, particularly when I changed careers, and was looking for a more “urban professional” vibe. It helped point me in the direction of a few pieces that made my entire wardrobe work better, but in a way that was still me. For example, the crisp white shirt. I never owned one until my late 30s. Now I have two, and they are in fairly heavy rotation for three seasons of the year. As for the trench coat- while I love the style, and it works with my train-commuting lifestyle, a black or khaki one sounded like one of the most boring items I could buy. So, I found one in teal, that makes me happy every time I wear it. I’m also on the fence about black pumps. I love having a few pairs of dressier heels, but realized that fun colors would be much more interesting than black.

But, I completely agree with everyone who’s pointed out that these lists really only work for people in a small subset of careers and life stages. Even with my urban professional life, I only have about half the items on any list, and I still manage to get dressed every day.

Anonymous

KATHIE- wow- I am going to have to pay attention to your posts. You certainly have it all together in this fashion arena- color me a jealous fan.

Kathie

Veteran

Efbgen, trust me, I do not have it together. That’s why I read this blog, and continue to analyze much of the advice and experience in shaping my own wardrobe. The top picks are better than any personal stylist I’ve used.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

Just adding more “hear, hear!” To LaPed’s comment on trenches. Who needs a non functioning raincoat in their lives? I guess it is supposed to function like a duster- just an added stylish layer. But when I lived in Southeast Asia, the idea of adding hot, stifling layers while not waterproofing was just laughable.

As for the lists generally: as others have said, they serve as a primer for “surviving all possible events”— dinner party, office meeting, etc. but I think most of us already have too much in our closet and certainly don’t need to run out and buy more, just to match the list.

anne

Veteran

Just on the trench thing - I finally bought one this year after wanting one for some time, and found it really helpful for transitional weather (May in Australia). While not waterproof exactly, it was fine with an umbrella at repelling the oldd drop that got in - I'm not the sort to walk to the bus without an umbrella anyway - I want my bag to be covered!

Style Fan

Veteran

I was never a fan of the list of Wardrobe Essentials. When I was working I did not dress in a classic style although I often wore blazers with trousers. I ran away from button-ups because they never fit me. I was heavily influenced by the 60s and 70s and liked a look that said 'free spirit'.
I do love Angie's concept of Wardrobe Essentials because it makes my Wardrobe more functional. I can make my own rules with her concept.

Now having said all that I do own a trench coat and consider it one of my best purchases. It is a great coat to wear in the Spring and Autumn, goes with everything I own these days, travels well and has large pockets for dog supplies. After wearing it for 12 years my trench coat still looks like new.

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Mainelady

Veteran

I enjoy reading the lists and noticing which items I gravitate to, which items are simply not me and if there is anything different I might want to consider. I don’t feel compelled to strictly follow any.
Angie’s categories have helped me create my own lists. Her blog posts, comments and the posts and comments from forum Fabbers all help me define, learn, create and grow into my own sense of style. I adore the diversity and individuality represented here!

Bijou

Veteran

My opinions on these sorts of lists are mixed. I always feel quite happy to be rebellious and know that I don't have all the items on the list! Can you imagine a 100 item list - that sounds particularly oppressive and reminds me of high school book lists.

delurked

Veteran

Most generic lists don’t work for me.

Laughing also with LP. I hate rain jackets with no hood and have never understood it for my own life.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Have to stick up for trenches. Mine are water resistant and I carry an umbrella - I live in Seattle and get the rain! One of them has a hood and is waterproof - although not really a trench coat.

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Toban

Veteran

Sticking up for trenches, too. I hate hoods. Umbrellas and trenches are a great pairing.

Style Fan

Veteran

Angie, you have a great Trench Coat collection!

JAileen

Veteran

I love looking at those lists. I agree with LaP re trenches. Really, not even waterproof? Plus here, most of our precipitation comes in the form of snow, and trenches aren’t warm enough.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Okay, I’m not gonna lie...I LOVE those lists. I suppose I’m part of the problem because “10 Things Every French Woman Has in Her Closet”? That’s an auto-click from me. “Fifteen Fall Wardrobe Essentials”? I am THERE.

They’re fun and aspirational for me, and I actually do wear the heck out of my essentials. I mean, no, I don’t have leather pants and a crisp white shirt, but I quite enjoy putting in some red lipstick and pretending I’m that woman.

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