GTG's Staple Items

Ladies--welcome back!

Every day that I have to get up and get dressed, I whine about the same thing: "I have nothing to wear," even though my closet is full of clothes.

Do this sound like you, too?

If so, it's probably because we are having a major wardrobe dysfunction. We don't have the basic staple items that our wardrobe should have. Staple items are classic items that never go out of style.

You're probably asking yourself: "What can you possibly buy that will never go out of style?"

Well read on to find out what classic items you need to have in your closet year round that will give your wardrobe a serious boost and keep you from ever thinking you have nothing to wear.
Earlier this year, I decided to I'd hold off on any "trendy shopping," because I wanted to create the perfect wardrobe by incorporating staple items of high quality into my closet. Chances are you might already own some of these items or at least read about them. I've also put my own spin on some of these classic items because I personally don't rock kitten heels and some other looks that are really out dated.

Articles of Clothing:

The black business suit: Every woman should own a  classic black suit that's perfectly tailored to fit your body (and yes, it can be a pant suit or a skirt suit.) The suit should fit you well, but by no means should it be sexy or too form fitting because it's a professional look. Remember that this is the outfit you will wear on the interview when you land your dream job and in that very important meeting that will get you a promotion and a raise. What's even better is that when you break the suit apart--you get an additional two staple items: the black blazer, which you can wear with jeans or a dress and the pencil skirt or the black pants--both of which are very important to own. Make sure that regardless of the suit that you buy that you also purchase the pencil skirt or the pair of black pants. The suit is exemplary of how having it in your closet can help you achieve a minimum of 3 looks.

The white blouse: You can do so much with a white blouse, despite it's bad rep for being too boring or too manly. The white blouse can be worn under your business suit or with jeans on the weekends. Trust me when I say it can easily become your most basic item. Also buy a few basic tees or tank tops in white, black and gray because they too are essential. And don't forget to take good care of your white blouse by having  it dry cleaned and avoiding any perfume gets on it to keep it from turning yellow.

The Little Black Dress or LBD: This is the ultimate staple item! And dare I say it? Please keep more than one in your closet. We all have different body shapes and we also have parts of our bodies that we like to show off, so make sure your LBD highlights your best body parts.

A flattering pair of jeans- Jeans are the epitome of versatility. There are also many trends in jeans that come and go; for those trends I say buy a pair at Forever 21, but I believe we should all own a nice pair of designer jeans in a dark blue wash and in a flared style because it's one of the few things that never go out of style.

The cardigan sweater: A great investment that is always comfortable and wearable even on hot summer days; also, great for the office to wear with your black slacks or on the weekend. If you feel like donning on something a little more posh, you can also try a cardigan sweater in  cashmere, or a just a plain cashmere sweater.  

The A-line skirt: is probably the only article of clothing that is flattering to every woman's figure, so why not keep one in your closet for those days when nothing seems to look good-this skirt definitely will. I also happen to love pencil skirts, which is flattering to a lot of body shapes.

The trench coat- is about as iconic as the LBD. Even though, it appears as a heavy article of clothing; it's actually very light and was invented as an alternative to heavier cold weather gear. A great trench coat can be worn in cold or rainy weather to the office or over a dress at night time.  Invest in a neutral colored one that can be worn with a belt to cinch you at the waist.

Accessories:

• A great fitting bra in at least three colors: black, nude and one in a wild print or color
• A pair of black heels; usually I always read about kitten heels, but I don't do kitten heels, so I say you own a nice pair of black pumps or a pair of black peep toe platforms (the higher the better because height can never go out of style.)
• A classic handbag in a neutral color that is big enough to serve the purpose of a briefcase without having to have a briefcase. I believe for work you sould either carry a handbag or a briefcase--not both.
• A pair of red flats to add some color to any of the aforementioned items.
• A scarf, preferably in an animal print such as leopard because every woman should own something sexy and wild.
• A pair of diamond stud earrings- diamonds are the one thing you don't need a special occasion to wear. (Cubic zirconias will do, until you can afford real diamonds.)
• A strand of pearl necklace--pearls define a lady and can be worn with anything on this list.

And there you have it-- a list of all the things every girl should own. If there's something you think is a staple item that didn't make it please let me know-- I love to hear back from all my readers.

One more note- these are all the items that you should invest money on because they will last you over 10 years. I'm sure you can buy the same items on sale or of lesser quality, but wear and tear will make them expire sooner than you'd hope for.

And remember to wear any and all of these items with confidence; it's the most important item to own all year round.

" Fashion is always of the time in which you live. It is not something standing alone. But the grand problem, the most important problem, is to rejeuvenate women. To make women look young." Coco Chanel