The 6 Basic Pieces Which Form The Foundation Of My Wardrobe

Ello ello ello. How's it going? It's been a hot minute since I've written about anything of the sartorial persuasion, but with the onslaught of Black Friday madness fast approaching and discounts a hair's breadth away from spilling forth into our laps, I thought it was a good time to talk about the basics which form the basis of my everyday wardrobe.

You only need to take one glance at my Instagram feed (what a horribly millenial combination of words) to know that I'm a simple dresser through and through. I'd like to pretend that I'm a closet minimalist, and that my devotion to the same silhouette of outfits is testament to an effortlessly chic style. The truth? I'm very lazy. I want to pluck 1, 2, 3 items from my clothes rail and be able to throw them together with as minimal a conscious input as possible. Sure, I'll stretch to a 'hmm, should I wear a belt with these jeans?', but a 'what can I layer this polo neck with to make it ~ kewl ~ n ~ trendy ~'? I'll leave that to the real fashionistas.

I kinda like that I get to share simple looks online, too. Everything you see me wearing is genuinely what I don for my day-to-day activities, which means the looks have to be practical as well as moderately cute. That's why I so often opt for t-shirt and jeans combinations, with a little something something over the top to spice it up; it looks put-together, but it's also wearable for walking to work or hoovering the house or heading to the pub for some impromptu bevs with a mate. I put a lot of stock into buying basics when you're working to a budget, too. It's surprising how much you can dress up a plain tee with equal lashings of mascara and jewellery, and with more basic pieces, you're able to rewear and restyle whilst still feeling fresh. I swear to our father who art in heaven - George Michael - that I will never get bored of a gold hoop and black t-shirt combo, and that's the truth.

So what forms the basis of my wardrobe? Well, let me give you the lowdown on the sexy six...

An oversized black blazer.

I've been sporting some variety of black blazer since I was about 15, although back then it was probably fitted and paired with a hideously overpriced Hollister t-shirt that my Mum would later go on to permanently "borrow". Nowadays I'm much more inclined to opt for something oversized and simple, with a boxier, more masculine silhouette that can work equally as well with a mini-dress for dinner and drinks as it does with a pair of distressed mom jeans and old tee. The & Other Stories number I'm championing at the moment is unfortunately out of stock, but Hannah spied this dupe this morning and it's the ideal replacement. This is something worth investing in, so if you can afford to spend a little more than the usual high street prices, something around the £80-£130 mark will see you right for years to come. I stan a solid shoulder, too, so don't be afraid of shoulder pads.

A reliable white tee.

Here's my gripe with white t-shirts. They're often too thin, often with a neck which is too low, often don't tuck into jeans and skirts and other lower-half cloth contraptions very well, and often boast ever-so-slightly-too-short sleeves. Finding a reliable white tee is no easy feat, but I think I've found a solid candidate in this Topshop number. The fabric is almost like a super thin knit which means the overall feel is much more premium, plus the neck is just the right height and the sleeves a flattering length. It looks much more expensive than it is and after a few washes, the quality hasn't plummeted faster than Gemma Collins on an unsuspecting stack of stairs, which is often the case with any kind of basic tee. I currently own two of these bad boys with a third in my basket (the navy is beautiful too! But be warned - they've listed a black and burgundy variety but the shape of these looks slightly different, so purchase with caution).

A versatile mini.

I'm not much of a dresser upper when I hit the town for a gallon or two of the barman's finest (*cough*cheapest*cough*) rosé. My history with 'going out out' dressing proves that I'm not only a simple dresser, but a serial repeater too, and a versatile mini is likely my most reached for item when it comes to looking a bit more glam. Comfort is always key for me so bodycon dresses and v-neck playsuits have long been a no-go; instead I opt for a mini skirt like this Topshop kilt number which boasts a little detailing but not too much that it becomes the main attraction. Depending on the occasion, I'll either pair it with a tee, a little heeled sandal and a vomit-inducing amount of gold jewellery for an unsuspectingly sexy vibe, or something long-sleeved and tight for a bit of extra va va voom.

A wear-it-everyday black jumper.

Hungover? Black jumper. Going to work? Black jumper. Brunch and bellinis? Black jumper. Low-key date with the guy you've been mentally shagging for the past three weeks? Black jumper! A staple knit is every lazy girls ~ dream ~. Dress it up, dress it down, turn it all around - you can do everything. Most often I'll just pop it on with a pair of blue jeans and boots for an everyday-working type of get up, but pieces like this are ideal for layering over the kind of silky dresses and skirts which are ~ all the rage ~ right now. I always go slightly oversized in the knitwear department for more of a luxe, premium feel, but never too extreme because then tucking/knotting becomes a bit of a shit-show in itself. The black knit I'm relying on at the moment is again out of stock on & Other Stories, but they haven't taken it off the site so I'm hoping that means it will be restocked. This £29.99 Mango alternative or this Stories turtleneck are cute too.

A pair of comfortable boots.

If I can't wear them all day without needing a cache of plasters to stick my broken trotters back together, then they ain't coming in. Comfort is KING and my feet aren't excluded from that motto, certainly not when it comes to the kind of boots I want to be able to throw on without a thought each morning. Despite Western being a bit of a trend this season, these cowboy boots from Topshop feel timeless to me. A pointed toe to make my tiny hobbit feet look longer? Tick. A slightly longer length which is flattering with mini skirts and dresses? Tick. A low-mid heel for that little bit of extra height? Tick tick bish. Chuck 'em on with my jumper and jeans and I'm ready to go (also perfect for dinner dates and nights out if you aren't a heels kinda gal!).

A pair of blue straight leg jeans.

Ah, perfect straight leg jeans, why do you evade me so? Are you but a myth? A rumour 'pon the lips of babes? Well I bloody hope not, because I spend half of my life trying to find ya. I have cycled through countless pairs of straight leg jeans and I've yet to find that pair which make me gasp in ass appreciation once I pull them on, but I have found some fairly reliable stand-ins in the meantime. Despite being difficult to pin down, blue jeans work the h a r d e s t in my wardrobe. Doesn't matter what season of the year we happen to be cycling through, without a doubt there will be a straight leg jean involved. Again, I'm not much of a dresser upper, so I'll often just couple a sleek black tee with some denim and let my hair and jewellery do the talking, but I love the laid-back luxe look of a crop top and heels combo too . And then in the daytime, it's anybody's guess (but I'll probably be wearing a black jumper and black boots lol). The jeans pictured here are the Topshop Mom shape but in regular and not petite; the leg to waist ratio is actually pretty good and they give the butt a bit of a boost, but they're slightly too fitted around the vajeen and the colour is slightly too pale for what I'm looking for. Still rate them highly though. Well worth a go in your pursuit for happiness a.k.a. jean joy.

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The 6 Basic Pieces Which Form The Foundation Of My Wardrobe

THE SEXY SIX