Stylin'

Recently, I have been looking at my (bursting) wardrobe and wondering just how many 'classic' pieces do I actually have in there?

I'm a sale (and Primark) magpie...in the way that magpies pick up silver trash, I pick up sale trash. I almost always buy patterned (or ugly) items, which tend to date quite quickly and lots and lots of tops and dresses (I seem to forget that I actually have a bottom half, which is a miracle considering how rotund my stomach is getting). I don't shop well, I'm a grab and try everything on kind of gal and I really need to change this habit of a lifetime.

Don't get me wrong I still want to look like me (tramp chic remember?) but I want to buy more 'investment pieces' rather than items that I will wear once and then sell on eBay two years later.

Here are some items that I view as the beginnings of a capsule wardrobe. Part of me wants to buy them all and put my existing wardrobe out of its misery (unfortunately I'm not that flush with the monies, so not gonna happen). As I can only (barely) afford the highstreet, I've mostly used items from the UK high street and I was genuinely surprised at the chic loveliness there is out there, probably because I just haven't looked before...

Clothes

L-R Top Row: Silk Crepe Boxy Shirt £45 Topshop, Moto Vintage Skinny Baxter £40 Topshop, Tall Piped Trench Coat £68 Topshop, Moto Oversized Denim Shirt £34 Topshop, Cherry Red Knit Ruffus Dress $195 (ok not quite high street) Sandro via stylebop.com L-R Middle Row: Polka Dot Peplum Shell Top £35 A|wear, Traditional Leather Jacket £165 Topshop, Jody Dress £39 Coast L-R Bottom Row: Cotton Breton Top £22 Oasis, Black Super Skinny Jeans £38 Miss Selfridge, Khaki Safari Jacket £35 Dorothy Perkins, Basic Neppy Tee £14 Topshop, Black High Waisted Skater Skirt £12 Desire Clothing

Accessories

L-R Top Row: Brown Leopard Print Bow Ballet Pumps (Sold Out: £15) Red Herring at Debenhams, Leather Satchel, $75 Golden Ponies on Etsy, Powder Ballet Pumps £7.99 H&M L-R Middle Row: Black Ambush Boots (Sold Out: £75) Topshop, black metal bar detail envelope clutch £18 ASOS , Black Banana Heel Platforms £35 Jane Norman Bottom Row: Brown Sandals £12.99 H&M

I personally feel that all these items are pretty timeless; they just won't date. To me style is a very personal thing, usually mixed with a big dose of confidence, but there are certain items (a uniform if you will) that are associated with classic dressing; polka dots, the breton stripe, the classic trench etc etc. They are the perfect basics to add touches of seasonal trends to; a pair of neon shoes, an aztec print scarf or a paisley t-shirt for example.

I haven't included any jewellery as I feel that timeless jewellery is made up of the more personal items that people acquire; the gold and silver chains that people wear everyday, the rings and bracelets that have been gifted for a special occasion or passed down from generation to generation.

The items I've used are spring items (I couldn't find any jumpers or coats anywhere...it's not like we need them now or anything is it England dwellers!?) so I may look again around mid summer(!) for winter items that would be wonderful additions to a capsule wardrobe - I'm thinking oversized cable knit jumpers, tailored camel coats and classic navy duffle coats; it makes me feel cozy just thinking about it.

Before I go here are some stylish ladies showing me just how classic stylin' is done:

Here

Here

Here

Here

Here

What are your must haves for a classic wardrobe? Do you agree with my choices?

Love
Madame Squirrel.