Less is more… fashionable. When it comes to looking through my closet for pieces that are reliable and can work for any occasion, I always turn to my basics. I consider basics to be any article of clothing that can be worn for all types of different events.
Officially, though, according to “The Daily Inspirato,” basics are “simple pieces of clothing (typically in both color and cut/structure) that can be worn with a myriad of different outfit combinations.” This means that once you have some foundational basic clothing items, you can mix and match them instead of buying pieces that can only be worn to certain places.
This creates a sort of capsule wardrobe: a minimalist collection of clothing that can create various outfits together. It’s definitely advantageous to have some of those showstopper, statement pieces in your wardrobe (you never know what type of events will come your way). I think that making the bulk of your clothing basics does make it much easier to put outfits together and to feel as though you always have something to wear.
Don’t take it from just me though; buying basics has become incredibly popular as of late. According to Vogue Business, “We’re in the midst of a basics boom.” Not to mention that there are hours upon hours of TikTok content you can scroll through about basics to find every basic that you should allegedly be buying and wearing.
It seems as though everyone is looking to make their wardrobe more user-friendly; that is, made so that they can easily create outfits out of only a few articles of simple clothing. Basics are also exceptional because they’re meant for everyone; no matter who you are, you can find basic clothing that fits your style and taste.
Usually, basics include items such as solid-colored T-shirts, tank tops, jeans, sweaters, slacks, etc. Popular colors for those items include neutrals like brown, white, gray and black.
Basics can go for accessories as well. This may include dainty, plain jewelry that can be worn with any look or neutral-colored, corporate-looking shoes that match any attire. Some of my personal favorite stores to get basics at are Aritzia, H&M, Gap, Old Navy, Aerie and Quince.
With all of this input on what we “should” wear, it’s important to remember that just because something is a trend doesn’t mean that you should immediately go out and buy something that goes along with that trend.
Basics are helpful and can make styling outfits convenient, but colorful and unique pieces are still extremely beautiful and help elevate our wardrobes. There definitely needs to be a balance between the two.
That being said, basics are also meant to make outfits easier, not more complicated. They’re meant to help the wearer create more conscious choices for the environment (by having a small collection of clothing that you rotate in for each outfit, you’re less likely to buy a bunch of different pieces).
You shouldn’t completely trash your old wardrobe and start over; there are probably articles of clothing in your closet right now that fit the “basic” look anyway. The most vital thing to remember is that whatever you wear, make sure you feel comfortable because confidence makes any outfit shine.