10 Closet Essentials

As I’ve said before – my clothing budget is no where near endless, so I do my best to mix and match pieces to create new outfits. The cool thing about blogging is that I have a (public) photo diary of outfits I’ve worn. And, even though I have a great mental list of outfits, sometimes its nice to be able to look back and see what I was wearing.

When going through old and current photos, I noticed a good amount of items that I re-wear constantly. Today I’ve chosen 10 pieces that are closet essentials for me and linked similar pieces for you to shop if you’re interested in any of these items 🙂

I would love to hear from you in the comments which items are also on your “closet essentials” list.

xo, Maddy

1.) Leopard Clutch 

I remember thinking I was “splurging” when I paid about $65 for this clutch back in October 2013…three years later and I still use it ALL THE TIME.

Here are NINE times I’ve shared it on the blog

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine 

shop leopard clutches:

 

2.) Skinny Jeans

I’ve had my fair share of flared & bootcut days in the past but I’m most comfortable in skinny jeans. And they work well with all my shoes. boom.

 

Here are SIX times I’ve worn some of my favorite Banana Republic skinny jeans on the blog:

one / two / three / four / five / six 

shop skinny jeans:

 

3.) Ankle boots

I’m one of those people that has to wear socks because my feet are always cold. And if my feet are cold, its all I can think about. Its so bad that I have to sleep in them, and if they fall off in the middle of the night it will wake me up. It could be 97 degrees and I’ll be in the house in shorts, a tank and socks. (no joke). One of the reasons I love love love ankle boots is because I only buy pairs I can fit padded running socks under – so my feet stay warm & I stay happy. Win win.

Here are six ways I’ve styled ankle boots on the blog:

one / two / three / four / five / six 

Shop ankle boots:

4.) Leather Jacket

I found my (faux) leather jacket in the Joe Fresh line at JcPenney in either 2013 or 2014. I don’t think I paid more than $60 for it, and it is still one of the best purchases I’ve made. Eventually I may get a real leather one, but I’ll probably wear this one until it falls apart then decide. Leather jackets are an easy way to take any outfit to the next level – even atheleisure. If you don’t have one yet I would make it your top shopping priority for this fall/winter. 

Here are six ways I’ve shared mine on the blog:

one / two / three / four / five / six 

shop leather jackets:

5.) Wear Everywhere Sneakers

Just like ankle boots, I love sneakers because I can usually fit some sort of sock in there. That, and the fact that they are comfortable while you’re walking & exploring all day, make them my go-to shoe, especially for traveling. In Paris last fall I spent three straight days wearing my gray Nike Roshes (walking 7-8 miles a day) and most recently, my feet held up wonderfully in my Adidas Superstars in San Francisco (walking 5-10 miles a day).

Here are SIX other times I’ve worn these sneaks on the blog:

 one / two / three / four / five / six

Shop sneaks:

6.) Basic Tees

I own at least 10 plain v neck t shirts – 4 shades of gray, black, navy, a few white. They are easy to wear and perfect for when you want your accessories to steal the show. My go-to spots for tees are Old Navy and Target.

Here are a few other ways I’ve worn plain tees on the blog:

one / two / three / four / five / six 

Shop my favorite tees:

7.) Floral Suit

If you’ve been following along you know I went a little pattern crazy this spring and bought this glorious floral pant suit from Banana Republic. I’ve had fun mixing and matching the pieces with a variety of other items in my closet, and am still loving the print. If you’re not into an entire floral suit (most aren’t) – a great floral blazer or jacket is a statement piece you can re-wear.

Here are SIX ways I’ve styled my floral suit:

one / two / three / four / five / six 

Shop floral blazers:

8.) Classic black skirt

I’ve had this Express skirt for years and it never fails me. It hits right at your natural waist, is appropriate length for any nicer function and HAS POCKETS. What more could you need?

Here are SIX ways I’ve worn this skirt on the blog:

one / two / three  / four / five / six

Shop black skirts:

9.) Multicolored Necklace

I recently started wearing this again after (kind of) forgetting about it. It can get a little bit heavy but I love how it pairs with black and white (and leopard). Its the easiest way to spice up a solid colored ensemble. 

Here are SIX ways I’ve styled this necklace on the blog (with one more coming soon!):

one / two / three / four / five / six 

Shop statement necklaces:

10.) Vests

Tuxedo, quilted, plaid, faux fur – I’ll take all the vests please. As someone with larger shoulders who loves to layer, vests are my saving grace. They keep my torso toasty without sacrificing any upper mobility. Not to mention they’re cute and can even be layered under jackets.

Here are SIX ways I’ve styled vests on the blog:

Plus an entire post dedicated to wear vests 🙂

one / two / three / four / five / six 

Shop vests: