Wardrobe Essentials for Women

(Last Updated On: December 6, 2022)

There are some wardrobe essentials for women that are a go-to for almost all of us, no matter our age.

Certainly some women have very specific style preferences, may follow a capsule wardrobe philosophy, or shy away from a particular look. But more often than not, we will include some, or all of these items. It helps to give us choices as we gaze into our closets at the beginning of the day. No deer in the headlights for us!

So let’s take a look at some of these essential pieces and separates that will take us from a casual daytime to an evening look, in style!

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Wardrobe Essentials for Women

Denim

I would guess that with very few exceptions, every person reading this post owns something made from denim…jeans most likely.

It is such a popular and iconic look. Where did the term ‘jeans’ originate?

Jeans as a name for trousers come from city of Genoa in Italy, a place where cotton corduroy, called either jean or jeane, was manufactured. Republic of Genoa exported the jeans throughout Europe. Weavers from the French city of Nimes tried to copy jean but could not. Fabric they ended up with became known as denim, literally “de Nimes” or “from Nimes”.

Historically, jeans were worn by workmen who carried out very physical or manual labor roles. Denim provided the workers with the perfect rugged, rough, and durable material that was necessary to survive the wear and tear of physical jobs in the outdoors.

However, thanks to individuals such as Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss, denim has become an extremely popular material and an everyday part of the majority of our wardrobes. Take a look around  any casual social setting – the majority of people will be wearing denim of some sort.

Jeans and Jackets

A well fitting pair of jeans can last you for years when worn on a casual basis. They can be worn almost any color or fabric or style of top, jacket etc. so for many women, form a valuable part of your wardrobe.

First, focus on cut. Different cuts of jeans will suit different body types and aesthetics. Mom jeans are in style right now, and work well for the majority of body types. These are usually high waisted, which flatters the rear, and relatively loose elsewhere, cinching in at the ankles.

If you have a conservative style, boot cut jeans should suit you fine. I love my boyfriend cropped jeans, they are incredibly comfy. Next, you  choose a wash or rinse. This is the color that your jeans are dyed with. The most common rinses are different shades of blue, but you can always opt for black, grey, or even white bleached jeans!

Here are some examples of different styles of jeans from our friends at Target.

Jackets

A denim jacket is definitely considered a wardrobe essential by many women. It’s been a few years for me, but I had a denim jacket that I LOVED, and wore it so much it finally gave out.

Should you wear denim on denim?? I say, of course! A smartly styled, or simple and casual, denim top and bottom can be oh-so-cool. But there are some ways to put this type of outfit together that work better than others.

If you’re interested in following fashion dos and don’ts, here are some denim-on-denim rules 🙂

Wardrobe Essentials – The List

• A well-fitting pair of jeans
• A denim jacket
• A little black dress
• A comfortable flat shoe
• A comfortable pair of black slacks
• A scarf or two
• A white and a black t-shirt or button-down, you choose the style
• A pair of dress shoes
• A pair of fashion boots or booties
• A 3/4 or long sleeve neutral top
• A statement jacket or blazer

A Co-Ord

Co-ord outfits have experienced increasing popularity over the past couple of years, and for good reason. A co-ord is a coordinated outfit and generally consists of two pieces that are made to be worn together.

A great Chanel Charmaine Reveley co-ord can be found at Decodequeenstown.com if you want to see what a truly beautiful co-ord looks like!

The beauty of a co-ord outfit lies in its ease and simplicity. You don’t have to worry about whether or not the separates you’re putting together will work. You can simply purchase both pieces,  and there will always be a complete outfit there ready and waiting for you. You can also mix things up by pairing both items with other components and wearing them separately for a different look. Nice!

Here are some other interesting and creative examples of coordinates for your wardrobe. I stumbled upon this site, River Island (this is the US site…there are others for different countries), and found some unique pairings. Each piece is typically sold separately, and when you purchase both, it gives you so much more flexibility and additional outfit combinations:

Black Textured Halter neck top and Pants  |  Light Pink Stripe Metallic Stitch Pants and Tank  |  Gray Print Checked Joggers and Hoodie

Scarves

Wardrobe essentials for women wouldn’t be complete without the scarf. It’s a pretty, feminine accessory that can add that special focus to an otherwise bland or conservative outfit.

And if we’re going to talk about scarves, we must show how they are worn in typical Parisian fashion. The look shown above is a classic French Knot, and if you follow the link in the previous sentence you’ll find the simple directions, as well as a couple of other Parisian scarf looks.

There are so many looks you can create with a scarf, and a modest budget doesn’t have to crimp your style. Here are some pretty looks from Amazon:

I found these womens scarves at Anthropologie.com. You’ll find a variety of price points. Love them!

I’ve found a couple of wardrobe essentials to add to my list this season. How about you?

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