Closet Essentials: 60 Core Pieces and How to Wear Them

By Amber McNaught

When your style is timeless, you’re always on trend—learn how to incorporate these sixty chic classics into your wardrobe.

Fashion trends may come and go, but timeless pieces can look chic in every season with the right kind of style. Closet Essentials reveals the secrets of styling sixty of these wardrobe essentials—from the Breton striped top to the little black dress, bomber jacket, jeans, ballet flats, and more—into endless outfits, perfect for any event.

With five different ways to style each item and advice for casual, work, vacation, evening, and special occasions, plus fashion illustrations that make each style easy to replicate, this is a must-have guide for every woman, from the sophisticated fashionista to the fashion-challenged and everyone in between.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Nov 21, 2017
• ISBN: 9781452166773

Book preview

First published in the United States of America in 2017 by Chronicle Books LLC.

Copyright © 2017 by Quarto Publishing plc

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN: 9781452166773 (epub, mobi)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.

ISBN: 9781452166674 (pb)

Produced by RotoVision, an imprint of The Quarto Group

Publisher: Mark Searle

Editorial Director: Isheeta Mustafi

Commissioning Editor: Emily Angus

Editor: Katie Crous

Junior Editor: Abbie Sharman

Art Director: Michelle Rowlandson

Book layout: Agata Rybicka and Richard Peters

Illustrations: Clare Shepherd

Photography: Odi Caspi

Every effort has been made to contact owners of copyright material produced in this book. In the event of a copyright query, please contact the publisher.

Chronicle Books LLC

680 Second Street

San Francisco, CA 94107

www.chroniclebooks.com

CONTENTS

Visual Index 6

Introduction 13

How to Use This Book 14

SECTION 1: KNOW YOUR WARDROBE, PAGES 16–37 15

SECTIONS 2–6: CAPSULE ITEMS, PAGES 38–167 15

SECTION 1

KNOW YOUR WARDROBE

Capsule Wardrobes 18

WHY CREATE A CAPSULE WARDROBE? 18

You’ll always have something appropriate to wear 18

It saves you time 18

It provides a shortcut to personal style 18

It saves you money 18

7 STEPS TO CREATING YOUR CAPSULE WARDROBE 21

1. Start from scratch 21

2. Create an inspiration board 21

3. Think about your lifestyle 21

4. Experiment 21

5. Get an objective opinion 21

6. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, reject it 21

7. Understand that it will take time to develop your personal style 21

Shopping on a Budget 22

DON’T CONFUSE PRICE WITH QUALITY 23

LOOK AFTER YOUR CLOTHES PROPERLY 25

BUY CLOTHES THAT FIT 25

KEEP IT SIMPLE 25

MAKE SMALL ALTERATIONS 25

SHOP AROUND 26

MIX HIGH-END WITH LOW-END 26

FIVE ITEMS OF CLOTHING THAT ARE WORTH INVESTING IN 26

1. Lingerie 26

2. Workout clothes 26

3. Outerwear 26

4. Shoes and boots 26

5. Jeans 27

Dressing for the Seasons 28

REMEMBER: NOT ALL SEASONS ARE CREATED EQUALLY 28

ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSET TO ACCOUNT FOR SEASONAL CHANGES 28

CHOOSE LAYERING PIECES FOR ADDED VERSATILITY 28

DRESS FOR THE WEATHER, NOT FOR THE CALENDAR 29

DISREGARD SEASONAL-BASED RULES 29

Vacation Packing 30

PACK AS YOU DRESS 30

CHOOSE EASY-CARE FABRICS 30

ROLL, RATHER THAN FOLD 30

CHECK THE WEATHER 30

PLAN FROM THE FEET UP 31

USE ACCESSORIES 31

WEAR BULKY ITEMS ON THE PLANE 31

Style Dos and Don’ts 32

DO KNOW YOUR FIGURE 32

DON’T ASSUME YOU KNOW YOUR SIZE 32

DON’T BE ASHAMED TO SIZE UP IF NECESSARY 33

DON’T BE AFRAID TO DRESS UP 33

DO KEEP YOUR CLOTHES CLEAN, IRONED, AND WELL-MENDED 33

DON’T CONFUSE STYLE WITH DESIGNER LABELS 33

DO PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL 33

DON’T BE A CLOTHES SNOB 33

DO KEEP IT SIMPLE 34

DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE 34

DO KNOW YOUR COMFORT LEVEL 34

DO DRESS APPROPRIATELY 34

DON’T FEEL YOU HAVE TO DRESS AGE APPROPRIATELY 34

DO REGULARLY AUDIT YOUR CLOSET 34

DON’T FOLLOW A TREND, UNLESS YOU LOVE IT 34

Clothing Care 36

THE DON’TS 36

Don’t try to live a dry-clean lifestyle on a machine-wash budget 36

Don’t over-wash your clothes 36

Don’t overfill your washing machine 36

Try not to tumble 36

THE DOS 36

Always read the label 36

Separate items 36

Buy a laundry bag 37

Use the coolest temperature possible 37

Wash jeans and other over-dyed items inside out 37

If you have to tumble, add tennis balls! 37

Spot-clean rather than clean-clean 37

Wear a slip 37

Iron with care 37

SECTION 2

DRESSES AND SKIRTS

Full Skirt 40

A-Line Skirt 42

Miniskirt 44

Pencil Skirt 46

Pleated Skirt 48

Office Dress 50

Summer Dress 52

Wrap Dress 54

Little Black Dress 56

Printed Dress 58

Skater Dress 60

Cocktail Dress 62

Knit Dress 64

SECTION 3

TOPS AND SHIRTS

White Shirt 68

Denim Shirt 70

Silk Cami 72

White T-shirt 74

Breton Top 76

Dressy Top 78

Silk Blouse 80

Black Tank Top 82

SECTION 4

SWEATERS AND JACKETS

Cable-Knit Sweater 86

Turtleneck Sweater 88

Cashmere Crewneck 90

Heavy Wool Cardigan 92

Sweatshirt 94

Cropped Cardigan 96

Slouchy Sweater 98

Black Blazer 100

Denim Jacket 102

Leather Jacket 104

Camel Coat 106

Peacoat 108

Trench Coat 110

Parka 112

SECTION 5

JEANS AND PANTS

Chinos 116

Tailored Black Pants 118

Skinny Jeans 120

Black Leggings 122

Capri Pants 124

White Jeans 126

Boyfriend Jeans 128

Wide-Leg Pants 130

SECTION 6

SHOES AND ACCESSORIES

Flat Sandals 134

Ballet Flats 136

Nude Shoes 138

Wedge Heels 140

Knee-High Boots 142

Ankle Boots 144

White Sneakers 146

Strappy Heels 148

Metallic Shoes 150

Clutch Bag 152

Satchel 154

Shoulder Bag 156

Cross-Body Bag 158

Leather Belt 160

Silk Scarf 162

Sunglasses 164

Hat 166

SECTION 7

RESOURCES

Credits 170

Resources/Suppliers 172

FAVORITE STORES 172

Zara 172

ASOS 172

Boden 172

H&M 172

Net-a-Porter 172

Modcloth 172

Shopbop 172

Zappos 172

Kate Spade 172

Christian Louboutin 173

AUTHOR’S BLOGS 173

Index 174

Acknowledgments 176

About the Author

visual index