Every well-rounded wardrobe needs an assortment of solid basics. After all, it’s these simple pieces that are essentially the building blocks of a perfect outfit. So as a result, we try to consistently serve up a healthy dose of shopping content to help you decipher which staple items are the best for you and your personal style. While there is a smattering of standbys that are always worth the investment (ahem, classic white T-shirts and straight-leg jeans), there are a few basic items that we’re actually not wearing as much, as they’re starting to become a tad bit irrelevant (in our opinion).
To dive a little deeper into the matter, we’re sharing the basic clothing items we’re storing aside at the moment. Alternatively, we’ve also rounded up those next-wave staple items we’re gravitating towards instead this season. So with all that in mind, keep scrolling to shop our new go-to’s. But remember, if you adore something we’re not as into, by all means, still wear it. You should always just do you.
“I’m really into suiting and tailoring right now, but I’ve found myself ditching all my fitted blazers in favor or more oversized, menswear-inspired styles. Not only do they look more relaxed and cool, but they’re also exponentially easier to layer under.”—Nicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour, senior market editor
“I feel like black pumps are considered a basic component of any wardrobe, but for me, they have become pretty irrelevant. I keep a single pair in the back of my closet for I’m not sure what, but I haven’t worn them for a long while now. I find myself gravitating towards mules in neutral colors when I need a closed-toe heel and have embraced a mix of heel heights, especially lower ones.”—Kat Collings, editor in chief
“I always keep several plain crewneck sweaters in my closet thinking that owning them is a good idea but in reality, I gloss over them for my more interesting knits anyway, making me question why I feel the need to keep them around. The sweaters I’m gravitating toward these days are knit polo tops, an emerging trend that feels really fresh to me. I recently wore this lovely version from our Who What Wear collection to the office and got so many inquiries about it.” —Anna LaPlaca, associate editor
“I seem to have accrued a lot of black tapered ankle pants, which have been a staple in my day-to-night work wardrobe for the longest time. But these days, I’m favoring tailored yet relaxed wide-leg silhouettes—a trend we saw in abundance on the spring 2020 runways.”—Judith Jones, market editor
“I used to wear denim jackets all the damn time (I even have an entire rack in my closet dedicated to them). Don’t get me wrong—I’m not done with them, but I wear jeans a lot (as we all do), and I don’t always want to commit to a Canadian tuxedo. As an alternative, I’ve been shopping for leather outerwear in a variety of colors and styles. The Mango leather jacket I’m wearing here is unfortunately sold out, but I can’t stop thinking about this new one.”—Allyson Payer, senior fashion editor
“I love a tailored button-down top, but recently, I’ve been skipping traditional versions in favor of open-front styles that taper out from the waist, which lends a sculptural quality to the look. It’s a microtrend I’ve been seeing everywhere. Esse Studios designed the top I’m wearing here to the Jacquemus P/F 20 show.”—Kristen Nichols, managing editor
“I used to live in basic black hoodies. While I still will turn to them from time to time (since I do love wearing all black), I’m interested in alternative iterations in other neutral hues to amp up my look for spring.” —Bobby Schuessler, senior market editor
