Start a conversation about women’s wardrobes and the words “investment piece” and “wardrobe staple” are sure to be bandied about.  What exactly are these superhero sounding clothing items and how does one acquire them?  A wardrobe staple, aka investment piece, is an item of clothing that is purchased with the intent of owing and wearing it for many years.  It blends seamlessly into the rest of your wardrobe regardless of the trend du jour and is a quality, well made garment. 

A Google search will turn up many lists of women’s “must have” closet staples, but I urge you to take a more personal approach.  Determine what pieces you need by following these quick and easy steps.

Step 1: Ask yourself, “where do I spend most of my time?” Are you an executive in the boardroom that needs a variety of suits?  Are you mid-level employee that needs a great working wardrobe and a great after hours one? Is the playground with other moms your scene? 

Step 2: Edit your wardrobe.  Before you add pieces, you may need to take some away.  Go through your closet with brutal honesty.  If you seldom wear it, if it is uncomfortable, or if it is a bad fit, put it in the pile for charity.  If it is ripped or torn or needs a button or hem, put it in the fixable pile (hit, no time to fix? Your local dry cleaners may do this for a nominal fee).  What’s left should be a nice selection of well fitting, quality garments that you feel good about wearing. 

Step 3: Fill in the blanks.  By this point you know what an investment piece is, you know what wardrobe works best for your lifestyle, and you know what you already have.  Now make a list of items you need.  For example, do you need more business suits or more comfy T-shirts?  Do you have plenty of high heels but only one worn out pair of sneakers to wear with jeans?  As you make your wish list, try to choose items that do double duty. A basic white t-shirt looks great with jeans but can also go under a blazer or with a black skirt for work.

Step 4: The fun part – go shopping! A wardrobe is built up over time; do not go out and buy everything on your list in one day! Try to add one or two items a month.  The budget conscience fashionista knows that a label is not necessary.  Sure, one or two items that say Guess, Fendi, or Prada are great, but as long as it is a garment that fits you well, can work with one or more items in your closet, and is well made, it counts as an investment piece.  It is not necessary to spend several hundred dollars on one item. That is a myth. 

The goal of defining and purchasing investment pieces is to create a foundation for your wardrobe.  With a great foundation in place, a few topical changes (a scarf, shirt, hat, or accessory) is all that is needed to work the current trend.