During the past few months I have gotten lot’s of emails asking me for shopping advice. Since advising people on what to wear is what I love to do the most I decided to update today with a post to help you build your wardrobe from scratch.

Please have in mind as the title says this are only the essentials, so this would be a very “basic” wardrobe, you still need more garments to build a complete one up, but these garments in my opinion are the backbone of every girls wardrobe.

The main characteristic of every single item I picked here, is that they are all classics, that means they are timeless pieces you will find every single season, anywhere and that can be worn with absolutely everything (from this list or from anywhere).

At the end what you get is easy wearing garments, and multiple combinations that will get you dressed in five minutes looking always look great. Guaranteed.

Let’s start.

Tops:

Basic T-shirts: Every single person on earth should have this trio of t-shirts grey, black and white. Wear them in winter under sweaters, in spring under a jacket or in summer with skirts. Grey and black t-shirt by Petit Bateau, white t-shirt by T by Alexander Wang.

The striped shirt: this is a garment that has been present since forever, but was properly introduced by Coco Chanel as a everyday garment for women. Can be worn the same way as basic t-shirts do. Navy and white striped shirt Comme de Garçons Play.

White shirts: sleeveless and long sleeved for hot and cold days. The look lovely under cardigans and sweaters, or by its own, buttoned up or not. The best part is depending on how you wear it it can look like a very different garment. Sleeveless shirt by Equipment. Long sleeved shirt by The Kooples.

Knitwear: A cardigan, a sweater and a turtleneck. I included black and grey before any other color, but ideally you can add up more and more neutrals and colors if you like. Cardigan by A.P.C, sweater by Acne Studios and turtleneck by Barney’s New York.

Jeans/Trousers:

White, black and grey jeans: to me jeans are the most basic garments of them all. I tend to wear black jeans/trousers more than any other but that’s a matter of personal choice. Purchase a good pair of jeans and they will last forever. White jeans by Stella McCartney, black jeans by Current Elliott and grey jeans by Acne Studios.

Dark and light denim jeans: It would be good to have one of each so you can mix and match more, you can vary in shape, skinny, straight, boyfriend, whatever you like best. Dark denim Current Elliott and light denim by The Row.

The suit trouser: You can live without a blazer, but a suit trouser is a big essential. You can wear it with t-shirts and sneakers for a more relaxed look, or wear it with heels and a nice blouse to go out, depending on how you combine it, you can have very different results. Black suit trousers by Saint Laurent.

Feminine:

Dresses: a great idea is to star with these two and hopefully you get to have more, but the good thing about dresses, is they are easier to combine you just need the right shoes and bag, and you are set! Striped dress by A.P.C and black dress by Acne Studios.

The black mini skirt: Crucial. Same as the suit trouser applies to the skirt. So many occasions to wear it, so many different results. Black mini skirt by Saint Laurent.

Outerwear:

I divided this into seasons, but honestly I use everything all year long, I love long sleeves in summer, bare legs in winter and so on, but if you want to start purchasing them, this would be the order that would make the most sense.

The denim jacket: So fresh and timeless, I love it with everything. If you wear a fancier LBD and heels, this adds a casual touch. Denim jacket by Proenza Schouler.

The leather jacket: My go to for in between seasons. My intention is to own several to many of these. They are made in so many different finishes and leathers that you can never stop at one. Leather jacket by Acne Studios.

The duffle coat: You can find it in any neutral color and it works perfectly with any garment from this list. Duffle coat by Barbour.

The trench coat: This is a big big big must-have. And this is a garment that needs to be top quality or it will end up in the trash. So please invest in this one, you will wear this till the end of times. Trench coat by Burberry.

Shoes:

Black flats: this would top my list from any shoe and any garment ever. Same as the trench, please invest in good flats, your feet are delicate and need to be comfortable and you will end up wearing this twice as much as any footwear. Flats by Chanel.

Black heels: What girl does not need heels? I don’t like them over 4 inch, in my opinion it looks tacky but then again, it’s a matter of personal taste. Heels by Gianvito Rossi.

Flat sandals: comfort for hot summer days. Sometimes the weather gets so unbearable this is the only footwear one can wear. Sandals by A.P.C

Brogues: add a masculine touch to any outfit, and are so durable that you will never regret buying these. There are many variants of this one, if you don’t like them so manly there are more feminine versions of this type of shoe. Brogues by Margaret Howell.

Sneakers: year round shoes, number one in comfort and the least expensive. Sneakers by Converse.

Ankle boots: Heeled or without heels, you can’t live without them specially in winter. Make sure you invest on a good pair, that wont get trashed by the rain and snow. Ankle boots by Isabel Marant.

Accessories:

Classic sunglasses: Now a days you can find the most horrid sunglasses with all shapes and colors, but a good classic square framed pair will work with any face, and any outfit. Classic wayfarer sunglasses by Ray-Ban.

Tank watch by Cartier: you can own any watch I just used this one as an example because I love it above all. Tops my wishlist and no other watch will do, so i’d rather not have a watch until I have this one. Watches look good as an accessory and are useful too, so better that having a bracelet!

Tote bag: A big bag that fits your Ipad, or maybe even your laptop, is always a good idea. A good black one to start and you will wear it with any outfit. Hopefully not too big on petite girls, in my opinion it looks kind of funny in a bad way. Tote bag by The Row.

Shoulder bag: A hands free bag, is…well…free! Nothing beats the comfort of not having to carry your bag by hand, specially when shopping or at a public restroom, so think about those things too when buying a bag. Wont fit much, but will fit enough. Shoulder bag by Chanel.

This is it! Hopefully it has been useful to you