8 Go-To Pieces

By Meocha Belle

The average woman loses 16 minutes of her morning choosing an outfit.

According to a story by English publication, The Telegraph, a woman spends 16 minutes every weekday morning deciding what to wear. “Women will try on two outfits each morning before coming to a final decision,” The Telegraph reported. Wouldn’t it be great if you could reallocate that time to have a balanced breakfast, get in a quick workout, or even get a little more sleep?

By having 8 essential pieces, you can do whatever you’d like with the time— and save money! Buying quality pieces will allow for them to wear well, says Dummies.com. “With a quality piece, you’ll be able to rely on it again and again,” Dummies.com explains.

Marie Claire recommends buying these 8 items: a white blouse, black skirt, black pants, blazer, little black dress, trench coat, black pump and pearl necklace. All of these items are essential to a women’s working wardrobe, and since they are neutral in color, you can mix them into and match them with several different outfits. “You can always find a top to pair with black slacks,” says Kristen Hamner, PH.D. student, at Syracuse University. When Hamner has to dress up, she goes to her essential pieces.

Here are the items at two different price points:

White Blouse
Choose one with a large tie-neck!

Vivienne Westwood $440 | Spiegel $39

Black Skirt
The straight and narrow cut of the pencil skirt will attest your character for you!
MaxMara $250 | Oasis $71

Black Pants
From wide leg to straight leg, black pants provide range.
Michael Kors $695 | John Lewis $140

Blazer
Opt for grey to break up monochromatic looks.
MCQ by Alexander McQueen $506 | J. CREW $300

Little Black Dress
Dressed up or down, you’ll be addressed like a respected professional.
Lanvin $1,625 | Diane Von Furstenberg $430

Trench Coat
Wear it on top of everything…"Camel is this season’s black!”— Vogue Paris
Burberry $2,505 | Top Shop $135

Black Pumps
Its simplicity allows it to match most outfits.
YSL $760 | Sam Edelman $95

Pearl Necklace
With these on, your value will come shining through!
Tiffany’s $8,100 | Zales $160

Even though these are considered “basics,” you can add your own flare in the selection of the pieces. The tailoring, buttons/embellishments and fabric are all things that can make the piece live up to your personal style while maintaining a classic look.

Now that you’ve seen the list of essentials, check and see how your closet matches up! If you’re fierce, you already have most of these items. If you’re coming up short, you now have an excuse to head to your local department store.