Wardrobe Essentials: An Investment in Yourself

Do you stand in your closet each day, surrounded by clothing, yet have “nothing to wear?”

Do you find items in your wardrobe you don’t recognize and have no idea how they got there? Or even why?

If you are committed to simplifying your life, and your wardrobe this year, Prime Women is here to help. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to invest in wardrobe essentials. Wardrobe essentials give you a place to start, a trusted foundation upon which you can build fabulousness each day. Who doesn’t want fabulous? The idea behind these being investment pieces is that, when an item is well made, classically tailored, and in the right fabric, it can last years and take you through all four season, in many cases. The investment in a wardrobe essential pays off in that you can pair it with those trendier items you purchase throughout the year, and you will always look elegantly put together.

We have enlisted the assistance of a wonderful stylist from Neiman Marcus, Audrey Adams, to guide us in the wardrobe essentials every woman should have in her closet. Our plan is to include one item in a post each month, building one upon the other until we have created something of a “capsule wardrobe.” Keeping in mind that everyone has a different idea of the appropriate investment for themselves, we will provide three options – let’s call them… Couture, Contemporary, and Budget.

Audrey suggested we begin with a jacket… so Editor in Chief Ann Franks found herself in this beautiful jacket by Escada.

This patterned one button blazer is versatile enough to pair with jeans, a straight skirt or slacks and the material makes it travel-friendly, too. We paired it with black pants, a white button down shirt, classic black patent leather pumps and a small satchel bag by Rebecca Minkoff.

With this being our “Couture” look, you can shop for the jacket, pants and purse below:

If you’re in more of a “Contemporary” frame of mind, we found this jacket:

Or, if you’re on a budget, this is an amazing find:

Add shoes and a similar bag and you’ve got this look for your new wardrobe essential – a versatile jacket. We’ll be back next month to add another wardrobe essential recommendation!