What Makes a Great 'Basic'?
Aka, the unsung heroes in all of our wardrobes.
Every time my partner buys something new, he says the exact same thing: “I needed some more basics.” It happened last week, when he came home with a bag of T-shirts in black, white and navy. I rolled my eyes and made fun of his unwavering love of a good ‘basic’ but it did kickstart a train of thought about these wardrobe fundamentals, why they’re so important, and why they’re quite often the hardest to find.
It reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend who’s a stylist, whose biggest challenge is not creating looks that are creative and fit the brief, but rather finding the perfect white T-shirt to pair with other pieces on shoots.
We talk a lot about the special pieces in our wardrobes, the ones we’ve coveted for months and finally committed to purchasing, and the pieces that elevate an outfit with stand-out shapes, colours and textures. But they need something to be worn with. Something to be layered upon or contrasted against. And those pieces are quite often the unsung heroes of our wardrobes.
What is a wardrobe basic?
A plain T-shirt. Usually in neutral colours such as black, white, grey and navy
A plain long-sleeved T-shirt, as above
If you’re a dress wearer, a plain jersey dress (also in those aforementioned neutrals)
A plain vest top
A plain sweatshirt
A plain cashmere or wool jumper
In essence, it’s those pieces that can be worn with most things in your wardrobe. I’ve listed ‘plain’ in each of the items listed above because they’re the easiest to wear and provide the perfect canvas for your other clothes. As for colours, neutrals are your best, most versatile friend.
What to look for in a basic:
Quality of fabric. The thing with a ‘basic’ is that you’ll wear it a lot, even if it’s not the focal point of an outfit, so look for fabrics that will last (100% cotton, wool or cashmere is a great place to start).
Quality of fit. Whether you want a slim fit or a looser fit, do you feel good in it? If it’s primarily a layering piece, will it fit underneath your jumpers, jackets or vests?
Speaking of layering, I’d recommend getting T-shirts in different lengths. As well as the ‘regular’ hip-skimming length, I have a few in a longer length too. I use these for wearing under jumpers and jackets to have a bit of contrasting colour (as shown in the look below).
Do you like it enough to wear it without any embellishments? On those days when you’re popping out to the shop or running errands and quickly throw on that T-shirt and a pair of jeans, will you still feel good?