What Real Simple says I need...

I do love Real Simple, and feel like I can take a little mini-vacation when it arrives every  month. Nothing in it *is* actually all that simple, but I love pretending that I too could get my kids out the door in the morning or remake an unused closet into a home office or prepare a month of lovely nutritious dinners with one trip to the supermarket. The "aha!" uses for ordinary household items also cracks me up.

So, I was curious to revisit an article I remembered about a wardrobe basics checklist. 

"Maybe," I thought, "this is the root of the problem with my haphazard cheap-o thrift store jumble  - I lack the basics!"

Well -- let's peer into Alison's closet and see: 

Always in Season

Black tank. A white tank has its place—at the gym or on casual outings—but a black one is more universal. Dress it up with dark jeans or a skirt.

 Bought one @ Victoria's Secret a few years ago. Too small, too tight, but also too long. weird racer back. Can't wear it under button-down shirts like CJ Cregg on West Wing Score: 0

Short-sleeved white T-shirt. White tees become unwearable quickly, so skip the costly designer versions and buy a bunch of good-looking inexpensive ones. Then replace as needed.

So - if you only shop at thrift stores, your white t-shirts start out with a disadvantage. Most of mine have migrated to the jammies/workout drawer. I see the advantage of finding a brand/cut you really like and just buying a dozen. Do my three decent long-sleeve white shirts count? Score: 0

Short-sleeved black T-shirt. The best short-sleeve length is about 1/2 to 1 inch longer than a typical cap sleeve—it shows just the right amount of arm. 

I have an OK three-quarter sleeve one, but no SS. Also, not sure I look great in black Score: 0

Long-sleeved white T-shirt. For a trim silhouette in white, choose a slim-fit T-shirt that skims your body but doesn't cling. 

Aha! Yes! Have one. In all honesty, it's a little too tight and too sheer to wear alone, but great for layering. I have a nice chunkier one, 3/4 sleeve for on its own. Score: 1

Long-sleeved black T-shirt. A surprisingly sophisticated layering piece, this works well under a dress shirt—or even a dress. 

Under a dress shirt? Really? Above mentioned black 3/4 sleeve is strictly casual. Score: 0.5

Black turtleneck. Consider investing in cashmere: You get more warmth with less bulk. 

I hate turtlenecks. (I do like cashmere, though.) Score: 0

White button-down shirt. A fitted one will get the most wear: It's easier to tuck in and looks neat when left out.

I love mine. It has longish tails. Purchased @ QT. I had to wear it two days in a row this week (long story), and it held up pretty well. Score: 0.75

Crisp white blouse. Softer looking than a button-down, a white blouse is a timeless addition to any wardrobe. 

Crisp? No. (I don't really iron). Nothing that could be called a "blouse" really lives in my closet. Score: 0

Crewneck sweater. Thin knits, in cotton or wool, layer easily for versatility and comfort. 

Oooh! ooh! Yes, I have couple of these. One peacock green, one black. Both from QT, both a little tight. Both get worn all the time. Score: 2

Cardigan. A neutral shade goes with everything, and a longer style that hits at the hip flatters most figures. 

Is poison green neutral? Mine is not "longer style" - it's a 3/4 sleeve (do we hear a pattern here?) cropped one with big buttons. LOVE it. It's getting pilly. Score: 0.75

A black dress. The “little black dress” is a cliche for a reason: It’s a wardrobe necessity. 

I have two, both exceedingly formal (one spaghetti strap floor length velvet, one awesome boatneck MadMen/Jackie O style. They get worn less than once per year, so this is not what RS is talking about. Score: 0

Pencil skirt. This classic piece should be tailored so it grazes the tops of the knees. 

I'm not sure my butt is designed for a pencil skirt. I have a lot of skirts, a couple of them fit ok. Most of the ones that "graze the tops of the knees" are bias cut swirly skirts. Score: 0

Jeans. It's worth paying extra for jeans that fit and flatter. Your best bet? A pair made from stretch denim with no more than 2 percent Lycra. (The fabric will follow your curves while keeping its shape.) 

See JN's and Amy's comments about jeans. Clearly this is something like face cream and undergarments that require more thought and a larger budget as we get older. So I have ~5 pairs of jeans, all thrift store. I've sort of named them in my head (do you do this?) -- there's the Saturday pair and the Suburban Mom pair (high waist, cropped), the Suck It In pair, etc. The current set has survived multiple purges so I must wear all of them relatively frequently. I think the Banana Republic pair fits best. Score: 5 pairs, discounted for less than optimal fit = 2.

Black pants. To get the most from this wardrobe staple, select a style made of an all-season fabric, like tropical wool or viscose. 

Hillary! You rock! I have 2 pairs - one goes with my bought-in-7-minutes-before-an-interview Anne Klein suit (not a great fit) and the other is a lightweight polyester pair that I wear all the time. Meh. They're ok. Score: 0.75

Skinny jeans. Once considered a trend, they are now a denim staple. Skinny jeans look best when they don’t fit too snugly at the waist.

I will confess here that I don't know what "skinny jeans" are. Are they supposed to make you look skinny? Or do they have ittle skinny legs? Don't have either. Score: 0

Khaki pants. For a casual, comfortable look, forget the pleats (a flat front is more flattering) and forgo the front crease. 

Yes! Have 2 pairs: regular and cropped. Both flat front! (Both QT) The cropped pair is particularly awesome. Can go to the office in the summer. Score: 2

Denim jacket. A dark wash and a slim fit look the most polished. 

I have a velvet jacket that's cut like a jeans jacket. Does that count? It doesn't really fit. Score: 0.5

Cropped jacket: Made famous by Coco Chanel, this item has become a fashion mainstay. You’ll have more opportunities for pairing with one in a solid color or traditional tweed. 

During my bright college years, I could still fit into an amazing suit of my mother's - made for her in Paris in 1961. 3/4 sleeve, cropped, matching skirt (maybe a pencil skirt?) It's now in a bin waiting for my girls to grow into it. Sigh. My recent suit purchase (AnnTaylor, black & white polka dot) has a cropped jacket but I can't imagine wearing it with anything but the skirt. Score: 0

Black cashmere wrap. A fabric that was once seen only in fall and winter has become a year-round regular. 

Like a pashmina? Just a big rectangle of fabric? I have a lot of wraps but not black. Score: 0

OMG, that's only the "always in season" list. There are also season-specific lists, maybe I'll tackle the rest of the list another time. Total score so far: 9.25/17. Hmmm...

So - what do we think? Is this what every woman really needs in her closet? Is this what grown ups wear? Would I face the "nothing to wear" demons much less frequently if I had all of this? 


Does following this kind of list turn us into drab uniform-wearing automatons?  Can we make up our own basics list? Have a different uniform? How do you alter or build on such a list to have your own personal style?

And -- where would I go to fill these holes? Is there a one-stop shop? How much would I need to do it right??

T.O.: Brown embroidered skirt from last QT trip (Fall 08), SS blue Ann Taylor t-shirt (doesn't fit). Was supposed to bring my red J.Jill shirt to change into at work (my walk is long and sweaty) but forgot it - so had to throw above-mentioned white dress shirt on over blue t-shirt. (I had left the white shirt at work by accident). Frump.O.Rama. Also -went to bed with wet hair so the complete picture was not what you'd call "pulled together".