I Shop for Basics Regularly—Here's Everything I'm Buying Now

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(Image credit:
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

As I’ve highlighted before, my daily uniform is primarily made up of basics. If I’m not in joggers and a sweatshirt (I work from home a lot), I tend to wear jeans, a black sweater, a moto jacket, and boots. So when I’m shopping on the regular, I tend to primarily search for simple, not-so-flashy quality items that can work within my elevated yet pared-down wardrobe. (That said, when I do venture outside the basics zone a bit, it’s usually for those statement-making bags and shoes that have a good cost per wear.)

Anyway, while I think I have a pretty solid foundation of my go-to basics (those stated above), I’m currently scoping the market for fresh staples that are a bit different for me in order to breathe new life into my wardrobe. To give you a glimpse into what I mean, I’m showcasing the five updated basic trends I’m interested in trying right now. I also shopped out inspired silhouettes for each in case you too want to add these must-have basics into your arsenal.

Camel Coats

I basically live in black outerwear, but I want to add a simple yet luxurious-feeling camel coat into my wardrobe. I think that the ideal silhouette will pop flawlessly against my dark-jeans–and-sweater uniform.

Straight-Leg Jeans

I haven’t really ventured outside of the skinny-jean world in years, but I would like to at least test out one of the slim-straight denim cuts the fashion crowd continues to stand behind. While I personally want to go for a style in a black wash (I love the all-black look), there are so many solid blue jeans out there too worth noting.

Directional Sweaters

You clearly can’t go wrong with a basic crew-neck or turtleneck sweater (I have an entire closet full), but it’s those same styles with just a little something extra (like wider sleeves or an asymmetrical cut) that continue to pique my interest.

Non-Black Ankle Boots

I consistently rely on my basic black ankle boots, but I’m actually shopping for a non-black pair right now to try something different. I specifically want to find a style that has a classic shape but in a luscious tan or in faux-snakeskin.

Fresh Tees

You can never have too many tees, right? I basically wear a black T-shirt from Amazon on the regular, but I want to update my drawer with white and striped tees as well to build my layered winter looks.

Next, check out the basic items Jennifer Lopez wears on repeat.

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Market Director

Bobby Schuessler is a fashion editor with over a decade of editorial experience covering shopping, style, and beauty. He's spent over seven years at Who What Wear, currently leading the market team to deliver highly covetable and convertible content. He creates data-driven shopping guides featuring top retailers like Nordstrom, Shopbop, and Net-a-Porter and is at the forefront of Who What Wear's shopping tentpole strategies, including Amazon Prime Day. He also works on branded content initiatives and appears on camera in video and shopping livestream franchises. He has also worked across a variety of other media brands and fashion retailers like Refinery29, PureWow, Men's Health, and Gilt covering commerce, trend reporting, women's and men's fashion, home, and lifestyle.