My 55-Year-Old Mom Says These Brands Make the Best Basics

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(Image credit: @nicoleakhtarzad)

Remember when I made my mom share her take on the best fashion items worth investing in? Not surprisingly, her advice was a hit you all (just as it’s been for myself and my sisters all our lives), which is why I figured I'd pry some more intel out of her on a new topic. This time, the woman of few words but much good taste (whose name, by the way, is Shirin) gave us the scoop on her favorite brands for buying basics—a topic which, actually, seemed quite fitting, seeing as I also have an affinity for the simple yet crucial wardrobe staples.

Nonetheless, from Gap and Zara to Chanel and Proenza Schouler, she’s got something for the under-$100 shoppers, the investment buyers, and, of course, those who are somewhere in the middle. To see and shop all 12 of the brands that made the cut, just keep scrolling.

Under $100

J.Crew

Nike

Gap

Zara

Investments

Ralph Lauren

Proenza Schouler

Chanel

Armani

Somewhere in the Middle

Mother

Vince

Theory

Frame

Up next? Four surprising summer trends these London girls are into.

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Editor-at-Large

Since starting as an intern back in 2013, Nicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour has held several roles here at Who What Wear, and she is currently Editor-at-Large. It was a less expected route, seeing as she was graduating from business school at USC when this all began, but it has turned out to be the best one for her. Fast-forward to 2024, and she's moved to NYC from her hometown of Beverly Hills and spends her workdays a little differently from when she was an intern starting out. Currently, she focuses on a weekly mélange of shopping content. As far as her personal style goes, she's largely drawn to classic pieces and neutral basics but will always make an exception for something colorful, printed, or bejeweled as long as it's deemed worthy enough. After all, the only thing she loves more than a good party is dressing up for one. On weekdays, she can usually be found at home eating something delicious for dinner and trying to force her husband to watch Summer House.