33 Trendy Basics to Buy From J.Crew, Zara, and Mango This Season

Ever since the days of grade-school "back-to-school" shopping, I've looked forward to this time of year more than any other. Once summer starts winding down, all I want in life is to wear jeans and a sweater without breaking a sweat. Those crisp fall days are delightfully near, and just as it did when I was 9, my closet is in need of a bit of a fall refresh—starting with basics.
If you want to fill your closet with basics that don't cost a lot of money but will earn you a lot of fall trend points, a few great retailers to turn to are J.Crew, Zara, and Mango. And I just scoured the current stock in search of the best items that fall under the covetable "trendy basics" category. These 33 items won't look dated in a year's time, but they will look incredibly fresh right now.
So without further ado, keep scrolling to shop the very best trendy fall basics from J.Crew, Zara, and Mango.
J.Crew
Zara
Mango

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater arts. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.
-
The 2 Tank Top Trends That Make Every Outfit Look Peak 2025
It's all in the details—er, necklines.
-
I'm a Shopping Editor—These 31 Under-$50 Amazon Finds Are Giving Main Character Energy
These were really hard not to gatekeep.
-
Just Dropped: 29 Fall New Arrivals That'll Be Wardrobe Staples by September
Mentally escape the heat with me.
-
I'm Swapping Out My Crewneck Tees for These 7 Rich-Looking Neckline Silhouettes
Ultra-cool and ultra-chic.
-
10 Summer Outfit Ideas That Will Make Anyone Look Like a Fashion Person
Get ready for endless compliments.
-
How to Style Your Basics So They Look Like The Row (But Cost $390 or Less)
Prepare to bookmark every outfit.
-
My Friend Wanted to Know the 5 Chic Items I Think Are Worth Buying—Here's My Short List
The staples.
-
I Live in NYC—These Are the Under-$200 Summer Basics in My Nordstrom Cart
It's about to be *hot.*