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
Everything about these is supreme—including that they have pockets.
It's going to be a leopard-print fall.
Some would call this the "demure" way to do the sheer skirt trend.
Zara
Mango
This elevated faux-leather jacket is an excellent use of $100.
This feels fresher than your typical double-breasted trench.
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.
-
I Just Created 5 Expensive-Looking Pre-Spring Outfits from Zara, Mango, and Nordstrom—You're Welcome
Outfits for everything from a wedding to brunch.
By Nikki Chwatt
-
Sunscreen Filters Abroad Are Totally Elite—Here's Why They're Not Available in the U.S. Yet
It's a bummer, but I have hope.
By Shawna Hudson
-
These Are the 2025 Versions of Every Basic Your Closet Needs
Bookmark this.
By Allyson Payer
-
Everything We'll Covet and Adopt From The Row's Winter 2025 Collection
The details already defining next-season style.
By Anna LaPlaca
-
The Hermès Show Just Confirmed The #1 Piece to Invest in For Fall
Ready your leather jackets.
By Anna LaPlaca
-
Madewell's Insiders Event Is So Good—27 Picks Chic People Will Be Adding to Their Carts
Get 25% off just about everything.
By Jennifer Camp Forbes
-
Inside a Parisian Train Station, Louis Vuitton Presents a Collection of Traveling Characters
All aboard.
By Eliza Huber
-
If You Have Great Taste, You Don't Want to Miss These 30 Chic J.Crew and Madewell Sale Picks
So many gems. So little time.
By Jennifer Camp Forbes
-
Brocade, Lace, and Ruffles: The Dior Show Envisioned Modern Bourgeois Style
The bougier, the better, according to Maria Grazia Chiuri.
By Anna LaPlaca
-
25 Spring Staples I'm Replacing My Old Ones With From J.Crew's Massive Sale
Wardrobe reset (at a discount).
By Michelle Scanga