I've Been Looking for Cool Yet Classic Staples Forever—I Finally Found These
It can take what feels like an eternity to find the right "forever" pieces. I know that was the case for me. Fresh out of college, I couldn't afford to head straight to The Row or Theory to stock up on basics, so I settled for fast-fashion alternatives. It's not to say that non-designer staples are bad—plenty of the big names have made decent strides toward improving their quality and sustainability—but I still found myself getting rid of them after only a few seasons. Almost at a new decade in my life, I really needed to get serious about streamlining my closet.
That task came easy courtesy of the brilliant people behind our in-house Who What Wear Collection. With each new drop, I find myself gravitating toward a slew of pieces that seem to give me something I didn't know I needed within my wardrobe. Take the Grace and Millie knit set—I could easily see myself slipping it on for impromptu work meetings, on the go, or traveling. But the proportions feel a notch more elevated than a basic sweatsuit. It's that mixture of practicality and creative sophistication that makes me feel like I've found my forever pieces that will stay in my closet for more than a trend cycle. With this in mind, I've rounded up the pieces I'm eyeing to form the new foundation of my daily wardrobe. From versatile knits to ultra-polished suiting, I'm sure they'll win you over too.
Easy Suiting
A quality suit is always appropriate, so I like to keep a cool one at the ready for special occasions. Although suits are a dime a dozen right now, I'm loving unique details, like the double layers on the suit below, and strong colors.
Wide-leg, high-waist trousers are my siren call.
Swap the pants with the coordinating maxi skirt for an on-trend look.
This shade of olive feels so appropriate for spring—it's vibrant yet not too bright.
Knit Separates
Knit pieces are in an entire league of their own—they're the easiest way to look expensive yet still comfortable enough to wear practically all the time. As I build up my staples, I'm looking for sets that look elevated and polished.
Although the pants are knitted, their pared-down silhouette feels reminiscent of classic trousers.
One piece my wardrobe could use more of? Sleek bandeau tops. Most don't feel substantial enough to pull off as a real top, but the thick knit material on this one makes this the exception.
Quite literally, this is the perfect outfit in my mind.
Tailored Separates
I always have a collection of polished separates in my closet for instances when I want to impress or look elevated at a moment's notice. The below jumpsuit is the perfect one-and-done solution.
The square neck and structured sleeves add a subtle touch of trendiness.
These will be some of the most versatile pants in your wardrobe.
Shop More Staples I Love
Next up: 9 Fresh Ways to Wear Black This Spring That Aren't Boring
Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. While going to school at Columbia University in New York City, she got her feet wet in the fashion industry interning at Elle magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and New York magazine's The Cut. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. There, she worked on a multitude of projects, including styling inbook feature stories for New York magazine's print issue, writing and pitching market stories for The Cut, and serving as fashion lead for The Cut's branded content. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter. Now she is a fashion market editor for Who What Wear, focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her duties as a fashion market editor, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times. But once the computer goes down and the emails turn off, she's likely eating her way through Koreatown, hunting down vintage furniture, scoping out new outrageous nail designs to try, or taking a hot cycling class.
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