The 14 wardrobe essentials every woman should own

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Something has gone wrong with the so-called trends cycle. Which is why at this precise moment we are supposedly in #bratgirlsummer, #greekgirlsummer and — a riposte to JD Vance — #hotcatgirlsummer, as well as, no doubt, assorted other summers that have entirely passed me by.
• Men, these items will update your wardrobe
There are just too many supposed trends these days, many of them entirely concocted, most of them utterly fly-by-night, for much of it to seem relevant. I am interested in what is going to stick around. I imagine you are too. I prefer to avoid hashtag anything, but that’s especially the case when it comes to clothes.
Forget fast fashion, or — as is increasingly the case — warp-speed fashion. Here are the items I think every woman should have in her wardrobe. Forever.
I often meet women who tell me they can’t wear trousers. But while, years ago, some of these women used to say so defiantly, now every one of them is regretful. Why? Because there has been a fundamental aesthetic shift over the past decade or so — towards ease; towards a certain masculine edge — which means that everyone understands what trousers might do for you. You don’t need to be tall (pick a slimmer cut if you are petite). You don’t need to be slim (there are loads of great wide-legs that will work for you).
If you have avoided trousers until now the key is to start tailored because they will be more flattering, and properly invest (ie spend money) to ensure the best quality fabric and fit.
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What’s most important of all is to buy to fit your biggest bit and get the rest taken in by your local tailor. This is a true game-changer. And bear in mind that many fashion types deliberately go a size up anyway, to channel that nonchalant slouch that was a trademark of Katharine Hepburn.
Max Mara is a great investment brand, Me+Em less budget-busting — with properly trained staff who will really help you on fit — and John Lewis has some affordable crackers for the new season, like its Anyday navy wide-legs (£45, johnlewis.com).
If you have never done jeans, on the other hand, don’t feel you need to start. Though — warning — you may just find those trousers are a gateway drug.
Gone are the days when a shirt was perforce crisp and unforgiving on the more, say, womanly figure. Now some shirts combine the softness of a blouse, and the caressing fit, with all that shirt magic that men have been channelling since the Victorian era. I would suggest you start — and, I’ll wager, stop — at homegrown women’s shirting experts With Nothing Underneath.
I am in love with its somewhat voluminous Daphne, available in white or red, which I wear neatly tucked in (£130, withnothingunderneath.com). Could I be having a #shirtblousesummer?
Honestly. There’s just nothing more modernising. And, also honestly, it really isn’t that hard to go to the loo. If you are one of those people who at this point says, “But what about on a plane”, my answer is, er, don’t wear one on a plane! (Though I do. It’s fine.) Lilysilk’s khaki silk iteration is dressy (£355, lilysilk.com), while Hush’s navy Elora could go either way (£139, hush-uk.com).
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OK, the fashion crowd are rightly mocked for wearing theirs indoors, but a decent pair of shades can be life- and outfit-enhancing, both for blocking rays and other people’s gaze. Le Specs’ bestselling Air Hearts suit almost every face shape (from £42, intl.lespecs.com), as do Jimmy Fairly’s Felice (£150, jimmyfairly.co.uk).
Not everyone suits a blazer. Yet there’s a casual jacket out there for all, and it’s one of those pieces that, aside from being endlessly flexible, also endows modernity to the rest of your wardrobe. There are myriad options, from cropped to long and waisted, denim to cotton drill, camo to leopard. Find a cut that suits you, and a fabric that goes with the rest of your wardrobe. (Which, surprising as it may seem, camo and leopard may well do.)
My go-to brands are Baukjen and Me+Em for pared-back classics in waiting, plus Essentiel Antwerp and Anthropologie for point-of-difference detailing (the latter’s subtly floral patterned denim number is a case in point; £120, anthropologie.com).
By which I am referring to an item that’s simple and classic and which, when you put it on, makes you feel like a schoolgirl, in a good way. A plain medium-weight wool or cashmere jumper or cardi, crewneck or v-neck, will prove a friend for life. I feel better just looking at mine. You can’t go wrong at British specialists Navygrey (navygrey.co).
I would argue that flats are happy-making anyway, for all the obvious reasons. (You can walk!) Factor in a leather, colour or detailing that adds something extra, and you really will have a spring in your step. Camper’s subtly mismatched Twins loafers, available in several different colourways, would be a case in point (from £80, reduced from £160, camper.com).
At Copenhagen Fashion Week last week the trench was out in force, especially Aligne’s reversible style, which can be worn with the camel or check on the outside (£249, aligne.co). Dress your trench up or down, and wear it year-round like the fashion pack do, layering underneath depending on temperatures. (Buy a size that gives you the space to let you do that.)
Rare is the item of clothing that suits everyone. This is it. It adds curves for those who don’t have them, and flatters curves for those who do. Jasper Conran is ground zero for shirt dresses, and a number of styles are in the sale (from £175, jasperconran.com).
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Not, to be clear, a piece of jewellery with a smile on it. (Though there are plenty of those around, some of them scattered with diamonds.) But rather a piece that makes you smile. It doesn’t have to be big, flashy or expensive. You just have to love it and want to wear it every day. I live in Missoma’s quirky mixed pearl necklace (£265, missoma.com). Mango is where I hunt for bargain beauties.
Meaning what? Meaning you have been honest about what size you need, given any fastening or strap rigorous testing, bought a leather and (possibly) a colour that makes you swoon, and invested (that word again) in the best quality you can. You can’t go wrong with a basket bag for summer either.
What this also probably means is that you have made yourself a pest when buying. Buy in the flesh, not online, and go into the shop with a cloth shoe bag or a plastic bag into which you can transfer everything from your bag to see how well it fits into your putative new one. Then open and shut that clasp a gazillion times (to be precise) to check it works well enough. (It’s amazing how many aren’t up to snuff.)
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The British brand Strathberry is one of the best at delivering quality at a fair price. The Lana bucket in black, navy or tan — classic yet contemporary looking — is a real ever-after number (£495, strathberry.com). On the high street I rate & Other Stories. Its cream or black sculptural buckle crossbody looks positively stealth wealth (£135, stories.com).
You don’t need a lot. But you do need a little. Honestly.
Is there anyone out there who is still a trainers naysayer? Surely not. What an outfit burnisher. What a youthifier. Simply take that man knit, those tailored trousers, that smile jewellery, add in one great pair of trainers, and you will look effortlessly 2024, and feel good too. But don’t just buy any old pair, go properly fabulous, as per Bimba y Lola’s cupsole, its retro-styling offset via a range of metallics and animal prints (from £77.50, bimbaylola.com).
I was on the edge of my seat when the soignée fashion designer Carolina Herrera once told me what was the one thing every woman needs in her wardrobe. Was it a white shirt? (She lives in them.) Nope, it was a full-length mirror. It’s amazing how many people don’t have one. It’s amazing what a difference it makes to your sartorial skill set when you get one. And while we’re on the topic, a small magnifying mirror is another non-negotiable. Chin hairs should never be a part of your look.