Apples Pickings Missing pieces in your basic wardrobe

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Apples Pickings
Missing pieces in your basic wardrobe

By Apples Aberin Sadhwani
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:17:00 06/26/2008


MANILA, PhilippinesDo you find yourself with a closet full ofclothes and yet nothing to wear? It might be because you aremissing basic pieces that should be the foundation of everywardrobe.
Having the right pieces allows you to mix and match, thusmaximizing your clothing options.
When building a basic wardrobe, it is important to remember severalthings. First, always take your personality, age and body type intoconsideration.
You can always find the basics in a variety of styles to suit yourneeds. A classic button-down, for instance, can come with a widercollar and cuffs for women with bigger frames. Or a little blackdress can be short, swingy and sweet to suit a girly, femininepersonality, or long and fitted to cater to a sophisticated style.
Next, its best to build a wardrobe around neutral colors likeblack, brown, gray or khaki. These colors transcend trends.
Items in these colors also tend to look like theyre of betterquality than pieces in bright or light colors.
If you must add color, simply do this through the use ofaccessories like a cherry-red tote or a pair of electric-bluepatent platforms. Once youve acquired your basics, itll be easierto gradually build on them with trendier pieces.
Here are a few key pieces that you should invest in:
Crisp white button-down shirt
This definite classic is possibly one of the most importantarticles of clothing in a womans wardrobe. It should fit well andbe perfectly clean and crisp at all times.
Its easy to dress up or down and can match anything from slouchywide legged trousers, blue jeans or summery white shorts.
Pantsuit
This must-have gives you the flexibility of wearing the settogether for a more corporate look, or as separates that you canmix and match.
Its best to choose a suit that is in a solid color and is free ofdetails so it can last from one fashion season to the next. Asimple shaped jacket with one-to three-buttons, and flat-fronttrousers with a straight leg are your best options.
Skirt
Another wardrobe essential, skirts can be feminine, flirty orbusinesslike, depending on how you want to wear them and what youwear them with.
Match it with a spaghetti top, cardigan and kitten-heel mules for amodern day Bridgette Bardot look. Or wear it with a crisp whitebutton-down to conquer any boardroom.
A pencil style is classic but if you want to disguise figure flawslike wide hips, an A-line skirt is best for you.
Little black dress
The LBD is a staple that can take you from day into night and tomost any occasion. It is versatile and can look different dependingon how you accessorize it. Wear it with a belt with extra highgladiators for that Carrie Bradshaw look, or keep it classic withpearls and stilettos for that Holly Golightly appeal.
Tank top
A basic white tank can be worn with anything in your wardrobe anytime of the year. Wear it with shorts or breezy skirts during hotsummer months, under a jacket or poncho during rainy season, orunder a puffy vest or cashmere cardigan when traveling abroadduring colder months.
Jeans
Choose a pair that suits your style and body type but just makesure you have a pair in your closet. The wide-legged, mid-waistvarieties are more forgiving than the fitted, pencil-thin stylesbut if you have the body and budget for it, keep both to createdifferent looks.
E-mail the author at afashion@inquirer.com.ph .