Stolen from Anna (Experiments in Makeup)
Nina Garcia, author of The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own says you should have these classics:
bold: What I own
italic: What I want to get
1. A-line dress (be bold in a bright pattern)
2. Animal print (try it in an accessory) Have I ever mentioned how much I LOATHE animal print??
3. Ankle bootie (wear with pants or skirts)
4. Aviators (classic sunglasses) Oh god these look terrible with my flat Asian face
5. Ballet flat (simple flat shoes)
6. Bangles (pile on these bracelets)
7. Belts (skinny or big, belts create form)
8. Bikini (keep it basic in solid colours) Mine’s actually a tankini, because I think belly buttons are disgusting, but it counts. Ish.
9. BlackBerry (essential for girls on the go)
10. Black opaque tights (go as matte as possible)
11. Blazer (wear it with anything)
12. Boyfriend cardigan (big and slouchy sweater)
13. Brooch (use on hats, clothing or in hair)
14. Cable-knit Sweater (wear slim pants to balance the proportions)
15. Caftan (dress it up or wear it over a bikini)
16. Camel coat (a golden tan-coloured coat to give your black winter coat a break)
17. Cape (keep everything underneath tailored)
18. Cashmere sweater (invest in good quality)
19. Charm bracelet (document your life’s milestones)
20. Clutch (perfect purse for a night out) Can you believe that I still haven’t found the perfect black clutch?!
21. Cocktail ring (the louder, the better)
22. Converse (classic cool sneakers) Don’t fit me, and I hate them.
23. Cosmetics bag (keeps everything organized)
24. Cowboy boots (always wear jeans over the boots)
25. Cuff (a hefty bracelet)
26. Denim jacket (go super dark or super faded) I hate denim jackets the way I hate a full-bodied rash
27. Diamond studs (fake or real, doesn’t matter) Girls with OCD can’t have pierced ears. What if they’re done unevenly?!
28. Driving shoe (a loafer with rubber grips on the soles)
29. Espadrilles (stacked shoes with twisted cord soles) Is it just me, or are most of these way too tall and way too tacky?
30. Evening gown (dark and neutral colours will never go out of style)
31. Exotic-skin bag (crocodile, snakeskin and ostrich are the staples) As an animal lover, this disgusts me. I’ll wear it if the animal doesn’t have to die, or if the rest of the animal is used, on occasion (ie we eat beef, so I’m okay with leather though I will not wear it myself)
32. Fishnets (the smaller the mesh, the better)
33. Frye harness boot (a classic boot from a solid company)
34. Fur (real or fake will do) Same here. No one needs fur.
35. Gentleman’s hat (try a fedora)
36. Gloves (leather driving gloves are edgy)
37. Havaianas (flip-flops from Brazil)
38. Hobo bag (a slouchy, hold-everything bag)
39. Hoop earrings (the bigger the hoop, the thinner it should be) I’ve gone over the pierced-ear thing already.
40. Investment bag (very pricey bags, ie. The Birkin) What, because everyone “needs” a pricey bag? In this economy?)
41. iPod (fill it with fashion tunes, ie. Sunglasses at Night by Corey Hart)
42. Jeans (stretch is key)
43. Jewelry pouches (essential for the traveller)
44. Khakis (dress these pants up or down)
45. Knee boots (should hit just below the knee)
46. Leather pants (buy tight — they’ll stretch) Holy fucking hell you’re joking.
47. Lingerie (a silk slip is essential)
48. Little black dress (accessorize to mix it up)
49. Little white dress (spice it up with bold jewelry)
50. L.L. Bean tote (sturdy bags to tote anything) Gee, I wonder how much that little bit of product placement cost!
51. Luggage (have it monogrammed) Why the hell do you need monogrammed luggage? Just use a freaking tag and ribbon like everyone else.
52. Mad money (an emergency $50 stashed deep in your purse)
53. Man’s white shirt (must be a crisp button-down)
54. Mary Janes (a pointy toe and high heel add glamour)
55. Minnetonka moccasin (both ankle and boot versions work)
56. Missoni knit (invest in a wild knit dress from this designer) *rolls eyes*
57. Monogrammed stationery (denotes style and effort) Or, if you’re middle upper class, that you’re trying way too hard.
58. Motorcycle jacket (this beat-up staple is always in style)
59. Nail polish (go to extremes — no midway colours)
60. Old concert T-shirt (authentic is best)
61. One-piece swimsuit (all-black is flattering)
62. Pyjamas (no old college T-shirts allowed)
63. Peacoat (buy authentic Army-Navy) …what, there’s something wrong with the rest of them?
64. Pearl necklace (be creative and mix with other necklaces)
65. Pencil skirt (wear it snug, not too tight)
66. Perfume (find your signature scent)
67. Plain white tee (Hanes is the author’s pick)
68. Polo shirt (layer them for a different look) These look terrible on me as well. We’re not sure why.
69. Pucci (evoke the ’60s with a bright print)
70. Push-up bra (wear with caution) Can’t find one that fits, dammit!
71. Quality Champagne (always have a bottle in waiting)
72. Red lipstick (keep other makeup minimal)
73. Robe (loungewear for the stylish)
74. Safari jacket (don’t buy authentic — look for fashion-savvy takes)
75. Sandals (flats for day and night)
76. Sarong (great bikini coverups)
77. Signet ring (an inscribed ring for any finger)
78. Silk scarf (wear it however you please)
79. Slippers (pamper your feet)
80. Spanx (a genius brand of figure-forming panty hose)
81. Statement necklace (wear with a plain top)
82. Stilettos (invest in Manolos, Jimmy Choos or Christian Louboutins if you can) Please love me, feet.
83. Striped sailor shirt (a chic, horizontally striped homage to the French)
84. Suit (wear the pieces separately)
85. Sun hat (find this floppy hat at roadside stands)
86. Trench (khaki is classic)
87. Turquoise and coral jewelry (wear them year-round) *arches brows in disbelief* What if you look bad in, and hate, turquoise? What then??
88. Tuxedo jacket (have it tailored for the perfect fit)
89. Umbrella (to keep you pretty in the rain)
90. Underwear (just because it’s under doesn’t mean it’s not important)
91. Valid passport (just in case)
92. Vans (sneaker chic from California) I also abhor these
93. Vintage (vintage anything in mint condition adds personal style)
94. Watch (no longer required; it should be a statement piece) Drive me mad!
95. Wayfarers (in black, these Ray-Bans are always cool) Also look like shit on me
96. Wellington Boot (rubber boots) I love my polka-dot wellies!
97. Wide-leg trousers (go fitted on top)
98. Wrap dress (forget plain and go for a print)
99. Yoga gear (to be worn in the gym only)
100. Zippered hoodie (fitted cashmere is the best)
Whew! We’re done. Go ahead and take it – though you can see I no longer support this list :P
