Wardrobe Tips

I know some of you have been talking about wanting to rebuild your wardrobe, and wanted tips. So here is my guide to start your perfect closet from beginning to end. Keep in mind, these are just suggestions, so you may want to find things you like as you go along.

1. jeans- everyone needs a perfect pair of flattering jeans. Bootcuts/flares are always nice, and so are skinny jeans. Just make sure you don't get one of those extremely flared bell bottomish jeans. Darkwash is better for a first pair, since they work from day to night. Medium wash is fine too, but stay away from super acid light wash, especially when destroyed. Also, try to get something classic and plain for your first pair. Nothing sequined, embroidered (except for the pockets), destroyed, or patterned. You can get those later when you have your basics.
SAVE- wet seal (it's actually not bad), Old Navy, Abercrombie Kids, Hollister, marshall's, tjmaxx, delia*s, aeropostale, sale events
SPEND-abercrombie & fitch, American Eagle Outfitters, GAP, UO, lucky jeans, express
SPLURGE- designer basically. 7forallmankind, paige, true religion, citizens of humanity. or check loehmann's for cheaper designer jeans

2. basic tees/tanks- this is the other most important part of a wardrobe besides your jeans, including beaters, camis, crewneck tees, vneck tees, scoopneck tees, short sleeved tees, long sleeved tees, etc. definitely stock up on white and black beaters, and maybe a tshirt of each color. gray and brown would also be nice to have. then, go crazy with the colors. the great thing about these is you can layer different colors and styles if you don't want to look too boring, and layer them under/over your other tops. tshirt over tshirt, tshirt over beater, beater over beater, and so on. these crazy little things have so many possibilities!
SAVE- *old navy*, wet seal, forever 21, target, h&m
SPEND- GAP, abercrombie, a&f, AE, hollister, delia*s, j.crew, nordstroms BP has some i think
SPLURGE- C&C california, petit bateau, splendid, micheal stars

3. sweaters- for starters, definitely choose solids. black is always nice, and so is brown for the winter. for cardigans, i definitely recomment white and black. they go with everything. other sweaters, you can choose from vneck, crewneck, cableknit, wraps etc. basically any solid colored sweaters would be good to start with. you can layer them on top of your basics. If you want to go a little more crazy, you can do some stripes or something, maybe. Anddd! don't forget those hoodies. Hoodies are warm and comfy for those winter days or lazy days. i tend to prefer solid colored ones(maybe grey, royal blue, yellow, black, brown, tan...), but printed ones are cute too. Stay away from logo hoodies though.
SAVE- old navy, f21, wet seal, tjmaxx, marshall's, h&m
SPEND- gap, hollister, a&f, abercrombie, AE, aeropostale, deliasS
PLURGE- J.CREW the best place eva for basic sweaters in millions of colors, Ralph Lauren, UO, anthropologie, department stores

4. jackets- blazers, hoodies, that kind of thing. i really like velvet blazers in a dark neutral color or jewel tone. black, chocolate brown, navy, burgundy, teal... that kind of thing. they look nice with things, and make you look more professional. hoodies are nice for just throwing on when you're cold or something. black or gray are nice to start with.
stores to check out: j.crew, juicy, delia*s (for the funky ones), department stores, UO, abercrombie (if you can stand the logos, they're really warm), AE (same as abercrombie), GAP, old navy

5. shoes- flats, heels, sneakers, sandals, and whatnot. for flats, i suggest brown or black ballet flats, because they pretty much go with everything. if you want something funkier, try pointy toed, or something in a bright color like red. heels, well, classic black heels are a must, and whatever else you want i guess. for sneakers, i love black converses, and they don't look as crappy with cute outfits like actual running shoes would. And sandals, stay away from rubber flip flops (or save them for the beach). if you're looking for flip-flop style sandals, get leather ones. like j.crew leather flip flops. or you may want to try nicer sandals, like gladiator ones.
flats- UO, delias, nordstroms, jcrew, payless, target, AE
heels- um, wherever? but payless occasionally has nice cheap ones
sneakers- that's everywhere too.
sandals- delias, jcrew, nordstroms, payless, target, UO
others: anthro (but very expensive), aldo, nine west, old navy, gap

6. blouses/shirts- i love oxfords, but that's a personal thing. if you like them too, i suggest a white one and maybe a cute striped one. j.crew, abercrombie, gap, hollister, and old navy would be good for this. they can go for everyday or professional, or for school concerts and such when you need a nice white shirt. i also like blouses, maybe with ruffles, puff sleeves, or big bows. delias, anthro, and UO would probably have them. if you have a poofier blouse, you can balance it out with skinny pants/jeans, or maybe where them with nice trousers.

7. pants- nice trousers, black/grey skinny pants (UO and gap), bermuda shorts in a neutral color like black, white, tan (f21), short shorts- maybe cuffed like johnson's, or plain ones (f21, jcrew)

8. skirts- solid color knee length skirts are cute. maybe like a white flowy one or something for the summer. and prints are nice too. denim minis are skanky looking usually, but if you can make it work, go for it! and short skirts in general are slutty, so i'd stay away from them. also, black pencil skirts are good to have.

9. jewelry- pearls and diamonds are classic. pearl studs and diamonds studs are especially good to have. they go with everything. you may also like long, chunky necklaces, or a pendant necklace with a locket or key or something. for bracelets, bangles aren't overwhelming, but pretty. i like thin gold ones, wooden ones, or thick ones. i don't like plastic ones too much, well just because, i don't know.
SAVE- claire's, old navy, f21, wet seal
SPEND- UO, delias, AE
SPLURGE- department stores, and anthropologie

10. other accessories-
SUNGLASSES: oversized ones are cute, but don't go too far. obnoxiously large ones look stupid, so make sure it's not too big for the size of your face. (f21 usually has nice cheap ones)

HAIR STUFF: i'm in love with headbands. scarf/ribbon headbands are always nice, but plastic ones are "in" right now. you can find them at UO if you want, and most likely f21. Also, i have a burberry plaid one, and i'm in love with it. At j.crew and ann taylor, they have headbands that are called "tortoise shell" or something. it's leopard-printy, but not exactly. i really like those too.

BAGS: big, slouchy leather bags are always good, and can be used to keep all your junk. however, they are kind of pricey, so maybe check out places like marshall's and tjmaxx to find good deals. I also love lesportsac bags for vacations, totes, and every day, because they're waterproof, light and come in lots of prints. If you live near New York, you might want to check out the lesportsac store at Woodbury Commons.

Other info:You all want to keep up with the latest trend, but unless you have unlimited money to spend on everything, it's better to start off with a classy, basic wardrobe. THat way, you can layer them to create look s that are a little more exciting, and can wear them for longer. Also, if you do decide to get the trendy stuff, it's easier to wear if you have the basics. You don't want to go too overboard, so you can wear one trendy piece with a basic outfit.Know your body, and don't wear things just because it's trendy, or popular. Find things that flatter you and make you feel happy!!

by Hairspray