Style Basics: Fashion Essentials

I love fast fashion, about half my closet comes from Zara. I've bought most of my neon-anything this season either at that store or at one of it's sisters, and I don't know what I would do without them because we don't have that many stores here in ES. However, last weekend I was cleaning out my closet and I felt so guilty for shopping there. I found that Stella McCartney inspired printed skirt I've only worn once, and a pair of killer high heel shoes that I only wear twice a year because they hurt too much. Those are only two examples of over a zillion ten items in my closet that only make it out no more than three times a year. I think this is probably why almost every weekend when I want to look nice, I stare at a closet full of clothes with "nothing" to wear.

Luckily, I do have a couple of items I know will always look good and I can't live without - favorite skinny jeans, a silk blouse, black pumps to name a few. These are my wardrobe classics: they always look great and because they're not trendy, will look great no matter the season. I still think I'm a couple of pieces short of a complete classic wardrobe (I'm currently on the lookout for nude pumps!), so whenever I stumble across a piece about the subject I'll always read it for inspiration. The articles aren't always good, some preach that you should get as many as 100 (!!??) items to have a classic wardrobe. Sorry Nina Garcia, I love you and you're fabulous, but 100?! I know that we're not supposed to rush out and buy them all at once, but I think that's way too many classics. 

So, how many should we have in our closets? I really don't think there's a magic number, but today I read this list of 21 items to get through your twenties and I loved it! 21 sounds like a nicer and more attainable number than 100. The people over at the EveryGirl seem to really understand that when you're in your twenties and have limited $$$, you really can't spend thousands of dollars on one or two items like others would suggest (I'm looking at you disapprovingly Tory Burch). So go ahead and read their list here, I bet you already own a lot of the things on it.