Regardless of season, trend or a publication’s agenda, there are certain pieces that come back annually, maintaining precedence over novelty and statement items that need to be anchored, justified and eventually never worn again. So what constitutes as a staple? Here are four pieces that fit the definition perfectly.
Button-up Blouses
You can understand why t-shirts and tank tops return every season, but when it comes to the traditional, crisp button-up, few things compare to their reliability. So what sets these blouses apart from empire waists and shapeless tanks? Easy: structure, adaptability and their flattering nature. Having been staples from the 40s onward and paired with the likes of trousers and skirts (thanks for that, Kate Hepburn), this season they return, and worn with high-waisted jeans or pleated shorts, they take business casual to new heights.
Check out Aritzia’s T.Babaton Peyton Blouse in Onguent, $110. Available at Artizia.
Jeans
Remember the transition from joggers to jeans around age eight? Who would’ve thought that the pants pioneered by working class men nearly a century back would dictate wardrobes today? Thanks to countless cuts, styles and brands, jeans are arguably the staple guaranteed to stay. And despite last year’s introduction to jeggings, or this season’s wide-legged infatuation, it’s safe to assume that if you hold on to your favourite pair of jeans now, you can rock them again in 10 years.
Try Smart Set’s Wide-Leg Denim, on sale for $29.99. Available at Smart Set.
Florals
Feminine, delicate and a reminder of spring, florals have worked their way through the 40s, 50s and beyond to breathe life into staples, adding interest to relatively safe fashion choices, and straddling the space between alternative and not. What’s best is that florals are easily whatever you make them; with ankle-length print dresses defining the 90s grunge resurgence, and full A-line skirts evoking the spirit of the 1960s. And like denim, florals prove longevity: while you may not believe that your flower-speckled leggings will ever again be en vogue, the season’s street style may help prove otherwise.
Add a pop of colour and pattern to your wardrobe with H&M’s Flared Floral Dress, $59.95. Available at H&M.
Black
True, talking about fashion’s bleakest shade may not set the tone for springtime aesthetics, but while designers have showcased neon and whites, black is still a bona fide staple. After all, when you think about favourite items of fashion’s elite (read: Uncle Karl and Kelly Cutrone), cigarette pants, black t-shirts and tights ensure that regardless of season, you come across timeless. (Because let’s face it “ few shades can fit everything from work uniforms to gothic ensembles to Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.)
Accessorize your outfits with HUE’s Hexagon Texture Tights with Control Top, $12.50. Available at The Bay and hue.com.
