I’ve talked a bit about the Hollywood Trousers I sewed for my core wardrobe last year and this year. They’re in regular rotation and will continue to be through the spring. I’m a three-season trousers person: can’t stand to wear them in summer, when I switch entirely to skirts and the occasional shorts. It’s a personal quirk, probably related to living in hot and humid Manhattan and now in drier and even hotter Madrid, but I strongly dislike the feeling of trousers on my legs once the temperatures rise.
In any case, this year I also made these bias-cut, pull-on Garibaldi Skirts, which are also seeing a lot of wear. (I used this tutorial for the waistband.)
These, I expect, I’ll also be wearing well into the summer. I made one in each of the four colors I wear most: black, navy, camel, and cream. That way I can pair my favorite sweaters with them for a monochrome look (my favorite), but I can also mix and match them. And they work great with other items as well.
These skirts and trousers get worn more than anything in my closet, and they make getting dressed so easy. On any day my biggest dressing decision is whether I feel like wearing a skirt or trousers, and in which color. The rest comes quickly: usually a white T under one of my sweaters, but sometimes a Classic Shirt, and then a blazer or a scarf for an extra layer, as desired.
This is what my core wardrobe looks like: about 20 pieces.
I don’t wear these clothes exclusively; I’m a clothing designer, after all! But these are the basic items I wear most often, and when I travel I can pack a really tiny suitcase by focusing on these items and multiple ways to wear them.
For those of you who prefer more print and color, the general idea of sticking to a few key colors will still help you to develop a core wardrobe. And you’ll be happy to know that I branch out a lot more with print and pattern for spring and summer! Stay tuned.